Sunday morning, Jack sat in his car parked outside his American Legion post. It had been a long time since he'd come here, but if he wanted to progress in his relationship with Elizabeth, which he very much did, he needed to be here.
Last night had been something out of a dream. Being at his home with Elizabeth and Levi felt right. As if they were the ones he'd been building it for all along. It didn't seem to matter to his heart that yesterday was their first "date". He was hooked.
He grabbed his phone out of the center console.
"Hey, Lee, it's Jack. I was wondering if you were maybe up for coming out to the cabin a couple nights here and there? I think it's time I get it more finished, you know? Call me back, ok? Talk to you later."
He hung up and placed his phone in his jacket pocket.
He sighed. "Mind on the mission, Jack. Here goes nothing."
Jack walked into the building and made his way down the familiar halls. He said "hi" to a number of men much older than he, whom he respected greatly. Some wore their battle scars on the inside like him while with others it was easy to see their scars.
Standing outside the main meeting room, Jack saw a familiar face. Frank Hogan, a retired Army chaplain was leading a group of vets in a support group session. From the sounds of it, the group was wrapping up, so he waited out of sight. Group meetings like that had never been his thing.
"Thornton?" Frank called out as the room was emptying a few minutes later.
"Chaplin Hogan, it's been a while." Jack shook the man's hand.
"Too long. How are you?"
"I'm alright. I'm here to make good on a promise I made to you years ago."
"I see." Frank smiled. "Which promise might that have been?"
Jack looked down, a little bashful.
"I met someone. She's amazing and has a kid who's also amazing. You know all my monsters. When we talked about it before, you had me promise that if I ever got into a relationship, that I'd finish working through my demons."
"I remember. I also remember you weren't a big fan of the "sit down and talk about your feelings" aspect of therapy. Has that changed?"
"No…" Jack laughed away his discomfort. "But Elizabeth and her son matter to me a great deal. I want to be my best for them."
"I'm happy to hear that. I have an idea. Come with me."
Frank led Jack down the hall to the big common room. Many of the vets met there to play games, talk, have lunch, whatever. They'd even do the occasional movie night or watch a big sporting event there on the large screen tv. There were two pool tables and a few dart boards, as well. In a way, it reminded Jack a lot of the morale tents in theater.
"I think you may remember one of these old goats," Frank said as they came to a table of older vets playing a game of poker.
"Major Gowan." Jack greeted his old commanding officer.
"Hey there, Jack," Henry Gowan, a retired officer smiled at Jack. Carefully bracing himself on a chair next to him he stood and extended his hand. Gowan had been on that last mission of Jack's. Turns out, that was Gowans last mission as well. An IED had torn apart his leg. After many surgeries and PT, he could walk, but it would never be the same.
"I didn't know you moved back to New York."
"I did a couple years ago, when I was finally able to leave Walter Reed's care. I've been meaning to look you up and check in, but I didn't know if you were ready."
"It's alright, sir. I'm glad you're okay."
A slightly older man with blond and gray hair who was also at the table stood. "Jack Thornton?" Jack nodded. "I'm Bill Avery. Army Retired. I grew up with your parents. Tom and Charlie."
Jack smiled. "Wow, I don't know the last time someone called her Charlie. You do go way back."
"We do." Bill smiled. "How is she?"
"She's well. Runs the orchard with my brother and I."
"How is your brother?" Gowan asked, knowing the history.
"He's a great dad. Ryan, his son is also doing well."
"Praises above," Gowan said with a smile. "So Frank, what do you need?"
"Well, Jack here is trying to make good on a promise he made me. I figured you two could help. He enjoys group therapy as much as you old goats."
"Is that so?" Bill said, smiling at Jack. "So tell us, what's this promise?"
"I haven't… really come to terms with everything from my last deployment. I've met someone, and I just don't want to hurt her, you know?"
Bill and Gowan exchanged looks, then together they said, "Understood."
…..
Elizabeth sat on her couch, still in her PJs, as she tried to grade the past week's assignments from her 5th period class. Sitting at the coffee table, Levi was in his own little world, creating a spaceship out of his Legos, doing his best not to irritate his knee while it healed.
Taking another nibble of her cider donut from the orchard, her mind drifted to Jack and their evening together the night before. She couldn't stop thinking about their "almost" kiss.
Tom had already mentioned once before, that Jack had never been quite the same since his last deployment. Charlotte had even said that at first, she assumed it was because Jack came home for Megan's death and Ryan's birth. Certainly that was enough to change him. Since then, however, both Charlotte and Tom realized it was something more.
