With this story I wanted to take a look at Jacob and Rachel in a completely domestic setting – no sexy beach house, no glamorous evening wear, no hotel rooms or assignments. So we find them at home being a bit snippy with each other, and we discover Rachel's girly side. But as usual, Jacob ends up taking it somewhere else (that man seriously needs to stop thinking so much!)
Follows on from "The Morning After". Music choice will become self-evident down the track.
Soundtrack: Matthew – John Denver
"So I wrote this down for Matthew, it's for him this song is sung
Riding on his daddy's shoulders, behind a mule beneath the sun
Yes and joy was just a thing that he was raised on
Love was just a way to live and die
Gold was just a windy Kansas wheat field
And blue was just a Kansas summer sky"
"Are you sure you don't want any waffles? They're good." Rachel motioned to the plate between them on the table. "I don't know how you eat that terrible muesli".
She wrinkled up her nose.
"No, well I wouldn't expect you to", Jacob said with a smirk. "I know you can't stand anything with the faintest hint of nutrition. Anyhow," he continued, pouring himself a cup of strong coffee, "what are we going to do today?"
They had flown back from Denver the night before and had been given a rare day of midweek freedom before having to go back to work the next day – he was booked to speak at a conference and she was way behind on the most dreaded part of her job. The reports. She hated having to complete the mountains of FBI paperwork after each and every job. She had managed to offload quite a bit on to Felix since he came on board their little team, but as the senior operative, it was still primarily her responsibility. And of course, no one expected Jacob to do any more than add some scientific credibility to the report, and only if she was unable to complete the technical aspects of it herself. She envied him his freedom from paperwork. She dreaded ever being given a desk job.
"Well………………. what are we going to do today?" He was staring at her intently. "Are you listening to me?"
"Of course I am Jacob. God forbid I'd do anything other than listen to you," she retorted.
He looked a little taken aback.
"Why can't we just do nothing for a change?" She stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "Yes, lets just do nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Absolutely nothing," she repeated.
"We can't do nothing," he snorted. "What's the point of having a day off and doing nothing?"
"Ok, well if we can't do nothing, I think it's time we did stuff that I like doing. We've spent more than enough time doing Jacob stuff."
"What do you mean by Jacob stuff?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Oh you know, all that beach business. I've had enough of the beach and I've had enough of crime and I've had enough of science. Today we're going nowhere near a beach or any other kind of water and we're doing nothing that is in the least related to work. We're going to have a Rachel day."
His eyes narrowed. "I'm intrigued. What does a Rachel day consist of then? Does that mean I get to go go-karting at last?" He looked hopeful.
"We've been through this, you will come go-karting over my dead body."
She'd made the mistake of telling him that one of favourite things to do was to race a kart around the local go-kart track. He'd been quite keen to join her but she'd managed to avoid taking him so far. She knew if was probably just a matter of time, but told him she didn't want to be responsible for him writing off an expensive go-kart.
She knew he was actually a sublime driver, and caressed his Corvette down the open road like a lover. But she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she thought that, so she maintained her 'I think you're a terrible driver' stance. It was a matter of self-respect really; she had no doubt that he'd whip her ass on the track if she gave him the chance.
Sometimes his superiority in all things became very tiresome. That's why she enjoyed taking him to the FBI shooting range. That was one thing he wasn't good at.
"No, we're going to bake" she said crisply, pouring herself some more juice.
"Bake?"
"Yep, we're going to bake some cupcakes and while they're cooling we're going to go to the mall".
"The mall?"
"You know Jacob, you really don't really sound very intelligent when you just keep repeating what I say. Surely even you know what a mall is."
He snorted, "Oh, I know what a mall is alright. A mall is a place where brainless people with nothing better to do with their time, wander around mindlessly looking at overpriced things they can't afford and end up buying on credit, because they think they actually need them".
"No," she said flashing him a black look. "A mall is where normal, sane people go to buy things they need. And there are some things that I need, so we are going to the mall".
He sighed and rolled his eyes.
She stared at him.
