Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart." Any real people or places noted in the chapter are just there for storyline purposes.
Chapter 3- With Ice Cream Comes Truth
Elizabeth sat on the side of her bed; her body seemingly frozen as the card slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. "Why did he have to leave?"
"Elizabeth, you know why. It was his dream, and you of all people wouldn't have wanted him to give up on it."
"No, that night; why did he have to leave that night?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Ten years ago on my birthday…why did he have to leave? Why couldn't he have stayed so we could have talked? I would have waited for him."
Rosie sat down on the bed beside Elizabeth, "What are you talking about?"
"My birthday, ten years ago; why did he have to leave?"
"Okay, I was there, and I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."
"Rosie, ten years ago when you and Tommy came over to celebrate my birthday and keep my mind off of Jack, he came over."
"Elizabeth, I was there and I never saw him."
"You were in the bathroom."
"Wait, when I came out, Tommy was holding you and you were blubbering all over. Well, to be honest, I think you were a little intoxicated too, but I asked him what was wrong, and he said…"
"He said what?"
"He told me that you had realized that it was over between you and Jack, and that I shouldn't bring up his name. I had no idea he had stopped by. Why did he leave?"
"Apparently he thought that Tommy and I were having a romantic dinner; he was upset and he left."
"Didn't you tell him I was there too?"
"I didn't think about it. I mean Tommy and I were just friends, and besides, Jack left in a huff; he didn't give me a chance to explain," Elizabeth leaned over and picked up the card as it lay open faced on the floor. Glancing at the words again she stated, "I told him today, but I'm not so sure he believed me."
"Well, I'll just let him know."
"Rosie, you've told him enough, don't you think? I'm sorry, but I'm still so angry with you."
"Elizabeth, I know you're upset, but I'm the best friend you've ever had…"
"Excuse me? You sold me out; how does that calculate to you being the best friend I've ever had?"
"I'm the one person who has your best interests at heart."
"How do you…"
"Hush, I'm telling you like it is," Rosie began. Usually quite strong, it was uncharacteristic of her when her tears started spilling over her eyes. "I did what I did because I know that you and Jack belong together, but even if you don't get back together, what you two have left unsaid is eating away at you."
Elizabeth turned to face Rosie, "I love you and I know that you meant well, but I feel as though you sold me out. It bothers me that I'd tell you something in confidence and you'd rush to the phone to call Jack."
"I never did that. I only told him factual things…"
"Why did he wait so long to contact me then? If he wanted to talk to me, I was no longer with Tommy, so why didn't he contact me a year ago, or two years ago, or before I married Tommy?"
"He's hurting too. I understand now what he meant when he said that you didn't love him enough; he thinks that you and Tommy were involved before he left."
Elizabeth walked over to her suitcase and pulled it up onto the bed.
"What are you doing?" Rosie asked.
"I'm packing; I can't stay here with you," Elizabeth glanced over at Rosie; the disappointment on her face caused both women to burst into tears. "You're my best friend; how could you betray me like that?"
"I'm sorry Elizabeth. I thought I was doing something good. No, I know I was doing something good. You love him and whether you admit it or not, I know it's true."
"I just don't know if I will ever feel the same about you, Rosie."
"I'm sorry…please forgive me?"
Elizabeth closed her suitcase and pushed it to the other side of the bed before taking a seat. "You know what I could use right now?"
"A drink?"
"Well, that too, but one thing I'm missing is my delivery of flowers that you always sent me on my birthday. They brighten a room, and always make me smile."
"Oh yes…the flowers. You really love them?"
"Yes, yellow roses have always been my favorite flower. When Jack and I were dating, for every one of our monthly anniversaries, he would always send me a dozen yellow roses."
"That's very sweet, but then again, Jack is a special man."
"Well it's true that he and Tommy were truly nothing alike. While I was with Tommy he rarely ever remembered my birthday or anniversary. Usually he'd remember at the last minute and stop off at the drug store on the way home from work, grabbing something stupid from the 50% off rack. I don't even think I got cards for any special occasions after Tristan was born."
"Well, about the flowers…" Rosie cautiously began.
"What about the flowers?"
"Um, well you know it isn't really your birthday until next week."
