Disclaimer: The song is "Popsicle Toes" by Michael Franks...go figure.
(Fun song if you've ever heard it!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day, Garrett looks up from his desk as he hears a knock on his doorframe. Jordan is standing there.
"Come in Jordan." Garrett says pushing away from his desk.
Jordan looks at the floor for a second and then says "I came by to say I'm sorry about last night. You're right it's none of my business."
Garrett doesn't quite believe she's being honest but he says "Don't worry about it. It was all a lifetime ago. Now get to work."
"Yes sir" she says. That was entirely too easy, she thinks to herself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following week passes in a blur. Jordan tried to stop by the pub for a minute or two everyday. But work was steady and she was using it as an excuse to avoid Jack and all the questions.
Jordan couldn't help but notice that Garrett seems to have taken up residence in to his office. He's there when she leaves at night and there when she arrives the next day. More often than not, dressed in the same clothes he was wearing the day before. Whenever anyone tries to pry him away from his desk he's come up with some lame excuse. After a few days, the staff was coming close to giving up.
Jordan turns the lights off in her office, it was late but she still had time to stop by the bar to say hi. Nigel and Peter left to go there a few hours ago.
Jordan swings by Garrett's office, "Hey boss, I just got a call from Nigel. He's buying if we can get there before closing."
"No thanks Jordan, you go ahead, I've got work to do."
"With the hours you've been keeping this week I'm surprised there's anything left to do."
"I'll see you tomorrow Jordan." Garrett picks up a paper sitting in front of him. Realizing she has been dismissed Jordan leaves.
Jordan walks into the pub a few minutes before last call. She sees Nigel, Peter, Bug and Woody playing cards and at a table by the piano.
She quietly walks up behind Woody as he is studying his cards leaning back on two legs of his chair. She hears him proudly proclaim, "I'm a leg man myself..."
"I'll alert the media ..."
The sound of Jordan's voice makes Woody crash forward before he could lose his balance. He reaches to loosen his tie a little more as he squeaks out "Jordan. We...ah...gave up hope you'd show tonight."
"Playing poker in a public place gentleman? Should we be prepared for the police raid?"
Nigel looks at his cards and says "We're playing for pretzels love."
"Which is a mute point since Bug keeps eating the pot." Peter says as he throws his cards down.
"What? I didn't eat much dinner." Bug says as he grabs a pretzel from the center of the table and pops it in his mouth.
"He and Lily went out to try that new place by the pier tonight..." Peter adds.
Jordan looks around "Where is Lily?"
"Probably at Taco Bell by now... the restaurant was horrible." Bug mumbles.
"She left about a half hour ago" Woody says.
"I've been telling these blokes we need to work on Bug's dating techniques." Nigel says.
"It was not a date; it was just dinner...and lousy food at that." Bug says though a mouth full of pretzels.
Jack walks over to the table "Jordan. What can I get for you?"
"Coffee would be great, I'm on call."
Peter stands and walks over to the piano running his hand over the top. He says, "Rule #47 of Dating, Bug; don't let your date drive herself...she'll leave you eating pretzels that have been used for poker chips ....." Peter looks at Jack "May I?" he asks.
"Sure" Jack says as she walks over to stand by the piano's side. Peter sits and stretches his fingers. He begins to play a painfully simple piano recital song from his childhood.
Jack yells over to the bar "Michael, I think I'll trade you in for a new model."
"Great, now I can quit and go back to New York..." Michael says, not looking up from the stack of glasses he's cleaning.
"Move over honey." Jack sits down at the piano next to Peter and they begin to fumble through "Tea for Two".
Garrett walks in the pub and sits down at the bar. He smiles as he watches Jack and Peter fudge their way through the duet. Jordan catches his eye and lifts her mug in salute.
"We're getting ready to close, but what can I get you?" Michael asks as he continues to wipe down the bar.
Garrett turns to face him, "Scotch neat."
