"Hey Andie," Jack said picking up the phone, after checking the caller id to make sure it wasn't Doug.
"Hey Jackers. So, have you heard anything from him?" Andie asked.
"He called a couple of times," Jack explained. "But I really can't talk to him right now."
"But Jack," Andie said. Her tone made it obvious she was going to try to convince him to do something. "Why don't you just let him explain? You might be happy with the things he has to say."
"Ugh, God Andie, he's been driving me crazy lately. He really is trying to be supportive, but he's just not the father type. You've heard Pacey talk about his dad not exactly the loving type."
"You should know better than anyone not to judge someone by his parents."
Jack sighed. "I'm telling you Andie, it's not going to work. I need someone who's really going to care about Amy. We just don't see eye to eye on this parenting stuff. I want to find Amy the best father. I owe it to her. I owe it to both of them."
Andie was quiet for a moment. She knew when Jack referred to Jen that things were getting serious."Jack, she already has the best father." He was being to hard on himself.
"You know what I mean."
Andie took a deep breath of resignation, as much as she hated to admit it she never really thought the two of them would work out. "Do whatever you need to."
Andie continued on a brighter note, "Speaking of Amy, can I talk to my darling niece."
Jack brought the phone to where Amy was playing on the floor. "Say hi to Andie," he told her.
"Hi," Amy said.
"Hi Amy," Andie cooed. "It's Aunt Andie. Can you say Andie. An-die," She said slowly.
"Okay," Jack laughed, "that's enough."
"So I'll see you this weekend for Amy's big birthday?"
"Great."
"I'll talk to you later Jack. Call me if you need anything."
"Alright, thanks. Goodbye," Jack said and hung up.
After he put Amy down for her nap, he was watching TV when he heard a knock at the door. He knew it was Doug and slowly got up.
"Hi," Jack said in an unfriendly tone.
"Hey," Doug said. "Look," he began, "things got out of hand last night. I'm sorry if I upset you, but I was only telling you what you needed to hear."
"That's not what I'm upset about," Jack said. "She's dead. I know she's dead. But I will always raise Amy with her in mind. Not because I feel I have to, Doug. Because I want to. You really don't understand me."
"And you don't understand me. I want to be Amy's parent, too, but you've got to let me have a say in the decision-making. If this is going to work you can't always get to have the final word."
And even though he'd suspected it before that was when it hit him. It wasn't going to work. "You're right," Jack said. "But I can't do that. Not yet. I'm not ready." He was having trouble expressing it clearly to Doug.
"You just don't trust me," Doug said.
"It's not that. I just disagree with you more and more lately. And when it comes to Amy, I care too much about her not to get my way."
Doug took a deep breath. "So that's it then?"
Jack nodded. Doug went to go get his stuff.