Chapter 3

Later as Jack cleaned up after dinner he sighed for the millionth time. He tried, unsuccessfully not to think about her but failed miserably. She was in everything around him. So he decided just to bite the bullet. As he stood in front of the door he bit his lip. If she wants me to come in she'll say come in and if she doesn't she'll just tell me to get lost; he thought to himself.

She bounded to the door praying for company in any form. It appeared in front of her in the best form.

"Hey! Come on in."

He puffed out a breath, seeing her smiling face and came inside.

"How are you doing?" He asked flopping down on the sofa.

"I don't really know." She said, her mood dropping as he knew he wanted to talk about her father.

She curled up beside him, once again a little closer than she should have. By the relaxed look on his face he wasn't minding it.

"I mean, on the one hand he's my father. Mom's right you know whatever else he may have done to us, he's my blood. I am curious as to why he left, where he's been, who he's been with? You know?"

He nodded softly, hanging on her every word.

"But then I think, twenty years and nothing. He missed the most important things in my life and never even called once. And thinking about that I just can't bring myself to see him or to listen to any excuse he might try and give me."

A tear fell down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly. He held her other hand tightly, knowing she had something else to say.

"Most of all, I'm scared that I'll go in there and see him and not be mad. That all my anger towards him will die as soon as I see him. I might start to love him."

She collapsed in sobs on Jack's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"That would okay Sam. It's okay to love him, yes you're mad at him and you have every right to be but I'll bet there hasn't a second since the day he left that he hasn't driven himself crazy thinking about you."

She shut her eyes and buried her face in his shirt. She held onto him tightly, afraid to loosen her grip in case he'd leave.

A long time later he lifted her from the sofa as she lay sleeping on his shoulder, having tired herself out with the effort of crying. Gently he laid her on the bed and covered her with the sheet. As he turned to walk away he felt her grab his hand. Turning to face her, she said,

"Jack…..will you stay with me? Just lie beside me, please?"

He hesitated but softened when he saw the need in her eyes. As he crawled up beside her he wasn't sure if it was him she wanted or just someone. However, as she pulled his arm over her and snuggled into his chest he decided that he didn't care. Whichever one it was he was lying next to the woman he loved.

The next morning she woke up around 9am to the sound of her cell phone. As she felt around for it with her eyes half open as she realised that Jack had gone. She shut her eyes as his scent lingered on the pillow. Hugging it to her she found her phone.

"Hello?"

"Samantha?"

"Hey mom. Sorry, I know I was supposed to call you last night but a friend came over."

She said sitting up and rubbing her face.

"That's alright dear; would that be a male friend? Handsome, with dark features?"

"Look, don't give me that when I'm not even awake alright? I am ill equipped to defend myself. Do you want to meet for breakfast?"

"Yes, that would be nice."

"I'll come by your hotel and pick you up." She shut her cell phone and went into the bathroom. She'd never told her mother about Jack. The fact that her mother figured it all out by spending only a few minutes in his company the day before made Samantha laugh. Was she that transparent? As she looked at herself in the mirror she nodded in defeat. When it came to Jack she was.

She sighed, thinking back to last night. He had been in her bed with his arm around her. It was definitely among some of their best nights together. Of course their best nights had been when they made love. As she walked along she shook her head, trying to rid herself of those thoughts. The last thing she needed was to be bombarded with images of her and Jack having torrid sex when her mother was across the table.

As she munched her way through the huge cooked breakfast she had ordered, her mother watched in awe.

"Why are you so thin?"

"Mom, I don't eat this every morning you know. This is a special treat for me."

The two women shared a smile and Samantha was suddenly glad to see her mother. As much as she hated to admit it, now she was in her thirties she was beginning to have a new found respect for the woman she had put through so much in her teen years.

"So, I'm going to the hospital this afternoon before my flight."

Samantha put her fork down.

"So he's better? Or is he dead?" She said, instantly regretting it.

Luckily her mother ignored that last comment and said,

"He's doing much better. Samantha I want you to know that your father and I have made our peace. I've seen all I want to see so I'm going home."

Samantha nodded and looked out the window.

"Are you coming with me?"

Still looking out the window, Samantha shook her head.

Her mother knew better than to push her headstrong daughter and instead went back to her coffee. They walked back to the hotel arm in arm. Samantha was eager to hold on to her as much as possible. Amanda was surprised at the physical contact. Over the years their relationship hadn't exactly been touchy feely. Standing on the steps of the hotel she turned to her daughter.

"Do you want me to come to the airport with you later?" Samantha asked, squinting against the sunlight.

"No sweetie, I'm just going to go straight from the hospital. You enjoy your day off. I'm guessing it's the first one you've had in quite a while." She said knowingly; pulling her daughter into a hug that was more relaxed than the first one they had shared in Jack's office. Pulling back and looking at her she sighed.

"I love you." She rubbed her cheek and Samantha held her hand momentarily.

"Love you too." Watching her mother go inside she felt torn in two.

Jack leaned back in his chair and sighed. It was strange to be in work and not see her. Shutting his eyes he thought back to those days she had spent in the hospital after she'd been shot. He hated seeing her desk empty and had missed her terribly.

"Am I disturbing you?" A gentle female voice said.

Opening his eyes, he immediately jumped up and moved around to take Amanda's hand.

"No, not at all but I gave Samantha the day off." He said, confused.

"I know, I actually came to see you if you have the time?" She said carefully.

He nodded and motioned for her to sit down on the couch. Sitting beside her he tried to read from her face what was going on, like he could so easily read from her daughter's; but she gave nothing away.

"Jack, I need to ask you a favour. I know I may be going on a very large presumption here but…"

She thought for a second.

"A while ago, Samantha was involved with a man who pretty much changed her life. It ended as abruptly as it seemed to start and she never told me the particulars or even his name."

Jack bowed his head, giving himself away.

"Meeting you yesterday confirmed what I had always suspected. It was you, wasn't it?"

He nodded, not looking directly at her. She smiled briefly that her instincts had been right.

"Well, as that man, I know that you know her better than anyone; probably even better than me and that you can get through to her. Jack I need you to convince her to see her father; just once. If she doesn't she'll regret it forever and I know him. If she doesn't come to see him now, he'll take the hint and never try to contact her again and I don't want her to miss her chance with him. Do you understand?" She said urgently.

This time he did look at her.

"I don't know if I can but I'll certainly try. She's never spoken much about her dad to me but I do know that she's torn about what to do. I'll lay the ground work but you know she has to make up her own mind. Nobody ever forced Samantha Spade to do anything."

They both smiled. Amanda stood up.

"Well that, I'm afraid, she gets from me."

He got up and took her hand.

"It's definitely one of her more attractive personality traits." He smiled, leading her out.