Michael hands Garrett his drink and says "So, I gather you knew my mother when she still lived in Boston."
"Yes" Garrett says as he takes a drink.
"She doesn't talk much about her time here..."
Having noticed Garrett sitting at the bar, Jack comes over and distracts Michael by saying "Go play for me Michael. Peter's a doll to look at, but he can't play a lick."
"I thought you were trading me in for him?" Michael says drying his hands.
"Smart ass...just go" Jack turns back to look at Jordan "Jordan," she calls. Jordan looks up from where she's standing over Woody's shoulder "send over that cop of yours so Michael can play one more before we have to close."
Woody looks up from the game of solitaire he had just started. "Yes ma'am, I'll be right there." Woody stands "Don't you dare touch that Jordan."
"But I told you the black eight needs to go over here to the red nine."
"Just leave it alone"
"Ok... You know Woody; you look like you're getting awfully comfortable behind that bar. Maybe you're hanging out here too much lately."
Woody turns and Jordan's hand reaches out to the cards lying on the table. Before she can snatch her hand back Woody lightly slaps her knuckles and says "I don't have a life Jordan."
"That's painfully obvious there Hoyt" she replies as she shakes her hand in the air. As Woody walks toward the bar, Jordan quickly rearranges the cards while his back is turned. With a self satisfied smile she lifts her coffee cup to her lips.
Nigel clears his throat. Jordan turns her guilty gaze at him. "What?"
"What will it be?" Michael asks as he sits down to the keyboard.
Jack walks over to the piano and says "You pick.....no wait. Remember that song we did at that New Year's party awhile back...?"
"You mean this one?" Michael plays a few bars of the jazzy opening riff.
"Yes, that's the one."
"Oh no" Garrett shakes his head.
"Don't worry Garrett; the drum set is still on lay away." Jack laughs over her shoulder.
"I haven't played in a while but here goes." Michael says as he begins to play.
Jordan looks over at Garrett when she realizes this was the song he was playing when she followed him to his office that night Jack reopened the bar.
Jack's sultry voice soon joins in with the smooth piano ...."When God gave out rhythm"... "Sure was good to you"... "You can add, subtract, multiply and divide... by two."... "I know today's your birthday and I did not... buy a rose"... "But I wrote this song and I call it, Popsicle Toes."... "Popsicle toes"... "Popsicle toes are always froze"... "Popsicle toes"... "You're brave to expose...all those ...Popsicle toes."
Woody bursts out laughing as Jack starts the chorus. The look on Bug's face as Jack sits on the arm of his chair and runs her fingers through his hair was priceless.
Garrett laughs "She always did have a way with this song; I think that's why I could never get the beat right."
Jack continues singing and turns her attention to Nigel, who relishes in it,
"...You must have been Mr. Olympian"... "With all that amplitude"... "How come you always load your Pentax when I am in the room?"... "We are to have a birthday party and you can wear your birthday clothes"... "Then we can hit the floor and... go.... explore those ...Popsicle toes."...
Jack turns to stand next to Peter as he leans against the piano. She looks him up and down...
"You've got the nicest north of America"... "This sailor's ever saw"... "I like to feel your warm Brazil and touch your...Panama"... "But your Tierra del Fuegos are nearly always froze."..."We got to seesaw until we un-thaw those Popsicle toes....."
She returns to the poor unwitting Bug for the final chorus.
As the song ends the small handful of patrons left clap wildly.
Nigel grabs the profusely blushing Bug in the arm and says "I always know you had it in you old chap."
Peter takes pity on his co-worker and says "It's late. Can you give me ride Bug?... One trip over here the back of Nigel's bike is enough for me."
Bug all but jumps out of his chair and says "Yeah, ah... see you all later."
Nigel stands, kisses Jack's hand and says "Until we met again, my lady."
Jack waves as the few remaining customers begin to file out.
She then calls Woody from behind the bar "I'll finish up here handsome, why don't you walk Jordan out to her car?"
