August 20, 2017, 8:23 PM

"So, how did you two meet?"

Jack and Beth had prepared for this question, but somehow when Emily finally asked all of Jack's answers disappeared. He glanced at Beth, hoping he didn't look as panicked as he felt.

"Jack's brother introduced us," Beth answered her without missing a beat. "Will had a hard time getting away from campus, so I used to make house calls... so to speak."

They were halfway through their dinner and Jack had to admit that, even as nervous as she was, Beth was doing admirably. Better than him for sure. He couldn't put his finger on what had spooked him, seeing as how he had never even met Emily, but he was relieved that Beth was picking up the slack.

"So, when I said I was hoping to run into you at the park today, it wasn't just to catch up," Liam finally admitted, glancing briefly at Emily. "Emily and I are, well, uh..."

"We're engaged," Emily finished for him.

"Oh," Beth replied in surprise. Jack wasn't sure if she was actually surprised, or had simply forgotten that they weren't married yet in this timeline.

"Congratulations," Jack added as sincerely as he could.

"Thanks," Liam smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I could have just sent you an invitation, Beth, but after everything we've been through together I wanted to invite you personally."

Now Beth seemed at a loss for words. She had told him before they left that she hadn't been able to go to his wedding last time. Now she seemed like she might be getting emotional, which was definitely something she wouldn't want any of them to see.

"When is it?" Jack asked when Beth didn't respond.

"October 9th."

You have got to be fucking kidding me. Jack blinked twice. "Did you say... October 9th?"

"I know it's short notice, but we didn't want to wait," Liam explained. "If you can't make it, I'll totally understand."

"No, it's fine," Beth assured him, taking a deep breath and forcing a smile. "We'll be there."

"Awesome," Liam said with a grin. "There is, uh, one other thing."

What more could this guy possibly throw at us?

"What is it?" Beth asked curiously as Liam glanced briefly at Emily.

"I, uh... want you to be my best man." Beth gaped at him. "Er, best woman... I guess?"

Jack held back his amusement at Liam's gender fumbling, knowing that Beth wouldn't find it nearly as entertaining. He placed a hand on her leg under the table, hoping his touch would help calm her down. It didn't seem to be working.

"I, um... uhhh, I can't... I can't do speeches," she finally managed to stammer.

Liam looked at her in confusion. "What?"

Even Emily sighed. "The best man usually does the toast at the reception," she explained.

"Oh," Liam replied, chuckling bashfully. "I mean, you don't have to give a speech if you don't want. I can get one of my brothers to do that."

"You really want me to do this instead of one of your friends, or one of your brothers?" Beth asked, crossing her arms tightly and trying not to look the way Jack knew she felt.

Liam frowned. "You are my friend, Beth."

"I-" Beth exhaled sharply. "Right, yeah."

"Hey, if you're not comfortable I won't take it personally."

"No, it's just, um..." Beth took a deep breath. "I'd be honored."

Liam beamed at her, and Beth smiled weakly in response. Jack was proud of her, but she was clearly still uncomfortable with the whole thing. With another smile, she politely excused herself from the table. Several minutes passed before anyone spoke.

"Do you think she's alright?" Emily finally asked. "Maybe I should check on her."

That'll go over well, Jack thought to himself. But before he could say anything, Emily too had excused herself, leaving only Jack and Liam at the table.

"How did you say you two met?" Liam asked after a moment of silence. The look on his face suggested he didn't believe Beth's story, and Jack realized that despite his more amiable demeanor, Liam Burke was very much still the exact same man he had always been.

"Through my brother," Jack repeated.

Liam stared at him a moment, then took a long sip from his glass. "Is Beth okay?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," Jack returned with a shrug.

"No, I mean in general," Liam clarified with a serious look on his face. "She disappears for months, and then she just shows back up with you, and she seems... different."

Alright, so Liam wasn't completely oblivious. Jack took a long drink from his own glass as he considered carefully how to respond. "It's not my place to talk about it, and I wouldn't ask her if I were you because she won't want to, but Beth went through... some stuff. We're getting through it, but it's made her a little jumpy."

