8
Jack was there at seven thirty, bags at his feet as he stood at the edge of the driveway waiting for them. The twins were excited to see him, racing for a hug as he crouched down and buried his face in them, revelling in their excitement levels. He then rose and was surprised to get a warm kiss.
"I will drive, I know the way" Ianto said as they loaded Jack's SUV, leaving Ianto's smaller vehicle at his mother's. "I have no idea what the driveway is like, the higher wheel base is best. So, what did you tell Doulas?"
"That my marriage needed me more than anything else could ever possibly matter." Jack said calmly.
Ianto stopped and turned to face him "Jack, I am sorry I acted like that. You needed me too, I was focused on the kids and you needed comfort after what you went through. Jesus, I need to acknowledge that. I was so focused on me… sorry."
"I know, but that does not mean you need to take a back seat either. I was fine, as always. And you were the one truly in crisis while everyone was looking the other way, giving mama a golden opportunity to show her true colours. All this time I thought she was working on things with you and… well. There ya go" Jack shrugged. "You're right. We need time. Time to think about things, time to accept them and talk about it, rationally. We always did that, took time to walk on the beach or a candlelit meal. We don't anymore, and I don't blame the kids, I know it's my scheduling. I do."
"No, it's not just you. Look… let's just agree to let these next few weeks be about positive things. Let's see the good in everything, revel in our kids, each other. Remember why we are doing this. Then… only then… can we focus on the bad parts without blame or rancour. Right?" Ianto asked.
"Agreed." Jack grinned "So… where are we going?"
"Home."
.
.
Ianto drove for what seemed like hours, the kids asleep in the back and the music down low, just the countryside around them changing. Jack found himself drifting and when the vehicle stopped he was jolted awake, looking blearily ahead at an old faded letterbox with JONES on the letterbox "where are we Tiger?"
"Like I said. Home. This is where I spent the happiest times of my childhood. My family cottage, build by my great grandfather" Ianto said softly, driving carefully up the long driveway with the long grass in the middle almost caressing the bottom of the vehicle. Jack could not help but envisage the SUV shivering like it was being tickled as it bumped over potholes and divots from years of neglect.
"There is an old couple that live nearby, they come to check it once a weekend and air it out, apparently the old lady cleans and dusts it once a month, Tad sends them an allowance or something" Ianto muttered. "Has done for years."
The cottage was in fact a lovely holiday house. An original log cabin with a huge front porch and a veranda that wrapped around, something you could imagine settlers hitching their horses to before removing their cowboy hats to slap against their legs and head inside to the cool dark interior of the home.
Jack saw two chimneys, a low and generous roof to what was clearly a large open plan summer home. "So, your Great Grandfather was a designer?"
"Architect, where my father got the touch of set design from." Ianto replied.
"Explain something, Da and Taddy… you talk of two of them?"
"Ah. Taddy was my real father. He left when I was still a child of about eight or nine, Mama could not be alone, never can so after a few boyfriends she settled on a new husband. Da. A prick of an abusive cunt. Sorry. Bad word" Ianto glanced at the kids still asleep in the back, unaware that they were at their destination.
"Right. So tensions in your family were always there?"
"But not here. This was the only place there was no talk of other lover, money or divorce. Here they were happy, and so were us kids" Ianto smiled wistfully. "Even after the divorce, we came here a few times but… with Taddy gone it was hollow. And we were only allowed a weekend here, not long enough for the memories we wanted."
"Good vibes, good memories. Hopefully a good place to repair our own family?" Jack asked gently.
"Good mojo, yes." Ianto turned to face him, the bruising stark in the dimly lit vehicle "Come on. Let's get the heathens out, and release the hound as well."
Jack found himself grinning as Ianto seemed… lighter.
This had to work, it had to. They both needed to work on it and if they could not find their common heartbeat again Jack knew this was the last chance to try to learn a new one they could still co-exist with.
God forbid.
Jack's greatest fear was that the music had stopped.