The next day…
As Elizabeth drove to her office in downtown Ann Arbor, she smiled. The morning had been great, with the exception of having to be separated from her new husband. They had dawdled in bed a bit longer than perhaps necessary but ignoring her schedule for an extra thirty minutes was totally worth it.
As she pulled into the parking lot, she noticed her Dad's BMW sedan in its spot, like always.
She used her badge to gain entry to the building and then headed to the stairs, walking up four flights to Thatcher and Thatcher. She was greeted by her secretary and then she headed into her office.
Within a moment, William walked in. "Welcome back, Bethie."
"Thanks, Dad," she said, a huge smile on her face.
"Marriage treating you well, I see."
She blushed and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "It's good, yeah."
"I'm glad, sweetheart. Not to drop a lot on your plate right away but we have three appointments this morning, one about thirty minutes from now."
"Alright. I'm on it."
She saw it as a blessing because if she didn't stay busy, she'd be obsessing over how badly she wanted to see Jack.
Her phone buzzed on her desk as she was preparing to check the schedule. She knew who it was. She hit the speaker button. "Hi, babe."
"Hey. When do you take lunch today?"
"I was just checking my schedule. It looks like I can take thirty minutes at one pm."
"I will be there."
"You will? Won't you be in class?"
"No class today. Didn't you see the weather? Big blizzard coming."
"But, it's April."
"Yep and in Michigan things change at the drop of the hat."
"When is it supposed to hit?'
"Around two it looks like."
"Okay."
"Is there any way that you can leave early?"
"I have an appointment at 1:30 so maybe after that. Should finish there by 3:00."
Jack was silent. He knew she had a four wheel drive vehicle and she was more than capable of handling the drive but it made him really nervous.
"I'll be fine, honey. That Tahoe can go through anything."
"Alright. I will try not to worry."
"I will call you when I leave work."
"Okay. I love you, Bee. Please be safe."
"I love you too. I will."
The snow hit a bit earlier than expected, so by the time he came for lunch, it was already coming down heavily. He knocked on her office door.
"Come in."
"Hey. I brought lunch." He closed the door behind him and barely had time to set the bag on the table near the door before she was in his arms, her lips on his.
After a few moments, she stepped back slightly. "I missed you so much," she whispered. "I don't like not being with you."
"I don't like it either."
"Maybe I can take another one of your classes," she teased. "I can be your assistant."
"I can't date a coworker either."
"We wouldn't be dating. We are married, remember?"
"Oh, I am very aware of that little detail."
"You are, huh?" His lips traveled her jaw as his hands slipped down to her rear, making her giggle. "Be good, Jack."
"Good isn't fun, though."
She gave him another kiss and stepped back a bit more in case someone walked in. "What did you bring me?"
"Tuna Salad on a croissant and Sunchips."
"Yum. Thank you."
"And I would like to drive you home."
"Jack, I have an appointment."
Her intercom beeped. "Mrs. Thornton?"
"Yes?"
"Your 1:30 just cancelled. Apparently the roads are terrible."
"Thank you."
Jack smirked. "Now can I drive you home?"
"But we have both vehicles."
"We can leave yours here and take my truck home. I'll bring you back to work after the storm."
"You know I can drive in this."
"I know but i think if we go together, it's safer."
"I appreciate that you want to take care of me, Jack."
"But…"
"No but. I appreciate it. Once I'm done eating this, we can go."
She saw him visibly relax. "I love you, Bee. I just want to know you're safe."
"I know."
Instead of holding her hand like he always did when driving, both of his hands were firmly on the wheel as he struggled to stay in the correct lane and keep moving forward.
"Do your parents have the boys, Jack?"
"Yeah. They got out of school early and the district already called off school for tomorrow too so they are just going to spend the night with them."
"Oooo, the whole house to ourselves. Whatever will we do?"
He smirked, his eyes still fixed on the road. "I can think of a few things."
Those few things included sitting by the fire in nothing but a blanket, sipping wine and making s'mores.
She licked the melted marshmallow off her finger and laughed. "This is fun."
"Agreed."
She held an oozy s'more up to his lips and watched as he took a bite. He watched her watching him, clear desire in her eyes. He smiled and swallowed, anticipating what might happen next and he wasn't disappointed.
A few more weeks went by. They were able to ease into their new routine and springlike weather finally arrived, making it easier for Lee to work on their house.
As May arrived, Jonah and Raylinn spent as much time together as possible.
The night before the fair, they went for a walk. She shoved her hands in her pockets instead of holding onto his. That should have been a clue but he still was taken by surprise.
"We will pick you up at three for the fair, Ray."
"Oh, I can't go."
"What? Why? We planned this, Ray. It's our last chance to be together before you go."
"I have so much to do. Packing for one thing."
"And you can't spare a few hours to be together?"
"I really can't, Joe."
He stopped walking and they crossed their arms, a barrier forming. She kept her eyes down.
