The Long And Winding Road
Note: Thanks to luvdegrassi12345, PsYcHoJo, Kristine, Agel15, YellyBelly & cutiepye06655 for the comments regarding the previous chapter.
Chapter 33 -- Future Tense
The following Wednesday was the day that Simpson and Spike had decided would be a good time to go out alone for the evening with the help of JT's Christmas gift certificate and his offer that he and Emma would look after Jack. That night, at the Nelson/Simpson home, Emma was sitting on the couch reading a university course guide as JT came down the stairs.
"Hey"
"Hey JT," Emma said, looking up from the book. "You and Jack have fun up there?"
"Yeah," JT replied, sitting down beside Emma. "I spun him around in circles over and over, faster and faster, until we both got so dizzy we passed out for awhile. It was great."
Emma's eyes widened in shock.
"Kidding."
"I should hope so," Emma said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Of course I was. In truth, it didn't effect Jack at all. I was the only one who passed out."
Emma rolled her eyes and playfully smacked JT in the arm, causing JT to laugh.
"No, I tried reading to him, but the children's books you guys keep up in his room are so boring and predictable. So I told him some real stories."
"I suppose creatures and witches and goblins were involved?"
"No, I didn't mention anything about the customers over at the theater."
Emma laughed.
"Movie plots?" Emma asked.
"You got it," JT replied. "Never too early to get him familiar with some of the better films and movie concepts."
"Did you do any voices?"
"Naturally."
"Good. He likes it when you start doing funny voices."
"As long as he doesn't get the idea that my normal voice is just as strange."
"No promises," Emma kidded him.
"Funny."
"You are so good with Jack, JT. When you start to joke around or tell him a story, he's fixated on you. We're talking undivided attention."
"That's nothing. I've also got this thing where when I whistle, it's a sound that only dogs can hear."
"I'm serious."
"Yeah, well I happen to like the little guy, too, Emma. Closest I've come to having a little brother. All things considered, I guess it's a good thing my folks didn't have any other kids."
"You're really good with them. Kids. At least based on how you are with Jack."
"Anyway…"
"No, I mean it, JT. You don't talk down to him, and he's really going to appreciate that once he gets a little older and can start having real conversations. And you have that natural protective instinct when it comes to the people you care about."
"Okay."
"JT, I think that you're going to make a terrific father someday."
"But I'm not even Catholic."
"Not a Father father, silly. A dad."
"Ah. Been lurking around that time machine that this house's previous owners left in your basement bedroom again, haven't you."
"Of course fatherhood is still a long way away."
"Good to know you haven't mapped out my complete future, Emma."
"Not yet," Emma joked. "No. I mean, for right now you've got enough to consider. Like take a look at this."
Emma handed JT the course book she had been browsing.
"Nice," JT said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"Just a guide summarizing all the possible courses to choose from at the university."
"I think it's time I called and ordered our pizza."
"No, not yet. Don't get up. You don't have to worry. I'm not trying to be pushy."
"Yes you are," JT smiled.
"Okay, yes I am," Emma laughed. "Big time pushy. But it's for a good cause. Look I know you don't have to start filling out the application right away, but I started reading through here and there are a lot of great courses, including many that you'd enjoy."
"Let's take a look," JT responded.
He closed his eyes, opened the book to a random page and pointed. He then opened his eyes to see what he selected.
"Advanced geophysics. You're right, Emma. Lots of fun stuff in here. I can't even spell 'geophysics'. I'm lucky I can even spell 'advanced.'"
"Stop selling yourself short, JT. And don't think that a random page selection that put you in the advanced course section proves anything. Once you get done with some of the basic courses that everyone has to take, I'm sure you'd enjoy the film studies classes. Maybe the creative writing courses."
"Creative writing? Me?"
"Why not? You've always got a lot of ideas. If you don't like that, there are plenty of business courses. You certainly have practical experience in that area so it wouldn't be difficult, plus you'd get even more ideas for if you decide to run your own place one day."
"I'm giddy with excitement," JT said in a bored-sounding monotone voice.
JT then started to hand back the book, but Emma shook her head.
"No, that's yours to keep," she told him. "I've got my own copy downstairs. I picked this one up so you could have it to look through when you're ready."
"You've thought of everything," he said sarcastically.
"All part of the job," Emma joked. "It's up to a good girlfriend to make sure her guy doesn't overlook great opportunities."
"I'm starting to think you won't need to waste the time going to university. You'd have no trouble getting work as a college recruiter."
"We're going to have fun, JT. You'll see."
"Yeah, there's all those boring lectures to look forward to," JT said.