"I know…"
"Well, I'd like to say you're welcome for all of the prior deliveries, but they were actually from Jack."
Elizabeth's eyes watered, "What…?"
"He knew that he couldn't give you a gift, but he remembered how much you loved yellow roses, and he hoped that they would put a smile on your face."
Elizabeth stood up and walked over to the dresser where she glanced in the mirror before wiping her eyes.
"Elizabeth…" Rosie called out, "I've seen you open the card when the flowers arrived. Year after year the card was signed 'Rosie,' but I saw the look on your face. You wanted them to be from Jack."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Rosie."
"Elizabeth, I know how much you love him, and God knows since you and Tommy broke up, Jack has not been the least bit shy about telling me how much he loves you."
"Rosie, I'll tell you like I told Jack, too much time has passed. We can't go back to where we were years ago. I have Tristan, and her security is the most important thing to me. I can't be drawn into Jack's whirlwind life."
"Didn't you hear me say that he's coming home?"
"Yes, but for how long? He'll be back in LA before long and I can't uproot Tristan just to have our relationship crumble again."
"WOW, you two talked, but you missed out on some of the most important issues. The band is breaking up; he's coming home for good, and he wants to make things right between the two of you." Rosie looked across the room before bringing her glance back to Elizabeth, "Yep that pretty much covers the hot points."
"So he thinks he can just come home and we can start up where we left off so many years ago? I just don't think I can do it, or that I want to do it."
"What are you talking about Elizabeth? You can't sit here right now and pretend that you don't still have feelings for him. You may not want to tell him, but you have to be honest with yourself."
As Elizabeth thought for a moment Rosie made a suggestion, "There were two tickets to his concert tonight in the envelope with the card. Let's go to the concert. You know you want to see him perform…"
"To be honest with you Rosie, I don't know how I feel. I do know that I feel betrayed by both you and Jack, and I think all I want to do is go home and see my baby. She always seems to put things into perspective for me."
"Okay, I'll go with you."
"No, I need to go alone. Besides, you should go to the concert; you deserve it after everything you did for him. I'll be fine."
"Elizabeth, I hate things being like this between us. Please, can't you forgive me?"
"I'm sure I will, but right now things are a bit raw, so I just need some time," she stated as she placed the last of her belongings in her suitcase.
Elizabeth wheeled her suitcase to the hotel door. As she stepped outside into the hallway, she turned around, and with tears in her eyes she hugged Rosie. "I know you meant well, my heart just hurts right now."
Elizabeth turned and walked away as Rosie called out, "I'm sorry."
Elizabeth kept walking as she replied, "I know…"
Hours later, Elizabeth sat in JFK Airport hoping to secure a seat on a flight back home to Ft. Lauderdale. Sadly, flight after flight she was on standby only to be bumped down to another gate, and a later flight.
Sitting at the gate next to two twenty something women, they sat, iPad in hand watching videos of Jack in concert from the previous night. Each one was wearing "The One That Got Away t-shirts and seemed infatuated by him as they both appeared to melt into the screen as he sang.
Having left the concert early, many of Jack's songs that he was debuting at this venue went unheard by Elizabeth. His newest song, which had not yet made it to the radio airwaves, began, and she couldn't help but to be captivated by the music, but especially the lyrics…
(This song, If I Can't Have You, is sung by Shawn Mendes, but for purposes of this story, Jack wrote and performed it).
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinkin' about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I'm in Toronto and I got this view
But I might as well be in a hotel room, yeah
It doesn't matter 'cause I'm so consumed
Spending all my nights reading texts from you
Oh, I'm good at keepin' my distance
I know that you're the feelin' I'm missing
You know that I hate to admit it
But everything means nothin' if I can't have you
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinkin' about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinkin' about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I'm so sorry that my timing's off
But I can't move on if we're still gonna talk
Is it wrong for me to not want half?
I want all of you, all the strings attached
Oh, I'm good at keepin' my distance
I know that you're the feelin' I'm missing
You know that I hate to admit it
But everything means nothin' if I can't have you
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinkin' about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinkin' about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I'm trying to move on
Forget you, but I hold on
Everything means nothing
Everything means nothing, babe
I'm trying to move on
Forget you, but I hold on
Everything means nothing if I can't have you, no
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinkin' about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinkin' about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
The woman sitting beside Elizabeth glanced over and observing tears in her eyes she asked, "Apparently his music affects you too?"
