Chapter 13 --- Life With Jake And Diane
A week had gone by then two. Sarah Carter felt home sick, a little, only a little. Living with Jake and Diane was surprisingly comfortable.
As a couple they were fun. Sometimes it seemed as if they had never stopped dating; always thinking of the other, what the other liked and wanted. Nor had they stopped being best friends, they sometimes talked for hours about nothing. Problems were shared. They weren't manipulative or dishonest.
It didn't bother Jake that Diane was a genius; instead he was proud and supportive. Sarah thought that might be why Jake liked playing Boggle so much; it showed Diane's bright, inventive mind in a way she rarely allowed herself to shine.
Diane was the same way, never complaining about the endless supply of electronics He brought home, often belonging to friends and coworkers. He repaired them with a surprising ease, often collecting a small fee. Jake was also surprisingly tidy, even taking out the kitchen garbage after every meal.
He was also on the first name basis with all their neighbors. Diane less so, although as a couple they never missed a party or neighborhood meeting. It was well known that she was a research scientist; they told the neighbors scientists instead of doctor to keep her from being pestered for medical advice. This little deception kept her natural introversion from being challenged too often. Besides, Diane could talk over most anybody's head; this made her less popular with the neighborhood wives.
She also had laid out the neighborhood 'playboy' at one picnic which, unfortunately, delighted none of the women except his wife. When asked why he hadn't handled the situation himself, Jake replied, "What and have her do that to me?" or, "Did it look like she needed help?" The answer varied depending on who told the story; men the former, women the latter.
Sarah was upset then relieved that Diane took the rumor of "Foley's Harem with humor. Although she would have appreciated a little warning before Diane answered one of the wives with "What makes you think she's here for him?" A whole new rumor burned through the neighborhood in record time.
There were some very sweet times between Jake and Diane that gave Sarah something to think about. Like when she would catch Jake just watching Diane read, or work, or trying to cook. Diane would watch Jake too, especially when he did yard work shirtless. That was not the body she remembered from college, but then neither was this Jake. This one was capable and confident while being the same sweet nerd she remembered. She told Diane as much when Jake was mowing and planting a new rose bush in the backyard one Saturday:
"This is a great backyard Diane." Sarah states as she places a tray of iced herbal tea on a small table beside where Diane is not reading her book, opting instead to ogle her sweaty shirtless husband.
"Yeah, Thanks. Jake gets in these moods where he likes to make things, like the Coy pond, this deck overlooking it and the waterfall."
"What about the rose garden?"
"Mostly here when we bought the house, neglected, but Jake's salvaged most of the plants. I must admit, I'm not much of a flowers person, but when Jake finds a perfect bud and brings it to me, I just melt."
Sarah smiles, "I don't blame you; it looks like Jake's been working out."
"He uses the gym at work."
"I can tell, that really isn't the string bean that tried to play intramural football in the dorm."
"He's not the geeky tech support guy I first met either."
"Exactly how did you meet?"
"Yeah Diane, tell us a story." Jake said coming up onto the deck. "Good, which tea?" He directs at Sarah.
"Lemon Zinger."
"Excellent!" Jake exclaims, taking a gulp and sitting on the edge of Diane's chair.
"You're all sweaty."
"I'll shower after the story." Jake replies, but still moves to sit on the deck beside Diane, despite there being two unused chairs. "Common' Auntie Diane, a story."
"You sleep with your Aunt?" Diane teases.
"No, uhh… Mistress Diane?"
"You start that and she'll start wondering about us." Diane says giving Jake a fake dirty look.
"I already know you're certifiable." Sarah supplies, "In a good way of course." She answers their looks.
Jake turns to Diane, "See, I told you our secret would leak out."
"Wasn't much of a secret sweetheart," Diane admits, scruffing Jake's sweaty hair.
"Ok, back to the story." He prompts.
"Why don't you tell it?" She says drying her hand on her pants.
"You've heard my side, but I don't think I've ever heard yours."
"Ok, there was an explosion…"
Jake interrupts, "Start earlier."
"Hmmm… I was monitoring an experiment for Dr…. 'She thinks a second. "Dr. Classified, when he ordered me to a different lab. I actually passed Jake in the hall; he was so busy looking around, it was his first time in such a classified area, that I don't think he noticed me…"
Jake looks sheepishly down.
"A few minutes later, there was an explosion in the lab Jake was working in. Absolutely not his fault." Diane answers the questioning look she had seen on Sarah's face. "Jake was working on a computer and what blew up was totally unrelated and classified. He was given a citation for spreading the word about the explosion and saving valuable computer information while wounded."
"Excellent story sweetheart!' Jake 'thinks' to Diane.
"Anyway, I patched him up, monitored him for a few days and found my best friend,"
"And husband." Sarah adds.
"That came after a lot of begging." She says looking fondly at Jake.
"You didn't have to do that much begging. Hey!" Jake exclaims as Diane flicks cold condensation from her glass onto him. "That actually felt pretty good."
The rest of the morning is spent much the same way. Except for when Diane got a leg cramp. Jake massages it out of her ending with a foot massage that has Diane squirming with pleasure.
"You two need a room."
"Yeah, Kyle splits us up on car trips." Diane admits.
"Blame Kevin." Jake adds.
"What's he got to do with it?"
"When Diane and I got engaged he sent me a book on reflexology. Said it was the secret to a happy wife."
"It took Jake a month to get it right. When he did… I sent Kevin a fruit basket with a 'Thank You' note."
"A fruit basket?"
"It was all I could think of."
"It helps that Diane has sensitive feet."
"He means I'm ticklish."
