Not Since You
Chapter 11: The date
It took her maybe a minute later to realize that she would be alone with Jack for the first time in a really long time. Kim didn't know why but that made her stomach turn and a little tingly. She didn't know whether to be excited or just plain scared.
She knew that they needed to talk things out, that conversation had been long overdue. She knew that they needed to say whatever it is that they needed to so that they can both move forward. But it made her anxious and just thinking about it made her palms sweat.
Kim took a deep breathe, the shopping that she had done just hours ago was worth it. She had bought a nice enough dress. It was a black tube dress that reached just a few inches above her knees. She was wearing a white sweater over it along with her black high heels. Her hair which had grew long enough to be tied was tied into a ponytail. She had put minimal make up and was almost done when Austin walked into her room.
"You look pretty," Austin said.
"Thanks dear," Kim replied with a smile.
"Where are you going?" Austin asked.
"To have dinner with an old friend," Kim responded.
"Why?"
"You know to catch up and talk about things, " Kim said in a light voice before walking towards Austin and carrying him to her bed, "Now you have to behave yourself for Nanna, okay?"
"Okay"
"Pinky promise?"
"Pinky promise"
Kim walked to her vanity to get her purse ready.
"Aunt Kim? Will mom ever wake up?"
Km felt herself freeze before inhaling sharply. This conversation she knew was going to happened, but she didn't expect it to be so soon. How could she tell Austin the truth. That the probability and odds were not at all in their favour. She looked at Austin who looked at her expectantly. He was so young and so much like his parents that it brought a lump to her throat. Kim sat beside Austin on the bed.
"I don't know. Your mom is one amazing person. She is so strong and I bet she is doing whatever she can to come back to you," Kim whispered before hugging Austin and kissing him on the forehead. The conversation she had with Jerry passed through her mind.
You can't protect him forever.
But that does not mean I won't try Kim thought. Kim could see it. Austin's whole future. It was going to be hard, sometimes it would be a struggle but he will get through them and meet people who would change his life. And he would fall in love, he would graduate, get his first job, get his driving license, his first prom and his first crush. Kim could see that and she wished for everything that his mom would see it too.
Kim moved away from Austin, and said, " Come let's go find nanna. I think she mention to me that she was making smore cookies."
Austin's face instantly light up and in a flash he ran out of the room. Kim chuckled and grabbed her purse before going downstairs. She could here Austin talking excitedly with her mom. The counter was covered with baking ingredients. Kim leaned at the doorway and watched as her mother engaged Austin, telling him what he could help her with. She was such a natural at this. At being a mom, Kim hoped that one day it would come easy to her too.
The doorbell rang, and Kim immediately straightened.
"I'm going now mom, see you later," Kim called out.
"Okay sweetheart, good luck," her mom replied and Austin also yelled a very loud bye. Kim walked to the door, her stomach felt fluttery. She was anxious, scared and all kinds of nervous. Kim opened the door. And there he was. Kim had to admit he did look good. Beyond good. What he wore brought out his eyes and made him look so much more good looking.
"You look great," Kim said. As she looked up to his face.
Jack took a while to reply, "You too, shall we?"
Kim nodded accepting the hand he presented to her. They made their way to Jack's car.
Jack opened the car door for her. It was clear in his mind that his thoughts were jumbled. Ironic huh? He tried to keep a calm façade trying to not let Kim know how panicked he was feeling. Adding to that feeling that they were going to lay down all if not most of their cards tonight did not help him feel any better.
Jack never though life would go in this direction. Having dinner with your estranged oldest ex best friend that you once dated. Yeah totally not panicking at all. As he went in the car there was a brief amount of silence. Is that how things were going to be silence till someone gives a go at conversation?
"So your mom watching Austin tonight?" Jack asked politely. He still has not met Austin yet unless you count the disaster that happened at the Pirate's Feast.
"Yeah," Kim smiled
"You look great by the way," Jack said
"Thanks again," Kim said. Jack realized that was the second time he said it and was now berating himself.
"So where are we going for dinner?" Kim asked interrupting Jack from his line of thoughts."
"Um this restaurant in the corner of 5th and 6th street," Jack said before adding in. "This is weird, right? Us having dinner. I mean like…"
"Stop," Kim interrupted with a smile, "You're doing that thing where you ramble on trying to make things less awkward. It's me, you don't need to be awkward with me"
Jack gave her a weak smile. Truth be told that was little truth to that sentence. They had not exactly kept in close contact with one another over the years, and the if recent history has shown they were destined for fights, misunderstanding and general awkwardness.
"Remember the first time you asked me out?" Kim said suddenly, "It was to get cheese burger after that whole Ricky Weaver fiasco."
"Whatever happened to him," Jack mused.
"Please you know he is still famous. He is a jerk but he knows what he is doing"
"Okay"
"Bottom line was that was a good time and we can have that tonight, I'm pretty sure," Kim shrugged, "I'm game if you are?"
…
"I'll be your waitress for tonight, what will you be having?" the waitress looked about their age and was waiting politely on their orders.
"Steak"
"Salmon"
"Okay coming right up, any drinks?" the waitress said as she jot down their orders.
