Chapter 30

At night, after hours of Jack's outburst at the studio, Jackie still refused to leave her bedroom, in spite of Margo's insistence. Jack was feeling like shit. Now he felt terribly guilty for yelling and lying to his daughter like that.

But still he wasn't able to admit to his family that he had a girlfriend who was indeed Brooke, the woman the kids and Claire saw at his office. He was full of doubts. He had never spoken to her about that. He knew Brooke was sweet and he was positive she was a kid person after he saw her talking to that boy at the park, but did she want to be around his children and bring them up along with him? That was a different story.

On the other hand, he thought introducing Brooke to his family would take the relationship to a whole new level. They would be more attached and committed. He kept thinking not only that it was premature, but also that he wasn't ready for it or even sure about Brooke. Right then things were perfect, just him, Brooke and their idyllic weekends.

Tuesday was almost over and, along with the weekend, Halloween was around the corner. He was dwelling on it when his cell phone rang. It was Brooke.

– Hi baby, how you're doing? –she said with her husky voice.

– Hey… Fine, and you?

Yet Brooke noticed he was upset. – You had a rough day sweetie?

The minute he heard that, he started to feel better. There were times he swore Brooke could read his mind. – Yeah, sort of… but I'm okay, don't worry. How about you?

– Well, I kind of had a tough day too, but anyway, um, Patrick left me a voice mail about going to some cabin this weekend, did he tell you something?

Jack remembered then about the whole weekend thing, the cabin, Brooke's party… – Uh, yeah, Marion's throwing a party I think.

– So, are we going?

He went silent. He didn't want to go. – Um, you know what? I really don't know, I… haven't thought about it.

Brooke started to feel nervous as she spoke. – Right… so, how about we think of it now, huh? –she said.

– Why?

– Because, uh, if you don't want to go with them, I kind of have another idea…

He found that comment suggesting. – Really? What's that idea?

– I, um… There's this Halloween party my friends and I throw every year, so, I was thinking you might want to come, you know, in case we don't go to the cabin… –Brooke said, hesitant.

Jack went uneasy. He knew what her suggestion implied: go meet her home, her family and friends. – You throw a party? And you dress up and everything? –he asked amused, trying to digress the conversation.

Brooke giggled. – Well, yeah, it's a Halloween party after all. You have to dress up.

– You didn't tell me you're organizing a party…

– Actually I'm not. This year was Claudia's duty…

– Right.

– So, what you think?

There it was. He had to tell her he was turning her down. How was he going to explain to her the reason? – It'd be lovely, but Marion will kick my ass if we don't go to the cabin. –he lied.

On the other side of the line, Brooke smiled. That meant they were going to the cabin with his friends and, yes, maybe his kids too. – Then we have to go. –she replied mischievously.

At that very moment Jack tensed up, 'cause he knew he was openly lying to her. He wasn't going to New York, neither to the cabin. – But, you know, if you want to stay for your party… –he said, but thinking about not seeing her the whole weekend crushed him. He wanted to see her, he needed to hold her in his arms, so he regretted what he had said almost immediately.

– No! –she retorted. Of course I want to go to the cabin…

It was too late to fix the mistake. Now Jack had to stick to his version. – Good, so we'll go.

– Awesome! –she replied excited. – I can't wait.

Jack started to feel guilty and worried at the same time. Now I have to get out of this, he thought.
– Yeah…

– Okay baby, I've got to go. Have a nice sleep and dream of me okay?

– That will be easy. –he affirmed.

There was a wide smile on Brooke's face after she heard that. She wanted to say it right that moment. Just say it, I love you… But she stifled her words. The first time she said she loved him, she wanted to be looking in his eyes. – I'll dream of you too, night baby.

– Night.

Brooke hung up and Jack sighed. Now he had to figure out how to get away with the whole situation.

Friday arrived again. Jack, Margo and the kids were having breakfast. Since Halloween was until the next day, the kids were having their own party at school, so they were in costumes. Brett was a mini Batman and Jackie chose to be a fairy.

