Chapter 13
"Thanks for helping, Jack," Janet took a sip of her hot tap water.
"Hey, at least I had shoes on." Jack leaned his head on his fist as he watched Janet. Every so often, a flash of lightning illuminated the dim lit room. The candles provided a soft golden glow.
"I think it's safe to talk now," Jack said as he scooted a little closer to Janet.
"About?" She gazed at a candle, allowing Jack to inch closer.
"Us."
"What about us?"
"Well, like I said, I'm going to be here in town for quite some time, and I was, well, hoping I could see you more." The orange flame flickered in Jack's eyes. "I just thought we could catch up; tell each other about what's happened in own lives."
"What happened to Michelle?" Janet stared Jack in the eyes, expecting an honest answer.
"She understood." Jack reached for his cup.
"Understood what?"
"Understood that when the possible becomes probable, there's a reason for it."
"And so she just left? Or did you leave?" Janet asked.
"Well, yes and no. We're not together anymore, but she's still living in the house."
"And…"
"And, now I'm here; talking to you, by candle light." Janet's eyes shot him a warning. "I'm just saying."
"Yeah, but you tend to say too much." Janet rested her head on her hand, intently listening to Jack.
"So where do you want me to start?" Janet stretched out on the couch and slowly lowered her head on Jack's shoulder. Jack stroked her hand and watched the dancing flame. "Well, after I moved in with Vicky, I realized that, that wasn't what I wanted. She began to become, demanding. It seemed like it was always about daddy with her. I felt trapped. She never found my jokes funny, she hated the real me; she was just… too much." Jack slowly traced little lines up and down Janet's arm. "What happened to you shortly after moving out?"
Janet sighed and began slowly.
"Well, Phillip was a nice man. Well into business, financially stable, but he was self-centered. Business conventions here, parties there, always saying 'make the best impression'. He never wanted to settle down; never had time to go on vacation; always had to be working. My last straw with him was when he wanted to move across seas, I just told him flat out it wasn't working. And we were over just like that. Staying in Santa Monica didn't help me move on with my life. I was upset when I heard Larry had moved off with some girl and Terri was going to stay in Hawaii. Then I came here and met Margaret and Kathryn. I've been so successful here; there isn't much that could tear me away," Janet trailed off softly. "How'd you get so successful?"
Jack smiled and chuckled lightly. "Vicky's father got to the both of us after awhile. Though Vicky never saw in me what her father did, he still saw something. A few days after Vicky left, he sent me to some business conferences. I 'wooed' some board executives and the next thing I knew I was all over Europe. Restaurants construction here, buying companies there; it was great. That's how I found Michelle. She was an emotional companion; someone I could sit down with and have a intellectual conversation with, without needing to be physical."
Jack now found himself lying down on the couch with Janet resting in front of him. He wrapped his arm around Janet's waist. He planted a small kiss on top of her head.
"I could never really be with any woman," he paused and sighed. "Without always think about one in particular." Jack gently rubbed his thumb against her skin. "You see, anytime she would tease me, I always wanted more. But I could never have her." Janet smirked and turned her head slightly to Jack.
"What ever happened to the woman?" Jack smiled and looked down at Janet.
"I moved away from her, thinking I'd never get to see her again." He leaned closer to her. "But here she is, right here in my arms." Jack's blue eyes reflected his sentiments. He lowered towards Janet until their lips met. Janet rolled so their stomachs touched, never breaking the kiss. She moaned as Jack's hand slipped under her shirt. He deepened the kiss, causing her to squirm with delight. Jack soon found a slow rhythm. Janet reciprocated slowly. Their passion engulfed them as their kissing became more intense. His hands roomed her body, eliciting more moans.
"Oh, Jack quello ritiene così buono."
Janet awoke the next morning in Jack's arms. She smiled, remembering how they kissed and held each other until they fell asleep. The emptiness inside of Janet didn't feel as strong.
"Good morning babe." His arm rubbed her abdomen reassuringly. Janet giggled as his mouth met her neck.
"Good morning." Jack's hands roamed her body.
"Care for breakfast?" He asked as he began kissing her again.
"I'll make it. After all, you are company." Janet rolled out off the couch and stretched. Jack's face turned to pure terror. Janet laughed as she walked to the kitchen. "Did you forget, I can cook now?"
"Are you sure? I could help if you wanted me too. Or I can stand and watch."
"Why don't you get a shower and I'll have it made by the time you get out."
Janet continued with breakfast as Jack went to shower. Don't burn anything, he'll never let you live it down. She said to herself as she started brunch.
