Cliff walked down the road to Jack's farm. He wished he wasn't doing this, but
he really had no choice. 'Well,' he thought 'I do have one, but I just can't
impose on them any more,' for a moment his thought had shifted to Ann and her
father.
'Ann is a great girl, and her father is an awesome man… so why don't I see
myself with her…what's wrong with me?' These thought rolled through Cliff's
head. He really cared about Ann, when he was working in the Winery she brought
him lunch, and she went to church with him sometimes, and he loved her
friendship. Her Father, Doug, was great too, when Cliff couldn't afford the rent
he would shrug it off, and offer him to work it off in his free time, but he
never asked him to lift a finger.
Cliff was so lost in thought that he almost walked past Jack's house. He walked
up to the door of this now moderate house (Since Jack had inherited this place
from it's previous owner he had expanded it greatly) for a moment Cliff thoughts
had shifted to the previous owner, not that he had been around to know him, but
the townsfolk all spoke so kindly about him.
Cliff was still lost in thought when Jack came to the door, walked out, and
bumped right into him. "Owww… oh Jack I was gonna knock, but then I… whatever
look Jack I need to tell you something, and it's not going to be easy, since
you've been such a good friend." Cliff said, and he had been, in fact he was the
best, Jack had always been their for him. When Cliff had been broke, before and
was ready to leave town, Jack had found him a job, over at the Aja winery, and
when he had gotten sick and passed out that cold winters day who had brought him
to the clinic but Jack, or so Elli had told him later.
"Cliff are you ok?" Jack asked general concern in his voice.
"Well I am, but I well….. I'm leaving Jack, I'm leaving mineral town forever"
he said finally letting it out. He hadn't wanted to tell anyone. He had plAnnd
to just leave during the night, but Jack had been such a great friend, if anyone
deserved to know he did.
"What… why" Jack asked still concerned about his friend.
"Well… I have been sponging off my friends for to long, I don't make enough to
stay at the inn, and I just can't accept Doug's charity any more." Cliff said,
gaining the confidence to speak openly about this, that was another thing that
he loved about Jack, you always felt like you could say anything, well at least
he did.
"Cliff, you can't just leave, where will you go?" Jack asked
"I don't know, maybe I'll stop over in Forget-me-not Valley, I have a friend
who I met when I was traveling who is living there now. Then maybe I'll go back
to Flowerbud" He replied, looking at his feet.
"But Cliff, everyone in town likes you, and you have the job at the winery."
Jack said. "And Carter says you always help him at the church. Maybe he could
let you move in there." Jack said offering another option.
"No, I couldn't do that, Carter has no money it would just be taking more from
my friends." Cliff replied.
Jack's normally happy face had been twisted into a frown. For a moment Cliff
thought on how strange that frown looked on Jack's face, almost as unnatural as
snow in summer. Just then, as quickly as that frown had appeared it was gone.
"I have an idea, and I won't take no for an answer" Jack said, and Cliff
realized that this smile was more than even Jacks usual smile; this smile was
hiding something bigger.
"What is it?" Cliff asked a little suspicious of Jack's newfound happiness.
Jack looked over at his house, and then back at Cliff.
For a moment Cliff had no idea what Jack had meant, but Jack only repeated the
gesture. "What?" Cliff asked dense as a post-like.
"Here!" Jack exclaimed. "You can stay here!"
"But… I told you, I don't want to take any charity." Cliff sighed
"No charity, you can work for it, every morning you get up and help me water
the crops, then when I go take care of the cows, you can go crate the eggs and
feed the chickens." Jack said still sporting an ear to ear grin.
Cliff face softened at the offer, and the grin appeared on his face as well.
"I have a big bed, so you can sleep in my old one, I mean since my house is
only one room you will have to sleep in the same room as me" Jack said, but
Cliff didn't mind, he was used to sharing a room with Grey, and in the summers
Kai as well.
"That would be great, Jack you're the best friend I have ever had. Cliff said
this from the heart; he meant it more than he had ever meant anything in his
life.
A few months later
Jack woke up later than he usually would have, but he had been working so hard
in the mines yesterday, he needed to upgrade his axe if he ever plAnnd to get
enough wood to upgrade his barn. It was already ten o'clock and he wondered why
Cliff hadn't woken him up. He walked over to the TV and turned it on, flipping
to the weather he saw a sunny summer day ahead. He picked up little Russel, his
dog, and walked outside with him.
