Story # 3

He felt her weight being lifted from the bedside as she moved to get up and leave, and it was then that his fifth realization hit him. It was time to face the truth. Or at least, now was as good a time as any.

"Is that coffee for me or are you going to drink it all by yourself?"

Turning back to him, Nina gave him a surprised look before she sat down again.

"I thought you were asleep," she remarked, raising her eyebrow, but he ignored it, propping himself up on his elbows and waiting for her to lean in.

"Good morning," he whispered before kissing her.

"Good morning," she said in return, running her fingers through his hair once again, just like she had done before when she had thought he was still asleep.

"So how many hours of this beautiful day have I missed?"

"Someone's in a particularly good mood," she mocked. "It's almost noon."

"Well, that still leaves us with all afternoon and - I don't have any plans for tonight," he grinned.

"Really?" she said teasingly. "But what if I do?"

"What plans would that be?"

"Maybe I have to work?"

"I don't think your boss would be that mean," he played along. "It's Sunday."

"Maybe you don't know him that well then. I think he's perfectly capable of it."

"Really?" He took the coffee mug from her hand to place it on the nightstand. "Then tell me, what else do you think he's capable of?"

But she didn't say anything else. Instead she leaned closer to kiss him again while her hands fumbled with the hem of his shirt.

God, he loved her. Needed her. Being with her felt so good. He couldn't imagine another day without feeling so… I can't even remember the last time I felt that way with Teri.

He stopped tearing at her top. Right. Teri.

Nina pulled back a little, noticing his hesitance.

"What? Not capable of pulling my shirt over my head?" she teased in that tone that made him want to… But not now. He needed to tell her.

"Nina," he said in a serious voice and she pulled back even more, sitting up again and looking at him expectantly.

"What is it?"

"I…" He had to lower his gaze for a second. "I realized something this morning."

Just say it, he encouraged himself. Don't make a big deal out of it. Just tell her.

He looked up again and noticed the pensive expression on her face, the hint of a frown on her forehead. And tell her before she gets the wrong idea, he added in his mind.

"Look, I know we've been a bit in a limbo here. Or I've been. But –"

"Jack, before you say anything," she cut him off. "There's something I meant to talk to you about too."

He frowned at her sudden interception. As if it wasn't hard enough…

"Alright. You go first." But this better be important.

She took a moment to look down at her hands before she started speaking.

"Someone's been calling me."

His frown deepened. What? "Who?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "They hung up."

So?

"But I got a feeling…" She hesitated. "Is it possible that…does Teri know about us?"

Jack felt his jaw dropping.

"Or Kim?" she added.

"No," he stated confused. "No." How should they? "What makes you think that it was one of them?"

"I don't know," she repeated. "It's just a feeling. Call it female intuition," she rolled her eyes. "But, Jack, it was definitely not someone who had dialed the wrong number."

"Alright," he nodded. "But there are still a thousand other possibilities."

"True," she admitted, "but…remember that one time I answered your cell?"

"Nina, we were in my office, I asked you to answer for me, it was completely innocent," he dismissed her question. "We weren't even…seeing each other back then."

"Yeah, I know that, Jack. But do you think Kim saw it that way? It was after you had moved out, and you told me yourself that you thought she's been acting weird lately."

He sat up and rubbed his temples. She had a point. Kim had indeed acted a bit strange. One moment she had been sweet and nice, and the next she had been so distant and cold. But wasn't that a normal reaction for a kid in her situation?

"She's a teenager whose parents are separated. I think everybody would act a bit weird in her place."

Nina didn't object but the look on her face wasn't leaving any doubts that he hadn't convinced her. He reconsidered.

It was true that he had noticed Kim's behavior. She had never said anything or asked him directly if he was seeing someone, but there were times when she called a lot. Almost as if she was checking up on him? No. She's just missing her dad. Or so he wanted to think. But she had never called that much when he had still been living at home. Well, she didn't have to, did she? She had seen him on a daily basis. No need to call. But still, Nina had made him think. And the more he thought about it… Kim had insisted on seeing his apartment and right away commented on how the place didn't look like he spent a lot of time there. He had told her he was working a lot but…had she bought it? He couldn't remember her reply or if she had given one at all.

"Okay, so, let's say Kim is suspicious and wonders if I'm seeing anyone. Just because you answered my cell once she automatically draws the conclusion that it's you?"

Nina just shrugged her shoulders.

If she did, then what's keeping Teri from making the same conclusion? another thought suddenly crossed his mind. Just because neither of them had ever brought it up didn't mean they weren't wondering or having their theories. What a mess!

"I know it's a long shot, Jack," Nina sighed. "I just thought you should know that they might know. Or at least have their suspicions."

Jack ran a hand through his hair, breathing out sharply.

"How would she get your number?"

Nina smirked at him. "Oh, come on, it's a regular line. I'm listed."

Like he didn't know. He was just buying time. Time to think about it, time to figure out how to deal with this. What was he supposed to do? If it was true, he had to do something. He had to talk to Kim. But if it wasn't he would only make things worse. Worse than they already were for her.

"I just thought you should know," Nina repeated, making a helpless gesture. "I might be completely off here, but she's your daughter, Jack."

He stared at her. She was right, of course. No matter how things were between him and Teri or how they would be in the future, Kim would always be his daughter. And he loved her. He didn't want to hurt her. Not more than he already had, anyway.

"What should I do?" he mumbled, more to himself than to Nina who shook her head and gave him a sympathetic look.

"I don't know. Talk to her. Find out what she thinks."

"I'm not going to interrogate my own daughter," he objected.

"I didn't mean it that way," she replied apologetic. "I meant find out how she feels about all this. If she's okay. If she's coping." She seemed to hesitate a second. "Find out what she wants."

He cast his eyes down. What she wants? She would want him to move back home, of course. She would want them to be a family again.

"Just talk to her, Jack."

"Yeah," he muttered faintly. Yeah, he would have to talk to her. But he also knew that talking alone wouldn't get them anywhere. No matter if Kim knew or suspected something, no matter what she told him or chose to hide from him – he already knew what she would want him to do. Deep down he knew what the right thing to do was if he wanted to keep his daughter from getting hurt even more than she already had been. He closed his eyes for a moment, still not looking at Nina, afraid she would be able to read exactly what was going through his mind.

"So, what did you wanna talk to me about?" she snapped him out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"You wanted to tell me something."

He blinked, insecure for a moment. Then he shook his head.

"No, it's…I was just…you wanna go somewhere and have breakfast?"