Elizabeth said nothing but simply shook her head up and down.
The other woman stated, "You know he wrote that about someone he loves. I wish I was her." The woman pulled up his Instagram account, "Has he posted anything showing he's with someone?"
"No, he doesn't post a lot, but I don't think he has anything showing him with a woman."
"Well, whoever she is, she's lucky…"
It was hard for Elizabeth to feel lucky, for right now she only felt betrayed. As the video continued to play, Elizabeth stepped away, buying a bottle of water and taking a seat on the other side of the gate.
The women continued to fawn over him even as Elizabeth did her best to occupy herself with pictures of Tristan.
Elizabeth finally secured a seat on a flight to Orlando, Florida, with a short layover and a connecting flight home. Once she arrived at the Ft. Lauderdale airport, she grabbed her bags, called an Uber and headed home.
She opened the door to her townhouse, stepped inside, dropped her bags on the floor and took a seat on her staircase. Her arms wrapped around her legs as her head rested on her knees and she cried.
When she assumed that no more tears would fall, she walked upstairs to her second guest bedroom, now used as an office. She pulled out the middle drawer of her desk. Reaching into the back of the drawer, she grabbed florist cards secured by a rubber band and she sat them on her desk.
Glancing at the cards, somehow she knew that each and every annual flower delivery was from Jack and not Rosie. Several of the cards were signed…
"Forever blessed that we met…" Rosie
"I'll always love you…" Rosie
"Smile, it lights up your beautiful face…" Rosie
"Time and space may have us apart, but my heart is always with you…" Rosie
As she read the last card, she should have known something was odd, but then again Rosie and Lee were out of town on her birthday so she thought nothing of the sentiment.
Elizabeth wrapped the rubber band around the cards before her hand reached for a small box in the upper left corner of the drawer. Pulling it out she opened it to reveal his gift to her for their first anniversary, a birthstone ring, hers and his, accented by small diamonds that flared around the gemstones, their names engraved on either side of the stones, and "Forever & Always" on the inside of the base.
Snapping the box closed, she pushed the box deep inside the drawer, then closed and locked her desk.
Elizabeth walked into her bedroom, changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and took a seat on her bed. Glancing at her clock she realized that Jack's concert was most likely coming to a close.
She pulled her journal from her bedside table. Opening up the cover and flipping through the sparse number of entries, she realized that she hadn't written down anything in years; the last entry being just after her divorce from Tommy. The anger, disappointment and sadness contained between the covers, and the fact that she still harbored many of the same feelings showed her that there was a need to accept the past, and realize that there would always be some things that she could not change.
"Forgiveness…easily said, but is it as easily meant? It is a small word, but one with a powerful meaning, requiring us to release the pain, hurt and anger that settles in our heart. We fight for what we once had, knowing that it can never be duplicated, but yet we seek it in alternate places. Do we find it? Most often we don't, leaving us to settle for less, knowing that we must still move on. We do our best to let go of the pain, hurt, and disappointment, as we seek true inner peace, only to have the feelings that dragged us down to begin with resurface years later.
We tell ourselves that we're happy; we are fulfilled, yet much like a clown; we smile as our tears remain hidden from view. We do our best to forgive, all the while hoping to learn from our mistakes. As our heart holds onto negative energy, we find we have precious little space for compassion, hope, happiness and love. Although I feel eaten up by feelings of betrayal, I can't hate you; for it is impossible to hate someone that I truly loved. But I am angry with you for awakening feelings in me that you apparently never intended to take care of. Now you walk back into my life as if the past never happened. My one time feeling of love for you has cracked and brittle edges, which I assume may never mend. I did love you; maybe I still do, but can I give in to you again? That's a question that I'm not so certain I can answer."
As she sat in bed, her phone chimed signifying a text…
"TY for talking 2day. I'll b home in 2 wks. Please have dinner w/ me…" Jack pleaded.
