And love
Chap 31 Family support 3
BAY RIDGE
Eddie has the week off but she needs to go in to the office to gather some files to keep herself productive (and sane) at home. While she is organizing the files, and herself, Julie stops by her desk.
"Eddie! I thought you were taking the week off?"
"Yeah, but I'm spending a few days at Pops to help him. Our 3 girls are there because we have a house guest; her son is a cop and was shot. He's recovering at Bellevue. So, I really need to do something to keep me sane."
"I get that. Gwen and I haven't heard any more about you and law school. What's up?"
"Yeah, I really screwed that up. I did a lot of investigating w/o talking to Jamie at all."
"Oh, men! Bastards!" Julie has a dark look on her face.
"No, no! When he pursued Lieutenant, he kept me in the loop at every step; he even asked for my advice frequently. Before he would volunteer for a tough case, he would ask me what I thought."
"Really? He sounds like one of a kind."
"He is; so, I've put that aside for the time being. I may talk with him later and see what he thinks. For now, I'm happy here with you and Gwen. I really like my work!"
"And we like your work, too! Keep it up."
"I will, thanks."
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When Eddie gets back to GG's she sits at the kitchen table while he works on some baking. He hands her a bowl of bread dough, "Start kneading, don't just sit there."
"Yes, sir!" She giggles and stands up to do the job, washing her hands first.
"Pops, do you think Erin could come here and help you? I'd like to go home and spend some time with Jamie. The weekend maybe?" (It's Thursday)
"Sure, that would be ok with me. Come to think of it, I haven't heard hide nor hair from her all week. Why don't you call her and see if she has any plans."
Eddie calls Erin – voice mail. She leaves a msg.
Eddie calls Nicky –voice mail. She leaves a msg.
Eddie's & GG's TXT tones go off simultaneously. It is Frank:
Family conference Friday 7 PM Bay Ridge. We must put our heads together re Danny!
"Pops, did you know about this?" Eddie asks.
"Nope, first I heard. I wonder if he intends to feed the clan?" Pops replies and finds out that the PC is buying pizza. All invited, even the kids!
Eddie decides to stay the night and go home after Friday breakfast. Pops is Ok with that.
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BELLEVUE
Linda has permission to visit Danny. Her nurse transports her in a w/c; "I'll leave you here for 30". If you want to come back sooner just use your husband's call button. A nurse will call our unit and someone will come for you."
"Thank you, Carol." Linda voices.
"Lin?" Danny had been facing the window, he heard his favorite voice. He rolls to face her.
Linda is stunned! Danny is drawn, grey, with the reddened eyes of someone who has been crying. She has never seen him remotely like this. Her heart breaks for her love. She wheels closer so she can grasp his right hand.
"Daniel, you don't look like my kick ass husband!"
"Lin, my ass has been kicked! I may never work as an NYPD detective again!" He shuts his eyes tight.
"What the HELL are you saying? You have had 1 surgery, and you're giving up? That's not the Danny I married!"
"Well, my chances are slim, Linda. We will just have to face the facts!" His voice is raised.
"Is everything ok here?" A nurse sticks her head in the door.
"Yes, sorry," Danny admits.
"Well buster, the facts are that you've had 1 surgery," Linda holds up 1 finger. "I think you'll have at least 2 more." 2 fingers. "And therapy, lots of therapy!" 2 more fingers. "And the whole Reagan clan is behind you." 5 fingers of the other hand. "If you slack off, they will be the ones kicking your ass!"
She reaches for his call button and presses it. "I'm outta here," she wheels her chair around and heads for the door.
"Lin," he whines as she disappears.
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BAY RIDGE – FRIDAY
The girls have had breakfast and are upstairs in their room. They have oldies rock 'n roll on the radio, softly (wow). Mary Rose is drawing with her new set of colored pencils, that GG gave her. Mal is reading a kid's biography of Mary Todd Lincoln. Cassie is looking through a Reagan family photo album.
Cassie sniffles and two tears trickle down her cheek.
Mary Rose hears her and looks up. "What's wrong, Cass?" She puts her pencils down and scoots over, draping an arm over Cassie's shoulders.
Mal notices and does the same on the other side.
"I wish I had a happy family like this," she is crying now. "My daddy said that he loved mommy and me, but he didn't act like it."
Mal grabs the Kleenex box off of the desk and gives two to Cassie. "I want you to be our sister, Cass." She gives the older girl a two-armed hug.
"So do I!" Mary Rose echoes the sentiment and the hug. She looks at Mal, "What can we do, sissy?"
"Let's think about it, shall we?" She has a sly look in her eye.
Mary Rose and Cassie smile.
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FRIDAY
Friday noon Eddie stops by Bellevue to pick up Linda. She has been discharged and will stay the weekend at Jamie & Eddie's. She will sleep in one of the girl's beds in the room with Paula. She hasn't decided if she will attend the family conference. Somehow Danny found out, and is royally pissed that he can't attend. Frank holds firm.
"Are you coming to the family conference tonight, Lin? It's about how we all can help Danny, you know."
"I know. But I'm rather tired."
"What if I had you on speaker?"
"Would you? That would be so nice."
"Yup, let's do it!"
"Ok, thank you so much!"
"Hey, that's what sisters-in-law are for, right?" I better charge up when we get home, Eddie thinks.
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5 PM – JFK airport.
Erin and Nicky prance down the jetway arm in arm, laughing at something one of them said.. Their flight from Cabo San Lucas just landed and the passengers are back home. Some happy, some not. Erin had received 2 passes to a district attorney's conference at the last minute. Her boss had a family emergency and could not go. Erin's good fortune! Her plus one was Nicky. The ladies had a blast!
After exiting security, they headed for baggage claim. They had to purchase an extra suitcase for all the souvenirs they had bought, for themselves and the family. Danny's sombrero had to be squished in. Erin hopes it is still recognizable. She chuckles thinking about it.
As they wait, they turn their phones back on; they had left them off all this time. I was Nicky's idea to go 'off the grid'. They loved it! To their surprise (it shouldn't have been) their phones blew up with messages and voice mails. Erin scrolled down and opened the msg from her father first. It told her of the family conference at 7 PM! It was now 5:30! All they had time for was to drop the luggage at home and head for Bay Ridge.
"Are we dressed ok, mom?"
"Why not, technically we are still on vacation. Let's give them a warm Cabo welcome!"
"Ok, but that's your idea."
"I'll own it!" Erin grins.
BAY RIDGE 7:10 PM
Most family had arrived at 6:30 PM, so as to get the pizza out of the way. A few stragglers still had pizza on their plates as they sat around the dining room table. The room was very somber, talk had not yet begun.
SUDDENLY
Erin and Nicky burst into the room, wearing bright tropical wear and shouting "WE ARE BACK!"
They come to an abrupt halt and look around, stunned.
It looks like someone has died.
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TBC