A Sister's Love - In the Tough Universe

A Sister's Love - The Trust Funds

A Sister's Love – Part Two

"What's going on Erin?" Jamie answered his screaming cell phone. He carried it with him at all times now that Eddie was full force into her chemotherapy treatments. When he saw Erin's number on the screen his heart caught in his throat. There was no reason for Erin to be calling him unless she'd gotten a call to retrieve the children if something had gone wrong with Eddie.

"Jamie, we really need to talk. I did something I probably shouldn't have without telling you first. Can you meet for a half hour or so? I think if you can you can get to her before she signs the papers."

"Before who signs what papers?" Jamie asked grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair.

"Eddie," Erin replied. "Meet me in fifteen minutes at the Starbucks on the corner by your precinct." She quickly hung up.

"Gordo, I have to run and meet my sister for a few. Something's happened with Eddie..." Jamie's face was white as a sheet.

"What's up?" Gordo asked his partner. Jamie had been going through hell with his wife's illness and he looked about ready to have a heart attack in front of Gordo.

"Erin said we have to stop Eddie before she signs the papers," Jamie replied. "There are only two kinds of papers she's be signing, divorce papers and DNR papers and neither one is acceptable to me. I am not giving her a divorce and I am not going to let her die!"

"If she gets much worse, Jamie, it's not fair," Gordo began but his partner turned on him. "No! You don't get to say that to me! No one gets to say that to me!"

Jamie put on his jacket and left for the coffee shop. Erin was already there and had ordered for them. Jamie sat down and across from her. "What's she doing, Erin? She's gotten a lawyer and she's going to leave me right? She got this notion she's a burden again..."

"No," Erin hurried to calm that idea. "No, it's nothing like that at all. But...Jamie she's going behind your back and I thought you should know. I helped her but the more I think about it, you really have a right to know." Eddie had asked for her to show restraint, but Jamie had the right. He was her little brother after all, and her love and loyalty was with him first.

Erin helped Eddie go behind his back that only meant..."Trust funds. She's setting up those funds after I told her not to do it! After I asked her over and over not to do it!"

Erin nodded, "Yes. She's scared, Jamie. She is worried that if you're killed and she dies of cancer the children won't be looked after. She wants to be sure that Danny and Linda get the money."

Jamie's face was red with anger, "And you helped her do this!"

"I got her some names but not that I think of it, it was wrong. You're married and those things should be joint decisions. Was it a joint decision to ask Danny and Linda to be guardians for the kids?"

Erin never told Jamie she was put out that they hadn't asked her.

"Yes," Jamie replied. "We don't want to separate the kids and Joey needs a male figure to guide him as he grows. Danny's own boys grew up well, he'd be the best father to Joey aside from Dad who is too old to keep up with a four year old girl. It was our choice," Jamie confirmed.

"Thanks for letting me in on this," Jamie replied. "Where is she going to sign those papers?"

Erin gave Jamie the trustees address and Jamie sped off to stop Eddie before she could act on it.

Danny pulled up in front of the trustee's office with Eddie, both were surprised to see Jamie waiting outside. "How did he know?" Eddie asked Danny. "Did you..."

"No, I am just the wheels. I don't even know why we are here, but he looks pissed." Danny knew that look on his little brother's face, and Eddie was about to face Jamie's classic temper.

Danny and Eddie approached, Jamie stood in front of the door. "Turn around, and get back in the car," he ordered in a low stern voice. "This minute, get back in that car now."

"Jamie, I am just going to set up..."

"Trust funds!" Jamie snapped. "You are setting up trust funds for Danny and Linda to raise our children when we are dead! When you are dead and I will not allow you to do that! You are getting back in that car now!"

"Jamie..." Eddie tried again but Danny stepped in front of her.

"Jamie, we aren't getting into the car so long as you are shouting at the mother of your children like she's some kind of perp. I don't know what Eddie is doing or why you are angry but I do know that you better check your temper or deal with me." Danny did not like any man getting aggressive with his wife, even his own brother.

Jamie took a breath and tried to calm down. "Didn't we talk about his Eddie? Didn't we decide..."

"No, I talked at you and you shut me down," Eddie countered. "You wouldn't even listen to me for the first time in our married life you would not even listen. You are in harm's way, even on the desk you could get hurt if some perp goes ballistic in the squad room. I have a disease that might kill me, we have talked and talked about that fact. I need to focus on getting better, I can't be worried about our kids, Jamie. I need this for my peace and you won't even listen!"

Jamie sighed, "Let's both get in the car and go back to my squad. We can talk it out."

"No!" Eddie said firmly. "I'm sorry Jamie. I know it's hard for you to think that I might not make it, or that you are not invincible, that something could happen to you. These are our children, my children, and I cannot just let this go! I'm sorry you feel I was dishonest, but you wouldn't hear me. This is for my babies! Our babies! I am signing those papers. I would really like for us to sign together, but if you don't..."

Jamie stepped closer to Eddie and pulled her into him. "I can't think about it. I can't..."

Danny had been standing off to the side while they argued. He stepped closer to Jamie and Eddie, he saw Jamie's shoulders slump. "Jamie, you have to think about it, Kid. Eddie is real sick and our jobs. You have to think about it."

Eddie rubbed her hands up Jamie's back, "Let's do this together honey. Let's do this like we do everything else, as partners."

Jamie slowly pulled back, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Okay," Jamie sighed. "Okay I will."

Eddie wrapped her arm around Jamie's waist. They stepped inside the office with Danny following behind. Outside Eddie wore a smile, inside she was seething. She had trusted Erin, another woman, another mother with this secret. A secret she only kept because of Jamie's pain and resistance, it was for their children's own good. Erin had betrayed that trust, and for Eddie, that was a deal breaker. She would never trust Erin with anything important again. After the wedding, Erin had been accepting and Eddie had let her guard down. That was a big mistake. Nothing would ever be the same between Erin and Eddie again. Nothing.