"Whatever you say Jack," Woody smiles and throws the rag in his hand on the bar. Jordan hands him his suit jacket as they walk out of the door.
"So what's up with Detective Hoyt and my Jordan?" Jack asks as she steps behind the bar. "He's got it bad. I wonder if Jordan will ever slow down enough to notice the way he watches her whenever she's in the room."
"There in lies the problem." Garrett says into his drink.
"Well, I'll see what I can do about that before I leave."
"You're leaving?"
"Max should be back by the end of the month." Jack says as she pulls out her purse and keys from beneath the bar.
Michael finished stacking the chairs and says, "Everyone's gone...You want me to go in the back and bring out some more stock?"
"No honey, why don't you go on ahead...I'll finish up here. I'll get a ride back to Max's from Garrett...if that's alright with you Garrett?"
Michael looks over at Garrett as he sits at the bar sipping his drink. He walks up, leans over the bar and kisses his mother on the cheek. "I'll leave a light on for you...don't do anything stupid." Michael whispers in her ear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael meets Jordan and Woody standing just outside the door. He tells them good night and walks down the street to his car. Woody and Jordan turn, hand and hand, and begin walking to where she's parked. Woody looks up in the sky and says, "It must be the full moon."
"What do you mean?"
"First, Bug and Lily go out to eat, Garrett stays behind to help Jack close, and you decide to walk in the moonlight with me."
"I had to park in Egypt."
"Can't you smell it? It must be the spring in the air." Woody muses.
"No, I think that's the back draft from the bay."
"Well...aren't you the least bit curious what's happening back there in the bar?"
"No"
"Isn't there a romantic bone in your body Jordan?"
"Nope, didn't come with the floor model." she lets go of his hand as they stop in front of her SUV.
Woody leans over to look in her face "Even when Bobby O'Reilly sat in back of you during 7th grade English?"
Jordan puts her hands to her face. She says with a groan "She had to tell you THAT too."
"Oh yes, Jack is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to you 'Jordanbaby'. You were quite the little pen pal before you started college. The stories I could tell..."
"Ok, what's it going to take to keep you quiet?" Jordan looks up at Woody's smirking face.
"Dinner for two...at your place." he says hopefully.
Jordan opens the truck door and laughs "I guess I'll just have to take my chances."
As she jumps in as Woody holds open the door. "You're weakening... I can tell."
"In your dreams, cowboy... Good Night Woody."
"Good Night Jordan." he says as he shuts the door for her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack refills Garrett's drink and pours one for herself.
"I thought you were closed?"
"I am, but can't two old friends have a drink and catch up on the last 24 years?"
Garrett turns and motions to the piano. "I haven't heard that song in just about as long."
"I use to sing it to you every night." Jack smiles nostalgically.
"How could I forget?" Garrett chuckles.
"Michael found the sheet music in a box of old mementos a few years ago. He surprised me with it one day."
"He's a talented young man...I bet his father is very proud of him."
Jack pushes her drink aside and says "His father and I are not together anymore...in fact he was never a part of Michael's life."
"The man's fool to give up his child... I could never give up Abby."
"Sometimes that choice is not yours to make. Life takes us all in different directions, and Michael's father and I just were drifting too far apart."
"It seems like we're both cursed in that way."
"Let's talk about something happier. Tell me about your Abby."
Jack walks around the end of the bar and puts a coin in the jukebox. She makes her selection. She jumps when she feels Garrett's hands on her shoulders.
"Dance with me Jacqueline."
Patting her hair Jack says "I'm a mess Garrett. I'm covered with spilt beer and smell like an ashtray."
"I don't care" Garrett takes her in his arms anyway and they begin to slowly dance.
After a few minutes Jack says "You were always a good dancer Garrett."
"I had a good teacher."
Jack lays her head on his shoulder and says, "We were good together, weren't we?"
Garrett stops dancing and says "I've missed you Jacqueline."
