Chapter 6

A Plan


As Jordan stood in front of the mirror that night she couldn't shake Woody's expression from her mind. I won't be there. I…ah…I have a date. He had looked so surprised and not the good kind of surprised. You have a…oh. He had sounded so dejected. She knew she didn't need to feel guilty. Just last week he had been living across the country. There was no reason she shouldn't have moved on. She had dated plenty in the last couple years. Never consistently with one guy, in fact they had mostly been first dates, but still they were dates. Woody had probably dated too. Yeah, she had no reason at all to feel guilty, she reasoned with herself. But still she couldn't get Woody's face out of her mind. It had been weird to tell him so of course it would have been weird for him to hear. After all they had a child together and the last few days they had almost seemed like a family. She quickly shook that thought from her mind. "Don't go there, Jordan," she said to herself. She walked to the bathroom and hung up the towel from her shower. As she started to fish up Carter from where he was playing on the floor of the bathroom there was a knock at the door. She hurried to the door, Carter on her back getting a piggyback.

"Hey Lily," she said as she opened the door, "Thank god you are here. It is much easier to get ready without the assistance of an eighteen month old."

Lily laughed. "Hi Jordan," she said entering the apartment and lifting Carter off Jordan's back. "Hey there cutie," she said to Carter.

"Hi!" Carter chirped wrapping his arms around Lily. "Play twruck?" he asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah, you go start I'll be there soon," Lily said setting Carter down and following Jordan to her room. "So did you tell him?" she asked as she sat down on Jordan's bed.

"Tell who?" Jordan replied innocently.

"Jordan," Lily replied rolling her eyes. "Did you tell Woody about your date?"

"Yes," Jordan answered removing earrings from a jewelry box.

"Well…How did he take it?"

"He seemed shocked." Jordan said sighing. "But seriously I mean what was a supposed to do wait around for him for two years."

"Well no, but come on Jordan, its Woody," Lily said. Honestly it seemed to her that Jordan had been waiting around for two years. Jordan had made ever excuse there was for why none of her relationships worked out. But it seemed to Lily that it was a very real possibility that the true reason none of those relationships had worked was because for Jordan the only person who was worth it was Woody. Lily would never have dared say this to Jordan, but now that Woody was back she thought maybe it made more sense.

"So how are you feeling?" Jordan asked Lily, snapping her out of her thoughts. Jordan had noticed Lily's hand resting on her abdomen, it wouldn't have meant anything to anyone who didn't know Lily was expecting but Jordan remembered doing that exact thing, back when Lily was the only one who knew she was pregnant.

"Nauseous," Lily answered, "I thought it was called morning sickness."

Jordan laughed sympathetically. "Yeah I know," she said. "Don't worry it should eventually get better."

Lily was starting to say something when Carter toddled into the doorway of his mother's room. "Aunt Lily, twrucks," he said crossing his arms in front of his chest and trying to tap one foot.

Lily laughed as she went to go play with him turning back towards Jordan she said sarcastically, "I wonder where he got that."

Jordan scrunched a bit of gel in her hair and put on her makeup before emerging into the living room where Lily and Carter were playing. "Well, how do I look," she asked spinning around. She was wearing a simple back dress with a stylish denim jacket over the top. Her feet were slipped into cute red sandals; they weren't quite as fashionable as her shoes would have been a few years ago but being a mother had taught her the importance of practical shoes. The earrings she had picked out were a line of hanging stones, red to match her shoes, and her hair slowed curly over her shoulders and down her back.

"You look beautiful, Jordan," Lily said smiling.

"Mama pwretty," Carter said hugging her leg.

"Thanks baby," Jordan said squatting down and pulling Carter to her. "Mommy loves you so much. Aunt Lily is going to put you to bed tonight okay?"

Carter squinted at her thinking for a moment before saying, "Okay."

As Jordan stood up there was another knock at the door. Lily looked up from where she was sitting on the living room floor. Jordan's eyes were wide in shock when Lily asked, "Is he picking you up?"

Jordan shook her head. "I don't think so. He knows where I live but I said I would meet him at the restaurant." Jordan moved to the door somewhat cautiously. "Woody!" She said in surprise having opened the door.