"I had no choice but 2 talk 2 you. Captive audience, remember? Dinner…no promises…" she replied.
"R u dating any1…?"
"U should ask Rosie. She's a plethora of info…"
"Please don't blame her; she meant well… R u…?"
"Am I what…?"
"Dating N E 1…?"
"U know, n the airport 2 women were playing a video of ur concert last night. They were quite enamored by u…"
"That's nice, but u r the 1 I'm interested n…"
"Stop…I don't know how I feel. I don't know y you and Rosie ambushed me…"
"Would u have agreed to c me otherwise…?"
Elizabeth didn't respond.
"E- Would you have…?"
"Probably not…"
"Will u at least think about having dinner w/ me…?"
Before she could respond, her phone rang. Seeing Rosie's face flash up on her screen she vacillated between answering and discarding the call. Not wanting Rosie to worry about her, Elizabeth answered.
"Hello…"
"Are you home…?"
"Yes, how was the concert…?"
"I didn't stay. I'm in Orlando waiting on my connecting flight. Elizabeth, I'm so sorry about what I did. Well, I'm not sorry for what I did, but I am sorry…"
"You're sorry you got caught…"
"No, that's not it. I'm just sorry that I wasn't honest with you about it."
"Rosie, how long have we known each other?"
"Forever…"
"Right and what have I told you about my feelings for Jack…?"
"Nothing in a long time. Look Elizabeth, I know he hurt you, but don't you think it's possible that maybe you hurt him too?"
"Me…? I didn't leave. He walked away and just as quickly as he left, he thinks he can waltz right back in. I have to be concerned about more than myself now. I have a daughter who is dependent upon me to show her how to navigate life."
"Oh come on Elizabeth. Don't you think maybe some of that should be showing her that love can be timeless? Especially since her father is who he is…that a man can be in love with you through time, space, and misunderstandings?"
"You know Rosie, for someone who is truly on the fence with me, and I'll add you have one foot on a banana peel you are really pushing the limit. Besides, who said I was still in love with him?"
"You don't have to say anything; I know you still have feelings for him. It was written all over your face when you were trying to get away from him at the hotel. If you didn't have any feelings for him, you'd have gladly stayed and talked."
Elizabeth took a deep breath before responding, "Okay, honesty is speaking now…I don't know how I feel about him. I loved him; I thought we'd be together forever, and my heart was shattered when he broke up with me. I do understand now what he thought and he assumed that I was seeing Tommy when I wasn't but Rosie, we had our time. Ten years has gone by…Ten years; it feels like a lifetime ago. Then to top it all off, I find out that you've been deceiving me for years."
"Elizabeth, I love you like a sister; actually I love you more than my sister, and I'm just sick that you're upset with me. What can I do to get you to forgive me?"
"Just give me some time to think about everything…"
"Okay, but I'm not giving up."
"Be careful coming home, Rosie…"
Once Elizabeth's call ended, Jack's rapid fire texts flashed up on the screen…
"Are u there…?"
"U dating N E 1…?"
"Elizabeth, please respond…"
"R u okay…?"
"Jack, I was talking to Rosie…"
"Good, at least u r talking to her…"
"Goodbye Jack…"
"Dinner in 2 weeks…please?"
Elizabeth didn't know how she felt, so making a decision that could open her up to feelings she may not be ready to experience caused her to simply text back, "Maybe…"
"Well at least it's not no…"
"Goodbye Jack…"
"Good night Elizabeth…" he signed off on his final text as his driver pulled up to his hotel.
Jack walked into his hotel room and as he had done for years after each and every concert, he went immediately to his suitcase. In a private compartment he removed a second cell phone, obviously an older model, and carried it over to the bed. As he sat contemplating his recent concerts and the best, yet nerve wracking part of his weekend, his conversation with Elizabeth, he powered up the phone.
He smiled as he perused album after album of pictures of Elizabeth by herself and of them together. His heart pounded as one picture, a screenshot of his favorite text from her popped up on his phone…
J: I love u.
E: Not nearly as much as I love u.
J: Will we always be this way?
E: Jack, I will never love any1 the way I love u.
J: After we graduate, let's get married…
E: If u ask, I'll say YES
J: U promise?
E: I'd promise u anything.
