Disclaimer: I don't any of these character or Jericho, just borrowing them for a bit
Characters: Jake, Heather, Gail Green and her friend Carol (my character)
Time: Spring after "Why We Fight"
Description: One morning, Gail Green makes an interesting discovery at the Green House
Rating: PG-13
Gail Green had awakened early as she did most days. The sun had yet to rise but the morning was already brightening with the new day. The empty half of her bed was still very hard to face alone. Dressing quickly, she walked down the second floor hallway to head downstairs and stopped. The door to Jake's room was partially open. Curious and trying not to worry, she checked inside and noticed that his bed had not been slept in. She had a rule in this house that all beds were to be made every day and Jake's bed was made. So either Jake was already up and out, or else he had not slept in his bed last night. So where was Jake? He was not a morning person. Maybe an emergency had came up in the middle of the night and he hadn't bothered to wake her. Then something else caught her attention. The clothes he had worn yesterday were strewn across the chair by his bed. His shoes lay on the floor by the chair as if kicked off in a hurry.
The mystery only deepened when she continued down the hall and saw that Heather's door, which led to Eric's old room, was still shut. The girl had been staying with them since she returned from New Bern only to discover that her apartment had been damaged by the mortar attacks. Heather was usually up at the crack of dawn as well, typically joining her for an early breakfast before heading out to work. Listening closely, it was quiet beyond the closed door, leaving her to suspect that the girl was still sleeping. Gail had been enjoying the young woman's company since she moved in, finding her intelligent and charming, and better yet, Heather had most definitely captured Jake's attention. As a mother who knew her eldest son well, she had noticed a difference in Jake since Heather was staying with them. He acted more responsibly , and with patience and consideration before jumping into things, quite a difference from his past. Both Heather and Jake had been playing a game of Monopoly when she went to bed last night, saying they were about to head to bed soon as well. That had been after they spent most of dinner trying to not look like they were staring at each other across the table. The chemistry between the two was hard to miss, even though the two of them had yet to do anything about it. Or had they?
Gail answered her own question when she descended the stairs and found both their coats still on the rack by the door. Their current spring days were still chilly, but not warm enough yet to go without coats.
It was about time, she told herself, a big smile on her face. A tiny thrill went through her. Her boy was finally settling down.
When Jake walked into the kitchen late that morning, he found his mom and her best friend, Carol Hughes, drinking tea at the small kitchen table his mom pulled out occasionally when she was working in the kitchen.
"Well good morning, sleepy-head." Gail said to her son affectionately.
"Sorry, I'll head out to the ranch and take care of the horses." Jake told her, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and filling it with water from the sink. He turned around, quickly downing most of the water in the glass as he leaned back against the counter. He had forgotten how thirsty it made him, not to mention a little bit sore. Maybe he was just getting old.
"Already done," Gail informed him. "Carol went with me."
They had gone there and back already. It was late in the morning. Jake looked between his mom and her friend and noticed that they were both watching him intently with big smiles on their faces.
"Late night, Jake?" Carol asked him, barely containing the mirth in her voice.
"More like a busy night," Gail chimed in. His mom looked like the cat that had swallowed the canary.
"Mom!" Jake realized, belatedly, that they knew. Embarrassed, he sighed heavily and turned back to the sink to refill his glass.
"Late night for Heather too?" His mother asked innocently. He nearly dropped his glass. She was not making this easy.
"We were up late… talking last night." He tried to keep his voice neutral as he leaned back against the sink again, drinking more water and trying to think about how he could talk his way out of this one.
"Uh huh." Gail gave him that all-knowing Mom look while taking a drink of her tea. He could never get anything passed her.
"Mornin!" he heard Heather's cheerful voice as she entered the room. "Hi, Mrs. Hughes."
"Hi, Heather. Morning, Heather." Gail and Carol said, almost together.
"We were just having tea, would you like some?" His mother put a hand on the handle of the tea pot.
Jake watched Heather walk toward him, her eyes meeting his in a private look that spoke volumes. He remembered the softness of her skin, the sweetness of her lips, the soft moans she made in her throat...
"Sure."
Worried that she was going to do or say something that would definitely give away the fact that they had made passionate love last night, Jake cleared this throat and tried to make it look like he wasn't paying Heather any more attention than he did in the past.
Heather stepped up near him and pulled a coffee mug out of the same cupboard where he had just gotten his glass. He felt her warm softness as she purposely brushed up against him. She gave him a slight smile as he met her eyes again. Her eyes were dark with unspoken desire that made his pulse begin to race. Glancing at the kitchen table, he saw that the brief exchange had not gone unnoticed, confirmed by his mom kicking Carol under the table when her friend started to say something. Heather moved away from him, handing her mug to Gail.
"I can make you both some breakfast," Gail offered, her amusement evident in her voice as she poured tea into the mug and dropped some honey in it. His mother still wore a smug expression on her face. She handed the mug back to Heather, who smiled graciously. Heather, apparently oblivious, didn't appear to notice that the two older women were watching her curiously. He would tell her later, not wanting her reaction to confirm their suspicions.
Heather sipped her tea quietly, looking over the rim of the cup at him and raising her eyebrows questioningly. Jake shrugged in response and gave her a lazy smile before answering his mother.
"No, we're good. I have an eleven o'clock meeting with Gray." Jake answered his mom. He wanted to grab Heather and get out of the house immediately, but tried to remain calm. He finished his water and left his glass in the sink.
"And I'm already running late for the plant." Heather replied and Jake knew they were done for. Heather was almost never late. They needed to go. Now.
"Well, at least take some soup with you." Gail stood up and pulled a thermos from the cupboard, filling it with some of the soup that was simmering in a pot on the stove. "It won't taste like much now, but at least it will be hot." She put the lid on the thermos, closing it tightly.
Jake grabbed the thermos in one hand and Heather's unfinished tea out of her hands with the other, setting it down on the kitchen counter.
"Thanks, Mom." He kissed his mother softly on the cheek. "Have a good day today. You too, Mrs. Hughes."
Taking a surprised Heather by the hand, he made a hasty exit out of the kitchen to the front door where he helped Heather put on her coat then donned his own. The sound of laughter echoed from the kitchen. Jake slammed the front door behind them on their way out.
"Um, did I just miss something?" Heather asked, looking up at him with a confused expression on her face. God, he loved her innocence.
"No, nothing at all." Jake chuckled, then kissed her softly on the lips, reminding him of the many kisses they had shared last night. She smiled brightly at him, a look that made his heart do somersaults.
Hand in hand, they walked down the street together as Heather adorably chattered away about work.
Jake sighed. Knowing Carol, the news would be all over Jericho by the end of the day. But, smiling to himself, Jake realized he didn't care who knew. Heather was his at last and he wanted everyone to know it.
-- end --