The next afternoon after Jack had dropped Maddie off at her friend, Anna's, house he headed for the coffee shop. 'Keep your cool,' he thought to himself as he pulled into the parking lot. It had taken him 3 years to get over Kate and even now he wasn't sure that was true. She had been everything to him and then she had gone. In his heart he knew that he didn't have a chance because he was seeing her. By agreeing to see her he, in a sense, he had already agreed to forgive her.
As he walked into the coffee shop he glanced around. Then…his eyes fell on that long curly brown hair. She turned to look at him and he felt his pulse quicken. A huge smile spread across her face as she came forward to hug him. He tried to hold himself back as much as possible, but he was very glad to see her.
"How are you?" asked Kate after they had ordered and settled down at the table.
"I'm good." Said Jack in a guarded tone. "I was made chief of surgery a couple of years ago. I thought it was going to be too large of time commitment, but I've really made it work."
"That's great Jack," said Kate, giving him a huge smile. "I always knew that you would be the best."
"What about you?" asked Jack skeptically. "What have you been up to all these years?"
"I got my name cleared," said Kate slowly. "My mom finally testified that Wayne had been hitting her and she wouldn't testify against me. All charges were dropped. Then I traveled around for awhile."
"What made you stop?" asked Jack.
"I realized what I gave up," said Kate with a sad, distant look in her eyes. "I realized that I what I wanted more than anything was a family. I wanted to see our baby and see you."
Jack sighed heavily and rubbed his hands over his face. "It isn't that simple, Kate….I have to be so careful with Maddie."
"I'm sure you've dated, Jack," said Kate.
"But she never meets those women," said Jack firmly. "I always told myself that Maddie would never meet a woman and less she was there to stay. I never wanted her to get attached and then have that person leave her."
Those words hit Kate like a slap in the face.
"I'm sorry I hurt you Jack," said Kate has she reached out and touched his hand on the table. "I'm sorry I hurt our baby….I was young and confused…I've grown up so much since I've been gone. Please let me show you that. I promise I will do anything to prove myself to you."
There was a long silence. Kate thought for sure that Jack was going to get up and leave.
"I want to see you some more…before I let you see Maddie," said Jack slowly. "I need to make sure that you aren't going to run again."
A couple of tears escaped out of Kate's eyes.
"Thank you," she said softly. "That means more to me then you know.
Over the next month Jack and Kate saw each other a dozen times. Usually it was for coffee or dinner. They settled into the relationship that was so natural to them that it was as if Kate had never left. It was so easy for Jack to remember why he loved her so much. He had always known that his daughter resembled Kate and had some of her mannerisms, but he never realized that they were practically the same person.
"What are you staring at?" asked Kate one afternoon after they had been seeing each other for about a month.
"I was just thinking you and Maddie do the same pouty thing with your mouths when you're thinking about something," said Jack.
Kate smiled, but then frowned slightly.
"When can I see her, Jack?" she asked tentatively. "I've held down a job and I obviously haven't gone anywhere.
Jack ran a hand through his hair before he answered. "I don't, Kate….I'm still nervous…"
"What more can I do, Jack?" asked Kate exasperatedly. "I want to see our child."
"Give me more time," said Jack desperately.
Jack's mom, Leslie, always takes Maddie when Jack goes to visit Kate. This time Maddie was spending the night with her Nana. Leslie had just gone in to check that Maddie was asleep when she heard the phone ring. She smiled to herself, knowing that it was Jack. He always called to make sure that Maddie had gotten to sleep all right. Leslie was so proud of the father that her son had turned out to be.
"Hello," answered Leslie as she picked up the phone.
"Hey mom," said Jack as he settled down in his armchair. "Maddie get to sleep okay?"
"She was sleeping like a baby when I went in to check," said Leslie.
"Good," said Jack.
"How was your night?" asked Leslie pointedly.
"It was fine," said Jack.
"Uh oh," said Leslie. "Let's have it. What happened?"
"Kate wants to see Maddie and she starting to push me," said Jack. "I just don't know if I'm ready."
Leslie didn't notice the small, pajama clad figure standing in the hallway behind her.
"Well she is Maddie's mother," said Leslie. "Maybe she has a right to see her. She has proven that she can be trusted."
Maddie turned around and hurried back to her room.
'My mom??' she thought to herself. 'Daddy always said that mommy had to go away and that she wasn't coming back….' She settled herself in bed and tried to go back to sleep.
"I know she has, mom," said Jack.
"I think you need to prepare yourself for the fact that she is probably here to stay," said Leslie. "You need to decide how you're going to tell Maddie that her mother is here and that she is going to be a part of your lives."
This one felt nice and long!! I hope you guys enjoy!! Thanks so much for all of the comments!