As soon as he got outside he let Russel down and got out his watering can. He
prepared for what would probably be an hour of watering and walked over, past
the shipping box and to the tomato plants. He was about to water them when he
saw that the spot was already watered. 'Well duh, Cliff did his half' he though
as he walked over to what had been designated his spot only to find that had
been watered too. 'He is a great guy' Jack thought as he headed into the barn.
That thought was amplified when he walked into the barn. All the cows looked
happy as could be, and each and every stall was full with fresh fodder,
obviously cut from his fields this morning, that was the first time that he
noticed a note in his rucksack.
He unfolded the note, and read it aloud. "Hey Jack, I know how hard you have
been working lately to upgrade the barn, and so I thought I'd let you sleep in.
I finished all the chores around the farm, and I also did a little wood
chopping. I know you still need a lot, but I figured every little bit helps.
P.S. I wasn't sure what you wanted to do with the milk so it's in the
refrigerator." Jack looked down at the note, his eyes glowing, Cliff had done
all this for him, and he had to do something to reciprocate.
"I've got it!" Jack exclaimed. He had just finished getting the kitchen set
together, and he had a fully stocked fridge. He would cook Cliff a feast
tonight; however he was a little lacking in recipes. So he would have to fudge a
few things.
An hour later Jack had nothing to show for himself except a rucksack full of
burnt junk. He looked at the food, sure Cliff would pretend to love it, but
knowing it would be horrible. He wondered what he could do, but he had no idea,
"maybe the townspeople might know some recipes." He said, so he loaded himself
up with everyone's favorite stuff and ran into town.
First he walked to the inn, he knew Doug was one of the best cooks in the
village.
"Well if it isn't Jack, one my best customers." Doug said as Jack walked in.
"What can I do yah for."
"Well first, I wanted to give you this," Jack said as he handed Doug an egg.
"Well thanks, what do you want?" Doug asked.
"Well you see, I just got my kitchen, and" Jack was interrupted by Doug.
"Hup-up-up, say no more" Doug said.
"You mean you'll help me?" Jack asked hopefully.
"No, I mean don't bother asking, I never give out recipes, it keeps the people
coming back, but that Kai kid is in town for the summer, he might be able to
help you." Doug said, and Jack walked out of the inn. He walked down the street
at to the beach, the hot summer sun baked Jack as his shoes filled with sand.
"Hey Jack, how you doing?" Kai said as he saw him walk up.
Jack brought an egg out of his rucksack, and held it high over his head, only to
hand it over to Kai.
"Wow thanks, you know you're really the only guy in town who's ever nice to me."
Kai said as he put the egg into his vest pocket.
"Well, I was wondering, I know you know cooking from like all over the world,
and I was wondering if maybe you could" Jack said and again he was cut of.
"Well I only really have one recipe that I ever give you, and that's pretty
simply, it's just popcorn. You can probably guess how that works." Kai said.
"Yeah" Jack said.
"Well maybe you should go and ask Lilia, she has been winning the cooking
contest for years" Kai said as Jack walked away from the beach.
He walked down the street again, and this time to the poultry farm. "Hey Jack!"
Rick said as he walked away, "how are your chickens?"
"You should really ask Cliff about that" Jack said, "He's been caring for them
for them since he moved in. Is your mother in?"
"No, today is her day off, she is over at the clinic" Rick said.
"Ok, give my best to your sister" Jack said as he walked off. He walked down the
street and as he passed the Winery Cliff looked over and saw him, but he ran off
before he really noticed much of anything up.
He walked into the clinic and saw Elli and Lilia talking.
"Oh, hi Jack I'm sorry the store is closed today." She said.
"I'm really here because I need to ask you how to cook." Jack said.
"I understand, do not say another word, you will fallow me to my kitchen" They
walk together in silence.
He sat at the table in her kitchen, as she walked down the stairs and into the
room. She had changed from her nice soft dress to a tight blue teacher suit. In
her hand was leather riding crop. "Jack, now you will listen to me, and me
alone, you will not speak until spoken to" Jack rolled his eyes and she smacked
him with the riding crop.
"Owwww!" He yelled, and she smacked him again. This time he remained silent.
"Good your learning." She said.
For nearly three hours she taught and beat him, and after two trips to the
clinic he felt he was ready.
"You have finally graduated my pupil" She said as she looked down at him, he
bowed and sprinted out of the door and into his house. He cowered for a half an
hour in the corner before he began to prepare the dinner.
Cliff came home about two hours later. Jack blocked the door when he got over.
"What's up," Cliff asked.
"Well, this morning, you did something really great for me, so I spent the day
doing something for you," Jack said he stepped away from the door and let him
in. He walked in and saw the feast on the table, so much food, all lovingly
prepared by Jack.
