"You certainly are not going to beat around the bush are you Jordan."
Garrett says as he grabs the bottle out of the drawer. After fishing for a
couple of glasses and pours them a shot.
Taking an obligatory sip she asks her question again, "Are you going to tell me or not?"
"Frankly, Jordan I don't think it any of your business."
"I'm making it my business" she retorts.
Garrett scrubs his hand down his face and stands to turn off the music. Taking his time he carefully puts the record back in its dust sleeve. "She told me she was staying with a cop and his family."
"I can't believe you kicked her to the curb Garrett. She was on the streets and all alone."
"How old were you then...8 maybe 9 years old. I'm sure your view of Jacqueline is slightly distorted."
"Damn it Garrett!"
Garrett slowly sits back down with his elbows on the desk and his fingertips tapping together "We were both young, stupid and in love. You remember what that's like, don't you Jordan?"
"We're not talking about me."
"I tried to find her...I checked the hospitals and all the shelters. I called all our friends and the police. I even came here! But trying to find a specific 5 foot 3 inch blonde coed in this town was next to impossible."
"That all sounds very valiant...but you're not answering my question."
"Jacqueline was like a breath of spring time from the time I first laid eyes on her, so beautiful, so passionate, and so full of life. She was a freshman from Providence. She was supposed to be studying Economics, but instead she spent her time hanging out in clubs with guys like me. We had so much in common, from music to movies, cuisine to literature..."
"But...?"
"She wanted a life in the band and I wanted..."
"...a life with Maggie?"
Garrett sighed and sat silent for a second. Jordan could see he was choosing his words carefully, "I knew I would never be good enough to be a professional and frankly I didn't want to. I saw first hand what it was like waiting at the train station for a father who only came home when the bookings were scarce. But music was like a fire in Jacqueline's blood. I asked her to make a life with a simple med student...she turned me down. Maggie....didn't."
"I still don't understand why you kicked her out penniless in the middle of a snowstorm?"
"I didn't kick her out! She left... in the middle of the night. No word, no note, nothing! At first I figured she had changed her mind and had gone home to be with her family for the holiday. Then I started to notice the things she took with her. Not items you'd take for a long weekend at home. At that point I knew she was gone. I finally found her when I got a call from a club owner she worked for. He told me she was stopping by after Christmas to pick up her last paycheck. I was there when she showed up. I talked her into meeting me at the apartment for New Year's Eve. So we could talk and maybe even start over."
Taking a long drink from his glass, Garrett continues lost in his memories. "We spent the night dancing, drinking champagne and making love. We never got around to talking. By morning I think we both realized... although we loved each other, a future together just wasn't in the cards. That's the last I ever saw of her... until tonight."
Standing Garrett walks over to the window and looks out onto the night skyline. "There, have a bared my soul enough for you for one night Jordan?"
"Garrett, I'm sorry." Jordan stands and awkwardly waits for a moment looking at his back. Realizing the discussion was over Jordan quietly slips out of the office. Garrett does not turn around until he hears the bell of the elevator taking Jordan downstairs. Reaching for the bottle sitting on his desk Garrett refills his glass, thanking God that this was a new bottle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jordan is contemplating everything Garrett said when she walks out to the parking lot. She didn't realize Woody was parked there until she recognizes him, in the yellow street light, leaning against the door of his car. She smiles as she approaches him as if to say 'what are you doing here?'
"You left after Macy in such a hurry...is everything alright?" Woody says looking over at the building.
Jordan leans on the car next to Woody and says "How much did you hear from Jack this evening about how she came to live with us?"
"Not much, but I kind of figured out that she and Dr. Macy were more than band mates." Woody smiles and continues "Does he have something to do with her decision to move in with a pair of total strangers and aspiring Broadway star?"
"Oh God she told you about that, huh?"
"Me and about twenty others..." with his hands spread out in front of him he says "I can see the headlines now 'Little Jordan Cavanaugh- the search for Annie is over!' " he then breaks out in a falsetto version of 'Tomorrow'
"Will you stop that!? Someone is going to call the police and find out we've been drinking."