"I cannot believe you just did that. I cannot believe you just rolled your eyes at me like a sulky teenager." She paused. "Tell me Jacob, where is it that I go, even though I don't really like it, because I love you?"
He sighed and thought for a moment. "Give me a hint," he said finally.
She looked at him impatiently "Lots of sand."
"Oh, the beach you mean."
"So tell me where you are going to go, even though you don't really like it, because you love me."
"The mall, apparently." He looked at her somewhat incredulously, downed the last of his coffee and got up to put the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.
"Right. That's settled then. Now, why don't you go and have a shower. I'll at least do some baking on my own. And if you're a good boy, I'll even let you lick the spoon".
Closing up the dishwasher, he stuck his tongue out at her and left the room quickly, dodging the waffle she had thrown at him.
Glad to be rid of him for a little while, she pottered around happily in her kitchen baking her favourite cupcakes. She knew it seemed like an incongruous thing for her to take pleasure in, but it was one of the few activities that she enjoyed away from her work.
It took her back to times she had spent with her grandmother as a small girl, and as the kitchen filled with the smell of warm cake, she was whisked back for a few precious minutes, to a time when she had no responsibilities, when her life was carefree and fun and revolved purely around herself.
To a time when her life didn't revolve around Jacob Hood.
But it didn't take long before Jacob's nose drew him back into the kitchen. "My god Rachel, they smell great". He looked genuinely impressed. He was freshly showered, hair still damp and dressed in his favourite jeans and a crisp, white, button down, cotton shirt. The first couple of buttons were undone revealing a drift of chest hair and the blue grey pearl that he wore on the short leather cord round his neck.
"I didn't think you liked cakes", she said to him, eyebrows raised. She hated the sanctimonious tone he took with her sometimes about her sweet tooth.
"Well I don't really, but they do smell good." He was rolling up the sleeves on his shirt to reveal his tanned forearms. "How come you've never made me cupcakes before?"
"They're not for you, they're for me". She gave him a cheeky grin.
"Why are you such a bitch to me?" He pulled her in close and buried his face into the side of her neck, gently nibbling her skin.
He smelled clean and fresh and manly, and his newly shaven face was smooth against her neck. She was in half a mind to slip her hands inside his shirt, run them up his warm hairy belly and make love to him on the kitchen table, but she could tell the first batch of cupcakes were ready. 'Sex or cupcakes?' she thought to herself. "Cupcakes.'
She extracted herself from his arms and he looked a little disappointed. She pulled the tray out of the oven and put them on the bench with a self-satisfied smile. The cupcakes were risen and even and golden brown.
His nostrils twitched. "They look good."
"Well you can't have one 'til they're cold and frosted."
"I'd rather have one now though. I'm not that keen on frosting. It's too sweet."
"No Jacob, you're not having one now." She smacked his hand, which was already creeping out to grab one. "Careful, they're hot!"
But by the time they left for the mall, he'd already eaten four. In fact she could swear that he must have inhaled them, they disappeared so quickly.
******
As soon as they arrived, she knew it was a bad idea bringing him to the mall.
She needed to get some groceries from the big supermarket.
He wandered around the huge aisles looking vaguely alarmed at the overwhelming choice of, as he pointed out, virtually identical products.
She wanted to look at shoes.
He stood outside the store and looked at his watch.
She thought he would be ok in the department store where she needed to buy some towels and new pillowcases.
He looked bored.
And when she told him that she was going to look at clothes, she saw a look of panic in his eyes.
"Surely you don't want me to look at clothes with you. Don't you have to try them on?"
"Yes, of course I do. You can tell me what you think."
"Rachel, I don't care what you wear as long as it's not those terrible work pants and as long as it's easy for me to remove."
"You're really just a sexist pig aren't you Jacob? If you want a woman that you can keep barefoot and pregnant, I suggest you look elsewhere!" she snapped at him.
"Mmmmmm, barefoot & pregnant." He narrowed his eyes at her and bit his bottom lip, "now that's an idea."
She sighed. He was incorrigible sometimes. "Well, you could look at men's clothes. They're just over there. You must need to buy clothes occasionally. You could do with getting a new pair of those jeans".
