(9/11/2018)

CHAPTER 59

Jack parked his truck on the drive and as he stepped out, he heard notes from the piano floating out of the house. He stopped and listened to the song. Elizabeth really played beautifully. He remembered this tune. It was one of her mother's favourites.

He opened the door quietly, hoping to catch a glimpse of her playing before she saw him. Elizabeth was sitting at the piano lost in the song, her fingers gliding across the keys. Jack stood there watching her for a moment before she must have felt his gaze. She turned and as soon as she saw him, she smiled and her fingers stopped.

"Keep playing" he said as he approached her.

"It's okay. I just started playing while I was waiting for you."

Jack came closer, sitting down beside her on the bench seat.

"That was one of the songs your Mom liked."

"Yes. She loved that one. It was probably her favourite."

Jack put his arm around her. "Are you missing her today?"

"Yes. This whole week actually."

"Have you spoken to your Dad yet?"

"No. I thought I should speak to him in person. You know, now that we have some news."

"Oh yeah. What news would that be?" he asked leaning into her, his arm dropping around her waist.

"You know very well what I'm talking about. Viola and all the teachers at school know now thanks to your three excited daughters."

Jack laughed. "I told Shane yesterday."

Elizabeth shook her head, a smirk on her face. "You're all hopeless!"

"Like you can talk. You told me and the girls. You're not innocent here."

"I guess you're right" Elizabeth conceded. "We're all very excited. I just hope nothing goes wrong."

"Nothing is going to go wrong."

"Have you told your mother yet?"

"No, but I thought I should go see her. Maybe we can go visit her tomorrow afternoon?"

"That should be fine. I'll call my Dad tonight and find out if he's around."

"Oh, Frank sent you his congratulations too."

"I thought you said you just told Shane!"

"Yes, but I didn't tell Frank for social reasons. He was asking if everything was okay on Wednesday after I cancelled our session. He was worried."

"And now?"

Jack grinned. "He thinks its great and thinks the baby will be good for my recovery too."

"That's good to hear."

Earlier that day, Jack had finally managed to catch Frank for his weekly appointment. Jack cancelled on Wednesday and Frank had to postpone on Thursday so when Jack walked into Frank's office he was half expecting that it wouldn't go ahead but Frank was there waiting.

"Jack! You're here!"

"Yeah, sorry about the other day."

"No problems. We're even since I postponed too. How have you been?"

"Great!"

"Great? Well that does sound good. What's been happening?"

"My fitness is back on track and Shane's return has been really helpful. I feel like things are progressing and I don't feel so out of place anymore. My memories are coming back steadily and I'm remembering larger sections of time."

"That's great news, Jack. How are things going with Elizabeth now?"

"Really good too. Definitely no problems there." Jack grinned at him.

"Well, I'm happy that everything is working out for you. But what was the problem on Wednesday?"

"Oh that, it … well I had to do something with Elizabeth. She found out that we're expecting another baby."

"Wow, Jack! Things really are going well!"

"Yeah, it was quite a surprise to both of us but it's good. I feel like its giving me another chance to experience everything again and hopefully it will spark some more memories of the girls as babies."

"Just don't get frustrated if it doesn't. Just take it as a new opportunity."

"Definitely."

"I spoke to Henry at the beginning of the week about your recovery plan. He has some ideas that he wants to share with you. He ran them by me but I have left it up to you as to what you will be able to handle."

"Can I be deployed again?"

"No. Not with the severity of your injury, but you can be sent to anywhere in the country. The more likely scenario is that you would get considered for an advisory position."

Jack wasn't sure that he liked the sound of that. His family was happy and comfortable here. The last think he wanted to do was uproot them.

"So I would have to leave this base?"

"Maybe. That's not happening in the near future it's just something that may happen. You are an incredibly experienced and skilled officer, Jack. If you get your memory back, this would be the best option for someone in your situation to be utilised within the force. This is the long-term plan, Jack. Nothing for you to worry about right now."