Taking her hand Woody says, "My career is in the toilet anyway, bring it on."
Jordan nods over to the building and says "He's pissed at me as it is. I don't need a public intoxication bust to add to the list."
"Did he tell you to mind your own business about Jack?" Woody says getting back to the subject.
She looked back up at the building picking up the windows of the medical examiner's office. She chose not to answer his question. "You know for years I assumed that Jack was the innocent one. On quiet cold snowy nights I often wonder what kind of ...person could send a girl out on the streets alone without a dime...."
"There are always two sides to every relationship Jordan." Woody says holding up their intertwined fingers to look at them for a moment.
"You sound just like Garrett."
"What did he say?" he says returning his focus to her face.
Jordan stood silent for a minute and Woody thought she wasn't going to answer until he heard "I still feel like he kicked her out...maybe not physically, but he didn't give her a choice."
"I find that hard to believe, but if it's true I'm sure he had his reasons."
Letting go of his hand, Jordan pushes away from the car and begins to walk over to her SUV. "What is it with you men? Why should a woman always have to mold herself in to your white picket fence world? Why can't a man ever be the one to adjust?"
She jumps into her truck and turns the key leaving Woody standing alone in the parking lot wondering when he became the bad guy in all of this. He just shook his head. He'd probably never figure how Jordan's mind worked. He laughed out loud thinking it sure as hell was fun trying.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the morning Jordan drives up to her father's house. Jack and Michael were staying there while they're in town. As she steps to the front door she hears the soft sounds of some kind of brass instrument coming from an open window in the parlor. She knocks on the door and Michael answers with the instrument in his hand.
"Oh, Hi Jordan...I thought maybe it was one of the neighbors complaining about...." he motions with the flugelhorn.
Jordan smiles and steps inside the doorway "They'd be fools...is there anything you can't do?" Michael blushes and looks at his feet.
"He sings like a strangled chicken and he has two left feet, but other than that he's perfect." Jack calls as she steps up to the doorway "don't stand there, come in....can I get you a cup of coffee?"
Michael frowns at his mother and says "Thanks for asking me..."
"You can get your own."
"I think I'll pass and leave you two to talk...I've only got a few weeks to get this thing figured out. I'll be upstairs."
"He's been trying to impress this girl who has a thing for horn players." Jack chuckles as she leads Jordan into the kitchen. "How do you take your coffee?"
"Black" Jordan sits down at her father's table and slowly runs a hand over the smooth surface. How many times had she sat there drinking coffee, and passing the time of day with her father?
Jack sits the coffee down in front of Jordan. "You miss him don't you?"
"All the time."
"When was the last time you talked to him?"
Jordan looks at her coffee cup. Realizing Jordan's answer Jack stands up and grabs the phone and a scrap of paper with the phone number on it. She sits them down by Jordan. "It's early yet....it should be a good time to call." Jack places a hand on Jordan's shoulder and then walks out of the room.
Jack couldn't know that Jordan and her father had decided not to contact each other while Max was gone, so they could both due some thinking and healing on their own. Jordan picks up the phone and slowly dials the number. She waits for the overseas call to connect. And unfamiliar voice answers.
"Hello"
"May I speak with Max...Max Cavanaugh please?"
"May I ask whose calling?"
"This is his...tell him it's Jordan."
"Jordan? ek, he's talked about nothin' but you darlin'...oh, I feel as if I know ya. Hang on, hang on I'll get him..."
Jordan feels her palms begin to sweat as she waits for her father to pick up the phone.
"Jordan? Jordan are you there?...Is there something wrong?" Max's concerned voice asks.
"Hi Dad, everything's... everything's fine...I just wanted to hear your voice."
"Oh honey."
Jordan quickly wipes away the stray tear from her cheek. "I know you wanted time alone but when Jack put the phone down in front of me..."
"Don't worry about it. I've picked up the phone a hundred times since I stepped off the plane. It's good to hear your voice too."
