That's What Love Is For

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Sydney arrived at the hospital a little after five the next evening. Jamie was waiting for her downstairs considering Eddie was not allowed visitors until dinner anyway. Jamie usually came go feed her dinner unless Henry was there, then he did the feeding and told stories. "Hey, did you win?" Jamie asked giving Sydney a kiss.

"Slam dunk thanks to you," Sydney replied. "You sure you don't want to come back to the law? You'd be amazing?"

Jamie laughed, "I'd be miserable, I like what I do but I don't mind helping you when I can. Eddie's dinner should be there now, we can talk to her while I feed her."

When the couple arrived on Eddie's floor, she was sitting in her bed, a half-eaten plate in front of her. Most of the food was down her shirt and on her lap. She had a fork like item attached to her hand by a velcro band and her head turned towards the wall. Jamie could tell by her body language she was crying. Her occupational therapist, Lillian was at her side. "It's hard, but you'll get it."

Jamie knocked and pushed the door open, "What's going on in here?"

"Eddie was working on feeding herself but it seems she's still too stiff to be able to do it efficiently. That's okay, we'll work on it."

"She's crying" Jamie all but snapped and walked over to Eddie. "Did you hurt yourself? Did you burn yourself?"

She only shook her head, not making eye contact. "Leave us please, Sydney and I will take it from here."

When Lillian left, Jamie turned Eddie' cheek gently so he didn't disturb her brace, "What's all the tears huh? It's okay, you're a little messy but I've seen you look worse eating a burrito. What's wrong?"

"I just...I just had a shower now look..." She began to sob, a sound that Jamie never could stand to hear.

Jamie took a seat on the bed beside her smiling softly trying not to jostle the mattress too much. "Hey, it'll be fine, really. Yeah it's hard now, but you'll keep practicing and we'll be here to help you. Before you know it you'll be shoveling food in like you used to."

Eddie blinked letting another tear fall down her cheek, embarrassed she needed constant help just to eat.

"But the nurses... they can't...I want to eat on my own," Eddie sobbed in one long incoherent sentence as her emotions burst through. Jamie instinctively reached up to wipe the tears pouring down her face.

"Don't worry about that, okay? In time if you keep doing therapy, you will be able to eat on your own. If you get messy we can always clean you up."

Eddie swallowed hard hating depending on people to help her with things she should be able to do as a young woman. It was simple stuff like eating and showering that frustrated and upset Eddie so much. She tried so hard every day to get better and hit walls at every turn.

"Hey trust me okay? Actually Syd and I have good news." Jamie looked up at Sydney reaching up to her with his free hand inviting her closer to the bed. Sydney complied standing behind Jamie holding his hand while smiling at her friend.

"You guys are pregnant?" Eddie sniffled. "That is good news and I'm really hap..."

"Oh, no," Sydney cut her off. "No, we aren't pregnant, Eddie. Not yet. Not until I make at least one more promotion. Tell her Jamie."

Jamie smiled, "Sydney and I were talking last night after I had a talk with Jerry. You're going to be getting out of here in about two weeks and continue your therapy in a home setting, but you won't be ready or able to live by yourself. We talked it over and decided that we'd like you to come and live with us."