"So," Lisa had her hands behind her back and turned to face Jack, as she walked backwards along the pathway into town with Jack pushing the stroller. "I have a couple of questions."
"Okay," he said quietly with a nod. "I'll try to answer them."
She nodded and stopped. Jack stopped pushing the stroller, and John just looked up from where he was lying in the stroller, a set of overalls on him with a navy onesie underneath. Lisa said he looked like so much of a little boy in the outfit. Jack glanced to John and seeing he was content, gave her a nod.
She took a deep breath, "I love to cook."
He nodded, and smiled at that, chuckling as he said, "I love to eat your cooking, but that wasn't a question."
She quietly laughed at his reply, "If," she put her finger in the air, "we are compromising and possibly even negotiating, "would you be open to remodeling the kitchen? I don't need anything too out there, but you are constantly dealing with that garbage disposal, the oven is iffy most of the time, and the fridge is way too small for everyone in and out, and regardless of where people live, there will always be some in and out, which is fine. "And," she paused, not sure how to say it, "One thing about Heartland, Jack, that is hard to say-"
"Yeah?" Jack asked, his brows narrowed, as he was trying to understand what she was saying.
"It was your home with your wife and your daughter. It's not my home, and I am not saying that I can't live there, but I want some of me in it too. I love the living room, the fireplace, the large table for the family to eat, but the areas I use the most, the kitchen and let's face it, the bathroom, they need a major overhaul, they need a new female's touch. You haven't done anything in that kitchen in years. The bathroom, too, needs an update, and to be honest," she sighed and gave him a small smile, "a second bathroom off the bedroom would be a huge help."
Lisa gestured to the road, and they continued to walk again, side by side except when she'd turned to talk to him about the house. He was quiet as they walked, and Lisa briefly greeted a few people they walked by going into the village. She looped her arm through Jack's as they approached the first shop.
"You may not remember this place from the whirlwind trip last time, but this is my favorite wine shop here," she stopped and nodded her head back to the building.
Jack pursed his lips, "That's a good place to know. "I'll wait here with John if you want to go in. I trust whatever you get. What we had earlier was good."
She leaned up and kissed his cheek, "I'll be right back then. Just consider what I said."
"I will," he said quietly, standing there with the stroller as he glanced around. Lisa had suggested he leave his cowboy hat, but Jack was Jack, and she'd even apologized as they started their walk. She didn't want to change him, and asking him to do that was just that, trying to change his comfort zone and habits. He found a bench and sat down with John, rocking the stroller back and forth briefly as they waited. He adjusted his hat; that might make him stand out, but he was who he was.
Lisa walked out a couple of minutes later, a bag in each hand. She held them up with a smile and nod to him. He grinned as she walked back.
"Going all out," he chuckled. "Two bottles of wine."
She shrugged, "Eeehh, might get us through lunch tomorrow." She started to laugh, and Jack did too. Lisa gestured on.
"Lise, I've never really thought about what you said," Jack told her as they walked. She glanced to him, not sure exactly to what he was speaking. He gestured as they walked.
"I mean, about how the house was mine, with Lyndy and Marion. Obviously, I know it was, but I've never thought about how just asking you to move in, to just adopt all of that is fair, and I'm sorry. I don't notice things like the kitchen or bathroom. You know me. I don't like change. My trucks are proof of that, but," he paused and stopped pushing the stroller to look at Lisa. "If you promise not to go overboard or anything too fancy, I'm fine if you want to remodel the kitchen and the bathroom. It needs to be your home too. I want it to be your home, and I'm trying to think through things, like an office. I guess I just don't think about functional, things that," he paused and frowned, "were there before, with Marion and Lyndy."
She gave him a small smile of acknowledgement and nodded as they walked to her next stop. She gestured to this building, "John is about out of diapers."
"You want me to get them?" John asked. Lisa gave him a pitiful look.
"I appreciate the gesture, but I can muddle through with my basic French. You two can just wait if you want to sit over there. Lots of benches here," she told him. She started toward the shop, turned, and called back, "Jack," she smiled again, "thank you for saying what you did. I can see it now, a chef's kitchen." She waved and walked into the shop. Jack, not sure what to make of that, just sat and thought about the changes she wanted.
Lisa came out, carrying two large bags of diapers. When she reached the bench, she leaned down over Jack, putting her face right in front of his. "I was teasing about the chef kitchen," and she grinned and winked at him. She saw the look of relief flood over him, and she kissed him quickly.
"I'm not sure I even know what a chef's kitchen is, other than it sounds fancy," Jack said, sighing. Lisa stood and moved back as he stood. She nodded to him.
"Yes, it is. I'm only talking about updating appliances, countertops, and floors. I know you love the cabinets, and they fit with the house. You love the layout, and I really do like sitting there, sipping coffee and talking too. I would just like it to be a little more updated."
John started to fuss, and they looked at him, both gesturing to his bottle. They decided to sit back down on the bench and feed him. This time, Lisa fed him while Jack sat and watched.
