Disclaimer: I am not the owner of the characters in this story. All rights go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart." Any names or locations are simply for storyline purposes.
Chapter 10- The Seeds of Doubt
There's more…Jack thought as he took a deep breath. Glancing in her direction he could see she was waiting for his reaction. She looked scared, much like a deer caught in headlights, and the vision of her so timid had his blood boiling over what Tommy had put her through.
When they met in college, they were initially known as the three musketeers; that was until Jack and Elizabeth realized the feelings they shared for each other. Not that it made how Tommy treated Elizabeth right, but Jack now realized the time when things changed; when he and Elizabeth chose to spend time alone and the group of three became a pair. That's when Tommy began making comments about them getting too close too fast, and that Elizabeth, because of her family's wealth, would never be content to be in a working class marriage.
"Oh the seeds of doubt…" Jack whispered.
"What?"
"Nothing, just thinking," he replied.
"Jack, I know that all of this is a lot to take in, so maybe we should just back away for a bit, and…"
"No, you need to tell me everything; I can't help you unless I know what we're facing," he stepped closer, feeling her body shaking as he took her hand.
He couldn't help feeling somewhat blown away by her prior admissions, and couldn't imagine anything more earth shattering than what she'd already disclosed. Loving her as he always had, there was nothing that she could be hiding that would be as bad as what she feared. He could tell that she was emotionally exhausted; he didn't want to pressure her, but then again, he was afraid if he backed away now, she'd crawl into her shell again.
"Elizabeth, what is it? It can't be as bad as you're thinking."
"Jack, you don't understand…"
"Please tell me; let's get it out in the open."
"Jack, it's late, I'm tired, and I have to work in the morning. I promise, we'll talk more tomorrow," she stated as she walked over and opened the front door.
"You can't say that there's something else you need to tell me and then shut down," he stood in the entryway refusing to move closer to the door. "I can't leave now, Elizabeth…please, just tell me; I guarantee you'll feel better."
"I may, but I don't think that you will…" Elizabeth remarked as she looked at the kitchen clock, 12:07am, "WOW, it's already morning."
"I know it's late, but please tell me Elizabeth; we've come this far," he begged.
She closed the door and walked over to the kitchen cabinet where she removed a bottle of Tylenol. Her hands shook as she attempted to remove the child safe cap.
"Here, let me get that for you," he stated as his hands covered hers. Taking the bottle from her, he opened it up and removed two extra strength pills and handed them to her. He grabbed a glass from the sink strainer and filled it with water. "You only need to take two."
"Jack, if I was going to overdose, I'd have done it a long time ago. Two is fine…" she responded.
"I'm sorry, it was a very poor joke," he replied, to which he half heartedly smiled.
Elizabeth left her glass on the counter and walked to the sofa with Jack no more than a stride behind her. Before taking her seat she turned toward the hallway, "Let me go check on Tristan first."
"May I come with you?" he asked.
"I'm not running away, Jack."
"That's not what I was thinking; I just want to see her."
"Sure, come on," Elizabeth replied as they walked back to Tristan's room.
Elizabeth quietly opened the door and they both stepped inside. Tristan looked much like an angel, in her favorite "Nothing But Trouble" Smurfette nightgown.
Finding her blanket resting across her hips, Jack walked to the other side of the bed, pulling up her covers and tucking her in. He bent down and brushed several loose strands of hair from her face before kissing her forehead, "I love you little one," he whispered.
Elizabeth, thinking that she couldn't possibly have any more tears to shed, realized that there were still more, wiping her eyes when she heard his proclamation.
She picked up Tristan's "Ugly" doll that had apparently fallen to the floor and tucked it between her arms and under the blanket where it joined her butterfly bear doll.
Jack walked around Tristan's bed and waited while Elizabeth kissed her forehead. He stretched out his arm and she accepted the hand he offered as they walked out of the room together.
Jack led the way as they took seats side by side on the sofa. "I know it's late, and I know you need to work in only a few hours, but we need to get this information out in the open so we can move on. Okay?" his voice was calm, and by his tone she felt comfortable broaching the next subject of her concern.
He held her hands, and brushed his thumbs across her skin, hoping that his touch would calm her, making the secret easier for her to reveal.
