Crazy Chapter 6

Epilogue

Your cheatin' heart will make you weep

You'll cry and cry and try to sleep

But sleep won't come the whole night through

Your cheatin' heart will tell on you

Seth felt Jessica stiffen in his arms. "What is it?" he rumbled.

"It's nothing," said Jessica, and drew closer to Seth as they moved slowly around the room.

Seth stopped abruptly and shifted so he could see Jessica's face. "Nothing is nothing to me," he said softly. "Please tell me, Jess."

"Let's sit," she said finally, and Seth followed her to his couch.

When tears come down like fallin' rain

You'll toss around and call my name

You'll walk the floor the way I do

Your cheatin' heart will tell on you

Jessica sighed, and Seth took her hands in his. "I've just been listening to these lyrics." Seth raised his eyebrows. She looked down at their joined hands. "I can't help but feel a bit guilty."

"Guilty! What could you be guilty of?" She looked at him for a moment, those blue eyes so clear and piercing. "Oh." He cleared his throat.

Your cheatin' heart will pine someday

And crave the love you threw away

The time will come when you'll be blue

Your cheatin' heart will tell on you

"Jessica," began Seth. She started to interrupt, but he held up a hand. "Please, Jess. Let me say my piece. I treated Maureen poorly. I knew I didn't feel for her what I feel for you. I knew I could likely never feel that for her, yet I continued to give her the impression that I was free." He brought Jessica's hands to his lips.

When tears come down like fallin' rain

You'll toss around and call my name

You'll walk the floor the way I do

Your cheatin' heart will tell on you

"For as long as I've known you, it's been you, Jess. You've always had my heart, and it was wrong of me to become involved with Maureen. I hurt her, and I regret that."

"But it's my fault as well, Seth. If I'd been honest with you, with myself, if I hadn't been such a coward, Maureen wouldn't have been hurt. I do feel badly about that. I feel responsible."

"First," he kissed her hands again, "no one who knows you could ever call you cowardly. Second, I hurt Maureen. Not you." Seth stared off into space. "When I saw you that night, when you walked in the dance, I knew. I knew there could never be anyone else for me, Jessica Fletcher." He looked at her. "It's not just your beauty, which is no insignificant thing," Jessica smiled, ducking her chin slightly, "but it's that I knew you. I know you. And you know me. I felt," he broke off, sheepish.

"What?" asked Jessica curiously.

"You might think me foolish, but...I knew. I knew the moment you walked through the door. I could feel you in the room. Part of it might've been that dress," and he winked at her, "but I think it was more than that. I felt the back of my neck prickle, and, when I turned around, there you were." He sighed. "I don't think I'll ever forget the way you looked that night." He kissed her cheek. "I'll never forget anything about that night," he whispered.

Jessica smiled. "It certainly did one thing for me."

"Oh?" asked Seth. "What's that?"

"It made me a Patsy Cline fan. In fact," and she tilted her head quizzically. "I think our song is playing right now."

"So it is, my dear." Seth stood and held out his hand to her. "Would you care to dance, Mrs. Fletcher?"

Jessica put her hand in his and allowed him to help her to stand. "I can't think of anything I'd rather do, Dr. Hazlitt."

He gathered her into his arms and began to sway with her to the music. "Not anything, Mrs. Fletcher?"

She drew closer to Seth as they moved gracefully around the floor of his living room. "Nothing I'd rather do right this moment, Doctor. But later..."

He tightened his arms around her. "Yes," he breathed. "Later," and gave grateful thanks for the woman he was holding in his arms.

Crazy for thinking that my love could hold you

I'm crazy for trying and crazy for crying

And I'm crazy for loving you

A/N: They are listening to Patsy Cline's version of Your Cheatin' Heart. My hot take is that Patsy sings Hank, Sr. better than Hank himself. I hope you've enjoyed this story. I sure had fun writing it!