A few months later
Jack woke up the same as he did every day; Cliff was asleep in the other bed,
only a few feet away from him. Instead of get up as he always did, he looked at
Cliff and smiled. His mind was racing with a million confusing thoughts. He
brushed them off and snuck himself out of bed. He walked out of the house and
began to water; he had recently begun to ignore the idea of his and Cliff's part
to water. Instead it became whoever was up first, did all the chores as fast as
he could. When the other awoke they ran out and did whatever was left. It had
become a competition, yet nobody cared who won.
This morning it looked like Jack might be done, by the time Cliff woke up. Jack
was finishing watering when a woman walked up to him. "Um Hello," She asked.
"Oh, hello, I'm Jack, can I help you with something," Jack said as she walked up
to him. As he said that Cliff walked out of the house and looked at the woman.
"Mom?" he said.
A short time later they all sat at the table, Jack had made tea, with the leaves
he had been saving since spring so long ago. They sat at the table, no one spoke
a word. They sipped the tea quietly.
Cliff's mother was the first one to break the silence. "So Cliff do you have a
girl friend here in town?" she asked and for the first time Jack could see the
pain this impromptu visit was causing him.
"No mom, I don't have anyone like that." He said.
"But you've been here for nearly two years, or so that nice man at the Inn said"
She said. "What was his name, Dave?"
"Doug mom, his name is Doug," Cliff corrected her, Jack felt that maybe this was
something they had done a lot.
"He said that you used to live at the inn, with him and his daughter. She was a
cute little girl." She said still sipping her tea, Jack and Cliff had long since
abandoned there cups.
"Mom please, don't" he said.
"Cliff, it's time to end this, it's time for you to stop playing grown up, your
still just a little kid, you need to come home with me." She said.
Cliff was at a loss for words, he didn't know what to say, she had struck a
nerve. He had left home, when he was a teenager. The constant fighting with his
mother, his young sister had been so young, and she was always great with her
mother, it almost seemed like she blamed him for something. Cliff was never
sure, did she blame him for the death of his father on that cold winters night,
or did she blame him for the fact that she could never afford to live anywhere
but that small house at the base of the mountain.
"You need to come home, Cliff think about Claire, she still needs her brother,
she needs you" She was tugging at heartstrings here, Jack could see it.
"Fine" Cliff said to Jacks surprise.
"Good Cliff, I am staying at that inn, meet me there tomorrow, and we will go."
She said and she walked out of the house.
"Cliff…" Jack said, not knowing what to say.
"Jack I think I have to go, she's right, I don't really have anything holding me
here. I need to grow up" He said and he just looked at Jack.
"Cliff…" Jack said again, and then he stood up and walked out. He had Chores to
do, and he had to get used to doing them all alone again.
He fed all the animals, but couldn't bring himself to do anything else, they
would live without being brushed, and he suddenly felt like an idiot talking to
Bessie or any of the other cows.
When he had finished the feeding he ran up the hill, and into the clearing just
past the lake. He didn't want to see Cliff. He didn't know what to say. What
could he say? He didn't have a right to say anything. He cared about Cliff, but
what right did he have to say anything against his mother, who Cliff had never
talked about, and who he had known for not but a few hours.
When he reached the clearing he just fell down, his thoughts racing. He just
laid there for hours. Maybe he could just stay there until Cliff left, he
couldn't bring himself to say goodbye.
"Well isn't this familiar" Ann said as she walked over and sat down.
"Huh?" Jack said.
"It must have been ten, fifteen years ago, did you forget?" Ann asked as she
picked a blade of grass and chewed on the sweet bottom.
"Vaguely, remind me" Jack said.
"Well I think it went something like this. You where laying there, and I walked
up and said something like oh your alive, you where sitting so still I thought
you where dead" She said as she continued to chew the small green blade.
"Oh now I remember, that was when I was staying with the old man, you know I
don't think you ever even told me your name." He said.
"Well I never forgot you, you were my first real friend, my family had just
moved here from the city, and all the other girls in town kinda scared me. I
hated it here." She continued. "But you were from the city too, and you loved
this place, do I guess you kind of changed me, you know?"
"Yeah I do." He said.
"Well the look on your face says your kinda sad, wanna talk about it?" She
asked, and he did, he really wanted to tell her everything but he knew there was
no point. "It's about Cliff isn't it" She asked and for a moment Jack thought
she must be Psychic. "It's just, well his moms staying at the Inn, and I got the
feeling she didn't want him to stay here in Mineral Town."
"Well you felt right, she told him to leave with her, and he is" Jack said as he
sighed.
