Chapter 52

Thanks to everyone who has been sticking with this story! As they say, "life gets in the way" is the truth! Sorry for the delay… As always please let me know what you're thinking. Magda, if you register I can send you a private message.

It had been a week since Sue revealed her secret to Jack. Jack had been able to get in touch with Mitch Palmer, look at his papers and get his side of the story. Jack agreed with Sue, he seemed like a decent guy who got railroaded by a vindictive ex-wife.

It was early evening on Saturday. Jack and Sue decided to grab a pizza at their favorite place, Maria's. Jack had invited Mitch to join them to talk about possibilities.

"What time is Mitch going to be here?" Sue asked.

"He should have been here by now." Jack answered.

"He's probably just stuck in traffic." They both excused, then laughed at their timing.

"Jinx, you owe me a Coke!" They said in unison and broke into laughter.

"How do things look for him?" Sue asked.

"Pretty good, actually. He can petition the court for custody on the grounds he thought he was doing what was best for the children by leaving them in the custody of their mother while he served his country, got some training he would need to make a living outside of the military." Jack explained.

"Do you think his disability will hurt his chances?" Sue asked.

"Do you think yours would?" He asked Sue with a raised eye brow. She smiled, knowing the answer to that. Sue's Black Berry and Jack's cell phones both vibrated at the same moment. Both looked at each other, afraid the call was from the office. Both were surprised as they opened and read the text.

"You're right. Stuck in traffic." Sue said. "Why don't we get it to go, and head home?"

"Sure." The couple made their way back to his apartment where they began sharing their pizza.

"So, what do you think the chances of Mitch really getting the kids is?" Sue asked, bringing up their previous conversation.

"With the mother not being in the picture at all, it should be a pretty simple." Jack began.

"Jack No! You can't bring that up! If you do, DCF is going to take the kids! You can't do that to them, you just can't!" Sue yelled.

"Sue, the court has to know in order for Mitch to get the kids back. If we don't volunteer the information, they'll try to subpoena their mother and when she doesn't show, they'll issue a bench warrant for her. And, when they can't serve the bench warrant, they'll realize the children are alone. They're going to find out. It's much better for them to be told, by us." Jack argued.

"But, what happens if, for whatever the reason is, the court decides that Mr. Palmer is not the ideal person to care for the kids, then what? What happens to them then? Then, they don't have their father, and they will become wards of the state. They'll be in state custody. That's not fair to them." Sue said.

"Honey, I understand where you're coming from, I do, but we're stuck." Jack began to explain.

"How can we keep them from being separated, or even taken by DCF?" Sue asked.

"They need a guardian. Someone who is willing to take responsibility for them, take care of them until the court sees fit to let Mitch back into their lives." Jack explained. "A family member maybe?"

"How would someone make that happen?" Sue asked.

"They'd have to petition the court for custody." He answered. "Or file to be a foster parent of them."

"OK, I'll do it." Sue said.

"Do what?" He asked.

"Take the kids." She said.

"Just like that?" he asked.

"Yes." She paused. "Jack, they're a great bunch of kids. They're so well behaved, polite, nice… I don't want them apart from each other." Sue explained.

"It's not that simple." Jack argued.

"Why not?" Sue asked, flipping open her laptop.

"Uh…" Jack stuttered, not really having an answer for her.

"It says right here, that any perspective foster parents has to be over 21, I am. Has to be legal in this country, I am. Is recommended to be no more than 45 years difference between the parent and child, I am. I have a good job, I have a good support system, I'm reliable… We would just need to take a thirty hour training course." She said matter-of-factly.

Jack stared at her with his mouth hung open. For a long moment, he didn't say anything. He didn't move. He wasn't even sure he was breathing.

"I- I'm sorry… what?" He asked staring at her. He'd at least managed to close his mouth. "Did I hear you right? Did you just say you'll take custody of this family?"

Sue nodded.

"Hon, you don't know them. You've only known them a short while, what a month or two? You're going to go from single to the mom of five?!" He gasped.

"It's only until Mitch can regain custody." Sue explained.

"And, if the courts don't think he's a good guardian for them?" Jack asked.

"Why wouldn't they? Jack? The man lost his leg while serving this country while he was trying to get some education and money for his family!" Sue argued.

"And two of those kids aren't his. What if the judge sees it from the mother's point of view when Mitch left? That he was abandoning them for his own selfish reasons, and if he was any kind of a dependable man, he would have just taken the minimum wage job flipping burgers to stay close to them. To be a part of their lives. To help raise them." He paused. "Sue, these are real possibilities. Are you willing to be a part of their lives for years? You said the baby isn't even a year, right?"

"Yeah." She looked at him. "I guess it comes down to, are you willing to do all that?"

She turned from him, thinking, tears suddenly filling her eyes. Jack walked to her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders, turning her to him. He didn't even have to see the droplets on her eye lashes to know she was teetering on the edge. He pulled her into his arms, holding her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, wiping her face and eyes with her hand. "I never thought… I should have…" She hiccupped. "I should have talked to you about this… I should have asked you before letting myself get ahead of all this…"

"Shhh…" He said cradling her head in his hands. "It's OK." He leaned down and kissed her softly.

