In The Midnight Moonlight
To anyone who's waiting for new chapters of the other stories, they're coming! I was on vacation, and there is no rest of real chance to think when there's a little one wanting to have fun with me! Thanks for understanding and waiting!
I don't own any part of Sue Thomas FBEye or the Jason Aldean song that inspired this story. THIS is what happens when I'm stuck in traffic on the way to vacation in Maine! As always, let me know what you think, but please be nice!
Sue was buried in paperwork, files piled high on both sides of her desk. Levi slept next to her while she worked.
Suddenly Jack popped up on top of the pile scaring Sue half to death. She squealed, waking Levi.
"Jack!" Sue scolded.
"Sorry!" He exclaimed laughing at the fact that he'd scared her. "What are you doing this weekend?" He asked.
"Laundry…" She said making a face.
"How about you wash your clothes tonight and come with me?" He asked excited.
"Where?" She asked.
"Home." He said smiling.
"Home?" She asked hesitantly.
"Yeah. I have a class reunion coming up on Saturday that I would love for you to go with me to. What do ya say?" He asked excitedly.
"Jack- that's in two days! I don't have time to buy something to wear." She argued.
"No one's ever seen you in anything you've worn before- why not wear the dress you wore to the Gala?" Jack suggested.
"You want me to wear that gown to a class reunion?" She asked.
"No? Too fancy?" He said. She nodded in agreement.
"How about the dress from the charity auction? You were beautiful in that one." He said. Se blushed at the compliment.
"Why not." She said smiling. "What about Levi?" She asked.
"Bring him." Jack said. "My parents have a huge back yard, he would have a blast running around out there, just being a dog for a little while."
"He doesn't fly well." She paused, thinking. "I'll see if Lucy will take him."
Jack clapped his hands and went back to his desk happy.
An hour went by before Sue went to talk to Lucy.
"Luce?" Sue began. "Would you mind watching Levi for me this weekend?"
"Sure, why, what's up?" She asked.
"Jack asked me to go to his high school reunion." Sue answered.
"In Wisconsin?" Lucy asked excited. Sue nodded. Lucy's grin widened as her eye brow arched. "That's a good sign" Lucy teased.
"Luce… don't start…" Sue said, giving Lucy her own raised eye brow.
"Sure, you know I would love to take Levi. We'll go to the doggie park, and maybe, just maybe if he's a really good boy, we'll go to that new doggie deli that just opened on D Street." Lucy said scratching Levi's head.
"Thanks." Sue said as she quickly turned back for her desk before Lucy could make any other suggestions.
The next day flew by as Sue tried desperately to finish her work early so she could stop at the cleaners and pick up her dress. Lucy surprised her by picking it up while she was out at lunch. Sue worked through hers trying to stretch her time at the office. At four she finally finished and hurried from the bullpen saying her goodbyes. She hurried home, showered and grabbed her suitcase from the closet. She had put her things in piles the night before, to make packing easier.
Levi pawed his way into her room and tugged on her pants leg. When Sue turned around, her faithful companion trotted toward the door. Lucy had already let Jack in.
"Hi." Sue said a bit flustered.
"You already?" He asked. Lucy watched the exchange between the pair from the couch.
"Yeah, just about. I wasn't sure what to pack… I figured it's pretty warm this time of year, right? I brought shorts, and jeans- just in case." Sue rambled.
"That's fine. Do you have a thick sweatshirt? It gets cold at night." He explained.
"You guys have a good time." Lucy called as they walked out the door. Levi headed to join them. "Oh, no, not this time Bud. It's just me and you this weekend. Those two need some time alone." She said softly so the pair wouldn't hear her. Levi headed for the couch and fell fast asleep.
The flight didn't take too long, but the wait for their luggage seemed like forever. Jack rented a car for them while Sue gathered her last checked bag. On the drive to Jack's parents house Sue looked around. The city was typical. It reminded her of DC in some ways. The buildings were tall, the people uncaring about cutting in front of a moving car, and traffic was dead locked.