She drained the pasta over the sink. The meat was perfectly tender as she took it out of the oven. Everything was perfect. Before Janet knew it, she had created to beautiful plates of fillet beef with herbed tagliatelle, she even started dessert, a beautiful strawberry conchiglie salad. Jack watched her from the doorway as she poured the raspberry sauce. There was something about seeing Janet in the kitchen. He quietly walked over to her, the brown towel still around his waist.
"What cha makin?" He wrapped his hands around her.
"Jack! Put some clothes on!" she screamed seeing his towel.
"Osh..I'm sorry I wasn't thinking, I'm terribly sorry." He slowly backed up from Janet. "You wouldn't happen to have anything I could wear, all my clothes are dirty."
"I might. Check the guest closet." She paused then sighed. "Bring in your clothes, I'll wash them."
"Thanks, Janet." He batted his eyelashes.
Jack found his way to the guest room and rummaged in the closet, hoping to find something nice to wear. He was losing hope until he found a pair of his old jeans, and a t-shirt, and his favorite jacket. He smiled to himself, "Oh, Janet," he said as he pulled the articles of clothing out from the closet.
"That Jack," Janet soon got lost in her thought. She soon shook her head and focused on lunch.
"How's this?" Jack's voice rang from the doorway. Janet turned.
"I thought you said your stuff was dirty?"
"It is, I found this." He zipped his jacket a little.
"Found it! Where!" Janet wiped her hands off and looked at him.
"In the closet, I guess you must've had some of my old laundry from the apartment. It still looks nice, a little faded, but comfortable none the less." He inspected the sleeves and walked towards Janet.
"Brunch is almost ready. I hope you like it."
"I'm sure it well be, good."
"Jack! It will be!"
"Sorry, I'm still trying to get use to the thought. I'm sure it will be delicious."
The two sat at the small kitchen table. The uncomfortable silence and lack of eye contact prompted Jack to speak.
"Is there anything you would like to do?"
"Like what?" She asked taking a sip of coffee.
"Like in your spare time; fishing."
"Oh yes Jack Tripper, I loveee fishing!"
"Janet, it was an example." He waited for her to look at him. "How are your flowers?" His eyes searched her face as she slowly looked up from her plate.
"Yeah, I was going to work I'm my flower beds today, perhaps the beach later." Her eyes met with his. No matter how hard she tried to look away, she couldn't.
They continued eating until they were both full.
"Thank you Janet, that was amazing."
"You can get your clothes out of the car and I'll wash them for you." Janet cleared the table and placed the dishes in the sink. He retrieved his suitcase and proceeded back to the house.
"Down the stairs, last door on the left. I'll do them before the flowers in the garden." She processed to the laundry room. She unloaded what was in the washer and placed the clothes into the drier. She opened Jack's suitcase and put the clothes in the washer. Only a few white under shirts remained in the suitcase.
Janet went to change. She wore some old jeans and a large t-shirt with a couple of holes at the bottom; her hair was pulled back into a small spiky ponytail. Jack smiled as she continued walking to the garage. Why not. Jack followed through garage and out the backdoor. He opened it to the most spectacular sight. Rows of flowers lined the side yards and the back of the property, enticing an onlooker to the edge of the abyss. To the far back right was the woodpile. On the left side, was Janet, digging in the dirt, replanting some flowers.
She could use more firewood. Jack thought as he looked at the pyramid of logs. He grabbed the ax, conveniently wedged in one of the logs. Janet looked up and spotted Jack, with the ax in hand. He bent over to align the logs so he could swing at every piece. Janet found herself mesmerized. Her eyes never left the sight of his muscular body. She sat back on her knees and watched. He lifted the ax high in the air and brought it down with tremendous force. There was a thud and a crack as the ax buried itself deep into the wood. She tilled more soil, another thud. This continued for a while longer. After finishing with her peonies, she headed inside.
"Where ya going?" Jack called out when as she opened the garage door.
"To check your laundry. After all, you said everything was dirty." She paused and turned back to the door.
"You don't need to do more than the darks, you've done plenty."
"Ok."
Janet changed out the loads of laundry. Back in the kitchen, she made a batch of lemonade and some sandwiches. S he walked through the doorway to get the mail. Bill, bill, bill, junk. Janet headed back to the kitchen and grabbed a sandwich. She absentmindedly walked to the deck. Sliding open the door, she inspected the plantings on there. Movement from the side yard caught her eye. Jack, now working shirtless, chopped the last piece of wood. Beads of sweat covered his muscular body; he glistened in the afternoon sun. Janet bit her lip as her knees went weak.
After he spilt one last piece of wood, Jack looked up. He smiled and waved. He grabbed his shirt and walked up the deck stairs.
"Care for something to drink?" She offered with an outreached hand to Jack, presenting him with fresh lemonade.
"Can I have some of that?" He asked.
"Excuse me?" Janet asked.
