Chapter 12

"Before I tell you about Jack, I need to know how you're feeling," Jarrod said.

Frances nodded. "Stronger today, but still too tired to get up and around. I told them to bury the baby without a service. I'm not up to it. I may never be up to it."

"She was your child," Jarrod said.

"Yes, she was," Frances said, "but just in case I'm the only one who cared, I'll be the one who will know where her grave is and I'll be the one who will visit her."

"Your boys will know. They picked it out yesterday."

Frances smiled at that, and choked a little.

"Jack may want to know as well," Jarrod said. "Will you let him?"

"Will he be around, or does he still want the divorce?"

"He tells me he doesn't want a divorce anymore," Jarrod said. "Yes, he can talk a bit now. Not like he's unaffected, but it's better and better day by day. He saw the boys. He had them with him most of the morning, and he could talk with them a little bit."

"Can he get around?"

"He can stand for a bit, and he took a step or two this morning. He's improving. If you're thinking he's just worried about having someone to take care of him, I don't think so. He's working very hard. I don't know how far he'll improve, but he's improving much faster than anyone anticipated. That's a good sign."

Frances looked down at her hands. "Does he know about the baby?"

"Yes, he knows."

"What does he think?"

"I'm not sure. He's kept that to himself. I think that's something for you and him to share, not me or my family."

Frances let that sink in for a moment before she said, "Bill Bridger is out of the picture. I don't know how I could ever have allowed that to happen. I know Jack and I haven't been the happiest of couples, but how I could have let myself become involved with Bill – " She left it off there, shaking her head.

"We all make mistakes," Jarrod said. "Terrible mistakes. It's what we do after that tells us who we are."

"I'm not sure I know who I am," Frances said.

"You need time to grieve the loss of your baby, and to grieve the damage to your marriage – and for that matter, to grieve the loss of Bill Bridger."

Frances shook her head quickly. "I won't grieve Bill's loss. I may grieve the loss of who I thought I was before Bill, but not Bill."

Jarrod said quietly, "Yes, I know all about grieving the loss of who you thought you were. I've made dreadful mistakes of my own, and I've had to come to terms with not being the man I thought I was."

Frances looked up again. "How did you do it?"

"By accepting the help of the people who love me," Jarrod said. "By trying and working to become the man I thought I was in the first place. No, before you ask, the uncertainty never really goes away, but it does keep you on your toes, and it can make you better at being a better person. Your sons love you, Frances, and so does Jack. Accept that love, and accept their help. That's what you do to cope with the grief, all of it."

Frances nodded a sad nod.

Jarrod said, "Now, I must ask you the tough question. Jack may not be able to care for you and the boys as he has been. We're hoping he will continue to improve and he will be able to resume his work life. But that will take some time, even if it happens, and it may not happen. Do you want a divorce, Frances?"

"No," she said quickly.

"If there comes a time that you do, you will have to get a lawyer," Jarrod said. "I can't help you because I've been Jack's lawyer all along. I don't see that changing."

"I know," Frances said. "But right now, I just want to recover, and take care of my sons, and as soon as I can, I want to go to your place and see my husband. When I see him, when I see how he is when I see him – then we can make plans. I do love him, Jarrod. I always have. It's just – we've always been such different people."

"Yes, that's been clear," Jarrod said. "But everything that's happened – maybe you'll discover that despite your differences, you really do belong together. At least, that's my hope for you. Are you up to talking to your sons about it?"

Frances said, "I'm up to telling them that I am going to see their father as soon as I can, and we'll talk about the future, and we'll do everything we can to work things out."

Jarrod smiled. "I'll help you in any way I can."

XXXXXXX

Three days later, both Heath and Nick stood with Jack in his room, Nick right beside the bed, Heath in the open doorway. Jack stood up on his own, and he took a step with his right leg. His left leg dragged a little as it met up with his right leg, but then Jack was actually able to move the left and take another step. Then the right, and take another step, and then again and again and by then he was with Heath, and the two of them were laughing.

"Not bad," Jack said, a little slowly, but his words were returning too.

"Want to try to turn around and walk back?" Heath asked.

Jack did try. Turning was awkward. Heath had to steady him. But once he was pointed in Nick's direction, he tried walking to him too. Again, the left leg dragged, and by the time he got to Nick he was about out of energy, but Nick caught him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, now," Nick said, steadying Jack as he sat down on the bed. "Another couple days and you might even be ready to try the stairs."

"Oh – no – no," Jack said.

"He's still a little on the weak side, Nick," Heath said, "but we'll work on getting him stronger. The doc gave him a few exercises to do for that leg."

"And – I – do – 'em," Jack said slowly, still struggling with sounds like "th" but getting better with being understood. He struggled but said carefully, "Better – for – Fran."

Jarrod was coming through the door in time to hear that. He said, "Sounds like things are still coming along in here."

"He made it across the room to me and back on his own," Heath said.

Jarrod's face lit up. "Terrific! I saw Frances again today, Jack, and she's up and around the house now too. She still needs to take it easy but Mrs. Haley is still with her and the boys, so they're doing fine."

"Do you need to talk with your client?" Nick asked.

"Just a bit," Jarrod said.

"See you later, Jack," Heath said as he and Nick went out, and Nick closed the door behind them.

Jarrod smiled down at Jack sitting there. "You're doing really well, Jack. Far better than anybody expected. And legally, you're ready to make your own decisions for good."

"No – divorce," Jack said. "I – need – to – see – Fran."

Jarrod nodded. "She still hasn't gotten another lawyer, Jack, so I don't think divorce is on her mind either. Now, the question you both have to answer is whether she and the boys move out here into that small house we have, until you and she both are able to get along in town again."

"May – be – long – tie," Jack said, unable to get the "m" sound at that moment.

"We'll see," Jarrod said. "But if your family is out here with you, it can only help. What do you say?"

"Is – Fran – able?"

"She's not able to travel just yet, but it won't be very much longer."

Jack took a deep breath. "I – wanna – see – her – soon. If – she – " He had to stop and get his words together. "If she will come," he said, altogether. "If – she will – live – here. Yes."

It was only two days later when Dr. Merar told Frances it was safe for her to be traveling by vehicle. By then she was up and around on foot, but only in the house. Mrs. Haley was able to stay for that whole time, but then another woman in town was about to deliver and needed her. Dr. Merar told Frances outright, "I understand the Barkleys are willing to let you and the boys move into the small house on their property, at least for a while. They can give you a hand with things out there – they have plenty of men around. And Jack has been progressing very well. I've told him and the Barkleys he can move in with you, today or tomorrow. You should accept that offer."

"Is it still open?" Frances verified with Jarrod when he came later that morning.

Jarrod said, "It is. You shouldn't need it for more than a month or so at the rate Jack is progressing. It'll give you time to figure things out together, then come back here. By then, Jack may very well be able to get back to work."

"He's doing that well?"

"He has full use of his left side, except that his leg drags a bit. He still talks haltingly a lot but more and more he's putting sentences together more smoothly. Come see him, Frances, and better yet, move out there with the boys. It can only help him and you."

Frances thought, then finally nodded. "Tomorrow."

Jarrod smiled. "It'll be all ready for you."