The evening silence on her back porch was one reason she loved France. As she sat there, she thought about that, that it was a lot like sitting on her porch at Fairfield, just without a multi-million dollar horse stable as part of her view. She stared at the sunset as it went down over the last of the hills, the reds and oranges swirling about. It had been quite a day. She looked to John on her lap and smiled at him, playing with his feet in his little socks. She'd just fed him, and he was sitting on her knees, which she'd pulled up on the outdoor sofa she had. She never knew she could love someone so much and so easily as she now loved John. He looked back at her, still not quite smiling, but looked at her with almost a bit of intrigue. She glanced to his finished bottle and thought just about how lucky she was to have him here and for everything to have actually worked out with her pregnancy. So much could have gone wrong; so much did go wrong. She'd been so terrified about a pregnancy when she'd found out here in France, and almost a year later, she was finally feeling a sense of peace.
John's little noises pulled her from her thoughts, and she started to play with him there on her knees. It seemed like it was going to be another night with him off his schedule. He was wide awake right now, when she had hoped he might start to get into the actual nighttime sleep. She continued to look at him and play with his feet as she turned her attention back to the sunset.
"There you two are," Lisa heard and looked up, smiling at the owner of the voice. Jack closed the sliding door and stepped onto the porch, leaning down right next to Lisa where she was turned sideways on the end of the couch. "Hi," he said with a warm smile, his voice low, and he leaned in to kiss her. She kissed him back, and he continued, "Sorry I pretty much walked in the door and fell asleep. That's not what I was planning. I suppose the travel really wiped me out."
She nodded, giving him a small smile, "You don't have to apologize. I'm still just truly shocked you are here, and that we started to clear the air."
"Clear the air, huh?" Jack asked, winking at her. He started to stand, and Lisa, with John still securely on her lap, scooted forward so Jack could sit behind her. He sat down and pulled her into his side, while he reached over to squeeze at John's foot. "John, you are certainly looking alert for what," he glanced to his watch and groaned. "Ahh, I have no idea what time it is, except that my watch is wrong."
"It's 7:15," she told him, making a face at John as she played more with his feet. "So, if not clearing the air, what would you call it?" Lisa looked up and behind to Jack. He just chuckled and pulled her in closer.
"I'm not sure. I don't think there's anything to describe flying around the world to fix something that should have been fixed a long time ago." Lisa let out a low chuckle at Jack's heard him groan slightly and sat forward, turning slightly, "Am I bothering your ribs?"
He pulled her back, "I'd never admit it. Come here," he said, wrapping his arm around her as he tucked her back into his side.
"I fixed my ticket again," she told him once they were settled. "I'm back on my original flight, so we are now on the same flight again."
"Okay," he chuckled, kissing her head. "So, we'll go home on the 17th. Now, remind me why I didn't like this view before?" Jack gestured over to the beautiful rolling hills.
"Hmm," Lisa said, both of them looking out over the now darkening sky. "Well, we didn't get much time to just enjoy the view like this. I was pretty intent on showing you all of the luxuries of France, and in doing so, I forgot that none of that matters to you. I was trying to hard to impress you and not just enjoy being right here with you."
"Aww, Lise," he sighed. "You were excited to show me what you love about France."
"Yes," she nodded, but sighed, "I also lost perspective that things like this," she gestured with her hand around them, "are what are most important, not some fancy dinner, although," she looked up at him again, "I know you don't like some of those restaurants, but they were some of my favorites."
"I know," he chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. "I suppose I'm just a meat and potato kind of guy."
"I didn't do anything on that trip to really find out how you were doing or what you did or didn't want to do. I dragged you all over France," she explained. "I'm sorry that I ruined a very special trip. I didn't acknowledge it was out of your comfort zone and just by coming, you were really going above and beyond."
"Water under the bride," he said, kissing her head again.
She turned her head, "Like now," she said with a smile and nod. "I know it took a lot for you to get on a plane, two planes, and a train to come here. I really do."'
