Chapter Twenty Two
That night, Jack sat in his room nervously. He had cashed the check and now all he had to do was figure out what restaurant he'd take her to. He wanted something impressive, something that would make him look good. He looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. He's going to tell her he loves her, but what if she rejects him? He wouldn't know how to handle it. He laid on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. "Oh no," he whispered suddenly, his eyes widening. He grabbed the phone and quickly dialed Grace's number.
An hour later, he ran into her apartment and sighed a breath of relief when he saw Will sitting on the couch. "Grace told me you'd be here," he said, biting his nails nervously. "Yeah, Todd had to come in for some convention, but once it's over with we are going back to Hawaii to resume our honeymoon," Will replied, grinning widely. "I need to ask you a very important question," Jack said seriously. "Yes Jack, Todd is fantastic in bed," Will replied, rolling his eyes. "No, that's not my question! I need to know how to have sex with a woman," Jack said, as Will raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?" he asked, unsure of whether he had heard clearly or not. "I know it's a weird question, but I desperately need to know," Jack answered, fidgeting with his hands. "Why are you asking me?" Will asked confused. "Well, you've done it before," Jack answered. "Yeah, but I was drunk and I don't even remember it," Will said, as he got up and grabbed a bottle of water. He tossed one to Jack and opened one for himself. "Why do you want to know anyway?" he asked curiously, taking a sip of his water. "I'm in love with Karen," Jack answered and winced when Will spit all his water out. "What!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "I'm in love with Karen," Jack repeated. "Yeah I heard you. I just can't believe what I'm hearing. Jack, you're gay!" Will exclaimed. "I know that, but I also know I'm in love with her. I don't know how it happened. It's just every time I see her or hear her or think about her, my heart is content. This isn't a feeling I've ever felt before with any guy. Just Karen," Jack said truthfully. "Oh my God, I can't believe this. How can you love Karen? She's so...ugh," Will replied, making a disgusted face. "She's beautiful," Jack corrected, as the apartment door opened. "Grace, how do you have sex with a woman? Jack wants to know," Will said. "Why?" she asked, shutting the door. "He's in love with Karen," Will answered, as her mouth dropped open. "God Will, why don't you tell the whole word?" Jack asked, a little embarrassed. "How sweet," Grace said happily. "Thanks," Jack replied, as Grace joined Will in the kitchen. "I'll teach you everything you need to know," she said, opening the refrigerator. She pulled out a banana and half a bagel. "Welcome to sex education," she said, as Jack looked on with a frightened face.
The next morning, Karen woke up to the sound of Jack's cheery voice. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Karen, happy birthday to you," he sang, as he jumped on her bed. "Thank you," she whispered groggily. "Carter and Grace called. Even Will called to wish you a happy birthday," he said, as she smiled. "That's sweet," she replied, as he placed a small box on her stomach. "What's that?" she asked. "Open it," he answered excitedly. She grabbed the box and opened it slowly. "Wow," she whispered when she saw the necklace. It was simple, but elegant. It had a small white pearl dangling from a silver chain. "I know it's not anything spectacular like you are accustomed to getting, but I thought you might like it," he said, as she smiled. "It's just right," she replied, kissing his cheek.
Later that night, both Jack and Karen were getting ready for dinner. Jack had found a place to take her and all he could do was hope she would like it. He walked out of his room and knocked on her door. "Are you ready?" he asked. "Yeah, just let me get my purse," she answered from inside the room. "No, don't. I'm paying tonight," he said, as she opened the door. "Are you sure?" she asked, as he gasped when he saw her. "Yeah," he managed to stutter out. She looked so incredible. She was wearing one of her many suits, but this one was red and it had a little bow tied around her waist. Her earrings were pearls which matched exactly with the necklace and her makeup was done perfectly. His eyes immediately darted down to her lips which had a dark shade of red that matched the color of her tongue. "Ready to go?" she asked, snapping him out of his trance. "Yeah," he answered simply, as they started walking toward the front door. When they got outside, driver was awaiting them. "What's driver doing here? Doesn't he work for Stan?" she asked Jack. He smiled as he shook his head. "Nope, he contacted Carter and expressed his wish to work for you," he answered, as they got in the limo. "Aww that sister of mine. She's a sweetie," Karen said, as Jack nodded. "You 'aint kidding," he replied, as the limo began moving.
