Continuing from last chapter.
Nicole had left, Eddie put Lainey in her crib to take a nap, and then helped Jamie clean up from lunch.
"So what did you think?" Jamie asked her, breaking the ice.
"She was nice." Eddie said.
"...that's it? Just nice?" Jamie said surprised.
"I mean what do you want me to say?" Eddie said shrugging her shoulders.
"I don't know but she mentioned she could clean and cook if we'd want her to! That would be a huge help!" Jamie exclaimed.
"I don't think I want a nanny." Eddie said nonchalant, washing the glasses they used. Jamie just leaned up against the counters behind her and watched her keep washing the dishes.
"What are you talking about?" He finally asked.
"I think we can do it, I'll work opposite hours as you, or go part time, maybe I'll just take more time off." Eddie rambled. Jamie turned the sink off in front of her, emptied her hands, and grabbed her arm to make her face him.
"What's going on? Where is all this coming from?" Jamie questioned.
"Nowhere." Eddie said.
"Okay well yesterday you were all for this and now today...?" Jamie was so confused.
"Today I realized I wanna stay her mom. I don't want to share that title." Eddie stated.
"Eddie you're not sharing that title, you will never share that title." He told her.
"Well that's what it's going to feel like when you have her cleaning and cooking dinner, AND taking care of our baby!" She raised her voice.
"Eddie I think this is all still just new, I think once it becomes routine you'll like it." Jamie tried to tell her.
"No! I AM THE MOM! I will clean the house and cook for my family!" She shouted back at him and walked away to their bedroom.
"Eddie...!" Jamie called out watching her walk away, confused on what the hell just happened. He didn't go after her right away. He needed a second to think this through and try to figure out where she was coming from and how to diffuse the situation instead of blow it up.
He went into their room and sat on the bed, waiting for her to come out of the bathroom.
"Come sit with me." He said patting the spot on the bed next to him when she opened the door. She listened, he saw her cheeks were flushed, she'd definitely been crying. He pulled her into a side hug.
"What are you upset?" He asked nice and calm.
"I said. I don't want to share my title." Eddie said.
"No one can take your title." He told her.
"No because someday, when Lainey starts to babble and you know, start to call us mommy and daddy...she's not gonna know the difference from me and a babysitter. Especially when the babysitter spends more time with her. I'm scared I won't be the one she sees as mommy. And that's the last thing I'd ever want." Eddie explained and started to get emotional again, Jamie's heart broke hearing her.
"...Hey now...c'mon..." Jamie said feeling awful, he wrapped his other arm around her and rubbed her arm. He laid his head next to hers and tried to comfort her as best he could, but he didn't know what to say.
"I mean to me that just feels like she's the house wife and I'm your mistress. That's no way to raise a kid. Like I can hear it now-this women takes care of me all day cleans and cooks and then this other women who I'm supposed to call mom comes home later and goes to bed with my dad.- not cool!" Eddie told him.
"What if we don't take her up on the cleaning or cooking then and she just watches Alaina...?" He asked, Eddie sighed.
"I think that would make me feel better." Eddie told him picking her head up and wiped her eyes.
"I do too." He said still with his arm around her.
"I hope you know how much I love you and how you amaze me more everyday being the best mom to that little girl." Jamie told her, making her smile at him and attack him with kisses.
"Woah..." he said caught of guard when she climbed on top of him.
"I guess I never got to finish telling you how my appointment went..." she said in between the kisses, she pushed him down on the bed.
"No but I'm guessing we got the green light?" He asked grinning. Instead of answering she just smiled and started unbuckling his pants.
"Ha...oh baby..." he couldn't stop smiling. It's been 6 weeks. He was ready, he took control and rolled her over to her back so he was on top of her.
"I have to warn you though Jamie...it's not gonna be the same." She said stopping him.
"I know Eddie, I don't care. I love you and you're beautiful no matter what." Jamie said looking into her eyes.
"Good." She said and they got right back into kissing and one thing started leading to another...
———
A few days later- Sunday May 30th 2021
"Pass the rolls please?" Frank said.
"...Joe..? Grandpa wants the rolls." Nikki said nudging him. He snapped out of whatever daze he was in.
"Sorry." He said and passed the basket.
"What's on your mind?" Frank asked him.
"Oh nothing, just caught me stuck in a stare." He said.
"You barely touched your food..?" Frank said pointing it out.
"Ha, sorry guess I'm just not that hungry today." He said turning red.
"What's her name?" Danny asked nonchalant and shoving a helping of string beans in his mouth. The whole family looked at him interested.
"Woah why do you say that?" Joe said playing it off like it wasn't true.
"Cause you seem nervous or uptight and you turned red as a tomato when I asked." Danny said smiling. Joe was surprised and didn't even know what to say.
"Damn, you guys probably have a hard time getting away with stuff." Joe laughed and told Jack and Sean.
"Yeah..." Jack said.
"Okay okay wait...don't change the subject, Joe...who is she...?" Nikki said smiling trying to butter him up. Jamie and Eddie didn't say anything they knew who he'd been talking to.
"Her names Nicole...she's 24, goes to our church..." Joe said blushing.
"See." Danny said about being right.
"Nicole..?" Pop asked wanting last name.
"Evans." Joe said.
"Oh that's John and Renee's daughter." Frank said.
"Yeah." Joe said.
"So how'd that happen?" Erin asked.
"Well..." Joe motioned his hand to Jamie and Eddie.
"Nicole's going to babysit Lainey when I go back to work." Eddie said holding her.
"Joe and her crossed paths the other day at our place." Jamie said.
"So is it serious?" Sean asked.
"Ha, I literally just met her Thursday, we're going out tonight." Joe said smiling.
"Oooo where you taking her?" Nikki asked.
"A movie.." Joe said. Everyone was smiling and excited for him.
"Well hope it goes well. They're good people." Frank said.
———
The next day...
Jamie was at work and Eddie has told Nicole to come over and hangout with her and Alaina for a few hours so she could get used to her.
"Alright if you want to change her diaper, I'm going to set up the stroller and double check the diaper bag?" Eddie asked after she showed her around the apartment where certain things were.
"No problem, is she staying in this outfit?" Nicole asked before Eddie left the room.
"I mean yeah, why? Is it super hot?" Eddie asked.
"It is." She said laying her down on the changing table.
"Okay then we can put her in...this." Eddie pulled out a random short sleeved onesie.
They got to the park and just small talked about whatever they saw on their walk. Nicole pushed Alaina in the stroller and Eddie walked beside her.
Eddie talked about her job a little, being the daughter in law of the police commissioner, surrounded by a family of cops.
"Speaking of, heard you and Joe went out last night?" Eddie asked wanting to here about it.
"Oh yeah...he's a really sweet guy!" She said.
"Yeah? Well good! I'm sure he was a gentleman." Eddie said.
"Oh my gosh yes, like he didn't kiss me! And I was batting my eyes basically asking for it." She laughed.
"Awh but wait, why didn't he?" Eddie asked.
"He said he never kisses on the first date just out of respect." Nicole told her.
"Wow, go Joe." Eddie said surprised.
"Yeah and then we're going out again Thursday night, he wants to take me to a nice dinner." She said.
"Aw well good! You'll have to keep me updated!" Eddie said excited. She was starting to like Nicole more, her being more open about her life definitely helped.
—————
Curious to see how Eddie will be once she does go back to work though? And, thoughts on Joe with Nicole?