Reading Time: 107 Minutes
Title: What’s Past Is Prologue
Author: Duochanfan
Fandom: 9-1-1, Hawaii Five-0
Genre: Angst, Crossover, Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Relationship(s): Evan Buckley/Eddie Diaz, background pairings
Content Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Discussion-Sexual Assault, Discussion-Violence, Discussion-Combat Injuries, Attempted Murder, Attempted Rape (Wells), Violence – Domestic, Violence – Against Children, Homophobia, Racism, Hurt/Comfort, Dark Themes, Stalking, Canon Typical Violence, Gun Violence, Toxic Family Dynamics, Character Bashing, Ableism, Discussion-Combat Injuries,
Beta: HarleyJQuin – You are a miracle worker and an absolute star!
Alpha: HarleyJQuin – this is all your fault, a small idea and look at the monster it became. Thank you for helping me keep going!
Word Count: 131,758
Summary: Moving to LA with Shannon and Christopher after being shot was supposed to save his marriage. Instead, he felt more alone and abandoned than he did in El Paso. That is until he meets Evan Buckley; a former Navy SEAL who was finding his footing in LA. The two rekindle a friendship that had barely started in the sandbox and plan for their futures.
Artist: halestrom
Chapter One
Christopher looked at his Mom, “Mommy,” he said as he leaned against his gait trainer as he stopped, he was tired and his arms ached, but he wanted to play like all the other kids. “Mommy,” he called again, wanting to get her attention, she wasn’t on the phone, so she should answer him. She had told him not to talk to her if she was on the phone, that it was rude.
“What, Christopher?” she sighed heavily as she looked at her four-year-old son. His birthday had been the day before, just as they had started decorating the house for Christmas.
“See Santa?” he asked, looking hopeful, he had something really important to ask him. He was just hoping that he’d get his wish.
“Yes, we’re going to see Santa today,” she answered, smiling at him. She was tired, Helena had been trying to force Shannon to let her take Christopher for the Christmas holidays and Shannon was doing her best to rebuff the woman and her constant need to be in Shannon’s home and dictating what she did with her own son.
“Yay!” he cheered, laughing and wiggling where he stood, “We’re going to see Santa.”
Shannon laughed and smiled, “Yeah, we are, so let’s get ready to brave the mall,” she said, as she leaned down and pressed a kiss on his cheek. Normally she’d have just picked him up and taken him to the bedroom to get him changed, but since he had gotten the gait trainer, he was more independent, wanting to do things himself, though he still needed that little bit of help with things occasionally. She walked behind him as he made his way to his bedroom, it was covered in planets and dinosaurs, Eddie had decorated it when he was last on leave four months ago.
Christopher plopped himself down on the floor and looked at the socks he needed to put on. He began to try, growling when his legs jerked a little, “So stupid,” he grumbled.
Shannon sat on the floor beside him, “It’s okay to ask for a little help,” she reminded him.
Christopher pouted but then said, “Okay, Mommy, can you help?” he said, wiggling a foot in her direction, a sock half put on.
Shannon smiled and nodded, “Of course,” she told him, helping him put his second sock on, he had just about managed to do the first one, though it needed a little bit of adjustment. The heel of it was to one side, “There we go,” she said, grabbing his trainers and helping him put them on.
“Thanks, Mommy,” he said, as he struggled to his feet, latching onto his gait trainer. He leaned on it and began to move again. Happy he was no longer strapped into it like he had been with his old one. It meant he could easily sit down, without someone helping him all the time. He couldn’t wait until he got crutches, and that’d be next year, Miss Rita said so.
Soon enough mother and son were heading to the mall. Christopher happily sang along to the children’s Christmas songs that were playing in the car. Shannon smiled, feeling a little happier to be out of the house. She loved the place that Eddie had brought, but with Helena and Ramon Diaz constantly trying to interfere with their life there, it was becoming more like a prison to her.
Shannon was feeling tired and run down. Each day was the same, a whirlwind of appointments that she had to keep, weighing up the need for another operation, and all the therapies Christopher was going to. They were all to make sure he’d be able to be himself, and the best version of himself that he could be. Then she had Helena and Ramon berating her for each and every single choice she made for her son.
She never focused on herself, the only time she did was her almost daily calls with her mother and the last call she had with her mother had been disheartening. Janet Whitt had cancer, she had been in remission when Christopher had been born, but it had come back a year ago and was more aggressive than ever. It had quickly taken hold and this time the chemo wasn’t working, nothing was working.
Janet had called that morning to tell her that it was terminal and she only had six to eight months left before she passed; she wanted her daughter beside her when the time came. Shannon had tried to tell her that she had Christopher and Janet had told her to let his grandparents take him.
Shannon didn’t want to do that, knowing that as soon as Christopher went to them, then she’d never be able to get him back. She loved her son and didn’t want Helena and Ramon to destroy the bright boy that he was turning out to be.
She pulled into the parking lot of the mall and got out, getting the gait trainer out first before Christopher. Knowing that he’d want to use it straight away instead of being in her arms until she got it out. It was also easier to do it this way, not that Helena agreed with her; if Helena had her way, then Christopher’s feet would never touch the ground.
“Okay,” she said, as she looked around, seeing the signposts for where Santa had been set up for this year. The two made their way through the mall, looking at the decorations and in the shop windows. They got in the line and waited around for a while as it slowly went down, so many children were seeing and talking with Santa.
“Hello there,” Santa said, a smile on his face, though it was mostly hidden by the fluffy white beard.
“Hi, Santa, I’m Christopher,” he said, carefully pronouncing his name.
“Well, Christopher, have you been a good boy this year?”
“I have, I’ve been extra good because I have a really, really big Christmas wish this year,” he said, looking at him with all the seriousness that a four-year-old could muster.
“Oh,” Santa said nodding, “Then I’ll make sure to listen extra closely,” he said, leaning in and asking, “So, Christopher, what is it that Santa can bring you this year?”
“My daddy, he’s in the army and I want him to come home. But not just for a bit but for forever,” Christopher said, “I miss him a lot, I talk to him every day,” he added, “but I want hugs every day too.”
“Right, so you want him to come home from the Army and never go back,” he said, as Christopher nodded several times.
“I miss Daddy,” Christopher said, tears gathering in his eyes. He loved having his mommy, but he wanted his daddy as well.
“Of course you do, everyone loves their daddy and mommy. I’ll see what this Santa can do to make sure you get your Christmas wish,” he said, knowing that in reality, there wasn’t anything that he could do.
Shannon watched, biting her lip as she kept down the anger inside that she felt at Eddie reenlisting when Christopher was two. They had argued about it each time they had seen each other. Yes, it was a good idea financially, but she needed help in taking care of Christopher. She felt like she was drowning with all that she needed to do to make sure Christopher was well taken care of. Then there was the in-laws, Helena and Ramon were always in her business, demanding to see and take Christopher at the drop of a hat. No matter what she said, they’d just show up and demand things. So far Shannon had been able to keep them at bay, but she didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to hold out.
“Thank you Santa,” Christopher said, hugging the man before he was set down on his feet. He leaned onto his gait trainer and walked back toward his mom. “Mommy, I miss Daddy, can we try calling him tonight?” he asked her.
“We can try, he might not be able to answer,” she reminded him, though if she was being honest, Eddie almost always answered. If he didn’t he’d call her as soon as he could and it was an acceptable time in El Paso for him to call.
“I know, Mommy,” Christopher said as they made their way through the mall. Shannon picked up a couple of things as they slowly made their way back to the parking lot.
XxXxX
It was almost Christopher’s bedtime when Shannon was able to get in touch with Eddie. The man was rushing around a tent with a pad in his hand. “Eddie,” she called to him, getting his attention.
“Sorry, Shannon,” Eddie apologized, “I wish this was a good time that we could have a proper talk and chat,” he said as he saw Christopher and smiled, “How are you, mijo?” he asked his son.
“Good, Daddy, miss you,” he said, a little pout on his face.
“I miss you and Mommy sooo much,” Eddie told him, looking at Shannon for a moment, “I wish I had more time, “he said, “We’re about to head out. Emergency mission,” he added, she knew that sometimes he had to go out into the surrounding areas and pick up the injured.
“Yeah,” she said, “I need…” she began, “when are you going to be coming home?”
“I have leave in three months,” Eddie told her, “I wish I could be there this month,” he added. “How was your birthday?” he asked, grabbing his helmet.
“Was fun, but missed you,” Christopher answered him as he looked at the screen.
“I miss you as well, buddy,” Eddie sighed, “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
“This will be the last,” Shannon said. “No more after this one.”
Eddie remained quiet. He had already been in the army when they had started dating. He had signed up before they had even met. When he signed up for his second tour, he had been trying to get through to her that he had intended to make the army his career. He had told her that when they had first started dating, and again when she told him she was pregnant. It didn’t matter what he said, she still believed that he should do what she wanted and leave. He was sick of going around in circles while trying to tell her that he was going to be signing up again for a third tour in two years. Though he was going to be trying to do a stateside posting and to move the family with him.
“Eddie, no more,” she pressed again.
“Shannon, we’ve talked about this. I’ve talked to you about this several times over the years. Even before we started dating. The Army is where I want to be. I joined when I was eighteen, before we even met. I told you that I’d be doing this for the rest of my life,” he reminded her, “I’ll be trying to get a stateside posting, so I can be home more.”
“Eddie, you–” she began to shout, causing Christopher to jump in her arms.
“Mommy?” Christopher said, voice wobbling in shock and a little fear at the raised voice.
“Eddie, you need to be home. I can’t do this alone,” she told him.
“I’m trying to go stateside, but it’s going to be at least six months before they might let me. I have two years left of this tour, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to get one just yet,” he told her, being honest. “You know about this, I told you so many times. You knew this about me,” he said once more, shaking his head as he heard his name being called, “Shannon, I have to go, I’ll talk to you again either tonight or tomorrow. I love you, both of you. Love you, Christopher, be good for Mommy, buddy,” he said as he began to head out of the tent.
“Love you, Daddy!” Christopher called.
“Yeah, bye,” Shannon said as she disconnected the call. She had known that he was career Army, she had hoped she’d have been able to change his mind. She held Christopher and cuddled him as he cried for his dad. She joined him in his tears before she settled him in bed for the night.
Chapter Two
Evan ‘Magician’ Buckley glanced over at his teammates who were in the infirmary tent with him. They were hooked up to IVs, bandaged up, and looking as though the world had ended; for two of their number, it had. Their bodies had already been taken away to be prepared for their last journey home. A military funeral was the only thing waiting for them now, and their family left to mourn the loss of two good men.
Their mission had been a rescue. Their intel had seemed strong, and the ones they were retrieving sounded like they really needed it. Instead what they had found from the moment they stepped foot on land at the mission site, was nothing but lies. The intel they had was wrong and it was more of an ambush that had been set up. It had cost them dearly, two of Evan’s closest friends were now gone. Looking around he spotted their commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett, the man who had come in to lead their mission once more. He was always with them, sometimes they had someone else leading them, their second in command had stepped up, but this mission was deemed important enough that McGarrett had been called in to assist.
“Commander,” Evan said as the man walked over to him. His arm was in a sling and there were obvious injuries on the rest of him. Some of the blood that lingers on his clothes wasn’t the Lieutenant Commander’s, but it didn’t really matter.
“At ease,” he said with a hesitant smile, “We’re going back home, recovering, and then, we’ll either be put back to work or not,” he said, “Though I’ll be heading back to Hawaii,” he stated.
“You’re going back into the reserves?” Evan asked, since he was the only one awake, he was keeping his voice down. The others could all do with the rest, even he could, but his mind just wouldn’t shut down.
“Yeah,” he nodded, “I’ve still got a task force to run. You know you’re always welcome to join me out there,” he added, “I’ve got a room ready for you at any time.”
“I know,” Evan smiled slightly, “I just… I-” he sighed heavily and laid back and looked at the roof of the tent they were in, “It was just so fucked up.”
“It was,” Steve agreed, “Wish it wasn’t. But it happens. Bad intel, or someone feeding us the wrong intel purposefully.”
Those words caught Evan’s attention, “You think it was on purpose?” he asked quickly.
“I’ve already got a few people looking into it for me. Something stinks about this one, Mage,” he answered him, using his other nickname on the team.
“Make sure to keep me informed, Commander,” he stated.
“You know I will,” he replied, “Now, get some rest. I’m going to talk to the base commander about getting all of us back stateside,” he said, turning around and leaving Evan to rest.
Evan huffed but looked up again, before closing his eyes. He let himself drift for a little while, going over the mission and wondering just what he could have done differently. With a grumble he tried to get comfortable, not liking the openness of the room as he slowly drifted to sleep.
XxXxX
Less than forty-eight hours later they were all on a transport home. Back to the US. They’d be at the hospital for a while to recover a little more, before they’d be let out on leave for at least a month. However, they were all told that it was to decompress after the loss of two teammates and to see if they wanted to carry on. Evan was near the end of his contract. He originally signed on for five years and at twenty-three, he was feeling like the world was still against him. He had joined the SEAL’s using the civilian challenge as soon as he was old enough, and had excelled. He’s trained hard as a rescue specialist as well as a sniper, earning himself the nickname of Magician, often shortened to Mage. It was a career he was happy in, until now.
“You okay?” Steve said as he walked over and sat beside him, the other members of their team scattered throughout the transport plane.
“Just thinking about what I want to do,” he answered truthfully, “I don’t know if I can go back into the sandbox, Smooth Dog,” he stated, looking at him, “I lost Booker and Star and…” he trailed off, “I failed in keeping them safe. I almost lost the others too, I wasn’t quick enough.”
Steve shook his head, “You did great, Mage, you really did. I know carrying on isn’t always going to be the answer. But I know of a recruitment office that is in need of someone to help man it for a while. Take some time to really decide if that’s what you want to do,” he suggested.
Evan nodded, “I’ll try it, recover from this lot, and then see,” he answered. His injuries had been more serious than first thought. His vitals had wavered, and they had found some internal bleeding and an open wound that hadn’t been spotted until he had almost bled out. Although he was healing well, the powers that be had decided he’d remain in the military hospital until his vitals had stabilized and he was declared free from infection.
“My sister, Mary, lives in LA,” Steve began, “I’ll send her some information to help look out for you. She has a baby daughter, she’s doing well out there, had a few problems, but has really sorted her life out and Joan is a beautiful little girl.”
“Proud uncle?” Evan asked him.