Liam continued to stare at him for a moment, but then simply nodded. "I get it."

"She'll be alright," Jack assured him with a smile.

"Thanks for taking care of her," Liam responded with a solemn smile. "She's a good a person and she deserves it."

"Don't tell her that," Jack warned with a mischievous grin. "She might blush."

Liam chuckled. "Now there's something I'd never expect to see."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack could see Beth and Emily walking back toward the table together. He wondered if the two of them had a similar conversation, though he promised himself he wouldn't ask.

"That was quick," Liam mentioned as the two sat back down at the table. "So, where were we?"

Beth shot Jack a warning glance, at least partially confirming his suspicions. He would definitely not ask her about it.

August 20, 2017, 9:56 PM

By the time Jack finished paying for the cab, Beth was nearly to the door. Instead of heading inside, she took a sharp right turn toward the garage. He knew what that meant.

"Hey, wait up!" Jack called after her as the taxi sped away.

"I need to... pick up something heavy," she explained as she pushed open the garage's side door. He could tell Beth was frazzled. She had been eerily silent the entire trip home, and Jack should have known that it was only delaying the inevitable.

"You need a spotter," he reminded her as she reached down to grab extra weights for the bench press. Jack remembered the last time he'd seen her stress lift and wanted to make sure she didn't end up crushed under the weight of her own anxiety, literally or figuratively.

Beth glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she finished securing the weights to the bar. It wasn't as much as the last time, but it would still pose a challenge - one she could control.

"You can always change your mind, you know," Jack suggested as Beth laid down on the bench.

"Jack," she chided, looking up at him with an annoyed frown.

"You shouldn't just bottle this up," he reminded her with a frown of his own. Jack didn't want to pressure her, but he knew what happened when Beth kept things inside. She knew too.

Jack knew better than to try to get in her way. She easily unracked the bar herself, letting it sink toward her chest before pushing it back. He'd watched her lift quite a few times, and every time he found himself staring in awe. At first, it was just healthy respect. Jack could bench a reasonable amount, but nowhere near what Beth could. Now that they were in a relationship, he found it downright distracting.

"Of all the days he could have picked," she began with a grunt, "he had to pick that day."

"It's a coincidence." It didn't even sound earnest.

Beth scoffed, grunting again as she pushed the bar up. "The universe is laughing at us, Jack."

"It's been doing that to me for years," he reminded her with a chuckle, although she didn't seem amused. "Look, maybe it's a sign."

"A sign of the apocalypse, maybe."

"Maybe it's a good sign," Jack clarified with an annoyed look. "Besides, it'll give you something better to remember when you think of October 9th."

Beth paused as the bar dropped, resting it on her chest for a moment as she looked up at him. "The memories aren't all bad."

Jack found himself smiling slightly as she continued to lift. The implication was obvious even to him, and it was flattering enough that he wondered if he was blushing. She wasn't paying attention, though, considering how much weight she had put on that damn bar.

"I'll be with you the whole way," Jack promised, smiling down at her as she did another rep.

"Thanks, Jack."

There was a moment of silence between them as she continued her set. "You know, there is one other thing the best man has to do."

"Hm?"

"The bachelor party." Beth nearly dropped the bar. Jack just barely managed to grab it, struggling to set it down on the rack before bursting into laughter.

"That wasn't funny, Jack!" Beth shouted as she sat up on the bench and looked at him. It was her 'I'm pretending to be mad at you because I'm supposed to' look.

"I'm sorry," he replied between laughs. "I can help if you want."

Beth rolled her eyes. "You think I can't plan a bachelor party?"

Well, that piqued his interest. "You have something in mind?"

She stood up from the bench and turned toward him, patting him lightly on the chest. "Don't you worry, Jack Joyce."

His eyes trailed after her as she began to walk away. "Hey wait up!"

As he moved to chase after her, Jack could hear Beth chuckling as she stepped through the door and headed toward the house.