Tough

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

"Daddy! Mommy! Dark! Dark!" Lila's crying woke Jamie and Eddie from a sound sleep. Jamie leapt from the bed at the same time as his wife each running to their daughter's room. Jamie saw her nightlight had burned out. Lila had a paralyzing fear of the dark. Eddie wrapped her little girl in her arms clutching her to her chest. "Mommy's here, it's all right. Mommy's here." Jamie got a new bulb for her light then joined them on the bed.

Lila sniffled, "It got dark, Mommy."

Eddie nodded, "I know it did, but Daddy fixed it and it's all better now. What do you say to Daddy?"

"Thank you,' she replied wiping her eyes.

"You are welcome, peanut," he replied. "I'm sorry your light burned out and you got scared. Do you think you can go back to sleep?"

Lila sighed, "Can you sing me my song?"

"Go on back to bed, Eddie, I have this," Jamie said taking Lila into his arms. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Jamie laid next to Lila and started to softly sing, "Do do di oh do...Goodnight sweetheart, well it's time to go...goodnight sweetheart well it's time to go....do do di do...I hate to leave you but I really must say, oh, oh good night sweetheart, good night."

Eddie smiled as she went back to bed. Jamie was a great father. He loved his children so much even if he didn't always have a lot of time to spend with them. She sighed and slipped under the blankets, still able to hear Jamie's voice as he sang Lila to sleep.

Fifteen minutes later, he slid back into their bed. "She's asleep again, I checked on Joey and he didn't hear a thing."

"Good, he's not the most understanding if he gets up in the middle of the night because of Lila. He tries to be a good big brother but he's only seven. He picks on her about the dark thing."

Jamie leaned on his elbow, "Why am I just hearing about this? If Joey is picking on Lila about something she can't control I should be told about it Eddie."

"Jamie, you are out on the street with thugs and low lives all day long. When you are out there putting your life on the line what goes on at home has to be very simple. I can't be bothering you for the little things like Joey poking fun at his sister or even Lila doing a striptease. I can't."

"Yes, Eddie you can. You never used to keep secrets, where did you...Danny. You got this load of crap from Danny after Martinez got shot because he wife was cheating."

"Leave Danny out of this, Jamie. This is between you and me."

"Eddie, I know I haven't been around that much lately. I've had a huge caseload and a lot of court time. I'm sorry I'm not here so much right now. I'm sorry if you feel like I'm not being a good partner, like I don't have your back."

"I know you have my back, Jamie. There are things I can handle on my own with the kids. When you are out working, supporting this family I can take care of the little stuff. Do you think I'm shutting you out?"

"A little," he sighed. "I don't want to experience this from the sidelines. I know you worry, you probably more than another cop wife because you know the kinds of spots we get into out there, but please don't make that a reason for us to lose what is the foundation of us to begin with, being a team."

She sighed, "Okay, okay. I'm sorry, Jamie."

Jamie leaned over and kissed her lips softly, "Don't be. I understand. Let's talk each night about the kids. If one does something wrong, you don't have leave it for me to deal with after the fact, you can deal with it, but let's keep each other in the loop and not have these talks where I find things out I should have known. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Eddie nodded, "I want to tell you that I love Jamison Reagan." Jamie smiled and took his wife into his arms holding her to his body as if two could become one.

Jamie helped Eddie the next day with house work, then they took the children out of pizza and ice cream. Lila kept her clothing on the entire time but Eddie noticed she was still pulling at her garments. She would have to wash her clothing again to get the last remnants out.

"So who is excited about going to Sunday dinner tomorrow?" Eddie asked as they walked along the streets of Staten Island.

"Me!" Lila said. "Grandpa said I can read with him."

"Oh, he did!" Jamie exclaimed. "Grandpa really likes to read to you guys. Grandpa always read to all of us when we were little. Who's turn is it to pick the story tonight?"

As they walked Jamie was watching Eddie. She was smiling and laughing but she kept her arm close to her body. It was clear it was still hurting her. Lila started to get tired and reached up for Eddie to carry her.

"I'll carry you baby," Jamie replied and leaned down. He scooped her before Eddie had a chance to react. He knew she'd do anything for her kids and never say a word.

When they got home Eddie started bath time, "Eddie, I want you to rest your am. Sit down, watch the TV, I will get these guys to bed."

"It doesn't hurt that much anymore, your ice pack really helped..."

"Eddie, please. I can see on your face that it hurts. Please, rest your arm, put more ice on it. I want Linda to check it at dinner."

"Jamie, it's just a muscle spasm...but fine I won't argue with you about helping with our kids. I'll make the ice pack and be watching Top Chef when you are done."

As Jamie gave Lila her bath, he listened to her talk about dancing. They hadn't talked to her about her being asked to leave the school, they wanted to find another activity for her first. "You are the prettiest ballerina," he said softly kissing her nose. "You are pretty like your Mommy." He ran his fingers through her blonde hair as he combed out he knots. "Go get in bed and Daddy will read to you."

Lila was out three pages into her story. While Jamie helped Joey get ready for bed he mentioned Joey teasing his sister about the dark. "Joe, it's not good, little man. It might not make sense to you because you are older and bigger, but to her it is very very real and very scary. You are the big brother, you have to protect your sister and keep her safe. Promise me."

He nodded, "Yes Daddy. She just bugs me sometimes."

"I know, tomorrow ask your Uncle Danny about how much I bugged him. But you know something, to this very day, if I need your Uncle Danny to help me, he is there for me. And if he needs me I am there for him, that is very special so don't forget that ever."

Jamie tucked Joey into bed and kissed him, "I love you little man, get some sleep."

Jamie got himself a glass of scotch then joined Eddie on the couch. "They both went down well, and I had a chat with Joey, I think he will be more compassionate with Lila for here on out."

"Thanks," Eddie replied immediately getting closer to him.

"It felt really good to be hands on with them." He slid his arm around her shoulders. "Almost as good as this feels." He kissed her head. "Almost."

In the next chapter of Tough: Jamie pushed Eddie to speak to Linda about the bump "near her breast". Linda gives Eddie some advice. Danny taps Jamie for a high profile case at an upscale restaurant as a favor to their father.