"A bite of this," he said as he pointed to Janet's hand.
"Oh, sure." Janet handed him the rest of her sandwich and walked back inside, Jack following close behind.
"I appreciate you doing that for me," Janet said as she handed him another sandwich and turned to the sink. A distance buzzer sounded.
"Your laundry's finished," Janet informed him as she wiped her hands and turned to Jack with a smile on her face.
"I'll get it."
Jack empted the drier and packed his suitcase. He placed a new load into the washer and started it for Janet.
It's the least I can do. He wiped some sweat from his face. As he reached the top of the stairs, Jack stopped to watch Janet. His azure gaze danced with delight. The set pattern of his pager beeped. Janet turned and looked at Jack as he inspected his pocket.
"It's my mom," he said as he looked up to now find Janet a few feet from him. "I told her I was in the States. She wants to see me," Jack said as he looked up to Janet. His eyes locked with hers. "I'll see you, again." The words carried a negative connotation. "I'm here for business. I promise you will," he said stepping closer to Janet, placing his hand on her cheek.
"I guess I will." Jack picked up his suitcase and they walked to the front door. His hand rested on the knob as her turned back to Janet.
"Goodbye. I had a wonderful time last night." He leaned forward, kissed Janet on the cheek, and processed out the door.
"Goodbye Jack," she managed to say before she closed the door.
She began to walk to the kitchen when she heard his engine start. She stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't breath, it felt like someone had kicked her in the chest. What was happening to her?
There's so much life I've left to live And this fire's burning still When I watch you look at me I think I could find the will To stand for every dream And forsake the solid ground And give up this fear within Of what would happen if they ever knew I'm in love with you
'cause I'd surrender everything To feel the chance to live again I reach to you I know you can feel it to We'd make it through A thousand dreams I still believe I'd make you give them all to me I'd hold you in my arms and never let go I surrender
Jack made it to the end of the drive. He sat in his car and stared out his windshield. His thoughts flashed back to the night before.
I know I can't survive Another night away from you You're the reason I go on And now I need to live the truth Right now, there's no better time From this fear I will break free And I'll live again with love And no the they can't take that away from me And they will see...
'cause I'd surrender everything To feel the chance to live again I reach to you I know you can feel it too We'd make it through A thousand dreams I still believe I'd make you give them all to me I'd hold you in my arms and never let go I surrender
Janet lying in his arms while he idly played with her hair. He listened to her talk, watching her lips. He felt free, pouring out every feeling he had for Janet. However, 'I love you' never left his lips and he didn't know if it would ever.
Every night's getting longer And this fire is getting stronger, babe I'll swallow my pride and I'll be alive Did you hear my call I surrender all
'cause I'd surrender everything To feel the chance to live again I reach to you I know you can feel it too We'd make it through A thousand dreams I still believe I'd make you give them all to me I'd hold you in my arms and never let go I surrender
Janet turned, her body screamed to run. So she did. She threw open the frontdoor and ran after him.
"Jack!" she yelled, trying to find her voice.
'cause I'd surrender everything To feel the chance to live again I reach to you I know you can feel it too We'd make it through A thousand dreams I still believe I'd make you give them all to me I'd hold you in my arms and never let go I surrender
Right here, right now I give my life to live again I'll break free, take me My everything I surrender all to you
Right here, right now I give my life to live again I break free, take me My everything I surrender all to you
The faint call of his voice stopped him. He quickly got out of his car. Janet ran to him. She stood there panting.
"Well, w-what if you didn't, have to check into, a hotel?" Janet said, her face flushed and a few strains of hairs in her face.
"Oh, what do you have in mind?" Jack asked as he caressed her face and brushed a hair away a hair.
"Well, you know- it would be nice to see more of you- well not in that sense- but you know- I d-." Janet said stammering through her words.
"Like I stay… here?" Jack asked as he leaned down closer to Janet.
"Well yeah. I mean you don't have to if you don't want too. It was just a suggestion."
"I would love you stay with you." Jack's eye twinkled as he removed his finger from Janet's lips. "I'll go see my mother, get some of my clothes, and then I'll take you for a night on the town." He smiled as he backed to his car door.
"I'd like that, Jack." Janet said softly.
"OH, and one more thing." Jack said as he turned back to Janet. He walked briskly to her and grabbed her waist, pausing only a moment before his lips met hers. A soft moan came from Janet. Jack pulled away. "How does eight sound?" Jack asked as he opened his car door.
"Sounds sublime. I'll be here." Janet smiled. Jack blew her a kiss from his car and drove off. Janet's heart fluttered a little, her knee felt weak and she couldn't stop smiling. She squealed and jumped as she walked back. Only four hours separated her from Jack; patience wasn't a strengthen for her.
I Surrender by Celine Dion