J: I wish u were here. I need 2 kiss u.
E: We're even, I need u 2 kiss me.
E: U r only 2 dorms over. I'll meet u in the courtyard.
J: I'll c u in 10.
Jack wiped his eyes as he remembered this text and their meeting in the courtyard as if it had just occurred. He recalled as he arrived seeing her sitting on the top of a picnic table, her hair in a ponytail wearing a pair of black jeans and her white Florida Gators sweatshirt. He thought to himself that she had never looked more beautiful to him, and what a lucky man he was.
Before any words were spoken, he sat beside her on the table, one arm slipped around her waist as he pulled her close. Their lips were only inches apart, as they consumed the same air.
His hand rested on her jaw line as his thumb brushed across her cheek. "I love you," he whispered before his lips met hers.
His heart pounded as he closed his eyes wishing to be taken back to that time in his life.
As he reminisced about their relationship, he advanced to two months later, the Packrats went on to win the music contest and it seemed as though everything between them changed. He now realized why she felt as though she was being pushed aside. The band practiced every day, leaving him with very little free time for Elizabeth.
Initially, he recalled her sitting in the garage as they practiced, seemingly excited by the prospect of their upcoming opportunities. As it got closer to them leaving he recognized that he had become somewhat self-absorbed, pushing her away, all the while assuming that she'd always be there for him.
He powered down the phone and as with every other time, he slipped it back into his suitcase.
The following week started with Elizabeth returning to school. She walked Tristan to her second grade class before heading to the office to check in.
Days passed. It was Wednesday, September 5, 2018, and Elizabeth's official birthday. While in her class, a knock on the door drew her attention away momentarily from her students.
Elizabeth walked to the door to find Stanley Jenkins, Principal, standing in the hallway holding a vase which contained a dozen yellow roses.
"These just arrived for you; happy birthday," he stated as he stepped into her room and placed the vase on Elizabeth's desk.
"Thank you Mr. Jenkins," she replied as he headed back out into the hallway.
Elizabeth's attention was drawn to the card stuck in the middle of the arrangement, wondering who had signed it this year.
As her students left the classroom and headed down to the auditorium for music class, Elizabeth sat at her desk, reaching several times for the card before actually plucking it from its pick.
My dearest Elizabeth, I wish you the best of all birthdays today. Please know that I am thinking of you as I do always. I'll be home soon; please do me the honor of having dinner with me…
Jack
For the first time in many years, she acknowledged Jack as the giver of her flowers, thanking him in a text…
"Thank you very much for the roses. They are absolutely beautiful…"
"I'm glad you like them, but they pale in comparison 2 u. What about dinner…?"
"You certainly r persistent…"
"If it means something to me I am…"
Before she could respond, Jack sent another text, "Elizabeth, it's just dinner…"
"Okay Jack; I'll have dinner with u, but no other promises…"
"I'll take it."
"I hope u r concerts go well, and I guess I'll see u when u get home…"
"Bye Elizabeth…"
"Bye Jack…"
Elizabeth was busy with school and Tristan's participation in Brownie Girl Scouts and before she realized it, the weekend was upon her. She sat in the den on the sofa, Tristan in her lap as they watched cartoons together. Hearing her phone ring, she picked it up.
"Hello…"
"Elizabeth, it's me, Rosie."
"I know; how are you?"
"I miss you; have you forgiven me yet?"
Knowing in her heart that she would always forgive Rosie, she decided to mess with her, "I'm still thinking about it."
"Elizabeth, we've never gone this long without seeing each other or at least talking. Please forgive me…"
Knowing that Tristan missed Rosie just as much as she actually did, Elizabeth replied, "Will you let me handle my own life from now on?"
"Absolutely…"
"Okay, I forgive you, but honestly Rosie if you betray me again, I think our friendship is over."
"I promise; it will never happen again. Hey, can we have a girl's night slumber party?"
"Come on over."
Later in the afternoon, Rosie arrived with her overnight bag and an extremely thankful heart. The evening was spent initially eating popcorn and watching Despicable ME3 until Tristan fell asleep in Elizabeth's arms.
Once she was in bed, the wine, cheese and fruit came out as the two women talked and cried but ended the night finding things about their relationship at which to laugh.
