CHAPTER THRITY-SIX: "On the Edge of Forever"
The end of Spring came on a rainy day that Jack spent in the fields, getting his last Spring harvest in for the selling. He was going to regret this, he knew, working in the rain like this, but what choice did he have? The crops would wither in the Summer heat and he couldn't lose this crop, it was going to help the townsfolk again.
Jack worked numbly, with a sickened ache in his gut. He loved his farming, but his heart just wasn't in it these past few weeks. He stayed in the fields, looking up often to see if he could catch a flash of that lovely pink hair, her beautiful smile. How had it come to this? Why was this happening? Was this punishment for his inability to go to Popuri in time? He couldn't bear the thought of being away from her anymore, but he had no choice.
He supposed it should have been his just rewards. He had let Ace rule him for so long, he didn't know how to shut him out when he didn't need him anymore. Now things were looking up...only to go right back down and Jack was left with himself and himself only.
He pushed the last crate of turnips into the cooler and closed it, leaving the produce for Zack to come get. Jack ran inside and proceeded to take the longest hot shower in his recent memory, all the while day-dreaming of Popuri scooting around in her red and black dress and smiling at him all the while. He smiled back at the phantom Popuri and she blushed. She was so easy to make blush. Jack liked it. It was kind of like a buzzer that went off when he knew he was doing something right.
The weeks had passed slowly again and without much to speak of. Day in, day out, farm and water, crop and grow, say hi to those he passed. But his mood was sullen, held down by the event with Popuri.
He had spoken to Rick, but there wasn't anything he could do. "I tried talking to her, but she won't listen to reason. She was really hurt by you, Jack. I think that by the time you came back, she had already made up her mind to get over you. You coming back like that was probably a surprise she wasn't prepared for."
Jack had to come to terms with that. Popuri had, in his absence, been trying to mend her heart after the damage Jack had done. Jack wished he had someone to blame, someone to aim the finger at, but he could only blame himself. There wasn't anyone left to blame. No girl had told her to get over him, she had done it on her own. She was right. She wasn't a girl anymore. Jack knew he was stupid to even assume he could have toyed with her for that long and not been burned.
Now he was all on his own. He was sure word had spread, because people were giving him looks of sympathy, sadness, patting him on the shoulder as if to say 'Cheer up, you'll be alright'. But it wasn't alright. Everything he saw reminded him of Popuri and he couldn't stand it. The very thought of her made him want to cry. Every time he looked at the dinner table, he could see the phantom Popuri waiting in her dress, ready for dinner and a dance. When he walked in the fields, he could see the phantom Popuri at the corner of his eye, watching him and smiling. When he went to bed...well, he didn't even allow himself to comfort of pretending with her like he did with Karen. He would snuggle next to the red pillow she had given him and imagine he was holding her in his sleep.
The following day came: the first day of Summer. Jack headed down to the Inn to have a good breakfast and, hopefully, some good company.
Just because the girl he loved wasn't loving him back didn't mean Jack was spending all his time moping. There was still a lot to do for the community. The homes were all finished with the exterior construction, but the interior was being working on. Painting and carpeting was just about the only thing left and most of the families chose to do it on their own. Furnishing was another issue, but Jack merely handed them some catalogs and said "Order whatever you want."
So furniture came in each ferry, every week. The town was shaping back up. The uprooted trees had been taken away, the homes rebuilt. Jack, of course, wanted everyone to live comfortably. So with his checkbook out, he made sure everyone was not paying anything more than they had to. He paid off Jeff's mortgage, causing the little man to faint. He bought brand new everything for the Clinic, making the Doctor a happy person now that he had better equipment to help nurse the town with. He rebuilt the Church and it towered a great three stories with a nice big stained glass window at the top where the bell was. The new bell was so loud, it could be heard at the top of Mother's Hill.
Mary's new Library was stacked to the ceiling with books, with more arriving each week. Mary relished in the job and took great pride in it. Now, as the new books rolled in, people began going to the Library more and more. Jack even saw Duke in there, looking at a book about wines and vineyards and Duke was rumored to be allergic to books.
Jack had re-earned the trust and love of the townsfolk. It had taken a lot of money, but money was something he had in abundance. What was he going to do with so much cash while he lived on a farm?
He splurged a little bit and brought Cliff over to see Jack's gift to himself. Cliff gaped when he saw the Xbox 360 and PS3 sitting neatly under the big tv in Jack's living room. "No way!"
"Way." Jack said. "All the Call of Duty and Gears of War we can handle." So nights sometimes had Jack and Cliff, playing until the wee hours of the morning while Ann would occasionally watch, or occasionally have her tiny hiney handed to her on a silver platter if she tried to play. She dismissed the electronic forms of entertainment as 'Kiddie crap'
But all the while, Jack wished Popuri was with him. He could only wish and wait.
XxXxXxX
He reached the Inn and went inside, smiling as he found the Doctor and Elli inside, sharing some breakfast. Yes, those two had been growing closer. Spring's whole 'Love in the air' attitude had caught onto them perfectly. He sat down and Cliff came out of the kitchen wearing an apron. He approached Jack and asked, "So, what'll it be?"