"I'm so scared to tell you…"
He kissed her forehead, "You're scaring me, not because I'll be angry with you; I just hate seeing you so torn up inside."
"See Tommy wins again…"
"What do you mean?"
"He's still hurting me any chance he gets…"
"Apparently, but how?"
"Jack, several years ago…" she hesitated.
"Honey, go on…" he continued to hold her hand, afraid to let go.
"You had to go to court over the rights to a song you said was stolen from you."
Jack shook his head back and forth doing his best to shake the remembrance of being called a thief by a group he'd never previously heard of. "I've never stolen a thing in my life, and to have the law and the media side with an unknown group when I know the song was mine…" his lips pursed as he released a harsh breath. "How did you hear about it?"
Before she could answer he continued, "Oh, never mind, the story was on every daytime and evening entertainment talk show; of course you knew about it." His finger under her chin turned her face to his, "I hope you didn't believe them."
"Never Jack; I knew the man you were then, and are still to this day and stealing is something you couldn't or wouldn't do."
Elizabeth looked down before looking back and catching his glance, "Jack, I'm sorry that I didn't stick up for you."
"Jack, after I came back home, I moved into Tristan's room with her. I slept on the floor beside her bed, and I locked the door at night. She was never left alone with him, but we continued on as if nothing had happened, although we knew it had," Elizabeth commented as she released his hand and walked over to the kitchen, facing him as she leaned against the counter feeling the need to put some distance between them.
Elizabeth continued, "I thought if I could just go a little bit longer, hopefully he'd get his promotion and things would be okay," she explained as she stared off into the distance.
"Did he leave you alone?" he asked.
"Tommy and I both knew that I'd tried to kill him; maybe it was a good thing, because as afraid of him as I was, I think he thought I was crazy and he left me alone…well until…"
"Until what?"
"He often worked late and when he came home he'd start drinking," she replied. "I was so tired of him holding things over my head, so…"
"What…?"
"One afternoon when I got home from work, I took Tristan down to a friend's house to play. If she wasn't able to be right with me, I didn't want her in the house," she explained. "I found the extra key to Tommy's office and I went looking in his desk for something, anything that I could use against him. I just felt like there had to be something that he was doing at work, embezzling money, something…anything." She released a soft, nervous laugh, "What a great marriage I had, right?"
Feeling that Elizabeth was close to revealing her secret, Jack asked, "Did you find anything?"
She said nothing, but simply shook her head up and down.
"What was it?" he asked.
"If what I told you before didn't make you walk away, this will…"
"Elizabeth, whatever it is that you're hiding is eating you up inside. You need to tell me; I promise you, I won't be angry."
Realizing that he was not going to give up she took a deep breath, "Jack, you have every right to be angry."
"But I promise I won't be; just tell me…"
"Jack, why didn't you record the song that was stolen?"
"I don't know," he quickly responded. Just as quickly, he changed his answer, "No, I do know why; it was our song and something about recording it when we weren't together didn't feel right," he admitted. "I guess it doesn't really matter anymore, because somehow someone else got the song. I mean; I alone wrote it and to have somebody come out of the woodwork years later and record it word for word, note for note. I just don't get it."
"I was certain that we'd win in court," Jack continued as he pursed his lips and shook his head from side to side as if he was trying to shake that experience from his mind.
"I'm so sorry, Jack."
"Honey, it's not your fault. I mean, it is what it is, and I didn't have the proof I needed to show that I'd written it, especially since I hadn't recorded it."
"You should have won in court…"
Jack thought back to a challenging time in his career, "I didn't even know that group who stole it. I wish I knew how it got into their hands. It hurt to have our song sung by another artist."
"I know…"
"It hurt you too, Elizabeth. It was our song."
"I mean, I know how it happened."
"How would you know?"
"Let me try to explain…"
"Please do."
Hearing his comment, and his unintentional curt tone, she felt even more certain that what she had to reveal, being personal, would be the thing that would take him over the top, pushing him away. But then again, she had fought being with him again; maybe her fear was not in being hurt herself, but in knowing how she had hurt him.
Realizing that he would never back down, and the can of worms had already been opened, she began, "It's what I found in Tommy's office."
"I don't understand."
"What I'm trying to tell you is that I had the proof; I didn't have it for very long, but I saw it; I knew it, and I kept quiet. What I did was such a breach of trust and respect for what we once meant to each other."
