And Love
Chapter 9 Visit and stories
Malina had overheard that partner Joe was taking his mother for a carriage ride around NYC. She latched onto that and had made such a nuisance of herself that she was invited along. She can be very persuasive.
Eddie took Mal to the Central Park vendor where she joined Joe and Paula for the ride. They were seated in a phaeton pulled by a beautiful white horse. Mal snuggled down between Joe and his mom; they were covered by a thick quilt.
"Are you partner Joe's mom?"
"Yes, I am. You must be Malina."
"Yes, Eddie is my mommy and Jamie is my daddy."
"You have a very nice family, Malina."
"Have you met them?"
"No, Joseph and I are coming to dinner this evening."
"Good! We are having lasagna, I think. That's one of my favorites."
"Mine too! Oh look, there is the Empire State building. Do you know anything about that?"
"Oh, yes. My mommy knows the old doorman there. He is an old family friend."
Joe looks the other way – he has heard bits and pieces of the story.
"Really? I wonder if we can go up to the top and look around?" Paula muses.
"I'll ask my mommy," Mal volunteers.
Joe covers his mouth to mask a snigger.
The rest of the ride is enjoyable and uneventful.
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DINNER
Eddie and Mal answer the door.
"Mommy, this is partner Joe and his mommy!" Mal announces.
Joe steps up, "Eddie, this is my mother, Paula." The ladies embrace. Eddie motions them inside where she introduces Jamie.
"Paula, this is my boyfriend Jamie, Mal's father." They shake hands and greet each other. Jamie takes coats and motions toward the LR. They all sit and make themselves comfy. Eddie slips into the kitchen to check on dinner.
"Why don't we leave the heavy topic until after dinner?" Joe and Paula nod. (What else is there to talk about?)
"I am a sergeant with the NYPD, Eddie is training under Joe's capable guidance," Jamie starts.
"Mommy says partner Joe is a good teacher," Mal spouts.
"I'm glad of that," Paula smiles.
Mal dashes off to her room, returning shortly with her stuffed lamb. She comes to stand in front of Paula. "My cousin Nicky gave this to me." She looks to her daddy-
"Nicky is my sister Erin's daughter." Jamie explains.
"That's lovely, Mal."
"Yes, Nicky said it was her favorite whn she was a little girl."
"Dinner is ready, please come to the table," Eddie announces from the doorway. They take their seats. Jamie at the head of the table; Eddie and Mal on one side, Joe and his mother on the other. Mal says the blessing, and they pass food and eat.
The food is delicious, conversation light, dessert of chocolate cake enjoyed by all.
After the table was cleared and the dishwasher loaded, they all retired to the LR.
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AFTER DINNER CONVERSATION
Jamie starts, "Paula, it is so nice to meet you. I'm sure Joe has told you that his relationship to me and my family is about to hit the proverbial fan."
"Yes, he has. What does that mean for him, and for me?"
Eddie steps in, "Well, I have learned that when the Reagan's get a whiff of new family, they are like dogs after a juicy bone!"
"Eddie-
"No, babe, let's not sugar coat it. To use the vernacular – the shit will hit the fan!"
"MOMMY!'
"Sorry sweetie, I shouldn't have said that. Maybe you should go play in your room?"
"No, let he stay. I think it will help us all to be careful what we say. We can get our points across with more circumspect language."
"Amen to that," Joe mutters.
"Ok, I agree. Sorry, everybody . . . I was just saying that the Reagan's will go after the facts, all the facts relentlessly!"
"That they will. I have learned that all my life." Jamie inputs.
"So, while I may be comfortable sharing most of the facts with a small group like this . . . with the entire family? Not so much. What do I do?"
"That's why we are here, mom." Joe reaches over and grasps her hand. Jamie and Eddie nod.
"We are here to help you approach this with a plan; I have not totally succeeded yet," Eddie admits.
"Auntie Erin," Mal whispers.
Jamie is astounded; their daughter is unusually perceptive!
Eddie slips off the love seat by Jamie; she sits on the floor, motioning for Mal to come sit between her legs. The young girl does so.
"Paula, are you comfortable telling us your story?" Jamie inquires.
Paula thinks; Joe squeezes her hand softly.
"I think so: Joseph and I were attracted to each other. We had several dates; at first in a group, then by ourselves. After 3 or 4 dates, we made love one night – in the back of his Chevelle! I was rather mortified! He laughed it off."
Jamie dips his head, Eddie giggles. Joe and Paula notice but say nothing.
"We had a few more dates, no more sex. When I missed my period and had some morning sickness I did a test. It was positive! I said nothing to him, I went to a clinic and had pregnancy confirmed."
"Let's take a break, it is getting to be Mal's bedtime," Eddie interrupts.
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Jamie takes Mal down the hall to her bedroom.
"Mal, sweetheart; we are talking about very grown-up things tonight. Mommy and I will talk with you more about them after you are a little bigger. Can you trust mommy and me to tell you about them when you are ready?"
"Yes, daddy. I trust you."
"Thank you, Mommy and I will always tell you the truth."
"I know you will. Can you read me a story?"
"Yes, a short one."
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BACK IN THE LR
Eddie has passed out glasses of wine as Jamie rejoins the group; she hands him his glass and they resume.
"At that point I made some decisions-
"So did I," Eddie whispers. Jamie is now sitting behind her on the floor; he gives her a tight squeeze and a kiss on the shoulder.
"I decided to keep the baby; I decided not to tell Joe, he would have wanted to marry me and be the baby's father; I felt that our relationship was not that far long, I liked him, I couldn't say I loved him. So, I dropped out of the academy and moved back home. To Warwick, Rhode Island."
Paula pauses and looks down, tears trickling down her face . . . Eddie's too.
Silence.
"Well, that is me, magnified!" Eddie mutters. "I'll share a heavily condensed version of Jamie and me."
She looks back at him; he nods, giving her his approval.
"We met in a bar, shortly after his fiancé left him. I was only aware that he was very despondent. We shared drinks, I whipped his ass at darts, we left and walked around holding hands. We made our way to the Empire State building; it was very late. The elderly doorman is an old family friend of mine; he let us up onto the observation deck – we were alone, and were guaranteed to be. Making out led to making love most of the night. I woke up early and left a note signed Eddie; I had places to be. He knew nothing more than Eddie; I knew only Jamie. I was pregnant, he didn't know. He would have reacted like Joe! We met again when Jamie was assigned as my TO. There is more, but that's the gist of it."
The 4 looks at each other.
"Now, what do we do?" Joe voices.
Nobody has a ready answer.
They agree to Sunday brunch.
Maybe an answer will come in a dream.
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TBC
( an annoyance!).