Christmas Memories

Christmas to Remember

A/N: There will be one final installment to tie up a couple loose ends. I am so glad so many of my readers are enjoying this. Please leave a review.

Reagan Home
Brooklyn, New York

December 24, 2050

Eddie lay on the large queen size bed she had shared with Jamie or that last thirty years. It was a nice 40 degree that night but Eddie felt as if it were much colder. She'd been struggling with cancer for the last seven months. Her surgical scars had healed nicely leaving two smooth pink lines across her abdomen. Jamie promised he'd let her have them corrected when she kicked the disease out of her body and into submission. She had little doubt she would ever succeed at that, but it was a lovely thought. The chemotherapy used to treat her condition ravaged her frail body. She'd shed over forty pounds weighting only 75 lbs on a 5'2" frame. The thick silky locks Jamie loved to finger as they lay cuddled in bed had fallen out leaving only pathetic stringy patches interspersed with large areas of skin. She'd lost her body hair, her eyebrows, her eyelashes; it was all gone. What was worse, she'd lost her strength, her energy, and her independence. The doctors said if she didn't' start to turn around soon, she'd not see another summer let alone another Christmas. Jamie believed the new drugs would finally work and restore Eddie's health, Eddie lived for the day Jamie would stop believing and let her go in peace. This, lying in bed, too weak to feed herself most days let alone her family was no kind of life for her. It was no kind of life for anyone.

It was getting close to midnight that Christmas Eve. All their children had come home even Abigail who had spoken earlier about going to spend the holiday with her husband's family in Lake Tahoe. As an even bigger treat, Jamie had flown Jack and Sean in from their respective homes to insure every living family member was present this holiday. It was delightful for Eddie to see everyone milling around the old house they inherited officially when Frank passed away.

Quietly, Jamie opened the bedroom door trying not to make noise and disturb Eddie's sleep, except she wasn't sleeping. She spoke softly, "Finished playing Santa Claus for the night?"

Jamie immediately moved to the bed and took Eddie's hand, "I'm sorry, honey. Was I too loud?"

"No, I wasn't asleep. I was thinking, waiting for you," Eddie replied.

"You shouldn't be," Jamie gently scolded. "You need your sleep. The body heals when it sleeps."

Eddie closed her eyes a brief moment. "I know that, dear. I do. It's just so hard to be comfortable."

"Pain?" Jamie asked gently caressing her pale, drawn cheek.

"Not much," Eddie said honestly. "Nothing is comfortable now, nothing is warm...And I'm tired of that."

"I know you are," Jamie sympathized. "I am too and I'm sure the end is in sight now. I know the new regimen is going to do it, Eddie. Its going to help you beat this thing down, baby."

Eddie leaned her cheek into his hand, then reached a cold thin hand of her own up to cover it. "Jamie, I wish I had your faith in that, you will to defeat this thing. It would all be better now if I had that strength."

"But you do," Jamie assured her. "You are the bravest most courageous woman I've ever met. I get my strength from you, Eddie."

"Jamie, I..." Eddie began. She paused and licked her lips turning her head slightly toward the night stand. Jamie took the cup of water he kept there and held it so Eddie could take a few small sips. Once she swallowed and rested a minute she spoke again.

"Jamie, I was lying here tonight thinking, listening to everyone downstairs having fun, and I realized what I was missing out on doing," Eddie sighed. I have no joy in my life as it is now, nothing but endless days of loneliness and boredom knowing that I'm a drain on you and on our kids. The chemo, all of these therapies, it's extending my..."