Jacqueline

Abby grimaced as she studied the state of her black eye and bruised nose in her compact. The foundation she had used hadn't covered much. She probably shouldn't have made this lunch date with Richard's mother until it was all gone. A week ago she'd thought it would be. She snapped the compact shut and slipped it back into her purse in her lap and glanced around her. They'd decided on a small restaurant she and Richard used to frequent. Memories were tumbling all around her. Good ones though. That was nice for a change. There was a lot to be said for this moving on stuff.

She smiled and lifted her hand in a wave as she saw Richard's mother come in the door. Jacqueline smiled broadly as she spoke to the hostess, never taking her eyes off her, and then crossed the room toward her. Abby stood up and smiled. Wordlessly Jacqueline drew her into a snug embrace and hugged her. Abby closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her former mother in law. She grinned as Jacqueline held her back at arms' length, checked her over and then hugged her again.

"You look beautiful," Jacqueline said as they finally sat down and drew their chairs up to the table. "I love your hair long again." Abby shrugged and drew a strand of her hair back over her ear.

"You look...the same." Jacqueline laughed and reached across the table to take her hand.

"Now tell me about your eye," she asked. Abby chuckled and shrugged.

"There's nothing to tell really. I got in the way of a neighbor and his wife," she sighed. Jacqueline frowned worriedly.

"But she's safely away now," Abby went on. "And so is he."

"And you're still in the same apartment?" Abby blushed a little.

"I stayed with a...friend...for a couple of weeks," she said. "But I'm back home now." Jacqueline studied her for a moment and then shifted her eyes to the menu in front of her. They placed their order with the waitress and then sat in silence for a long moment.

"Richard came to see me," Abby said finally. "He told me his news." Jacqueline's eyebrows went up and she nodded approvingly.

"Corrinne. She's a lovely woman," she said. "I think he's happy." Abby nodded.

"I'm glad," she said. And surprisingly, she was.

"He told me that you had quit medical school," she said. Abby shrugged.

"I just decided not to go back," she said. "Nursing's not so bad. I like what I do."

"Really?" Jacqueline scrutnized her again. Abby blushed and then nodded.

"I really do," she said. "I get to take more time with patients than a doctor does. I can really make a difference for them..." Jacqueline's expression didn't change. Abby laughed.

"Stop that," she chuckled. They straightened as a waitress set their coffee in front of them. Abby took a deep breath and reached for her purse.

"I needed to talk to you about...these," she said as she drew out the stack of envelopes she had tied with a ribbon. She set them in front of Jacqueline. "I can't accept them." Jacqueline picked the stack up in her hands and fingered the red ribbon that had been tied into a bow. She looked up at Abby and then handed them back to her.

"Yes, you can," she said softly. "It's just...money."

"I appreciate it, Jacqueline, but..." Jacqueline pressed the stack of envelopes back into her hands.

"Someday...maybe even soon now... you are going to make a decision that is going to change your life," she said firmly. "I want to be a part of that. I am not your mother in law any more, Abby, and if this is the only way I can share that with you...then so be it." Abby studied the stubborn fire in her blue eyes - so much like Richard's - and sighed. She slipped the envelopes, each holding a five hundred dollar bill, back into her purse.

"Thank you," she said softly and her shoulders sagged a little.

"Now, you put that money in a bank account until you are ready to use it...where it can earn some interest," Jacqueline ordered and glared at her playfully. Abby laughed as a salad was set before both of them.

"Did Richard tell you that Becca is having another baby?" Jacqueline said as she lifted her fork to the salad in front of her.

"Another one?" Abby's eyes widened. " I didn't know she had any."

"Yes...this one is coming any day now," Jacqueline smiled. "She's has a lovely little girl, Rachel, who is a two year old terror and Ryan is finally getting serious about someone..." Abby sighed happily as she immersed herself in the news of the family that she was once a part of.