Chapter 59
I want to send out a sincere thanks to everyone who has waited for this chapter. I also want to apologize for the extended wait. I have been dealing with a horrible case of writer's block. I think it's exhaustion taking its toll. I'm still struggling, but am back at the keyboard. As always, let me know what you think.
The happy couple spent the next week in the exotic waters of the Caribbean. They explored small towns, deserted beaches, snorkeled with sea creatures of all colors and sizes. Jack rented a house on a small deserted spot of the beach where he erected a lean to that he and his new bride made love in. Their honeymoon was beautiful.
As soon as the Hudson's got back home, Sue moved fully into Jack's apartment. She checked in with Lucy, retrieved Levi, and headed to see Anita and the rest of the kids. As they approached the house, Jack heard very loud yelling. It was obvious that it was Mitch and Vinnie, but the words couldn't be made out. Jack didn't want to take a chance and knock. He made Sue and Levi wait on the bottom of the stairs while he walked into the house, hand on his gun.
"No! Come on!" Vinnie yelled.
"Are you kidding me?!" Mitch yelled in sync with his son. "What do you call that? You know what I call it? I call it laziness!" He yelled once more.
Jack stormed into the house to see the 'boys' sitting around the living room yelling at the television, at a Redskins game that was on.
"Hey, Jack!" Mitch hollered. "Sorry guy, I guess we didn't hear you knock."
"Hey. What's up?" Jack asked curiously, but with his hand off the butt of his gun.
"Ahh, the boys and I are watching this lousy game. Refs man!" He said shaking his head. "Hey, where's Sue?"
"Oh, umm… Levi, needed to do his business. I'll get her." He smiled.
Jack opened the door and waved for Sue to come in. "OK inside." He said. Sue smiled and joined the family.
"Sue!" They called. Jacob got up and hugged her, then Vinnie followed.
"Hi. How's things?" She asked.
"Great!" Vinnie said. "Dad had cable put in, so now, we can watch the games together."
"That's great. Where are the girls?" She asked. Levi made his way to the kitchen to snuggle with his pal Daisy.
"Upstairs. They're having a spa night." Jacob answered rolling his eyes. Sue smiled and went up to the little one's bedroom.
An hour passed as if it was nothing, and Sue took the last suitcase she'd left behind and headed home with Jack.
When they arrived, Jack swooped Sue into his arms and kissed her passionately as he carried her through the doorway. Levi pushed his way through, making himself comfortable on the couch.
"Jack!" Sue squealed. Jack laughed heartedly as he kissed her again playfully. "What are you doing?"
"Kissing my wife!" He said. "Get used to it, I plan to do that a couple times an hour!"
Sue laughed at him. Sue put her coat on the chair and rubbed her hands up her arms.
Jack walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her and caressed her neck to her ear. Sue melted in his arms. He smiled at the effect he had on her, and continued on his mission. She spun in his grip and wrapped her arms around his back. Jack's hands trailed over her backside, pulling her against him. She leaned up and kissed him with the passion he stirred to life. Jack moaned into the kiss, enjoying the feelings his wife was creating within him. Jack pulled away from her and smiled.
"What?" Sue asked, knowing full well 'what'.
"I think we need to take this elsewhere." Jack smiled and reached his hand out. Sue took it and followed him into the bedroom. Levi hopped off the couch to follow, but Sue closed the door before he made it inside the room.
When Monday finally rolled around, both were headed back to the real world. Work awaited. Jack headed into the office to much ribbing about how relaxed he seemed while Sue hit the road to bring more awareness to the bullying issue.
With the craziness of her new schedule, it was difficult for Sue to make it over to Anita's, but she made sure to make it there at least one day a week. She also made sure to keep in touch with her via email and phone calls.
Sue received a Valentine's card in the mail from Anita and the rest of the kids. Inside, there was a picture from the winter formal that Anita attended with a boy named Dean, who was now her boyfriend. Sue smiled to think how far her life had expanded since she met her only a half a year earlier.
Sue had worked late on Valentine's night. When she walked into the apartment, it was dark. The smell of dinner lingered on the air, making Sue's stomach growl. She turned the light over the stove on to see a plate covered on the top waiting for her with a note.
"My dearest wife… this is our first Valentine's Day together, and I wanted to say…" She opened the card… "You forgot! I love you anyway. Love always, Jack."
Sue laughed as she peeked under the foil to see thinly sliced roast beef, roasted red potatoes and fresh steamed green beans. Sue picked out a bean and smiled. She reached for a fork, and nibbled while checking on Levi's food while she got ready for the next day. As she made her way to her room, she saw Jack lying on his side, his eyes closed. His chest was going up and down in slow rhythmic movements. She was quiet as she took her nightgown out of her drawer and made her way into the bathroom to shower and change.
When Sue made her way back into the bedroom, Jack was sitting up in bed with two glasses of champagne.
"Hi." He whispered.
"Hi. What are you doing up? Did I wake you?" Sue asked, feeling guilty.
"No. I was waiting for you. I wanted to surprise you. Happy Valentine's Day." He said handing her a glass.
"Happy Valentine's Day." She said clinking her glass with his. "I'm sorry I'm so late. Thank you for dinner."
"No worries. And, you're welcome." He said. He leaned in and kissed her gently. "Busy day?" Sue nodded.
"I don't want to talk about work though… I just want to enjoy this wonderful glass of champagne, and curl into my husband's arms." She said as she crawled up the bed into the crook of his arm. She placed the glass on the end table next to the bed, set her alarm, and snuggled against Jack's chest with his arms wrapped tightly around her. Jack's thoughts of any further romantic gestures were not to be. Only moments after Sue curled into Jack's embrace, she dozed off and fell into the most perfect sleep.