"Just water would do."
With that the waitress left Kim and Jack alone. The restaurant was new Kim though, or at least new to her. It looked like a pretty fancy getup with all the chandeliers and live band playing. The tables had those cover things that automatically made everything more fancy. Their drinks were served in wine glasses. There was a floral and candlelight arrangement. The floors were these sleek marble tiles that just screamed luxurious. Overall it looked like this dinner would cost a fortune on Jack who had insisted that he will pay.
Kim turned her attention back to Jack who was taking a sip of water from his glass. He cleaned up pretty nicely tonight and she was willing to bet that both of them had no idea how to start a conversation with one another.
"So…" Kim started
"So…" Jack repeated
"We should..." the words came out the same time Jack said, "I need..."
"You first," They both said at the exact same time, "No you"
And then they both laughed. Whatever tension that they had burst and Kim felt a little lighter. They both sounded like a couple of teenagers right now having a first date and trying to not make things awkward. She had known Jack for a good solid few years and maybe if they were lucky they could still maintain a friendship or relationship of sorts.
"So how's Rudy been doing?" Kim questioned, "I haven't seen him in a while."
"His good, getting old you know dojo had been doing a number to him," Jack replied, "Just the other day Eddie had to help him with some of the workload."
" I should go visit him sometime. Let Austin play with him," Kim mused"
"He would like that," Jack smiled, "So how is Austin doing?"
"Fine, he has been going to this kindergarten near Seaford Avenue. I'm pretty sure he loves being there more than at home," Kim said.
At that particular moment the waitress arrived back with their food. Jack smiled at Kim, tonight seemed to be going off on a good foot. Hopefully they could handle whatever it is that life throws at them and move on from in. He had missed Kim and if friendship was all she wanted to give to him than he will accept that. He wanted to be a part of her life just as much as he wanted her to be a part of his, the way it was back in high school. Sure they were older and experience has shaped them to what they are now but maybe their friendship or relationship or whatever it is between them could last a life time.
…
"I'm sure your exaggerating," Jack laughed.
They were inside his car and he was driving them back to Kim's house. The dinner had gone surprisingly well after they talked about their issues. Jack was still sure they had so much to talk about and a lot to catch up on but well at least they were speaking to one another.
Right now Kim was telling him about the time Austin accidentally left the wash room sink in her previous apartment still running causing the whole washroom to be flooded. She had only just took her eye of him for 10 minutes.
" I'm not. I swear Austin really flooded the wash room," Kim insisted, "I had to call Brody …"
Kim trailed off. That slip of the tongue might have cause tonight to be ruined. She knew that she sort of lied to Jack telling him that she was no longer in contact with Brody. How would he take this as; an ultimate sign of betrayal? It confused her even more when she saw him smile.
"It's okay I sort of figured that you still talk to him," Jack confessed.
"You seem to strangely take this news well," Kim stated cautiously not sure if he expected her to start talking. She will one day if the odds were in their favor but definitely not now.
"I figured that well we are adults we might as well try to behave like them," Jack shrugged, "Plus I knew that he was a much better friend than I was in high school. I am sorry for that you know"
"There's nothing to apologies for, if there were the apologies that I need to give to you would be 50 pages long," Kim said before adding on, "I like this adult version of you very much."
"Thanks I guess"
They both sat there in silence just thinking about how the night went. Kim was sure Austin was probably asleep, the window curtains of her house looked drawn from her position in the car and her mother wasn't the kind to snoop around. It felt comfortable sitting there with Jack in silence like they did back in high school. No words were spoken but no words were needed too.
"Were you happy?" the words drew Kim out of her thoughts and she faced Jack who looked like he had something on his mind, "Were you happy away?"
"Not all the time," Kim confessed, "Some moments were just horrible but there were moments where I felt on top of the world. My favourite moments were just when I was happy and content with life. Like all is right with the world. Have you ever felt that way?"
Jack thought about her words before a realization came into his mind. His reply was almost instantaneous, "I did but not since you. Maybe I will again"
A/N: Hey everyone. I started this fanfic in 2013. And as far as stories go I felt that this story needed a closure. My absence in writing had to do with things going on in my personal life. Around the time that I slowed down in writing I was starting a new school and let's just say it wasn't as easy as I though. My grades were not on par and I had trouble making friends. Long story short I became depressed and more introverted. After I buckled up and my grades got better and I finally made good friends and I finally thought that the sad period of my life was over, tragedy struck again. A lot happened in 2014 that changed who I was and made me who I am today. It wasn't the most easiest year I can tell you that, I had to deal with knowing that a family member had cancer, a family being torn, someone I loved had a stroke and with that being said it wasn't the hardest I saw love in all its purities someone being born, weddings. That being said I started this at 2013 and now its 2015. I am graduating soon and going to be getting a job so I feel as if I need to have a closure on this story. I may do an epilogue just to sum up what I think might happen a few years down the road. For all those readers who have read this story from the beginning I apologise for the absolutely long delay and thank you guys much for giving a chance of my story. I wish you all the best and happiness in the world.