"Well you can't let him." Ann said as she jumped to her feet, and rose her fist
into the air.
"This is just like a romance novel, you love him you have to go and fight his
mother for him. Save him from his overprotective mother and himself." She
yelled.
Jack jumped to his feet as well. "whowowo Love him? I don't love him, he's just
my friend." Jack thought to himself, 'love him, of course I love him, he's my
best friend but I don't LOVE him… do I'
"Wait you mean… your not… but you seem so…" Ann looked at him as if surveying a
dog who had just talked. "But I was so sure you… and he… and you…" She looked
more confused than Jack had after trying to understand Manna's gossip at the
square.
'Jack you Idiot!' He thought to himself. 'You do love him, after all this time
you just thought he was a friend, but you love him, you love Cliff' "I love him.
I love Him. I LOVE HIM" Jack shouted it to the heavens.
"I knew it, now go tell him stop him, don't let him leave." Ann said getting far
to into this.
Jack ran down the mountain and ran onto farm. He saw a figure lingering by the
shipping box. "I love you" he yelled at it. He got closer, and to his dismay he
saw Zack.
"Ummm… well thanks Jack, I am very fond of you, but I think maybe we should just
stay friends." Zack said as he took the shipping stuff and left. Jacks face
turned bright red; his face was a great big strawberry.
He ran into the house only to find a note.
"Jack I have decided to leave now, I know you don't want to say goodbye, I am
going to meet my mother at the Inn. From there we will be leaving for the docks,
and hopping a ferry to Flower bud. We will be leaving at Six, I do want to see
you one last time, but I understand if you don't want to." Jack looked at his
clock, one of the first things he had bought to upgrade his small shack, if was
five-ten, he had to run, or he would never reach the beach in time.
He sprinted as fast as he could, and as he ran the people of the village began
to fallow him. First it was Ann and Gotz, then Popuri, Rick, And Lilia, then
Doug, Manna, Duke, Carter, by the time he reached the beach all of Mineral town
was fallowing. It was Five-fifty when he reached the beach, with promises of it
becoming six any second.
"Cliff wait!" Jack yelled as he saw Cliff and his mother about to board the
small ship.
"Jack! Thank God, I didn't think I would ever see you again. Cliff replied.
"I'm sorry I ran off but I have to say something." Jack said.
"Could you hurry up" Cliff's mother said a little miffed.
"Cliff you can't leave." Jack said.
"Oh come on Cliff I think we have heard enough" She said as she began to tug on
his arm.
"No, you can't leave me." Jack said as he began to cry.
"Jack…" Cliff said.
"Cliff I…" Jack tried to speak but the words got caught in his throat.
"Say it" Ann whispered
"Cliff I love you" Jack said in a near whisper that no one could hear
"What" Cliff asked not knowing what he had said.
"Cliff I love you" Jack said, "I love you." This time Cliff heard, and he looked
back at Jack a smile on his face.
"Jack…." He said, he ran off the dock and over to Jack, they hugged for what
seamed like hours, but since this was an event no time went by. "Jack I love you
too"
The entire town said a communal "awe" and smiled.
"Cliff…" his mother said as se walked off the dock, "I had no idea, your not a
kid after all are you, maybe you never were as childish as I thought, I know I
haven't been a great mother, but I only wanted what was best for you, I didn't
know you had it. I wish you the best" She said, as she turned around and walked
toward the boat.
"Miss, why don't you stay with us for a few days before you go," Jack said. "I
think Cliff would like that." Jack said.
"Please mom, I do want you to stay for a little while, I want you to know that
I'm okay." He said.
"Oh Cliff I can see that your ok, I think it was me that never was, but I would
love to stay, but not now, I have to go home, Claire will worry." She said.
"Then come back soon, bring Claire, with you, I don't want you to phase out of
Cliff's life again." Jack said. Cliff looked at this man, who he loved, and saw
nothing but concern for him. Cliff wondered how he could not have known he had
loved him. And he did.
Some time later
Jack and Cliff walked up the mountain toward the clearing, when they got there
they saw a big red and white striped blanket, there Ann, Doug, Cliffs mother,
and his sister sat enjoying a picnic lunch.
"You two are late." Ann said.
"Yeah, and you know what happens to people when there late to my picnics." Doug
said. Jack and Cliff looked at each other.
"They miss all the food" Ann said as she laughed.
"No!" Jack and Cliff yelled together.
"But since we know it is a special occasion we let you slide" Doug said as he
opened the basket and handed them some food.
"So" Doug said.
"Happy anniversary!" They all yelled at once.