“Yeah, and proud brother too,” he added thinking about his sister. She visited the islands a lot, making sure that Joan knew her family there, “I’m sure you’ll get along with her. She’ll be able to help you find a place to live while you stay there,” he told him.
“I’ll think about it, I have at least a week before I can head out anywhere, and I’ve got a small place lined up for a week near the base we’ll be at,” Evan told him, having already made some calls as soon as he knew where they were being treated.
“Okay, I’ll give you her number and I’ll talk to her as well. You have mine already, if you need anything, call me,” he said, getting up, and holding onto the netting above them, “I’m going to do the rounds,” he stated before heading to the others and talking with them.
Evan settled back, hoping he’d be able to rest a little before they landed.
XxXxX
Evan looked around the small apartment that he had rented for a week. It was a small tiny studio, but it was all he needed. He had done what Steve had suggested and asked to be transferred to the recruitment office in LA. He’d spend the time there fully recovering and getting back into shape and also dealing with the nightmares that had become his nightly routine to deal with. He’d be there for a few more days and then he’d be heading to LA. Mary had offered her couch as they searched for a place for him to live. He was looking at house shares at the moment, wanting to save as much money as he could, since he didn’t have a clue if he’d be going back to his team or not. The funerals for his teammates had happened the day before and only three of the four remaining of the team had been able to make them. Their last teammate had come down with a high fever, an infection taking hold, that didn’t seem to be letting go.
Evan jumped a little when there was a knock on the door. He got up from the bed he had been sitting on and headed to it. Looking through the peephole he relaxed as he saw Steve there. He opened the door, “Hey,” he said, nodding as he let the man in.
“Just thought I’d stop by before I head out tonight,” he told him, “Mary said that you were going to be crashing on her couch.”
“Yeah, though I’m a little nervous about doing so. I’ve been having nightmares, screaming nightmares that wake me up in a panic. I don’t… I don’t want to bring that around them. She’s going to help me find a place to live, but I think in the end a house share might be better, people that are former military would be best, but I don’t think that’s going to work.”
“No, I doubt it, but why a house share? With nightmares like that?” Steve asked him, frowning slightly.
“I think being around people helped more. When I was in the ward, I didn’t have them. I’m worried about Mary and Joan, because Joan is only little, so she might try and wake me. I never want to scare her at all,” Evan was babbling slightly.
“I get you,” Steve nodded. He had to admit, but only to himself, that he felt that fear sometimes. That he’d have a nightmare about some part of his service and he’d hurt Danny. He’d often pushed him away when he felt like things were going to end in a bad night for him.
“Yeah,” he sighed, closing the door behind the man, “So, a house share, it’d be best, I’ll be around people, but they’ll know better than to wake me like that; they are adults, after all, and I did better when I was in the ward, having people around me,” he tried his best to explain his thoughts.
“No, I can understand it,” he said, “Sometimes knowing that there are people out there, relaxes you. In others, especially if they are people you know, they worry you,” he said, summarizing what Evan meant.
“Yeah,” he nodded a few times, “Want a tea or coffee?” he asked
“No, Mage, it’s fine. I just wanted to check in with you and to tell you about Janaia,” he stated, his voice going solemn.
“She’s gone, isn’t she?” he asked, already knowing the answer. Steve would be the one to come and tell him personally, instead of letting the gossip chain go to work.
“Yeah, two hours ago. The infection had spread too far unnoticed for the antibiotics they had to work. Her family is already arranging transport so she can be prepared properly for them,” he added, “They live in Colorado, so the funeral will be there, instead of here like Booker and Star,” he started, “I’m sorry Mage, we were all hoping that she’d pull through, she was a tough son of a bitch, took no shit either,” he smiled slightly, “remember the better days, you know what she said if she passed.”
“Celebrate the good memories only, because that is what we should be remembered for, not the bad, not the crap that we go through. Nor the trauma we all experience. but the fun times we shared and the love and family we found along the way,” Evan said, remembering what Janaia would often say.
“Exactly, I might not be able to make the funeral, none of us may, but we can still honor her memory and remember the good times. I’ll try and get back before you head to LA, if not, I’ll meet you there at some point. I promised Mary I’ll come for a visit,” he told him when he saw the look Evan was giving him.
“Okay,” Evan sighed, “Thanks…. for caring and helping.”
“I have another friend in LA that you might run across, he’s an NCIS agent, Sam Hanna, if you’re ever in trouble, give him a call. He’ll help,” Steve told him, “I worked with him a while before you came onto the team. He’s a good solid man,” he added.
Evan and Steve talked a little more before the man left Evan to his peace. Though it didn’t last long as he got up and left the apartment, needing to be outside and with people around him.
Chapter Three
Middle of December, and Eddie had awoken to the beginnings of a nightmare. He had been shot three times and his injuries were enough that they didn’t think a full enough recovery was possible. He was being severed from the Army and Eddie hated the very thought. He was career Army, no matter what Shannon wanted him to do. Eddie had agreed to go for a stateside posting as soon as he could get one. That part he didn’t mind so much, even if the combat pay was a bonus that was often needed when it came to the care and equipment that Christopher needed. Now that security was gone, Eddie was already thinking of what he’d need to do to continue to support his family.
Just before Christmas Day, he had been sent stateside as soon as he was stable enough for it. The news had gone out to his family. His parents had already berated him for joining the Army in the first place. His wife did much the same, though she had an air of ‘I told you so’ about her each time she called. Learning that he was going to be injured still when he returned to her had caused an argument between the two. Christopher had been upset to learn that his dad had been hurt, but also somewhat happy that he was coming home and that it was for good.
“Diaz, phone for you!” someone called as they brought in the phone for him.
Eddie sighed and wondered which one it was going to be this time, his parents, or his wife. He wasn’t sure which was better than the other at the moment. Since both had a tendency to berate and yell at him for things he couldn’t control and the things that he did as well. No matter what he said or promised, they just yelled. “Thanks,” he said, taking the handset, he was still laid up in bed, his injuries needing him to be off his feet for a little while longer. Then he’d be released to go home, he’d be using a wheelchair or crutches most of the time when he did. Having to rely on both to be able to get around. He wasn’t happy with it, but he’d take that more than being dead at that moment in time.
“Eddie,” came the sharp tone of his mother.
“Mom,” he greeted, “What do you want?” he asked, already knowing that she wasn’t on the phone to call him and ask him how he was doing. The last five calls had been the same thing, she never once asked how he was doing, she just called to berate him and complain about being his wife.
“You need to do something about Shannon, she’s not letting us have Christopher. She is going to need to take care of you. How can she do that if she has Christopher.”
Eddie bit his temper and said, as calmly as he could, “Mom, we’re not going to be letting Christopher stay with you at all. You don’t know how to handle his care, and when you try you make mistakes all the tim-”
“How dare you say that. We don’t make mistakes, that’d be you and that harlot that you call a wife. She does nothing but put pain on that poor child. Why can’t you see that!” she yelled at him down the line.
Eddie growled, “No, it’s you making the mistakes. He has a team of doctors and when they were told what you were doing, they berated us for even letting you have time with him because you’re detrimental to his continued development. Which is why you were told, over and over again, that you wouldn’t be getting Christopher overnight. You put back his development each and every time you have him. Neither Shannon nor I want that for him, we want him to have the brightest of futures and you want him to be stuck in a basement somewhere with no life to speak of. I won’t allow it and Shannon won’t either. We’re his parents, not you. I’m sick of having this conversation with you. It won’t happen again!” he yelled back, “I’m done with having to defend myself and my wife about the choices we have made for the betterment of our son. We are doing what is best for him, and you don’t want that at all.”
“Of course I do, but to have him in pain, even for that little while, it hurts him, Eddie, why can’t you see that,” she then cajoled, hoping to get him to go around to her way of thinking.
“Without what we’re doing, he’s going to be in a lot more pain if we don’t. His muscles were tightening up and it left him in pain, so much pain that he was crying nightly because his muscles were hurting him. The operation helped with that. He has muscle fatigue often from using them, which is why he has physical therapy to help with building up strength,” he tried to explain to her once more. He had done so when the first operation had happened, and had explained until he was blue in the face when the second was scheduled. With how quickly Christopher was growing at the moment, he’d need another one within the year.
“You have no idea what it’s like seeing him in pain. Both you and that harlot have no shame in causing your only child, your son so much pain,” she said as she hung up on him.
Eddie sighed and closed his eyes. “Sometimes I hate her,” he muttered to himself.
“Mother-in-law?” the guy who had handed him the phone asked.
“No, mother. She believes that she is the best parent ever. That she has done a wonderful job of raising me and my older sisters. What she doesn’t realize is that not one of us can stand her for too long. Both my sisters have moved away; I should have done the same, more fool me. I thought my sisters were going to be remaining in El Paso, but they moved not long after I bought a house near where they were living at the time,” he rolled his eyes.
“Sounds to me like they were making you the scapegoat,” he snorted.
“Yeah, sometimes like that,” Eddie agreed, “Doesn’t matter, as I’m not letting them get their way. They want to clip the wings of my son. He has Cerebral Palsy, and they believe that the operations and therapies he goes through do nothing but hurt him, instead of helping him keep mobile, and also take care of the muscle tightening that happens as he grows.”
“You’ll be home with your son soon enough, but I don’t know if that’s a good thing since you’ll have to deal with the mother,” the man said as he then walked off.
“I can’t wait,” Eddie murmured, he wanted nothing more than to go home and wrap his arms around his son and never let go. The four-year-old was the bright spark in his life at the moment, because his parents and wife were just making his life hell. They were trying to suffocate him in his eyes; all three doing nothing but stressing him out, when he should have been looking forward to going home and seeing them all. Instead, he was only looking forward to seeing Christopher and hoping that he’d be able to get through whatever the three threw at him as he carried on with his recovery.
XxXxX
Eddie was through with therapy for the afternoon and had returned to the room he had been given. He was two weeks away from going home. He was getting better at getting around with his crutches, even though it still hurt occasionally. It was one of the things the therapist was going on at him about, to know when he had to use the wheelchair instead of crutches. He hated to admit to needing to use it more often than not. Though he had been told he’d only need it on and off for another two months before he could leave it behind. The damage to his shoulder made it nearly impossible for him to use both crutches, mostly he kept using the one. Short trips around the home and ward, he used crutches, other than that, he was in a wheelchair.
“You’re popular today,” someone said as they walked into the room behind him.
Eddie got out of the wheelchair he had been in and got into the chair by his bed, “Oh, why this time?” he asked.
“Four calls in the last half hour. And here is number five,” he answered as he handed over the phone.
“Which is it this time,” he muttered to himself, taking the phone and unmuting it. “Hello?”
“Eddie, fucking finally,” Shannon snapped down the line.
“I was in therapy, Shannon, you know that. I sent you the schedule that I have, and I even had the times in El Paso put down, because of the time difference,” he reminded her with a heavy sigh.
“Doesn’t matter what, you should be available for your family at the very least!” she admonished him, growling a little, “And you’re bloody parents better get back in their lane, or I am going to be getting a restraining order against them. They tried to take Christopher from the house. They were able to make a copy of the front door key and get into the house and I have no idea how they managed to do that. Since I know neither of us gave them a key.”
“Then call 9-1-1 and tell them that it’s an attempted kidnapping,” Eddie told her bluntly. “They might be his grandparents, but we’re his parents. I’ve told them and you have, we have to remain united about it. I know they keep trying to take over, but we both know that the moment we give them an inch, they are going to take fifty fucking miles,” he cursed, knowing it was all true. He couldn’t trust his parents, he had never really trusted them, even when he was a child. They took advantage of him and the kindness that he displayed. Though with his parents it soon dried up and he stopped listening to them as much, often doing things that he knew they wouldn’t approve of.
“That’s what I had to threaten to get them to leave,” Shannon hissed, “I can’t be dealing with them, Christopher, and now you as well. I have too much going on, I can’t do it. You better be able to take care of yourself as I won’t be; I have Christopher,” she added.
Eddie bit his lip, he knew that this was going to happen. He had hints of it throughout their calls, that she was going to refuse to help him. He wouldn’t want to rely on his parents either. He just hoped that he’d be able to get to the therapies that he’d still need and to the VA as often as he could. His mind was battling against him, and his nightmares were getting worse with each passing night as he slowly recovered. “Fine, I don’t care. But threatening them isn’t going to get them to back off for long. You need to follow through, and you know it. Get the police involved, and make sure that there is a log of what they are doing. I am not going to stand for it when I get back,” he added, the calls were getting too much, and he had no doubt that he’d be receiving a call from his parents about the threat soon enough. He sighed heavily, “Shannon, I love you, and I love Christopher, do what you need to protect yourselves from them both,” he told her.
“Fine, as always I’ll have to deal with it,” she stated before she hung up.
Eddie stared at the phone and wondered again why they were always arguing so much. She knew from the moment they started dating, even before Christopher was born, that he had intended to make the Army his career, she had been all for it. Happy to be a military girlfriend. Then she got pregnant, and she began to demand that he change his whole life. He hadn’t, and he had been in the dog house ever since, no matter what choice he made, he knew he’d always be in the wrong. He grabbed his book and began to read, for something to do while he waited for the doctor to make her rounds.
Chapter Four
Evan smiled at Mary as she set down the mug of coffee, “Thank you again, for doing this,” he said.
“Look, I know what my brother is like and if he wants someone to be watched over, there is a reason for it,” she told him, glancing into the living room where Joan was happily playing. “Talk to me about what you can, and the VA is around so you can talk to them about what you can’t with me. See someone, I know my brother was reluctant at times. But with Danny and myself kicking his arse about it, he has done it. I did it as well, I was a bitch,” she said, “I drank, and occasionally did drugs as well. Steve, bailed me out a few times when I did something stupid. But I got my life together, I talked to someone about it all, and learned different ways to cope with things. Now I have a daughter, and a life that I’m happy about. Give yourself time to find that balance for yourself. Talk to people, live, have a bit of fun.”
“I don’t know how,” he said softly, “I’ve been in the SEALs for years, I’ve lived with structure and what the next mission was for so long that I don’t know if I can just let loose like that again. Hell, I spent one leave in Peru as a bartender because I couldn’t just do nothing,” he added.
“Which is why you have a post in the recruitment office, so you can have something to do. It’s not going to tax you too much, and it’ll give you some time to think about what you want to do next. I know Steve said that you’ve got the option to leave the SEALs as well since your contract is at an end,” she frowned, trying to remember the words that Steve had used.