He kisses her.
The kiss deepens as Jack wraps her arms around him. She fights to regain her sanity as Garrett begins to trail kisses to her ear. "Come home with me." he whispers to her.
"That's not a good idea Garrett. And besides it's been a long time. I didn't think I can remem..."
He silences her with a soft kiss. "It will all come back, I promise." When she begins to protest again he says "just for tonight...I need you."
"I'm not the same girl I use to be Garrett...things are not...where they use to be."
"Neither of us is as young as we use to be."
"You need to work on your pick up lines Garrett, there a little rusty."
"They're working aren't they?"
Garrett wraps an arm around her waist. As they walk past the bar he grabs the purse she had put up there earlier and they walk out of the pub together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Garrett, you still have the coldest feet on the eastern seaboard." Jack chuckles as she leans against Garrett's chest a few hours later. They're sprawled across his tangled king size bed.
Garrett loops his arms loosely around her waist and says "I think their warm now."
"Really...? Let me check..." she says as she stretches her leg down his.
"Woman, move like that again and you'll be the death of me. I'm still trying to catch my breath..." Garrett says with a cheshire cat smile.
Jack shifts her hip slightly and says "Hum, you feel still alive to me." as she moves to kiss him the phone rings. "Damn...busted." She reaches over to grab the phone and hands it him.
Garrett is still smiling as he says "Macy....Jordan this better be good.....Yeah, she's right here" He hands the phone to Jack.
Jack chuckles, "Jordanbaby, I don't need you checking...."
Jack rolls away from Garrett and sits up quickly "My God..."
Garrett sits up and says "What is it?"
Jack didn't hear him as she listens to Jordan speaking on the other end of the phone. She asks Jordan "Where is?........oh, God." Jack drops the phone to the bed.
Garrett takes one look at her pale face and asks her "Is it Michael?"
"There's..... been an accident..."
Garrett begins to franticly look around the floor for their clothes. "What hospital? Did Jordan tell you?"
"He's not..... at the hospital........he's on his way to the morgue."
To be continued...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day, Garrett looks up from his desk as he hears a knock on his doorframe. Jordan is standing there.
"Come in Jordan." Garrett says pushing away from his desk.
Jordan looks at the floor for a second and then says "I came by to say I'm sorry about last night. You're right it's none of my business."
Garrett doesn't quite believe she's being honest but he says "Don't worry about it. It was all a lifetime ago. Now get to work."
"Yes sir" she says. That was entirely too easy, she thinks to herself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following week passes in a blur. Jordan tried to stop by the pub for a minute or two everyday. But work was steady and she was using it as an excuse to avoid Jack and all the questions.
Jordan couldn't help but notice that Garrett seems to have taken up residence in to his office. He's there when she leaves at night and there when she arrives the next day. More often than not, dressed in the same clothes he was wearing the day before. Whenever anyone tries to pry him away from his desk he's come up with some lame excuse. After a few days, the staff was coming close to giving up.
Jordan turns the lights off in her office, it was late but she still had time to stop by the bar to say hi. Nigel and Peter left to go there a few hours ago.
Jordan swings by Garrett's office, "Hey boss, I just got a call from Nigel. He's buying if we can get there before closing."
"No thanks Jordan, you go ahead, I've got work to do."
"With the hours you've been keeping this week I'm surprised there's anything left to do."
"I'll see you tomorrow Jordan." Garrett picks up a paper sitting in front of him. Realizing she has been dismissed Jordan leaves.
Jordan walks into the pub a few minutes before last call. She sees Nigel, Peter, Bug and Woody playing cards and at a table by the piano.
She quietly walks up behind Woody as he is studying his cards leaning back on two legs of his chair. She hears him proudly proclaim, "I'm a leg man myself..."
"I'll alert the media ..."
The sound of Jordan's voice makes Woody crash forward before he could lose his balance. He reaches to loosen his tie a little more as he squeaks out "Jordan. We...ah...gave up hope you'd show tonight."