"What we once meant to each other…? Elizabeth, you still mean the world to me."
"Jack, let me just get this out, because if I hold it in any longer…"
He took hold of her hand, "I'm sorry; I know it has to do with the song, but how did you get it?"
"After I tried to kill Tommy…"
"Elizabeth, don't ever say that; you were protecting Tristan; any court would see that."
"I'd like to believe you Jack, but Tommy is so convincing; I guess he felt like he had to be in order to get what he wanted."
"What do you mean; Tommy always had the best of everything," Jack remarked. "From the time I met him, I always assumed that his family money would support him."
"I think that was the case until his dad got hung up somehow in that pyramid deal, lost all of their money, and ended up closing the two car dealerships," she reminded him.
"Oh, that's right, I remember that happened shortly before I left for LA," Jack stated. "But what does that have to do with the song?"
"That actually doesn't, but maybe it has to do with how I suspect Tommy felt about you. I promise I'll tell you Jack, but everything is so complicated."
"I'm sorry; go ahead."
"Jack, even with the family's financial loss, his dad managed to open a gift shop in The Galleria for Tommy and his sister, Alexia. Tommy wasn't happy with that so he dumped it on her and pushed for a bank position," she advised him before continuing, "he screwed up because the gift shop is a major success."
Feeling anxious, he pushed for answers, "Elizabeth, please just tell me…"
Elizabeth took a breath and continued with a thought, "You know Jack; I think everything boils down to the fact that Tommy was jealous of you."
Not wanting to be so far away from her, Jack stood up and walked into the kitchen, "I know for a period of time he was, but it had nothing to do with money, because I was broke back then." He stepped closer and took her hand, "But I was rich because I had you."
He continued, "I knew he was interested in you, but I really just thought it was his competitive nature; you know, proving that he could get what or who he wanted, besides, we were secure in our relationship…or at least I thought we were." Jack could feel her hand shaking in his. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, hoping to give her the courage she needed to reveal the secret he could only assume had something to do with the song he had written.
Nervously, Elizabeth stepped across to the opposite side of the kitchen, grabbed her sink sponge and began wiping the already immaculately clean counter, "You know, I thought initially that Tommy didn't care if I loved him. I still believe that's true, but I think he couldn't stand knowing that my heart belonged to you. It angered him to want me…oh, I don't even know if he wanted me, but he didn't want me to want someone else."
Jack took her by the arm and led her back to the sofa, "Let's sit down…"
As she took her seat, the words began to flow, "When I was going through his desk, I found your song, 'You're My Home.' I mean, I guess it was a copy of it and then another representation of it by the group 'Close It Down…'"
"That's the group that stole it from me."
"They didn't steal it, Jack. Tommy must have given it to them."
"What do you mean? Why? How?"
"I'm sure the why is because he wanted to hurt you; he wanted to hurt me, and he knew that forcing me to keep his secret from you would eat me up inside. I'm just not so sure about 'the how…'"
"I don't understand," Jack responded; the look on his face showed his confusion. "How long have you known?"
"I don't know when he took it, but I've known for awhile. When you were fighting it in court…"
"You knew then?"
Her voice was silent, but her head shook up and down.
"Why didn't you tell me? I mean, I guess I understand you not coming forward when you were with Tommy, but now, you're divorced; the song legally belongs to another group, and we've been back together. So why couldn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want you to hate me. I hated myself enough for both of us. I knew you'd written it about us; Tommy knew it too, so it was the knife in my gut that he could twist," her entire body trembled as her tears were now free falling.
"I need to know everything…"
"Jack, I wasn't expecting him home and as I sat at his desk staring at the sheet music, I glanced up and saw him standing in the doorway. It was 4:30 in the afternoon and he was already drinking," she glanced up into Jack's eyes, but unable to maintain contact, she looked away.
Having told him this much she continued, "I got up and tried to get away from him. I told him that not only was he abusive, he was also a thief. I asked him how he could do that to you, someone who had been such a good friend to him."
Elizabeth bit at her lip as her nerves took control, "He pushed me down in the chair, took a lighter and set the sheet music on fire."