Evan laughed, “Yeah,” he nodded, “I’ve got five months before I need to make a decision,” he added, “So I will… take that time to find my footing a little. I don’t even have a place. I can afford one, but right now, I want to share a house with others.”
“I’ll keep an ear out for places. There are usually a few for the uni students and colleagues around here. So you may end up in that type of housing, are you still willing to go for that?” she asked.
“Yeah, that will be fine. Maybe they can show me some of the fun areas,” Evan said, not thinking much about the fact that he’d be with people who were still essentially so young, and naive compared to what he’d been through.
Mary gave him a skeptical look, “if you’re sure. Finding your own place could be a good idea as well,” she added.
“No, I want a shared house at the moment. I don’t want to stay here too long either. I know that you’re fine with me staying,” he added before she could protest, “But, I know myself. I know that I’ll have nightmares, and they aren’t going to be pleasant.”
“I remember a few of Steve’s over the years when I stayed with him. I know Joan witnessed a few of them as well. He hated it just as much, but they happen,” she pointed out to him, “I’d rather you be with people that care than alone. Joan will be okay if she hears you, she understands about nightmares. Steve and Danny explained well enough to her, as to why Steve reacts the way he does. So she’ll understand. She might only be almost two years old, but she’s an old soul, from what Danny said,” she added, glancing towards her daughter, who was looking over at them. She waved to her and Joan waved back before getting up and running over.
“Mama,” she said, holding out her arms and bringing the little girl into her lap, “Hi,” she grinned over at Evan.
“Hi, Joan,” he greeted her, “I’m Evan.”
“Unca Ste fwiend?” she asked, tilting her head curiously.
“I am,” he nodded, smiling at her, she was so adorable. “I’m going to stay here for a little while,” he added, not sure if she’d understand.
“Okay, Unca Ev,” she nodded, wiggling to get back down. She headed back into the living room again.
“She’s adorable,” Evan smiled as he watched her play.
“She is, can’t believe she’s my little girl,” she added, “I didn’t think I was going to be a mother at all. I’m a single parent adoption,” she added, “not something that I hear happens often.”
“Maybe not, but she’s happy, she’s loved, you can tell that just by looking at her and how much she’s at ease with you. If you had seen me as a child, you would’ve seen the exact opposite. My parents didn’t care about me. I’ve not spoken to them since I signed up for the civilian challenge contract to get into the SEALs. They ignored me at best, and neglected me at worst. They even left me alone for long periods several times a year, starting not long after I turned ten. I had my own credit card to pay for food, and I kept that card through the years. I left it behind as soon as I left home. And I don’t know why I’m telling you all this,” Evan said, shaking his head and keeping himself quiet for a few moments by drinking his coffee.
Mary laughed, “Steve says the same thing when he finds himself telling me things he doesn’t mean to. Don’t worry though, I’m not going to use what I learn against you and I can see that’s a worry for you. You hold things close, afraid of being hurt. With your past, I get it. My dad shipped me and Steve off when our mom died. I was lost for a long damn time. I was still in middle school when everything happened with Mom, and I went really off the rails. Steve tried to help me when he was on leave, but I was very reluctant to do anything that I didn’t see as fun. I went through the motions, and it took a while for me to realize that I was fucking up badly. I got help, and I found my calling the group therapies that I went to, that was something I wanted to do. I found my passion, I found something I could work towards. I had nearly everything that I needed already to become a counselor, which surprised me, given how little effort I put into my education. I’m almost there now, just a few more months and I’ll be a fully licensed and accredited counselor. So I’m using what I went through, to help others that were just as lost.”
“Like me,” Evan said with a raised eyebrow.
“A little,” she laughed lightly, “I’m no damn saint, I’ve fucked a lot of things up in my life. I tried many other jobs as well, but I know this is what I want to do,” she smiled, “Now, drink your coffee and you can go and get some rest in your bedroom. I know you’ve not been sleeping well; I can see it. I won’t let you sleep for long either,” she added, seeing the protest that Evan was going to make.
“Fine,” he sulked a little, but cheered up as Joan toddled over and handed him a piece of paper, “What’s this?”
“It’s you, Mama and me, we playin,” she grinned, as she tried to climb on his lap. Evan pulled her up and let her lean against him as she explained all she could about her drawing before he went for a small nap.
XxXxX
It had been almost two weeks when Mary had been able to find a place for him to live. Joan had cried when they had told her, not wanting to lose her new friend. The shared house she had found for him was of slightly older university students. Most were in their mid-twenties, but some were still younger than that. It was a nice place, well located for things. It was also still close enough to Mary and Joan that he could go and visit them. Joan had made sure to get a promise for him to take her to the park at least once a week.
“Nice to meet you, Evan,” said one of the men that he now lived with.
“Likewise,” he nodded.
“You’ve already forgotten my name,” he grinned, “Don’t worry about that, I’m Theo,” he said, “I’m a Media Student,” he added, “We do have out-loud moments. I know that you’re a soldier,” he added.
“SEAL,” Evan told him.
The man frowned and then nodded, “Yeah, okay,” he said, not looking so sure of himself now, “But I’m going to go over the rules of the house with you, and then show you where you’re going to be living,” he said, shrugging as he began to take him through the large house.
Evan was finally left alone in his new room. He’d be grabbing his things from Mary’s house later on, she’d be taking her daughter to the park before he went over to grab them. Mary would then have Evan meet them at the park, so that Mary and Joan could walk Evan home and say goodbye like that.
XxXxX
Evan had joined them at the park. Joan had yelled and squealed as soon as she saw him, toddling over to him and wanting to be picked up. Babbling happily about what she had been doing before he had arrived. Evan listened happily before she got him to push her on the swing for a little bit.
“Is the place okay?” Mary asked him as she stood by the frame and watched.
“It’s fine. They are… young, in a sense. I know some of them are older than me, but they seem young,” Evan frowned, “Does that even make sense?” he asked, as he glanced over at her.
“Yes, it does,” she smiled, “You’ve experienced war, you’ve fought for your very life, and they have never had to do that. They might seem young because of that,” she answered him.
Evan nodded, “Yeah, that’d be it,” he said.
“High, high!” Joan yelled out, squealing. She wasn’t going very high, but it was for the little girl of 21 months.
“Yes, very high,” Evan laughed brightly, a large smile appearing on his face.
Mary smiled as she watched, her daughter laughing and Evan doing the same as he chatted to her. Another ten minutes and she said, “We need to go home now,” she looked at Evan and he nodded.
Evan stopped the swing and scooped Joan out of the seat, “There we go,” he said as she squealed and laughed. He settled her on his hip. He was going to miss spending so much time with Mary and Joan. He adored the little girl, and her mother, Mary, was so easy to talk to most of the time. He’d be starting work at the recruitment center in three days and he was already at the VA finding people to help. Though that was a little bit of a struggle, it was something he’d just have to work around.
“JoJo,” Mary said, “we have to take Evan home now, then we’ll go home,” she added.
Joan frowned, “No, home us,” she stated with a pout.
“Now, Now, JoJo,” Evan said softly, “I have to go to my home, and you to yours,” he reminded her, they had been preparing her for his move for the last couple of days, but that didn’t mean the almost two-year-old was happy about it.
“Kay,” she said, still pouting as she was set on her feet. She held out her hand for her mom to take and the two adults started to walk the short distance to where Evan lived. There were a few tears when it was time to say goodbye, but it wasn’t as bad as they had feared. Evan smiled and waved as he watched them head the rest of the way home; it was only another ten-minute walk for Mary. He walked into his new home, and wondered what the future held for him now.
Chapter Five
Eddie looked at the house that he was now in front of. He glanced over at Mathew, “Thanks for the lift home,” he stated, as he began to get out of the truck slowly.
Mathew got out as well, grabbing Eddie’s crutches and handing them over. Keeping one, he leaned it against the truck as he got the wheelchair that Eddie was to use occasionally. “Right, if you need anything, you call me okay,” he told his friend. “Though why someone out of your damn family couldn’t have picked you up I don’t know.”
“Shannon refused to come to the airport, stating it was too hard to organize with Christopher. My parents used the same damn reason,” Eddie snorted as he got the crutches under him securely. The bullet wound to his leg had caused a lot more trouble than he had expected. The shoulder was just as bad, and no one could tell him if he’d have a full recovery or not. He still had a few appointments in the next week with the transfer of his care to the local area; he wasn’t looking forward to it at all.
“Like I said, call me, you have my damn number, make sure you do, Eddie,” he said, giving him a pointed look, “I mean it.”
“I will, promise,” he told him, sighing, as he wondered what type of greeting he’d get. They knew he was coming home today since both his parents and Shannon had refused to meet him at all, she may have stated that she’d be looking after Christopher, but it wouldn’t have taken long to come and meet him. Christopher would’ve been fine for the short journey from where he had been dropped off. Instead, he had called a high school friend he was still in touch with, though that was mainly because the man’s brother was also in the Army, and they had gone through basic together.
“Good, Nate would kick my ass if I didn’t make sure you were okay,” he said with a grin, showing that he cared as well.
Eddie headed up the garden path, he had barely been in the home that he had bought for himself. He had purchased it before he and Shannon had decided to even date. Shannon had moved in not long after she had found out she was pregnant. Then they had married while he was on leave, and neither Janet, nor his parents were happy with how things were going. He knocked on the door, not up to shuffling through his bag for the keys that might be in the bottom of it.
The door swung open and Shannon stood there, “Finally,” she stated as she looked around and nodded to Mathew.
“I’ll see you soon, Eds,” Mathew said as he made sure the wheelchair and the second crutch were nearby.
“Thanks again, Matt,” he nodded, “I’ll see if I can catch up properly with you another day,” he added.
Shannon glared at the wheelchair and then at Eddie, “What the fuck is that?” she asked him.
“Instead of asking questions, can we get inside? I’m in fucking pain and I need to sit down on something that isn’t going to jar my injuries to hell and back,” he said instead of answering her.
Shannon growled a little as she went out, grabbed the wheelchair and pulled it inside, the crutches quickly following along with the bag that had been dumped on the doorstep. “Seriously, if you were still so bad off you should have fucking stayed there.”
“I couldn’t,” he told her, “My injuries were healed enough that I was to be discharged to the local VA instead.”
“Stupid if you ask me,” she snapped a little, “Christopher is down for a nap, go into the living room and stay there.”
Eddie frowned, wanting to just go to his bed and lay down for a little while before his son woke up. “Why the hell can’t I just go to bed for a bit, I just want to rest a little. The ride over was a bit rough,” he added.
“Living room, and you can sleep later, I have a few things to talk to you about and we need to go over them before you even think of sleep,” she demanded, shoving things to one side.
Eddie sighed and went to the living room, feeling the aches even more. They should have healed more than they already had, but with the way that he had been injured and then carried on fighting afterward, he had done a little more damage to himself trying to fight to get back home. He sat down, shifting a little and trying to get comfortable on the sofa. It had been a long time since he had been home, almost a year. He had tried to get the time off so he could be there for Christopher’s birthday and for Christmas as well, but it hadn’t happened. A lot of those with families back home tried to get the holidays booked for their leave as well.
Shannon walked into the living room and looked at her husband. He looked tired, smaller than the last time she had seen him. She sighed, she knew she was being harsh, but she hadn’t expected to have to deal with this as well. Shannon knew that there was a danger, but to have it pushed into her face like this, she just wasn’t expecting it just yet. He had two years left, and he had promised her he’d be going for a stateside posting. “Eddie,” she called to him, this time her tone was a little gentler.
“Shannon,” he said, his face closed off and not giving anything away. “What did you want to talk about?” he asked.
Shannon winced, the tone wasn’t a good one. He wasn’t pissed off, but he wasn’t happy either. She went over and sat down on the chair in the room. “I need to head to LA soon,” she told him, “We’ll be doing that as soon as we can. I know you will want to stay here for a bit, but it won’t be for long. I won’t be able to take care of you, so you’re going to have to make other arrangements,” she added.
“This… couldn’t have waited until I was in a better mood, and not in so much pain?” he asked her, “I’ve just spent eight hours crammed in a seat, with injuries throbbing in pain. I landed and then headed here, in a truck that needs to have its suspension looked at again,” he added, shaking his head, “I just want some damn sleep. I’ve not slept in ages and not taken anything either. I know that I’ll be taking care of things for myself. You already said as much in the angry calls I’ve received from you while I was trying to recover and come to terms with the fact that my whole life, the career that I had planned for myself, has been taken from me. I get that you hated the fact that I was career army, you made that clear over the last two years, hell, make that three years,” he said.
Shannon stared at him, “What the hell do you expect Eddie, I need you here. Not over there being fucking shot at!”
“Then why the hell did you start dating me if you didn’t like the job I had?” he asked her, “You knew, right from the start that I intended to make the Army my career, this is what I wanted to do until I retired. I was straight up about that from the very first date.”
“I-” she began and then cut herself off. She knew exactly what Eddie wanted to do with his life. She just pictured it a little differently than it had been. “I know that, but damn it Eddie, things changed, we have a son, he needs us at home with him.”
“And plenty of other service men and women are fighting out there with their families, including children, back home. It’s no damn different,” Eddie replied.
“Yes it is,” she snapped back, “Christopher is disabled, he needs extra help in doing things. We needed you here to help and instead you were out there.”
“Providing for my family, making sure that he had the insurance he needs to get all the right healthcare that he could want and need, to make sure he’d be able to grow and enjoy life to the fullest he can,” he pointed out to her, “What the hell did you expect me to do when it came to healthcare for Chris? There isn’t much that’s good, that would be able to help him.”
“We still needed you here,” she repeated, getting up, “Go to goddamn bed and maybe you’ll be more agreeable to things later. And be warned, your parents will be here soon enough to see you.”
Eddie sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He leaned back on the couch as she left the room. “Shannon,” he began, calling to her before she left the room.
“No, shut up, Don’t want to hear anything. You know I’m right, I wanted you home and so did Christopher. His wish this Christmas was for you to come home,” she told him, “Think about that when you want to go back to being shot at,” she finished as she left the room.
Eddie bit his lip. She had said that once before when she was on call with him. Telling him off again for re-upping for a second tour. He had tried to remind her that he was doing what he thought was best, at the time, and he still believed it was the best. He knew deep down he had run away, just a little, from what Christopher represented. He was scared about being a father, since the only parents in his life had dragged him down to such a point he hated the two of them most of the time. The realization of that hurt him just as much as the damn bullets that had ripped through him. He slowly made his way to his feet, heading to the kitchen and leaning on the crutch even more than before. He was tired and in pain, and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to take anything just yet. So he kept away from his bag, and didn’t even talk to Shannon as she stood in the kitchen making herself a coffee.
