In Sickness and In Health

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty – One

Dr. Brady stepped into the exam room where Jamie and Eddie waited to see him. They could see that some of the swelling had gone down with the treatments prescribed but Eddie still could not wear her rings and the arm was still bigger than the other one.

"How are you feeling, Eddie?" Dr. Brady asked sitting on the stool and sliding over to the exam table. "Take the stocking off and let's see."

Eddie peeled off the stocking and revealed a still swollen arm. It was much less but still significant. "It's better," the doctor replied. "But there is still some blockage here. You still having pain?"

"No," Jamie went to reply and he looked up surprised when Eddie said, "Some."

Jamie looked at her confused, "I get some pain at night if it's chilly but not as much. Also, the machine hurts."

Dr. Brady nodded, "It will and unfortunately, you probably have to keep doing it. I want to run some tests but I suspect that the remaining nodes are so damaged that you'll always have some residual swelling."

That was not what Eddie wanted to hear. "So I'm going to look like this forever. I haven't been able to put my wedding ring on in over two months! Jamie and I have been married 28 years and I have never had my rings off..."

"Eddie, it's all right," Jamie comforted. "The rings don't matter, they don't make the marriage honey." He rubbed her leg to calm her down. "So, we do the tests and if it shows she's got this damage then what do we do?"

"Well, we can continue the current treatment, adjusting as needed up or down depending on the swelling or we can explore surgery..."

"No, I don't want that, I'll make do...I just don't want to have one of my arms looking like a pork sausage."

Jamie and Eddie left the doctor with a new treatment plan. They headed to one of their favorite lunch places from when they rode together in the 12th. "It's all right honey," Jamie soothed. Eddie was really upset especially about her rings. "We can make this work. I'll sit with you while you do the pumps, maybe we can look into couple's massage...that might get other things working..."

Jamie blushed but none of his well-intentioned pep talk was helping Eddie feel better.

"Eddie, the rings, whether or not your arm is swollen, it doesn't matter okay? It doesn't matter one bit to me, hell, look at me. In a wheelchair...my fingers drop everything...but that doesn't matter to you does it. I'm here and I'm yours...that's all that matters to me honey. That you are here with me..." He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Now let's eat."

Jamie ordered chicken sandwich and soup and Eddie got her usual burger and fries. She cut the sandwich into quarters so that it was easier to handle. As they started to eat, Jamie drew Eddie's attention to the back corner of the restaurant. "Eddie...look who it is."

Eddie turned her head to see their son with his partner, both dressed in street clothes enjoying a meal with her two kids. Joey was gently playing with the younger one. He would hold out his hands and let the little boy slap them with his own, the boy laughed and Joey beamed.

"Oh, Jamie," Eddie sighed. "Honey, you have to go to talk to him."

"I will talk to him, sweetheart. I'll talk to him tonight, all right? He seems to think he has feeling for her but that it's not returned and says he's not going to act on it. She's a terrific cop, great record, I like him with her. I feel he's safe...I'm not a Commissioner like my Dad. Just because he might have a crush on his partner, I'm not going to separate them if I think she's..."

"Jamie....It's not going to be up to you much longer. In the next few months, you are going to have to step down. You can't run the NYPD from a wheelchair." Eddie wanted him home in a safe, low stress environment.