"Something that isn't a dress for you to wear." Jack said. "I'll take some grits, eggs, and bacon, and those eggs better be cooked. Oh, God help you if I find runny eggs, Cliff."
Cliff rolled his eyes. "My heart bleeds." He was about to turn to go cook the food when the sudden sound of singing caught their ears. A horrible male tone that couldn't hold pitch or sing in key, but sang nonetheless. They watched the door, the singing growing louder and louder until the door kicked in and Kai stood at the entrance, his hands out wide, his voice bellowing, "LOOOOOOK WHOOOO'S HEEEEEEERE!"
"KAI!" Jack and Cliff cried at the same time. They jumped out of their seats and approached the young man enthusiastically. A round of hugs and backslaps later, Kai had joined Jack at the table while Cliff went to fix a complimentary breakfast for Kai.
"Amigo!" Kai said, sitting next to Jack and grinned like a fool, "Been lookin' forward to seein' you again. Things been crazy since last Summer, ya know?"
"Oh yeah?" Jack asked. "Like what?"
"Like your boss's business goin' down and hard." Kai said matter-of-factly. "Business went bad, nobody was watching, they shut the whole company down."
Jack whistled. "No kidding? St. Claire went belly-up? What about the guys in AWF?"
Kai shrugged, "I seen some on tour. They doin' what they always did and jump into the ring. Some of em' took it kinda bad, I heard. You know that girl you were with in Paris, Mira? Well, after thanksgiving last year, she just vanished. Gone. Adios. No one's heard from her. They said she pulled a Valentine."
Jack grinned, "So I started something did I? I hope too many guys weren't too unhappy."
"Well, I know one was, at least." Kai said. "You're little friend, Butch the Cleaver? I saw him and he wasn't too happy at all. Guy seemed a little down because he was the last AWF champ before it closed house."
"But he was the champ ever since I left." Jack said. "He should be proud to be champ for so long, to defend it so well for so long."
"Bah." Kai waved his hand, "He was a paper champ and you know it. He was good, but he wasn't Ace Valentine. That's what mattered to folks. No one could take it away from him because the guys that St. Claire lined up against him were no good. Me?" Kai crossed his legs cockily and jabbed his thumb at his chest, "I'd have taken that little bauble from him right quick. You know I could, Jack."
Jack nodded, "I know you could."
"So...what's up with you these days, Amigo?"
Jack sighed and shook his head, "Where do I start?"
XxXxXxX
Jack spread the tale long through the day and into the night. Kai listened like the friend he was and that was something Jack was eternally grateful for. He didn't laugh or act sickened by him, but sat and listened without question. At the end of the day, he and Jack had made their way back to his house and were sitting in his living room when Jack finished with the events of his encounter with Popuri.
"So here I am: stuck by myself, unable to convince the woman I love to give her a second chance."
Kai leaned back in his chair, "Amigo, with all due respect, you sort of got what you deserve."
Jack felt what was the remnants of Ace swell up and want to hit Kai, but Jack tied the feeling down. Kai was right, he had gotten what he deserved. He had toyed with his emotions and the emotions of others and paid for it with their trust. What trust he had earned came from everyone else but the one person he wanted it from the most.
"Yeah...you're right, Kai." Jack hung his head. They changed the subject and as the sun's glow began to fade, he and Kai walked down the length of Jack's field, admiring his work on the fields, his animals. Jack took it all in, but what seemed like so much before felt like too little now. When they got near the end of the field, they looked out over its length and caught a glimpse of Popuri out near her edge of the creek. She looked at both of them and then turned around to leave.
"She's so beautiful." Jack said, "I don't know why I didn't see it beforehand."
"You ain't tellin' me nothing', Jack." Kai said, pointing to his eyes, "These eyes were only for her...before you came along."
Jack looked to Kai in question. "What do you mean?"
Kai stuffed his hands into his pockets, rocking on his feet. "'Fore you come along, Amigo...Popuri was my girl. I don't mean that literally, I mean I'd been tryin' to work on courtin' her for years, but things just didn't seem to work out that way."
"How so?"
Kai shrugged, looking up at the first stars peeking out under the Summer sky. "Well, I mean first thing that stood between us was my travelin'. I love to travel, Jack. I can't stand bein' in one place too long, but Flowerbud is as close to settlin' as I come by. Second is her brother, Rick. The guy hates me." He paused for a minute, "I'm not being cute, I mean it: Rick hates my guts, man. He'd just as soon hit me as slap the taste outta my mouth, ya know? But I figure I keep sweet-talkin' her, some roses here and there, and she comes with me on a tour or two. Romance in faraway lands and all that stuff. Girls love it. But every time I mentioned it to Popuri, she just kind of tuned me out."
"I guess there's nothing for me here now." Jack said, looking into the sky wistfully. He smiled softly, "But there's still more I could do. I don't have to wrestle anymore, I've made more than enough money to last me the rest of my life. But I could do something for the business, you know? Give back a little. Start my own federation and run it the right way. I'd put you in the first title defense." Kai smiled as Jack nudged him.