She had been very quiet since her dad scolded her, which only made Jack feel worse. Margo tried to act as if nothing happened, but she was actually mad at him too.

He finished his breakfast and rushed upstairs to brush his teeth. When he was grabbing his keys and cell phone, Margo announced with her polite smile: – Claire's driving the kids. You have a little more time, dear.

That disconcerted him. He always drove the kids. He thought it might be some sort of pay back for his behavior. The horn of Claire's SUV cut his thoughts off. Brett rushed to his dad and kissed him goodbye. Jackie just took her school bag and was about to leave without her so called "morning kiss", for Jack's astonishment. But Margo ordered her: – Jackie, say goodbye to your dad.

She gave her grandma a stern look, but then nodded. Jack was leaning on the kitchen's bar, his eyes open wide in disbelief. Jackie walked to him and stepped in front of him, looking up. Jack squatted and looked at her longingly. Jackie looked deeply at her dad with those intense green eyes. Then she gave him one little kiss on the cheek, without saying a word. – Bye sweetie, have fun okay? –Jack told her, his voice almost breaking. Then Jackie looked in his eyes again and patted his head with her wand, which he found very amusing. After that, she walked away from him.

– Hey, what was that about? –Jack asked his daughter.

She stopped on her rush to the door and turned back to face him. She gave him a set look and then replied: ­– I put a spell on you. –and finally she left for school.

Once the kids were gone, Jack went right to his mother. – Why is Claire driving the kids? I always do that…

Margo turned to him with a nonchalant look. – She just wanted to take pictures of them in their costumes.

– Right.

– So, what are your plans for this weekend dear? –Margo asked.

Jack hesitated. ­­­– Um, the usual.

– The usual? –she asked back, raising an eyebrow.

Jack stared at her, confused. – Yeah, I mean, nothing in particular.

Margo sighed and gave her son a set look. – Jack, I'm going to ask you something and I'll just ask it once, so I want you to think about it before you answer.

He swallowed and nodded. – Are you seeing a woman? –she asked openly.

Jack rolled his eyes and placed his hand on his waist. – Why does everybody keep asking me that? What's this obsession all about?

­– It's not an obsession. It's just a simple question.

– What makes you think I'm seeing a woman, mom? –he asked back to avoid answering to her.

– Well dear, you know they say love and money are the only things you can not hide. And you've been disappearing for hours on weekends with no apparent reason. But, above all these, I think you're seeing someone because it terribly annoys you when you're asked about it.

Jack's face went blank. – I don't disappear for hours. I've been busy at the hospital mom, that's all. And the reason this annoys me is because it seems I'm not entitled to have my own privacy.

– Of course you are entitled to your privacy, Jack. But we, as a family, are also entitled to know what's going on with you, so I'll ask you one more time. Are you seeing someone?

Jack's look hardened. – No mom, I'm not.

Margo wasn't surprised of her son's reply, though she knew he wasn't telling the truth. Jack had always been stubborn. She smiled softly to him and said: ­­– Fine dear.

He nodded and then put his jacket on to leave. When he was opening the door, Margo spoke from behind him. – I just hope you're denying it because you're not sure of where things are going yet, and not because you're ashamed of us or her.

Jack turned around furious to tell her she was absolutely wrong, but he thought twice. – This is absurd. I don't have to explain myself to you. –then he left slamming the door behind him.

At the hospital, all the crew resented his bad mood. He yelled at interns and residents the whole day, remarking sternly their mistakes. Even the nurses, who claimed to be his official fan club, were praying for him to go home at 5:00 pm sharp. For their relieve, he did.

Back home, he lightened up somehow when he found his kids still dressed up. Brett was convinced his costume gave him real superpowers and happily told his dad everything about the Halloween party at school.

The evening arrived and later on the family had dinner quietly. He put the kids to bed as always. Jackie was still cold with him, but he was so fed up with it, he just kissed her goodnight without dwelling on it. At last it was time to pick up Brooke. He left the house without saying a word to Margo.

