A few weeks later…
Jack looked around his basement apartment. Not too shabby. The basement had a family room, a full bathroom, and even a kitchenette. His bedroom was larger than his upstairs one as well. It even had it's own entrance.
"Ok, I'm exhausted!" Beth said dramatically when she sat down next to Tom on the couch. "Pretty sure my legs are going to fall off now."
"Better save energy for one more trip up the stairs because technically, you're not supposed to be down here," Tom told her.
She groaned and forced herself to stand. Jack walked into the room. "Mom and Dad said it was ok because you were down here too, Tom."
Beth sat back down and smiled. "What time do you need to be at work, Jack?"
"Two hours." He worked at the restaurant he had previously bussed but now as a waiter. He was surprisingly good and he made excellent tips. He had saved quite a bit of money in the last ten days. He worked the same days Beth did, so they had to be creative in seeing each other.
That evening Jack walked over to a booth in his section. "Good evening, what can I start you off with?" he asked without looking at the customer.
"How about a kiss?"
"Beth! Hi. What are you doing here?"
"Eating dinner and I wanted to see you."
"This is a nice surprise."
"So, what do you recommend?"
"The special is great. Pot roast, garlic mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots."
"Garlic potatoes, huh? I might rethink that kiss."
"Very funny."
"I'll take the special. If we both have garlic breath it won't matter, right?"
"You'll have to judge for yourself. You want iced tea?"
"Yes please."
"Be right back."
He put a glass of iced tea in front of her and a roll with two little pats of butter. "Enjoy."
"Hey, do you have a break coming up?"
"Yeah. In about an hour."
"Ok. Meet me in the parking lot," she said with a wink.
When he walked out an hour later, she was sitting on the hood of her Jeep waiting. "Hey."
"Hey yourself," he said, hopping up next to her. "What's going on?"
"Nothing, I was hoping to cash in on that kiss I mentioned."
"Ok." He leaned over and kissed her. "How's that?"
"Good. Can I talk to you?"
"Yeah. Should I be nervous?"
She took his hand and squeezed it. "No. Faith called me today."
"Yeah?"
"The townhouse is going to be ready two weeks earlier than planned."
"So you're leaving when?"
"In about a month." Jack nodded. "Are you mad?" she wondered.
"No. Disappointed."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I'll miss you but this is what you're wanting. You'll finally be on your own."
"I love you." She wrapped her arm around his back and kissed his cheek. "A lot."
He smiled at her. "I love you a lot too." He kissed her once more and hopped down. "I need to get back to work. I'll text you later."
She nodded and hopped down to get in her Jeep.
….
Before they knew it, July 30th had arrived and Jack was helping her and William move all her things to the townhouse just off campus in LA.
It was a scorcher but the townhouse was air-conditioned so the time spent outside didn't really matter.
"This is a nice place, babe," he told her from his seat on her bed.
"Thanks. It's small but it's the city so it's all we could afford."
"Its three bedrooms which isn't all that small."
"Have you seen the third bedroom? It's the size of a closet."
"I don't mind sleeping in a closet when I visit," he said with a wink.
"I hope you do visit."
"I will."
"When?"
"I'm not sure." She sniffed and nodded. "Hey, what's wrong?"
She shook her head and started unpacking books from her boxes.
"Beth, you can tell me."
"This is scary." He touched her back, rubbing up and down to relax her.
"Being out on your own?"
"Yeah. I mean, I need to go to school and then work almost full time to afford this. What was I thinking?"
"I'm sure most adults feel this way the first time they get an apartment or a house."
"Can I just be a kid again?"
"No, it doesn't work that way."
"Ok, Beth, I have all your boxes moved in the house," her dad announced. "Oh, sorry to interrupt."
"You're not, sir. We were just talking."
Beth wiped her eyes and put on a brave smile. "Thank you, Dad. For helping me move."
"You doing ok?"
"Yeah. Just nervous, I guess."
"If you need anything, call me." He hugged her and kissed her forehead.
"I will, Dad."
"I'm proud of you. I knew you'd be grown up eventually but it feels like it happened so fast."
"Yeah. It does. Love you."
"Love you too. I'll wait in the car for you," William told Jack.
Beth wrapped her arms around Jack and squeezed tight, fighting to keep her tears inside. "You are going to be just fine, babe. I know you will."