"Where's your evidence now," Tommy yelled as she remembered back to that moment. "Jack, he got up in my face and laughed. He said that you walked away from me and if I was so weak that I had to want a man who didn't want me then I deserved what I got."
Jack was quiet as he thought about 'the how.' Suddenly, "I gave it to Tommy," he blurted out.
"What? Why would you give it to him?" she asked.
"Tommy and I were friends; at least I thought we were. He knew how important you were to me, and he asked to take the music and review it."
"But why would you give it to him?"
"Initially, when we formed the band, Tommy was going to be our manager," Jack reminded her. "He told me that his father argued with him over leaving so he decided to stay. Besides, I don't think Tommy thought that we'd be successful."
Jack explained, "I gave him the song right after I wrote it; I told him that it was my song for you, and that I wanted to sing it to you at our wedding, but I wrote it a year or so before we left."
Jack released a frustrated breath, unnerving Elizabeth as she assumed that his frustration was aimed at her.
"I remember him giving it back to me," Jack remarked.
"He obviously made a copy, but Jack…"
"Honey it's not your fault."
"Maybe Tommy taking the song isn't my fault, but even Rosie talked to me about your court case, and I never said anything. Jack, I betrayed you; I didn't come forward when you were fighting for your good name; I let you hang out to dry, when I could have come forward; I should have come forward and told the truth."
"Elizabeth, it was just a song."
"No Jack; it was so much more than that," she stated as she stood up, broke the hold of their hands and walked around the den. Feeling the need for some air, she walked to the back door and stepped outside. It was fall in Florida, and although it was warmer than most parts of the country, there was still a chill in the air.
Jack followed her outside, grabbing the throw from the back of the sofa on his way by.
"Jack, it was more than just a song; it was your song, and a Grammy winning song at that. Not only that, it was your good name and the honesty that you pride yourself on. Tommy caused you to lose it, and I didn't tell you… I'm so sorry!"
Once she began to purge herself, the apologies kept coming, "I betrayed that trust that we shared from the time we first met. Even when I was angry with you, I wouldn't have wanted anyone to do to you what Tommy did. You are a good man, Jack, and I let people think poorly of you."
As her tears continued, Jack stepped closer. All he felt was love and concern for how this secret had eaten her up inside. His feelings were no different than they were when he returned to town, but would she believe him?
She pushed away from him, "Jack, you can't possibly have the same feelings for me after this. What I did was personal; it was…"
"Elizabeth, it was a song; I got over that a long time ago. Besides, you didn't take it, Tommy did, and you kept quiet out of fear for yours and Tristan's safety," he stepped closer, draped the throw around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest.
"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry," she whispered through her tears as his arms around her waist held her up when her knees buckled.
Jack helped her to the loveseat on the patio where they sat side by side. He leaned back slightly and with his finger under her chin he turned her to face him. His hands cradled her face as his thumbs brushed away her emotion filled tears.
As his emotions consumed him, he barely managed to speak through his own tears, "Do you have any idea how I would have felt if you had come forward and something had happened to you or Tristan as a result? Elizabeth the song doesn't matter; I know I wrote it; you know I wrote it, and what happened just isn't important."
"Are you sure?" she timidly asked.
As his eyes met hers, he leaned forward capturing her lips. As they touched, her lips felt strong and initially firm, but softened immediately. His hand behind her head drew them closer, deepening their connection.
Emotionally, Elizabeth was spent, drained and exhausted. She leaned into his chest as his hand again secured the throw over her shoulders as he pulled her into his body.
She listened as his heart pounded, and she wasn't certain if it was due to the information she'd provided throughout the night, or the realization that she'd pulled the rug out from under him, hung him out to dry, and basically thrown him under the bus.
Whatever the situation, she could only imagine that he would need time to process all of the information she'd provided. She simply hoped, as she drifted off to sleep that he would still feel as forgiving once he'd had the opportunity to think it through.
Jack felt her body heavy against his as he quickly realized that she was asleep. He sat with her in the darkness, wondering how in the world she survived such fear and abuse at the hands of another. He admired her tenacity as she did what was necessary to keep those around her safe. However, as his hand gently brushed up and down her arm, he also knew that the information needed to come out; Tommy needed to be exposed, but how could it be done safely?