She looked pointedly down at his faded button fly jeans that he always insisted on changing into the very second they finished work.
"Don't need to. I buy my clothes online."
"Online?"
"Uh-hu. I buy everything online; groceries, clothes, toiletries, gifts, everything. That way I don't have to come to places like this."
"Online. Where's the fun in buying things online Jacob? What if you don't like it when it arrives?"
"Well I send it back." He looked at her like she had some sort of mental deficiency. "That's how online shopping works Rachel. And you have a lot more time for more important things."
"Like going to the beach you mean?"
"Exactly! Like going to the beach and having sex. Speaking of which, we could just go home," he winked at her.
She shook her head. "Jake, why don't you just go for a walk, look at whatever you want, surely you can find something to interest you in a mall of this size. When I've finished here, I'll call you and find out where you are."
"Ok," he looked a little relieved at being allowed to escape the trauma of clothes shopping, and wandered off after giving her a soft kiss on the lips.
She wondered briefly where he would go before becoming absorbed in her shopping mission – new work clothes and a swimsuit. It was probably best that he wasn't there while she bought new work pants she thought resignedly. He'd only complain.
******
After a guilty hour or so on her own, in which she managed to buy not only all the things she had planned, but also a couple of casual tops and a new skirt, she decided it was probably time to go and find him and maybe get a coffee. She pressed his speed dial number and was surprised after a few minutes of ringing that the phone was answered by a little girl.
"Jacob's phone," she said importantly. "Isabella speaking."
"Oh, hello Isabella," said Rachel, a little taken aback. "Is Jacob there please?"
"Jacob has a snake right now," the girl answered. "Can I take a message?"
"Um, Isabella?" Rachel said, a little bit confused by who the little girl could be and what she meant by 'Jacob has a snake'. "Could you hold the phone up to Jacob's ear so I can talk to him? It's very important. Can you tell him its Rachel?"
"OK, I'll tell him," she said and Rachel heard her speak in her high certain voice.
"It's your girlfriend Jacob. She wants me to hold the phone up to your ear." She heard him laugh and then his throaty voice came on the line.
"Hello girlfriend."
"Where are you?" she asked. "Who's Isabella, what are you doing?"
"I'm in the pet store, Isabella is a friend of mine, she's the owner's daughter and they live a few doors down the street from me, and I'm holding a carpet python. Any more questions?" he laughed again. "Actually, I'm glad you called because I'm going to head home and get this little guy settled in. I know Matthew will be excited to see him. We've been looking for a male carpet python for a while."
"Matthew?"
"Yeah, I told you about Matthew, remember? He's the boy who lives next door and looks after the animals while we're away."
"Oh yes," she remembered now. Remembered back to the café in Bethany Beach when he had admitted to her that he had a couple of fish tanks, a lizard, a snake. The reality had been much different when she had finally seen his tank room – it was like a pet store itself. Lots of sparkling tropical and cold-water fish tanks, and a coral reef tank, complete with clown fish and seahorses. And then there were the reptiles. He had a brilliant green Fijian iguana, a pair of Australian Bearded Dragons, a Collared Lizard from Mexico, a pair of Plumed Basilisks, a red and orange striped Corn Snake and a female carpet python. She did vaguely remember him telling her that he was looking for a young male to mate her with. Her eyes had begun to glaze over by this stage. There was only so much creepy wildlife she could take. She was just glad that he didn't collect insects and spiders as well.
"So you've bought this snake then, have you?"
"Yep, you can spend some more time shopping if you like and I'll get a cab home. Matthew will be back from school soon and he can help me set up a new tank for him. He'll have to be isolated for a few weeks before he can be introduced to Blossom. How about you swing by after you've frosted those cup cakes."
She smiled. "Ok, I'll bring some over. I might have to make some more if you keep vacuuming them up like you did the first four."
His voice lowered and he whispered to her, almost seductively, "they were gooood cupcakes Rachel, very, very good cupcakes. What other hidden talents do you possess?"
She shivered a little. He had the ability to make the most mundane sentence sound sexy to her ears.
