In Sickness and In Health

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Jamie awoke with a migraine that threatened to split his skull wide open. The morning sun pouring in the through the drapes was like daggers in his head. He got up and padded to the bathroom. Eddie was in front of the vanity getting ready. She already knew he'd want to visit his fallen officer.

"I ordered a bouquet for us to pick up on the way to see Officer Sims," Eddie told him as he walked past her. "And I sent the badge formation picture to the florist for Officer Michaels funeral, we'll forward the information as soon as I get the arrangements from his parents. "

"Thanks, honey," Jamie replied coming back from the bathroom and kissing her head. "I'll be right out. You want to get pancakes after we go to the hospital?"

"Sure," Eddie replied. "That would be nice, then we have a few things to do around here."

Jamie nodded, "I'm going to grab a shower." He stepped into the hot water and let it run over his body. Each time he lost an officer he remembered Joe. He remembered the day he lost his dear brother, it hurt like nothing else did, except what could have happened last night.

The hot water relaxed Jamie's neck and shoulders and helped his headache start to dissipate. Eddie was ready when he got out so he put on a pair of khaki's, a button down shirt, and tie then headed out to the hospital. "Did Joey go home?"

"No, but he had a tour this morning, he'll be here for dinner tomorrow night,' Eddie assured him. "You should talk to him too, I think this got to him a little bit and if he's shaken he'll be distracted in the field."

"I'll meet him for a beer tonight," Jamie assured her as his detail arrived to take him and Eddie to the hospital.

"You didn't sleep very well last night," Jamie commented as they drove through the streets towards the hospital."

"No," Eddie sighed. "I napped while I waited for you and after I just couldn't go back. You were tossing and turning so much. I was worried about you. This is only the second one since you've become PC."

"Thank God," Jamie replied. "Feels like hell though. Those parents, the mother was beside herself but the father as so stoic. It was crazy how stoic he was. His son just died and his wife was falling apart and just sat there like a rock."

"Not everyone is very expressive, honey," Eddie tried to reason. "Not every marriage is like ours either."

"I know that, if that were us I'd have at least comforted you and held you tight," Jamie replied. He slid his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "I'll handle the work at the house, you have a nap this afternoon and we'll go to dinner tonight."

Eddie sighed and laid her head on Jamie's chest. "I was worried about you last night. Sometimes I think maybe you aren't cut out for this emotionally. I know you are so smart and such a terrific leader, but having to live through the loss, I worry."

"Don't," Jamie reassured her. "Don't worry about me honey. I'm fine. I'll do this a few more times and I'll get to be an old pro at it like my Dad. He felt it all too, Eddie. He felt all the losses and after Joe he felt them a little more. He just did a better job at hiding it, but maybe if my Mom had been alive he'd have let his guard down with her too."

The cars pulled up to the hospital and Jamie handed Eddie out. They rode the elevator to the fourth floor where Officer Deidre Sims was resting with her leg on pillows and her eyes swollen like grapes. "Commissioner," she said sniffling. It was clear she'd been told about her partner.

"Officer Sims, I'm so sorry for loss," Jamie said gently sitting beside her bed and taking her hand in his. "I do know how it feels to lose your partner and there is nothing that can really heal the pain except time."