On Friday night of week two, Elizabeth and Tristan were sitting at the kitchen table eating Pizza out of the Sarpino's Pizzaria box as they watched TV.
"Mom look; that's the singer you know," Tristan stated as she drew Elizabeth's attention to the story on Entertainment Tonight.
"What?" How do you know about him?"
"Nana told me. She loves him too, but she said not to mention his name to Pop-Pop, because he doesn't like him."
The fill in weekend host, Thea Andrews, began the story with a video of Jack's band playing several nights ago at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
"Sad news ladies, if you haven't yet had the sheer pleasure to see Jack Thornton and The One That Got Away, well, unless you have tickets this weekend in San Diego or San Francisco, you most likely will be out of luck."
Another video partially played before Thea's explanation continued, "We have received confirmation that the band is doing what no one expected…although they are ending their tour on a high note, the band will be severing their ties. We can only assume that with Front man Thornton's popularity, he will be looking to start a solo career."
"No doubt. He's not going to be able to give that up. If he loves it, he shouldn't have to," she spoke softly, "But that life is him; it's not me."
"What mommy?"
"Oh nothing honey," Elizabeth replied. "Hey baby, why did Nana say that Pop-Pop didn't like him?"
"Because he broke your heart," Tristan replied. Not quite understanding the concept of the "broken heart" term, she looked on at Elizabeth as if she was attempting to see the shattered pieces protruding from her body. "Are you okay mommy?"
"Of course I am honey."
"But your heart broke. How did you fix it?"
"I had you," she replied as her daughter, the light of Elizabeth's life piled into her lap.
"Mommy, was he your boyfriend?"
"A long, long time ago he was, but not any longer."
"Did you love him like you love daddy?"
Knowing that there was no comparison she simply stated, "No honey." She didn't feel as though it was necessary to tell her small child that she'd never love a man as much as she had once loved Jack.
As they entered the next week, Elizabeth was expecting to hear from Jack and was a bit anxious. She had no idea as to when he'd call, and now she wondered if he would actually call. She assumed that there were things he needed to handle once his tour was over and he never gave her a date that he'd be home. So she simply went on with her life, doing her best to put him out of her mind.
Monday night Elizabeth worked on lesson plans and helped Tristan with her arithmetic homework. Tuesday night was Brownie Girl Scouts and dinner at Nana and Pop-Pop's. Elizabeth held her breath all through dinner hoping that Tristan, who wasn't always known for having a filter, wouldn't bring up Jack's name. She didn't feel up to explaining to her parents why she had agreed to have dinner with him after having told them years ago that she never wanted to see him again.
On Wednesday night, Elizabeth was clearing the dinner table, rinsing the spaghetti and meatball residue from their plates before placing them in the dishwasher when the doorbell rang. Before Elizabeth could close the dishwasher door, Tristan was around the corner and headed for the front door.
"Don't you open that door…" Elizabeth yelled.
She left the kitchen and rushed to the entryway, finding Tristan standing at the open front door staring at Jack.
"Tristan, we've talked about this before. You don't open the door without mommy with you."
"I thought it was daddy. He called while you were outside and said that he would stop by to see me."
Elizabeth squatted down putting herself at Tristan's eye level, "I know you were excited, but you don't open the door unless I'm with you, okay?"
"I'm sorry mommy," she stated as she turned back to look at Jack. "Mommy said that you were her boyfriend."
"Well I guess I was," he replied feeling a bit disheartened at the term "were."
"My nana and me like your music."
"Tristan, don't you mean nana and I?"
"I knew you liked his music too mommy."
Elizabeth glanced up at Jack and found him softly laughing. Turning her attention back to Tristan, she stated, "Would you please go in and clean up your coloring books and crayons?"
Once Tristan left the room, Elizabeth turned her attention to Jack. "I thought you were going to call first," she asked, quickly realizing as he stood in his stonewashed jeans, grey heather plaid herringbone button down shirt and lightweight black leather jacket that he looked just like the man she knew years ago. There was no sign of the ever so popular rock star who had played to sold out venues for many years.
"I just got into town and I was afraid if I called first you may have changed your mind. Did you?"