Jack nodded. "Right now my family is the most important thing in my life. Being a present father and trying to remember the last ten years with them is my priorirty."

"Understandably. But at some stage you may wonder what the point of all this rehabilitation work is. I just want you to be aware of the goal that we are working toward."

"Thank you, Frank."

On Saturday, after dancing lessons for Gracie and Eve, the Thornton's drove to Charlotte's place to join her for lunch. Elizabeth was bringing most of the food with her, despite Charlotte's protests. When they arrived, she was waiting for them on the front door step.

"What do I owe the pleasure?" she called to Jack as all three of her grandaughters enveloped her in a hug.

"Can't you just be grateful that we came to visit?" Jack yelled back as he took the bags off Elizabeth.

"I'm not an invalid, Jack. I can carry three bags" she whispered.

Jack leant in to kiss her cheek as she rolled her eyes at him.

"What have you got there?" Charlotte asked looking at the bags Jack was now carrying.

"Some food for lunch."

"Really? I could have organised something."

"Yes, but we wanted to eat, not go hungry" Jack said as he walked up with Elizabeth, his free hand on her back.

"Don't sass me or you will have to go sit outside on your own young man." She spoke sternly but had a smirk on her face.

"Hi Charlotte" Elizabeth said, giving her a quick hug.

"Hi dear. Nice to see you" she said before turning her attention to her son. "You on the other hand!"

Jack grinned at her before leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Hi Ma."

"Hi Son."

Jack followed Elizabeth into the house and carried the bags of food to the kitchen. Elizabeth immediately began moving around, plating up the lunch.

"Girls, why don't you come out to the garden and see if we have any fresh veggies to go with lunch?"

Gracie ran out the door first, followed by the other two. Charlotte walked out after them and the moment they were gone, Jack was behind Elizabeth wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck.

"Mmm Jack, what are you doing?"

"Just making the most of our two minutes alone." His lips trailed up her neck, resting below her ear.

"Jack, they're going to be back any minute."

He turned her around, leaning her body up against the counter as he moved in, his lips pressing against hers. Elizabeth's hands were holding the counter on either side of her as Jack's hands held her hips firmly.

"Ahem." Charlotte cleared her voice.

Jack pulled back quickly and laughed nervously. "Ma. I didn't hear you come back in."

"So I see. It seems things are much better between you two now."

"Um yeah. Sorry about that."

"That's fine. But tell me, when were you going to mention that there's another Thornton baby on the way?"

Jack's eyes went wide and he turned to look at Elizabeth who had her eyes down but a smile was spread across her face.

"Um … well … that's why we came for a visit today. How did you …"

"Eve mentioned Elizabeth had a baby in her tummy and then Halley and Gracie excitedly filled me in as well. I figured all three of them couldn't have made up a story with that kind of detail."

Jack shook his head and took Elizabeth's hand. "Yes, Elizabeth and I are expecting another baby next May."

Charlotte grinned at them, stepping forward to give Jack a big hug before doing the same to Elizabeth. The questions followed about Elizabeth's health and when she found out.

"We only found out on Tuesday. It was all a bit of a surprise" Elizabeth said.

"So you weren't expecting it?"

"No. It was a total shock" Jack said before glancing at Elizabeth. "A good surprise but a shock all the same."

"Well that is wonderful news. Five grandchildren! That makes me one very lucky lady."

The rest of the lunch visit went well. After lunch the girls all went to play outside and Elizabeth followed them to watch. Charlotte took the opportunity to pull Jack aside.

"Are you sure that you're okay about everything?"

"Yeah, Ma."

"You don't feel overwhelmed or out of your depth?"

"Out of my depth maybe. I mean I'm about to become a father to four children, which is … crazy. I never expected it. When Elizabeth told me, I honestly thought she had made a mistake" he said laughing. "But I'm doing much better, just living each day as it comes instead of worrying about what I can't remember. Maybe this baby will bring some good memories back too."

