My Only - Alex & Jamie (32 page)

They pulled into the parking lot at the VFW where the banquet was being held just as Hazel’s blue Buick pulled into the space beside them.

Joey yelled excitedly, “Aunt Hazel’s here.”

Jamie smiled down at her son as he waved furiously to get his Aunt’s attention. Then she got out of the car as Joey was scrambling out. As soon as Hazel stepped out of her car, she commented on how handsome little man looked and Joey had immediately explained that both he
and
Alex had to wear church clothes tonight. Hazel made a show of shivering as she and Joey rushed into the hall while Jamie was still retrieving her purse. As soon as she had it, Alex placed his hand on her lower back and quickly ushered them inside out of the cold. When they stepped in through the large wooden doors to the foyer Alex pulled Jamie into a small unoccupied office to the right.

He shut the door behind them for privacy and turned to her, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m fine,” she insisted.

“Yes that is the fifth ‘I’m fine’ I’ve heard since I picked you up. What’s wrong Jamie?” Alex knew something was bothering her, he didn’t understand why she wouldn’t tell him.

“Just go enjoy your night, Alex,” Jamie deflected.

“I won’t be able to until I know that you are okay.”

“Fine.” She closed her eyes as she let out an exasperated breath, “Katie called about an hour ago. The Remingtons agreed to mediation, but they asked that it be scheduled for tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Alex couldn’t believe it was happening so fast.

“They travel during the holidays and don’t want to wait until after the New Year,” Jamie explained.

“Well, I’m going with you.”

Jamie shook her head, “No you’re not. Tomorrow is your first day back at the Station. Katie is going with me. I’ll be fine.”

“Jamie…” Alex started to argue.

“No, Alex,” Jamie interrupted firmly, “This is not open for discussion.”

And with that, she stepped to his side, opened the door and she exited the room. Okay, Alex thought ruefully, so I guess she's done talking about this.

Alex may have had a lot of experience with women, but he did not have a lot of experience with relationships, so he was clueless to what his next move should be with Jamie. Before he could figure it out, Grandpa J stuck his head inside the office. “There you are, son. Everybody’s waitin’ on ya and I’m not gettin' any younger. Let’s get this show on the road.”

Alex stepped out into the foyer and followed the Colonel into the hall. He couldn’t believe all the decorations they had been able to fit in such a compact space. There were multi-colored balloons and streamers. A huge banner that read 'Thank You, Lt. Alex Sloan! Our Hero!' was hanging above the small stage.

There was a long, rectangular buffet table against the far wall with a line of about twenty people waiting in it. At least ten round tables, seating six people each, filled the hall.

As he scanned the room, Alex saw that his brothers and their wives were all seated at the same table and it was close to the stage. He looked for Jamie and Joey but did not immediately see them. He did, however, see Katie’s Aunt Wendy, wearing a headset, heading his way with purpose in her step.

“Alright, Hot Stuff, let’s get you seated. I’m going to say a few words and then go right to the film.”

“The film?” Alex had no idea what she was talking about. Was there footage of the fire? Why would they show that?

“Yes, the boys at the station put it together for you.” She motioned for him to follow her.

“I just need to find Jamie first,” he said, once again scanning the room.

“She’s up at the front. You’re sitting with Mike, Grace, and some boys from the firehouse but Katie got a little creative with the seating chart and Jamie, Hazel, and Joey are at the table next to you.”

Alex wove his way thr
ough tables, saying hi to everyone as he did. When he got to his designated table he found that, just as Wendy had said, Jamie was seated at the table beside his. Wendy, Jamie and Joey all had plates of food in front of them and were laughing as they talked with Katie’s mom Pam and Alex’s dad Bob, who were also seated at the table.

He told Hernandez, a newbie at the station, to get up so he could sit in the seat closest to Jamie’s. When she noticed that he had sat down, she smiled and leaned closer to him.

“Did you want me to get you a plate?” she asked, the twinkle back in her eye, “You
are
the guest of honor after all.”

“No, I’m good,” he answered, happy to see that the cloud that had been hanging over her since he had picked her up that evening seemed to be gone.

“Alright folks, can I have your attention.” Wendy spoke into the microphone attached to the podium. “Tonight we are here to honor Lt. Alex Sloan.”

There was a loud round of applause, including a few whistles.

“Alex grew up in Harper’s Crossing, leaving at age eighteen when he enlisted in the Navy. After two years of intensive training he became a SEAL in the Navel Special Warfare/Navel Special Operations community, where he thrived until completing his service and returning home to Harper’s Crossing two years ago.

“Since his return home, he has been a vital part of this community serving as a Lieutenant at Station 22. Lt. Sloan not only volunteers at the Harper’s Crossing Women’s Shelter, offering free self-defense classes, but also works at the most popular booth at our yearly fundraising festival where this year alone his lips raised over six thousand dollars.”

There crowd erupted into cheering, whistling and catcalls.

After the noise died down Wendy continued, “Lt. Sloan selflessly risked his life as a first responder at the Harper’s Garden Nursing Home where he was able to bring ten residents to safety before the structure gave way and he was struck by a falling beam. So on behalf of the residents at HGNH, and all the residents of Harper’s Crossing, I want to present to you this plaque as a small token of our gratitude.”

Alex stood as Wendy handed him the engraved plaque he waved at everyone before once again taking his seat.

“Now the boys at the station have put together a video for you. And after that Mayor Bartlet will be saying a few words.”

Everyone clapped as the lights went down.

Alex leaned over to Mike, his fire Chief, and asked, “Why is the Mayor speaking?”