The weeks passed, and the newlywed couple fell into a blissful routine, but exhausting one. Sue's touring began to spread further away from Jack. She was finding herself spending days at a time away from home. She didn't like being away from him so much. It wasn't right for a newlywed couple to live apart so much. She missed Jack. She missed being Mrs. Jack Hudson.
The cold late winter months finally gave way to the spring. Leaves and grass began to grow. Flowers popped from their winter hibernation spreading color throughout the city. After traveling so much, Sue was given a reprieve and allowed to stay in the city. She took the extra time with her friends from the bureau. Mitch and the kids visited more frequently. Anita asked Sue for help shopping for a prom dress.
In early April, Sue woke to a rose on the pillow next to hers. She put it close to her nose and breathed deep, taking in the fragrance. A smile crept to her lips. She pulled the covers off, and stepped barefoot onto the hard wood. She followed the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee as it wafted throughout the house.
"Morning sleepy head." Jack said with a wide smile.
"Morning." Sue said smiling back at him. "What's the occasion?"
"No occasion, really." Jack said with a smile. Sue watched him intently. "Ok… I know it's not exactly something we are celebrating, but today is the anniversary of your cancer being discovered." He whispered.
"Wow, it is?" Sue asked.
"Yeah. You have a doctor's appointment today too, don't you?" Jack asked.
"Oh, I totally forgot about that." Sue exclaimed.
"Well, I didn't. So, eat up. Shower. And we'll be off." Jack said.
"I-I can go alone Jack, you don't have to come with me." Sue said.
"I'm your husband, of course I'm going with you." Jack insisted.
Two hours later the couple arrived at Dr. Kerswell's office.
"Sue? The doctor will see you now." The nurse said.
"Marion! How are you?" Sue asked as she entered the office.
"I'm wonderful. How are you?" She asked.
"Great. Dr. Marion Kerswell, this is my husband Jack." Sue gushed.
"Well, that's wonderful! Congratulations!" she said to the couple.
"Thanks." The pair said in unison.
"Come in, let's examine you and see how things are." The doctor said. Jack stayed in the doctor's office alone until they rejoined her.
"So?" Jack asked cautiously.
"We've drawn some blood, and scheduled another mammogram. Things look great though. There's no sign of the cancer." She answered.
"Thank God." The pair said again in unison. They both started laughing.
"So, we'll get the blood tests back later today, tomorrow at the latest. I will call you with the results. Make sure you go to the mammogram next week." Dr. Kerswell said.
"Doctor?" Jack began. Dr. Kerswell looked at him. "Thank you for saving my wife's life." He managed before getting choked up.
"You're welcome, but I was only a small part of a team." She answered with a wide smile.
"How often do I have to have the mammograms?" Sue asked.
"A few times a year for the first year, then, as long as everything stays looking clear, we'll pull back to twice a year with blood work and appointments to see me on the in between." She answered.
"What about a family?" Sue asked shyly.
"What about one?" The doctor asked.
"When can we start planning on one?" She asked.
"I would say, if your mammogram comes back clean this time as well as the blood work, you could probably start thinking about it." Marion answered.
"What about the actual planning stages, so we can start a family?" Jack asked.
Sue blushed, Marion laughed.
"I would say, you can probably start trying to get pregnant in six months or so. As long as everything is in the clear."
"Thank you Dr. Kerswell." Sue said.
"You're welcome Sue. I'm so glad we are getting to have this chat." She smiled taking Sue's hand into her own. "For the next couple months, you two just focus on practicing before perfecting that baby making." She teased. "Mr. Hudson. It was nice meeting you."
The doctor walked them out and they parted ways.
Jack slipped his arm around Sue's waist and guided her into the elevator. Once the doors closed, Jack pulled Sue to him, wrapping his arms tight around her.
"So, what do you say we go home and take the doctor's advice?" He asked suggestively. He softly brushed his lips across her jaw. "Huh? What do you think?" He pressed as he wiggled his eye brows.
"You're incorrigible!" She said playfully slapping his shoulder. He nuzzled her neck until the ding of the elevator door registered. They pulled apart quickly, but entwined their fingers as they walked back to their car.
Sue's blood work and mammogram results came back negative from any signs of cancer, giving both hope that she was in the clear.
Later that night, Sue and Jack ate quietly, almost too quietly.
"Sue?" Jack said touching her hand to get her attention. Sue smiled at him. "Is everything OK?"
"Yeah. I'm just thinking about things." She said softly.
"Like?"
"My cancer." She said even softer than before.
"Sue, your cancer is gone. The doctor said so. The test results are clean." He paused. "Do you feel something?"
"No. Let me rephrase that…" She took a deep breath. "All my life I've wanted this." She said gesturing between them. "I've wanted a man to love me, and one I can love more. I've wanted to raise a family with him, and 'live happily ever after'."
"So, what's the problem?" Jack asked confused.
"Now that it's actually a possibility…" She began.
"You're afraid?"
"Yes, but… I know this is selfish, but I'm enjoying having you to myself." She said beaming bright red. "I'm sorry, I know that's horrible…"
Jack laughed, more in relief than anything.
"Oh, honey, that's not selfish. I'm enjoying our time together, alone, as well. If you're not ready to have a baby, say so. Sue, I want a family with you, but when we're both ready. I can wait as long as you need." He smiled softly, paused. "Besides, I love practicing with you!" He said with a laugh.
"Jack!" Sue gasped.
"What? I do!" He said pulling away from her to avoid her smack.
Sue took his hands, got up from her chair and sauntered to him. She sat in his lap and kissed him passionately. Jack pulled back enough to catch his breath, stood without letting her go, and continued to kiss her while he carried her to their bedroom.