"Worth it," he said, reaching his hand around to tickle at John's foot. John just stared back at them, his wide eyes looking from one to the other.
"Are you hungry?" Lisa asked. "I haven't eaten. When you said you wanted to shower and freshen up, I changed John and put him in his bouncy seat, thinking I would start some dinner then. I finally checked on you to make sure you hadn't run out of hot water or something, and," she covered her mouth, "you were passed out sideways, half-dressed on the bed, snoring." She covered her mouth as she kept laughing, and he rolled his eyes at her and nodded in jest.
"I know, I know," he sighed. "Thanks for the blanket. I sat down on the side of the bed and was going to pull my pants on. I was just feeling really tired and all, and I said to myself I just wanted to lean back and stretch out my back. It was killing me from that flying. I had no idea I was that tired."
"Jack, it's fine," she said, reaching to pat his arm. "I'm glad you got some sleep."
"Some romantic gesture," he rolled his eyes and then yawned, and shook his head while he covered his mouth, "Sorry, it's not the company. I promise."
"When did you leave the ranch?" Lisa asked and made another face at John.
"3:30 yesterday morning," he said, yawning again. He shook his head, "Really sorry about the yawning. I had a 6:30 flight to Toronto first."
"Oh, Jack, that is brutal," Lisa groaned. "I'm sorry, but I'm just so happy you are here."
"Mmm, me too, better than being at home with Tim," he spit out his name. "Speaking of which," he frowned, "he made me promise to let him know I'd arrived."
Lisa grinned and looked at Jack, "Tim did? I suppose you told him you were coming?"
Jack, in full yawn, nodded, "He insisted on driving me to the airport, said I couldn't afford to hit another animal." Jack rolled his eyes, "Then, he talked my ear off the entire drive in the middle of the night. I thought he would try to walk me to the gate, even without a ticket through security."
Lisa burst out laughing, and she reached up to pat his hand, "He means well and has been talking to both of us."
"I had a ten-hour layover in Toronto. That was brutal," he told her. "I couldn't get any later flights from Calgary, just that early one, so I had to just sit in Toronto."
"Oh my, you did have a long trip," Lisa shook her head as she listened to him.
"Tim kept calling me," Jack let out a low chuckle. "He probably has 10 messages on my phone. I shut it off, though. I'm not paying the international rates."
"Wait," Lisa tilted her head to look up at Jack, "You didn't let him know you were here? Honey, you can work through the Wi-Fi here if you want. Better yet," she reached to her pocket and pulled out her phone. "I have my international plan. I'll text him."
"Oh, don't go into details with Tim," Jack groaned.
Lisa held up her hand, "I won't. Just keep a hand on John so he doesn't, I don't know, roll off my legs." Jack nodded and made sure John was secure while she typed out a brief text to Tim. She glanced back again, "What did you tell him?"
"I mean, he was trying to be some matchmaker, not that I needed it," Jack rolled his eyes. I told him I'd be back on the 17th with you unless things just went from bad to worse, and then I'd be home in a couple of days, and if that was the case, he'd better just get ready to put me in the grave."
She frowned, "You really told him that?"
Jack shrugged, tugging at John's foot, "It's where I was, Lise. All or nothing."
"How is this?" Lisa asked, showing him what she had put in the text. "I don't have my glasses, but I think I can see it okay."
"I don't have mine on me," he said. "My pair is in my bag."
"Tim," Lisa read it to Jack, "Jack arrived. He's not using his phone with international rates. Home on the 17th."
"That's plenty of information as far as I'm concerned," Jack chuckled. "Thank you." He kissed the top of her head again, and she gave him a loving smile.
"I tried to think like you in regards to Tim. You know he won't let this go with just that," she stated.
"I know, but I'm not interested in chatting with Tim Fleming right now or for the next several days, especially about my personal life. The guy is already way too involved," he explained. The two fell into a comfortable silence listening to the sounds of the night. Eventually, Lisa broke the silence.
