And love
Chap 25 The Fixers
A/N: 1) For those of you who love Mal (and Mary Rose), here we go! Only Jamie and Eddie's girls-
2) I had to write this chapter several times. The issues? How hard to be on Eddie, and where are we going?
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DINING ROOM
Those left behind are stunned! Jamie hangs his head "I'm sorry. I didn't intend to screw this up so badly."
Pops reaches over and rubs his grandsons back. "Don't worry, I think the girls can straighten things out. And Eddie has a big-time partner!"
Jamie turns his head and looks at his grand-dad, "You think so?"
"I know so. Those girls are part you and part Eddie! It doesn't get much better than that!"
Jamie smiles, "I hope so, I really do."
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UPSTAIRS, JAMIE'S OLD BEDROOM
Cassie is laying on the bed, prone. She is sniffling, as the tears have stopped. Mal and Mary Rose are kneeling by the bed, hugging and rubbing circles on Cassie's back and legs.
Mal whispers, "I'm sorry Cass. Sissy and I want to help you, please?"
"I wish you were my big/big sister," Mary Rose mumbles. "I love my sister Mal, but I would like you to be my sister too."
After a few moments Cassie mumbles into the blanket, "But you have known me only a few hours. How can you say that?"
"I can tell that you are a nice person," Mary Rose admits.
"Me too!" Mal agrees. "Can we sit up and talk, please?" She pats the floor beside her.
Cassie swings her legs over the side of the bed, slides down to the floor and the 3 girls sit in a circle Indian style.
"I hoped it would be better here," Cassie starts.
"What do you mean," Mal wonders.
"Well . . . when I listened to your mom and dad at the house in Connecticut and in the car . . . they were so nice to each other. They seemed to really like each other."
"They really do," Mary Rose exclaims.
"But what I heard from the kitchen . . . it didn't sound like that," Cassie voices.
"Yes, they argue once in a while," Mal admits.
"But not very often," Mary Rose chimes in. "And they always apologize and make up, yuck!"
"Yeah," Mal agrees. "Lots and lots of kissing! And other stuff!"
"What other stuff?" Mary Rose is big eyed.
"Grown up stuff," Mal winks at Cassie.
Cassie winks back.
Mary Rose pouts, "You never tell me about that!"
Cassie changes the subject, somewhat. "Does your dad ever hit your mom?"
Mary Rose gasps, "NO, never!"
"Nope," Mal agrees.
"Maybe a slap?"
"Never," both girls agree.
"What about what I heard from the kitchen?"
Mal explains that Kara is their moms BFF, and was in a coma for 2 years. She just woke up, and then her husband was kidnapped. Then they brought him to NYC and he just woke up. (This was hard for a youngster to explain) Their mom was so excited that she didn't listen to their dad. She would listen later and be sorry, both girls are certain.
Cassie nods, she gets it now. "My dad would come home drunk and slap or hit my mom."
"What did she do to deserve that," Mary Rose asks.
"Nothing, or maybe not have supper ready."
"Did she know when he was coming home?" Mal mutters.
"No, she never had any warning."
"That's not fair," Mary Rose sputters.
"I agree," Mal concurs.
Silence for a while.
Cassie looks from sister to sister, her eyes misty. "Do you think that I could live with you?"
"YES!" The girls crash together in a group hug; giggles and laughter can be heard downstairs.
Pops pats Jamie on the back. "I told you so!"
"Yes, you did."
Frank smiles, a cautious smile. This is not going to be easy.
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Jamie and the 3 girls had taken a taxi home from his dad's house. He had TXT Eddie telling her that they were safe at home, but no word of their guest. That would be a surprise. Mary Rose was in charge of the surprise announcement in the morning. He had blown up an air mattress in the girl's room for Cassie to sleep on.
Eddie got home at 01:00. She slipped into bed and cuddled up beside Jamie. He doesn't even stir. 'He must have been really tired.'
She whispers, "I'm sorry that I yelled at you. I was just so pumped about Dylan and Kara both being awake and together. We'll talk in the morning," she whispers; then cuddles closer and falls asleep.
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MORNING AT JAMIE & EDDIE'S
Eddie wakes and stretches. The girls have been up for a while, and watching for mom to awaken. When they hear her yawn, they rush in holding Cassie's hands between them. "Surprise, we have a big sister," Mary Rose shouts as they raise their hands in the air. All 3 girls are grinning.
Eddie looks at Jamie, "What?"
He wakes, stretches and responds. "I was trying to talk with you about this yesterday in the kitchen, but you wouldn't stop and listen."
She slugs him in the shoulder, harder than intended. He jerks back and exclaims "Ouch!"
Cassie pulls her hands from Mal and Mary Rose; she rushes back to the bedroom and slams the door.
The girls look at their parents with mouths open. "Way to go mom, we'll fix it, AGAIN!" They go back to the bedroom, slip inside and close the door. Once again Cassie is prone on the bed, sobbing.
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Jamie gets up and slips into his robe. "Eddie, babe, please stay here. I'll get us some coffee and come back. We really must talk, right away."
"Who was that?" She asks before he leaves.
"She is our topic of discussion." He slips out the door. He returns with coffee and toast.
"That girl is Cassie O'Brian." He answers her question.
"O'Brian? From Bridgeport?"
"Yes. She snuck into the back of the SUV and came to NYC with us. She was trying to escape a violently abusive home situation. We found out that her dad killed her mom, then committed suicide. I told dad that we probably could care for her while things were sorted out. But I wanted to talk with you. I didn't want to make that call all by myself. We are committed to making big decisions together, I thought. If you had just stopped and given me 4 or 5 minutes yesterday, I was trying to talk with you about this." At the end his voice is louder than he intended, and Eddie is crying.
He pulls her into his arms and holds her close.
"I'm sorry, I was on one track and couldn't get off. I didn't even listen to what you were saying," Eddie admits.
"Can you please listen to me in the future? Slow down, and listen? I was trying to talk about a serious family matter. Something very important to a 9 y/o girl, and to our family."
"Yes, I'm so sorry. What can I do now?" Eddie sniffles. She feels chastised, and she is! Appropriately!
"I think for starters you need to explain that punch to the girls and Cassie. That was harder than usual. What was that?"
"I don't know. I thought that you were angry with me last night. You didn't answer my whispers."
"Well, I was angry when you wouldn't even listen to me. I went to bed angry, and was dead to the world. If I had heard you, I would have responded, trust me."
"I do trust you, and love you!"
"I love you too!" He kisses her on the forehead then the lips.
MEANWHILE
"What was that punch," Cassie asks, drying her tears.
Mal responds, "Mom does that once in a while. She calls it a love tap. It's never when she is mad, really."
"And that was harder than usual," Mary Rose adds. "I don't know why."
"That's confusing to me." Cassie admits.
"Me too," Mal agrees. Mary Rose nods.
"I think my mom can explain, let's ask her when we go down for breakfast," Mary Rose suggests.
They all agree and scamper downstairs.
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TBC