"Thank you." It was nice to feel his confidence even if she didn't have it herself. "Call me when you get home, ok?"
"I will. Love you." He kissed her and then walked out of her bedroom.
….
The almost three hour trip home gave Jack time to talk to William. It was time.
"Sir, may I speak with you?"
"I can't really say no, can I?" he asked with a laugh. "I'm just kidding. What's on your mind?"
"Beth's birthday is in October."
"True, yes."
"I am planning to drive up and surprise her."
"She'd enjoy that."
"Yes, and I…I think that's when I plan to propose. So I guess what I'm trying to say is…Mr. Thatcher, I'd be honored if I could have your blessing to ask her to be my wife."
"You're a good man, Jack."
"Thank you, sir."
"At first I didn't realize that. I knew it but I refused to accept that my daughter had made her choice and it wasn't what I had thought was the right one. Now, though, I know you were the right choice all along. I, and her mother, give our blessing. I can't think of a better person for Beth."
That was such a huge relief to Jack. He hadn't doubted that her father had finally accepted their relationship but he still wasn't positive he would agree with the idea of marriage.
Yes, they were only just turning twenty but they would wait at least a year to marry and that seemed like an acceptable age.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Thatcher."
…..
The next few months flew by. Jack and Beth both concentrated on school and working but they of course missed each other dearly. October 2nd couldn't come fast enough.
Jack had planned things with Faith so that the party she wanted to give was the night before her actual birthday, reserving her actual birthday for Jack.
"I wish you were here," she told him on the phone, on the evening of her party.
"I know, I'm sorry I have to work."
"When can you visit?"
"Soon. I promise." Jack heard voices and music in the background. "You better head to your party."
"Ok. I love you."
"See you soon."
….
Beth tried to enjoy herself but without Jack, it seemed like any old party. She felt her phone buzz in her back pocket but she wouldn't be able to hear anything over the crowd so she chose not to answer it.
Later, when she could slip away to see who had called, she had a voicemail from Jack.
"Hey, babe. I'm headed to the hospital. My dad….he is having chest pains and…I've never been so scared. Can you please call me?"
Tears filled her eyes as she touched his picture on the screen to call him.
"Hello?"
"Jack? Are you ok?"
"Not really. We still don't know anything. They are running a bunch of tests and…this is hard."
"I'm on my way. Which hospital?"
"Beth, it's such a long drive."
"I'm coming. He's important to me too. Which hospital?"
"Hope Valley Memorial."
"I'll see you soon."
"Drive carefully, please."
"I will."
Jack was relieved that Beth was coming. He felt so uncertain and so alone. His mom was in with his dad and Tom was sitting in the waiting room too, but Jack needed her. She would help him get through whatever happened.
The three hour drive was agonizing for Beth. Traffic for a Friday night was typical, starts and stops, countless cars and trucks always in a hurry. In addition, Beth was worried for the whole Thornton family.
It took about four hours to get there but she finally parked in the lot and found her way to Emergency. They weren't in the waiting room though. She texted Jack.
"I'm in ER waiting room. Where r u?"
"Cardiac ICU wing. Third floor. Take a left out of the elevator."
"Ok."
It even felt like the elevator took forever. She stepped out and took a left and there he was, leaning against the wall.
"Hey," she said quietly.
He opened his arms and held on to her as if she were his life raft. Then his emotions bubbled over and he cried. He had been keeping them inside but the moment he saw her, he couldn't anymore.
She held him tight, not saying anything until he was more composed.
"Any word on his tests?"
"No," he shook his head and blew his nose. "This waiting game is killing me."
She nodded and took his hand. "Should we sit?"
"You know, I just need some caffeine. Let's find a coffee shop."
Tom was sleeping so they let him be and went in search of coffee and tea. "Happy Birthday, babe. I'm sure this isn't how you wanted to spend it."
She stopped him and looked into his eyes. "Despite the circumstances, I'm with you so I'm exactly where I want to be."
Jack was saddened by the fact that he wouldn't be proposing that day, but just like her, he was with who he wanted to be with. He kissed her gently and then put his arm around her and they resumed their walk.
Jack's phone dinged, signaling a text. "It was a relatively mild heart attack. He doesn't need bypass but he needs two stents. So he's going to have surgery now."
