Chapter 6
Jarrick
Jack finishes his shift, grabs his bag and heads out to his parents house to pick up Jarrick. He walks in and Jarrick runs up to him. Throws his arms around him and tells him he's missed him today. Jack picks him up and tells him that he missed him to. Jack says, "You know I love you and will always come back for you right?" Jarrick tells him yeah and he loves him too. Charlotte, Jack's mom since something different in her son. She asks, "How was your day?" He replies, "Fine mom, just fine." She hadn't seen this kind of grin in a very long time. She knew something was up but didn't was to push for an answer. She watched him play with his son. She pokes her husband, Tom in the side and nods towards them. Tom gets the biggest smile on his face. Just nodded at his wife. Charlotte asked Jack if they wanted to stay and have dinner? Jack asks Jarrick if he want to stay and eat here? Jarrick asks what they are having and who cooked it? Charlotte looked at her grandson and says there's that same sass. Jack smiled but scolded Jarrick and says yes or no. Jarrick said yes he guessed. Jack walks over to his mom and apologized. She semi pinched his arm and says like father like son. He's definitely a Thornton. Jarrick asked his dad if he could come eat lunch with him tomorrow? Jack told him not tomorrow but maybe another day. Jarrick frowns but is ok with it. Tom pulls Jack off to the side to ask why because he has never turned Jarrick down for lunch. Jack looks at his dad and says he has plans for lunch tomorrow. After dinner Jack gathers up all Jarrick's things and puts them in his backpack. Jarrick gives his grandparents bye loves. They tell him they love him and will see him tomorrow morning. Jack and Jarrick head home which is all the way across town. Jack lives down the street from Elizabeth. They get home, Jack helps Jarrick out of his booster seat. Jarrick grabs his backpack and follows dad in the house. They both hang their bags on the hook, takes their coats off and hangs them next to their bags. Then they take their boots off and puts them on the rug under their bags and coats. Jack asks Jarrick if he would like a juice? He tells him yes please. Jarrick jumps up on a barstool and drinks his juice. Jack asks him, "Bath then a movie or movie then a bath?" Jarrick naturally says after a movie please. Jack smirks and says ok. They sit and watch cartoons for about an hour. Jack tells him ok Bud it's time for your bath. He picks up the remote and turns off the tv. Jarrick like all children asks just a little longer? Jack says no not tonight Bud. Jarrick stomps off towards his room. Jack stops him, comes down to his level and asks what is going on with you today because you never act like this? Jarrick just shrugged his shoulders and says I don't know. Jack looks at him and says you are the only one that knows. If you don't tell me then I can't fix it. Jarrick starts to cry. Jack pulls him in for a hug and tells him that he loves him very much. Jarrick pulls back and asks why he can't have lunch with him tomorrow because you always let me come when ever I want to? Jack asks is that all that is bothering you? Jarrick replies yes. Jack pulls him back in and tells him that he is meeting someone for lunch tomorrow. Jarrick asks why he can't come? Jack tells him not this time. He says that he met anew friend and he's having lunch with them. Jarrick wants to know why he can't come? He tells him that this person is new to town and he wants to get to know them first before he introduced them to each other. Jarrick says is it like stranger danger? Jack laughs and says something like that. Jarrick is satisfied and runs off to get his bath. A little while later Jack yells to tell Jarrick time to get out of the tub and get to bed. Jack goes in to tuck him in the bed. Jack asks if he brushed his teeth? Jarrick shakes his head yes. Jack bends down beside him and asks if he said his prayers? Jarrick nods and then out of the blue Jarrick asks , "Daddy, can mommy see me from Heaven? Do you think she still loves me?" With tears in his eyes Jack bends over and kisses his son and whispers in his little ear yes always. Jack stands and walks to the door. Pulls it almost closed. Shuts the light off and walks away. He heads to his room. Sits down on the side of his bed. As the tears are still falling dow his face he picks up Jenny's picture and says to her that they still miss her so much, you would be so proud of him Jenny. I try really hard to keep your memory alive for him. It's getting harder and harder though. He kisses her picture and sets it back down on his night stand. He gets ready for bed. He shuts the light off and rolls over to try and sleep.
Elizabeth is standing on her back porch just listening to the sounds around her. She thinks just how peaceful it is here. She thinks back to the story that Jack had told her about his wife a few hours before. She walks back inside just in time to see him drive by. Wondering where he was going? She shakes herself and says it really doesn't matter. She sits down on her couch to watch tv. As she flips through the channels she runs across "The Rookie" again with Daniel Lissing. As she was watching she realized just how much he looks like Jack. She thought wow that is really strange. When it was over she shut the tv off and heads to bed. As she was laying there she got to thinking about Jack and wondered if he was still awake. Figuring she would at least check on him. She picks up her phone and starts to text him. She forgot his card in the kitchen so she goes in the kitchen and grabs the card and heads back to bed.