"I have another question," she looked over at him. He gave her a look, nudging her to ask it. She shrugged her shoulders at him, "John and I are a package deal, of course, but I need to add onto that package if we do move."
"Okay," Jack said, almost in a questioning tone. "I'm not aware of any other children and absolutely would not consider that risky route again," he glanced to her. "What did you have in mind?"
She grinned as he described that, and she looked to him with a serious face, "Cinders. I have to have my riding horse. Cinders comes too, but that also comes with a guaranteed stall."
Jack dropped his head in what started as a quiet laugh, but quickly turned into a full-blown laugh. He looked over to her, and she just shrugged in a happy smile.
"Cinders and," he paused frowning at her, "I suppose one of those fancy trailers of yours to haul around your very expensive horse, can come too. I'll permit a Fairfield trailer on the ranch," he winked.
"I had to ask," she told him with a playful shrug. "A girl and her horse, sometimes horses," she glanced to him, "cannot be separated."
"Wouldn't think of it," he winked. "Luckily, you are talking to someone who understand the importance of having a good horse around." The settled into a silence as John ate.
"Jack," she frowned and looked to him, almost a sad look, "I don't want the girls to resent me. As much as it was your home with Lyndy and Marion, it's also been your home with the girls. I don't want them come in, talking behind my back that I've changed everything, that I've pushed them out. That's the opposite of what I want, and that will only cause further problems. I just," she sighed and gestured with her free hand not on the bottle, "don't know what to say."
Jack turned slightly, putting his arm around her shoulders and gave her a small nod and smile, "I know. It has been their home, but I'm being very honest with you when I say I want it to be yours, ours, John's home too. I can't change that I've grown up there, that I did have a family there, that I helped raise Lou and Amy there, but as much as I hate to admit it, things change. The bones of the house stay the same, but changing countertops, appliances, moving bedrooms, all of that is fine with me because I just want to be there with you. I'll even entertain the idea of a second bathroom off our room," he said with a warm smile."
"You know they now do heated tile floors for the cold winter months. That would be a complete game changer in the bathroom. You know how cold that floor is," she said, all excited.
"That might be more technology than I can handle," he chuckled. "I do want you to know I am trying. I am, and if I'm not getting it right enough, just tell me. Amy and Lou are growing up with their own families coming along or someday coming along. I still need to take care of mine," and he squeezed her shoulder as he said that.
She put John on her shoulder to burp him, and while she did, she gave Jack a small smile, "I'm not sure what I would do if I didn't have to almost sneak out the side door to the house there in the early hours of the morning like when Amy was much younger."
Jack chuckled and nodded, pulling her closer to him. John finally burped and spit up all over both of them. Lisa, now horrified at the amount, quickly shifted him. Jack grabbed the burp cloth and tried to wipe off Lisa's shoulder and his arm, which had been on her shoulder. Thankfully, her hair was clipped up, and John had missed most of that.
"That will teach us," she laughed as she tried to console John. He started crying, probably with an upset stomach after dealing with that. Jack kept wiping up Lisa's shoulder, and it seemed to be never-ending.
"Well, he knows how to crush the afternoon outing," Jack said, now standing to shake off the burp cloth. Lisa finished settling him, stood, and put him back on her shoulder. Jack tried to offer her another burp cloth.
"Kind of too late now," she laughed. "It's fine, Jack. This is what babies do."
"What else do we need in town?" Jack asked.
"Ahh, some bread and whatever you want for dinner. I was maybe thinking of spaghetti?"
"Sounds good," he nodded to her.
"Why don't you take him," Lisa offered John, "and I'll run in the market there and grab a few things. I have most of what I need for spaghetti at home, but I'll grab some bread and some meat for the sauce."
Jack pushed John around in the stroller, offering a very rough sounding "Bonjour" to a few passing by him. Lisa walked out of the market with just one bag, and she was able to hook it onto the stroller as they walked back to the house.
"If you want a coffee," she gestured to the shop they were passing, "that's the place to get it."
"I'm fine," he said quietly and didn't say more. Lisa walked next to him, noting he was very quiet during the walk. Before they reached the house, she looked up at him.
"Okay, what's got you so quiet? You thought through all these plans, and I know you. Something is up right now. What is it?"
He shrugged it off, "It's nothing, really." Lisa looked at him until he looked over at her, and he just sighed.
He finally stopped the stroller and turned to her, "If I say it, it sounds awful."
"No," she shook her head. "All cards on the table. We agreed to that."
"I am just here trying to make sure my attachment to Heartland isn't because of Marion and Lyndy because for us to work, you deserve me, not the ghost of them."
