Living On Our Own

Casey and Jack had been living in LA for a little over three weeks and were finding it a bit on the boring side. The couple had both found jobs at a local hospital in their own department. So that took up most of their day. When they came home, which was usually around the same time, they just sat and read a book or watched TV or something along the lines of leisure. And it was getting old.

"So, Doctor Shepard what are we planing to do tonight?" Jack asked is wife who was filing things before she had to go visit another patient.

"I don't know. Why don't you pick? But I'm getting awfully tire of just sitting around the house." She hinted him along to something more exciting than just sitting home and watching television.

"Okay. Why don't we go out for dinner then." He suggested.

"I can live with that. And there's something I wanted to do for a while now." She turned to face her husband, shutting the file cabinet drawer in the process.

"Oh, and what's that?" He asked. His head was down while her signed a paper of some sort. He lifted his head to see her lean back on the table behind him in her blue scrubs.

"I want to go dancing." She said flat out. Jack looked down and finished his writing. Then he put the pen down and walked over too her, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly.

"You got it." He said taking her hand and twirling her away from him. She smiled and bit her lip. Then she headed down the hall to the double doors underneath the big green 'MATERNITY WARD' sign.

000

Casey now leaned over the sink applying make-up to her clear skin. She blinked a few times to dry the wet mascara on her lashes and then stood up straight to view herself in the mirror.

She turned to the side a few times and smoothed out her brown dress. It was low cut just enough to show some cleavage and the skirt flared at the bottom. She made a look of satisfaction and said to herself, "For a forty year old, I don't look half bad."

She grabbed a scarf that sat around her neck and a gold bracelet that Jack had given her for her birthday that had been not a week after they landed in LA. Her hair was in loose curls that settled right above her shoulders and they bounced when she walked.

She flicked off the lights as she exited the bedroom and made her way down the hall. She could see Jack standing in the living room fiddling with the CD player. Jazz music found it's way to her ears and she smiled.

"Jack? Are we ready?" Casey stood admiring him for a minute. He cleaned up very nicely. He had on khaki slacks and a nice button up blue shirt on. He was freshly shaven and she could smell his good cologne. She loved that smell.

"I think we're ready." He said getting her jacket from the coat closet. "And might I ad you look absolutely stunning." She smiled and slipped on the jacket with Jack's help.

"Not bad for a grandma huh?" She mentioned remembering Taylor. God she missed her.

Jack was silent for a moment. Then spoke softly. "Casey, no grandmother ever looked as good as you." Then he kissed her hand and opened the door for her.

000

The car ride to the restaurant of choice was quiet. It wasn't uncomfortable just quiet. Both Casey and Jack were rapped in their own thoughts even though their thoughts were the same. It was about a half an hour's drive to a place called Cello's. It was a small restaurant but it had a dance floor that Jack and Casey could use to their liking.

They pulled into the parking lot that held no more then fifteen cars and got out.

Once inside they were seated in the humble room. It was very small with about ten tables and a dance floor that could hold about ten couples and a band that played softly in the background. The whole place was candle lit and Casey inhaled the smell of the cooking.

There were only a few people there besides Casey and Jack and they sat down in a booth surrounded by a trellis with vines and plants behind them. They ordered a white wine with their meals and waited for the food to come.

Jack sipped his drink and watched Casey look around. She was so beautiful tonight. He still couldn't get over the face that she was going to forty the next year. Then again he didn't have much room to talk. He already was forty. He watched her tuck a piece of blonde curl behind her ear and take her wineglass by the stem and swirl in slightly then take a drink.

"Jack can I ask you why you're staring at me like I have something on my face?" She asked picking up her napkin and wiping the corners of her mouth quickly.

Jack laughed at her and grabbed her hand from across the table. "I was staring at you because I can't believe I married someone so beautiful." She smiled wildly.

"I love you to Jack." She giggled.

Jack then stood up and lent out a hand for her. "May I have this dance?" He asked politely.

"Why…I'd be honored." She took his hand and he led her to the small dace floor containing three other couples.

They faced each other and Jack took Casey's waist in his left hand and her other hand in his right. They swayed gently to the music and Casey leaned her head down on Jack's shoulder. She loved the feel of him. He was warm and comforting. It made her feel light for what seemed like forever. She inhaled deeply catching the smell of his all to familiar cologne. She slowly closed her eyes and fell into a trance with Jack's body swaying against hers, the music playing softly, and his cologne filling her senses.

The song was over too soon and they went back to their table to eat. Both of them had ordered Italian things and were now enjoying conversation while slurping noodles with cream sauce on them.

Casey kept thinking the night had been perfect. Great food, great wine, great…guy. She smiled at something he said and them took another sip of wine.

"Jack thank you for this." She said sincerely.

"For what?" Jack asked not catching her drift.

"For taking me out. I think I've just fallen in love with you all over again tonight." Jack smiled at his wife and grabbed her hand again.

"The feeling is mutual." He said before leaning over to her and giving her a very passionate kiss.