Trying to sound happy Jordan says "So, how's the bacon and cabbage over there?"
"Tastes like bacon and cabbage." Max laughs "but the ale is better...I need to talk to the distributor when I get back."
"You do that."
"So how is everything working out with Jack, has she opened the bar up yet?"
"Last night...you'd be proud, the crowd was huge. Every one was asking about you."
"Give everyone my best."
"Dad, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure Jordan. What do you need?"
"When Jack came to stay with us...back then....did she ever tell you what really happened?"
"Honey, she was a young girl in a bit of trouble, your mother and I just wanted to help her get back on her feet. I didn't feel as if it really was any of our business."
"Did she ever tell about her...boyfriend."
"Like I said Jordan I didn't think it was our business."
"That's Ok Dad. I have to say good bye or I'm going to be late for work."
"You don't go messing around in that poor woman's past Jordan."
After a slight pause Jordan says "No...I promise." She pushes the coffee cup away from herself as her says "I better go this call is on your dime."
"Don't pester Jacqueline, Jordan."
"Bye Dad."
"Goodbye Jordan"
"I love you."
"Love you too."
Jordan hangs up the phone. Jack walks back into the kitchen. She sits down at the table and waits for Jordan to speak.
Jordan knew Jack had heard her side of the phone call. "I went to see Garrett when I left last night."
"I figured."
"Does he know he's Michael's father?"
Jack stood quickly to look through the archway leading to the living room to make sure Michael was not in ear shot. She relaxes when she heard the horn playing upstairs.
"I gather Michael doesn't know either."
"Jordan, I can tell you're the daughter of a detective. But this time you're off base."
"Jack I'm not 9 anymore. I know how babies are made and I know how long it takes to give birth. The only man other than Garrett you were around was my father and I know that's not a possibility."
"Jordan, those were crazy times before I came to live with you."
"Are you saying you slept with other men than Garrett?"
"I'm just saying you need to mind your own business and stay out of this Jordan. We have all chosen our paths in life and nothing can change that."
To be continued...
Taking an obligatory sip she asks her question again, "Are you going to tell me or not?"
"Frankly, Jordan I don't think it any of your business."
"I'm making it my business" she retorts.
Garrett scrubs his hand down his face and stands to turn off the music. Taking his time he carefully puts the record back in its dust sleeve. "She told me she was staying with a cop and his family."
"I can't believe you kicked her to the curb Garrett. She was on the streets and all alone."
"How old were you then...8 maybe 9 years old. I'm sure your view of Jacqueline is slightly distorted."
"Damn it Garrett!"
Garrett slowly sits back down with his elbows on the desk and his fingertips tapping together "We were both young, stupid and in love. You remember what that's like, don't you Jordan?"
"We're not talking about me."
"I tried to find her...I checked the hospitals and all the shelters. I called all our friends and the police. I even came here! But trying to find a specific 5 foot 3 inch blonde coed in this town was next to impossible."
"That all sounds very valiant...but you're not answering my question."
"Jacqueline was like a breath of spring time from the time I first laid eyes on her, so beautiful, so passionate, and so full of life. She was a freshman from Providence. She was supposed to be studying Economics, but instead she spent her time hanging out in clubs with guys like me. We had so much in common, from music to movies, cuisine to literature..."
"But...?"
"She wanted a life in the band and I wanted..."
"...a life with Maggie?"
Garrett sighed and sat silent for a second. Jordan could see he was choosing his words carefully, "I knew I would never be good enough to be a professional and frankly I didn't want to. I saw first hand what it was like waiting at the train station for a father who only came home when the bookings were scarce. But music was like a fire in Jacqueline's blood. I asked her to make a life with a simple med student...she turned me down. Maggie....didn't."
"I still don't understand why you kicked her out penniless in the middle of a snowstorm?"