"That's a good way to look at it, son. I am very proud of you and I know your Dad would have been too. You're a good husband and a good father. Don't you forget that."

"Thanks Ma."

"Now let's get outside and see what those girls of yours are up to!"

Elizabeth called her Dad that night. He answered on the second ring.

"Hi Dad."

"Beth. It's so good to hear from you."

"Where are you at the moment?"

"I'm in New York but I will be home next week. I was actually going to call you girls to see if we could meet up next weekend."

"That's a great idea."

"Yes, well, I know it might seem out of the blue and … um … well, I wanted to … ah …"

Elizabeth had never known her Dad to be lost for words.

"What is it Dad?"

She heard him take a deep breath before the words spilled out of him in a hurry.

"I wanted you to meet a friend of mine."

"A friend?" Elizabeth didn't know quite what to say. She sure wasn't expecting her father to start seeing someone else after her mother. "A … lady friend?" she said slowly.

"Well, yes. Her name is Diane."

"Okay …"

"I've been seeing her for about two months for dinner and a chat. Her husband passed about the same time as your mother. That's how we met actually. I knew her husband through work. He died from melanoma."

"Oh Dad."

"I know what you will probably say but its not like that. We are just good friends. We talk about your mother and Eddie, her husband. It's just nice, you know, not being alone all the time."

Elizabeth knew her father loved her mother. She also knew that she would be lost without Jack and not know where to start. She could only imagine how lost her father felt after being with her mother for so many years.

"I would be happy to meet her. Will you bring her next weekend? Maybe everyone can come here since we went to Viola's last time."

"That would be great, Beth. Thank you for, well, being so understanding."

"Dad, I know no one would ever replace Mom but I want you to be happy. You're still a spring chicken. You've got a lot of time left here and you shouldn't be lonely."

"Thank you Beth. You have no idea how unsure I've been to tell you."

"Do you want me to speak to Julie and Viola or would you like to tell them?"

"No, I think you would do it better justice. I tend to just stumble on my words."

"Okay, Dad. I will take care of it. So I will see you for Sunday lunch then?"

"Yes. Bye Beth."

Elizabeth hung up the phone and smiled just as Jack walked into the bedroom.

"What are you smiling about? Did you tell your Dad?"

"No. He's coming over next Sunday for lunch. I just have to ask Vi and Julie to come."

Jack sat down beside her on the bed, his arm wrapping around her shoulder.

"There's something else" she added.

"Mmm?" he said waiting.

"He's bringing a lady friend."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah."

"And are you okay with that?"

"I wasn't expecting it but when he explained it to me, I understand. I don't want to see him sad and lonely."

"I'm glad. I don't know what I would do if my Ma announced she was seeing someone. I mean I would support her but it would still seem weird."

"Oh it will still be really weird, but we need to support him. It's a big step for him to take. Fourty years with the same woman is a long time."

Elizabeth went quiet, resting her head on Jack's shoulder.

"Do you think we'll make fourty years?"

"No" he said and Elizabeth pulled away, looking at him disappointedly.

He just laughed. "Don't look at me like that! We'll make longer! Hopefully sixty years together."

"Sixty years? You're going to put up with me for another fifty one years?"

"You asked the question. I was just answering truthfully" he smirked at her.

Elizabeth smiled, leaning her head back in on his shoulder. "You better try not to get hit on the head again then."

"Why?"

"It's hard work getting you to fall in love with me again."

"No, it wasn't. I fell in love with you again the second you walked into that hospital room."

"You did not!" Elizabeth said, shoving him playfully.

"I did. And then I made you cry and I knew you were the one. You were my wife."

"That doesn't mean you loved me!"

"But it did" Jack said seriously. "The way you looked at me. Your blue eyes looked like a stormy sky and straight away it was like I could see into your soul and I knew you were mine."

Elizabeth stared at him for a long moment. "You are …"

"Charming? Charismatic? Romantic? Lovable?"

"A puzzle" Elizabeth finished, grinning. "But you are lovable" she whispered before leaning in to kiss him.