After the War (Emotions)
Chapter One: Hope
Friday evening in spring was one of Heather's favorite times. She swung her purse as she walked home, nodding to the people that she passed.
"Heather! Heather, wait up!" Someone cried behind her.
She stopped and scanned her surroundings, looking for the person shouting her name. Finally, she saw him jogging across the square. She shook her head at the sight of Jake Green stopping traffic to jaywalk across Main Street. Four years after accepting the position of sheriff, he still refused to wear a uniform, dressing instead in jeans and a long sleeved fleece shirt with his badge clipped to his belt.
As he skidded to a halt beside her, she smiled and noticed that he wasn't even out of breath.
"Sheriff," she said in the way of greeting.
Jake smiled and offered her his arm, "Miss Lisinski, would you care for a police escort home?"
"Certainly," Heather replied. As she took his arm, she whispered, "I hear that Jake Green is on the loose again."
"Well, you definitely need someone to protect your virtue from that bad boy," he replied grinning at her.
They walked for several minutes in companionable silence before Jake said, "Em's wedding is this Sunday. Aren't you in the wedding party?"
"Yes," Heather answered. "I'm a bridesmaid. I get to wear pink taffeta."
"Sounds pink," Jake hesitated, "…and crinkly."
Heather laughed and nodded. "Definitely pink and crinkly. So are you going? I mean you and Emily seem like you're okay."
"We are," Jake nodded. "We should have never gotten back together but we're okay now. It's good to be friends again."
"I'm really glad, Jake," Heather said. "You and Emily both deserve to be happy."
Jake looked over at Heather as they walked and thought silently, 'So do you, Heather, so do you.'
They finished the rest of the walk to Heather's house in silence. When they reached the house, Jake smiled at the scrawny marigolds lining the walkway leading up to Heather's front porch. In a few months, with Heather's love and care, they would be bushy and covered with orange, red and yellow blooms. They stopped as they reached Heather's porch steps and turned to face each other.
Heather smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you for walking me home."
"So, how about coffee?" Jake asked.
"Oh, Jake, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. Would you like to come in for some coffee?" Heather exclaimed anxiously.
"No, Heather, that's not what I meant," Jake replied, immediately trying to put her at ease. "I meant we should go for coffee sometime."
With her head titled to one side, Heather studied Jake in confusion. When she finally realized what he was asking, her countenance changed. She sighed and her shoulders slumped as a sad expression settled on her face.
"Jake, I'm sorry," Heather said, her brow furrowed slightly as she tried to explain, "It's just…it's just too soon…"
Jake placed a finger on her lips to silence her. Licking his lips, he stepped closer to Heather and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Heather, it's been two years…"
"Jake…"
"Two years, Heather. Two years, one month and three days."
With tears running down her face, Heather swallowed, looked at her watch and then added, "Seventeen hours and five minutes."
Jake closed his eyes at the despair he saw on Heather's face. Then, he closed the distance between them so that their bodies were almost touching. Gently, he reached over and cupped her beloved face in both of his hands.
"Heather, he wouldn't have wanted you to be alone. He would have wanted you to happy."
Heather sniffed and nodded, "I know that but you don't understand how it feels to bury someone you thought you'd spend the rest of your life with."
"Maybe I don't," Jake said out loud even as he thought, 'Damn it! I do know what it feels like! I've watched you bury yourself for the last two years!'
Jake's thumbs brushed away the tears still rolling down Heather's face and pleaded softly, "Have coffee with me."
Gazing searchingly into Jake's eyes, Heather nodded slowly, reluctantly, "Coffee."
At her words, a smile broke over Jake's face. For the first time in two years, Jake had hope.