"Playing poker in a public place gentleman? Should we be prepared for the police raid?"
Nigel looks at his cards and says "We're playing for pretzels love."
"Which is a mute point since Bug keeps eating the pot." Peter says as he throws his cards down.
"What? I didn't eat much dinner." Bug says as he grabs a pretzel from the center of the table and pops it in his mouth.
"He and Lily went out to try that new place by the pier tonight..." Peter adds.
Jordan looks around "Where is Lily?"
"Probably at Taco Bell by now... the restaurant was horrible." Bug mumbles.
"She left about a half hour ago" Woody says.
"I've been telling these blokes we need to work on Bug's dating techniques." Nigel says.
"It was not a date; it was just dinner...and lousy food at that." Bug says though a mouth full of pretzels.
Jack walks over to the table "Jordan. What can I get for you?"
"Coffee would be great, I'm on call."
Peter stands and walks over to the piano running his hand over the top. He says, "Rule #47 of Dating, Bug; don't let your date drive herself...she'll leave you eating pretzels that have been used for poker chips ....." Peter looks at Jack "May I?" he asks.
"Sure" Jack says as she walks over to stand by the piano's side. Peter sits and stretches his fingers. He begins to play a painfully simple piano recital song from his childhood.
Jack yells over to the bar "Michael, I think I'll trade you in for a new model."
"Great, now I can quit and go back to New York..." Michael says, not looking up from the stack of glasses he's cleaning.
"Move over honey." Jack sits down at the piano next to Peter and they begin to fumble through "Tea for Two".
Garrett walks in the pub and sits down at the bar. He smiles as he watches Jack and Peter fudge their way through the duet. Jordan catches his eye and lifts her mug in salute.
"We're getting ready to close, but what can I get you?" Michael asks as he continues to wipe down the bar.
Garrett turns to face him, "Scotch neat."
Michael hands Garrett his drink and says "So, I gather you knew my mother when she still lived in Boston."
"Yes" Garrett says as he takes a drink.
"She doesn't talk much about her time here..."
Having noticed Garrett sitting at the bar, Jack comes over and distracts Michael by saying "Go play for me Michael. Peter's a doll to look at, but he can't play a lick."
"I thought you were trading me in for him?" Michael says drying his hands.
"Smart ass...just go" Jack turns back to look at Jordan "Jordan," she calls. Jordan looks up from where she's standing over Woody's shoulder "send over that cop of yours so Michael can play one more before we have to close."
Woody looks up from the game of solitaire he had just started. "Yes ma'am, I'll be right there." Woody stands "Don't you dare touch that Jordan."
"But I told you the black eight needs to go over here to the red nine."
"Just leave it alone"
"Ok... You know Woody; you look like you're getting awfully comfortable behind that bar. Maybe you're hanging out here too much lately."
Woody turns and Jordan's hand reaches out to the cards lying on the table. Before she can snatch her hand back Woody lightly slaps her knuckles and says "I don't have a life Jordan."
"That's painfully obvious there Hoyt" she replies as she shakes her hand in the air. As Woody walks toward the bar, Jordan quickly rearranges the cards while his back is turned. With a self satisfied smile she lifts her coffee cup to her lips.
Nigel clears his throat. Jordan turns her guilty gaze at him. "What?"
"What will it be?" Michael asks as he sits down to the keyboard.
Jack walks over to the piano and says "You pick.....no wait. Remember that song we did at that New Year's party awhile back...?"
"You mean this one?" Michael plays a few bars of the jazzy opening riff.
"Yes, that's the one."
"Oh no" Garrett shakes his head.
"Don't worry Garrett; the drum set is still on lay away." Jack laughs over her shoulder.
"I haven't played in a while but here goes." Michael says as he begins to play.
Jordan looks over at Garrett when she realizes this was the song he was playing when she followed him to his office that night Jack reopened the bar.