Even with the throw over her shoulders, Elizabeth shivered slightly causing Jack to carefully pick her up and carry her to her bed. He knew how emotionally draining the night had been as she never woke. He covered her body with the blanket on her bed, kissed her forehead and stepped out of her room, closing the door behind him.
He stepped across the hall and glanced in at Tristan. Finding her lying in bed with her eyes wide open and her covers pulled tightly under her chin, he stepped inside.
"Hey, what are you doing? You should be asleep," he whispered.
"I heard mommy crying and I was scared…"
"Your mommy's fine; she's sleeping, which is what you should be doing. Come on," Jack stated as he walked over to the side of her bed.
"Mr. Jack…"
"Yes, sweetheart," he replied as he took a seat, accidently dropping his cell phone from his pocket onto the bed.
"Does your phone have pictures?" she asked.
"Yes, do you want to see some?" he asked as he pulled up his photo gallery to show her pictures of their time at the Butterfly World Gardens.
"No, I mean when you call people; mommy showed me how to call Pop-Pop and Nana by pushing the picture of them on her phone."
"You're a very smart girl…"
"But I'm a big girl and I know mommy's phone number…"
Jack pulled up his contact list, "See here's your mommy's picture…"
"Is your picture on her phone?"
"I'm sure it is…"
"Mr. Jack, do you really love us, or do you lie like other people?" Tristan asked as Jack observed her eyes watering.
"Of course I love you; where is this coming from?"
"Mommy is sad, and I don't like hearing her cry."
"I don't like hearing your mommy cry either, and I'm going to do what I can to keep that from happening anymore, okay?" he responded, smiling when he observed a grin on Tristan's face. "Now let's get you back to sleep so you'll be ready for school."
Suddenly the covers flew back and she jumped into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on as if he were her port in a storm. "I love you Mr. Jack. Please don't be mean like Tommy…"
Jack leaned back, "Why did you call him Tommy?"
"That's his name, and I don't think he wants to be my daddy."
Jack kissed her forehead and encouraged her to go back to sleep. He had his own feelings about Tommy, none of which were appropriate to discuss with a seven year old child.
Jack stood up and walked to the door. Standing just outside her room, his body rested against the door frame. Feeling his heart break at the innocence of such a sweet child lost, he whispered, "I'll take care of you; I'll take care of your mommy, and I'll certainly take care of Tommy."
Jack walked back down the hall where he stretched out on the sofa for what he hoped would be a few hours of sleep. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and even counted sheep, but sleep eluded him.
He knew that he needed to protect them, but would she allow him to be involved? Tommy had messed with her head, causing her to question every thought, decision, and action she'd made. At this moment, to Jack, Tommy seemed to be much more dangerous than the paparazzi could ever hope to be.
Elizabeth woke to the darkness and complete silence in her room. She wondered how she's ended up in her bed, and assumed that Jack had carried her there before leaving.
Her thoughts replayed her various emotions from the previous night. She flipped on her bedside lamp and pulled her journal from the drawer.
Opening the book which held some of her deepest secrets, she wondered why she'd never written about the ones she had just revealed. Realizing that she was previously too afraid to acknowledge them anywhere, she knew that now was the time to put things in the past, accept her role in what had occurred and ask for forgiveness.
She flipped to the next blank page, took a deep breath and did her best to release the anger, fear, disappointment and hatred that she felt she'd been carrying around for what seemed like forever…
"Facing your fears requires that you open up, speak of those things that torment you, accept a willingness to split yourself wide open, as you pull out piece by piece, each and every frightening morsel. You dissect yourself, trying desperately to put things back together, but realizing that it will never be the same. Your experiences will forever change you, as pieces of you shift and settle differently than they once were.
You want to believe that those who claim to love you will not turn away; that the feelings you once shared will forever remain as strong. However, things are different; things have changed and it may no longer be possible to look at each other in the same light.
Everything in life happens for a reason; no matter how hard or how unfair life seems to be, something better will always be the result. However, we must take the time needed to calm the churning seas within us, for what is right for you, may not be right for another."
Elizabeth closed her journal and slipped it back inside her drawer. She had no idea how Jack was feeling, and assumed that he would need time to process the revelations she'd provided. She laid back and closed her eyes, feeling at least somewhat relieved that her secrets had been revealed, maybe not to the world, but at least to the one person who truly mattered.
