In Sickness and In Health

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Eddie pushed Jamie's chair to the table the next evening. He was beaming with joy at being able to eat normal food again. Wednesday night dinner was their family tradition, that small branch of the Reagan family. That particular Wednesday, Lila was stuck at school working on a group project and Joey had just called to say he'd be delayed, but he'd made a felony collar. "Hungarian goulash, as promised," Eddie said smiling. "I even made extra gravy just the way you like it and cream for Joey. Dad, you ready to eat?"

"We haven't had your goulash in a few months, you bet I'm ready," Frank replied taking his seat next to Jamie. Jamie dutifully made his own plate and used his right hand to break the cubes of meat with a fork. He made a little mess on the placemat. "That I can help you with Jamie," Eddie told him.

Jamie sighed and started to eat. "Oh Eddie..." He sighed as the flavors erupted in his mouth. "This is so good. Where's Joey?"

"He made a collar," Eddie replied. "A-1 felony so he'll be a little later tonight. I'm going to keep a plate hot for him. It was an attempted kidnapping so he has a lot of paperwork. He chased the guy down himself, tackled him, and rescued the kid he was trying to abduct. I'm so proud of him."

Jamie smiled, "Me too, I'll tell him when I see him."

"Hearing that is always a thrill for kids," Frank said. "Even when they are your age and I am so proud of you Jamie for all you've been doing."

"Trying Dad," Jamie sighed. "I got my leg halfway into the brace by myself today," Jamie bragged with a smile. "That's something to be proud of there."

"It is son, you are working so hard to get yourself well and making great progress too," Frank smiled at him and took a bite of his meal. Jamie and Eddie still didn't tell anyone but their children about Jamie's choice

The conversation turned to other things, mainly Lila and Eddie's shopping trip earlier that day. "She is stuck on those mermaid dresses where you have to walk down the steps sideways..."

Jamie found that incredibly funny and lost his focus on his chewing. He tried to swallow a piece of meat that was too big for his compromised throat muscles even with the vast improvement he made. Jamie felt the beef stick but couldn't tell Eddie or Frank. Terrified and thinking quickly, Jamie slammed his hand on the table to get them to look up then brought his good arm to his throat.

"Jamie?" Eddie got up and went to his side. "Jamie, are you choking?" Eddie always asked this when Jamie coughed on his food, but this time was different. He wasn't making any noise and looked frightened. "Dad, he's choking..."

Frank got up and went around to Jamie, "Jamie, drop your hand, son. Drop your hand..." Frank got his arm around Jamie's front and pushed, his son was rapidly losing color. "Eddie, call for a bus!"

Frank tried hard to get to food dislodged from Jamie's throat but was unsuccessful. Jamie was rapidly losing valuable oxygen. "Try to cough it out Jamie. Try to cough it out." Frank prayed and tried to get Jamie to breathe while Eddie called 911.

Joe was less than ten minutes from the house when he heard the call on his scanner, FDNY rescue had been dispatched to his house. He hit the gas and sped up clocking near 90 mph trying to reach his family.

Two police cars had just arrived as Joey pulled into the driveway. At full speed he ran inside focusing only on what was happening in the house. "Dad! Mom!" Joey saw his father's eyes starting to roll back in his head as his mother was trying to force him to cough up the lodged food. "Mom, move!" Joey ordered and laid Jamie on the ground. Using a different technique he pushed up hard on his father's chest dislodging the piece of beef in two thrusts.