Jack's sultry voice soon joins in with the smooth piano ...."When God gave out rhythm"... "Sure was good to you"... "You can add, subtract, multiply and divide... by two."... "I know today's your birthday and I did not... buy a rose"... "But I wrote this song and I call it, Popsicle Toes."... "Popsicle toes"... "Popsicle toes are always froze"... "Popsicle toes"... "You're brave to expose...all those ...Popsicle toes."
Woody bursts out laughing as Jack starts the chorus. The look on Bug's face as Jack sits on the arm of his chair and runs her fingers through his hair was priceless.
Garrett laughs "She always did have a way with this song; I think that's why I could never get the beat right."
Jack continues singing and turns her attention to Nigel, who relishes in it,
"...You must have been Mr. Olympian"... "With all that amplitude"... "How come you always load your Pentax when I am in the room?"... "We are to have a birthday party and you can wear your birthday clothes"... "Then we can hit the floor and... go.... explore those ...Popsicle toes."...
Jack turns to stand next to Peter as he leans against the piano. She looks him up and down...
"You've got the nicest north of America"... "This sailor's ever saw"... "I like to feel your warm Brazil and touch your...Panama"... "But your Tierra del Fuegos are nearly always froze."..."We got to seesaw until we un-thaw those Popsicle toes....."
She returns to the poor unwitting Bug for the final chorus.
As the song ends the small handful of patrons left clap wildly.
Nigel grabs the profusely blushing Bug in the arm and says "I always know you had it in you old chap."
Peter takes pity on his co-worker and says "It's late. Can you give me ride Bug?... One trip over here the back of Nigel's bike is enough for me."
Bug all but jumps out of his chair and says "Yeah, ah... see you all later."
Nigel stands, kisses Jack's hand and says "Until we met again, my lady."
Jack waves as the few remaining customers begin to file out.
She then calls Woody from behind the bar "I'll finish up here handsome, why don't you walk Jordan out to her car?"
"Whatever you say Jack," Woody smiles and throws the rag in his hand on the bar. Jordan hands him his suit jacket as they walk out of the door.
"So what's up with Detective Hoyt and my Jordan?" Jack asks as she steps behind the bar. "He's got it bad. I wonder if Jordan will ever slow down enough to notice the way he watches her whenever she's in the room."
"There in lies the problem." Garrett says into his drink.
"Well, I'll see what I can do about that before I leave."
"You're leaving?"
"Max should be back by the end of the month." Jack says as she pulls out her purse and keys from beneath the bar.
Michael finished stacking the chairs and says, "Everyone's gone...You want me to go in the back and bring out some more stock?"
"No honey, why don't you go on ahead...I'll finish up here. I'll get a ride back to Max's from Garrett...if that's alright with you Garrett?"
Michael looks over at Garrett as he sits at the bar sipping his drink. He walks up, leans over the bar and kisses his mother on the cheek. "I'll leave a light on for you...don't do anything stupid." Michael whispers in her ear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael meets Jordan and Woody standing just outside the door. He tells them good night and walks down the street to his car. Woody and Jordan turn, hand and hand, and begin walking to where she's parked. Woody looks up in the sky and says, "It must be the full moon."
"What do you mean?"
"First, Bug and Lily go out to eat, Garrett stays behind to help Jack close, and you decide to walk in the moonlight with me."
"I had to park in Egypt."
"Can't you smell it? It must be the spring in the air." Woody muses.
"No, I think that's the back draft from the bay."
"Well...aren't you the least bit curious what's happening back there in the bar?"
"No"
"Isn't there a romantic bone in your body Jordan?"
"Nope, didn't come with the floor model." she lets go of his hand as they stop in front of her SUV.
Woody leans over to look in her face "Even when Bobby O'Reilly sat in back of you during 7th grade English?"
Jordan puts her hands to her face. She says with a groan "She had to tell you THAT too."
"Oh yes, Jack is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to you 'Jordanbaby'. You were quite the little pen pal before you started college. The stories I could tell..."
