Chapter 2

Martha and Jack were walking along the sea front, linking arms as they searched for their sit down point. It was settling into the sunset now and Martha and Jack had finished their dinner. Jack had taken her to Yabbie Creek to a fine restaurant. It was quite a rare event whenever he did anything so charming, usually his idea of a romantic dinner would be fish and chips on the beach – not that Martha would ever complain.
Jack led her back up to the top of beach and to a few palm trees. As Martha and Jack grew closer to their destination, she could see blankets and a picnic basket.
"We're either crashing someone else's romantic night, or you've just got better." Martha smiled, overwhelmed at the beautiful seating before her. Jack gestured for her to sit on the blanket in a gentleman's fashion.
"Wine?" He asked in a posh voice, holding up the bottle and passing her a glass.
"Why thank you." She gleamed, watching as the luxurious, smooth red liquid poured from the green bottle. She looked up from the burgundy drink to the shore, gazing at the beautiful colour decorations that the sun had created as it impacted the clear-cut ocean line.
"Jack, look. It's beautiful!" She exclaimed, smiling at the emotional experience.
"Yea." He agreed, staring at her glossy, wide eyes. He wasn't looking at the sunset, for all he knew it could have been a big gorilla in the sea, but he didn't really care. He was too busy watching Martha. Her face had lit up when she saw where they were heading for dinner, the picnic basket, and now the sea. Moments like them and those simple expressions made everything worthwhile. Seeing her face illuminate with happiness was what he lived for, what he got a kick out of. Those appearances, the glow in her cheeks as she gleamed and her widened beautiful eyes, were like ecstasy. He just couldn't resist.
"What are you thinking?" Martha asked, staring at him. Jack snapped from his daydream, his eyes shooting up to the sunset.
"How great the sunset looks." He said quickly. Martha laughed.
"Hmm.. sure…" She agreed, unconvinced. "That's why you were looking at me then?" She grinned. Jack smiled, wrapping his arm around her.
"Fine. I was thinking about how gorgeous you are." He said. Martha giggled, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I was thinking the exact same thing." She said. Jack gasped.
"You're so vain!" He exclaimed.
"No, I mean, about you." She laughed, shaking her head at his stupidity.
"Don't blame you. I am pretty hot." He sighed with a grin.
"And big headed." She added cheekily, nudging him gently in the stomach.

Martha and Jack were laid down on the blanket now, staring at the stars. The sun had disappeared behind the ocean's surface and the moon had rose, securing the only light around. The magnificent, tranquil view was not in vain; the four eyes underneath the starlit sky were enjoying every moment of God's creation, and divulging in the others company.
"Sorry about today," Martha began, "I know you don't like shopping. I just found it hilariously funny." She giggled. Jack slowly let go of her and sat upright.
"So you didn't actually WANT to go shopping, you just did it because you know I don't like to?" He asked. Martha smiled, nodding guiltily.
"Yea…" She admitted, mindlessly stabbing the sand underneath her with her index finger.
"Is that so..." Whispered Jack as his eyes flickered around the surroundings. "Well, I guess today wasn't all bad, at least I bought something." He finished, fumbling around beside him.
"You mean a packet of skittles? Oh, splashing out Jack!" Martha said sarcastically. She'd been with him all day and all she'd seen him buy in the numerous shops they'd visited was Skittles. One packet of Skittles from the newsagents.
"Well, I hope not. They ripped me off if they're only skittles." Jack mumbled under his breath. Slowly, he withdrew a long jewellers box and passed it to Martha. She stared at it, taking it gracefully from Jack's hands. A gleam appeared on her face and a little giggle escaped her lips as she excitedly opened the case.
"It's gorgeous!" Martha gasped, gently lifting the platinum necklace from the box. "You picked this by yourself?" She asked, shocked. Jack nodded, taking the necklace from her hands and gesturing her to turn around. She lifted her hair to the side as Jack carefully closed the clasp at the back. He planted a gentle kiss on the curve of her neck.
"Well, I guess I had a bit of help from your wandering eyes." He smiled, wrapping his arms around her. "It's a good job we took a rest near that jewellery shop window, eh?" He asked quietly in her ear. Martha turned around to face him.
"Ahhh… yea. I pointed it out didn't I?" She smiled, playing with the heart-shaped pendant underneath her chin. "I love it. Thank you." She said, leaning up for a kiss. Jack smiled as they withdrew slowly.
"You're welcome." He said, cupping her face.

