Chapter 31: Repercussions
Author: zeusfluff.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Blue Blood's characters. They belong to CBS. I do own all originals. Date Started: 6/10/24. Date Finished: 6/12/24.
The repercussions of the extortion/adoption ring were far reaching it seemed. It wasn't just doctors and nurses involved now, but apparently so was child services. Jamie and Eddie had gotten their son back, but what about all the other mothers out there? Had they gotten their children back? There really was no answer to that unless they could find them all. But finding all these babies was like a very tiny needle in an enormous haystack filled with more than 8 million other needles. Jamie pushed the thought aside as he heard Patrick begin to whine inside the bassinet at the foot of the bed. Eddie didn't budge from her sleep. Rising from the bed without waking Eddie, he went the less than 20 feet to the end of the bed and picked Patrick up. His whines were now becoming louder, and Jamie leaned his head down slightly.
"Ok buddy. You need a diaper change. Let's get you to the changing table bud."
Setting him down on the changing table when he got to the nursery, he quickly grabbed a fresh diaper and a package of wipes. Patrick flailed and grew upset at Jamie as he changed his diaper. Jamie calmed him as best he could.
"Almost done buddy. You have your mother's temper already I see."
Patrick scrunched up his face and let out a wail. Jamie spoke to him again as he saw Patrick stick a fist in his mouth.
"Seems like every time I change you, your always hungry. That is all your mother there. She's always hungry."
Jamie meant that halfway as a joke than anything else. Patrick did love to eat though. Quietly padding out of the nursery and back to their bedroom, Jamie found that Eddie was still asleep. She hadn't heard him crying. She was exhausted. He wasn't going to wake her, so instead he went to the kitchen and opened up the fridge, he was glad Eddie had pumped, in case she needed a break. Grabbing for a bottle, he took it from the fridge. Shifting Patrick, he put the bottle in a small pan with water in it. Waiting for it to boil was taking forever it seemed, at least for Patrick who fussed more and kept sucking on his left fist.
"I know bud, it's almost ready. Ok. Let daddy test it on the back of his wrist first to make sure its not too hot. I think that's just about right."
As soon as Jamie stuck the bottle up to Patrick's mouth, he quickly latched on and began to suckle.
"Whoa. Slow down there bud. The food's not going anywhere."
Jamie became concerned. He knew babies ate a lot. But with Patrick it was different. He'd been moved around a lot in the last while, and Jamie wondered it if was because of stress or something else completely. He'd have to bring it up with Eddie. He sat in the rocking chair and Patrick whined as he ate. Jamie thought maybe it could possibly be a side effect of Eddie being tazed while Patrick was still inside her, but he couldn't be sure unless they both took him to the doctor. He didn't want their son to be in any pain. He'd been so focused on Patrick that he hadn't seen Eddie who leaned against the door frame to the nursery.
"What's wrong bub?"
Jamie ran a hand over Patrick's head and then leaned down to kiss it.
"I don't want to scare you babe, but Patrick is losing weight."
Eddie's eyes grew wide with concern and worry. Jamie vacated the rocking chair with Patrick and placed him in Eddie's arms. Settling into the rocking chair, she leaned down and kissed his head.
"Don't worry baby boy. We'll get you to the doctor and they will tell us everything is going to be just fine. Your safe now. Mommy and daddy won't let anyone get to you ever again."
Jamie and Eddie watched Patrick's pediatrician Doctor Jacobson carefully set him on the scale to weigh him. He whined and fussed the whole time. He frowned and double checked the scale.
"That can't be right. You said Patrick weighed 9 pounds and 6 ounces when he was born right?"
Eddie nodded and squeezed Jamie's hand.
"Yeah, that's right. How much does the scale say?"
Doctor Jacobson gave Jamie and Eddie a worried look.
"I don't want to put him through any unnecessary tests. But he's down to 6 pounds and 4 ounces."
Jamie now had a grim look on his face and Eddie was struggling to keep it together. Swallowing, she put on a brave face and ventured into the unknown.
"Do babies lose weight after their born? I mean, I just want to make sure everything is ok. Is my baby ok?"
Doctor Jacobson kept looking at Jamie and Eddie with a serious look on his face.
"He should be gaining weight. Not losing it. It is concerning. Have the two of you noticed anything out of the ordinary recently?"
Eddie gave Jamie a look, but she shook her head. Jamie went ahead and told Doctor Jacobson the important details as of late.
"He's been moved around a lot lately. It's been stressful. On us and on him."
Doctor Jacobson nodded.
"Stress can cause weight loss, but I want to rule some things out here. When did you notice his sudden weight loss?"
Sighing, Jamie shook his head, he was mentally beating himself up.
"About four days ago. I noticed it when I was changing his diaper. His diapers used to fit, now they just hang on him. I should've seen this sooner."
Doctor Jacobson shook his head at Jamie.
"It's not your fault. You couldn't have known. Now I want to get a quick blood draw from him and if the two of you could get a stool sample that would also be helpful."
Patrick let out another whine and scrunched up his face. A nurse was quick to take some blood from Patrick. She taped a cotton ball to his left foot and rubbed a thumb over his tiny leg.
"Sorry little guy. I know that hurt. All done. Oh, someone needs a diaper change."
Jamie became nervous, but changed Patrick's diaper, handing it off to the nurse. Patrick still whining, he stuck a fist in his mouth. Jamie looked up again at Doctor Jacobson.
"He's hungry after he goes to the bathroom. I guess I don't understand. Is there something we're doing wrong?"
Doctor Jacobson shook his head no and put a hand on Jamie's shoulder.
"It's nothing you're doing wrong. Something is going on and we're going to figure this out. Ok?"
Jamie nodded somberly; Eddie was still barely holding it together. Doctor Jacobson handed Patrick over to Eddie and she cradled him. He was giving displeased whines. Eddie motioned for Jamie to get the diaper bag.
"Jamie, I have a bottle in there for him. Can you get it?"
Jamie nodded and handed the bottle to Eddie.
"Here you go baby boy, something to eat. Slow down. The food's not going anywhere."
Doctor Jacobson watched as Patrick ate and furrowed his eyebrows.
"How many ounces of breast milk may I ask are you feeding him?"
Eddie looked up at Doctor Jacobson and nodded.
"I've been feeding him 6 ounces every couple of hours. He always eats it all. Should I up it and give him 8 ounces? I don't want him to be too full though?"
Doctor Jacobson sighed.
"Have you been pumping and feeding him from the bottle?"
Eddie nodded.
"We have. Do you think I should switch and have him breastfeed again?"
Doctor Jacobson gave Eddie a sympathetic look.
"I would recommend it. In the meantime, I'd like to observe Patrick for a few hours. Just to make sure we haven't missed anything."
The couple nodded and looked down at Patrick. This worried them.
To Be Continued…
A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!