"Happy anniversary," Jack said
"Happy anniversary," Cliff replied.
he really had no choice. 'Well,' he thought 'I do have one, but I just can't
impose on them any more,' for a moment his thought had shifted to Ann and her
father.
'Ann is a great girl, and her father is an awesome man… so why don't I see
myself with her…what's wrong with me?' These thought rolled through Cliff's
head. He really cared about Ann, when he was working in the Winery she brought
him lunch, and she went to church with him sometimes, and he loved her
friendship. Her Father, Doug, was great too, when Cliff couldn't afford the rent
he would shrug it off, and offer him to work it off in his free time, but he
never asked him to lift a finger.
Cliff was so lost in thought that he almost walked past Jack's house. He walked
up to the door of this now moderate house (Since Jack had inherited this place
from it's previous owner he had expanded it greatly) for a moment Cliff thoughts
had shifted to the previous owner, not that he had been around to know him, but
the townsfolk all spoke so kindly about him.
Cliff was still lost in thought when Jack came to the door, walked out, and
bumped right into him. "Owww… oh Jack I was gonna knock, but then I… whatever
look Jack I need to tell you something, and it's not going to be easy, since
you've been such a good friend." Cliff said, and he had been, in fact he was the
best, Jack had always been their for him. When Cliff had been broke, before and
was ready to leave town, Jack had found him a job, over at the Aja winery, and
when he had gotten sick and passed out that cold winters day who had brought him
to the clinic but Jack, or so Elli had told him later.
"Cliff are you ok?" Jack asked general concern in his voice.
"Well I am, but I well….. I'm leaving Jack, I'm leaving mineral town forever"
he said finally letting it out. He hadn't wanted to tell anyone. He had plAnnd
to just leave during the night, but Jack had been such a great friend, if anyone
deserved to know he did.
"What… why" Jack asked still concerned about his friend.
"Well… I have been sponging off my friends for to long, I don't make enough to
stay at the inn, and I just can't accept Doug's charity any more." Cliff said,
gaining the confidence to speak openly about this, that was another thing that
he loved about Jack, you always felt like you could say anything, well at least
he did.
"Cliff, you can't just leave, where will you go?" Jack asked
"I don't know, maybe I'll stop over in Forget-me-not Valley, I have a friend
who I met when I was traveling who is living there now. Then maybe I'll go back
to Flowerbud" He replied, looking at his feet.
"But Cliff, everyone in town likes you, and you have the job at the winery."
Jack said. "And Carter says you always help him at the church. Maybe he could
let you move in there." Jack said offering another option.
"No, I couldn't do that, Carter has no money it would just be taking more from
my friends." Cliff replied.
Jack's normally happy face had been twisted into a frown. For a moment Cliff
thought on how strange that frown looked on Jack's face, almost as unnatural as
snow in summer. Just then, as quickly as that frown had appeared it was gone.
"I have an idea, and I won't take no for an answer" Jack said, and Cliff
realized that this smile was more than even Jacks usual smile; this smile was
hiding something bigger.
"What is it?" Cliff asked a little suspicious of Jack's newfound happiness.
Jack looked over at his house, and then back at Cliff.
For a moment Cliff had no idea what Jack had meant, but Jack only repeated the
gesture. "What?" Cliff asked dense as a post-like.
"Here!" Jack exclaimed. "You can stay here!"
"But… I told you, I don't want to take any charity." Cliff sighed
"No charity, you can work for it, every morning you get up and help me water
the crops, then when I go take care of the cows, you can go crate the eggs and
feed the chickens." Jack said still sporting an ear to ear grin.
Cliff face softened at the offer, and the grin appeared on his face as well.
"I have a big bed, so you can sleep in my old one, I mean since my house is
only one room you will have to sleep in the same room as me" Jack said, but
Cliff didn't mind, he was used to sharing a room with Grey, and in the summers
Kai as well.
"That would be great, Jack you're the best friend I have ever had. Cliff said
this from the heart; he meant it more than he had ever meant anything in his
life.
A few months later
Jack woke up later than he usually would have, but he had been working so hard
in the mines yesterday, he needed to upgrade his axe if he ever plAnnd to get
enough wood to upgrade his barn. It was already ten o'clock and he wondered why
Cliff hadn't woken him up. He walked over to the TV and turned it on, flipping
to the weather he saw a sunny summer day ahead. He picked up little Russel, his
dog, and walked outside with him.
As soon as he got outside he let Russel down and got out his watering can. He
prepared for what would probably be an hour of watering and walked over, past
the shipping box and to the tomato plants. He was about to water them when he
saw that the spot was already watered. 'Well duh, Cliff did his half' he though
as he walked over to what had been designated his spot only to find that had
been watered too. 'He is a great guy' Jack thought as he headed into the barn.