"No Jack; I told you that I'd have dinner with you and I will. I mean, I can't tonight; besides we've just finished dinner."
"How about ice cream? I passed the Cold Stone Creamery on my way over."
"Ice cream? Please mommy…"
Feeling as though she needed to again make up for Tommy not following through on visitation, she reluctantly agreed.
"Let me go change," she stated while wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, white tennis shoes, and her prized white Florida Gators sweatshirt.
"You look perfect just the way you are…"
Elizabeth nervously smiled before grabbing her purse and Tristan's jacket. As they stepped outside, "We can meet you there," she offered, somehow assuming that he had a fancy two seat sports car.
"Elizabeth, I can drive; my car is big enough for all of us," he stated as they walked out to her driveway and his Emerald Green Metallic 2018 Mercedes Benz GLE 350 4matic SUV.
Elizabeth transferred Tristan's booster seat to the backseat of Jack's SUV. Once Tristan was safely buckled into her seat, Jack opened the passenger door and waited as Elizabeth slipped inside; only closing the door once she had secured her seatbelt.
Cold Stone Creamery was located a short distance from Elizabeth's townhouse. As they stepped inside the packed ice cream shop, Tristan ordered the Orange ice cream with whipped topping and fizzy candy clusters which came with a much sought after "Ugly Doll" stuffed figure. Elizabeth ordered the "Berry Me in Batter cone which consisted of Strawberry Cake Batter ice cream mixed with strawberry wafers, whipped topping and caramel. Jack ordered the Vanilla Bean Express with chocolate, peanut butter and caramel mixed in.
As he handed Elizabeth her cone, she graciously thanked him. He held onto Tristan's cup of ice cream as they searched for a seat.
Finding no available seats inside, Jack, Elizabeth and Tristan made their way outside where they found a table on the deck.
"What do you say Tristan?" Elizabeth asked.
"Thank you for the ice cream Mr. …"
Elizabeth helped, "Honey, its Mr. Thornton."
"Thank you for the ice cream Mr. Thornton."
"You're very welcome Tristan."
"How do you know my name?" the small child asked.
Elizabeth glanced in Jack's direction, tilting her head and arching her eyebrows.
"Someone told me, and by the way, Tristan is a beautiful name."
Elizabeth spoke up, "Aunt Rosie told him your name."
"Oh…" and with that, her cup of ice cream and her new doll, Tristan seemed quite satisfied.
With Tristan completely occupied by her ice cream, Jack and Elizabeth were free to talk. "Thank you for coming with me tonight. I wasn't so certain that you would," Jack mentioned.
"Well, you mention ice cream to a child and you can't really back out. Besides, I should be thanking you for getting her mind off of Tommy not showing up."
"Does he do that a lot?" Jack asked as his attention was focused on Elizabeth.
"More times than not. He's either busy with work, or the baby is sick, or I don't know, but there is always an excuse. To be honest, it's alright with me, because I don't think she is missing out on much with him."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm really afraid to let him have her for any length of time. He drank when we were together, and although I have no proof that he's drinking now, I suspect he hasn't changed," Elizabeth commented as she shuffled slightly in her seat.
"When it comes to Tristan, he doesn't always make the best decisions," she added. Seeing the confusion on Jack's face she continued, "Shortly after we quietly separated, Tristan was about 4 and a half, she spent the night with Tommy."
"Quietly separated?"
"Tommy was worried about how the separation and divorce would affect his position at the bank. He wasn't worried about Tristan or me, he was concerned about himself. He got an apartment in Miami and I promised that I wouldn't do any paperwork until he secured his new job as Vice President of the bank."
"But you suspect her was still drinking back then?" Jack asked.
"He said that he wasn't, but since I wasn't there, I don't know. He was already secretly in a relationship with his new girlfriend, so I thought she'd help take care of Tristan."
Seeing a tear slip down her cheek he asked, "Did something happen?"
She lowered her head and glanced over at Tristan who was still mesmerized by her ice cream and doll. "I didn't approve of him having his girlfriend sleep over with Tristan there, especially while we were still married, but I just didn't trust him alone with my baby."