“You’ll see,” Mike said before turning his attention to the large white screen.

Trudy, one of the first people that Alex had pulled out the night of the fire appeared on the screen, she talked about how scared she was until “that Sloan boy all the girls like” came into her room and saved her. The crowd seemed to think her description of Alex was pretty funny.

There were several more seniors featured, all with basically the same story – minus the colorful description – and then he saw KiKi on the screen saying that he had put out her four alarm fire.

The audience cracked up. He looked over at Jamie who was laughing along with them. After KiKi it was Jennifer, then Michelle, Tina, Stephanie all making similar puns about fires and Alex extinguishing them.

He really wanted this thing to end. He heard Joey ask Jamie if Alex really saved those girls and why were people laughing. Jamie whispered something he couldn’t hear in his ear and Joey giggled. He wanted her to look at him so that she could see that he hadn’t had anything to do with this. He needed her to know that those girls were in his past and not something he was proud of.

Finally, after the torturous video ended, Mayor Bartlet made his way to the podium and said a few nice words before asking Alex to come up on the stage and presenting him with a key to the city. It was short and sweet, Alex appreciated that.

As Alex made his way back to his table after the key presentation he saw that Jamie, Joey and Hazel were all standing and putting on their coats. Oh no, he needed to go tell her that the video was just the guys trying to be funny, like the male stripper they had sent to his house.

He tried to get over to them as quickly as possible to explain but he kept getting stopped by people thanking him or offering congratulations. By the time he reached them, they were in the foyer.

“Jamie,” he called just as they were walking out the door.

Jamie looked back and motioned for her aunt to take Joey to the car. As she turned back to him she said, “Hey, I told your dad to let you know that Joey’s chest was hurting so we needed to take him home so he can have a treatment.”

“Okay, let me grab my coat.”

She grabbed his arm as he turned to go retrieve his jacket, “No, don’t. We’re fine Alex, really. Stay and enjoy your night. You got a key to the city. A lot of people put a lot of work into this dinner. Joey’s okay, I promise. I’ll call you before he goes to bed so he can say goodnight.”

“Where is the mediation tomorrow?” He asked.

“Alex, I already told you, I am going with Katie,” she said in the same tone he had heard her use with Joey.

He just stared at her.

“Chicago, but I am going with Katie,” she repeated firmly, before motioning towards the parking lot. “I need to go. Joey's okay but he does need his treatment.”

“Jamie,” he said pulling her into a quick hug, as he buried his face in her hair, “Sorry about the video.”

She laughed as she looked up at him, “I thought it was hilarious, Alex. Honestly. I’ll call you later.” She leaned up, giving him a quick kiss on the mouth before heading out the door.

Now that he knew that she wasn’t mad or upset about video he felt himself relax. It was a joke. She got it. She got him. She was his person.

Jamie sat on the hard wooden bench at the courthouse biting her lip as her knee bounced up and down uncontrollably. Katie sat beside her, steady as a rock. Jamie appreciated Katie being there but she really wished that she would have accepted Alex’s offer to come. Her nerves were bouncing off the walls.

All of the insecurities she had ever felt growing up were rearing their ugly heads. Was she good enough? Was she worthy? She looked down at herself. She was wearing black slacks and a button up white cotton shirt. Maybe she should have worn a skirt.

“Do I look okay?” Jamie asked for probably the fifth time.

“You look amazing. You are a great mom. No one is questioning that,” Katie assured her.

“I know, it’s just they have a lot of money and they want Joey for an entire month…”

“It is highly unlikely they will get the visitation they are asking for,” Katie interrupted her.

“Okay,” Jamie said trying to take a calming breath

“It should only be a few more minutes,” Katie told her, “Make sure you shut off your phone.”

“Oh, right.” How had Jamie forgotten that? That would be just great if her phone went off in the middle of mediation.

She reached in and saw that she had missed a text from Alex.

I love you. I wish I was there. Don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine. And if they start acting like assholes just throw pillows at them.

Jamie felt a smile spread across her face. Alex calmed her down and he didn’t even have to be here. But she wished he was. She quickly typed back.

I wish you were here too. I love you. And thanks for the tip.

As she was turning off her phone, she heard the doors at the end of the hall opening and saw the Remingtons coming towards her with a man she assumed was their attorney. They looked straight ahead avoiding making any eye contact with her.

Katie rose from the bench so she did as well. The man she didn’t know walked over, extending his hand. He and Katie greeted each other just as the door to the conference room that Katie had said the mediation would take place in opened. An older, balding gentleman walked out, announcing their names to call them inside.

This was it. Jamie took a deep breath as she walked into the room.

--- ~ ---

Two hours later, Jamie exited the conference room in disbelief. She couldn’t process what had just happened. She knew what she
should
feel, but she didn’t feel anything. She was just numb.

As she started down the hall she looked up and saw Alex sitting on the same bench she had occupied a couple of hours earlier. His elbows were resting on his knees and he was looking down at the ground. He was dressed in the blue slacks and a shirt she had seen the fireman that came to visit him in his hospital room dressed in. He looked…sexy.

“Alex,” she said in barely a whisper. “What are you doing here?”

He looked up at her and stood, pulling her into his arms, “You said you wished I was here, so I’m here.”

“Thank you.” She melted against his solid strength as she wrapped her arms around him.

“Hey, if you are good to take Jamie home then I’m going to head out and visit my Grandma May. She lives a few blocks from here,” Jamie heard Katie say from behind her.

“No problem.”

Jamie turned and practically threw her arms around Katie, “Thank you so much! I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

Katie hugged her back, “You did all the work, sweetie. I just presented the facts.”