"New things to learn," Emma countered.
"Professors talking on and on until you're about to fall into a coma," JT offered.
"Teaching assistants helping to create a relaxed classroom atmosphere," Emma responded.
"Five-pound textbooks to haul around campus."
"The pursuit of the unknown."
"Term papers at least twice as long as anything we've had to write at Degrassi."
"The chance to improve our writing skills."
"College isn't for everyone, Emma."
"Ashley told me that they have a nice little environmental club. She said I'll fit right in."
"In fact, I'm not all that sure that I…"
"Oh, we're going to have a great time there, JT."
JT sighed.
"Anyway," he said, "just so you know, Emma, it's not like I don't think about the future."
"I know."
"Because I do. In fact, it's been on my mind a lot lately."
"That's understandable. Birthdays will do that to a person."
"Yeah. Listen, there's something I want to talk to you about. To ask you about."
"I've told you before, JT…I don't know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop."
"I think the world may never know. But no, this isn't about that. This is serious, what I have to ask you."
"Okay."
"And I figure this is as good a time as any."
"Is something wrong, JT?"
"No," he replied, grabbing hold of her hand. "It's a good thing. I think."
"Good."
"Then again, it depends on how you take it. But I've thought about it and I don't see any harm asking. On the other hand…"
"JT!" Emma interrupted.
"Yeah?"
"You're starting to talk like me when I get all nervous."
"Who? Me? I'm not nervous."
"Then just tell me, JT. What is it you want to ask?"
"Emma," he began, giving her hand a little squeeze. "Will you…Would you…What was that word?…Oh yeah. Emma, would you mind if I named you as my beneficiary?"
"Beneficiary?"
"That is, if you don't mind."
"I don't understand."
"You know, the person you list in your will that you want to give something or somethings to. And in this case you'd be what they call my sole beneficiary. The one who'd get everything."
"I understand what the word means, JT. What I don't understand is why you'd even be thinking about making a will and…Oh God. Tell me you're not sick."
A look of panic came over Emma's face.
"Emma…"
"First Archie almost died and now…JT, tell me you're not going to die!"
"I'm not going to die, Emma," JT said calmly, giving her a brief hug. "At least I'm not planning on it any time soon."
"You're sure?"
"I was afraid you'd react this way."
"How do you expect me to react? What is all this about?"
"Emma, people don't just make wills because they're dying."
"And people who are 18 years old don't make out wills at all."
"They do if there are good reasons."
"Such as…?"
"Such as…well, look at Shane. Thank goodness he's alive and didn't die way back when he had that accident that put him in the institution. But if he HAD died, would things be any different as far as how much control he has over his life? His parents would still have complete control over anything he would have left behind. Even if there was something he specifically wanted you to have, without it written down all nice and legal before his death there's no way they would have followed through on it even if they knew his wishes."
"Okay, I see your point, but…"
"Then there's Nathaniel Yorke."
"JT, he hasn't been trying to contact you, has he? If he's bothering you, I'll…"
"Easy there, killer," JT said, smiling at her protective attitude. "No, I haven't been in touch with him since that night at Ryan's a couple months ago."
"Good," Emma said, relieved.
"When I got the check in the mail for my half of the sale of Mother's company, there was just the check in the envelope. No note asking about me. The envelope had his firm's name and logo on it. I doubt he even mailed the letter himself. Probably had one of his assistants take care of the whole matter. And that's exactly the way I want it between him and me. But if anything were to ever happen to me…"
"What could possibly happen?"
"I don't know. Maybe I'd get run over by a pack of gorillas that escaped from the zoo and came charging down Degrassi Street. They could run me down, and if I happened to be wearing a yellow shirt that day they might mistake me for a banana and start gnawing my flesh off."
"Quit trying to make me laugh. Not right now."
"But I see a tiny smile trying to sneak its way onto you face, Emma."
"JT…"
"Hey, it's an unpredictable world, Emma. One minute you're strolling down the street, the next minute you're being savaged by overgrown monkeys. Or… you wake up one day and your mother is dead, your father is worse than slime – he's the slime that grows on slime. And you know that the person you care about more than anyone or anything else ought to be the one who gets to…Emma, if anything ever happened to me…"
"It won't."
"I know. I'm just saying, if anything ever did…with the way things are right now, the slime would be able to have it all – what I already had in my accounts, what I've inherited, even the movie poster that's hanging on the wall. I'm 18 now. Since he wanted no part of my life, I don't want him to have any legal right to a payday if I were to…you know."
"I know."