"Jack, I have to do something. I feel responsible. I feel like I need to do something for them. For Anita." She paused. "Jack, she reached out to me. She asked me for help."

"I know." Jack stepped back and stared at her. "If we do this, we need to figure some things out. We need to think about what's best for those kids, first and foremost. We'll have to take into consideration that we're getting married in less than two months, and you have a new job that requires a lot of travel time."

"I know, I'm just complicating things." Sue offered.

"We'll figure out something. Let me run something by my judge friend, see what he thinks are the father's chances. Maybe it'll be a temporary situation." Jack said hopefully. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. His lips landed on hers as he pulled her closer, deepening their kiss and their passion. Jack's lips grazed against her neck then her shoulder and back to her lips again. Jack's doorbell rang and he push back from Sue.

"Mitch is here." He whispered, his voice husky.

Jack and Mitch shook hands at the door, then he made his way to Sue, giving her a quick friendly hug.

"How's things?" Jack asked.

Their small talk lasted only a few minutes. Jack offered him some pizza, which he gladly took. The wait on the interstate had been hell due to a car versus tractor trailer. There seemed to be many injuries.

The three talked for hours about what it was going to take, and what the risks were. Jack also ran Sue's suggestion by him. He seemed to like the idea.

"Ms. Thomas, I want my kids to be safe. I believe that's possible with you there with them. I really wish I knew what the outcome will be, but I hate to think, if I can't get them, that they'd be alone." Mitch said.

"Mitch, I really like your children, they're wonderful young people. I'm just not sure I'm the right person for the job. I'm not sure I'm up to it." Sue began.

"Why not?" Mitch asked.

"I'm getting married in a couple of months. I'm starting a new job. A few months ago, I had a breast cancer diagnosis…" Sue said.

"Are you alright?" He asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yes. Thank you. I had radical surgery to remove the breast. There are a lot of doctor's visits coming up, travel for my job…" She said

"Not to mention a honeymoon." Mitch added.

"And there's that…" She blushed. "I don't want to see the kids get into a bad situation. I could be turned down, then what? They'd be without anyone to care for them."

"What if you don't ask for my kids right away?" Mitch asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Can you get OK'd- or denied- without asking for specific children?" Mitch asked.

"Yeah. That's how everyone else does it, why not?" Jack said. "All this time, we've been thinking about the kids without not thinking about the kids!"

"First think Monday I'll fill out the paperwork and see if I get approved as a foster parent, then if I do, I can ask for the kids specifically. Wait. How would that work? If they're not in the system, will I be able to ask for them?" Sue asked.

"Once you know yes or no, we'll file a petition with the courts for custody. At that point, you will file for custody as a foster parent on the in between." Jack explained.

"Is that legal?" Sue asked. Jack half shrugged. "Well, it's not exactly illegal…"

"Oh boy…" Mitch said.

"What about housing?" Jack asked. "You need to make sure your place is fit for the kids to move into, big enough. Can you provide sleeping for them?" Jack paused. "What about the two youngest?"

"Anita wants them all to stay together." Sue said.

"I want to meet them, but they're my children's sisters. I don't think they should be separated." Mitch said. Sue smiled, taking a deep cleansing breath once she realized Mitch was willing to do the right thing. "As for sleeping arrangements, no. My place is little more than an efficiency. I barely have my bed."

"What if you moved into the house with the kids?" Sue asked.

"That would probably look better for the courts. You wouldn't rip the kids out of their security." Jack said.

"I should talk to Anita about this. She doesn't even really know me. Would she be OK with that? I mean, a strange man moving into her house?" He asked.

"You're her father." Jack said.

"But, you're right. I think you need to get to know them better." Sue suggested.

"How do I do that, but let them be alone too?" He asked. "How can I do that?"

"I could stay with them for a little while. I could start this whole thing legally, get the ball moving already." Sue suggested.

"Sue… once you do that, you're stuck there with them. You realize that, right?" Mitch asked. "What happens when you get married? What about your honeymoon? Is your husband going to be OK with you living with a bunch of kids that aren't yours or his?"

"I can deal with having a readymade family, it won't be forever." Sue said. "As for the honeymoon, it could be postponed…" She said while trying to gauge Jack's reaction through her eyelashes.

"And I can handle a readymade family as well." Jack said smiling at Sue. Sue's face lit up.

"You?" Mitch asked.

"Jack is my fiancé." Sue explained.

"Ohhh!" Mitch said laughing.

"I won't wait for Sue to be my wife, but I can wait to take her away for a wonderful honeymoon. Maybe our friend Lucy would agree to babysit on our wedding night though." He suggested. Sue blushed, which didn't go unnoticed by either man.

"So, what do we do?" He began. "Jack, be honest. Is this really going to work?"