She listened, pursed her lips, and nodded. She opened her mouth to say something, but then she didn't. Finally, she sighed and said, "Jack, we both come with a past. Mine is constantly annoying us when we least expect it. Yours," she gave him a sympathetic smile, "comes up too in different ways, in your memories. I'm not asking you to erase all of that, not the memories. I am just asking you to make room or make some updates, to include me. I mean, I would never ask you to bulldoze the fishing cabin, and you, Cowboy," she smiled warmly at him, "made some very lovely memories there with Lyndy, and I appreciate those and liked hearing about those, but you also have made some very special memories there with me."
"I know," he sighed. "I did want to talk about the fishing cabin too-" Jack eyed her, and Lisa tilted her head trying to figure out what he wanted to say. "That's another one of our compromises," he winked. "I think you'll get the better deal out of that."
"Oh yeah?" Lisa asked, and with his last sentence, she playfully gestured to him. "What's this compromise?"
"I do want to bulldoze it," Jack admitted. "The thing is falling down. I never want to lose that land. It does need a better structure, though. Last time I was there, it rained, and I think I got just as wet inside as I would have outside. So, it needs a new building, and I would like your input on that," he said, leaning in toward her with a soft, playful grin. "I mean, I have this fly-fishing expert on my hands to give some input on the fishing cabin."
Lisa burst out laughing and swatted at him. She pointed to him, "I have improved quite a bit over the years, ehh? You have to admit that. I no longer get my line tangled, well, at least not as often."
"That is true, but I would like for John to know the fishing cabin as long as I can take him there. It's definitely not fit for a child, and camping would be better than the building that is currently there. I know how much you love camping. So," he said leaning in to speak softly, "The compromise is that we build a new fishing cabin, I'd like you and John of course, to come to it with me, often. I really like being there."
"Are you wanting to replicate what is there?" Lisa asked.
John shook his head, a smile on his face, "No, a much nicer structure, and I think you would be on board with that too. Nothing big or fancy, just a kitchen area, somewhere to sleep, and definitely some sort of heat for the place, if you would consider that."
"Hmm," she nodded and made a face. "As far as I can understand this, you want to build a new fishing cabin, and you are okay with some remodeling at Heartland. You'll even come to France?"
"I told you I will, and I keep my word," he told her. "I am having a good time, Lise," he gestured around them. They had slowly finished their walk and were now back at the front door. "This, just being in someplace quiet with you and John, this is what I want. I just don't want Paris, posh restaurants and all. You can still do those, but I am okay just being here."
Lisa looked down at John and found that he'd nodded off on the walk back. She pointed to him, gestured to the door, and the two worked out in code that they wanted to get him inside to sleep in his stroller. Once they did that, which was awkward with the tight space, she gestured to her shirt, and Jack held up the new bottle of wine. Both nodded, and Lisa changed while Jack opened the new bottle. She joined him on the back porch again where he had the wine sitting on the small coffee table.
Lisa put her arm around him, sitting there, and she sat down too, sideways on his lap to put her arm around his shoulders. He leaned into her and put his head against hers.
"I've really missed all of this, Jack. I have been beating myself up all day asking why we didn't just talk like this at home."
"I've had the same thoughts," Jack told her, resting his hand on her leg while putting his other hand around her back. "We just never could get to sitting down and talking, not to mention that people were always around with their own opinions and all."
"Yes, you're right, and that's a little concerning going forward, that even with these great plans, we'll fight and argue as people throw in their opinions," Lisa told him. She let out a long sigh, and looked at him, "So, any other huge things to spring on me?"
He quietly chuckled and shook his head, "No, I think that about covers it, the big things right now."
Lisa nodded and looked down and back to Jack, "Can we talk about boarding school? That's where I learned to ride so well."
Jack's face turned beet red instantly, and she thought he was about to have another heart attack with the quick rush of blood, "Lisa, I will never, ever send him off a Bartlett kid-"
"Jack," she patted his chest and smiled brightly at him, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise your blood pressure. I really didn't. I was only teasing. I promise. I mean, I was telling the truth that I had to go to boarding school and did learn to ride there, which I've told you, but I would never think to send John to boarding school." She watched the normal color return to Jack's face, and she put her hand up to it. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I really am."
Jack let out a long sigh of relief and tried to laugh out the tension. He looked at Lisa, "I think I'd rather have Tim teach him how to rodeo rather than that. Don't scare me like that."
"I'm sorry," she chuckled again and kissed him quickly. "Honestly," she shook her head, "I'm not sure how I will ever send him off to school at all, even when he's five. I just love him so much, Jack." She looked to him lovingly, "I just can't believe we have him and can't imagine not having him now."
"I know," he said with a nod and a kiss to her cheek. "He's really amazing, Lise."
The two enjoyed the silence for a few seconds, and Lisa looked to their wine on the table. She reached for it, handed him a glass, and picked up one for herself, nodding her glass to his.
"Yes," she told him.
"Yes, what?" Jack asked, with a glance at her.
She looked down at her glass and spoke as she did, finally looking up to finish, "Yes, I'll agree to all of that. We have to promise to work together, a united front for what we want, and we have to try and include the family when possible and not make them feel pushed out. If we can do that, I am in."