The fact that Jack was somewhat up front with her gave her hope. Hope that they would be able to move past whatever secrets he was keeping. She never liked secrets. Nothing good ever came from them in her opinion, but her feelings for Jack were enough for her to give him the benefit of the doubt. She wanted to see this through. To see if they could have something real, something that could last a lifetime.
Her focus shifted back to reality as her son tapped her leg.
"We see Jack today?" he asked.
"Maybe," she signed.
"Text him for lunch, please."
"Okay," she laughed.
….
Jack grinned from ear to ear as he read Elizabeth's text. It came complete with a picture of her and Levi with pleading faces.
He and Henry Gowan were walking a paved path near the American Legion post. They'd been walking for the past 10 minutes without discussing much.
"Whatcha smiling at, Lieutenant?" Gowan asked. "That your lady friend?"
"Yes. Want to see a picture?"
"Please!" Jack turned his phone. "Beautiful. That boy's a keeper too."
"All true. Hey, you sure you're up for walking around this much?"
"Positive. Doctor insists I walk so my muscles don't get worse. I'll tell you when we need to turn back." Jack nodded.
"I saw Faith a little bit ago."
Gowan stopped walking. "How is she? I think about her and the other widows a lot."
"She's good. Happy. It took awhile but she's married to a good man."
"And the little girl?"
"Elle's a little angel. Greer would be so proud."
"I'm sure." They began their walk again. "You think about that mission much?"
"Every day. It went so wrong."
"It was a cluster, that's for sure." Gowan looked over at Jack as they walked. "You ever have nightmares?"
"Yeah. A lot. Usually starts from right before the IEDs going off until… after you know..."
"It wasn't your fault, Thornton. Not the IED, not the captivity, nothing. You were part of why we got out alive at all."
"Maybe, but if I had been better at my job we all would have come home alive."
"It's not that simple, son. You know that."
After the walk, Gowan went back into the common room. His friend Bill was still there, but now playing a game of darts. When he noticed Gowan, he stopped.
"How is he?"
"Remember me a few years back? About that good."
"Crap. How are you gonna help him?"
"I have some ideas. First, remember that favor you did for me with your contact in Charleston?"
"Yeah."
"Think you could arrange for another one?"
Bill grinned. "Who do you think you're dealing with? I made the call when you two went for a walk."
…..
With a rumbling belly, Levi sat impatiently waiting for Jack by the front window. He spun their big arm chair from side to side as he looked for Jack's truck. Jack had called after his meeting with Gowan and said he'd pick up lunch for them and head over. Levi could barely contain his boyish excitement.
Upstairs in her bedroom, Elizabeth was on her third outfit. Trying to find something cute and casual, yet pretty enough for the guy she was quickly becoming head over heels for, if she wasn't already.
"I'm being ridiculous," she huffed. "Jack likes me. I really don't need to try so hard. If I do, then he's not the guy for us."
She kept on her black leggings and grabbed a loose fit white V-neck and her tan sweater. Taking one more look in the mirror she smiled.
"There. Cute and sexy. I think…"
Levi was at the base of the stairs banging on the wall. Jack had arrived. Taking one last look at herself she hurried down the stairs. Levi was bouncing around on his good leg and one krutch, signing at a rapid pace to Jack who smiled and nodded.
"Wow," he said catching sight of her. "You look gorgeous."
Levi tapped his arm. "What'd you say?"
"I said your mom is beautiful."
"Oh! Yes, she is!"
Elizabeth could feel herself blushing.
Ruffling Levi's hair as he passed, Jack walked into the kitchen and placed a brown bag of food from the Dinosaurs BBQ on the counter.
"I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got a little of everything."
Elizabeth peered into the bag. "So you do eat junk food?" she teased.
"Sometimes, yes." He smirked then leaned forward to leave a tender peck on her forehead. He was pleased, it sent a visible shiver through her beautiful body. "My buddy is addicted to this place, which is weird because he's a chef."
"He's got good taste!"
After Levi had eaten his full, he asked to be excused to play with his Legos with Jack. Elizabeth agreed and Jack said he'd be over as soon as he was done and everything from lunch was cleaned up. That was a good enough response for him, so he headed into the living room, leaving the adults alone.
With Levi distracted, Jack walked over behind Elizabeth at the counter and wrapped his arms around her middle.
"I went to see someone today. You know, about the stuff from my past."
"Oh yeah?" She turned to face him, her hands resting on his shoulders. "How'd it go?"
"Good. It was a baby step, but still."
"Anything I can do to help?"
"Just be you. I want this to work, Elizabeth. I wanna see where it takes us."