"He wanted her for overnight stays, so I decided that I wouldn't let him have her for visits unless his girlfriend was there. I mean he was never much in the taking care of her part, so I thought at least she'd maybe be more responsible."
Jack reached over and swept the tear away; realizing quickly that his reaction was quite presumptuous. "I'm sorry."
Elizabeth's fingers brushed across her cheek before she continued, "Tommy told me that his girlfriend was going to be there, so I let Tristan go for a visit. Apparently he needed her for some function at the bank; he needed to show that he was a family man."
"Didn't they wonder where you were?"
"It was during the day, and he just told them that I was teaching."
"Obviously his girlfriend couldn't go to the function at the bank, because the president had already met me, but she was supposedly coming over at dinner time," Elizabeth added.
"Apparently there was a change in plans and she never showed up. There was an emergency at the bank and instead of calling me; he took Tristan down the hall to one of his neighbors to watch while he was gone," Elizabeth's body seemed to shiver at the thought.
Jack took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders.
Her ice cream cone began to drip down her hand as a result of her inattention. Jack took the cone from her hand and handed her some napkins, grabbing a cup and spoon from the counter before returning to their table.
"I'm sorry; thank you," she quickly cleaned her hands and wiped up the few drips on the table.
"So what happened?" he asked.
"Jack, Tristan didn't know these people, and what was even worse was that Tommy didn't know them either. He took my baby and left her with people he didn't even know."
She continued, "Luckily they were nice and Tristan was fine, but when I think about what could have happened…" tears easily spilled over.
Jack reached over and placed his hand on hers, squeezing gently. As she looked up, catching his hazel eyes with brown flecks that had been burned into her memory for all these years, she nervously pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry; I never should have brought that up."
"That's okay; now I understand why you're so concerned about him with Tristan. Has she spent anymore nights with him?"
"No, and actually it hasn't come up because he always makes plans with her and then never shows. So, with him as a daddy, she's certainly not missing much."
With their ice cream finished and both Elizabeth's and Tristan's hands washed, they headed home.
Walking up the long entryway to Elizabeth's front door, Jack mentioned, "This is a beautiful place, and it seems like a very nice neighborhood."
"I've been very happy here. It has plenty of room for what we need, and my neighbors are nice." Elizabeth opened the front door and Tristan rushed inside, then returned just as quickly to thank Jack again for her ice cream and doll.
"You are very welcome. Thank you for going," he responded.
"Do you have any kids?" she asked.
"Tristan, that isn't any of our business," Elizabeth stated in a slightly stern tone.
Jack answered anyway, "No, but I hope to have several as sweet as you at some point."
"Your kids will be lucky. I think you'll make a good daddy."
Jack smiled; he watched the little girl hugging her doll as she ran back inside the townhouse.
"I'm sorry, Jack. That's none of our business."
"Elizabeth, I don't have any kids; I'm not involved with anyone, and I haven't been for a really long time."
"It's none of my business, but I find it hard to believe that you haven't had women falling all over you; that you haven't had relationships," she stated. "I'm sorry; I said it wasn't our business but I still comment, so just forget I said that."
"I'd like you to make it your business. I want you to know what's been going on in my life, and I want to know everything that has gone on in yours."
"Well apparently, thanks to Rosie, you have a head start on me."
Tristan ran back to the front door and found Elizabeth and Jack still talking on the front porch, "Mommy, can I watch Fraggle Rock?"
"In a few minutes. Let me finish talking with Mr. Thornton first," Elizabeth stated as Tristan turned and ran back into the den.
"She's precious, Elizabeth…"
"Thank you; she's my world."
"I can understand why." He observed Elizabeth light up as she watched Tristan run inside, "Are you free for dinner on Friday night?"
When Elizabeth didn't immediately respond, he stated, "Remember, you promised."
"I know I promised, and yes, I'm free for dinner on Friday night. I just need to see if Rosie can watch Tristan for me. She's still trying to get into my good graces, so I'm sure she will. But Jack, one date…that's all I can promise you."
"That's okay, I understand, but I have enough faith for both of us that it will lead to more."
Jack started down the long entryway stopping halfway to the driveway as he turned around, "Dress up; Friday is a special evening…"
To be continued…
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