Woody stood there for a minute trying to regain his composure after seeing Jordan ready for her date. "Wow, uh… Jordan you look… nice," He said censoring his language.

"Thanks," she said. Then trying not to be rude, "Umm, Woody what are you doing here I told you I wouldn't be here tonight."

"Yeah, umm I know I was just thinking that maybe I could hang out with Lily and Carter tonight. Kind of get the routine down a bit more, you know."

Lily sitting from her place on the floor said, "That's fine by me." She couldn't help but notice how much Woody was acting like he used to around Jordan back when they had first met. He was like a nervous high school student trying to talk to his crush.

"Daddy," Carter said peering at Woody from behind the couch.

"I guess its unanimous," Jordan said, moving aside so Woody could enter the apartment. Then grabbing her purse she said, "Okay, I need to go. I love you Carter, be good."

"Bye Mama," Carter said as Jordan left the apartment.


As Jordan entered the restaurant she looked around for her date. She had met Jonathon at a coffee shop when she had been out shopping one day. This was another first date. Jonathon was cute. He was the perfect example of the tall, dark, and handsome type. Jordan spotted him across the room just as a hostess began to approach her. "I see my party, thanks," Jordan said dismissively to the woman. Jordan traveled across the room, Jonathon stood as she reached the table.

"You look lovely, Jordan," he said sitting back down in his chair as she sat down.

"Thank you," Jordan replied. She tried to focus her mind on the date; generally she was getting better at doing so. When she first started dating after Carter was born she used to excuse herself to the bathroom and call home at least every hour. She didn't do that anymore; she could usually trust that everything was fine and focus on her date. Tonight was different though. She found herself thinking about Carter and Woody back in her apartment. Refocusing she smiled at Jonathon and opened her menu.


As Woody found himself up to his elbows in bath water for the second night in a row he decided he could do this. He had not really thought about having children in years. Truthfully because there had only ever been one person he had thought about having children with, though in his thoughts it had been a bit different. "Jeez buddy, where did you learn to splash like that?" Woody asked Carter as a small tidal wave crashed over the side of the tub soaking the entire front of his body.

Over Carter's laughter Woody could hear Lily laughing in the living room. "That would have been Bug," she yelled from her spot on the couch trying to control her laughs. "We take him swimming sometimes."

Lily had casually let Woody take over most of the babysitting duties. It only seemed right to her. She had even thought about leaving and giving Woody some time alone with his son, but had decided that she really shouldn't do that without having talked to Jordan about it. So after doing the dishes, she settled down on the couch with her book. She found the laughing shrieks coming from the bathroom very heart warming and placed her hand warmly on her stomach, "I am sure your daddy will give you fun baths just like that someday," she whispered quietly to the baby.

Woody grew more and more confident, as the night wore on, about his ability to be a good dad. He managed through bath time and found a pair of pajamas with teddy bears dressed like policemen on them. He laughed as he wrestled Carter into the pajamas. "Come on buddy, you will get cold if you run around only in your diaper," he muttered before finally lifting Carter upside down in his arms and pulling his pajamas on the rest of the way. Once Carter was dressed Woody began to play with him again, while Lily watched from her spot on the couch. He spent almost half an hour crawling around on his hands and knees chasing Carter while growling like a bear. As Carter wore out a bit Woody decided it was time to brave the bedtime routine. "Any words of advice?" he asked turning to Lily as he scooped Carter up to take him to bed.

"Don't worry Woody," Lily said smiling, "You'll do great."

Woody did do well. He followed the routine Jordan showed him as best he could. Carter chose some books from his bookshelf and Woody found himself reading familiar childhood classics. As he finished reading the last book, Carter was leaning back resting his head on Woody's chest. Woody held Carter close to him, not wanting to let go. He lifted him up and lay him down in his crib. Then Carter in a drowsy voice asked, "Sing?"

"Oh buddy, that is kind of a mommy thing," Woody said not sure about singing.

When Carter asked sweetly, "Daddy sing?" Woody couldn't say no and searched his brain for a song. Woody began to sing a little nervously.

There is a young cowboy he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

And as the moon rises he sits by his fire
Thinking about women and glasses of beer
And closing his eyes as the doggies retire
He sings out a song which is soft but it's clear
As if maybe someone could hear

Woody looked down at his son and laid a hand on his shoulder rubbing gentle circles on his back as he kept singing.

Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James

Lily could hear Woody singing from the living room and closed her eyes leaning her head back to listen. She couldn't help but think how things might have been for Woody and Jordan had he never left.

Now the first of December was covered with snow
And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Lord, the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
A song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me

Watching his son fall asleep Woody wanted to kick himself for ever leaving Boston. He couldn't believe he had stayed away so long. He had run, run away from home. He had thought that was what he had been doing when he left Wisconsin so many years back. He knew now that Boston was and always would be his home.

Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James

As Woody finished his song he bent down whispering to his son, "I love you little boy." Woody stood in the room watching Carter wiggle around and fall into sleep. He could hear Jordan voice in his mind, Home is right behind you. He had known that this past two years he was in California he was just too much of a coward to do anything about it. He decided, as he left Carter's room quietly closing the door behind him, that it was time he did something.

Smiling Woody walked over and sat down on the couch next to Lily. Trying to sound casual he asked, "So how long has Jordan been dating this guy?"

Lily wasn't fooled but figured she would play along. Equally casually she replied, "Oh, it's a first date. She has only had a handful of second dates in the last two years and I think there was one third date. Why?"

Woody shifted uncomfortably where he was sitting. "I…uh, I think… I think I am still in love with her." Wow he had said it.

"Hmm," Lily said putting her book down. "Love isn't something you think, it is something you feel." Looking at Woody intently she added, "Either you love her or you don't."

Woody wondered at Lily's uncanny ability to be straight and get the truth out of everyone and said simply, "I do."

Lily grinned at Woody and said, "As much as I like to hear that I think you might be telling the wrong person."

"Yeah, but its Jordan, I don't think she would believe me if I just came out and said it. Not after everything that has happened." Woody ran his hands through his hair and then rubbed the back of his neck.

Yeah that is probably true. So I think, you will probably need to not just tell her but show her," Lily replied.

"How should I do that?"

"Woody, I think you need a plan."


Jordan sighed as she leaned against the back of the elevator. The date had been emotionally exhausting and she couldn't wait to get into bed and fall asleep. She was praying that Carter would sleep past six. Stepping out of the elevator onto her floor she wondered if Woody would still be at the apartment. She hadn't noticed his car when she had gotten home but then she wasn't sure where he had parked. She put her key I the lock and opened the door. Lily was sitting on the couch reading her book and Woody was nowhere in sight. Sitting down on the chair across from Lily Jordan sighed. "How did it go tonight?" she asked.

"Good," Lily responded smiling. "I let Woody do most of the work. How was the date?"

Jordan let out and exasperated sigh and said, "Why is it that when I say I'm a single mother guys run for the hills or decide that it must mean I'm easy." After pausing she added, "I would have rather he had run from the hills."

"I'm sorry Jordan," Lily tried to smile sympathetically at her friend.

"Men are such jackasses," Jordan spewed angrily.

"What did we do now?" Woody asked coming out from the bathroom.

"Oh Woody," Jordan said with surprise. "I didn't know you were still here."

"Yep, still here," Woody said smiling at Jordan.

Lily stood up saying, "I am really tired I think I better head home."

"Thanks so much," Jordan said hugging her friend.

"Hold on a second Lily," Woody said, "I'll walk you to your car."

Okay, bye Jordan," Lily said.

"Bye Lily, Woody," Jordan said as she stood at the door as they left.

As Lily started to walk down the hallway and Jordan began to close the door Woody turned around and sticking his head in the partially open door he kissed Jordan's cheek before saying, "Goodnight Jordan, sleep well." He sauntered down the hall and caught up with Lily very ready to put his newly formed plan into action, with Lily's help of course.

Jordan more than slightly stunned closed the door and headed to bed.


Author's Note: So I put in another song, I never plan these things, they just happen. For anyone who doesn't know this one was "Sweet baby James" (seemed appropriate) by James Taylor, my dad used to sing that song a lot when I was a kid. So I promise the next chapter is going to have some Bug/Lily interaction. I feel bad I am leaving most of the gang but the story doesn't lend itself well to whole group stuff. Thanks for all the great reviews. Please keep letting my know what you think.