"Did you really fall asleep on your horse during the cattle drive with Tim?" Lisa leaned back into his arm to look up at him.
He sighed, "Tim can't keep his mouth shut."
"Jack," she sighed as she shook her head. She spoke again after a few moments in silence, "We've both been pretty stupid, hmm?" He grunted in reply, and she continued, "So, these compromises?"
He waved his hand, "Let's talk about that tomorrow. I just want to enjoy this tonight."
"Well, I'm starving," she said, looking up at him. "Dare I ask the last time you had a decent meal?"
"I wouldn't know," he told her. "I suppose it was honestly before you left. I've been in pretty bad shape since you left, Lise. The food on the plane was terrible. I grabbed a ham sandwich when I got off the plane in Paris, and that was done with a lot of fumbling my words and pointing."
Lisa started to chuckle and at this point, she sat up, moved John and turned toward Jack, putting John on her shoulder, "Wait, let me get this straight." She flashed a large smile at Jack and gave him a sympathetic smile, "You ordered food in France, you Jack Bartlett?"
He shrugged, "I had to, or I had to try. I went to one of those stands in the airport, found a ham sandwich in the case, held it up, and I just threw some money at them. I didn't know what to say, and then they tried to ask me things, probably if I wanted something else. I saw a bottle of water, grabbed it, and I handed more money. My luck, I probably paid three times what it was worth. I don't know the Euro or anything else," he grumbled. Lisa gave him a pouty face and reached over to pat his chest.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. I know being in a foreign country where you don't know the language stresses you out."
Jack glanced at her and just shook his head from side to side. She leaned in, John still on her shoulder, and she kissed Jack lightly.
"You won't have to do that again," she nodded to him. "I'll be with you, and I appreciate you doing that."
"I'm not complaining," he said quietly. She nodded, a smile on her face.
"I know, but that is now also all the more reason we eat something, yes?" Lisa glanced to him, and he nodded. She handed John to him.
"You take John, and I'll see what I can whip up here," she explained.
Jack pointed to her, "If you 'whip up' as you say, some fancy halibut meal like you did at home, I'll know something is up." He winked at her, and she grinned, but held her hands in defense.
"Promise, I really did just buy that halibut, but it was a nice meal," she grinned.
"It was, Lise," he smiled. "I felt like things were as they should be that night even for just awhile."
She tilted her head, thinking about that, and she nodded, "It was a pretty nice night, even with my horse having issues. It was pretty great, just doing normal things with you and John."
"More of that to come," he said, pulling at her hand. He kissed her hand and smiled at her. She returned the smile and gestured to the house.
"I will see what I can find. I promise it won't be fancy at all. In fact, from what I know I have in my fridge, how about some French toast? I know I have a fresh loaf of bread from the bakery. I'm never able to finish it alone, and I'll need to get a fresh loaf tomorrow. I have eggs, and we could have that. Sound okay?"
"Sounds great," Jack shook his head once. "Simple is always better with me, and any meal you are making is just perfect right now."
"Okay, great," she said, standing, but then leaning down to rub John's head and kiss Jack.
"I'll get us something to eat, and then, we have to try to get him to bed. I can't do this all night stuff again," she sighed, putting her forehead against his. "I have got to get some sleep. I know you still need more sleep, and he is trying his parents' patience if he keeps this up."
"I'll have a talk with him right now," Jack chuckled. Lisa nodded and stood. Before she left, Jack called to her, "Hey, Lise," he said, and she looked to see he had an almost teasing grin on his face.
"About that French toast?" Jack asked.
"Yeah?" Lisa asked. "I can do something else."
"No, it's fine, but if we call it French toast in North America, is it called that here or just toast since we're in France?"
Lisa closed her eyes, a huge grin on her face, and she shook her head, "You are unbelievable, Jack Bartlett. You'll be lucky if I even make you some now."