They picked up their cups, along with a coffee for Charlotte and hurried back so Jack could see his Dad.
Beth stayed in the waiting room while Jack got to his dad just as they were getting ready to take him back. He was drowsy and smiling at his mom. Tom was standing off to the side. "Dad?" His tears returned, seeing him laying in the bed, looking so small for a tall man. He was a strong man but now he looked weak.
"Hey bud," he whispered. "It's a big day for you."
"No, Dad. Not today." He knew he was speaking of the planned proposal but he wouldn't do it when he didn't know if his dad was going to live or die.
"Jack, don't wait. Life is too short to put things off. Listen to me. Don't wait." Jack nodded and bent down to kiss his dad's forehead. "I love you, son."
"I love you too."
"Charlotte, come here, love." She bent down and kissed him. "I'll be ok. Before I know what's happening, I'll open my eyes and see your beautiful face." She nodded and kissed him again. "I love you."
"I love you too, Tom."
"I'm sorry, we need to get him to surgery," the nurses told them.
….
The surgery took a few hours. Jack and Beth slept on a loveseat by the window, her head on his shoulder and her fingers wrapped around his. Charlotte paced and Tom stared at nothing.
"Tommy," Charlotte said, breaking into her youngest son's thoughts. He looked at her. "You ok?"
"No."
His seventeen year old stubbornness told him to keep his emotions at bay, faking anger instead of sadness. His heart though was crying out for some comfort. Charlotte opened her arms and he hesitated but then accepted her motherly love. "He will be ok."
"I can't lose him, Mom."
"Shh. Baby, it's ok." He cried quietly into her shoulder and then stepped back to wipe his eyes. "Why don't you try to rest?"
"Only if you do too." He chose a seat and looked up at her. She sat next to him and smiled when he took her hand. He needed her strength as much as she needed his.
"You're a good young man, Tommy. Thank you for being here."
He nodded and squeezed her hand. "This is where I should be."
Around four in the morning, the doctors came in and told them the surgery had gone well. He had needed three stents instead of two but otherwise, he was doing very well.
Charlotte convinced Tom, Jack, and Beth to head home to sleep and she would stay at the hospital.
Jack gave the car keys to his mom and then the three of them walked out to Beth's Jeep to head to the lake house.
Tom climbed in the back and immediately started texting someone.
"Who are you texting, bro?" Jack said, a teasing tone to his voice, trying to lighten the mood.
"Julie."
"My sister Julie?" Beth asked, surprise in her voice.
"Yeah."
"Hm. I'm surprised she's awake at 4:25 in the morning."
"She made me promise to tell her if Dad was ok. No matter the time."
Beth looked at Jack and smiled and then pulled out of the parking lot.
When they stopped for gas, Jack pumped it for her. As it pumped, he walked over to her open window. She looked up at him and smiled. "How are you doing?"
"Ok. Thank you for being here." He took her hand and kissed the back of it. "I love you."
"I love you too." He leaned down and kissed her and then went back to the gas pump.
They decided once they got to the house that Beth would sleep in the guest room upstairs while the guys slept in the basement.
After a quick shower, Jack sat on his bed and looked at the ring that he had planned on slipping on her finger that very evening. "How things change," he said quietly.
As he tried to sleep, his mind kept replaying the pale, gray complexion his father had when he walked out of the bedroom the previous day, clutching his left shoulder and chest. Charlotte had called an ambulance immediately and then they had waited. The ambulance dispatch had directed them to give him an aspirin and try to keep him sitting or lying down. It was the scariest thing Jack had ever experienced and he didn't ever went to feel that again.
Then his mind went to his plan to surprise Beth. He was going to get dressed in his black suit and white dress down and show up at her door with a dozen white roses, her favorite. He then would take her out to dinner and find a quiet place to walk with her as the sun was setting. Then he would tell her everything that was in his heart and get down on his knee. It was supposed to be perfect. Now, who knows when it would be perfect again.
****Side note. Tom's mild heart attack and subsequent surgery to put in three stents was based on my father. He had his almost three years ago now. He had been healthy as far as we knew but then he wasn't. He is just fine now and works hard to stay that way. Even though that's true, it was hard to write this and reread. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!***