As he drove to the airport, he felt uneasy. How was he going to tell Brooke they were not going to the cabin? Once he got there, he pulled over and waited for her in the car. The minute he saw her walking out from the gate, all the clouds in his head cleared. The image of her approaching to the car with her charming smile, her beautiful body and her black hair waving with the wind filled him with unexplainable joy.

– Hi baby! –she said, whilst she rushed to his arms to embrace him. He held her tight in his arms and it felt so good, he felt overwhelmed. His mother had no idea. There was no way he could be ashamed of Brooke. That wasn't what it was about.

– Hey… I missed you. –he said, and then kissed her passionately.

– I missed you too baby. –she replied after breaking the kiss. – I'm starving! The plane food looked awful and I didn't take it. I could eat you whole right now. –she affirmed, smiling impishly.

– Then I'll buy you dinner. –he replied with a sweet smile.

Brooke had a whim to eat a huge cheese burger with fries. While eating, Brooke told him what happened at work over the week. She also told him Terry was upset 'cause things were kind of shaky between him and his girlfriend, Jo. That worried her somehow. She used to like Jo, she said, but with time she had changed. She even suspected Jo was cheating on Terry. Jack advised her to stay out of it and just support her brother. Later on they were talking of irrelevant things. He forgot about his bad mood. Brooke always made him laugh within a second.

When they were done, he drove her to the apartment. Once at the condo, they went up.

– You brought more bags this time. –he said after getting her luggage inside the apartment.

– I know! I just wanted to be prepared. Besides, I got you a costume.

Then Jack remembered the whole cabin-Halloween party thing. – I'm not wearing a costume. –he affirmed, smiling shortly at her, looking down.

– Oh, come on! It's a Halloween party! You have to wear one. I'm wearing one too. –she replied, leaning on his chest and kissing him softly on the lips.

Soon Jack placed his hands on the small of her back and deepened the kiss. He took her to the couch and before she could think about it, he was leaning on her, caressing her thighs. Still kissing him, Brooke smiled 'cause she hadn't forgotten the little quest she had about making him plead for sex. When she sensed he was about to venture under her top, she broke the kiss. – So, baby, at what time are we leaving tomorrow?

­– What? –Jack asked, dazed.

– To the cabin.

– I, um, I don't know, why? –he replied frustrated, moving aside from her.

This is so funny. – To be ready, you know.

With that, Jack came back to reality and knew it was time to tell her they were not going. But when he saw the glint in her eyes and her childish smile, he just couldn't. – Um, it's about an hour and a half from here, maybe more, so, I guess around 3:00.

Brooke stood up from de couch and went to the kitchen to get in the fridge some things she had brought. – Are Jackie and Brett coming? –she asked openly.

When he heard his children's names coming out from her mouth, he felt nervous. – No. ­–he snapped.

Brooke looked at him disappointed. She was really looking forward to meet them again. – Oh… –she replied, looking down.

Jack noticed. – It's better if they stay, you know. That way we can have some time for us, have fun…

Brooke felt relieved. For a moment she thought he didn't want to bring them because he didn't want her around them. – Okay. But aren't you taking them trick or treating then? –she asked raising an eyebrow. Jack didn't know what to say. She went on. – How about this? We can leave later, around 6:00? So you can spend some time with them.

Jack felt his chest constrict with guilt. She was so considerate. She even had all figured out. Then what was the problem with him? He couldn't come to an answer. – That sounds great. –he said.

­– Cool. –Then she went to the living room and looked for something in her purse. – Here, I made a copy. ­–she said, whilst handing him the keys to the apartment.

He looked at her confused. – Why you did that?

– 'Cause it's your apartment. You must be able to walk in any time you want without knocking, don't you think? –she replied smiling.

– Okay… Well, it's time to go, I guess. I'll call you in the morning.

– Fine. Night baby. –she said, kissing him again.

– Night sweetheart, have a nice sleep. –he said after kissing her back.

He left the apartment and while he was driving home, a mix of sensations crossed his mind. What the hell? I'll just take her to the cabin. It's no big deal. I'll ask my mom to watch the kids and tell her I'm going to the party with my friends. He thought.