The pair were still out at 11pm, staring up at the stars in a comfortable, loving silence. It was growing cold so Jack had his arm around her, and Martha's head was resting on his chest. With a joint effort from the spare blanket that lay on top of them, they felt quite snug. Everything seemed perfect at that moment, and Jack was going to make the most of it. He'd been waiting for an opportunity just like this to arise, a perfect, tranquil time for him to emphasise his true feelings, for him to stress to Martha just how much she meant to him. He'd begun with the dinner, picnic and necklace; now he just had to finish with his heart. Jack smiled to himself, squeezing Martha tight as he prepared to begin.
"I love you." He whispered, kissing her forehead.
"I love you too, you big softy." She smiled to his chest. Jack's hand emerged from underneath the blanket, and set underneath her chin. Slowly, he pushed it upwards, positioning her face mere centimetres away from his.
"I really mean it Martha. I love you so much. I may complain and moan, but that's only because I know I can't spend every minute of every day talking about how great you are."
"Why not?" Martha smiled cheekily. Jack laughed.
"Shut up and let me finish." He scorned jokingly. "I don't care if I have to carry 20 bags in each hand everyday, as long as you're there I'm fine." He smiled.
"2 bags.." Martha mumbled.
"The point is," Jack interrupted half-laughing, "I'd do anything to spend time with you. Whether I have to follow you around shopping, or lay on the beach with you in my arms, I don't care! Everything about you amazes me, and I never want to miss out on a thing. You're a beautiful woman, inside and out. I couldn't have dreamed of a better girl." He smiled. "I love you." He finished. Martha gleamed, still maintaining her stare.
"I feel the exact same way." She grinned. "I really love you Jack, more than I thought possible! If you ever went, I don't know what I'd do with myself." Jack tightened his grip.
"I'll never leave. You don't need to worry about that. I'm not missing out on you." He smiled.
"But what if you do Jack? Your job isn't the safest. You come home and tell me about all the loons you deal with, what if one goes crazy on you! Every time you go to work you get into danger, and every time I get worried. What if you don't come back?" She asked, her crackling voice showing her worried hearts presence.
"I didn't know you felt that way." Jack said, taken aback by her emotions.
"I do.." She mumbled. "It could easily happen Jack. Constable Wilkes got shot the other week; he's still in hospital! What if it happens to you next?" Martha asked.
"It won't Martha. I'm not going anywhere. I wouldn't let it happen; I'm not letting you go!" He smiled, leaning down and kissing her. "So, you don't like my work then?" He asked as he drew away. Martha sighed, knowing she was now opening the can of honesty.
"Well… I know you love it, but it's just so dangerous. It's the one thing that could come between us Jack. It could take you away from me. And I don't like taking that risk." She said. "I've done it before, and I don't want to do it again." She finished quietly. Jack froze.
"What do you mean, you've done it before?" Jack asked curiously. Martha sighed.
"My best friend, he was in the police force." Martha said.
"Was?" Jack repeated. Martha nodded.
"Was." She confirmed quietly. "He'd been my best friend all through primary and high school, and then left to join the police force." She said. "His name was Ben. Constable Cryden. He thought it had a certain ring to it." Martha smiled to herself. "He'd only been working for two months. He'd given 150 through his training and came out as one of the best officers in the squad! All the constables and seniors had high hopes for him; they thought he was going to be a very successful cop. He was so excited about his job, he loved it!" Martha said.
"What happened?" Jack asked carefully. Martha swallowed, preparing to begin.
"We were going to meet after his shift at the local cinemas. Of course, a good cop film." She chuckled. "6.15. We were meeting early so we made sure we got the back row, middle seats." Martha smiled. "That was our place. Perfect vision." She said smugly. "But, he didn't turn up. I waited for an hour, ringing and texting him, but there was no answer. That's when a car pulled up in front of the cinemas. I recognized it immediately; it was one of Ben's work colleagues. When I ducked down to look through the window, I was shocked to find him looking quite upset." Martha said slowly. "That's when he told me to get into the car. He drove me to the hospital, where I found a hospital room holding Ben." Tears began to fill in Martha's eyes. "He was dead." She finished croakily.
"How did he die?" Jack asked.
"He got shot. A stupid, moronic robber shot him so he could get away with goods. You know what those goods were? A TV and radio, which he ended up dumping in a skip in the next town!" Martha exclaimed angrily. "Even though the doctors said the bullet killed him, it wasn't. It wasn't the loss of blood either; and it wasn't the fact that his heart stopped beating. It was the job. The job killed him. If he hadn't gone to work that day, if he'd have chosen to be anything else he would still be alive! But he didn't. He chose to risk his life everyday for the public." She cried. "I never did see that film." She said weakly, trying to cheer herself up. Jack gave a sympathetic sigh, cuddling her closer.
"That won't happen to me." He whispered to her hair, kissing her forehead. "I promise." He assured.
"It better not do. Because I won't cope Jack. I know I won't. If it takes you like it took Ben…" Tears flowed down her cheeks, forced by just thinking of how empty her life would be. "I love you." She said, sinking her head in his chest. Jack rubbed her back.
"I love you too."