Two hours later, Jack woke, having managed a minimal amount of sleep. As he stretched, he opened his eyes and found Tristan sitting Indian style on the coffee table in front of him.
"You're still here," she happily commented.
"I sure am; how are you this morning?" he replied.
She jumped from the table onto his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "Oh, are you okay?"
Doing his best to catch his breath, he wrapped her in his arms, "I'm perfect now that I've seen you. Is your mommy awake?"
"I don't know…"
"Why don't you go see, and I'll fix you some breakfast," he replied.
"Pancakes…?"
"I'll look in the cabinet; if your mommy has mix, I'll make them."
Tristan kissed his cheek before jumping off the sofa and running down the hall into Elizabeth's room where she found her mother sitting on the bed slipping on her shoes.
"Mr. Jack is fixing us breakfast."
"He's still here?" she asked as she suddenly began smelling the wonderful aroma of bacon frying.
Wearing a white pleated midi skirt with a colorful pencil illustration along the hemline, and a hot pink blouse with short puffed sleeves; even Elizabeth's clothing selection seemed more colorful, bright and happy.
"Good morning," she stated, somehow surprised at seeing him before her.
"WOW, you look beautiful this morning; are you hungry?" he asked before stepping over and kissing her good morning.
"Tristan, please go get your backpack, okay?"
As Tristan cleared the kitchen, Elizabeth stepped closer and whispered, "After everything I told you, I figured you'd be gone."
"You figured wrong," he quickly responded.
Tristan ran into the kitchen with a bounce in her step, and a broad smile on her face, "I love bacon."
"How about pancakes?" Jack asked as he placed two on her plate, already spread with butter and syrup, and sliced into small bite sized pieces.
Tristan initially said nothing as she placed the first forkful of pancakes in her mouth, "Mmm."
"Jack, breakfast I believe is going above and beyond the call of duty. Thank you; it was a very sweet gesture," Elizabeth commented as she set about eating the bacon and pancakes he'd prepared for her. "I think we could get used to this, couldn't we, Tristan?"
"Yes ma'am…"
Following breakfast, Elizabeth sent Tristan back to wash her face and change her shirt, as it appeared that she had used her clothes as a napkin for the dripping syrup.
After Tristan left the room Elizabeth took Jack by the hand and walked toward the door, "Jack, you know everything now; the good, the bad and the ugly. So if you want to back out of your proposal, there will be no hard feelings."
"Elizabeth, I don't even consider that proposal anymore. We're back together, aren't we?" he asked.
When she didn't immediately respond, his hand rested along her jaw line as his thumb gently brushed across her cheek, "You are the most remarkable woman I have ever known. I came home to make things right with you and I have no intention of walking away."
His eyes engaged hers as he hesitantly leaned closer, the floral scent of her perfume consumed him as the sparkle in her eyes seemed to have thankfully returned. His mouth covered hers; her lips, seemingly firm as concern for their possible future threat worried her. However, as they touched, her lips softened immediately against his. She seemed to relax, giving in to the feelings she'd carried around in her heart for all of those years; the same feelings that most likely tormented Tommy during their marriage and possibly beyond.
Although her experience with Tommy placed a heavy weight on her shoulders, she was thankful to have purged herself of everything. She felt lighter, and though she'd made mistakes, somehow that no longer mattered as the secrets were out.
He felt closer to her as a result of her emotional cleansing than he'd ever felt before. He wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, but before he could, she shocked him by saying…
"I think we need to take a few days to think about all of this."
"Elizabeth, I don't need to think."
Emotionally, Elizabeth felt that they both needed some time alone to process everything she'd told him. Her admissions rocked her world again, sadly proving to her the hold that Tommy had once had upon her.
It had nothing to do with feelings she had for Tommy; in fact she loathed him, and the thought of being in the same room with him made her skin crawl. However, she didn't want Jack's pity, or him wanting to stay with her for any reason other than he loved her. Hopefully time would answer the questions that each one needed to ponder.
Tristan ran down the hall and grabbed Jack's hand as all three of them walked out of the house. Jack placed her in the booster seat in Elizabeth's Mustang before walking around to the driver's side.
Standing beside the car, they quietly spoke.