Jack turned into an industrial parkway, and suddenly the world turned peaceful. The traffic loosened up, the buildings gave way to trees and houses. Children rode bikes with their parents along the bike path that ran alongside the railroad tracks. Jack turned and drove parallel to the railway until the station came into view. Business men and women ran to catch the last train out of the city, college students for their ride home for the weekend. Sue noticed a grassy knoll directly across from the station with a murky pond in the middle of it. Ducks swam, skimming the top for a tasty afternoon snack. Sue suddenly found herself feeling very comfortable, very much at home in Jack's home town.
Within fifteen minutes, the couple drove up the dirt drive that led to the Hudson home. The blue clap board house sat back off the road, hidden behind a row of oak trees. At the base of the drive stood a bunch of lilac bushes set across from a thicket of wild raspberry bushes the size of a small car. The air fragrant with the full blooms of spring and berries in abundance. Jack parked the car next to the shed and walked around to help Sue out. He slipped his hand onto her lower back as they walked to the back door. Before Jack could raise his hand to turn the handle, the door flew open and an older woman gave him a big hug.
"Jackson! You're early!" She said pulling back from him, then wrapping him in her embrace once more. "Oh, it's so good to see you! You weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow."
"I was able to get an earlier flight, so I thought I'd surprise you and Dad." Jack said kissing his mom on the cheek.
"And, who is this lovely young lady you've brought with you?" She asked.
"Mom, this is my good friend Sue Thomas. Sue, this is my mom, Sara." Jack said smiling proudly. Sue offered her hand, which Sara took, but instantly pulled Sue into a hug.
"Oh, it's so good to finally meet you. Jack has told us so much about you." Sara gushed.
"He has?" Sue questioned.
"Of course. He talks about his team every time he calls home." She said, taking Sue's hand in her own. "Come in, please… I just put a pot of coffee on."
"Where's dad?" Jack asked walking into the kitchen, taking Sue's sweater, then his and hanging them behind the door.
"I sent him to the store for a few things. He'll be back soon." Sara said. The three sat at the table and enjoyed a fresh cup of coffee. A black calico cat hopped into Sue's lap, rubbing her chin on Sue. "Oh, honey, you're not allergic, are you?" Sara asked apologetically. "Get down you!" She said shushing the cat away.
"No, it's fine. I love animals." Sue reassured.
"You have… Levi, right?" Sara asked. Sue looked surprised that Jack had told his mom that much about her. "Where is he?"
"We left him with my best friend. He doesn't fly well." Sue explained.
"Will you be alright without him?" Sara asked.
"Yes, I do leave him on occasion." Sue answered. Just then the door opened and a tall man with salt and pepper hair, dimples, and the same chocolate brown eyes as Jack walked through the back door.
"Now, there's only one person who would be driving an Enterprise rent a car in these parts… Jackson, how are you son?" He asked wrapping him in a bear hug.
"Great dad! How are you?" He asked, hugging his dad again.
"Very well… You must be Sue." He said extending his hand to her. Sue nodded, smiling. She could certainly see where Jack got his looks and charm from. His parents were wonderfully charismatic people. Sue was a bit surprised that his mom and dad knew who she was just from his conversations with them. Deep inside, it made her happy.
"I am. It's nice to meet you. Jack talks about you two." She said shaking his hand.
"Coffee's ready Sam, join us." Sara said.
"How was your flight?" Sam asked.
"Really smooth, surprisingly." Jack answered.
"Are you planning on showing Sue around while you're here?" He asked.
"Yeah, I was thinking tomorrow morning before we have to get ready for the party." Jack answered.
"I'm excited to see all the places he hung out when he was a kid. Oh, the lake… I want to see that." Sue suggested.
"It's beautiful out there." Sara added. "We used to go there when they were kids for picnics."
"Sounds nice." Sue said.
"Well, I didn't know you were coming in tonight son, so I have to go fix up the spare room." Sara said.
"Oh, don't go to any trouble." Sue said.
"No trouble." Sara insisted. "I will be back down shortly."
"Can I help?" Sue asked.
"No, no. It won't take me but a minute." Sara answered.
As Sam and Sue got better acquainted, Jack made his way upstairs to help his mom.
"Sweetheart, thank you, but I told you I could handle this." Sara said smiling at her son.