Shannon glared at him and Eddie just shut down even more. He was not up for another argument. He ignored her and went and got himself a glass of water. Struggling a little as he headed to the bedroom to sleep. He looked in Christiopher’s room. A soft smile appeared on his face as he saw his son sprawl on the bed. The gait trainer he used was near the bed. He stood there for a while, just taking in the fact that he was home, he wouldn’t be leaving again, and that he’d get to watch Christopher grow up a little more. He missed some of the most important moments in his son’s life and it did hurt. No matter what Shannon believed.
Eddie shook himself a little and headed on to his bedroom. He could see everything of Shannon’s around the place, so little of his was anywhere in the room. He knew most of his things had been put away in the loft, even knowing he was coming home she had told him he’d have to get them down himself. Eddie had snorted at that, and told her that he wouldn’t be able to do much of anything for a while longer. She had ignored him and given him a list of all the things that she wanted him to do around the house. Shannon had ignored all of the warnings he had been telling her.
Finally he sat down on the bed and took a drink of the water before laying down. Closing his eyes, he drifted to sleep.
Chapter Six
Christopher had burst into tears the first time that he saw Eddie and noticed he was hurt; it had taken a good hour to calm him down. After that Christopher had basically clung to his side, not wanting to let his daddy out of his sight. Shannon had been annoyed when it had come to bedtime that first night home. Christopher had thrown his first true temper tantrum at not being able to stay with his dad. Eddie had gotten up, and took him to bed, even reading him a bedtime story as well. Christopher had gone to sleep after that, telling him that Mommy hadn’t read to him like that before.
Eddie went back to the living room, where Shannon was tidying up in such a way that she told Eddie she was pissed off. “He’s asleep,” he told her, as he tried to help a little. However, in the end, he had to sit down before his leg gave out on him.
“Good,” she stated a few moments later, “I can’t believe that he was-”
“What Shannon?” he asked her, wanting her to continue the thoughts.
“He clung to you, wouldn’t let you out of his sight, when I tried to get him to take a bath he stomped, he never stomps. He-” she paused for a moment. “He just,” she began again, “He’s never been like that with anyone else.”
“That’s just because he hasn’t seen me in a long time except for over calls and video messages,” he said, waving a hand, shifting in the chair a little to get comfortable again, “He’s… he just wants to stay close, maybe he’s scared that I’ll leave again.”
“Maybe,” she huffed, as she carried on picking things up around the living room, “You need to hurry up and get better,” she told him, “I am not going to be taking care of everything myself,” she added.
Eddie closed his eyes for a moment and bit down the stinging retort that he wanted to give. “Shannon, I know you’re not happy with what is going on,” he told her, “I hate this just as much as you clearly do. My whole life is about to change. The job I love is gone, I have six months on our insurance before that stops and we have to look for something else. Not only that but then I still have to go to physical therapy and various doctors appointments on top of that. I want nothing more than to recover fully so I can get another job. But it’s going to take time, and I don’t know how much time that might be,” he finished.
“This…. this is why I didn’t want you going back, but no, you just had to tell me that you knew best,” Shannon hissed at him, throwing down the toy she had just picked up to put away.
“It was my career, something I had planned since I joined JROTC in my freshman year. I am proud of the service I’ve done,” he told her, “I worked damn hard to get where I was. Do you know how rare it was for someone my age to be a Staff Sergeant in the medical unit. . How would you feel if something happened to take away something you love?” he told her, “Well?”
“It doesn’t matter, it was dangerous, too damn dangerous, and I bet you’re doing nothing but wishing that you were back there, when you should just be damn happy that you were able to come home and be home for fucking good!” she snapped at him.
“You’re right, I’m not happy that I won’t be able to go back. That is what I wanted to do with my life. I told you this, how many more times do I have to say that!” he yelled back, getting pissed off at how many times he had to repeat the same things before Shannon, and even his parents accepted that one little fact. He had been working toward joining the Army from the age of fourteen, it was something that he had wanted to do and nothing was going to stop him, well, until three bullets took him out that was.
“That doesn’t mean anything!” she told him, “I needed you here, Christopher needed you here. But you fucked off again, and again, no matter what we wanted.”
“And waste years of hard work to get the position I wanted. I was working through my deployment so I could get a god damn posting stateside, so that I could have you and Christopher with me, and to make sure that I was high enough rank to be able to afford everything that we need and make a good damn home for us,” Eddie told her, “You work, but its part time, and the health insurance that came with it, well, it wasn’t going to help much with Christopher and his CP. So, I carried on what I was doing, which would be best. Now that has been taken from us, we’re going to have to work hard on making sure that we can get cover for Christopher again.” It was the main thing that he was worried about, making sure that they had everything needed for Christopher.
Shanon just glared at him and walked out of the room, slamming the bedroom door. Eddie sighed as he heard Christopher give a startled cry. Struggling to get to his feet, he made his way to Christopher’s bedroom and entered. The four-year-old was sitting up in bed, crying softly. Eddie went over and carefully took him into his arms and sat on the bed.
“Daddy,” he cried quietly, “What was that?” he asked, “Is Mommy mad again?”
“She is a little, mijo, she didn’t like that I was away all the time. I didn’t either, but it was my job,” he added, rubbing Christopher’s back and hoping that he’d be able to soothe him back to sleep. It was late, since it had taken a while for Christopher to wind down from his tantrum about leaving Eddie’s side.
“I was sad,” Christopher told him, “Missed you, Daddy,” he added, leaning against him.
“I missed you as well, each and every day, I looked at your picture and held St Christopher, knowing that you were there with me in that tiny little way,” Eddie said, smiling softly, as he felt Christopher relaxing against him. “I missed so much, but I’m home now, for good.”
“I know, but you’re sad,” he said, “and hurt.”
“I am, but I’ll get better,” Eddie told him, “I’ll be just fine, it might take ages,” he said, elongating the word and making Christopher give a tired giggle, “but I will.”
“Okay, Daddy. Mommy is always mad, she mad at you and Grandma and Abuelo,” he told him, yawning and clutching a hand in his shirt.
“Mommy is mad at a lot of people sometimes,” he said softly, “But that doesn’t matter, things will be okay now,” he told him, as he heard a soft snore. He looked down at Christopher and saw that he had finally fallen asleep. He maneuvered him back into the bed, wincing at the pain that caused his shoulder. The bullet wound and the dislocations had caused complications with its healing, and he was still in pain from it. He kissed Christopher on the forehead as he tucked him in. He stood, grabbed his crutch, and headed back to the living room. He’d sit there and relax for a bit before heading to the guest bedroom to sleep, instead of going in with Shannon.
XxXxX
Eddie sighed as he heard his mother storm into the house. He was not having a good day. Shannon was still mad at him and Christopher was clinging even more in the face of her temper. The four-year-old didn’t want to be near her and had taken to crying each time she had. Which had only made Shannon more furious than she already had been.
“Edmundo Diaz!” came the yell of his mother as she stormed into the living room and stared at him, hand on hips. However that stopped as soon as she saw Chrispther clinging to him. “He shouldn’t be near you like this!” she yelled out as she went to grab Christopher and take him from Eddie.
“I wou-” he began to protest. It didn’t last long as soon as Helena Diaz went to touch her grandson he started screaming and crying and clinging even more to Eddie.
“No, no, leave!” he screamed out, sobbing as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“What the-” Helena said, eyes going wide as she reared back at the reaction.
“He’s a little clingy at the moment,” Eddie said softly, as he moved Christopher around, making sure he didn’t put any pressure on his leg and held him. “Hey, it’s okay, Chris,” he said gently, rubbing a hand up and down Christopher’s back as the four-year-old hid himself in his dad’s neck, not even wanting to look at his grandparents.
“This behavior isn’t good. I think he should come and stay with us while you recover,” Helena said, once more going to take her grandson, only for Christopher to scream even louder as she touched him.
“No, NO!” he yelled out, this time Shannon moved into the living room.
“Whats’ going on?” she demanded to know, glaring at her mother-in-law.
“I’m just trying to take Christopher. I think he should come and stay with us. It’s obvious that you’re going to have your hands full looking after Eddie.”
“No she won’t,” Eddie said as he brushed his mother’s hand away as Christopher’s sobs got louder at the words of his grandmother. “I’ve already gotten things sorted about my own recovery,” he told her, “I don’t need help or anything.” He was lying but his mother hadn’t been able to tell if he was lying since he was sixteen.
“I just don’t think Christopher should be around when you’re recovering,” she stated “And him acting out isn’t a good thing either.”
“He’s scared, his dad has just returned home and he’s hurt. Christopher needs to be here,” Shannon said, she was acting calmer and happier than she had been for most of the day.
“Want Daddy,” Christopher said, as he peeked around to look at his grandmother, still clutching at his dad’s shirt.
“See,” Shannon said, “he wants his dad at the moment. I’m not going to separate them just because you want to be seen as a good mother and grandmother. You’re being anything but,” she snapped a little as she turned to go back to the kitchen.
“How dare you,” Helena hissed, “I am just thinking about you, and what you’re going to need to do to help Eddie. He needs to get better as soon as possible if he is going to even try and actually be a father for once in his life.”
Eddie’s eyes narrowed, “I think I want you to leave, Mother,” he said, using a more formal address, which shocked Helena as she turned to face him.
“Ed-” Helena began.
“You come in here, trying to put us down when we’re doing what we need to make sure Christopher is fine. Papi, I ask that you get her out of here,” Eddie explained to his father.
“She’s thinking of you, and I agree with her,” Ramon stated, shaking his head.
“As always, you enable her behaviors, instead of actually thinking for yourself. As you have done for the entirety of my life,” he added, “Please, just leave. I don’t want to deal with this today. We have enough on our hands at the moment, without dealing with you two upsetting everyone in this house because of your demands,” Eddie told them, “And I won’t be afraid to just call the damn police to have you escorted from my home,” he warned them. It wouldn’t be the first time he had done so.
“You’re making a mistake, Edmundo,” Ramon told him, taking his wife’s arm, “We’ll come back and talk to you when you’re in a better mood.”
Shannon escorted them from the house and then looked at Eddie. “I don’t know how you get them to leave like that.”
“Because they know I’ll call the police on them. I’ve done it before,” Eddie answered her, “It’s why I told you to do that if they continued. The police around here know what they are like. So far they haven’t caused too much trouble but if they do, just call 9-1-1 and ask for someone to escort unwelcome in-laws off the property.”
Shannon huffed and walked back into the kitchen. Leaving Christopher clinging to his dad and Eddie doing his best to reassure him that he wasn’t going anywhere.
Chapter Seven
Eddie lay on his bed, it was the early hours of the morning and he ached, badly. He was still in the guest room and had been since he had returned home. His nightmares scared Shannon, though Christopher had only been upset since he wasn’t able to go and cuddle his dad and make him feel better. Shannon also still didn’t want to deal with him at all, not when it came to the little help he needed. Instead, he had been relying on Mathew a lot. His high school friend had come over several times to help him out when he needed it. Even taking him to appointments and the VA several times. Shannon hadn’t been happy that he was getting someone from outside to help him.
Shannon had made her displeasure of Mathew known to him. She had told him off the last time he had been around to help. It wasn’t like she was helping, and when he had pointed that out to her, she had yelled at him, which had caused Christopher to cry. Shanon had tried to comfort him, but Christopher just called her mean for her shouting instead. Shannon had been even more pissed, but had stewed until Christopher had gone to bed, and had then laid into Eddie about it, claiming that he was negatively influencing Christopher.
Eddie snorted, as he slowly got up, his shoulder was aching badly since he had kept the sling off when he knew he should have used it. He had been warned that it wasn’t healing well, and he knew that was because he was ignoring the advice he was being given. He wasn’t wearing the sling when he needed it, instead leaving it off all the time. Each time he wore it, Shannon would glare at him and make snide comments about him not even being man enough to take care of the things around the house. He looked at the sling, he had a couple of hours before Shannon would get up. She now stayed in their bedroom for a couple of extra hours, talking on the phone. He helped Christopher get up and ready for the day, going through the stretches that the physiotherapist had recently given Christopher to do at home. He even did some version of his own therapy stretches with him.
Checking the time, he figured Christopher would get up in about an hour. He grabbed the sling, putting it on as he grabbed a crutch with his good hand. He sighed again as he thought of Shannon’s reaction to him using a wheelchair occasionally when he had to go out. Mathew had been kind enough to help him get around during those moments since Shannon had made her displeasure know about helping him in such a way.
“Let’s start the day,” he muttered to himself as he headed out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen to start something for breakfast for himself and Christopher. He let Shannon deal with that herself, he barely interacted with her in the last month he had been home. When it was nearly done, he headed towards the bedroom at the back of the house, smiling as he saw his son waking up on the bed, and grumbling.
“Wakey wakey, mijo,” he called as he went over, rubbing a hand on his son’s back as the child rolled over and grumbled about being awake.
“Daddy, sleepy,” he muttered.
“I know, but it’s time to get up and I have cooked us some waffles,” Eddie coaxed as Christopher rolled over.
“Waffles?” he asked, eyes narrowed.
“Yep,” he nodded.
“I don’t smell burning,” he said as he sat up.
“One time, mijo, one time,” he said, shaking his head.
“But I’ll always remember,” Christopher grinned up at him and then laughed as his dad tickled him.
“Up, mijo, they’ll go cold otherwise,” he said, as he helped him get ready for the day. With him ready, they headed into the kitchen, where the small table was. The waffles had been kept warm, and Eddie dished them out, “So what are we going to do today, mijo?” he asked him, since it was a Saturday, Christopher didn’t go to a nursery that day.
“Can we try and go to the park?” Christopher asked, “Mommy doesn’t like going, and Grandma says it’s too scary for me,” he said, biting his lip.
“How about I call my friend Matt, and see if he wants to bring his kids as well?” Eddie suggested. Mathew had made that suggestion a few times, to get the two of them out of the house for something more fun than appointments.
“Are they nice?” he asked, frowning.
