John interrupted and put any further discussion on hold. Once they had fed him, they returned to the porch with a snack of cheese and crackers and more wine. Lisa had already commented they'd need to take another walk back into town tomorrow for more. Jack brought out the bouncy seat Lisa had purchased for the house. She hadn't bought a lot of things, but the few she had purchased had been extremely useful. Once John was situated in that, on the coffee table looking at them, they started to enjoy their afternoon snack.
Jack pulled out his bottle of pills and took those with a glass of water he had on the table. Lisa gestured to the pills.
"Let's see what you are taking?" She gestured with her hand to his pill bottle.
He waved her off, "Just my blood pressure meds, Lise. No need to worry about them."
She rolled her eyes, "I know that. I'm taking some too. I wanted to see what you are taking. You won't talk to me about that, and I need to know."
He glanced to her, "I just don't want to bother you with them."
"Right," she nodded. "That's a healthy answer. Oh, I'm sorry doctor. I don't know what he's on because he didn't want to bother me with that. She reached over to where she had her own bottle of pills sitting, because she'd been taking hers at the same time every morning when she got up, and she smacked them down by him. "Here," she nodded to him.
Jack sighed and pulled the bottle off the table and put it down by hers. She frowned at him, but nodded as she picked it up and put on her glasses.
"Jack, this is the same thing I'm taking, just a much higher dosage. Why wouldn't you tell me what you are taking?"
He sighed and just looked down to the floor, "When I had my-" he paused.
"Heart attack," Lisa added because he'd just stopped talking. "Jack," she reached over and touched his knee, "we both know you had a heart attack, and we both see you are doing well."
He nodded and continued, "After my heart attack, when we broke up, I am sorry about pushing you away. I didn't want you taking care of me, and it took me a long time to realize that neither of us can predict the future."
"Okay," she nodded, in agreement, not seeing the problem. He gestured with his hand and continued.
"I saw us 10 years down the road and didn't like the picture. I didn't like the idea of you spoon feeding me mashed potatoes because I was some invalid."
"What?" Lisa looked to him, now horrified. "Is that why you pushed me away? You were trying to be noble. Jack, I love you, have loved you regardless of our ages and whatever medical issues either of us might have. You just saw what I went through. There's no guarantee. I could need to be spoon fed mashed potatoes in 10 years. My goodness, you've seen it with your own daughter. She was taken way too soon. I need you to get that idea out of your head because it's just plain stupid. In fact," she gestured and rolled her eyes, pointing to John, "joke is on both of us because soon we'll be spoon feeding him mashed potatoes."
Both of them looked to John, and he just sat there, wide-eyed, and then, he just smiled back at them.
"That was a smile!" Lisa exclaimed. "He smiled!"
"He sure did, Lise," Jack said, squeezing her knee. "Look at that," he chuckled. He looked back to her and nodded at her, "I'm sorry about everything. We've wasted so much time, and I'm sorry. You're right. I won't hide my medical problems. I'm on these blood pressure meds, and you know that. All of the information is there. I'm sorry."
She scooted closer to him and wrapped her arm around his back, leaning her head against his shoulder. "We're going to keep us both around as long as possible, okay? I don't want to lose you, so if you aren't feeling well or something, you have to tell me."
"I will," he looked to her and locked eyes. "I promise."
"Good then," she said with a half-smile. "Besides, it was awkward enough having to get into the ER when Tim brought you in a few weeks ago."
He glanced to her, confusion on his face. He shook his head, silently asking her what she meant. She rolled her eyes.
"You know how ERs are, with all of their family only rules," she scoffed. "I had a particularly rude nurse who told me to just wait there in the waiting room. I might have waited until a different nurse was at the desk and told her just a little tiny fib," Lisa said, smacking her lips on the word fib.
Jack gave her a quizzical glance, "What did you tell her?"
"They only let immediate family back, and so I just walked up there and told her I was your wife and needed to see you. She didn't bat an eye all because of that one word." Lisa shook her head.
Jack chuckled at that and pulled her into his side, kissing her forehead, "My own delinquent here. Such a rule breaker."
She rolled her eyes, "It worked. I saved you from killing Tim in that ER. Honestly, I should be seen as a hero for that."
Jack reached to the floor and picked up John's blanket that had fallen. When he sat back up, he shifted and met Lisa's gaze, "I have one more thing to discuss."
"Ahh, okay," Lisa said with a nod. She took a deep breath, "Let's have it."
"So serious," he said, making a face at her, and that had her laugh. He winked at her and reached for her hands to clasp him in his.
"All of this talk about how this is all going to work, where we're going to live, the life we want with John,' he paused and gave her a warm smile. "That's all fine and dandy, but I have a very important question for you." Lisa shook her head, wanting him to just continue.
"There was something about you that caught my eye seven years ago, and I've needed to say this for a very long time. Lisa Stillman," he said, and reaching into his pocket and pulling out his ring box, while she put her hand to her mouth watching his motions, "I love you, and it would be my honor if you would agree to marry me."
"What?" She looked to him, almost surprised.
He gestured to her, "It shouldn't be that much of a surprise, Lise," he winked. "All of this talk about our future, well," he nodded to the ring, "this was my grandmother's ring, and I'd really like you to have it. It's not some flashy thing-" Lisa put her hand on his, and he stopped talking and looked up at her.
