Pillow Talk

Flag of our Fathers

"Eddie," Jamie said softly as they drove back to the apartment. "You haven't said two words since we dropped Lily off. You want to talk about it?"

"I did too say two words," Eddie protested. "I said four words. I said, 'I need ice cream'."

Jamie laughed, even sad and depressed Eddie could out maneuver him. "I got you chocolate with rainbow sprinkles, so what's up?"

"I just feel so bad for her, Jamie," Eddie sighed. "I spend at least one night a week missing my Dad and being sad I don't' have him involved in my life...Her father is dead and she's just a child. Put's things in perspective for me. And having you jump down my throat as soon as you got in the car...not helping!"

"I'm sorry, honey," Jamie sighed. "I really am, I jumped you when it was really Danny I got irritated at. I said I was sorry for that and it's not just you missing your Dad."

Eddie sighed as Jamie parked the car and fell quiet again until they got inside the house. She flopped on the couch and put her feet up on the couch. "I am Lily," Eddie said once Jamie was sitting beside her.

"No," Jamie told Eddie. "No, honey, you're not. You're not..."

"I am," Eddie sighed. "I am the girl that ignored the rumors for so many years. He was lying and cheating for years and people would always whisper about me behind my back. I was rich, so to my face they were so nice, but in reality...I was a joke."

"Oh, Eddie," Jamie sighed and put his arm around her pulling her close. Eddie resisted and stood up.

"No, listen, please don't try to stop it this time. Hear me out, please!" Eddie requested as she ran a hand through her hair.

Jamie nodded and let Eddie speak. "When we found Lily out there, I saw myself when I ran away. I did not care what happened to me. I just wanted the pain to stop. That little girl just wants the pain to stop, I had an opportunity out there tonight Jamie and I didn't take it. I just kept my story private so that I didn't have to deal with the face that it hurt. It was wrong and it was selfish, just like..."

Jamie got up and hugged Eddie tight, "NO! No, you are not like him, Eddie. You are not like you Dad. You didn't say anything to her because you, fortunately, can't relate to the hardest part for her. Your father is alive for you to express your anger, you fear...all of that...but hers isn't. You did the right thing."

Eddie laid her head on Jamie's chest, "I want to help her, Jamie. We took her home and we talked to her but that's just a bandaid. She really needs some kind of closure, you know. Some way too..."

Jamie's wheels started to turn, "I looked up Lily's file, Chris Frye, the cop that shot Lily's dad, he runs a youth center now that is designed to help kids just like Lily. New Tomorrow Youth Center...I bet if we talked to Chris and got him to just let Lily face him...that would help."

Eddie pulled back and looked into Jamie's eyes. "You think he'd do that?"

Jamie nodded, "HE left the job after the shooting, now he counsels kids just like Lily all the time. He wanted to give something back after taking a life, I know he'll go down to the school with us and just let Lily yell or cry whatever she needs to do."

"Go ahead and call him, then you can tell me how you managed to fight with your brother again."

Jamie laughed and made the necessary phone calls to set up a meeting between former Officer Chris Frye and young Lily. When he hung up Eddie had showered and was in her short pajamas and an old Harvard shirt of his. Jamie sat on the couch and smiled when Eddie crawled into his lap. "The flag burners," Jamie told her. "He got on me again for my lack of military service. I hate what he suffered through, but that was not something my parents wanted for me or even for him. Danny joined up on his own, he made a choice and we respected it. I guess it just bothers me to no end that he can't respect me for making a different one."

Eddie ran her hand through Jamie's hair, "You're with the flag burners aren't you? You agree that if they so desire they should be able to exercise that right?"

Jamie nodded, "I do. Don't get me wrong, Eddie, I am against the practice for myself, but that flag stands for a lot of things and one of those things is the right of a citizen of this country to burn that flag in protest. No other nation in the world can you express yourself that freely, and I think that's what makes us special."

"I agree," Eddie said softy. "It's not a method I would choose, but the symbol of the United States is not just the flag. It is the right to burn it, the right to fly it, the right to salute it wherever you choose, anytime you choose."

Jamie hugged Eddie a little bit tighter, "I'm proud of Danny's service, but sometimes I think he uses it to stay close minded. He and all the other soldiers that fought and died, they did it to keep us special, to keep us that free. Personally, if that little punk lights a flag on fire tomorrow, I want to drag his useless behind into a cell..."

"Danny is letting his feelings interfere with his job,you are trying not to do the same thing. What if it were our son or daughter that wanted to burn the flag?"

Jamie laughed, "Oh simple, I'd lock him or her in their room for a year. There's personal freedom and then there's the Reagan family. We respect ANOTHER person's right to burn a flag, we don't exercise that ourselves, it's like spitting in the faces of half our family members."

Eddie smiled, "You are going to make such a good dad."

A shadow fell over her face, "The baby would be showing by now if..."

Jamie tightened his hold again, "I know, I think about it too. But when it is the right time for us, I know then...I know it will be so much more special."

Eddie was inclined to agree. "Make it up with your brother, okay? Let him know your legal brain and your blue blooded heart don't think the same thing. He'll respect that, he'll even love you for it, God knows I do."

Jamie dropped a kiss on Eddie's lips, once again thanking any one that would listen for bringing this light into his life.