“Yes, they are very nice kids,” he answered, picking up his phone and sending Matt a message asking if he’d still be alright for doing a play date in the park that day. The reply was almost instant. “Well, looks like we’re going to the park today,” he said. He wasn’t that happy about being out, since he knew he was going to be in a wheelchair again. His leg was paining him, hell his whole body just didn’t want to heal it felt like. He knew he was pushing himself a lot, to try and keep up with the demands that Shannon had been making, and even his parents had been doing the same. They were already knee-deep in trying to organize a gathering at his house to welcome Eddie back home. Eddie had been doing his best to put it off, but he didn’t think he’d be able to do it for much longer.
“Yay!” Christopher cheered, almost flinging a piece of waffle across the room, just as Shannon came into it.
“What’s going on?” she asked, frowning at the two of them.
“We’re going to the park!” Christopher answered her, “It’s going to be so much fun, Mommy,” he grinned.
“I’m not pushing you around, Eddie,” she stated, glaring at her husband.
“I already know that, which is why we’re going with Matt and his kids. Christopher will have some playmates and I’ll have someone who is willing to help me around a little,” Eddie told her, not showing any of the hurt that he was feeling at the fact that his own wife never wanted to help him at all.
“Good, I have other things to do today,” she stated as she went to the coffee maker and made herself a mug.
“Fine,” Eddie told her, “Do what you want.”
Shannon stared at him, “Don’t you make me feel guilty, Edmundo,” she spat at him.
“I’m just telling you to do what you want, which is what you have been doing since I got home last month. And you wonder why I’m still in a damn wheelchair half the time and using crutches, and have a fucking sling on,” he began, then stopped as he saw Christopher staring at him, wide eyes, “Sorry, mijo,” he told him, giving him a soft smile.
“Daddy,” he began, “You still hurting?” he asked, frowning and looking near tears.
“I’m just not getting better very fast,” he told him, “It’s alright though. I promise that I’ll get better, it just might take longer than we thought.”
Christopher frowned and thought, “When I’m hurting, Mommy and you make me sleep and take lots of naps,” he said, “Do you need more naps too?”
“Something like that,” Eddie laughed as he heard Shannon snort. He gave her a quick pointed look, they had argued a few times about the appointments he was going to. He needed them, but she ignored that fact, just wanting him to be fully healed already.
“If you need more naps, we don’t have to go to the park,” he stated, looking sad at that, but willing to do it so his dad could get better.
“Oh, mijo,” Eddie said softly, “No, we’re going to go to the park, I said we would and we’re going. We’re going to have some fun because even I’m sick of being inside all the time,” he told him, smiling, feeling his heartbreak at his son’s words.
“You sure, Daddy?” he asked him, “I don’t mind cuddles on the couch instead and we can watch Disney movies all day,” he added.
“I’m sure, we can do that later on,” he promised, smiling softly.
“Okay,” he nodded, going back to his waffles.
Eddie looked at Shannon, who just huffed and walked back out with her coffee.
XxXxX
Mathew and Eddie were sat on the benches, Eddie had chanced being out without his wheelchair, since he didn’t really want to use it. Christopher was happily playing with Matt’s three kids, one was a stepkid who was almost a teenager and he had taken charge of watching over Christopher, while the younger two joined Christopher in whatever game he had made up for them to play.
“How are you actually doing?” Mathew asked him, glancing over at his friend.
“I don’t know if Shannon and I are going to stay married with the way she has been acting. I’ve barely seen her since coming home and when I do, we argue. She isn’t happy that I’m hurt, she won’t help me at all. She refuses to help me to appointments, and she openly resents that I even have any. I’m not healing, Matt, it’s so slow going, that they are worried that there has been some permanent damage,” he sighed, feeling frustrated with how things were going. He had wanted to come home to his family, he fought to stay alive to come home to them, and he felt like the only one that actually, really wanted him back at all was Christopher. His parents were making a big show of his Silver Star, telling everyone that they met, that their son was a hero. Shannon expected him to be perfectly healthy and ready to take on the role of ‘Man of the House’ again, so he could take care of everything. It really felt like he couldn’t be anything other than fine, and he wasn’t. The nightmares were getting worse and he no longer slept well at night. Scared that he’d wake up and frighten Christopher with his yells.
“I really don’t understand her, I thought she’d be damn grateful to have you home. It’s one of the things that I hear Marissa telling me about her when they meet in line at the nursery,” he said, “That she’s always complaining about you being away. Now you’re back, she can’t stand the sight of you, or the fact that you injured out. How the hell did she think she was going to get you back outside of your contract?” he snorted, shaking his head.
“I know, she knew before we even started dating that I was going to be a Career Army, that I wouldn’t be leaving at all. She thought I’d change my mind the moment that she told me she was pregnant. I didn’t. I know plenty of soldiers out there who have family back home, and their wife, husband, or life partner, don’t make them believe that they haven’t done anything to help the family at all, just because they are serving overseas instead of stateside,” he told him, shaking his head.
“Wish I could help you with that, but like I said, I’m here for you,” Mathew told him, “Need anything, just call me. And this, we should do this weekly I think, you’re looking pale,” he joked, smirking at his friend.
“Dick,” he cursed, laughing, “Yeah, yeah, I think that’d be a good idea. Chris needs to get out and Shannon doesn’t want to do anything with him. She goes to work as normal and comes home. Does something for herself for dinner. She doesn’t bother with me or Christopher, rarely speaks to him at all if I’m honest. When she isn’t working she’s in the bedroom, where I’m not allowed to be, and talking on the phone all the time. No doubt to Janet, who doesn’t like me, and only just accepts Christopher,” he sighed, “Never should have given in to my parents and married her, we would’ve been better off without it I think,” he added.
Mathew nodded, “Well, no matter what, I’m here.”
“I know,” he smiled at him as they focused back on the kids and their play.
Chapter Eight
Eddie was limping slightly as he headed into the kitchen. The rest of his family had arrived at the end of March, just like his parents had wanted. A full-out celebration to welcome him home, but he still felt like he was back in the Sandbox most of the time; battling his injuries to be as normal as possible, because that was what was expected of him. He saw Shannon and nodded.
“I told you, they push and push, you can’t give them an inch,” she stated.
“I know, and I’m not, do you see me in here changing things?” he asked her, giving her a look as he made himself a quick drink and did up another for Christopher. He refused to get the carton that his mother had wanted him to get for Christopher. He knew that Christophe loved his plastic cup, with the straw that wound around the outside of it.
Shannon glanced over and nodded, “Have you given my suggestion a thought?” she then asked him, changing the topic completely.
The last two weeks, Shannon had been bombarding him with hints and thoughts about moving to California, to Los Angeles. He had been giving it some serious thought. His parents were still upsetting Christopher every chance they got. Mostly because they were still trying to take him away from his parents. “I have been,” he said, “I’ll talk to you tonight about it,” he said. He still wasn’t convinced, he wanted to talk to his Abuela before he made the decision. He knew that something was going on with Janet, and this was something that Shannon’s mother was pushing.
“Just make sure you hurry up, I need to get going to LA as soon as I can,” she told him.
Eddie frowned at that and wondered just what type of plans she had made without his input. He sighed, picked up the two glasses and headed outside again, giving Christopher his favorite glass and getting a wide and happy smile from the four-year-old.
“Eddie,” his mother snapped, “I told you to get a carton.”
“Why would I when he wanted the lemonade that was made by Abuela?” he asked her, “He’s fine, he likes the glass he uses,” he added as he smiled at Christopher, “Leave him alone.”
Helena didn’t look happy, and when she reached to try and take the glass from Christopher, he began to cry.
“I said, leave him alone, Mom,” Eddie said again, “Hey, Chris, why don’t we head over and say hello to Tía Pepa and Abuela?” he suggested as he helped Christopher from the chair, letting him settle himself in his gait trainer. He picked up the glass and turned to his mother, “I don’t trust you with him when he clearly wants to enjoy some play time either, so please, keep away from him.”
“How dare you,” she hissed as Ramon stood up.
“How dare I? More like how dare you. I told you I wasn’t ready for a gathering like this, that I am still trying to recover, and having so many people over, and having to host is hurting me. Or haven’t you noticed me limping? I’m doing too much too soon, and neither of you give a damn. You got everyone to come here when you could easily have hosted this at yours. You didn’t even take the no we told you several times over the last month. Instead, you carried on organizing and then forced Shannon and me to get things ready when people began to descend on us. I don’t want you near my son, if I’m honest, because I can’t trust you to do what is right for him, instead of what you want. He needs certain things and you ignore them because your wants come before anyone else’s needs. And to me, that stinks; you did the same when we were children. Why the hell do you think Sophia and Adriana fucked off, they hated being around you, and since I’m the youngest and only son, they think I’m going to do what they want and stay here. I don’t think I will be in the end. I hate the two of you and the way that you act towards my family. And that’s what it is, my family, not yours. Remember it.” With that, he left them alone to splutter and rant without him there.
He was done listening to them. It was one of the main reasons why he was thinking about doing what Shannon wanted and heading to LA. He just wanted to talk with Abuela before he made the decision, and today was the perfect day to do so. Since both his Abeula and his Tía Pepa were there to welcome him home. He had talked to them several times on the phone since his return to El Paso. Christopher was already seated with them, laughing. Sophia’s son and Andrana’s kids were both playing in the yard with more of their cousins; most of them coming from LA to see him. His father’s side of the family were mostly in or around LA.
“Eddito,” Isabel said as she spotted her grandson. She got up and walked over to him. He leaned down, kissing her cheek. “I’ve missed you.”
“Missed you as well, Abuela,” he said, looking at where Pepa was talking with Christopher. “I need to talk with you, let me just get this to Chris,” he said.
“Let me, you go and sit on the bench over there and I shall join you, I can see that you’re in pain, Eddito,” she said, worry lacing her voice as she took the glass from him and gave it to Christopher as Eddie went to the bench that was settled on its own.
Isabel soon joined her grandson and sat beside him, “Now, nieto, what’s going on? You have a dark storm cloud above your head, and I can see the worry lines,” she told him.
Eddie took a breath and sighed, “Shannon wants us to move to LA, but I am not sure about it,” he began.
“I’d love nothing more than to have you nearby, but you have to try and do what’s best for you and Christopher,” she told him, “Now, tell me about the good points you have for going to LA, and then the bad ones?” she suggested.
Eddie sighed, “Getting away from my parents, you and Tía Pepa, the rest of the family. For staying, I can’t see anything good in staying. Except that I’ve already bought the house. But selling it…” he trailed off.
“Would Shannon get anything from the house? I know that you brought it before you met her,” she asked, a little curious.
“No, she wouldn’t. The prenup and all that we signed before we married, that Janet made us sign, it means she gets nothing from the sale of the house, none of my money, or even alimony,” he told her, “Janet doesn’t like me, much like my own parents don’t like her. The money I get will be put into savings and I could buy us another house, maybe, in LA. Though I am more interested in finding a good place for Christopher, if… if we go.”
“You want to,” Isabel said with a soft smile on her aged face, “You want to go, do it. Just leave here, I can see that Ramon and Helena are not happy with things. And you’re not happy here or even healing. I see you limping, I see the pain on your face. I can tell that you just want to pick Christopher up and hold him, but you don’t, because you fear harming him if your body gives out on you. I see it, my nieto,” she said quietly. She reached for him and held his hand, “Do what is in your heart, my nieto, but I think you already know what that is.”
“I do,” he sighed, looking at Christopher who was now going into the garden with a little supervision from Pepa. “I want him to fly,” he added as he looked at his parents who were already getting up to try and stop it. He stood up, “Thanks, Abuela,” he said, leaning down and kissing her cheek. I need to go and sort them out,” he sighed as he went to intercept his parents again.
“Ramon, you need to go and get him, I can’t believe that Pepa would take him out there, it’s too dangerous for him,” Helena ordered her husband.
Ramon was about to follow her direction when Eddie got in the way, “Edmundo, I’m just going to get Christopher, it’s too dangerous for him to be out on the grass, he could fall over.”
“I know, and that’d be just like any child faces when they start going out into the world. He’s a child, he will fall, he will have accidents and maybe even a broken bone. I’m going to be an emotional mess each and every time anything happens to him, but he is a child that is learning about the world around him,” he told them, “Just like we all did.”
“He’s special, Eddie,” Helena began, gesturing for Ramon to carry on.
“Papi, don’t go near him, he’s having some fun, like he does most days. Christopher and I play out here all the time,” Eddie told them, “You will leave him alone, he’s enjoying some time with his cousins,” he added.
“We’re just trying to make sure that he’s safe,” Helena snapped at him, “Unlike you, we actually care about our grandson and don’t want to see him hurt at all.”
Eddie stared at her, “I don’t care what you think you’re doing, he is my son, and he is playing with his cousins while he has the chance,” he stated, shaking his head, “I won’t have you ruining his day like you always try and do. And do you really want to chance things and make him scream and cry when you try and touch him? No doubt the family will be asking all kinds of questions should that happen. I’ll be making sure to tell them all just why he cries and screams when you’re near.”
Helena hissed, “Edmundo, you need to stop this,” she looked at Christopher, “He needs to learn that he has to do what we adults say, he is a child, and what he is doing isn’t right.”
“Which is it, mother?” he asked her, “Treat him with kid gloves to make sure he is happy and such, or dictate what he is to do?”
“He needs to listen to us, he’s special, and he has to be handled with care,” she told him.
“Not going to happen, you’ll leave him alone, or you leave my house, it’s a simple choice,” Eddie told them, “Go near him, I dare you. I won’t care about the family being here, I’ll call the damn police to escort you from my home.”
Helena stared at him before turning and going back to the table she had been seated at.
“Edmundo, you’re making too many mistakes and we won’t be able to help you,” Ramon said.
“I don’t think I am, I’m just not going to listen to two people who failed as parents, when I’m trying to parent my own child. And before you say you didn’t fail, you did. Both of you, Mom controlled every little thing we did and if we didn’t she got you to discipline us. Why do you think Sophia and Adriana fucked off as soon as I brought this place. They knew that you wouldn’t follow them and concentrate on me instead. Which you did. Everything I do with Christopher, is the opposite of what you and Mom would’ve done,” he told him before going to sit in the garden, near Christopher, encouraging his play.
Ramon stood there for a moment before going to join his wife as she complained to him about Eddie and his behavior.
Chapter Nine
Eddie was glad when the last guest finally left his home. He closed the door and leaned against it. He was tired, in pain, and just wanted to rest. But he knew that he and Shannon needed to talk. He was going to agree to head to LA, but he’d be making some conditions for it. He pushed away from the door and headed to the living room, where he knew Shannon was. His aunt and grandmother had been the last to leave, having remained behind to help clean up. Since his parents hadn’t thought about that when they had voluntold Eddie and Shannon that they were going to be hosting.