"That's enough of that Jake. I'll see you in a couple of hours."
******
It was 4pm when Rachel swung the SUV into the driveway of Jacob's house. She walked around to the back carrying a Tupperware container of cupcakes, now topped with feather light chocolate frosting, along with a deep dish apple pie that she had just taken out of the oven. She'd never baked for Jacob before because she knew he didn't generally eat cakes or desserts, but after the reaction he gave her cupcakes, she thought she'd try him on apple pie.
'There's not a man alive who can resist my apple pie,' she remembered her grandmother telling her. She hoped he did like it. She liked the idea of actually having someone to bake for.
As she rounded the back corner of the house she stopped and took in the sight of Jacob and an attractive blond boy, probably about 10 years old, their heads pressed together over a small glass tank. She could hear them talking in low voices. Her heart skipped a beat. He was probably the most beautiful boy she'd ever seen.
He reminded her of a song.
She stood for a while observing them, marvelling at the contrast between them, at one big dark head, one small fair one, the man's broad face, the boys fine featured one, the adult's big green eyes, the child's blue ones, Jacob's big hands, Matthew's small ones.
Jacob noticed her standing at the corner of the house and strolled over to her, smiling broadly. Matthew was busy arranging rocks and small logs in the tank.
"Hey beautiful," he said, kissing her lightly on the lips. "What's that glorious smell?" His nostrils twitched as he inhaled the scent of the apple pie.
"Oh, just a little something I threw together." She pulled back the cloth covering the golden pastry and his eyes narrowed as he looked at the warm pie.
"It looks like you've surpassed yourself Rachel. I do like apple pie."
She couldn't help but feel a little smug. "I thought you might," she smiled, "I have double thick cream as well."
He flicked his eyebrows seductively.
"For the pie Jacob." She shook her head. "You need to introduce me to your friend anyhow. He's gorgeous; I don't think I've ever seen a more handsome boy. He reminds me of that song, um…….."
Jacob laughed, "Ha, 'Matthew' you mean? You're absolutely right, it's like it was written about him – or perhaps he was named after it. I must ask Suzanne & Rob," he motioned his head towards the next-door house.
"You know," he said, staring at the boy, "I often think that our little boy will be just like him. He thinks like me but he's beautiful like you."
She turned her head sharply and looked up at his face. Jacob was looking at the boy. He slipped an arm around her waist and drew her against his side.
"What do you mean 'our little boy' Jake?"
"Don't you ever wonder what our children will look like Rachel? He whispered into her ear, "don't you ever wonder about our future?"
She was silent. She didn't know what to say to him.
Just then a little girl raced through the back door of the house out into the garden. "I've found it Mattie, here it is." She was waving a small rock shaped dish.
She was younger, maybe 8 years old with wild, curly dark hair. She had big brown eyes, fine features and a slightly exotic look. Rachel thought that she looked like a gypsy child.
The girl ran up to the table and the pair of children proceeded to put the dish into the tank and fill it with water from a small jug.
"That's Isabella," he said in answer to her questioning look. He pulled her tighter into his side. "We do need to talk about things, you know, the future, our future, sometime soon. I don't want to pressure you into anything you're not ready for, but I would like to know where your head is at. For my own peace of mind."
"Ok, we will," she replied, her heart thumping in her chest at the thought of what he was implying. Their future, their children. At the provocative thought of being pregnant with Jacob's baby, of growing his child in her belly. She wasn't sure if her heart was thumping in apprehension or pleasure at the thought. She could honestly say it was something she had never considered until that very moment.
"I promise. Soon," she said resting her head on the side of his chest for a few seconds, "but for now can you just introduce me to Matthew & Isabella?"
And as she shook the little boys hand and looked into his handsome young face, with its frame of straw-coloured hair and his big blue eyes, and as she watched the excitable little gypsy girl with her dark hair blowing in the breeze and her tiny hands on Jacob's broad face, covering up his eyes so he couldn't see the surprise they had created for him in the tank, she wondered for a fleeting moment what their children would look like.
The thought took her breath away.