Christmas Memories

Newlyweds

Newlyweds

Eddie wiped a tear from her face as she straightened her six month pregnant body from its crouched position on the floor. She had just finished wrapping Jamie's Christmas gift. This would be their first Christmas as a married couple not to mention their first one in their new home. They decided to be a little selfish this Christmas Eve and have a private celebration before joining the Reagan clan the next day.

The wind whistled outside and Eddie shivered. Their modest home had old heating and drafty windows. It was meant to be a temporary place until they could buy a house though given Eddie's surprise and at the time, unwanted pregnancy the dream of owning in the near future was to remain just that.

They were supposed to be married two years not two months before having a family but that wasn't in cards for them. As the baby grew inside of her, Eddie adjusted and looked forward to the March arrival. The situation wasn't ideal but she tried to make the best of it. Jamie, on the other hand, who had always been a kid magnet, was less optimistic.

Eddie carefully hid the package under their bed and made her way to the kitchen for a warm cup of herbal tea. As Eddie drank the apple flavored beverage as she relaxed in the large recliner that was Jamie's when he was home, she looked at the wall clock. It was already after four on Christmas Eve and Jamie had still not arrived home from the 2-7 Squad. He was eight hours overdue and had not called or even returned her texts. He promised her before leaving for work very early that morning they would go to the Christmas tree lot and select a tree to decorate that night. It seemed though that was not going to happen.

Eddie rose from the recliner and moved to the kitchen. She had no idea when Jamie would get home but she and the baby needed to eatcso she inventoried the fridge and pantry in order to start supper.

While she sat peeling potatoes she heard Jamie's key unlock the front door followed by his footfalls on the wooden floor. She heard him open the coat closet and hang up his overcoat, then secure his weapon before coming to stand in the kitchen doorway.

"Eddie, honey," Jamie began. "I am so sorry I'm late. I completely lost track of time."

Eddie continued peeling her potatoes. "It's all right, Jamie. You're home that's what's important, right?" She phrased it as more of a question than a point of fact. It was a fact that as long as she was Mrs. Jamison Reagan she would have to accept the he would always get a bit of tunnel vision when it came to the work he so desperately enjoyed. That was part of who he was, part of what made her love him so much. Still, Eddie had to admit his tendency to completely forget her while he worked hurt a bit. Since she had gone on leave 20 weeks into her pregnancy and Jamie had made detective he had done that more and more often.

Jamie moved closer to her chair and sat beside her. Eddie was peeling the potatoes with a sharp paring knife. Jamie shook his head, "Eddie, I asked you not to peel them like that anymore. I bought you a nice peeler so you won't cut your hands."

"I'm just used to doing it like this," Eddie countered. "Aren't you going to tell me about the case you caught? If it was intriguing enough for you to pull a double shift without calling it must be worthy of my knowing about it."

"On the merits of what makes a case, it isn't much," Jamie replied. "The evidence is so cold. I doubt we'll see any real outcome."

"I'm sorry," Eddie sympathized reaching out to squeeze his hand. "I know how that upsets you. You can only do what can be done, Jamie. You can't follow a lead that isn't there no matter how hard you look for it."

"I know," Jamie replied kissing Eddie's hand cradling it between both of his hands. "That's not why I was late. I got absorbed in the insect activity. We have this new lab technician that does entomology, it was so interesting."