"It's beautiful, Jack," she said, tears glistening in her eyes. "It's beautiful, and it's perfect. Yes, I'll marry you and come live with you, and" she paused when John yelled out. Both glanced to him, and Lisa started to laugh as she looked back at Jack. She hooked her head toward John, "He agrees too. Yes, I'll marry you." At that, Jack's face broke into the biggest smile he'd had in a very long time, and he put the ring on her finger. The two leaned in for a kiss, and they laughed when John yelled out again. Their heads together, they both turned to look at John. He flashed another smile at them.
"Pretty special," Lisa said, sitting back, nodding to John, and looking at her ring. I think you did good, Jack Bartlett, talking your son into smiling when we get engaged."
"I told you he and I chat a lot," he chuckled.
Lisa looked to the ring and fingered at it, "This really is a beautiful ring, Jack, and I'm honored it was your grandmother's ring. I know she was very special to you."
He shrugged and gave her a bashful look, "I know you deserve something more."
She shook her head and gave him an almost annoyed look, "Why would you say that? I don't need some flashy, expensive ring, Jack. That's not what I'm about. Sure, I have money," she rolled her eyes, "but this is meaningful and special, and most of all," she smiled and reached for his hand, "it came from you and is something you wanted to share with me."
"I'm glad you like it," he said with a warm smile and nod to her. "I should have done that a very long time ago, well before my heart attack, and I'm just sorry things unraveled they way they did. At least now," he grinned at her, "you can get into ERs."
She smacked at him, "Don't even joke about that." She sighed, and he pulled her close and kissed her head.
"Good job, Cowboy," she said, leaning in to kiss him again. Jack returned the kiss, and the both paused and locked eyes.
"You smell that too, right?" Lisa asked, breaking into a full laugh. Jack nodded and laughed too, both heads turning to John, where he smiled again.
"I need to work on his timing," Jack said.
Lisa squeezed Jack's shoulder and kissed him quickly again, "I'll go change him. Maybe we can discuss this wedding idea when I get back."
"I can change him," Jack offered, but she was already standing and unbuckling him from his seat. She glanced back.
"I've got it, but I do appreciate you willing to clean him up because it it's as bad as it smells," she made a face and walked into the house. Jack followed her in to get more crackers from the kitchen. He heard Lisa call out from John's room about the mess. It sounded like a doozy of one. The doorbell rang, and Lisa called out to Jack.
"Jack, that should be my vegetable delivery. Could you get that?"
"I got it," he told her, walking to retrieve her groceries. Jack muttered to himself, "This should be fun, me trying to talk to some French person." He opened the door, his wine glass in hand, and instantly, his eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing here?" Jack asked.
"Jack Bartlett," Dan asked, taken aback and clearly surprised to see him. "I'd say the better question is what are you doing here?"
Lisa walked up behind them, John freshly changed and now on her shoulder. "It should all be there, Jack." She stopped right behind Jack and groaned.
"Dan, what are you doing here?"
"Investor meeting tomorrow," Dan gestured, giving Lisa a look. "Surely, you haven't forgotten, but I know that with a new baby, it's probably hard to remember anything and run a legitimate business."
"And?" Lisa asked, ignoring a lot of what he said. "Why are you on my doorstep?"
He just smiled at her, but he turned toward Jack, "Jack, I can't believe you knew how to get on a plane. Interesting to see you here."
"Dan, just go," Lisa sighed. "We may have a meeting tomorrow with the many investors, but there is no reason you need to be here." She patted John's back and glanced to Jack, trying to diffuse the situation.
"Just stopped by to see if you needed anything, Lisa. I was concerned with you being here all alone."
"Hmm," she nodded, giving a glance to Jack, "as you can see, WE are fine."
He gestured to Lisa, where she was patting John's back, "Looks like an engagement ring, if that is a diamond, or is that something else? It's hard to see with the small size of it."
"Dan," Jack shook his head, and Lisa reached to clasp his hand in her free one. She just gave Dan a fake smile and tugged at Jack's hand. "The lady has asked you to leave. I'm going to agree. I'm here, and you are there," he gestured over the door threshold.
"Dan, I have to deal with you at the investor meeting, but if you excuse us, we aren't going to give you the time of day right now. Jack," she nodded, and he gestured with his hand to Dan.
"Go away, Dan. We're done talking," and with that, he closed the door. Lisa made a face and looked up at him once the door was closed.
"Sorry," she sighed, scrunching up her face. Jack just rolled his eyes.
"You didn't mention he'd be here," Jack looked to her.
She shrugged, "Sadly, we still own a couple of horses together. You know that, Jack, but don't think that I would have entertained him at all even if you weren't here."
"I know," he nodded, but then he glanced to her and gestured to the house.
Lisa seemed to pick up on what he hadn't said yet, "No, Jack. Dan never lived here. I bought this place after my divorce, so," she leaned in and kissed him, "it's Dan-free. I've never let him in here either. I'm sorry he ruined our afternoon."
"Didn't ruin it," Jack said with a shake of the head. He reached for her hand and nodded to it, "It would be pretty hard to ruin this. This has been a very good day, and even," he winked, "in France."