E. Jack, just wanted to check on you to see if your alright after you left here today?
Figuring he was probably asleep she puts her phone back on the charger and rolls over to go to sleep. About 10 minutes later her phone dings. She rolls back over and picks up her phone. It's a text from Jack.
J. Glad to hear from you. Yeah I'm fine. Was just a ruff day. My son asked if his mom could see him from Heaven and if she still loved him. Of course I told him yes she did but ever since I left your place things just started to spiral.
E. Wow. Is he alright now?
J. Yeah he's fine.its been over a year since he's asked about her.
E. Probably just started thinking about her today.
J. Wow! You sure you don't have any kids?.
E. No. It's no different than adults except they don't have the answers. Are we still on for lunch tomorrow? Unless an emergency comes up.
J. Yeah. He wanted to go to lunch tomorrow but I told him I have plans.
E. It's alright if you take him to lunch if that what he wants.
J. No it will be fine.
E. Ok. See you tomorrow. Good night.
J. Good night, Beth.
As Elizabeth laid her phone back on it charger, she thought about the nickname he called her. It was nice but he truly still loved his wife. Her mind just wouldn't shut down so she could sleep. After about an hour or so she gets up and goes to put on the teapot. She thought a cup of tea would help her sleep. While she waits for the water to boil she reaches for her tea cup. She goes and sits down at the table. She ponders her thoughts of everything that had happened since she started this new journey of her life. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the kettle whistle. When she finally heard the whistle she jumped up to go get it. She brought it back and poured her tea. She couldn't get over how her life had changed in just 4 days. She was beginning to think that she had made a big mistake in moving here.she thought if only she had stayed in Estes Park, things would not had changed so. She lingered on that thought. Then all of a sudden she looked around. Realizing that God had brought her here for a reason. What was the reason? What did God have in store for her? Why had God let her see such tragedy? She started weeping. She takes a sip of her tea and places it back down on the saucer. She get this strong feeling to pray. She drops her head down and closes her eyes.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to you tonight with a very heavy heart. I don't know what you have in store for me and my future. I truly believe that you brought me here for a reason. For that I am truly thankful. The things I've seen is truly unbearable.i pray that you give me peace with all of this. I pray for the family of the man that was found will have some sort of peace. We know that everything is in your hands. Please Father let me know what my purpose here is. I am young but want thy will be done. You have brought me this far. Please lead me to my purpose. Father-in-law pray for total understanding and peace for my life here. If you choose to send me back to my parents then so be it. In Jesus name. Amen.
All of a sudden Elizabeth felt this over whelming since of peace come over her. She finished her tea. Put her cup in the sink and headed back to bed.she fell asleep almost instantly. When she woke up the next morning she felt so refreshed. Took her shower and got ready for lunch with Jack. She had about 2 1/2 hours before she was to meet Jack at Abigail's. She couldn't decide what to wear. S
He decided on a pair of skinny black jeans, a green cashmere sweater, and ankle boots. She sprayed her lilac perfume in the air and walked under it. She walked out of her bedroom feeling confident that she looked ok. There was a knock on the door. She goes to open the door and Jack is standing on the other side. She looks surprised. She says, I thought I was meet you at Abigail's? He says, you were but I decided to come by and pick you up. Is that alright? She replies, yeah that's fine but I didn't know this was a date? He says, it not it's just lunche. She replies, ok, that's fine. They head out the door. Jack hurry's to open her door before she gets there. She says, what a gentleman. He smiles. Get in the car and drives to Abigail's. He parks the car and goes around to open her car door allowing her to get out. he opens the cafe door. She goes in and heads to the table in front of the window. He pulls out her chair for her to sit down. She says, ok what is all this gentleman stuff. If this isn't a date what am I to think? He tells her, I was raised to be polite to a lady. She says, how do you know I'm a lady? He says, I can tell. She has to ask, what are we doing here? What are you expecting to happen? What is it you want from me? He replies, we are just having lunch, Beth. I'm not expecting anything to happen. Whatever happens happens. I don't want anything from you except your friendship but I must say that there is something that is pulling me to you. I can't explain it. I haven't even talked to another woman since Jenny's death. I have to be totally honest here. Jenny was the love of my life. I haven't even thought about putting myself back out there until you. I'm not asking for you to feel the same way as I do.im just trying to be honest with you. I don't know why but I'm so comfortable around you.can you understand what I'm trying to say? Elizabeth asks, are you truly ready to say goodbye to Jenny? Jack says, I truly believe I'm ready. If I wasn't I don't think I would be having these feelings for you. She agrees to see where this goes. She told him that God had brought her here for a reason. She tells him, I've been having feelings for you as well but I don't want to come between you and your son. He says, it will never happen.