"Elizabeth, don't let him tear us apart. You're handing him exactly what he wants," Jack stated as he stepped forward and took hold of her hand, afraid to let her go. "I know what you told me, and frankly, it doesn't matter."
"Jack, I'm not giving him anything. I know what I told you, and as horrific as it is, I've had years to deal with it; it's a lot to take in at one time," she stated as she turned to open her car door.
Jack took hold of her arm and turned her back to face him, "Elizabeth, I don't want to be away from you."
"Jack, who you thought I was, is not who I am; I'm not strong, and I allowed…" she glanced down and took a breath before continuing. "I allowed Tommy to scare me into remaining silent. I sat by and remained quiet while the most repugnant, untruths were said about you, and I did nothing."
"You're still letting him get to you. You are strong, and you've done what was needed to protect everyone around you; everyone except yourself. Please let me help you; we can get through this together."
"Jack, I just need you to take a few days, don't contact me, just think, and if you still want to pursue something here, then we can talk, okay?"
"You're pushing me away…"
"No Jack, I love you, and heaven knows that little girl in the back seat loves you, but I don't want you with us because you feel sorry for us, for what we've been through."
"I don't."
"Then take the time to be sure," she stated as she stepped closer and brushed her lips across his.
Little did either of them know that photographers with cameras in hand were hidden in the brush across the street and multiple shots of the three of them walking out to the driveway, Jack holding Tristan and placing her in the car, and the kiss between Jack and Elizabeth were taken without their knowledge?
Jack understood her needing time; he even understood her wanting him to take time, and he was willing to go along with her. However, what he was not willing to do was to allow her, in her humiliation of how she'd handled Tommy in the past, to push him away. "Two days, Elizabeth; I don't even need that, but I'll give you two days."
"Thank you, Jack…"
"Just know that if you want to talk sooner than that, I'm here," Jack responded as he opened her door and she slipped inside.
"Thank you, Jack…for everything," she stated before pulling out of her driveway. As she drove down the street, pictures of Elizabeth's license plate were also taken, and her information through the Florida DMV was quickly displayed on multiple cell phone screens.
Jack stood and watched as Elizabeth and Tristan turned the corner and were no longer in sight. He slipped into his SUV and pulled out of her driveway, but was unaware that the photographers were still snapping pictures, nor had he any idea of the byline that would soon accompany them in the entertainment section of the newspaper and magazines.
Later that morning, while sitting in his kitchen, Jack picked up his phone and called a friend, someone who he had trusted previously with the intricacies of his security. He felt it was now time to employ him again.
"Hey Jack, it's kinda early, is something wrong?" Matt Springer, owner of Pacific Coast Security groggily answered.
"Hey Matt, I'm sorry. I forget that I'm not in LA anymore," Jack apologetically replied.
"What do you need, Jack?"
"I'm in Florida now…" Jack began before being interrupted.
"Did you get her back?" Matt asked.
"Excuse me…?"
"Your girl; did you get her back?"
Jack smiled, "I did, and that's actually why I'm calling."
"How can I help, Jack?"
"Are you available to come to Florida?"
"Hmm, Florida…would this be for a vacation?" Matt asked.
"Sorry no, but you are the only person I trust to protect the two most important people in my life," Jack stated as he walked to his refrigerator and poured a glass of orange juice.
"Is it the media? I mean, I haven't seen much about you since you left LA."
"No, it's not the media; it's her ex-husband, and I'm fairly certain that once he knows I'm seeing her again that he's not going to be happy."
"Let me make a few arrangements and I should be able to be sitting on the beach in Fort Lauderdale this evening."
The entire day, Jack sat with his phone in his hand, tapping out text after text, but deleting them before they could be sent. Little did he know that Elizabeth was doing the same thing, however, realizing that she'd been the one asking for space kept her from pressing the 'send' button?
At 7pm, Jack's doorbell rang. Opening the door he found his confidant, and security professional, Matt Springer, standing on his front porch.
Matt stepped inside and they grabbed a beer before taking a seat on the patio by the pool. "So, what's going on?" Matt asked.
Jack filled him in as best he could, knowing that if anyone could protect Elizabeth and Tristan, it was Matt.
On Wednesday morning, having gone one "long" day without talking to Jack, she realized how important he'd again become to her in such a short period of time. Although it was her choice to ask for some time, she couldn't imagine anything that would make her want to question being with him. However, her feelings weren't in question; now that he knew everything, his were.
