Tough

Chapter Twenty - One

"You're looking so much better," Eddie said to Jamie as she laid on her right side. They had switched sides of the bed since she got ill, she was now closer to the bathroom and laid to the right so she didn't put too much pressure on her bad arm.

"Having Spencer here is a huge help," Jamie admitted. "When my Dad gets back we will let him stay and help until you have your strength back." He reached out and started to caress her face and her shoulder. "After you're done with radiation, on the second week between chemotherapy, we need a weekend away." Jamie pecked her nose.

"We do," Eddie replied. "Even if it's just a nice hotel in the city, room service and a bath that's not meant for easing sore muscles."

Jamie smiled, "If you're well enough...strong enough, maybe other things."

Eddie blushed, "I will rest extra hard the days before. I miss you so much, Jamie, in that way. I miss how you make me feel and how you love me."

Jamie pulled her in close, "I know. I miss you too Eddie, but to try that now with both treatments, you aren't strong enough."

Eddie knew he was right, "I'm strong enough for this though." She slid closer still and gave Jamie a long stirring kiss, opening her mouth just a bit to invite him inside.

Jamie moaned against her lips and cupped her cheek in his hand. This kiss was the most physically intimate thing they had done since the night before Eddie's surgery. He softly explored her mouth with his own feeing his body begin to react in ways he didn't care for it to do. With a sigh he pulled back.

Eddie smiled against his lips, "Soon I will be better, I will have my reconstructive surgery and things will go back to normal."

It warmed Jamie's heart to see her being positive. Since Spencer had started helping out, Jamie had more time to be with her, and they spent more time together. That had really seemed to help pull her out her depressed state. There was no end to the blessings that had come from Spencer's arrival.

"Yes it will, we better get some sleep. That clock is going to go off in no time."

Before the clock even sounded, Eddie and Jamie were awakened by Lila's hoarse little voice. "Mommy..." she croaked, "My throat hurts."

Eddie was up in a matter of seconds. "Come lie on the big bed. Mommy's going to take your temperature." Jamie woke up and turned on the light as Eddie hurried back to the bedroom in full mommy mode. She scanned Lila's head and got a troubling result. "102," Eddie sighed. "Jamie can you make the special juice, I'll run a cool bath."

Special juice was their word for juice laced with children's Tylenol. Lila hated to take medicine, so if they hid it in the juice it was much less of a fight.

Jamie got up and made the juice while Eddie ran a lukewarm tub and deposited the little girl inside. "You'll feel all better in no time," Eddie promised. "You can sleep in our bed tonight, and you'll rest in the morning. You can stay with Mommy and Uncle Spencer all day long." Eddie wet a cloth and bathed Lila's head.

"Here you go, Kitten," Jamie told her kneeling beside her. "Drink your juice, it will help you feel better. Eddie you go back to bed, I've got it."

"Jamie..." She raised her eyebrows and gave him a look that meant she was serious. Lila drank the juice down and fussed as she started to feel cold. Jamie pulled her out and wrapped her in a big towel. He passed her off to Eddie who took her to their bed while Jamie got fresh pajamas to dress the little girl.

They put their baby girl between them and Jamie sang her back to sleep. "Eddie you really should go and sleep in Joey's room. If you catch this, and you will catch it..."

"She's my little girl and she is sick. She wants her Mommy," Eddie replied. She lay by her child's side and held her little hand. Eddie hated it when the kids were sick. Slowly both mother and daughter drifted off, and Jamie lay awake and watched them sleep.

Lila still had a fever the next morning so Eddie cancelled her radiation and took her to the doctor. She was diagnosed with an ear infection as a complication of the flu. Spencer drove them to and from the doctor's office and picked up Lila's medications. Frank would be back in few days and he would be pleased to see the family functioning so well even with one sick baby.

Jamie called home at lunch and checked in with Eddie. "She's asleep now in our bed," she replied. "Joey is still okay, Spencer is going to pick him up at 4. She's been fussy but I think the Tylenol is making her aches a little better."

"How about your aches?" Jamie asked. "You were doing a lot of lifting and bending."

"My back is achy but other than that I'm okay. I'm doing my lymphedema stocking now, and I'll go in the tub when you are home."

"Try not to expose yourself to her too much, if you get sick Eddie..." Jamie sighed.

"I know; I'm using gloves and the sanitizer. I'm being careful I promise," Eddie assured him.

She wasn't careful enough. By the time Jamie got home that night Eddie was beginning to feel sick. Her throat and mouth were hurting from the day before but she hadn't told him, she'd focused on her daughter. Jamie got home at six pm to just Joey and Spencer eating dinner. Jamie joined them for a bit and ate a grilled cheese sandwich.

"Jamie," he heard from the bedroom. It sounded like Eddie but the voice was hoarse and followed up by hard steady coughing.

"Really, Spencer?" Jamie asked annoyed. "You didn't think to tell me she was sick too?"

"She was fine when she went to lie down, now she's sick," Spencer replied. "And Joey's complaining his ears itch."

"Great. Joey, Daddy's gonna take your temperature in a minute, but first I have to check on Mommy."

Jamie hurried into the bedroom, and there sat Eddie holding their sick daughter. He got the thermometer out to check Eddie's temperature; it was okay, just a little above normal. "Did you call the doctor and tell him your throat is sore?"

She nodded, "He says it's thrush from the chemo more than likely and wants to see me if I feel worse. Our poor baby has her first bad flu."

Jamie caressed Lila's soft cheek, "Hey baby girl..." She opened her blue eyes and looked at him. "Fix it Daddy, it hurts."

Those words were like a knife in Jamie's heart. He couldn't fix it; he couldn't fix any of this for his family. "I wish I could princess," he sighed. "What about a popsicle for your throat? Mommy, would you like a popsicle too?"

Eddie agreed to that and Jamie brought in four popsicles, one for each of them. Spencer was heading out for the night and promised to bring back a supply.

Joey was found to have no fever yet, so Jamie had him sleep in his own bed to avoid getting sick if he was indeed getting through unscathed. After Lila fell asleep, Jamie put her in her own bed and slid in beside Eddie. "I want you to see the doctor in the morning," he said firmly. "To make sure you aren't sick."

Eddie agreed only for his peace of mind, she had been around Joey for several childhood illnesses and never picked one up yet. Even on chemo, she had a stronger resistance having not fallen ill once during her treatment. This time wouldn't be any different.