Jackie's master bedroom was dark and eerily quiet when her door opened slightly and she made out Dan's six foot two frame as he tiptoed into the room.
His voice was low but clear. "Jackie I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see her telling me "hit the couch, buddy." Dan sat on the edge of the bed with his back to Jackie and his hands between his thighs. His head was down and Jackie could hear the tiredness in his voice.
Jackie was also half asleep, but she turned onto her back and pulled more of the cover to her chest. "Well why don't you sleep with me?" Jackie said in a friendly way.
To her surprise Dan stood up and turned around to face Jackie. "Are you sure?" He asked like a child.
Jackie nodded while trying to keep her eyes open. "Yeah…"
Dan quietly and slowly walked to other side of the bed and gently pulled the cover and sheet halfway down. While trying not to disturb Jackie he slid onto the bed one leg at a time until he was immersed under the covers. He laid his head on the pillow last and stayed still
Jackie laid there welcoming the warmth Dan's body provided. She had a feeling of relief and safety. Both went to sleep without saying a word.
In the morning Jackie woke up facing the side of her bed where Dan should be. But he wasn't there. To double check Jackie reached out her left hand and felt for him, all she felt was the barely messed up cover on the left side of the bed. Jackie was confused by this. Why wasn't the cover messed up on that side of the bed if Dan slept there last night? She couldn't figure out the answer and stood up and stretched.
In Andy's room she found both her and son and nephew asleep. The way they shared the blanket was cute and Jackie wished she had her camera. When she walked into the living room another question occurred to her. Why was Dan sleeping on the couch? This time she figured out the answer: It was a dream. Dan never slept with her. This realization came to Jackie in her kitchen as she sat down on a stool with a cup of coffee at the counter.
A rush of several different emotions flooded Jackie as she struggled to find meaning in her dream. Me together with Dan? There had been times when there was a remote possibility but it never happened and with good reason. Dan loved Roseanne and would never betray her like that and I couldn't do that to Roseanne. But Roseanne's gone….No No No. It was just a dream snap out of it Jackie. Dan is your brother in law…who went to jail for protecting me….NO JACKIE! Why would I dream about sleeping in the same bed with Dan…?
Dan stood in the kitchen doorway with a childish grin as he watched Jackie stare into space. It was obvious she was thinking about something hard to Dan because he was literally right in front of her.
"Figuring out the meaning of life, Jack?" Dan said playfully.
Jackie came down to Earth and jumped as she became aware of Dan's words. She quickly tried for a reply. "Uh…no I was just uh…thinking about your house…." Dan stared at Jackie quizzically she was obviously nervous and or hiding something. Dan ignored that and said,
"Yeah me too. Although I too have been doing some deep thinking of my own and I have surmised that this little Conner misfortune is a sign." Dan proclaimed loud and clear holding his hand up for a gesture. Jackie thought that Dan was really cheerful for the morning.
Jackie took the opportunity to hide her nervousness. "A sign? A sign for what?" It was still obvious to Dan that Jackie was hiding something, but he continued to ignore it.
"A sign that I, Daniel Stephen Conner, have been given the opportunity by God himself to change my life and the lives of my sons and daughters for the better…." Dan was talking loud and proud with his arms in the air far out and above his shoulders like a preacher.
Jackie watched him and smiled. "Change how?"
Dan smiled and sat down on the stool next to her. "Insurance money, surely God would not screw me…" Dan counted on his fingers and looked in the air as he recalled info in his brain. "Twenty six times before I turn 50." Dan was next to Jackie now and she felt a surge of shyness hit her like the first time Dan and Roseanne made out with her sitting right next to them at the movies.
"Twenty six? You've kept track all these years?"
"Of the bad things in my life sure. It was easy too. For every bad thing that went on I drank, let say, ten beers which comes out to 260 beers. Then you have to tack on every beer that I drank for the good times. Now that's not as much but it does count." Dan continued talking and jumped to the next topic in the blink of an eye. "Why am I making you uncomfortable?"
Dan and Jackie stared at each other as Jackie struggled to find an answer that was anything but the truth. "Uh you're not." Jackie fought to keep an expressionless face as she turned the spotlight back on Dan. "Why are you suddenly talking about beer?"