That thought was amplified when he walked into the barn. All the cows looked
happy as could be, and each and every stall was full with fresh fodder,
obviously cut from his fields this morning, that was the first time that he
noticed a note in his rucksack.
He unfolded the note, and read it aloud. "Hey Jack, I know how hard you have
been working lately to upgrade the barn, and so I thought I'd let you sleep in.
I finished all the chores around the farm, and I also did a little wood
chopping. I know you still need a lot, but I figured every little bit helps.
P.S. I wasn't sure what you wanted to do with the milk so it's in the
refrigerator." Jack looked down at the note, his eyes glowing, Cliff had done
all this for him, and he had to do something to reciprocate.
"I've got it!" Jack exclaimed. He had just finished getting the kitchen set
together, and he had a fully stocked fridge. He would cook Cliff a feast
tonight; however he was a little lacking in recipes. So he would have to fudge a
few things.
An hour later Jack had nothing to show for himself except a rucksack full of
burnt junk. He looked at the food, sure Cliff would pretend to love it, but
knowing it would be horrible. He wondered what he could do, but he had no idea,
"maybe the townspeople might know some recipes." He said, so he loaded himself
up with everyone's favorite stuff and ran into town.
First he walked to the inn, he knew Doug was one of the best cooks in the
village.
"Well if it isn't Jack, one my best customers." Doug said as Jack walked in.
"What can I do yah for."
"Well first, I wanted to give you this," Jack said as he handed Doug an egg.
"Well thanks, what do you want?" Doug asked.
"Well you see, I just got my kitchen, and" Jack was interrupted by Doug.
"Hup-up-up, say no more" Doug said.
"You mean you'll help me?" Jack asked hopefully.
"No, I mean don't bother asking, I never give out recipes, it keeps the people
coming back, but that Kai kid is in town for the summer, he might be able to
help you." Doug said, and Jack walked out of the inn. He walked down the street
at to the beach, the hot summer sun baked Jack as his shoes filled with sand.
"Hey Jack, how you doing?" Kai said as he saw him walk up.
Jack brought an egg out of his rucksack, and held it high over his head, only to
hand it over to Kai.
"Wow thanks, you know you're really the only guy in town who's ever nice to me."
Kai said as he put the egg into his vest pocket.
"Well, I was wondering, I know you know cooking from like all over the world,
and I was wondering if maybe you could" Jack said and again he was cut of.
"Well I only really have one recipe that I ever give you, and that's pretty
simply, it's just popcorn. You can probably guess how that works." Kai said.
"Yeah" Jack said.
"Well maybe you should go and ask Lilia, she has been winning the cooking
contest for years" Kai said as Jack walked away from the beach.
He walked down the street again, and this time to the poultry farm. "Hey Jack!"
Rick said as he walked away, "how are your chickens?"
"You should really ask Cliff about that" Jack said, "He's been caring for them
for them since he moved in. Is your mother in?"
"No, today is her day off, she is over at the clinic" Rick said.
"Ok, give my best to your sister" Jack said as he walked off. He walked down the
street and as he passed the Winery Cliff looked over and saw him, but he ran off
before he really noticed much of anything up.
He walked into the clinic and saw Elli and Lilia talking.
"Oh, hi Jack I'm sorry the store is closed today." She said.
"I'm really here because I need to ask you how to cook." Jack said.
"I understand, do not say another word, you will fallow me to my kitchen" They
walk together in silence.
He sat at the table in her kitchen, as she walked down the stairs and into the
room. She had changed from her nice soft dress to a tight blue teacher suit. In
her hand was leather riding crop. "Jack, now you will listen to me, and me
alone, you will not speak until spoken to" Jack rolled his eyes and she smacked
him with the riding crop.
"Owwww!" He yelled, and she smacked him again. This time he remained silent.
"Good your learning." She said.
For nearly three hours she taught and beat him, and after two trips to the
clinic he felt he was ready.
"You have finally graduated my pupil" She said as she looked down at him, he
bowed and sprinted out of the door and into his house. He cowered for a half an
hour in the corner before he began to prepare the dinner.
Cliff came home about two hours later. Jack blocked the door when he got over.
"What's up," Cliff asked.
"Well, this morning, you did something really great for me, so I spent the day
doing something for you," Jack said he stepped away from the door and let him
in. He walked in and saw the feast on the table, so much food, all lovingly
prepared by Jack.
