Half The World Away

Franklin

NEW YORK, DECEMBER 17TH, 2016: 17:08pm

For months, Eddie's life had revolved around buying baby stuff. Baby clothes, baby blankets, a crib, bottles, diapers, pacifiers, everything. There had been fun moments within these last eight months; like when he'd been baby shopping with Richie, or when he'd revealed he was having a boy, or when he'd given Maggie, Wentworth and Richie some of the baby scans. But not all of it had been fun, the nightmares still lured and so did his fears. He was getting better at ignoring them, though, and that's what mattered. He just had to be the best dad he could be. Be the dad he never had.

"Guess who's officially transferring to the LA branch!" Sharon says excitedly as she walks into Eddie's office, placing the paperwork down onto his desk. He looks up at her and siles, pushing his glasses up his nose before continuing with work." Hello, Eddie? Earth to Eddie? We are almost LA bound with the people we love! Are you not excited?"

"I'm terrified, All I've known all my adult life is New York. It'll take some adjusting." Eddie responds." That and I'll be a father at that point, it's going to be strange. Did you know I was premature?" Sharon shakes her head." I was like 4 pound something as a new-born, I was 2 months early. I just have a feeling Frank will be premature, so I've been carrying around Richie's baby blanket like a weirdo for a month."

"Wait, you want his blanket to be the one Frank is put in when born?" Sharon asks and Eddie blushes, nodding." You are so in love with him, oh my god."

"He knows." Eddie admits, causing Sharon to gasp." Well, he kind of knows...I just told him to wait for me until I'm ready. I never said the three words."

"And he said he'd wait?" Sharon asks and Eddie smiles, nodding." Holy shit, I am going to cry! That's so cute what the fuck. He's a keeper, keep him!"

Eddie chuckles and turns to finish off his work. But as he does, his phone starts to ring. He sighs and grabs it, looking at the caller ID. It's Myra. She barely called anymore, so it must be something serious, which makes Eddie panic. He presses the answer button and places his phone to his ear.

"Yeah?"

"My water just broke."

"Your water what now?" Eddie asks, looking at Sharon with wide eyes.

LOS ANGELES, DECEMBER 17TH, 2016: 14:08pm

"Richie?!" Maggie calls out, looking around the house for her seven year old. It had been too quiet for too long, meaning he was definitely up to something." Richie, honey, where are you?! Richard?"

"I'm in here!" She hears a small voice say, coming from the direction of her bedroom. She sighs and makes her way there, entering to find her make up bag open, brushes sprawled out onto the floor. Richie's glasses are abandoned by the eyeshadow box and he looks up at her, smiling as he attempts to put on lip gloss.

"Someone's been busy." Maggie chuckles. Richie grins and then Maggie kneels down, taking the lip gloss from him and putting all of the makeup away.

"Am I in trouble?" Richie asks and Maggie looks up him, his blue eyes now filled with an innocent sadness.

"No, of course not. Let's just get you cleaned up before we go out for dinner." Maggie says, standing up. She lifts Richie up, struggling slightly, but she places him on her hip." You are getting too big to carry."

"I'm a big boy!" Richie says, holding onto his glasses as Maggie walks him into the bathroom.

"You are a big boy." Maggie chuckles, sitting him down by the sink and running the water. Richie holds onto his glasses with a small smile.