"Ok, what's it going to take to keep you quiet?" Jordan looks up at Woody's smirking face.
"Dinner for two...at your place." he says hopefully.
Jordan opens the truck door and laughs "I guess I'll just have to take my chances."
As she jumps in as Woody holds open the door. "You're weakening... I can tell."
"In your dreams, cowboy... Good Night Woody."
"Good Night Jordan." he says as he shuts the door for her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack refills Garrett's drink and pours one for herself.
"I thought you were closed?"
"I am, but can't two old friends have a drink and catch up on the last 24 years?"
Garrett turns and motions to the piano. "I haven't heard that song in just about as long."
"I use to sing it to you every night." Jack smiles nostalgically.
"How could I forget?" Garrett chuckles.
"Michael found the sheet music in a box of old mementos a few years ago. He surprised me with it one day."
"He's a talented young man...I bet his father is very proud of him."
Jack pushes her drink aside and says "His father and I are not together anymore...in fact he was never a part of Michael's life."
"The man's fool to give up his child... I could never give up Abby."
"Sometimes that choice is not yours to make. Life takes us all in different directions, and Michael's father and I just were drifting too far apart."
"It seems like we're both cursed in that way."
"Let's talk about something happier. Tell me about your Abby."
Jack walks around the end of the bar and puts a coin in the jukebox. She makes her selection. She jumps when she feels Garrett's hands on her shoulders.
"Dance with me Jacqueline."
Patting her hair Jack says "I'm a mess Garrett. I'm covered with spilt beer and smell like an ashtray."
"I don't care" Garrett takes her in his arms anyway and they begin to slowly dance.
After a few minutes Jack says "You were always a good dancer Garrett."
"I had a good teacher."
Jack lays her head on his shoulder and says, "We were good together, weren't we?"
Garrett stops dancing and says "I've missed you Jacqueline."
He kisses her.
The kiss deepens as Jack wraps her arms around him. She fights to regain her sanity as Garrett begins to trail kisses to her ear. "Come home with me." he whispers to her.
"That's not a good idea Garrett. And besides it's been a long time. I didn't think I can remem..."
He silences her with a soft kiss. "It will all come back, I promise." When she begins to protest again he says "just for tonight...I need you."
"I'm not the same girl I use to be Garrett...things are not...where they use to be."
"Neither of us is as young as we use to be."
"You need to work on your pick up lines Garrett, there a little rusty."
"They're working aren't they?"
Garrett wraps an arm around her waist. As they walk past the bar he grabs the purse she had put up there earlier and they walk out of the pub together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Garrett, you still have the coldest feet on the eastern seaboard." Jack chuckles as she leans against Garrett's chest a few hours later. They're sprawled across his tangled king size bed.
Garrett loops his arms loosely around her waist and says "I think their warm now."
"Really...? Let me check..." she says as she stretches her leg down his.
"Woman, move like that again and you'll be the death of me. I'm still trying to catch my breath..." Garrett says with a cheshire cat smile.
Jack shifts her hip slightly and says "Hum, you feel still alive to me." as she moves to kiss him the phone rings. "Damn...busted." She reaches over to grab the phone and hands it him.
Garrett is still smiling as he says "Macy....Jordan this better be good.....Yeah, she's right here" He hands the phone to Jack.
Jack chuckles, "Jordanbaby, I don't need you checking...."
Jack rolls away from Garrett and sits up quickly "My God..."
Garrett sits up and says "What is it?"
Jack didn't hear him as she listens to Jordan speaking on the other end of the phone. She asks Jordan "Where is?........oh, God." Jack drops the phone to the bed.
Garrett takes one look at her pale face and asks her "Is it Michael?"
"There's..... been an accident..."
Garrett begins to franticly look around the floor for their clothes. "What hospital? Did Jordan tell you?"
"He's not..... at the hospital........he's on his way to the morgue."
To be continued...