"I know, but I want to help." Jack said. "I wanted to thank you for welcoming Sue the way you did. I'm sure it made her feel good. I think she was a little nervous meeting you."
"She's wonderful honey. I certainly see what you like about her." Sara said.
"She's great, isn't she?" Jack said as he pulled the sheet over the corner of the mattress.
Sara retrieved blankets and pillows from the closet and tossed them onto a chair next to the bed. She began to shake out the blanket; Jack grabbed one end and helped flatten it out.
"Umm, Jackson… there was something I wanted to talk to you about." She began. Jack's dark eyes glanced at her, nervous about the subject she was about to broach.
"Everything OK?" He asked.
"Yes. It's the sleeping arrangements." She began. Jack looked at her curiously. "I hope you two don't mind, but I need to insist that you sleep in separate rooms." She said, blushing lightly. Jack let out a hearty laugh.
"Well, that's good, but we would insist on that as well…" Jack began. "Mom, Sue and I are just friends." He said.
"Friends?" She repeated. Jack nodded his head. "Can I ask you why?" She hesitated, and then put up her hand to stop Jack from actually answering that question. "Never mind, it's not my business. I just thought, since you were bringing her home, and to your reunion that there was more between the two of you than you'd let on." Sara explained.
"No. Friends." Jack said softly. "Not that I would complain if we were more, but…" His voice trailed off.
"Ahh, well… that's a load off my mind." Sara said. "It's too bad though, she's a lovely young woman." Once the pillows were in their cases, and the bed spread neatly lay on the bed, the pair left.
As Jack and Sara walked back into the kitchen Sue turned to greet them with a big smile. Jack walked toward the door.
"I'll get the bags, I'll be right back." He said.
"I'll help." Sue said getting out of her chair.
"Nonsense." Sam insisted. "I will help him." He said with a wink.
"The Hudson men certainly are chivalrous." Sue commented.
"Only when they're trying to impress someone!" Sara teased sipping her coffee. Both women laughed.
The boys came back in carrying suitcase and dress bags.
"I'll take these right up to your room." Jack said.
"Actually, I think I'm going to turn in. It was a busy day." Sue said as she got up from the chair. "Thank you so much for your hospitality." She said. Sara jumped up and gave her a quick hug.
"You're welcome hun. Any friend of Jack's is always welcome in our home." She said.
"Good night." Both Sara and Sam signed to her. Sue smiled wide and returned the gesture following Jack up the stairs.
Jack opened the door to the guest room and put the baggage on the floor on the far side of the room. He hung up the dress bag in the closet without asking.
"Thanks." Sue said.
"You're welcome." Jack answered. He waved to her to follow him into the hall and down two doors. "The bathroom." He said opening the door to the linen closet. "Towels." He walked past her room and opened another door. "My room." He said.
"I want to see." She said. "Is it still decorated the way it was when you lived here?" She asked.
"Pretty much." Jack answered. "The kids sleep in here when my brother and sister come." He put his suit case on the floor at the end of the bed.
"You and your brother roomed together?" Sue asked as she looked around at the knick knacks. The room was decorated in stereotypical teen age boy décor. Pictures of sports stars on the walls. Two hockey sticks crossed hung from the far wall. A shelf between them on the top half which held trophies and ribbons. On the outside of the sticks were shelves that held commemorative pucks in show cases for every team in the NHL. On the far side it was dedicated to football with mini helmets, autographed pictures and a Jersey from the Green Bay Packers.
"No. He had mom sewing/craft room. Olivia had the room you're in." Jack explained. It was nice having our own room, but we still only had one bathroom." He joked.
"Well, I think I'm going to head to bed, I'm wiped out." Sue said as she headed for the hall.
"Good night." Jack said as she walked toward the door.
"Good night." She signed. "Hey… speaking of… how did your parents know how to sign that to me?" She asked.
"Mom Skyped me one night and asked me to show her a few signs they'd be able to use and remember." Jack answered.
"That was very nice of her." Sue said.
"That's my mom." Jack said smiling. "See you in the morning"
"Yeah, see you." Sue said as she disappeared into the hall.