When they arrived at their destination, they got out of the car and Karen immediately groaned. "Jackie, what is this?" she asked, pointing to the restaurant in front of her. "Look Kare, you need to have some fun, which is why I brought you here," he answered. "I'm not going in there," she protested, as he grabbed her arm. "Yes you are," he said, as he literally dragged her inside. When they walked in, Jack smiled. He knew Carter had told him to take her to a fancy restaurant, but he thought this would be something better for a birthday. Which is why he brought her to a fifties diner. "God poodle, what is this?" she asked, as she looked around the place. "It's a diner. We'll have fun, don't worry," he answered, as the maitre d' led them to a table.
An hour into dinner, Karen was actually lightening up. Their waiter, Ricky, who happened to be gay, had kept them laughing the whole time. "So Kare, what do you think?" Jack asked, taking a cherry from his Shirley Temple and plopping it in his mouth. "It's okay," she answered, as she shrugged. "I'm back!" Ricky exclaimed, his hands full of red straws. "It's a tradition here at the Corvette Diner, that any birthday girl gets a present from us. This is our present," he said, holding up the straws. "Wow, a straw," Karen replied unenthusiastically and before she knew it, Ricky had pulled out her chair with her in it, away from the table. Jack giggled at Karen's frightened expression. "Since I am so fabulous at hair designing, I will be doing yours this evening," he said, as he gently began brushing her hair with his fingers. "Hey, don't touch my hair!" she exclaimed. "Karen, come on! Let him!" Jack exclaimed pleadingly. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine," she said, as Ricky smiled. He took one of the straws and wrapped some strands of hair around it. "Oh my God," she muttered, as he continued putting the straws in her hair. When he was all done, Jack couldn't help but laugh. "You look so funny," he said, as she pulled her chair back up the table. "You told me to let him do it," she replied, taking a sip of her martini. "Don't worry, it looks fine," he said. "I'm sure it does. I have one hundred straws sticking out of my head," she replied sarcastically, as they both started laughing. Suddenly the song, "Jump, Jive and Wail," came on. "I love this song! Let's dance!" he exclaimed, grabbing her hand. "No way," she said, as he pouted. "Oh come on!" he exclaimed, as she sighed. "How can I say no to that look?" she asked, as he jumped up and down. "Yay!" he squealed, as she got out of her chair and he led her to the dance floor.
That night, Jack sat in his room nervously. He had cashed the check and now all he had to do was figure out what restaurant he'd take her to. He wanted something impressive, something that would make him look good. He looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. He's going to tell her he loves her, but what if she rejects him? He wouldn't know how to handle it. He laid on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. "Oh no," he whispered suddenly, his eyes widening. He grabbed the phone and quickly dialed Grace's number.
An hour later, he ran into her apartment and sighed a breath of relief when he saw Will sitting on the couch. "Grace told me you'd be here," he said, biting his nails nervously. "Yeah, Todd had to come in for some convention, but once it's over with we are going back to Hawaii to resume our honeymoon," Will replied, grinning widely. "I need to ask you a very important question," Jack said seriously. "Yes Jack, Todd is fantastic in bed," Will replied, rolling his eyes. "No, that's not my question! I need to know how to have sex with a woman," Jack said, as Will raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?" he asked, unsure of whether he had heard clearly or not. "I know it's a weird question, but I desperately need to know," Jack answered, fidgeting with his hands. "Why are you asking me?" Will asked confused. "Well, you've done it before," Jack answered. "Yeah, but I was drunk and I don't even remember it," Will said, as he got up and grabbed a bottle of water. He tossed one to Jack and opened one for himself. "Why do you want to know anyway?" he asked curiously, taking a sip of his water. "I'm in love with Karen," Jack answered and winced when Will spit all his water out. "What!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "I'm in love with Karen," Jack repeated. "Yeah I heard you. I just can't believe what I'm hearing. Jack, you're gay!" Will exclaimed. "I know that, but I also know I'm in love with her. I don't know how it happened. It's just every time I see her or hear her or think about her, my heart is content. This isn't a feeling I've ever felt before with any guy. Just Karen," Jack said truthfully. "Oh my God, I can't believe this. How can you love Karen? She's so...ugh," Will replied, making a disgusted face. "She's beautiful," Jack corrected, as the apartment door opened. "Grace, how do you have sex with a woman? Jack wants to know," Will said. "Why?" she asked, shutting the door. "He's in love with Karen," Will answered, as her mouth dropped open. "God Will, why don't you tell the whole word?" Jack asked, a little embarrassed. "How sweet," Grace said happily. "Thanks," Jack replied, as Grace joined Will in the kitchen. "I'll teach you everything you need to know," she said, opening the refrigerator. She pulled out a banana and half a bagel. "Welcome to sex education," she said, as Jack looked on with a frightened face.