"That'd be something worth working towards." Kai said, "Are you sure you wouldn't just put the title on you?"
Jack shook his head, "No, I've had my moment in the spotlight. I figure, maybe for once, I'll give back to the business that made me. Help make some new faces and bring everyone back. St. Claire shut down because of his own idiocy. I figure I can do it right."
Kai nodded. "What about Popuri?"
XxXxXxX
A few days passed. Popuri sat in her room, lonely, sullen, taking her medication just liked the doctors wanted of her. But something was missing. She felt horrible, empty inside. How could she possibly have done that to Jack?
Because she didn't want to be hurt again, that's why. Because she'd had more than enough of being hurt in the past year to last her a lifetime. Because she didn't want so much heartache. She rolled over on her bed and sighed, staring at the ceiling.
Still, was that over, wasn't it? No matter how much her head told her that it was supposed to be over now that Ace was gone. That meant Jack, the man who loved her, the one who had always loved her, was the only left. Wasn't he? Did Jack love her? Or was it Ace? Had she, on accident, killed the man who had loved her?
No, that couldn't be. Only Jack had ever shown her affection. He was right about Ace being the one that had tried to take advantage of her. Jack had only ever given her the all the kindness of his heart. Now she was driving him away, all the while trying to convince herself that she couldn't mend the harm that was done by Ace. Wasn't that was what love was about? Hadn't Cliff forgiven Ann, even after she had slept with Jack? Did that mean she should hold Ace's sins against Jack?
She sat up right in her bed. "No." She told herself. No, it didn't.
Popuri slapped her self. "Get a hold of yourself." She said, "What he did hurt you. Are you going to reward him for hurting you? Is that it?" She held her hand to her head. She felt a headache coming, a tiny voice at the back of her mind telling her what she was saying from her mouth. She felt...divided.
She shook her head. What was going on?
Suddenly, she heard the door downstairs slam shut. Footsteps pounded the floor coming towards her door. Before she had a chance to see who it was, the door was thrown ajar and Ann exploded into her room. "Popuri!"
"Ann, is something wrong?" Popuri asked.
Ann grabbed Popuri by the cuff of her dress and shook her, "I just ran all the way from the Inn and dashed into your room screaming your name...OF COURSE SOMETHING'S WRONG!"
"What is it?" Popuri asked, suddenly worried at Ann's sudden tone and appearance. Something had her worried and badly.
Ann sighed, trying to catch her breath. "I just saw Jack passing the Inn with some bags in his hands. I asked Kai if he knew anything about it and he said Jack was leaving town once and for all! Said he couldn't live here knowing that you didn't love him!"
"I-I-I-I told him I didn't want to be hurt anymore!" Popuri said, her heart sinking into the vicinity of her right boot.
"Well, I'd say you'll be hurt now!" Ann said. "You'd better try and catch Jack. The ferry leaves any minute now! You'd better—OOF!" Ann suddenly found herself sprawled onto the ground as Popuri bowled over her in the fastest rush Ann had ever seen. Before she could even pick herself up off the floor, Popuri was running through the door.
She hurried as fast as her feet could carry her, picking her dress up so she could go even faster, her heart thudding painfully as she imagined that Jack was leaving because of her. Instead of giving him the chance to make up for the mistakes and forge their relationship anew, she had cast him aside and he was leaving forever because of it.
The docks seemed forever away. She heard her own bare feet slapping against the pavement, her breath coming in sharp gasps, a painful stitch in her sides as she dashed into the beach, her feet catching the sand and causing her to trip at least twice. She made it to the docks, so terribly frantic that she only knew that the boat was, in fact, still there at the docks. When she reached the dock, she caught her breath and looked up to suddenly realize that the ferry was pulling away from the dock.
She gasped and dashed down the dock as fast as she could. She could see Jack leaning on the railing of the ferry and when he spotted her, he rushed towards the back of the boat and cried out, "Popuri?"
"Jack! Don't leave me!" She cried, running after him, "I love you!" She reached her hand out and Jack leaned over the railing with his hand. Her fingers stretched, brushing his, grasping desperately.
Suddenly, Jack drew his hand back. Popuri was still reaching when she had to stop as she reached the end of the dock and skidded to a stop. Horrified, she stared towards Jack. The young man looked to Popuri with a profound sadness in his eyes and raised his hand in wave. She saw him mouth the words, "I love you." And the ferry pulled out across Flowerbud river.
Popuri's panic rose. "JACK!" She screamed, "JACK! DON'T LEAVE ME! I LOVE YOU, JACK! I LOVE YOU!" But it was too late. Jack was gone.
And once again, Popuri was all alone.
She sank to her knees and once again she cried. She cried harder than she ever had before, burying her face, her chest heaving in great sobs. She fell onto her side, curled into a fetal position. She lost track of all time and all feeling until the next thing she knew was Ann kneeled next to her, scooping her up in her arms and hugging her tightly. Popuri took hold her friend and cried into her shoulder hard. Ann whispered to her, gently trying to speak comfort to her friend, but her words were no use to Popuri. The girl was lost in her grief.
And Jack was gone.