A few months later
Jack woke up the same as he did every day; Cliff was asleep in the other bed,
only a few feet away from him. Instead of get up as he always did, he looked at
Cliff and smiled. His mind was racing with a million confusing thoughts. He
brushed them off and snuck himself out of bed. He walked out of the house and
began to water; he had recently begun to ignore the idea of his and Cliff's part
to water. Instead it became whoever was up first, did all the chores as fast as
he could. When the other awoke they ran out and did whatever was left. It had
become a competition, yet nobody cared who won.
This morning it looked like Jack might be done, by the time Cliff woke up. Jack
was finishing watering when a woman walked up to him. "Um Hello," She asked.
"Oh, hello, I'm Jack, can I help you with something," Jack said as she walked up
to him. As he said that Cliff walked out of the house and looked at the woman.
"Mom?" he said.
A short time later they all sat at the table, Jack had made tea, with the leaves
he had been saving since spring so long ago. They sat at the table, no one spoke
a word. They sipped the tea quietly.
Cliff's mother was the first one to break the silence. "So Cliff do you have a
girl friend here in town?" she asked and for the first time Jack could see the
pain this impromptu visit was causing him.
"No mom, I don't have anyone like that." He said.
"But you've been here for nearly two years, or so that nice man at the Inn said"
She said. "What was his name, Dave?"
"Doug mom, his name is Doug," Cliff corrected her, Jack felt that maybe this was
something they had done a lot.
"He said that you used to live at the inn, with him and his daughter. She was a
cute little girl." She said still sipping her tea, Jack and Cliff had long since
abandoned there cups.
"Mom please, don't" he said.
"Cliff, it's time to end this, it's time for you to stop playing grown up, your
still just a little kid, you need to come home with me." She said.
Cliff was at a loss for words, he didn't know what to say, she had struck a
nerve. He had left home, when he was a teenager. The constant fighting with his
mother, his young sister had been so young, and she was always great with her
mother, it almost seemed like she blamed him for something. Cliff was never
sure, did she blame him for the death of his father on that cold winters night,
or did she blame him for the fact that she could never afford to live anywhere
but that small house at the base of the mountain.
"You need to come home, Cliff think about Claire, she still needs her brother,
she needs you" She was tugging at heartstrings here, Jack could see it.
"Fine" Cliff said to Jacks surprise.
"Good Cliff, I am staying at that inn, meet me there tomorrow, and we will go."
She said and she walked out of the house.
"Cliff…" Jack said, not knowing what to say.
"Jack I think I have to go, she's right, I don't really have anything holding me
here. I need to grow up" He said and he just looked at Jack.
"Cliff…" Jack said again, and then he stood up and walked out. He had Chores to
do, and he had to get used to doing them all alone again.
He fed all the animals, but couldn't bring himself to do anything else, they
would live without being brushed, and he suddenly felt like an idiot talking to
Bessie or any of the other cows.
When he had finished the feeding he ran up the hill, and into the clearing just
past the lake. He didn't want to see Cliff. He didn't know what to say. What
could he say? He didn't have a right to say anything. He cared about Cliff, but
what right did he have to say anything against his mother, who Cliff had never
talked about, and who he had known for not but a few hours.
When he reached the clearing he just fell down, his thoughts racing. He just
laid there for hours. Maybe he could just stay there until Cliff left, he
couldn't bring himself to say goodbye.
"Well isn't this familiar" Ann said as she walked over and sat down.
"Huh?" Jack said.
"It must have been ten, fifteen years ago, did you forget?" Ann asked as she
picked a blade of grass and chewed on the sweet bottom.
"Vaguely, remind me" Jack said.
"Well I think it went something like this. You where laying there, and I walked
up and said something like oh your alive, you where sitting so still I thought
you where dead" She said as she continued to chew the small green blade.
"Oh now I remember, that was when I was staying with the old man, you know I
don't think you ever even told me your name." He said.
"Well I never forgot you, you were my first real friend, my family had just
moved here from the city, and all the other girls in town kinda scared me. I
hated it here." She continued. "But you were from the city too, and you loved
this place, do I guess you kind of changed me, you know?"
"Yeah I do." He said.
"Well the look on your face says your kinda sad, wanna talk about it?" She
asked, and he did, he really wanted to tell her everything but he knew there was
no point. "It's about Cliff isn't it" She asked and for a moment Jack thought
she must be Psychic. "It's just, well his moms staying at the Inn, and I got the
feeling she didn't want him to stay here in Mineral Town."
"Well you felt right, she told him to leave with her, and he is" Jack said as he
sighed.
"Well you can't let him." Ann said as she jumped to her feet, and rose her fist
into the air.