The next morning, Karen woke up to the sound of Jack's cheery voice. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Karen, happy birthday to you," he sang, as he jumped on her bed. "Thank you," she whispered groggily. "Carter and Grace called. Even Will called to wish you a happy birthday," he said, as she smiled. "That's sweet," she replied, as he placed a small box on her stomach. "What's that?" she asked. "Open it," he answered excitedly. She grabbed the box and opened it slowly. "Wow," she whispered when she saw the necklace. It was simple, but elegant. It had a small white pearl dangling from a silver chain. "I know it's not anything spectacular like you are accustomed to getting, but I thought you might like it," he said, as she smiled. "It's just right," she replied, kissing his cheek.
Later that night, both Jack and Karen were getting ready for dinner. Jack had found a place to take her and all he could do was hope she would like it. He walked out of his room and knocked on her door. "Are you ready?" he asked. "Yeah, just let me get my purse," she answered from inside the room. "No, don't. I'm paying tonight," he said, as she opened the door. "Are you sure?" she asked, as he gasped when he saw her. "Yeah," he managed to stutter out. She looked so incredible. She was wearing one of her many suits, but this one was red and it had a little bow tied around her waist. Her earrings were pearls which matched exactly with the necklace and her makeup was done perfectly. His eyes immediately darted down to her lips which had a dark shade of red that matched the color of her tongue. "Ready to go?" she asked, snapping him out of his trance. "Yeah," he answered simply, as they started walking toward the front door. When they got outside, driver was awaiting them. "What's driver doing here? Doesn't he work for Stan?" she asked Jack. He smiled as he shook his head. "Nope, he contacted Carter and expressed his wish to work for you," he answered, as they got in the limo. "Aww that sister of mine. She's a sweetie," Karen said, as Jack nodded. "You 'aint kidding," he replied, as the limo began moving.
When they arrived at their destination, they got out of the car and Karen immediately groaned. "Jackie, what is this?" she asked, pointing to the restaurant in front of her. "Look Kare, you need to have some fun, which is why I brought you here," he answered. "I'm not going in there," she protested, as he grabbed her arm. "Yes you are," he said, as he literally dragged her inside. When they walked in, Jack smiled. He knew Carter had told him to take her to a fancy restaurant, but he thought this would be something better for a birthday. Which is why he brought her to a fifties diner. "God poodle, what is this?" she asked, as she looked around the place. "It's a diner. We'll have fun, don't worry," he answered, as the maitre d' led them to a table.
An hour into dinner, Karen was actually lightening up. Their waiter, Ricky, who happened to be gay, had kept them laughing the whole time. "So Kare, what do you think?" Jack asked, taking a cherry from his Shirley Temple and plopping it in his mouth. "It's okay," she answered, as she shrugged. "I'm back!" Ricky exclaimed, his hands full of red straws. "It's a tradition here at the Corvette Diner, that any birthday girl gets a present from us. This is our present," he said, holding up the straws. "Wow, a straw," Karen replied unenthusiastically and before she knew it, Ricky had pulled out her chair with her in it, away from the table. Jack giggled at Karen's frightened expression. "Since I am so fabulous at hair designing, I will be doing yours this evening," he said, as he gently began brushing her hair with his fingers. "Hey, don't touch my hair!" she exclaimed. "Karen, come on! Let him!" Jack exclaimed pleadingly. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine," she said, as Ricky smiled. He took one of the straws and wrapped some strands of hair around it. "Oh my God," she muttered, as he continued putting the straws in her hair. When he was all done, Jack couldn't help but laugh. "You look so funny," he said, as she pulled her chair back up the table. "You told me to let him do it," she replied, taking a sip of her martini. "Don't worry, it looks fine," he said. "I'm sure it does. I have one hundred straws sticking out of my head," she replied sarcastically, as they both started laughing. Suddenly the song, "Jump, Jive and Wail," came on. "I love this song! Let's dance!" he exclaimed, grabbing her hand. "No way," she said, as he pouted. "Oh come on!" he exclaimed, as she sighed. "How can I say no to that look?" she asked, as he jumped up and down. "Yay!" he squealed, as she got out of her chair and he led her to the dance floor.