Without thinking, almost without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him tightly. He waited a second before returning the hug, but when he did he held her just as tightly, cradling the back of her head with his hand. Jayne took in the scene with surprise. She had never seen her father hug or even touch another adult. Except for my mother, she thought. They way they held each other was so strange, silent and still and yet filled with some kind of unrestrained passion. Their eyes were closed, but she could see tears playing on their lashes, threatening to drop at any second and the contented smile that settled on their lips.
Joan was the first to open her eyes and step out of the embrace. She pushed Adam out at arms length.
"Let me get a look at you." She said with a watery smile. Adam smiled and did a silly little runway turn. "You look exactly the same, more mature, but the same."
"You're still as beautiful as I remember." He replied, his voice quiet. He looked down at his daughter; he could see the confusion in her face. "Honey, do you remember when I told you that growing up my best friends were girls. This is Jan...I mean Joan. She, your aunt Grace and I were inseparable." He looked back at Joan who nodded.
"We sure were, inseparable sub defectives."
"Sub-defectives?" Jayne asked her father grinning.
Adam nodded shamefaced, "Yup, Jane, Grace and I were the trouble makers. Well, at least Jane was. You were in guidance at least twice a week as I remember..." he teased her and she swatted at him playfully.
"I still can't believe its you. I mean Jayne Thompson Rove..."
"Yeah, her mother insisted on the double last name. Fight against the patriarchal society she always said." Joan watched a cloud settle over his eyes, sadness she recognized, but then he looked back up at her and the shadow passed. She seized the opportunity. "You have to come to dinner, both of you, and meet Jacques. You'll absolutely love him."
"Well, sure..." he replied hesitantly.
"We'd love to." Piped in his daughter. He looked at her strangely, but she smiled up at him innocently. He shrugged inwardly, Why not I can do this. "When?"
"How about tomorrow night? My place seven-ish?" "That'll be great." She grabbed a napkin and wrote down her address. "This is where I live. It's ..." "Right by our place." He cut in smiling. They worked their way towards the door and he hugged Jane once more, this time with a little more reserve. "I'll see you tomorrow." Jayne and Adam waved slightly as they closed the door and walked down the hallway.
"OH MY GOD!" Jayne mouthed to herself. "Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh MY GOD." She hopped up and down. Adam Rove...
"Jacques..." he muttered to himself. Jacques....
He looked down at his daughter but she just smiled. This kid gets more mischevious by the second.