"And kicks like a stuck mule."
"I'm not that bad…"
"Powerful things come in small packages; TNT, plastic, the atom. Diane's brain and kick."
Playfully kicking Jake, "Go on magic fingers, take a shower."
"Is that a hint?"
"Only if you want to get closer than the bottom of my feet."
Jake runs inside.
Sarah starts laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"You two. I mean you're both kind of quiet, reserved even. But in private you tease and joke like… I don't know, it's just nice to see a couple so at ease with each other and in love."
Diane grins.
"That's all she needs," Fran says from the door, "another cheerleader."
"Don't listen to her; she's mad because Kyle broke their date last night."
"Is he alright?"
"Business." Fran answers.
"Oh, Ok." Sarah isn't sure how to reply.
"He'll make it up to you." Diane says trying to sooth her friend.
"I'll be alright, it's just that the same thing happened the last time my family was in town."
"I didn't know you were that serious?"
"We're not. I have never hid who I date from my family. It's old fashioned, but so are they. I don't think it's too much to ask for whoever I date to have a dinner with my family on the few occasions that they are in town."
"Sounds reasonable to me." Sarah says.
"To me too." Diane admits.
"So, Fran, why are you here?" Diane asks.
"We've got some results to go over."
"It was such a nice day." Diane sighs. "Sarah you should come in, at least until Jake is free."
"Yes Matron."
"I know, even a gilded cage is still a cage. Fran, why don't you set up in my office? I'll be there in a minute."
"Sure Boss."
After Fran has left, Diane turns her attention to Sarah, "It'll be fine, we just want you to be safe."
"I know, it's just so frustrating. My own boss, a Senator I respect, has me bugged. The CIA and the news media also. Why am I so popular? What is it that I know? What is going on?"
"I don't know Sarah, but we will find out. I promise!"
"So do I." Jake says from the door. "We've got a dozen people under investigation and observation."
"And you know?"
"I can't tell you Sarah. Diane, Fran is waiting." Jake says while giving his wife his hand to help her stand. Then giving her a kiss.
"See what happens when you clean yourself up."
"Yeah, pretty girls can't keep their lips off me."
"So you think I'm pretty."
"I think you're beautiful, but I know you're trying to avoid going in to see Fran."
"Ok warden." Diane accedes.
Jake smiles as he watches her go inside. "So Sarah, want to play chess?"
"No."
"Backgammon?"
"No."
"Name that Tune?"
"No."
"I See, I See?"
Sarah looks at Jake with Kyle's patented arched eyebrow. "Can everyone do that but me?" He wonders to himself. "What do you want to order for lunch? Diane wants anything but Chinese."
"How about pizza?"
"Is Fran staying?"
"No, she's got plans with Kyle."
"Sure about that?"
"Pretty sure, why?"
"She's mad at Kyle."
"Does he know?"
"I'm not sure."
"This could get interesting."
"He's coming here?"
"That's the rumor."
"This could get interesting. There's something about you and Diane that I've always been curious about."
"Fire away."
"When did you fall in love?"
"I don't know. Maybe when we met; maybe when we first shared a pizza."
"You can do better than that."
"As for myself, the closer we got as friends the stronger my feelings were. One day I just couldn't see tomorrow without her in it. I do know that we fought the feelings, because of where we work. I think our resolve crumbled when we kissed under the mistletoe."
"A Christmas romance, how romantic."
"It was March."
"March? You don't kiss under the mistletoe in March!"
"Her truck broke down on the way to a play. We sat under a tree to wait on the tow truck. We just kissed. Diane's the one who noticed the mistletoe. It took two hours for the tow truck to find us. By then, well, the only real question was who do we tell."
"What do you mean, 'who do you tell'?"
"We had to be discrete at work, but since most of our time was spent at work… Well you get the picture."
"I guess I do. Who said 'I love you' first?"
"Nosy ain't you?"
"Common' give Foley."
"I'd better talk before you break out the rubber hose."
"Nah, with you it'd be nylon." She says stretching out a leg.
"You know, three years ago that threat would have had me giving up Aunt Betty's State Fair Blue Ribbon prize winning Home Made Bread and Butter Pickle recipe."
"And now?"
"I'm tougher now."
"What makes Jake Foley crack now?"
He scrunches his face up in thought. "Well I know about 80 ways to get Information out of me. All but one involve Diane."
"What's the one?"
"Being locked in a room with Jerry."
"He's not that bad."
"He's worse! He's going to graduate from Georgetown and nobody will hire him because he's always trying to run a scam."
"What's he going to do?"
"It looks like he's going to be selling timeshares in Akron."
"I didn't know people still bought those?"
"Not so much."
"Mind if I break up this tea party?" A voice with a little gravel, a lot of experience and full of authority, came from the door.
Jake came out of his seat in surprise. "Director Skerrit. What are you doing here?"
"I came to talk with the young lady." He gave a half bow to Sarah. "With your permission of course."
Sarah looked at the stranger then at Jake, and understood two things: this man had the authority to have summoned her, not called on, and Jake didn't trust him. How she knew that last bit of information she wasn't sure.
"Jake why don't you help Diane with the coffee?"
Jake knew the request for the order it was and bowed out, semi-gracefully, tripping through the door. "I'm Ok." He embarrasly called.
As Director Skerrit sat down at the table, he pulled a cigarette pack sized white box from his shirt pocket and pressed a button. "This will prevent eaves dropping."
"Is that really a problem?"
"There's no telling for sure."
"It must be serious for a one-on-one with a Director."
"I want to talk to you about working for us."
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Next: Anger, Tears and Ardor
11