"I didn't kick her out! She left... in the middle of the night. No word, no note, nothing! At first I figured she had changed her mind and had gone home to be with her family for the holiday. Then I started to notice the things she took with her. Not items you'd take for a long weekend at home. At that point I knew she was gone. I finally found her when I got a call from a club owner she worked for. He told me she was stopping by after Christmas to pick up her last paycheck. I was there when she showed up. I talked her into meeting me at the apartment for New Year's Eve. So we could talk and maybe even start over."
Taking a long drink from his glass, Garrett continues lost in his memories. "We spent the night dancing, drinking champagne and making love. We never got around to talking. By morning I think we both realized... although we loved each other, a future together just wasn't in the cards. That's the last I ever saw of her... until tonight."
Standing Garrett walks over to the window and looks out onto the night skyline. "There, have a bared my soul enough for you for one night Jordan?"
"Garrett, I'm sorry." Jordan stands and awkwardly waits for a moment looking at his back. Realizing the discussion was over Jordan quietly slips out of the office. Garrett does not turn around until he hears the bell of the elevator taking Jordan downstairs. Reaching for the bottle sitting on his desk Garrett refills his glass, thanking God that this was a new bottle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jordan is contemplating everything Garrett said when she walks out to the parking lot. She didn't realize Woody was parked there until she recognizes him, in the yellow street light, leaning against the door of his car. She smiles as she approaches him as if to say 'what are you doing here?'
"You left after Macy in such a hurry...is everything alright?" Woody says looking over at the building.
Jordan leans on the car next to Woody and says "How much did you hear from Jack this evening about how she came to live with us?"
"Not much, but I kind of figured out that she and Dr. Macy were more than band mates." Woody smiles and continues "Does he have something to do with her decision to move in with a pair of total strangers and aspiring Broadway star?"
"Oh God she told you about that, huh?"
"Me and about twenty others..." with his hands spread out in front of him he says "I can see the headlines now 'Little Jordan Cavanaugh- the search for Annie is over!' " he then breaks out in a falsetto version of 'Tomorrow'
"Will you stop that!? Someone is going to call the police and find out we've been drinking."
Taking her hand Woody says, "My career is in the toilet anyway, bring it on."
Jordan nods over to the building and says "He's pissed at me as it is. I don't need a public intoxication bust to add to the list."
"Did he tell you to mind your own business about Jack?" Woody says getting back to the subject.
She looked back up at the building picking up the windows of the medical examiner's office. She chose not to answer his question. "You know for years I assumed that Jack was the innocent one. On quiet cold snowy nights I often wonder what kind of ...person could send a girl out on the streets alone without a dime...."
"There are always two sides to every relationship Jordan." Woody says holding up their intertwined fingers to look at them for a moment.
"You sound just like Garrett."
"What did he say?" he says returning his focus to her face.
Jordan stood silent for a minute and Woody thought she wasn't going to answer until he heard "I still feel like he kicked her out...maybe not physically, but he didn't give her a choice."
"I find that hard to believe, but if it's true I'm sure he had his reasons."
Letting go of his hand, Jordan pushes away from the car and begins to walk over to her SUV. "What is it with you men? Why should a woman always have to mold herself in to your white picket fence world? Why can't a man ever be the one to adjust?"
She jumps into her truck and turns the key leaving Woody standing alone in the parking lot wondering when he became the bad guy in all of this. He just shook his head. He'd probably never figure how Jordan's mind worked. He laughed out loud thinking it sure as hell was fun trying.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the morning Jordan drives up to her father's house. Jack and Michael were staying there while they're in town. As she steps to the front door she hears the soft sounds of some kind of brass instrument coming from an open window in the parlor. She knocks on the door and Michael answers with the instrument in his hand.
"Oh, Hi Jordan...I thought maybe it was one of the neighbors complaining about...." he motions with the flugelhorn.
Jordan smiles and steps inside the doorway "They'd be fools...is there anything you can't do?" Michael blushes and looks at his feet.
"He sings like a strangled chicken and he has two left feet, but other than that he's perfect." Jack calls as she steps up to the doorway "don't stand there, come in....can I get you a cup of coffee?"