"This is just like a romance novel, you love him you have to go and fight his
mother for him. Save him from his overprotective mother and himself." She
yelled.
Jack jumped to his feet as well. "whowowo Love him? I don't love him, he's just
my friend." Jack thought to himself, 'love him, of course I love him, he's my
best friend but I don't LOVE him… do I'
"Wait you mean… your not… but you seem so…" Ann looked at him as if surveying a
dog who had just talked. "But I was so sure you… and he… and you…" She looked
more confused than Jack had after trying to understand Manna's gossip at the
square.
'Jack you Idiot!' He thought to himself. 'You do love him, after all this time
you just thought he was a friend, but you love him, you love Cliff' "I love him.
I love Him. I LOVE HIM" Jack shouted it to the heavens.
"I knew it, now go tell him stop him, don't let him leave." Ann said getting far
to into this.
Jack ran down the mountain and ran onto farm. He saw a figure lingering by the
shipping box. "I love you" he yelled at it. He got closer, and to his dismay he
saw Zack.
"Ummm… well thanks Jack, I am very fond of you, but I think maybe we should just
stay friends." Zack said as he took the shipping stuff and left. Jacks face
turned bright red; his face was a great big strawberry.
He ran into the house only to find a note.
"Jack I have decided to leave now, I know you don't want to say goodbye, I am
going to meet my mother at the Inn. From there we will be leaving for the docks,
and hopping a ferry to Flower bud. We will be leaving at Six, I do want to see
you one last time, but I understand if you don't want to." Jack looked at his
clock, one of the first things he had bought to upgrade his small shack, if was
five-ten, he had to run, or he would never reach the beach in time.
He sprinted as fast as he could, and as he ran the people of the village began
to fallow him. First it was Ann and Gotz, then Popuri, Rick, And Lilia, then
Doug, Manna, Duke, Carter, by the time he reached the beach all of Mineral town
was fallowing. It was Five-fifty when he reached the beach, with promises of it
becoming six any second.
"Cliff wait!" Jack yelled as he saw Cliff and his mother about to board the
small ship.
"Jack! Thank God, I didn't think I would ever see you again. Cliff replied.
"I'm sorry I ran off but I have to say something." Jack said.
"Could you hurry up" Cliff's mother said a little miffed.
"Cliff you can't leave." Jack said.
"Oh come on Cliff I think we have heard enough" She said as she began to tug on
his arm.
"No, you can't leave me." Jack said as he began to cry.
"Jack…" Cliff said.
"Cliff I…" Jack tried to speak but the words got caught in his throat.
"Say it" Ann whispered
"Cliff I love you" Jack said in a near whisper that no one could hear
"What" Cliff asked not knowing what he had said.
"Cliff I love you" Jack said, "I love you." This time Cliff heard, and he looked
back at Jack a smile on his face.
"Jack…." He said, he ran off the dock and over to Jack, they hugged for what
seamed like hours, but since this was an event no time went by. "Jack I love you
too"
The entire town said a communal "awe" and smiled.
"Cliff…" his mother said as se walked off the dock, "I had no idea, your not a
kid after all are you, maybe you never were as childish as I thought, I know I
haven't been a great mother, but I only wanted what was best for you, I didn't
know you had it. I wish you the best" She said, as she turned around and walked
toward the boat.
"Miss, why don't you stay with us for a few days before you go," Jack said. "I
think Cliff would like that." Jack said.
"Please mom, I do want you to stay for a little while, I want you to know that
I'm okay." He said.
"Oh Cliff I can see that your ok, I think it was me that never was, but I would
love to stay, but not now, I have to go home, Claire will worry." She said.
"Then come back soon, bring Claire, with you, I don't want you to phase out of
Cliff's life again." Jack said. Cliff looked at this man, who he loved, and saw
nothing but concern for him. Cliff wondered how he could not have known he had
loved him. And he did.
Some time later
Jack and Cliff walked up the mountain toward the clearing, when they got there
they saw a big red and white striped blanket, there Ann, Doug, Cliffs mother,
and his sister sat enjoying a picnic lunch.
"You two are late." Ann said.
"Yeah, and you know what happens to people when there late to my picnics." Doug
said. Jack and Cliff looked at each other.
"They miss all the food" Ann said as she laughed.
"No!" Jack and Cliff yelled together.
"But since we know it is a special occasion we let you slide" Doug said as he
opened the basket and handed them some food.
"So" Doug said.
"Happy anniversary!" They all yelled at once.
"Happy anniversary," Jack said
"Happy anniversary," Cliff replied.