AND LOVE CHAP 139
OC A FRIEND?
A/N: No, I am not going back to pre-1901 NYPD. This is based on my experience as an MD. I will explain fully next time. Patience, please.
ON THE SHORE
Gregg and Annie were hosting Jamie and Eddie plus Jimmy and Nicky for Sunday brunch and kayaking. It was a calm ocean day so they spent 2 hours in 3 duo kayaks. This had become such a frequent enough occurrence that Annie had purchased a 3rd and 4th kayak. When the next-door property had no guests, they could use the back lawn as well.
They were now playing croquet.
"So, Jamie, how is it to be commissioner," Annie asks.
He pauses from lining up his next shot, "Strange, really strange. Whenever my door opens, I expect my dad to walk in and say 'Get the hell out of my chair'. But he never does."
Eddie turns away, a sly smile on her face. Annie notices, turns away and smirks.
Nicky notices and almost laughs.
"Hey, slowpoke, you're slowing us down!" Gregg shouts from down the course. He's way behind because his wife had sent his ball all the way back to start. To uproarious laughter! And a glare.
When finished, Annie won (she's vicious), they sit on the veranda sipping iced tea.
"Gregg and Jimmy, Eddie and I have been thinking of Cassie's HS graduation present." Jamie starts.
"What? She's just starting her junior year, right?" Annie exclaims.
"Yes, But with what we hope to do, we probably need a big head start," Eddie admits. "You see, my dad-
"NO! You can't be thinking that!" Nicky chokes.
"We are," Jamie calms her down. He looks at Gregg, "Eddie's father gave her-
"The Boxster! Correct?"
"Yes. We thought we should start looking for a quality 2–3-year-old Porsche. What model do you think we would be most successful looking for?"
Gregg and Jimmy look at each other, and smile.
"Mrs. Henderson!" They simultaneously huff.
"No," Jamie says. "We are not-
"Yes, the little old lady from Pasadena," they sing together. They even get up, pull their ladies up with them and sing and dance.
Jamie and Eddie sit there holding hands, laughing and crying.
What exactly is it? L8R
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ON THE ISLAND
"Mary Rose, may I take Joseph and the cart for a ride? I need to have a girl talk with mom," Cassie asks the next Saturday morning.
"Girl talk, huh. Anything that I would be interested in?"
"Probably. But that would be for you and her, when the time comes."
"Sissy, please."
"No, and you will understand later. I promise."
"OK."
"Thank you, sissy!"
"Yup."
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ON THE TRAIL
"So, Cassie what's up?" Mom asks.
"Well, I'm wondering if I could have permission . . . ah-
"Spill baby!" Eddie grasps her hand and squeezes. Mom thinks she knows the question, and she knows Jamie's answer. She must handle this deftly.
"Yeah, may I go on the pill mom, please.?"
"Ah . . . I need to talk about this with your father."
"Soon, please?"
"Yes, as soon as I can. It will be best if I catch him in a good mood. You understand that, right?"
"Is he gonna say no, mom?"
"Well, how old are you Cassie?"
Cassie is well aware that mother knows the answer.
"15," she whispers. "But 16 in October. "When did you-
"Whoa there! I am not necessarily the gold standard, girl."
They pause as they turn Joseph around and head for home.
"But . . . do you know what dad is gonna say?"
"No."
"You don't know, or he'll say no?"
"He will say not yet, Cassie."
"So, when? Will he . . . and you say when?"
"Cass, have you and Josh talked about sex?"
"No, not yet." She hangs her head.
"Is he pressuring you. Are the two of you pushing the physical stuff?"
"Sometimes."
"Who pushes? You, or him?"
"Both of us have, I guess."
"Well, I can be pretty sure that dad will say BACK OFF UNTIL HS GRADUATION. Or longer, just a guess. Can you two do that?"
"I'm dubious about longer, frankly. Graduation, probably."
"Would it help if the 4 of us talked?"
"NO! GOD! Josh doesn't know that we are having this talk."
"Is he pushing the deep, serious stuff? Well, here we are, let me broach the topic with dad. Ok?"
"Yeah, thanks mom."
They put the tack and cart away. Rub Joseph down, and stroll hand-in-hand into the house.
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WEDNESDAY ON THE ISLAND
AFTER SUPPER
Supper and dishes are done. The kids are off doing homework, playing or watching TV (Approved programs or movies). Eddie hasn't come up with a smooth way to approach her husband with the question. There have been looks between mom and daughter. Jamie knows that he will be involved sooner or later. He is letting them come to him.
Jamie and Eddie are sitting at the kitchen table, sipping an after-dinner cup of coffee. His phone rings, "It's dad."
He puts it on speaker and answers.
"Hi dad, Eddie and I here. What's up?"
"Hello you two. Do you have plans for Saturday?"
Jamie and Eddie look at each other, they shrug.
"She's not saying so. So, no. You want to come out?"
"Yes, if we may."
"We?"
"Yes, me and a guest. You remember that I received 2 lifetime Metro passes when I retired. Well, I would like to bring a guest along if I may? We will ride the LIRR. If there is anything Mal would like me to pick up, just have her send me a text."
"May we ask who the guest is?"
"Surely, a female of the species." They hear giggling in the background.
"Oh . . . ok. We'll see you Saturday. I'll let Mal know. Oh, wait, what time-
"Noonish. Okay?"
"Yup. See you then. Bye."
"Bye, son."
Pause.
"What the hell was that?"
"Your dad has a date. Your elderly, retired dad."
"And we are hosting at least part of it."
"Yup."
Jamie gets up and heads to the sink-
"Oh, before I forget, Cassie wants to go on the pill."
Jamie drops his mug in the sink, breaking it. "OH, BEFORE YOU FORGET?"
He turns to face her, leaning against the counter.
AJ scoots in, "Daddy, may I-
"NOT NOW!" Dad gives his son a shooing motion.
AJ starts to cry; Eddie drops to her knees, wrapping her arms around her boy. "Not now, sweetie. Later, go play, please?" He shuffles off.
Jamie has slipped out of the room. Probably to their bedroom. As she passed the boys' room, she sees AJ laying on his bed, crying. She enters and kneels beside him.
"AJ, mommy made a mistake. I asked daddy a very hard question, at a very bad time. That is why he snapped at you. It was my fault, not his. Will you forgive me, sweetheart?"
"Yes," is heard from the bed and from the man who kneels beside her. Enveloping her and AJ in his arms.
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Before Cassie slips into bed that evening, Eddie comes to say a word.
"Cass, daddy and I have some discussing to do. We'd like to talk with you Friday evening. Ok?"
"Ok, mom. That works, thanks."
"Thank you for giving us time to come up with a reasonable answer."
Eddie exits. Cassie sits on her bed; a few tears trickle down her cheeks. Mal and Mary Rose come over and kneel beside Cassie's bed.
"What's wrong, sissy?"
"It's mom, and dad. My first parents were never this nice."
"That's them. They . . . and we all love you lots!"
"I know, thank you. I love you too."
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TBC