New Beginnings ~Eddie Diaz 9-1-1

Chapter Twenty Two

A/N: Hello fellow humans. I've been having a bit of free time lately and don't know what to do with it so I decided to bring this back. No idea if there will be usual updates but I'll try my best.

December 25, 2019.

Val's POV:

To say I was anxious, is a massive understatement. 

My hands are visibly shaking, my knee bouncing up and down. It's Christmas morning, I should be happy and I very well would be if I didn't have to meet Shannon today. Well, again I mean but the first interaction should hardly count. She came into the diner and shouted at me until I was near the verge of tears.

But this is hardly about me. This is for Christopher. 

He deserves the opportunity to know who his mother is and who am I to say if he should or shouldn't. I wasn't the one who gave birth to him, though I am the one who's been there for him as a mother-like figure this past year.

I've been up the entire night. Even when Eddie went to bed and I promised I'd follow, I stayed on the couch, too nauseous to sleep.  I don't live here, but with Travis and Buck out for drinks all night and an eight year old requesting my presence on a holiday, why not.

Now it's 7 a.m. Christopher will be up any minute and instantly go wake up Eddie. Eddie talked to Shannon, who will be outside behind a Christmas tree waiting for him in exactly an hour. That gives me one hour to control my mess of a mind.

"Val, Dad!" I heard Christopher yell. "It's Christmas, wake up!" He walked through the living room where I stood and greeted him. 

"Hey buddy." I spoke, instantly removing the anxious look on my face and replacing it with a happy, excited look. "How'd you sleep?" I smiled.

"Good. Can we go wake up dad?" he asked hopefully.

"No need, I'm already awake." Eddie said, coming around the corner.

"Can we open presents now?" Christopher was practically jumping out of his skin anticipating what lies inside those gift bags and boxes with his name on them.

"Why not, kid." Eddie said, letting Christopher go over to the tree while he sat down with me on the couch, planting a small peck on my cheek. "You didn't come to bed last night." He whispered in my ear.

"Couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind." I muttered.

"You don't have to do this. I'll understand if you want to back out." 

"No. I'm doing it for Christopher." I say.

"Val, you've gotten no sleep, you're visibly antsy, and we both know you want to back out. Christopher will understand too." I shook my head.

"I'll be fine, Eddie." I put on a fake smile, trying to convince him. Did it work? Nope. But I smiled anyways. I turned my attention back to Christopher who was ripping Christmas gifts open faster than you could say 'Christmas.'

Finally the gift opening was down to just Eddie and I. Eddie opened the watch I gave him, smiling and thanking me before handing me my gift. He handed my a small box wrapped in a beautiful shiny silvery wrapping paper.

I carefully tore it open, wincing as I rip the beautifully wrapped gift open. As I pulled the lid off the small box, I looked at the little note inside, carefully unfolding it as I read the words. 

'Move in with us' the note read. I smiled, setting the note down and wrapping my arms around the neck of my dear Edmundo Diaz. "Of course I'll move in with you guys." I whispered into his ear. He pulled back from the hug, planting a kiss on my lips.

"Ew." Christopher said in the background. Eddie and I laughed. He glanced at his new watch. 8 a.m. 

Shit. Time to go meet Shannon again. Let's just hope it doesn't go like it did last time. If not for my sake, then for Christopher's.

I don't blame Shannon fully. She found out her husband had a new girlfriend and is in her kid's life. She has the right to be a bit mad. But when it was her who walked out in the first place, left her husband, left her child. That's a totally different situation.

If she wanted to talk, she should have, but to come in to a public place where I was peacefully eating lunch with Eddie and proceed to yell at me, did I really want to stick around right now? It's not too late to sneak out the back door.

"There's one more gift for you Christopher. It's outside." Eddie spoke. 

I stayed in here as Eddie guided Chris outside. I could hear his yells of joy as he was reunited with his mother for the first time in years and I smiled, knowing it made him happy. 

My smile dropped as I could hear Christopher telling Shannon to come inside and meet me. As they entered the living room, I put on my best smile. 

Despite my smiling face, Shannon instantly gave me a dirty look that nobody else saw. I was lucky enough for my phone to ring, interrupting any further confrontation.

"I need to take this. I'll be right back." I walked outside, answering my phone to talk to Marco. "Hey Marco, merry Christmas." I said, as I answered the phone.

"Merry Christmas little sis. I hate to this but Ellie is sick and we need to take her to the hospital. Can you come watch the kids?" He asked. Ellie is my 11 year old niece and when she's sick, it's usually pretty bad.

"Of course. What's wrong with her?" 

"we don't know. His soon can you get here?" He asked.

"I'll be over in twenty minuted." I hung up the phone and ran back inside quick. "Sorry Eddie, but I have to go. Bit of a family emergency." I said quickly earning another rude glance from Shannon.

"Is everything okay?" 

"Ellie's sick and needs to go to the hospital. Marco called and asked if I could come watch the other kids. I'll see you later." I hastily grabbed my bag and drove to my brother's house.