“Shannon,” he said as he looked at her, he could admit to himself, that the overwhelming love he had once felt for her had started to fade. It was like he had told Mathew, practically gone.
“Yes?” she asked, as she looked up from the phone she was staring at,
“I’ve been thinking of LA, as you know. We’ll go, but some things will happen when we do,” he told her.
“And what makes you think you can make demands?” she snapped at him.
“You want us all to go, or you go alone. If you want us all, then listen to what I say first before making up your mind,” Eddie answered her calmly, biting his temper.
“Fine, tell me,” she demanded to know, staring at him.
“We go to LA, I’ll buy a home again, with money from this one. It’ll be in my name only, just as this one is. Prenup remember,” he said before she could argue about it.
“I hate that thing,” she muttered.
“Blame your mother, and when we get there, we both put into the house, like we have done here for the last month.”
“And why should I do that!” she demanded, glaring at him.
“Considering since we started dating, I have paid for everything, I am the one that put money into the house, the family, everything was on me. The money you make from work, has always gone into your savings, and I know you have a lot, you tend to leave your paperwork around for it all over the damn place,” he told her, “So you’ll start contributing to the home. It isn’t like I can work at the moment. I’m not physically able to, which is another thing.”
“Then get another job!” she yelled, “That’s what you can do, instead of me paying for things, you can get-”
“No, I need to heal,” he told her, “That is the last thing. When we go to LA, I’ll be getting in touch with the VA to continue my therapies and to build up my health again. I’m in too much pain for things, and not only that, my leg has given out on me occasionally. I’m not healing, and if you want me to get back into work, then I need to be healthy enough to do it.” he finished, staring at her, “Those are the terms. I bought the house, my name only. We share the expenses for the house. Lastly, I continue healing and going to therapy, both mental and physical. I need both, my nightmares are bad, as you know, since you curse me out most damn nights. You want me whole and healthy, you’re going to have to let me recover properly, instead of forcing me to suck it up and get over this shit. It’s not that damn easy.”
Shannon got up, “I need someone to help me, not someone I have to damn well look after, I have enough shit to do without it.”
“You’re the one that didn’t want me to have Matt help me out, you’re the one that wanted me to stop my recovery so that I could do things. Now you’re paying for it, if I have been left to carry on my recovery, then maybe I’d be working now, maybe I’d be well enough that we could be a damn family, instead of constantly at each other’s throats. I know this isn’t what you wanted, but it’s what has happened, stop burying your head in the sand and pretending that I’m 100% fine. I’m not even fucking close,” he snapped at her, clenching his hands on the couch cushions. “I am not fine, and damn does it fucking hurt to say. I want to be fine, I want to be thinking about what work I could do now. I want to be able to pick up my own son and hold him instead of being so fucking scared that my leg will give out and I’ll drop and hurt him.”
Shannon began to pace, “I can’t… Eddie, Mom is dying and I need to be there for her, she has a few months left. I can’t be your carer,” she told him.
“I’m not asking you to. I’ll have Pepa and Abuela there, they can help out as well. We have family out there that won’t be constantly trying to run roughshod over us, and will actually help instead of hinder,” Eddie told her, “So I’ll be doing that, you can be there for your mom. I’m not going to stop you from doing that, I’d never, she’s your mother and you love her. We’ll be there with you. How long… how long have you known?” he then asked her.
Shannon was quiet, “A few months. She told me before you got hurt.”
“And why have you only just mentioned it?” he asked her, frowning.
“Because-” she began, “I just…” She closed her eyes and took a breath, “It was like if I said it, it’d make it real. I don’t want to lose my mother, Eddie, how could I? I want her to be well, but this time, there’s nothing they can do. She fought so hard last time, she made it to see Christopher being born, and now… now it’s too aggressive and the chemo just isn’t working. So… she decided that she was going to stop treatment. She’s got a few months left, and I… I want to spend some time with her, Eddie.”
“I wish you had said that as soon as I got back. It might have been hard, but you could have gone, with Christopher and asked Pepa and Abuela to help with him, while you spent time with your mother, and I’d have joined you as soon as I was able to,” he told her, “I get it, while my mother is… controlling and other things, I still love her and I’d be just as fucking devastated if she was dying.”
Shannon broke, as she began to cry. Eddie got up and went over to her, holding her, “I just couldn’t admit it. Taking care of Chris, and then you being hurt. I just needed something to be strong and able and I knew it wasn’t going to be me. It… I put it on you.”
“Let me help in what way I can,” Eddie told her, rubbing her back and trying to soothe his wife.
“Mom told me that we can live with her, she has plenty of room, and it’ll save on housing, until we can find a place that will suit us, instead of rushing. I just… want to be with her before…” she said, clinging onto Eddie.
Eddie nodded, “That’s fine. I don’t mind living with her, and we’ll make it work. Like I said, no doubt that Pepa and Abuela will be able to lend a little help, though I don’t want to rely on them too much,” he added, “Pepa works and Abuela is getting on in years.”
Shannon nodded, moving away from him and wiping her eyes, “I’ve already been talking to my work and they’re going to transfer me to the LA branch and they’ll let me work from home,” she told him.
Eddie nodded, letting her go and stepping back. “I’ll see what I can do to transfer my own care over to the VA in LA,” he said, he’d have a number of calls to make since he had stopped his recovery dead, and it might take a bit for him to get it back, but he hoped they’d be able to transfer over.
“How… how long?” Shannon asked him, “How long do you think it’ll be before we can move?”
Eddie thought for a moment, “Well, it’s the end of March now,” he began, “I think we can do it in two, three weeks. Start making some calls, start getting the house ready to sell. I don’t really want to come back to El Paso, soo,” he shrugged.
“You don’t?” she said, frowning.
“No, I only stayed here because I thought my sisters were. When I brought this place, they left El Paso,” he snorted, “So no, I don’t want to remain here. I love my parents, from a damn distance. They disappoint me daily with their behavior and sense of entitlement. I’m happy that Sophia and Adriana aren’t around all the time, as I think they’d be just as bad with them.”
“So, we move, wholesale to LA?” she asked.
“Yes, make it our home. I’d love for Chris to get to know Abuela, Pepa, and that side of the family. He only has my mother and her family and they are…” he shrugged. There wasn’t really a good way to describe his mother’s family, they were narcissistic, entitled, and a few other choice words that’d describe them. Even the cousins were much the same. All looked down on him, his sister, and their children.
She gave a wet laugh, “Yeah, they are a bit much.”
“A bit,” he retorted, eyebrow raised.
“Fine, a lot,” she smiled a little more, “Sorry,” she said, wiping at her face before grabbing another tissue and doing the same to clean herself up a little.
“I understand,” he told her, “We’ll get started on calls and I’ll talk to someone about the house. I want to sell it. It’s a good area, school district, and everything, so it should go quickly.” He was making mental notes of the things that they’d need to do.
“Thank you,” she said, “Thank you.”
“I just wish you had told me as soon as I arrived back. I might not have been able to go straight away, but we could have already gotten things underway at the very least,” he told her, sighing.
“Yeah, maybe,” she nodded as she headed out of the room.
Eddie still felt like things weren’t right between the two of them. He headed to the kitchen, after picking up a few things that needed to be taken out. There were still a few things that needed to be tidied up. He had kicked his grandmother and aunt out before everything was done. He watched her as she moved around the kitchen. There was no change in her now that she knew they were going to be moving and he wondered if he should send her ahead with Christopher while he took care of some of the things.
“Do you want to leave before we do?” he asked her.
Shannon paused and looked at him, “No… no I don’t. I don’t want to leave either of you,” she told him, shaking her head a few times.
Eddie nodded, “Alright then, we’ll try and get this done as soon as possible so we can head out to LA. Just know that I’m not cleared to drive at all,” he reminded her.
There was a look on Shannon’s face for a few moments before she nodded “yeah, okay,” she sighed heavily, “I’ll make sure that will be fine. We’ll do a long trip up, a few days at least then,” she added.
Eddie nodded, “That’d be best,” he agreed, “We’ll make a plan,” he told her as she nodded and carried on cleaning up with Eddie’s help.
Chapter Ten
Mathew was doing some heavy lifting as he helped Eddie and Shannon prepare for their move. When he learned that his friend was leaving El Paso, he agreed that it was the best choice. He had made his displeasure known on what he thought of Shannon and the Diaz parents pressuring Eddie to stop his recovery. Mathew was seeing the limp, and his constant tiredness from being in pain and not managing it at all. Eddie had told him a lot of what was going on. The move was mainly because Shannon wanted to be with her mother, but it was also a way for Eddie to restart his recovery, with them all heading to LA together.
“I know you have things in place out there, you told me about your grandmother,” Mathew began as he and Eddie worked in the spare room.
“Yeah,” Eddie nodded, “I’ve given her and Pepa, my aunt, as much information as I could about what I needed. I’m selling this place and buying a place out there; nearer to my abuela,” he told him, “Shannon, she’s insisting on us living in the house that Janet owns. I know that she doesn’t like me, and she doesn’t really like Christopher either. She’s never sent him a birthday card or gift at all. She was there when he was born, and I could see she was pretending to be happy because Shannon was. I think she’s only seen him three times since he was born.”
“I wouldn’t want to live with her, not if they treated my kid like that,” Mathew said, shaking his head.
“I don’t either. Like I said, I was made to sign a prenup; all assets remain our own. Not only that, but we’re both supposed to be putting equally into the household. She hasn’t been, so because she hasn’t, the prenup has it written that she has to pay what’s owed, and I am not to pay at all until she has caught up. There were so many fucking clauses in that thing, just to make sure that I’d never shortchange her daughter, that Janet forgot that her daughter could get caught by them just as much as me,” he smirked, “Janet was the one that worded everything, I only signed it because I knew if I didn’t, Janet would’ve made sure Shannon aborted my child. She only cares for herself and her daughter, everyone could go to hell as far as she is concerned.”
Mathew’s eyes were wide, “I never heard of something like that being in a prenup?” he asked.
“Most of the time, they aren’t. She made it into a contract. Janet didn’t know that the house we were living in was mine, she thought it was Shannon’s. She was pissed when she learned that it wasn’t, after the signing of everything. Janet had money, she gave some to Shannon monthly. She gives nothing to Chris at all. I think the only reason that Shannon wants us to move together instead of going on her own, is that she is hoping for something from me.”
“Money?” he guessed.
“That, and me on bended knee apologizing for everything I have done in my life that was for me. She believes that I should be doing what she wants. Which at the moment is working full-time and bringing money into the house. She works from home and has done so for years. She goes into the office once a week. She’s transferring to the LA office at the end of the month. Shannon is… pissed at me about the prenup. She hates it when I remind her that it was her mother who made us sign it before we got married. Janet wanted to make sure that Shannon was protected and that we had to put the same amount into the household funds. Not my fault, she forgot about the clauses now that she was looking at it. If she doesn’t comply, then at the end of the year the one in the red would get notice, and court fees will be applied,” he laughed, shaking his head, “I followed that thing to the damn letter, and now because she didn’t, it kicked her in the ass. And the only person she has to blame is her damn mother.”
Mathew tried to hold it, he really did. Moments later, he was laughing, “Well, serve her right.”
Eddie nodded, a smirk playing on his lips, “I told her, warned her what would happen if she signed it, that it’d bite us in the ass. She said it wasn’t going to happen. That we would put an equal amount into the house each month and everything would be fine. I have a good chunk saved up. I ended up paying more into the house in the last year, so now she’s gotta pay it all back,” he told him, “And I-” he stopped as he heard someone outside the room and the door swing open. “Shannon,” he nodded.
“You’re damn parents are here, get rid of them. I’m not letting them in,” She demanded before storming off.
“Time to face the parents from hell,” Eddie said with a put-upon sigh and got up. He braced himself a little to make sure that his leg wouldn’t give out on him and then headed to the front door. He could already hear his parents and shook his head. “I am not looking forward to this,” he stated as he walked outside and closed the door behind him.
“Eddie,” Helena said as she rushed towards him, “What the hell is going on?!” she demanded to know.
Eddie looked at his mother and sighed, knowing that someone had squealed to his parents and told them that he was moving. “Getting ready to move,” he told her.
“No, no you’re not allowed to move at all. I need you here, you can’t take Christopher, you don’t know how to look after him properly,” she said, shaking her head as she made her demands.
Eddie couldn’t help the snort, “We’re moving, and that’s the end of it. I’m not going to stay here, I have other things that need to be done and I can’t do them in El Paso. Christopher is my son and he will be coming with us, no matter how much you protest.”
“I’ll sue for custody!” Helena screamed out, “I will, and I’ll make sure that you and that woman you married will never be able to see him again.”
“Try it, and see how far you get,” he dared them, glaring right back, “I mean it. One move to do that and I’ll make sure that you will never see Christopher again until he wishes to see you. He’s young enough at the moment that his memories of you could easily fade away as he grows up. Won’t worry me at all if he never remembers you both,” he added, “I mean it, Pops,” he said again as he looked at his father. “You try it, and I’ll never willingly speak to either of you again.”
Ramon stared at his son, “We’re trying to make sure that Christopher has a good life. He is going to be ruined by you and that gringa. He will never do anything you wish for him, he is special and needs special care. A home is the best place for him, and you’ll see that when he starts to grow up and you realize that you can’t cope with his health issues.”
Eddie glared at him, “You’re a father, and you tell me that I should give up on my son because he has a disability? That’s not how being a father, or a parent is supposed to be. You’re supposed to be doing your best for your child, to make sure that they have everything they need to fly and soar and achieve their dreams,” he told them, “I want Christopher to have the best life he can, and with the programs we’re signing him up for, and the doctors that treat him, we’re doing that. He’s going to have a wonderful life because that is what he deserves. Not to be shut away in a home because you think no one would be able to help him. You need to stop the ablest bullshit, and start researching CP properly.”
“I still don’t give you permission to move,” Helena told her son as she stepped closer, wanting to get into the home and get her grandson away from the two. Maybe then they’d see reason.
Eddie moved in her way, “Don’t even think it. I’ve already told you, that neither of you are welcome in my home again after that mess you made when you last came over,” he told them. A week after the party, they had come over, uninvited, and went into the house without even caring that they had pushed their son out of the way. Eddie had been in a lot of pain from that one single shove. Eddie had quickly kicked them out as they had started to tear his kitchen apart looking for the cartons that Christopher sometimes drank when he was at the park.