"It's a new year, and now that I'm no longer a minor, I want to make sure that I'm in complete control of my own destiny. He doesn't get to have the things I would leave behind. Or even a say in it. He doesn't get to have that kind of control. No way. I've cut ties with him and I'm not about to let him bulldoze his way in again if something were ever to happen to me.
"I checked with my mother's attorneys – you see, she used her own lawyers and they have no connection with that guy in any way. So I talked to them and you don't have to be 18 for me to list you, but I didn't want to do that until I gave you a head's up. To make sure you wouldn't mind."
"I don't mind, JT. I'm flattered. More than flattered. But I hope we don't have to talk about it anymore. It's a horrible thought, death. And not being here."
"Besides, it's just for now, since while I'm still single, that guy is my next of kin. And one day, it won't even be an issue. You know, once I'm a married man."
"Do tell…"
"When that happens, the person I'm married to becomes next of kin and the slime guy has no legal standing."
"Legal standing? I see you learned some legal terminology at the law office."
"Nah, I got that from reruns of old TV courtroom dramas. Or maybe it was that old short where the Stooges were called to testify in court and…"
"Okay," Emma smiled. "I get the idea. But what's with this 'the person I'm married to' stuff? What? You don't have anyone specific in mind?"
"Hey, I already told you once before that I'd be carrying you over a threshold one day. I've never broken any promises to you, have I?"
"No."
"Okay then. Just think of it as something else that's waiting for us sometime in the future when we want it to happen. Look, I know it's strange to be thinking about wills and beneficiaries and stuff like that."
"No, I get it. I definitely understand how you wouldn't want that guy having legal rights to what you would leave behind."
"That, and wanting you to be the one to have what's mine. You SHOULD be the one to have it. I mean, I love you and, well…you know what I think about you."
"'With all of my heart. Always,'" Emma said, repeating the words he wrote to her at Christmas.
"Yeah. And I know what's in your head about me. Not to mention I have the letter…that great letter you wrote that I've reread more times than I should probably admit to out loud. You…my best friend, my girlfriend, and whatever else we are to one another in the future. If you ask me, I'm betting that we'll still be having fun together when we're becoming a burden to our great-grandchildren."
"You know, most guys would just give their girlfriend a promise ring. You, however, base a will around me."
"Since when do I do things like everybody else?"
"True. Oh, since you said you weren't required to ask my permission to list me as a beneficiary, I assume I don't need to sign anything."
"Right. Just go see her attorney – well, I guess it's MY attorney now – and let him draw a pint of your blood to show your sincerity and…"
"Very funny."
"I thought so. No, you don't have to do anything. Say, now that you're going to be listed in my will, I hope that doesn't mean you're going to try to kill me or anything. Do I need to hire a food taster to make sure you don't poison me?"
"Considering what happens anytime I try to cook, I'd want a food taster before I ate anything that I prepared."
They both laughed.
"I think you might be overreacting a little," Emma told him. "But I suppose you're right about wanting to stay prepared, considering your assets. That man IS the type who'd swoop down like a vulture and collect anything he thought he was entitled to. As long as YOU know that those things have never interested me."
"Always known that, Emma."
"Good. Now no more gloom and doom talk."
"Deal. But no more college talk tonight either."
"Okay, but we're not done with that topic, JT. By the time you absolutely have to send your application and other forms in, I'll have you as excited about university life as I am."
"I see," JT replied, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, are you ready for me to put in the order?"
"Almost." Emma then kissed him for several moments. "Okay. Now I'm ready."
"So that was a pizza with sausage and extra pepperoni?" JT asked, smirking.
"Just try it," Emma replied, pretending to look mad.
JT went to use the phone, leaving Emma sitting on the couch.
'He sure knows how to scare a girl,' Emma thought. 'But he's right to want to take precautions. And like he said, it's a necessary measure to have in place while he's a single adult and Nathaniel is his next of kin. It's a strange thing, though. As creepy as it is to think about being in someone's will, the person has to really care about you to put you in it. Not that I didn't already know how much he cares.
'In fact, there was a moment – when he started to make the request, when he was getting so nervous and talking about wanting to ask me something – where I thought he was actually going to propose. I've obviously been listening to Liberty and Manny way too much. After all, I'm not quite 18 yet, and we both have a few remaining months before we graduate. And then there's college. Still, despite all my logic and sound reasoning and protests to Liberty, if he HAD asked me that question – THE question – I honestly don't think I would have turned him down. As crazy as it sounds, I think I would have said yes.
'Anyway, there's plenty of time for that sort of thing later on down the road. For now, it looks like I've got my work cut out for me getting JT into the proper frame of mind about university. What am I saying? It'll be a piece of cake.'