Chapter 14
Back in his house, Jack had dinner with Margo and the kids. Jack was not a workaholic anymore. He just stayed late at the hospital when it was strictly necessary or when there was an emergency. Nowadays, his only priority was to bring up his children well. Now he was a daddy-holic.
Margo had moved in after Kate passed, refusing vehemently to stay home as Jack ordered her. Her so called home was just a place full of ghosts for her, she was lonely and knew Jack was too, so she told him no one could take better care of the kids than her own grandmother. Jack finally accepted, knowing Margo was right. With time Jack learnt to like his mother around and the kids were doing fine, in spite of having lost their mother so early.
Claire was also a huge support to Jack. She and Margo got along, unbelievable as it was. Margo learnt to love Claire just because she was Christian's daughter. Every time she looked in Claire's blue eyes she could see Christian and feel he was still a part of her life. Besides, after she knew Jack was alive and found out everything that happened on the island, she swore to God she would always be grateful to have his son back and would live to make him happy. That included accepting Claire. Therefore, Claire's children thought of Margo as their granny as well, and even Charlie got along with her.
All the kids went to the same school and Jack drove them every morning before going to work, then Claire picked them up after school. They all had lunch without Jack, but then he came over to Claire's and picked up his children to go home a little after 5:00 pm, unless he had to stay late at the hospital and Margo had to do that for him. On weekends they would think of something to do altogether.
Every morning Jack woke up and prepared Jackie and Brett for school, now with Margo's help. They had breakfast and then Jack picked up Aaron and Charlene just three doors from his, and drove them all to school.
At evenings, after he came back from the hospital, he would ask Jackie and Brett about their day at school and what they'd learnt. He checked on their homework and signed whatever there was to sign. He even attended almost every parents' meeting at the school, though he hated it, because there were always some divorced or single moms that would throw themselves at him for any excuse. He found that pathetic. In fact, he never thought of finding any other woman again.
Jack, Margo and the kids had dinner everyday at 7:00 pm. Then they would talk, play or watch some TV. After that he got the kids ready for bed, making sure they brushed their teeth first. Jackie always asked her dad to tell her a bedtime story and Brett always joined them. Jack picked one of the hundred storybooks he'd bought for them and read until they got asleep. Then he carried a sleepy Brett to his bed.
That routine hadn't changed that much after Kate died. The only difference, besides Margo living there, was that Jack had this sorrow in his eyes that never left him. Jackie was the spitting image of her mother and every time he looked at her, he remembered Kate's hair, her eyes, her mouth… Jackie even had the exact same freckles on her nose.
Another difference was that Jack now slept alone. Going to his room at night was the hardest part of his day, 'cause there he didn't have any distraction or noise to avoid his thoughts of Kate. He had been trying to cry her death for two years now, but he just couldn't. All he could feel when he thought of Kate was wrath. His children were what kept him going.
But now he had met Brooke, and during that week he had been in a very cheery mood. For his surprise, now when he went to his room after putting his kids in bed, he thought of Kate for just a second. Then it passed him by and he thought of Brooke instead and the stories she had told him. He found himself smiling after that. But he hadn't neglected Jackie and Brett for a second. That's why he only met Brooke at lunch time or after the kids went to bed. He would tell Margo he had to go to the hospital and then leave for two or three hours.
That night, once he had some time for himself, he was in his studio thinking of Brooke. He missed her and decided to call her.
At Brooke's room, the phone rang…
– Hello?
– Hey… it's me…
Brooke smiled and felt an enormous relieve when she heard Jack's voice. – Hey… how are you?
– Fine… I was just… thinking about you and… I guess I just wanted to hear your voice… –he told her, softly.
Brooke's eyes glinted when she heard that. – It's funny, you know? I've been thinking about you too. –she affirmed.
– What you're wearing?
– My PJs… I was already in bed…
When he pictured Brooke wearing nothing but her pajamas, he couldn't help but think about the kiss they shared a day ago. All of the sudden he found himself thinking of her body, her skin, her beautiful heart-shaped mouth. He wanted her. – Is it that late? –he finally replied.
– A little… but I'm glad you called… –Brooke told him with a sleepy voice.
– I didn't mean to wake you up. I just wanted to apologize, you know.
– For what?
– Well, for not telling you earlier about my children, to begin with. And for being a jerk at lunch…
– It's okay… I was inopportune too…
– You're not… Anyway, tell Patrick to behave tomorrow, okay?
– Okay…
– Now get back to sleep… Good night…
– Good night…
After that they hung up. That night, both Jack and Brooke went to sleep with a sweet smile on their faces.