“We were trying to h-”
“No you weren’t,” Eddie interrupted her, “You were being your usual controlling self, not liking the fact that your children have grown up and have their own lives that you’re not part of,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Leave, we’re moving and there is nothing you can say or do that will stop us. You don’t control me, my wife, or our son. You’re just grandparents, not parents to Christopher, so you don’t get a say in his life either.”
“I won’t let you take Christopher from me!” Helena yelled out, “He belongs with me!”
“He will never belong with you. Leave before I call 9-1-1, at this moment in time, I don’t want to see either of you. I may, may, that is, let you say goodbye to Christopher before we leave. But it’ll be a controlled place and neither of you will be able to do anything but talk to him. I don’t trust either of you. And if you try and take him by force, I’ll have you brought up on kidnapping charges. I’m not taking your shit anymore,” he said, his voice cold and hard as he stared at his parents. He was done being their doormat. He had done it to help protect his sisters, and he wasn’t doing that any longer, since he knew that one of them had told their parents he was moving. Only they, his Abuela and Tía Pepa knew from his side of the family. No one else did, and Mathew of course, but he wouldn’t say anything, he knew what Eddie thought of his parents.
“Y-” Ramon began, stepping in front of his wife to berate his son.
“I said leave,” Eddie said again, it took a few more minutes before the two finally left. Eddie walked back into the house. Shannon standing there glaring, “They’re gone.”
“Good, I hate them,” she snapped as she went back to packing things up.
Eddie rolled his eyes at her and then left to go back to his packing.
Two weeks later and the last of the furniture was done, the house was now on the market and from what the realtor had told him, it shouldn’t take long for it to go, since the place was well maintained, in a great school district and also in a good neighborhood. The last goodbye between Helena, Ramon, and Christopher hadn’t gone easy, neither of the adults had let things slide. Trying to get Christopher to agree to stay with them. The four-year-old was smart in telling them that he wanted to go with his dad. And stay with him and his mom. They had tried a few things, but nothing had worked in changing Eddie or Shannon’s mind about leaving. Eddie looked back on a home that he had once loved and shrugged as he headed to, what he hoped, would be a better future.
Chapter Eleven
Evan looked at the papers in his hands. His discharge papers. He had finally come to a decision and he still didn’t know if it really was the right one. He just knew he couldn’t go back, even for one single mission. So he was taking the out he had been given, like the rest of his team. He couldn’t let himself go to the reserves like he knew Steve would be doing. His PTSD was under control for the most part, it was the main thing he worked on. Now, at the beginning of April, four months after returning to the States, he had made his decision. He shuddered as he walked towards the jeep. Evan didn’t feel right and he knew he wanted to be around someone, anyone that cared a little.
The drive to Mary’s small home was a blur. It scared him a little to know that he was driving without truly being conscious of what he was doing. He parked in the drive and hoped the woman was inside; she wasn’t working that day, so she should be home unless she had taken Joan out to the park for a few hours. Knocking on the door, he moved from foot to foot, nervous and unsure of himself. Everything he had planned for his life was gone. He had expected it in the end, but that still didn’t mean that he knew what he was going to do next. He was still healing, and mainly mentally, his physical injuries were healed, he still had a little physio here and there, but it wasn’t as intense as it had been.
“Evan,” Mary said as she opened the door and saw him standing there.
“I did it, I’ve got my discharge papers and I’m out. They’re going to send the last of the money through within the month, and that’s it. I’m a former Navy SEAL,” he said, his voice shaking, he had been suppressing what he was feeling until that moment.
“Come inside, Joan is having a small nap,” she told him, almost pulling him inside and settling him on the couch in the living room so she could quickly make them some tea.
Evan jumped slightly as Mary appeared in front of him, two steaming mugs in her hands. “Thanks,” he said, reaching out and taking one of them. He blew on it and took a hesitant sip. Wincing at the burn, he put it down on the coaster on the end table.
“So,” Mary began, “You’re out now?” she asked him.
Evan nodded, “Yeah, I’m done. I can’t go back, I was hoping that I’d feel different as I recovered. I just… the very thought of going back out there fills me with dread and I just wanted to run. I can’t do it. I hate it, I trained for all this and I’ve gone through bad missions before. I know I’m still… new to it all, but I just know I can’t do it. Going to the reserves, and having that wait hanging over me. I couldn’t do that either, I know Steve does that. He’s still in the reserves.”
Mary listened to him as he blurted things out, getting everything off his chest. She nodded and asked questions in the right place, letting him get it all out. She knew in the end that she’d be calling her brother. Steve would be able to help a little, and there were a few more that were living in the area that would help a former SEAL find what he wanted to do next with his life.
Evan slumped in the seat, the tea mostly drunk now, “I can’t believe I unloaded all that on you,” he started, shaking his head at himself.
Mary smiled, “It’s fine,” she told him, reassuring him, “You have some time before you need to find work, or even think about it. So take it and do a few things for you. I know that you went straight into the SEALs through the civilian challenge, so you’ve not really had time to do anything for yourself.”
Evan nodded, “No, I haven’t, but I’m not really one to just hang around somewhere and do nothing. I’m still helping out at the VA for a bit since I still need help myself. So doing a few things there at the moment. That’s… helping,” he said, frowning as he tried to think of what he’d be doing next.
“There’s always the police academy,” Mary said, knowing that a lot of former military end up going into one of the first responder careers.
Evan paused, and then shook his head, “No, not the police. I don’t want to hold a gun again. I think I’ve had enough of that,” he said with a snort. He knew that if he did, Steve would be trying to recruit him to his task force in Hawaii. He liked the place, but he didn’t want to live there. He was enjoying Los Angeles though.
“As I said, you have the time to decide what you want to do, have a think about things, and find something that calls to you. I know you said that being a SEAL did for a while and you were mostly on rescue missions for it,” she said, smiling as she got up, hearing a call from one of the bedrooms.
“Joan’s awake,” he grinned as he got up, “mind if I go and get her?” he asked.
“Of course,” Mary smiled, “Are you staying for dinner? I know a three-year-old that will be very happy about it,” she added.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” he said, getting up and heading to the bedroom. He opened the door and laughed as he saw Joan standing there.
“Ev, Ev, Ev!” she yelled out, happily rushing towards him and holding up her arms, “You back,” she said, tilting her head as she was picked up.
“That I am, little JoJo,” he said, hugging her before settling her on his hip and heading to the living room, “I’m going to be staying for dinner.”
“Only dinner?” she asked, pouting at him.
“Maybe until your bedtime, but only if you’re good,” he added.
Joan thought for a moment and then nodded a few times, “Okay, I be good.”
“You usually are,” Evan smiled as he looked at Mary.
“Most of the time,” Mary snorted having heard the last couple of comments.
XxXxX
Eddie looked at the place he and his family were going to be living. He wasn’t too happy that he couldn’t find a place before they had moved. But with Shannon insisting that they leave El Paso as soon as possible, he just didn’t have the time. Though now he was in LA he’d start to search for a home for his family. He didn’t want to be living with Janet. The woman couldn’t stand him and made it known. Shannon just reminded him each time he brought it up that she had put up with his parents.
Eddie got out of the truck. He hadn’t driven it, Shannon had to. His leg was giving him enough trouble that he had dug out his cane, and had started to use it the last couple of days before they had left El Paso.
“Shannon!” Janet called out as she saw her daughter, “Oh, I am so happy to see you here. I’ve missed you so much, we have so little time left to spend with each other,” she said softly as she held her daughter close.
“Mom,” Shannon said, her voice wobbling as she held her mother tightly.
Eddie left them to it as he began to help Christopher out of the truck. Shannon was talking with Janet and the woman herself, ignoring the fact that her grandson was right there.
Janet let go of her daughter, the smile that had been on her face dropping as she saw the two. “Edmundo, Christopher,” she said, giving the two of them a small nod before turning and taking her daughter’s arm as she led them inside. Now talking happily with Shannon again. Eddie rolled his eyes as he struggled with getting Christopher’s gait trainer out of the boot and in front of the kid so he could use it.
They walked towards the front door and stopped. Janet had told them that she’d have a ramp installed so that Christopher could easily come in and out of it. “Shannon!” he called out to his wife. She knew he wasn’t able to lift Christopher, not even a little bit. He needed more physio on his arm and shoulder before he could do that.
“What!” she snapped, coming from inside the house.
“No ramp,” he told her. “I thought Janet was going to have one installed,” he murmured.
“I didn’t,” Janet said, “There is nothing wrong with you lifting him over the step. It’s only small,” she snipped at him.
“I can’t at the moment,” Eddie told her, his words void of emotion, not wanting to snap at her like she was with him. “I can just about walk with a cane at the moment, can’t really hold my own weight, let alone pick someone up, even someone as small as Christopher.”
“Not, small, Daddy,” Christopher pouted.
“To me, mijo, you are,” he smiled down at him, ruffling his hair.
“And why can’t you-”
“Because when I was injured, I had to stop some of my healing to help out at home. Unfortunately, it meant that my healing had been undone. I’m going backwards instead of recovering,” he interrupted her, “You’re one of the ones that called me up saying that I should stop going to the VA and attending my various therapy sessions, so I could help more at home,” he told her, reminding her of the call she had made not long before he had stopped. It wasn’t just Janet that had told him that, his parents and Shannon had done the same. Expecting him to pretend he was fine, and suck it up and be what they wanted him to be. He had done it, and slowly, the injuries that were healing stopped, and even in parts reversed a little, causing more pain, and no doubt harm to himself more by doing so.
Janet huffed as Shannon went over and helped her son into the house. “We did ask about a ramp, it’s easier,” Shannon admitted softly as she looked at her mother.
“Then Eddie can get it done, he should know plenty of people,” she said, sneering a little before going back into the house.
Eddie rolled his eyes and sighed, “She wants me to find someone. How can I do that when I don’t know anyone but family here?” he asked Shannon.
“We’ll find someone together,” she said as she then walked back into the house, following her mother.
Eddie sighed and looked at his son. He didn’t look happy as he said, “Doesn’t Grammy Janny like me?”
“She does, she’s just worried about something else at the moment and needs to talk to Mommy for a bit,” he answered, he knew he was lying, but did he really want to tell his four-year-old son that his grandmother didn’t like him because as far as Janet was concerned he was a burden? He shook his head, not even wanting to entertain those thoughts any longer.
“Come and let’s go and find the room Grandma Janet picked out for you to sleep in,” he said as he began to lead his son through the house. He had been told what bedroom would be set up for Christopher. He just hoped that it actually was set up. Eddie had only been to Janet’s home twice since he and Shannon started dating.
Eddie found the bedroom and was glad that it was at least mostly set up the way that Shannon had asked for her mother to do. He helped Christopher a little before going to find Shannon, and leaving Christopher with some of his toys.
Chapter Twelve
Eddie smiled as he saw his aunt pull up outside of Janet’s home. The two women had gone out for the day, planning on doing some shopping and going to a cafe. Janet had been adamant that Eddie and Christopher remain behind even though Christopher had asked if they could go to a park for a little bit.
“Sobrino,” Pepa smiled as she got out of her car and approached him. Hugging him tightly. “I’m so happy that you were able to make it.”
“As am I,” Eddie said, hiding a wince as his shoulder protested the movement.
“You’re still in pain?” she asked quietly, making sure to talk softly so that little ears wouldn’t be able to hear her.
“My information is coming here, but I’ll have a full examination. I’m still covered for another few months to ensure I get all the care I need,” he sighed. “My previous doctor warned me that I might have damaged things, by pushing my recovery like I have been.”
“Let’s hope that isn’t the case, where are Shannon and Janet?” she asked, looking around for the two women.
“Gone out shopping. I thought today would be a good day to bring Christopher over to Abuela’s and let them spend some time together. I want to talk to you about a few things,” Eddie said as he turned to Christopher, “Come on, let’s get going, we’re going to Abuela’s,” he told his son, grinning.
“I like Bisabuela,” Christopher giggled as he was helped to the car and put in the seat that Pepa had brought. Eddie had the same for his truck as well.
“Good, she loves you,” she smiled as they got in the car and headed for the house of Eddie’s grandmother.
Christopher happily hummed and sang along to some of the songs that came over the radio as they headed to Isabel’s. Their arrival at Isabel’s was smooth, Christopher easily letting Pepa help him from the car. Happily babbling to her about going to crutches when he gets better with them while at physio. That was one of the major differences. His new physiotherapist had wondered why he wasn’t trying to transition to crutches yet. When checking through the notes, it looked like Helena had gotten to the woman that had been seeing Christopher and had stopped letting him advance. Eddie made sure that only he and Shannon would be able to make decisions with his new therapist, and they did the same with every single doctor that they had signed Christopher up to. Eddie didn’t want to take a chance of his parents or someone else stopping Christopher from doing what he wanted to do.
“Oh, my bisnieto!” Isabel called out as soon as she saw Christopher.
“Bisabuela!” he called back, laughing joyfully as she hugged him tightly as soon as she reached him.
Eddie smiled, leaning on his cane, “Abuela,” he greeted as soon as the woman let go of Christopher and hugged him, “I’ve missed you,” he murmured, finally feeling like he could relax. He felt safe with Isabel, always had done; even as a child, she was his port of safety. Someone he knew he could go to when there was trouble and she’d move mountains if she needed to, to help him. To help anyone in the family.
“I’m glad that you made it here. Good to have more family back,” she said, letting him go, “You don’t look well, you take the time, this time, to get better. To fix the body and your mind. Along with that spirit of yours. It’s missing something,” she told him, her voice gentle as she cupped his face. Eddie leaned down so that she could do so.
“I will, I promise. I made myself that vow. That I’d use coming here to get better. Not to let myself fall into the trap that I know Papi and Shannon want me to fall into,” he told her as they were then led into the house.
“Oh, and what would that be?” she asked, her voice taking on an angry tone, though he could just about tell.
“She and Papi wanted me to ignore the fact that I’m not healing and just… do what they want. I know I’m not ready to go back to work. I’m in too much damn pain to be much use; I don’t take anything before you ask. I can’t. Shannon has been leaving me with the majority of Christopher’s care. I’m just not able to lift him at the moment, and it hurts because I know that he thinks I just don’t want to,” he said as they entered the house. It had been such a long time since he had been inside his grandmother’s home. Nothing much had changed within it. it still felt as warm and welcoming as it had done when he had last gone there.