Michael frowns at his mother and says "Thanks for asking me..."
"You can get your own."
"I think I'll pass and leave you two to talk...I've only got a few weeks to get this thing figured out. I'll be upstairs."
"He's been trying to impress this girl who has a thing for horn players." Jack chuckles as she leads Jordan into the kitchen. "How do you take your coffee?"
"Black" Jordan sits down at her father's table and slowly runs a hand over the smooth surface. How many times had she sat there drinking coffee, and passing the time of day with her father?
Jack sits the coffee down in front of Jordan. "You miss him don't you?"
"All the time."
"When was the last time you talked to him?"
Jordan looks at her coffee cup. Realizing Jordan's answer Jack stands up and grabs the phone and a scrap of paper with the phone number on it. She sits them down by Jordan. "It's early yet....it should be a good time to call." Jack places a hand on Jordan's shoulder and then walks out of the room.
Jack couldn't know that Jordan and her father had decided not to contact each other while Max was gone, so they could both due some thinking and healing on their own. Jordan picks up the phone and slowly dials the number. She waits for the overseas call to connect. And unfamiliar voice answers.
"Hello"
"May I speak with Max...Max Cavanaugh please?"
"May I ask whose calling?"
"This is his...tell him it's Jordan."
"Jordan? ek, he's talked about nothin' but you darlin'...oh, I feel as if I know ya. Hang on, hang on I'll get him..."
Jordan feels her palms begin to sweat as she waits for her father to pick up the phone.
"Jordan? Jordan are you there?...Is there something wrong?" Max's concerned voice asks.
"Hi Dad, everything's... everything's fine...I just wanted to hear your voice."
"Oh honey."
Jordan quickly wipes away the stray tear from her cheek. "I know you wanted time alone but when Jack put the phone down in front of me..."
"Don't worry about it. I've picked up the phone a hundred times since I stepped off the plane. It's good to hear your voice too."
Trying to sound happy Jordan says "So, how's the bacon and cabbage over there?"
"Tastes like bacon and cabbage." Max laughs "but the ale is better...I need to talk to the distributor when I get back."
"You do that."
"So how is everything working out with Jack, has she opened the bar up yet?"
"Last night...you'd be proud, the crowd was huge. Every one was asking about you."
"Give everyone my best."
"Dad, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure Jordan. What do you need?"
"When Jack came to stay with us...back then....did she ever tell you what really happened?"
"Honey, she was a young girl in a bit of trouble, your mother and I just wanted to help her get back on her feet. I didn't feel as if it really was any of our business."
"Did she ever tell about her...boyfriend."
"Like I said Jordan I didn't think it was our business."
"That's Ok Dad. I have to say good bye or I'm going to be late for work."
"You don't go messing around in that poor woman's past Jordan."
After a slight pause Jordan says "No...I promise." She pushes the coffee cup away from herself as her says "I better go this call is on your dime."
"Don't pester Jacqueline, Jordan."
"Bye Dad."
"Goodbye Jordan"
"I love you."
"Love you too."
Jordan hangs up the phone. Jack walks back into the kitchen. She sits down at the table and waits for Jordan to speak.
Jordan knew Jack had heard her side of the phone call. "I went to see Garrett when I left last night."
"I figured."
"Does he know he's Michael's father?"
Jack stood quickly to look through the archway leading to the living room to make sure Michael was not in ear shot. She relaxes when she heard the horn playing upstairs.
"I gather Michael doesn't know either."
"Jordan, I can tell you're the daughter of a detective. But this time you're off base."
"Jack I'm not 9 anymore. I know how babies are made and I know how long it takes to give birth. The only man other than Garrett you were around was my father and I know that's not a possibility."
"Jordan, those were crazy times before I came to live with you."
"Are you saying you slept with other men than Garrett?"
"I'm just saying you need to mind your own business and stay out of this Jordan. We have all chosen our paths in life and nothing can change that."
To be continued...