Jacob seemed hesitant to let Leah go, and she looked up at him with some concern. "Honey? What's going on here?"
"Can you take the rest of the day, Lee? I need you."
Now she was worried. She withdrew her phone from her pocket and dialed the library. "Kristina? It's Leah. Look - I need to take the afternoon off. Can you manage?"
She could hear the smile in Kristina's voice. "Does this have anything to do with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome - the guy who just walked you out?"
"Sort of." Leah laughed. "But not what you think. He's my husband, and we have something to take care of."
"Lucky girl. Don't worry about it, Leah. You're part time, so you only get paid when you're here. Don't sound so guilty! I don't ever remember you calling in sick as long as I've been here. I'll see you next week."
On the other side of the reservation, Sarah Black was taking a steaming apple pie out of the oven. "Damn it, Billy, you have to let it cool!" She smacked his hand affectionately and sighed. "I swear, if you didn't have that wolfy metabolism you'd weigh three hundred pounds!"
He chuckled and withdrew his hand. "I can't help it that you're such a good cook, Sal."
Sarah harumphed. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Billy Black. I've been trying to get you to eat healthy for more than thirty years!"
He raised an eyebrow. "By making the best apple pie in the entire Pacific Northwest - maybe the world?"
"I give up." Sarah grinned at him. "You could charm the diamonds off a rattlesnake." She hung the potholders on the hook by the stove and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You know the only reason I stick around here is because you're such a good kisser, right?"
He laughed, his eyes crinkling merrily as his hands encircled her waist. "Now who's full of blarney?" He bent to touch his lips to hers, and she surprised him by opening her mouth to his kiss. Her tongue touched his, hesitantly, before she murmured against his lips, "I love you, you old coot. How about if we snuggle in and watch an old movie?"
He took her hand and led the way to the living room and chose a sappy old movie from the cabinet, then slid it into the player. He handed her the remote and settled in next to her, his arm around her shoulders. She pushed "play" and, ignoring the movie, turned to kiss him softly.
"Really, Sal? It's a Wonderful Life? Don't we know that one by heart?" He grinned and took her face in his hands, kissing her again. "What was that?" They listened quietly and both heard a timid knock at the door. Billy hurried through the kitchen and opened the back door.
"Paulie! Is everything okay?"
The boy nodded. "There's nobody at my house, Grandpa, and Mom said to come here if that ever happened. Maybe she went to work with Dad. I just got home from football practice, so…" he smiled. "Here I am."
Billy swung the door wide, and Sarah appeared in the doorway. "Are you hungry, honey? I'm guessing it's about snack time." She looked at Billy and shrugged. "I think this pie is probably cool enough by now, and your grandfather has been drooling over it since it came out of the oven." Paul giggled and went to the sink to wash his hands.
Jacob wouldn't talk on the short ride home. Leah noticed how tightly his hands gripped the steering wheel, but she knew him too well to push for answers. When he was ready, he would tell her what was bothering him.
As soon as the door closed behind them, he wrapped his arms around her and crushed his lips to hers. When he came up for air, he breathed, "I really do need you. Now." His fingers were already working on the buttons of her blouse. They undressed each other quickly, but the bedroom was simply too far away. Their naked bodies landed on the plush carpeting, hands and mouths searching, need building to a crescendo. It didn't take long. As they climaxed together, Leah's hoarse cry was strangled as she watched a single tear drip slowly from the corner of Jacob's eye, across his cheek, and onto her upturned face.
He rolled onto his side, his arms holding her body close to his as his face pressed into her hair. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply of her scent. She could hear their twin heartbeats, first pounding, then gradually slowing to a normal cadence. She waited for him to speak, real fear now clutching at her.
"It's Rachel," he said without preamble. "She's...sick." A sob tore through him, but his jaw tightened. He was determined to get it out, to share even this impossible pain with his soul mate. "Lung cancer. It's bad, Lee."
"But how...I mean, I just saw Paul at the library." Leah frowned, praying that this was some kind of terrible mistake, but Jake was shaking his head.
"She hasn't told him yet. She just doesn't know how. She's been going for tests while he was at work. She didn't want to worry anyone unless it was necessary." His laugh was a short, humorless bark. "Isn't that just like my sister?"
Leah was ready to spring into action. "Okay. First of all, what can we do to help? The kids - they go to the same school as ours, so I can take them. Bring them home. I'll take a leave from the library while she gets treatments so they won't have to stay with anyone else. I'll cook extra meals - and your mom will too. Oh god. Your mom." She deflated visibly, then shook herself and continued.
"My mom will help too. Anything she can do. We'll get her through this, Jake. All of us." She didn't realize she was clinging to him.
"You're my rock, Leah." He kissed her face. "My sanity." Kissed down her neck, nipping at her shoulder. They continued to comfort each other in the only way they knew.