She understood that their situation was complicated; he had the paparazzi to deal with while she had to contend with Tommy. However, never having been in this situation before, Elizabeth soon realized how disturbing an invasion of privacy could be; how complicated their lives had now become.
Sitting behind her desk waiting on the buses to arrive, Mandy Rimes slipped into her room carrying her iPad.
"Hey, you busy?" Mandy asked as she approached Elizabeth's desk.
"No, what's up?"
Mandy walked in and took a seat beside Elizabeth's desk. "I know we aren't like close friends, but…"
"What is it Mandy?"
"I've been privy to some conversations the ladies here have had."
"What conversations are you referring to?" Elizabeth asked.
"Elizabeth, I mean the group conversations we've had talking about our men and sex."
Suddenly feeling uncomfortable and having no idea where this conversation was heading, Elizabeth stood up, "You know, I forgot to give Tristan her lunch money this morning; I need to get it to her before school starts. Maybe we can talk another time."
"Wait…I need to show you something," Mandy blurted out.
"What is it?"
"Look Elizabeth, if I was in your situation, I'd want to know."
"Know what?"
Mandy turned the iPad around. Tapping a few keys, several somewhat blurry images appeared.
"What am I looking at?" Elizabeth asked.
"I was looking at the computer last night and came across the National Inquisitor site."
"That's a rag mag; what are you looking at that stuff for?" Elizabeth asked.
"Good morning, Mrs. Parker," several students called out as they entered the classroom, causing Mandy to flip her iPad over. As quickly as they came into class, they put down their belongings and headed for the cafeteria where many of them congregated for the school's free breakfast.
Although Elizabeth loved the mornings when her students came into class, smiling and happily greeting her, she desperately wished that she could have a different last name. She kept "Parker" when they divorced to keep some continuity for Tristan, but now wished it could be changed to Smith, Jones, back to Thatcher, or possibly even at some point Thornton.
However, as real as life felt now, what she feared was about to slap her in the face.
"Look Elizabeth, I know you told me that you were dating Jack Thornton, and if my boyfriend was cheating on me, I'd want someone to tell me…"
"Cheating…? I don't know what you're talking about; what is this?" Elizabeth again glanced at the screen doing her best to figure out the image.
"According to the write up, Jack Thornton is back in town…which we already know, and these pictures were taken at his house," Mandy commented as she continued to enlarge the blurry image as if larger would make it easier to identify.
Elizabeth zeroed in on the iPad. Suddenly, her heart began to pound erratically.
"It looks to me like a woman wearing his dress shirt. I know based on our talks before that you don't believe in…well, you don't agree with premarital sex, so I can only assume that your boyfriend is playing you, and I hate to see that happen," Mandy remarked as her finger across the screen displayed additional blurry images, all of the same female walking up a staircase, presumably to his bedroom.
Elizabeth walked Mandy to the door. With her heart still pounding and vacillating between being afraid of what the paparazzi and Tommy will do and being afraid to walk away from Jack she said, "Just so you know…the woman in the images is me."
The thoughts of relationships, the upcoming school open house, what she was fixing for dinner, and even Tommy's most recent contact took an immediate back seat to the possible scandalous images that were now circulating on the internet.
Little did she know that additional personal photos were being printed in upcoming issues of much sought after rag magazines, as editors did their best to beat competitors for the most exciting stories.
The National Inquisitor was rushing to publication with multiple pictures of Jack, Elizabeth and Tristan leaving the townhouse, Jack holding Tristan, and kisses between Jack and Elizabeth. The story, ready to hit newsstands, and internet within hours read…
Jack Thornton and his new lady love...
The article began…
Jack Thornton appears to have moved on from rock star to daddy figure after returning to his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the woman who seems to have captured his heart. They seemed quite close as Jack, and his lady love, identified as elementary school teacher, Elizabeth Parker, stepped outside of her townhouse early on Tuesday morning. Hmm, must have been a weekday sleepover… They held hands as Jack placed the child in a booster seat before walking around and kissing Ms. Parker goodbye. As close as they apparently are, could Jack Thornton have a child that none of us were aware of? Inquisitive minds want to know!
To be continued…