"I want a real reason, Ray. Not packing."
"Because I can't be away from you for two years! I'm moving, Joe! I can't do this."
"That makes no sense! What are you saying?"
That night at dinner, they sat out on the deck and ate barbecued ribs and burgers that Bee and Isaac had cooked. They also had baked beans and cornbread.
Jonah walked in the house and headed for his room but Elizabeth was in the kitchen, grabbing a beer for Jack.
"Hey. What's wrong, Jonah?"
"Nothing."
"Honey, look at me." He looked up and she gasped. "What happened? You've been crying."
"Mom, I can't."
"Did you fight with Ray?"
"No. We broke up." He walked up the stairs and shut his door.
She joined Jack and Isaac on the deck. She handed Jack his beer and sighed.
"What's wrong, Bee?"
"Jonah said he and Ray broke up."
"Whoa," Isaac said with a mouthful of cornbread.
"I'm sure they just had a disagreement. They'll be back together before you know it," Jack told her.
"I don't know, Jack. He was pretty upset."
"Yes, but they are sixteen. They have high school and college to get through."
"Sixteen year olds can fall in love, Jack. I don't think disregarding their relationship because of age is very fair." Elizabeth stood up and walked into the yard, throwing a stick for Duke and Paris to bring back.
Jack finished his meal, sending Isaac inside to do the dishes, and walked into the yard to talk to Elizabeth.
"Babe? How did Jonah's relationship troubles become ours?"
She wiped her eyes and shook her head. "Its not him."
"What is it?"
"I'm just hormonal."
"Not pregnant, huh?"
She shook her head and threw the stick again, chuckling when the dogs ran after it.
"What if somehow my accident made it so I can't have babies?"
"The doc told you you're healthy, Bee. It's only been two months since our wedding."
"Feels like forever."
"Patience, my love. We are going to have a baby and for once, the schedule isn't yours to control. Leave it to Him," he said, nodding toward heaven. "It will be perfect when it happens."
Jonah watched his parents in the yard. He wanted that kind of love. He thought he had it with Ray but apparently it was only one-sided.
PRESENT DAY
"How was The Keys?" Jonah asked his parents as he passed the corn on the cob to Ray.
"Just as we remembered," Jack told him.
"That's good."
"Uncle Jonah, did you and Aunt Ray really break up?" Lizzie asked.
Jonah kissed Ray's temple, slipping his arm around her. "We did. I was lost without her."
Raylinn smiled at him and touched his cheek. "I was lost without you too."
Isaac chuckled. "You sure were miserable." Mandie nudged him. "What? He was."
"Did you have fun at the fair?" Lizzie asked. "I love fairs."
"I didn't go," Jonah told her.
"Did you go, Daddy?" she asked Isaac.
"Yes we did. Your Mom and I went together. It was a great night." Mandie blushed and smiled.
"What happened?"
BACK TO THE PAST, THE FAIR
While Jack and Elizabeth were standing in line for elephant ears, Mandie and Isaac went over to the ferris wheel.
As they waited in line, Isaac felt Mandie slip her hand in his. He looked at her and she smiled up at him.
"Is this okay?"
"Yeah," he nodded. It was great actually. An exhilarating feeling came over him when her small, soft hand was touching his. Something he had never felt before.
When they finally were in a seat on the ferris wheel, he moved their hands so their fingers were intertwined. "It's a nice night," he said quietly, looking up at the stars.
"Yeah. I've had a lot of fun. I loved the demolition derby."
"Me too."
He looked at her, sitting close and had the urge to find out what her lips felt like. They looked so soft. His eyes drifted to her lips and then back up to her eyes.
She smiled and tipped her head closer to his. Just as their mouths were about to make contact, the ferris wheel stopped. They were at the top.
"I'm not supposed to date yet," he told her.
"I know."
"So I'm guessing kissing might be something we should wait on too."
"Isaac," she whispered. He turned his head again and looked at her at the same moment their lips met. Soft and sweet yet magical.
He knew right then she was the only one he ever wanted to kiss for the rest of his life.
As the wheel started moving, Mandie put her head on Isaac's shoulder and smiled. "This was a good night."
"Perfect," he told her, squeezing her hand.
PRESENT DAY
"Oooo, Daddy! Did you get in trouble?" Lizzie asked with a giggle.
"No. We never told anyone until now."
"That's it. You're grounded, young man," Elizabeth told him with a wink.
"Pretty sure when you're forty five and married with two kids, you can't be grounded by your mother."
"Maybe not but I'm curious how you kept that a secret."
"I don't know. We just did."
"Did you kiss her again, Daddy?"
"Yeah, there were a few times."
"Before you were sixteen?" Jack chuckled.
"Yeah. Sorry, Dad. Couldn't help it. Once I knew what it was like, I couldn't avoid it."
"Honey," Mandie said, nudging him, her cheeks red.
"Love you, babe."
"Troublemaker."
