In Sickness and In Health

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

"There's no way out," Jamie declared as he collapsed into bed beside Eddie five days later. He'd been working hard on the budget and finally saw the handwriting on the wall. "I have to do it and I don't want to honey but I have to think about what is best for my officers."

Eddie rolled onto her side and looked at her husband. He was exhausted. He had one arm flung over his eyes, and he was pale except for flushed cheeks and dark circles under his eyes. "You do. You have a responsibility to your officers and the people of New York. You knew what you had to do days ago, I don't understand why you beat yourself up like this."

It hurt Eddie's heart to see him like this, exhausted, often having headaches, and just all in all not himself.

"Because I don't like any of my options Eddie,' Jamie snapped. "I'm going to have the damn union all over me for this. If I don't freeze wages and benefits at their current levels the city will cut stress training, EDP training and first aid. If I cut those programs I'm opening us all up to more lawsuits and putting cops lives as risk. There is no good option, it's the lesser of two evils at this point."

"What about Joey?" Eddie asked after a minute. "You made him promises, Jamie. You promised not to roll back salaries to help him protect his partner and you promised your job would not hinder him any more if it was in your power."

"Well, it seems nothing is in my power, does it Eddie?" Jamie asked with an edge in his voice. "I won't roll back wages, I can't do that to Joey's partner of the other people. But I can't give raises now, cost of living or otherwise and Joe is going to have to understand that."

Joey was due for a raise in the next cycle, this would be the second time that Jamie's job had curtailed an advance for their son. "Jamie, I know you feel backed into a corner, honey but...Joey..."

"This is about more than just, Joey," Jamie sighed. "I know it'll affect his raise, I can't help it."

Eddie sighed, "You could cut back on the number of hours you train in the simulation unit, then you can let raises go through for the first step and if we recycle office supplies and such and I review some of the contracts and save some money..."

"No, Eddie," Jamie said again in a sharp tone. "I looked, I cut back everywhere I could. The wage freeze has to happen to protect our officer's lives. I do not want to bury my son, if that means he's mad at me so be it."

"Jamie, how can you be so blind?" Eddie asked sitting up fully. "Your relationship with Joey has been sketchy since you became PC; that is your job. It's your responsibility, but Joey is your son. You think you are having rough time with him now you announce this..."

Jamie swung his legs off the side of the bed ignoring the stabbing pain in his head and the dizziness that threatened to take him to his knees. "I have no choice!" he exploded. "You think I didn't try every single thing I could think of to do! You think it was easy to make this choice! I hate this, I hate all of it but I had to make a choice and safety is over happiness, it always was! I need you on my side in this. I did not think of all the people I'd have to defend myself to you!"

Jamie voice broke, he was so tired and so stressed. He knew the union backlash would be hellish, he knew he'd let his son down again, he did not expect Eddie to fight him, that hurt more than anything else could.

Jamie left the room and headed downstairs. Eddie sat in shock. He almost never lost his temper with her, she had pushed him too far. It scared her to see the rift between her husband and her son. She was facing yet another oncologist appointment. She needed her family together not apart. It had been seventeen years since her cancer had gone into remission but she still felt incredibly upset and scared each time her checkup drew near. If she was sick again, they'd need to be united. They were older now, not old but older, and Jamie would need help taking care of her and Frank as well.