Title: One Year Anniversary

Author: Stress

First written: April 18, 2002-May 12, 2002

Edited and replaced: August 9, 2005

Summary: Part III of the Soul Mates Series; When Jack and Stress reach their first year anniversary, Stress tells a friend the story about how they almost didn't get together at all.

At Tibby's

A few hours after he had left Blink and Spot to wallow in his own sorrows, Jack found himself sitting at a table in Tibby's, directly opposite of Mush and Race. For the second time that day Jack felt like he was being ambushed by two of his friends. And Race and Mush were doing an even better job than Spot and Blink at making Jack feel more miserable because, of course, the topic of the conversation was Stress.

"So, Jack, have ya seen Stress since yesterday at the Jacobs'?" Race asked as he gnawed on a chicken leg.

"Just this morning at the distribution center when we was buying our papes," he said in a flat voice, not wanting to remember the pangs of jealousy he had felt at seeing Stress and David walk off, hand in hand.

"An' didn't those two look like such a cute couple?" Race continued.

"Yeah, and she was all putting on her charm for him. You know what I mean," sighed Mush.

"Yeah, I kno-- I mean, no of course not, Mush. What are you talking about?" Jack asked, trying to cover himself. It wouldn't help him to get all lovey-dovey over someone he couldn't have. Besides, he had Sarah. "I've got Sarah, I've got Sarah, I've got Sarah..." he chanted to himself as he finished the rest of his drink, and grimaced at the thought.

Race, noticing that Mush was about to launch into the conversation they had had at the Bottle Alley Lodging House last night, quickly interrupted him. "Whatsamattah Jack? Your drink taste funny?"

"Naw, I'm good," he said, not looking the least bit good.

"Well, then, what were we're talking about? Oh yeah, I remember -- Stress and Dave. Let me just tell you guys," he started, trying to remember exactly what Bookie had told him that afternoon to say, "Bookie was there when Stress came back to the lodging house last night and she was practically floating on air, she was so happy. She kept saying that she was glad that she came back from Queens, that this time she found a keeper and," he gulped, praying Jack never found out that he was about to lie to him, "she kept saying how much in love with your pal she is."

Jack recoiled in his seat as he let the news sink in. Stress never used the word "love", not after all the times she had to say it to Rip -she thought if she told someone that she loved them, then it would make her weak, and she hated weakness. "There must be some mistake. Ya don't fall in love with someone in one day. It takes ya four years to realize that ya love someone." If Jack was thinking rationally at that moment he might have noticed that in his last sentence he had inadvertently admitted to Race and Mush that he loved Stress.

Jack may not have been thinking straight but Race was and he understood exactly what Jack meant. But he had made a promise to Bookie and he intended to stick to it. Besides, Jack had Sarah -- he didn't need two girls. "Yeah, well, when ya really love someone I guess ya don't need four years, eh Jack?"

Jack understood the reference to four years the second time around. Feeling equally embarrassed, hurt and angry at himself, Jack excused himself from the table. He needed to go to the secret spot that he shared with Stress to think about everything that was happening; it was in that secret spot that they had met four years ago and it was there that they always went together when they wanted to think and talk to one another. He figured that she would be to busy spending time with her "love" to be using their secret spot, so he went, for his first time ever, to use the secret spot alone.

While Mush playfully blew bubbles in his drink with his straw, Race watched Jack as he left. He couldn't help but wonder if it was all worth it.