"I want that too." She rose up on her tippy toes to kiss his cheek. "Little confession, I can't wait to know what it's like to really kiss you." She blushed deeply, but didn't regret her words.
Feeling a strong pull to this woman, Jack leaned forward, gently kissing just the corner of her mouth. "Soon, Liz."
….
Over the next couple of weeks, Jack went to see Bill and Henry at the American Legion almost every day to work through his issues. In the evenings, after work he'd call Elizabeth or visit her and Levi. They even did dinners together whenever possible. Levi had started at the new school with Ryan and was thriving.
With all the time the new couple had spent together, Elizabeth had herself convinced that the moment Jack finally indicated that he was ready for a little bit more than a kiss on the cheek, she'd most likely lunge at him. A quiet chuckle would escape her every time she thought of it. What a sight that would be. She couldn't help it. Every moment she had with him was real and yet seemed too good not to be out of a dream.
Jack had already embraced his position as a male role model in Levi's life. After dinner, if all of Levi's homework was done, they played basketball in the driveway while Elizabeth tidied up the house or worked on grading some papers for the next day. Levi's leg was back to normal and he had high hopes of playing basketball for his school soon.
There was never any hesitation when Levi asked Jack to do the bedtime routine. It was quickly becoming one of Jack's favorite things. Snuggling with Levi, reading stories.
Levi never had a father, but in his mind it couldn't get any better than this.
Once he was tucked in upstairs Jack and Elizabeth would steal some time away together on the couch. They'd talk about Jack's day at the orchard, Elizabeth's students, even about plans going on for the house that Jack had been working on. Nothing was off limits.
His buddy Lee had been at the house a number of times recently helping put up drywall and finish different things here and there. Jack was pleased to see that it was finally starting to look like a home. A home he really wanted to share with Elizabeth and Levi when they were ready. He could picture it so clearly.
That thought intimidated Jack as he sat in his black leather chair in the office, spinning back and forth.
They barely knew each other and somehow he was already envisioning them living under one roof. A family.
You are going to scare the crap out of her, he thought to himself.
Heck, they hadn't even had a real kiss yet. Not that he wasn't ready. Boy was he ever. He'd been working on a plan in his mind. Soon, he wanted to take her out on a real date, get all dressed up and show her just how special she was to him.
That night after spending some time with Gowan, Jack worked on his house until he passed out on the couch, still dressed in his carharts and his white T-shirt.
He was so out of it, he didn't hear the front door open and Elizabeth creep in the next morning.
Elizabeth had just dropped off Levi with Tom. He was going to take him to school for her that morning.
"Jack?" she softly called out. When she didn't hear anything she walked into the kitchen area to leave him a note.
She was just about to sign her name when she noticed him sprawled out on the couch like he had been thrown there.
"Oh, you poor thing," she thought. She knew how hard he had been working on the house and at the orchard, plus all the time he'd spent with them. Of course he was exhausted.
Kneeling beside him she ran her fingers through his hair. She noticed his mouth moving as if talking but no sound was coming out.
"What are you dreaming about, sweetie?" she whispered.
Suddenly he jumped, startling her half to death! She fell backwards onto the floor. As she watched him begin to thrash about, it was clear he was trapped in some sort of nightmare.
"Jack! Wake up! You're safe!"
He flew off the couch with a start and frantically began looking around the room.
"Liz?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. "Are you at my house?"
"Yeah... I'm thinking now that was probably a bad idea."
"No it's fine. I... I don't mind." He studied her face. Nervousness written all over it. "I was having a bad dream, wasn't I?"
"Yeah," she spoke softly. "Are you okay? Want to talk about it?"
She took a few steps closer to him. Softly running her fingers through his hair again.
"You can trust me, babe. I want to help."
He loved the sound of her terms of endearment for him.
"I want to let you," he said. "But don't you have to go to work?"
"I can see if I can get a sub. If you want me to stay."
"No, I don't want you to do that. I mean, I want you here. I want you here all the time. I just don't want you to miss work because of me."
"Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah. Can we do dinner tonight? I'll cook."
"Sure. Is this you trying to get out of talking to me about what just happened though?"
"No. How about tonight after Levi's asleep, you and I talk?"
"Perfect. Ryan was just begging Tom to let Levi come over for a sleepover tonight. It's been a few weeks. I'll let Tom know it's a go."
"So it will just be me and you tonight?"
"Yes," she laughed. "Are you disappointed?"
"Not at all. Don't get me wrong, I love Levi. But having time just us sounds like heaven."
"Good." She kissed his cheek. "When should I come by tonight?"
"Whenever you can."
"I'll be here."