Dan smiled and shook his head. "No, no, no Jackie. I've been a father way too long to fall for that old trick. What's up with you for real? You're acting like me on the days that I brought a Playboy into the house..."
Jackie looked at Dan. "I thought Roseanne told you you had to keep you're Playboys in the garage?"
Dan would normally feel shy talking about this in front of another woman but he found himself more willing to talk about his Playboys than his wanting to drink really, really, really bad. "She did, after she found one in my sock drawer and censored it with a black permanent marker…"
By some miracle, Jerry started crying and their conversation was over. They both got their kids ready for the day and went on their separate ways. Dan put Jerry in the playpen for a minute while he called his insurance company; Jackie listened to Dan's side of the conversation.
"Yes I'm calling because my house was robbed…Daniel Conner….714 Delaware Street…everything was taken….I don't get off work until five… six is okay….okay fine. Bye." Dan hung up the phone and turned to Jackie. "My insurance company is sending someone to assess the house tonight." Dan said this as he stood up and grabbed his coat for work before Bev showed up and Jackie allowed no time to talk to Bev and was at work early.
She found Leon counting the money in the cash register. "Good morning, Jackie." Leon seemed to be rather happy today. Jackie mumbled something and then took off her coat and hung it up on the wall.
Her mind was on Everest as she could only think about the dream; she was finally able to come down long enough to approach Leon at the register.
"Leon…did you know Dan's house was robbed last night?"
Leon looked at Jackie, stunned. "Oh my God, what did they take?"
"Everything. Even the stuff in the kitchen." Jackie leaned on the counter midsentence. "They didn't take Dan's Harley though. He was very happy about that."
"Dan married Roseanne why would they want his stuff?" Of course Leon went there, but Jackie ignored that.
"Leon I was wondering if just for a few weeks we could start paying Dan a quarter of the profits."
Leon looked at Jackie. "Jackie, I bought Roseanne's share of the restaurant. I don't see why we should pay Dan."
Jackie cocked her head. "Leon, Dan is your friend. Don't you want to help him out?"
"Jackie I do consider Dan a friend, but if he's not working here I'll find it hard to justify paying him." Jackie leaned off the counter and stood straight and defensively, being nice to Leon wasn't working now she was going to try a different approach.
She smiled, "Leon I'll give you a choice you can pay Dan Roseanne's share again or I can empty the register."
Leon had a serious face when he stood closer to the register and blocked it with his hands. "I'll go the police."
"Not if you're lying on the floor with a knife in your heart." Leon could see that Jackie was joking about killing him but serious about taking cash from the register so he agreed to pay Dan a share of the profits until his house was filled again.
Jackie went through the day with her back on Everest again as all she could think about again was her dream. To her dismay Booker showed back up again. Nancy took his order and then Jackie went to him. "Booker what are you doing here?"
"I'm waiting for my order. I heard that Dan's house was robbed last night. Is that true?"
"Yes Booker it's true, someone did rob Dan's house. They took everything, so he and the boys are staying with me."
Booker looked lost. "Boys? Dan had another son?"
"Yeah he and Roseanne had another before Roseanne passed away. He's still a baby."
Nancy put Booker's plate in front of him. As he was about to take a bite of his sandwich, Booker asked, "So what's their son's name?"
"Jerry Garcia."
"Jerry Garcia? Somehow that seems like a practical Conner name…"
Jackie left Booker to attend to customers, and again Booker waited for Jackie again. "So did you think about it long enough?"
It took a minute for Jackie to register what he was talking about as her mind was still on her dream but finally she understood. "Booker there is so much going on right now; I think I want to wait to get back into a relationship right now." Booker nodded in understanding.
"I understand. It's okay. I'll wait. Bye Jackie." Booker stood up and grabbed his coat and then left.
On her break, Jackie picked up the phone on the counter and dialed Chuck and Anne Marie's number.
"Hello?" Anne Marie answered.
"Anne Marie, I really need a girl's night out, just you and me."
Anne Marie sounded happy and surprised. "Okay Jackie, how about the LOBO Lounge at eight?"
"Sounds good, see you then." The two hung up, and Jackie found herself thinking about the dream again.