“You were thinking of giving into their demands?” she asked.
Eddie nodded, “I was, and then Shannon mentioned LA again and talking to you. I thought I’d be better off here, making her let me do what I needed to do to get better and having family here, that will actually support me, instead of waiting for me to fail.”
“You won’t fail, you’re too stubborn for that,” Isabel huffed as she went into the kitchen, to put something together for them all.
Eddie smiled and followed her as Pepa followed Christopher into the living room.
XxXxX
Eddie limped into the house. The ramp still hadn’t been done, and he was talking with Pepa about getting one of the family in to make the change. Janet had been wrapped up in talking and being with Shannon. But she didn’t spend any time with Christopher at all. Shannon had been doing much the same. Eddie could understand, she wanted to spend as much time with her mother as possible. Knowing that time was short must be hard. However, that didn’t mean she could ignore Christopher and send him away all the time, which is what she had been doing. She spent no time with Christopher at all. Not even during the morning when she was making breakfast, which she only did for herself and her mother. Never for Christopher at all, Eddie had taken over doing that.
Eddie sighed and shifted as he took off his jacket and hung it up. He was tired, he had his appointments with the VA over the last couple of days. Making sure that all of his notes were sent over from El Paso, and from the other places that he had been treated at. He’d been examined, poked, and prodded for the last couple of hours to see what damage he had done to himself by pushing his recovery back and stopping it all.
“Daddy!” came a frantic cry from the living room.
Eddie frowned at the cry and rushed towards his son. “Chris?” he called out as he went in.
Christopher was sitting on the couch, crying, “Daddy, Daddy,” he said, holding out his arms to be held by his dad.
Eddie could see that Christopher was on the couch alone, his gait trainer nowhere in sight at all. “Hey, mijo,” he said, softly as he went to hold him, figuring out why he was crying as he saw the wet patch on the couch. With no way for him to walk without the Gait Trainer, Christopher hadn’t been able to go to the bathroom. “It’s okay, I’ll clean up here, and let’s get you in the bath,” he told him, wondering where in the world Shannon and Janet were. Eddie had no choice but to carry him, wincing and shaking as he concentrated hard on not dropping or stumbling. Often leaning against the wall to help support himself as he made his way to the bathroom.
Christopher continued to cry and cling to his dad as he was cleaned up. He only stopped when he fell asleep. Tucked into bed, Eddie searched the house for the gait trainer, finding it in the kitchen. He also found no sign of Shannon or Janet. He put the gait trainer in the bedroom, making sure that it was in reach of his son, before going to clean up the couch, though he was tempted to leave it for Shannon and Janet to deal with, since it was now obvious to him that the two had left a four-year-old child home alone.
Eddie settled in to wait for them to come home. An hour later they walked in, talking and laughing as they headed into the living room. Eddie had made sure that the other chairs in the room were occupied by things, and with them no doubt going shopping, they’d just want to sit down. He made sure that the only place to sit was on the same couch they had left Christopher on, for who knows how long.
“Oh my God, the couch is soaked!” the two women yelled out as they jumped back up, “Why the hell is it wet?” Shannon exclaimed.
“Maybe because the two of you left a four-year-old seated there, without a way for him to get to the bathroom at all,” Eddie stated, his voice cold and harsh as he glared at them.
“Then why isn’t it cleaned!” Janet demanded.
“Oh, I cleaned it, it just needs to dry,” Eddie snorted, “Why the fuck did you both think it was fine to leave a four-year-old home alone!” he demanded, his hands gripping the arms of the chair he was sitting in. He wanted nothing more than to get his son, and leave the house and never return.
“He wasn’t home alone, you were here!” Shannon protested.
“No, I wasn’t. I left at nine o’clock this morning for the first of my appointments. I told you, messaged you, and even called you today to remind you that I’d be out until at least two in the afternoon. It’s not four, how long did you leave him on his own?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“I-” Shannon began, “I don’t appreciate the interrogation, Edmundo.”
“Stop fucking deflecting, Shannon, how long were you gone? How long did you leave your four-year-old son home alone? Do you not fucking care about him anymore? Because it’s starting to look more and more like that with each passing day we fucking live here. You’ve not spent a single minute with him, to the point that he’s been asking me if you love him anymore,” he carried on, not letting up.
“Of course I do, I’m just spending time with my mother!” she yelled back at him.
“You also have a son to watch over occasionally. I don’t mind doing the majority when I’m here, but I have appointments, so does Christopher. So far, you’ve gone to none of his at all; I’ve gone to seven. They are talking about another surgery,” he added.
“What?!” Shannon reared back, “When… what?” she said, not sure if she was hearing right.
“Two weeks ago,” he shook his head, “Haven’t you heard a single word I’ve been telling you since then?” he asked her, “I’ve been trying to tell you things about Christopher for the last three weeks since we’ve arrived; you’ve helped with nothing.”
Shannon snapped, “I took care of him for four years. I deserve some time for myself. To spend time with my mother.”
“And I’ve done that. I spend nearly all my time with Christopher, cooking for him, cleaning up after him, and doing what I can with him, so you and Janet can have that precious time together. I know it’s important. But you need to occasionally remember that you’re also a mother as well, and that Christopher needs you and loves you. At the moment, he cries to himself that you don’t love him anymore. You’re his mom, and he needs you, he’s scared about the operation. If you carry on how you are, you’re going to lose us both,” he warned her before getting up, grabbing his cane, and heading to Christopher’s bedroom.
Chapter Thirteen
With Janet’s permission, especially after a robbery in the area. Eddie installed CCTV cameras around the house in the main areas. He also made sure that he’d be recorded when he told them that he was going out and that Christopher was with them, and them alone. Each time, he ensured he’d view the footage as soon as he returned home. They had gone out and left Christopher alone a couple of times, but returned before he arrived back home.
Eddie saved the footage, making sure that it couldn’t be deleted either, he had a feeling that he’d need it. Eddie walked through the VA, he had just finished a group therapy session, and he didn’t know if they were actually helping him, but it was only his third time going to one. He’d have to give it more time, he knew that. But that didn’t mean that he was comfortable getting up in front of people and talking about the nightmares he had, the moments where he felt like he was back in the desert, and the phantom pains he’d get in some of his injuries, on top of the genuine pain he was still experiencing.
“Eddie Diaz?” a voice called out.
Eddie turned, seeing a familiar face, “Evan ‘Magician’ Buckley,” he laughed, “Never thought I’d see you again,” he told him, shaking his head and smiling.
“Same here, what the hell are you doing in LA? I thought you were going to be living in El Paso, that’s where your wife and son are,” he frowned as he hurried over to him.
“Shannon’s mother has terminal cancer, she has a few months. So we moved out here to be with her. Though I came here because I needed to recover and wouldn’t have been able to do that in El Paso with the parents trying to take Christopher and a wife that hated my guts because I got shot,” he snorted, “So we moved here.”
“Damn,” Evan said, shaking his head, “I came here because my former CO’s sister lives here and she helped me get back on my feet. I can’t go back out,” he said, running a hand through his hair, it was getting a little long and he wondered briefly if he should cut it. he shook his head and looked back at his friend.
“Yeah, good of them to help,” he nodded, smiling a little, “I’m glad I bumped into you. I could do with a friend out here. Having family around all the time is great, but sometimes, I want someone that’s…” he trailed off, trying to find the right words.
“You just need someone that you feel isn’t going to judge you,” Evan said, guessing easily what was going through his head. The two had met during one of Evan’s missions, it had gone wrong and Eddie’s team had been around to help with the rescue work that Evan was trying to do. It was the first of seven times the two had worked together. A friendship had started up between them, the occasional email sent to each other. Though the last few months had been quiet, now they knew why.
“Yeah, sometimes like that,” he snorted, as they began to walk towards the exit.
“Well, I’ll give you my number, you’re free to call me whenever you want. I’m not working at the moment, though thinking of picking something up for a bit, just for something to do,” Evan told him, shrugging, “Mission went wrong for me, lost two of my crew,” he added, wincing as he remembered them, “We lost a third when we got back stateside.”
“Damn, sorry for your losses,” Eddie told him, sincerely. “Mission went south just before the New Year. Shot down and ended up pinned. We got out, but we lost one and got told that my injuries had caused my retirement. I didn’t want to retire, you know that.
“Yeah, you did say you were career army,” Evan snorted.
“Shannon didn’t think I should be, I told her before we married before Christopher was born, and even afterward. It’s what I had worked hard towards. I was aiming for a stateside position,” he sighed, “She’s not happy with me, being hurt. It took to moving out here to start getting any help,” he added.
Evan shook his head again, “At least you are now,” he said, pulling out his phone, “Here, get my number and we’ll keep in touch better now since we’re both stateside. I could do with getting out and about at times. I get in my head a lot. It’s why I know I won’t be able to go back.”
“I’ll be glad of it, though I might need picking up occasionally. I’ve been relying on my aunt to get me around until I’m cleared to drive again. And with the way the doc has been talking, it might take another month or two before he clears me,” he sighed.
“I don’t mind that, and if you want to bring your son,” he suggested, smiling as he added, “Sometimes I look after Mary’s daughter Joan, she’s three and enjoys going to the park.”
“Chris will as well. He has CP,” he began, seeing the frown he expanded on that adding, “Cerebral Palsy. It affects his motor functions mostly, his legs. They aren’t as strong as they should be, and he has a couple of other problems because of it. We’re dealing with it, though there is another operation that will be coming up soon. Not looking forward to that,” he told him.
Evan nodded and the two carried on out of the VA and toward the parking lot, talking a little more about what they were now doing and where they were living so they could coordinate meet-ups and maybe a day or two at the parks for the kids.
XxXxX
Eddie glanced at the Uber driver as the man had dropped him off at home, he’d had another appointment at the VA which coincided with Evan’s. The two had met up for a quick coffee and a chat before Eddie caught the Uber home. Turning to the house he pulled out his key and headed to the front door. He opened it and was immediately confronted with the sobs of his son. He rushed inside and to the living room, where he found Christopher on the floor.
“Christopher!” he yelled out, rushing over and falling to his knees, cane dropping beside him with a clatter. “What happened, mijo?!”
“I fell, Daddy,” he sobbed, holding his arm close to him.
“Okay, okay,” he said, running a hand over his son’s hair, he pulled out his phone about to call 911, since he wouldn’t be able to get Christopher to a hospital alone. The front door opened and laughter followed. “Shannon!” he yelled out, holding Christopher gently. He was still cradling his arm and he knew that the four-year-old had most likely sprained it from the quick check Eddie had been able to do on him.
“What?!” She yelled back, not happy at being called.
“Get your ass in here, you need to help me get Christopher to the hospital, and then we really fucking need to talk,” he demanded with a hiss as he waited for her to come into the room.
Shannon stalked into the room only to stop at the sight that greeted her. “What happened?” she asked, eyes going wide as she rushed over.
“He must have fallen, I think. I wouldn’t know no one was here and Christopher is too upset to say anything at the moment,” Eddie snapped at her, “Where the fuck were you?”
“I was out, shopping with my mother, damn it Eddie, I’m able to go out on my own if I want,” she retorted.
“Not when you’re leaving our son home alone again. Shannon, this is fucking child neglect. And I know you heard me and replied to me that I wouldn’t be back until three today. I left the house at midday, so when the hell did you leave?” he asked.
“None of your business,” she snapped at him, turning to face Christopher. “Oh, Chris, sweetheart,” she murmured as she went to try and hug him.
“No! I want Daddy,” Christopher yelled out, sobbing as he clung to Eddie.
Shannon reared back, looking shocked, “Christopher,” she said, her tone a little less gentle as she went to take him from Eddie.
“You left, Mommy, you left and I fell and you weren’t here. Daddy came and saved me,” he said through his sobs, “You left Mommy. I cried and you left.”
“Get the car ready, we need to take him to the ER,” Eddie told her, staring at her, shaking his head a couple of times before he focused on Christopher, “Chris, mijo,” he began, a little unsure of picking Christopher up. Therapy was working on rebuilding the muscles that he had lost, but it was still a little touch and go on if he’d be able to pick his son up and not falter. And at the moment, he didn’t want to falter at all. “I’m going to pick you up okay, we need to go to the hospital and make sure that any boo-boos are treated.”
“Okay, Daddy,” he sniffed as Eddie slowly picked him up.
“Get the truck, Shannon, he demanded of her again, watching as she finally did what he had told her to. No doubt that they’d have a few more words yet about what just happened. But this was it, this was the last straw. Four times she had left Christopher on his own and he wasn’t going to let there be a fifth time. He’d not be leaving Christopher alone here from now on. He’d also be making sure that Shannon had no leg to stand on. He just didn’t understand why she had gone like this. He knew that she had loved Christopher, but since he had returned, she barely had anything to do with him.
Eddie leaned on the wall. Janet watched with hostile eyes as he made his way to the truck. “I’ve no doubt you don’t give a shit about what’s going on,” he said, as Christopher lay quietly against him in his arms.
“No, I don’t. Why would I care about you or that brat,” Janet snorted as she turned and walked away.
Eddie could feel Christopher shaking in his arms and wondered what else was going on in the home when he wasn’t there. He made a note to start checking a few of the other videos, to see what else was happening. He got to the truck and quickly got Christopher buckled in. He leaned against it for a moment, biting his lip in pain as his muscles protested the workout. He got in the truck and Shannon headed to the nearest ER.
Arriving home, five hours later, Christopher’s arm was wrapped up and he was tucked up in bed. There had been questions, as expected, but Shannon had deflected any talk of Christopher being left alone, which drove Eddie nuts. He had tried to say something, and Shannon had purposefully squeezed his bad shoulder.
“I’m not leaving him here with you,” Eddie told her bluntly, “I can’t trust you to be there for him. Since I know Janet hates him. To be honest Shannon, I don’t know why we followed you out here, you wanted to save a marriage, to be with your mother, and have your family with you. But we’re just in the way.”
“How can you say that? I raised him for four years, four years, alone, and now that I want some time, you begrudge me that?” she yelled at him, stepping towards him.
“Four years you raised him,” he nodded, agreeing as she had done the raising of their son. “Time, you want time, then you can have it all. But don’t come crying to me when you don’t like the results.”
“Finally, you see fucking sense,” she snapped at him as she turned and went to her bedroom, since they were still sleeping separately. Eddie shook his head and went to his room, he’d sleep for a bit before putting things in motion.