….
Later that day out on the four-wheeler checking to see which trees were ready for harvest, Jack's phone rang.
"Hey, Jack!" It was Gowan. "Any chance you're coming around this afternoon?"
"I could. Are you doing okay?"
"Is that a trick question? I'm an old fart with a bum leg and Oscar the grouch is my best friend," he said, laughing at Bill's expense. "But yes I'm fine. Bill and I have something for you."
"Oh, okay. When should I come by?"
"I don't know. Anytime today starting now. I should warn you though you're probably not going to want to go back to work after."
"Why do I have a bad feeling about all this?" Jack laughed.
"Trust me, son! This is good. You've been doing really well. And I mean really well. I know how much you want to take your relationship to the next level, and I think this will help you feel more comfortable."
"Well, now you have my full attention. I'll be there in an hour."
….
Elizabeth had a little bit of downtime between her afternoon classes. She couldn't wait for the final bell to ring and her weekend to start. Levi was over the moon to have another sleepover with Ryan and Elizabeth was just as thrilled to have some alone time with Jack.
She couldn't help but wonder about all he'd gone through as a soldier. He was clearly carrying the burdens of war with him still. She knew that was what he wanted to work through before they got closer. Physically that is. On an emotional level they couldn't be closer. Their nightly conversations created an unmatchable intimacy, greater than anything either had ever felt in their lives. Even more than she'd experienced with her girlfriends.
The sound of click-clacking heels made their way down the hall to Elizabeth's classroom. She looked up as Rosie walked in.
"Okay, we need to pow pow!"
"Sure. Have a seat."
Rosie walked over and took a seat at the student table closest to Elizabeth's desk. "I'm in love with Lee. Lee loves me. So obviously, I need to break up with him."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I need to end it! I'm getting far too deep here!"
"You're insane. Like, call the white van and straight jacket people to take you away, kind of insane."
"I'm not ready for marriage and family and all that. I'm just not!"
"Is he pressuring you for any of that?"
"Well, no. Not directly."
"But indirectly?"
"Let me paint the scene!" She jumped off her chair and theatrically began moving about the room as she retold her story. "It's evening, we're walking down the street like we tend to do. Holding hands, laughing, talking about what we see in the store windows while we sip our coffee. That sort of thing."
"I'm following, continue."
"Then! Out of nowhere comes a family."
Elizabeth playfully gasped. "Not a family!"
"Yes! A cute one too. There were two parents and two children. Both boys under the age of 6, I'd wager. To top it off, the woman was pregnant!"
"Scandalous," she teased.
"Could you try and take me seriously?"
"I could, but this is more fun. Please continue."
"Ugh! Fine." She smoothed back her hair. "Lee sees them as we pass and squeezed my hand. Then he said, 'That's a neat sight, huh?'"
Elizabeth laughed at her "Lee" impression.
"Then he started talking about wanting kids one day. Do you want to guess how many little creatures he wants?"
"Three?"
"No! Four!"
"Ouch. That's gonna hurt."
"I know. I can't even imagine how many diapers that would add up to. It's unnerving! So as you can see, it's time to break up!"
"But, I thought you wanted a family?"
"I do! Some day. Not tomorrow!"
"Okay…" Elizabeth laughed again. "And you're afraid that if you keep dating Lee you'll have four kids by the end of next week? Not sure it works that way."
"You think I may just be overreacting?"
"No. I KNOW you are. Promise me you'll talk about all this before you do anything rash?"
"Fine," she huffed. "But you should have seen that woman, Beth. She was so tired! Don't even get me started with her clothes."
"Huh?"
"They were so… practical." She said it as if it was a dirty word, making Elizabeth laugh uncontrollably. "Enough about me. How are things with your mister?"
"Good!" She bit her bottom lip. "Levi has a sleepover tonight and Jack is cooking me dinner."
"Oooo, is Bethie having herself a sleepover too?"
"Gosh no! Rosie, we haven't even really kissed yet."
"You haven't?" Her volume was almost at a yell. "Why ever not? What's wrong with him?"
"Nothing! We're taking it slow."
"Slow like molasses…" She pulled her phone out and began typing.
"What are you doing?"
"Fixing your problem!"
"Um, I don't have a problem."
"Oh yes you do! You've been spending a lot of time together, correct? And I mean A LOT of time. If the man hasn't pulled you into his arms and kissed your breath away yet, you have a big problem, my friend."
"I think you're right." she sighed. "I do have a problem."
"That's what I'm saying."
"It's you!" Elizabeth snatched the phone from Rosie.
"Is this you telling me to back off?"
"Ya think?"