"I don't know." He paused collecting his thoughts. "We'll have to do an official search for the fathers and your ex-wife, once you file for custody of your children. You're going to have to file for temporary custody for the sake of the family for the little ones." Jack explained.

For the next couple of hours, Jack explained to the pair what was going to be needed. Mitch looked exhausted when they were done going over details.

"I never thought it would be this complicated, or this easy." He said smiling. "I'm wiped out, but I feel like I just won the lottery."

"That's a good thing." Sue said.

"Hey, can you suggest a descent hotel? I really don't want to drive all the way back. How about a realtor? I should find something in case I can't live with them right away, I'll have a place of my own to stay at." Mitch said.

"Do you have friends or family in the area?" Sue asked.

"Not really anyone I want to stay with. No worries, I'll figure it out." He said smiling once again. He picked up the list that Jack discussed with him as far as things he would need, and people he would need to speak to.

"Mitch, right now, it's very important that you stay out of this. Let me do my job, OK?" Jack said.

"Sure. I understand, it's for the best. It sucks, but it's for the best, for the kids." He said. He stuck his hand out to Jack. "Thank you Mr. Hudson, for everything. You don't have to be this nice, thanks."

"It's Jack, and you're welcome." Jack said. He walked Mitch to the door and said goodbye.

Jack locked the door behind him.

"Umm… I need to use that you know." Sue said with a cheeky smile on her face.

"I don't think so. Not tonight." He said raising a brow.

"Jack!" Sue protested. Jack took out his cell phone and texted Lucy.

"Sue's staying over. It's late, and we're both too tired to drive. Night Lucy." Jack wrote. Sue's mouth fell open.

"Oh really? And, where do you plan to sleep?" She asked.

"The couch." He shot back teasingly. "Unless you would be OK with me in the bed."

"I don't want to sleep on the couch!" She protested.

"You wouldn't."

"Jack… seriously, I'm going home. Night." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and passed him to the door. He caught her hand and gently pulled her back to the couch with him.

"Seriously, you're not. I was serious, it's late, and we're tired." He paused. "And, we need to talk."

"Oh, I knew there was another reason behind that." She winced.

"Have you really thought about this? I mean, really thought about it? This will mean instantly giving up your freedom. You and I wouldn't have free, alone time. The wedding plans would have to be changed. No bachelorette party. Things would be different." He said.

"I know. I can live with those changes." She sighed. "Jack, can you? Can you go without a honeymoon? Without alone time with me?"

"I don't know." Jack said. "I'm not going to lie Sue. I would love to think I can say yes to those questions, but I just don't know."

"Thank you for being honest." Sue said sadly.

"Hey. I am willing to try."

"Thanks."

"Sue? What's so special about this family that you're willing to give up your life for them? You haven't known them but a couple of months." Jack said.

"I know. I just keep thinking, they're only kids. They've dealt with so much in their young lives. They've had to fight for what they have, and they're just babies. They shouldn't know what it's like to call the electric company, or Gas Company and beg for them not to shut them off. They should know what it's like to have a tummy ache from eating too much ice cream or too many cookies. They should look forward to sneaking down the stairs to see so much stuff under their tree from Santa that they can't see the tree!" tears spilled onto her cheeks.

Jack took her in his arms and held her tight. He kissed the side of her head whispering "Shhh, and I know."

"Jack, no kid should not know what it's like to have their parent love them, care for them, take care of them. The little ones don't. The middle one is foggy at best with his recollection of his mother, and the two oldest are so torn up inside by what they've been through, they're full of hate. That's not an environment for children. I know I don't know them well, or for a long time, but if I can help make anything good come from their lives, I want to do that." She protested.

"OK." Jack said.

"Tomorrow, we start on the paperwork to make you their legal guardian." Jack said. He tugged her by the hand walking into the bedroom. He dug through his drawer for a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt. He handed them to Sue and left the room. He laughed when he heard the turn of the lock. When she emerged a few minutes later, Jack had a cup of coffee made for her and a brownie.

"Where did you get his? I wasn't in there that long." She teased.

"I bought them."

They talked and enjoyed each other's company. Jack wasn't ready to go to sleep yet. He put Sue's cup and plate on the coffee table and took advantage of her laid back mood to kiss her with the vigor and passion he felt inside. Jack's lips followed the trail from her lips and jaw to the crook in her neck where her shoulder met.

Sue's fingers entangled in his hair, encouraging him to press forward. Jack's tongue invaded Sue's mouth, tangling with hers, tasting her, enticing her.

Sue pulled back from his embrace and stood. Jack knew, their encounter was over for the night. Much to his surprise, Sue put her hand out, and led him to the bedroom.

"Sue?" He questioned, stopping at the threshold.

"I want to sleep with you Jack. Sleep. Just sleep. I know that's not fair to you, but it's the best I can offer right now."

"I'll take it! Are you sure?" he asked.

"Are you?" She looked at him with a sexy smirk. He gave a groan, knowing he wouldn't get much sleep just trying to keep himself from her.