"Wow, Lisa, that was fantastic," Ben nodded as he wiped his face the next morning. He'd been glad to take a day to work from home, something he'd told them his schedule allowed with a lot of flexibility. Lisa, sitting across from him at his small square table, grinned and gestured to Jack and Ben's empty plates.
"Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me use your kitchen for a late breakfast. I was happy to make you some homemade food. Jack loves breakfast too," she added after the three had finished some bacon, eggs, and toast.
"Ahh," he waved at her, "that kitchen doesn't get a lot of use. Most of the time I do take-out, and the few things I make, I did learn from you. That's the only time I really did any cooking, that time I stayed with you and was, well," he shrugged, "willing to learn. I was having a rough time then."
She reached across the table and squeezed his hand, "I'm glad you could stay with me then. It meant a lot to have you, and I just never felt like I was doing a good job. In fact," she looked to Jack, "do you remember I told you that exactly, that I didn't feel I was handling things very well and admired you for the way you were taking care of Lou and Amy after Marion died?"
"I do," he nodded quietly, thinking back on that conversation, the barbecue conversation, where she'd definitely caught his eye, complimenting the burgers, complimenting him, and then saying everyone-herself included-with those eyes of hers sparkling at him-needed a good man in their life.
"That's how you linked me up to Heartland," Ben now nodded, a small smile on his face. "Had you two been seeing each other long then? I've never asked."
Jack and Lisa glanced at each other, Jack giving her a slight nod, and she grinned, "No, I suppose you were the ice breaker. I asked Jack for some advice, and that started us talking, so thank you."
John cried out from his car seat where he was taking his morning nap on Ben's living room coffee table. They trio looked over to him, and Lisa met Ben's eyes and gestured to John.
"Want to hold him? He's a really good baby," she told her nephew. He gave her a questionable face.
"I don't think I'll be very good. I've never held a baby."
"All the more reason," she said, standing to get John from his nap. Lisa put her hands on Jack's shoulders as she walked by him to get John. She peppered John with kisses before handing him over to Ben. Ben looked apprehensive, but when he met Jack's gaze, he got a reassuring nod from Jack and accepted Ben.
"Just support his head," she explained, showing him where to put his hand. "He's getting pretty good head control, but that's the big thing to worry about with a newborn. Gosh," she smiled at Jack, "I guess two months old, he's more an infant now, not so new anymore."
Jack shook his head, "He's pretty new, pretty little, Lise." Jack looked to Ben and smiled, "You look like a natural." Lisa reached for her phone to take a few photos, smiling at each one she took. Jack gestured to her, "You will have to send those to Beth. Maybe that will get you two talking."
Ben looked up at the mention of his mom, "I haven't spoken to Mom in awhile, at least a couple months. She's always saying she'll call and then gets busy. I try texting, but I don't hear much. She's all wrapped up in Simon, what husband four? I've not even met him."
Lisa sighed and shook her head, "I was telling Jack she's been living a much different life than I do."
"No interest in four wives," Ben shook his head. "One would be great, if I can find her."
"Well, Ben," Jack said with a stretch and small smile, "you never know when she might just drop into your life, probably when you least expect it."
"Jack," Lisa said, gesturing with her phone, "the photos are a great idea. Ben, let's have Jack take a few of us with John. We can send them to your mom, and I'm sure she would be delighted to know we are here together." Lisa handed Jack the phone, motioning to the picture part. "Just push here."
"I know, I know," he rolled his eyes in a slight irritation. "You showed me time ago, Lise, and I do use it from time to time. I seem to remember taking some halfway decent pictures of John when he was born, and I've taken some at home with John and Amy."
"You're right," she acknowledged, and Jack took the phone and snapped a few pictures of Lisa, Ben, and John. Ben gestured to Jack.
"I'll get one of all of us and one of you three. Mom will like seeing you with Jack and John, Lisa," he explained.
Once they had taken a few photos, Lisa sat back down and started to send them to Beth. John started to fuss in Ben's arms, and he looked to Jack with a 'help me' glance. Jack stood and offered to take John.
"I'm going to go change him. You two visit some more," he told them. As he was leaving, Lisa's phone went off, and he glanced back to see that it looked like she was doing one of those video calls now.
As Jack changed John, he was sure she was on a video call now with Beth. He knew they didn't talk much. Last night was the most Lisa had spoken about her, and he'd never really been good at asking her things about Beth. He knew he needed to do better and not just only focus on his side of the family. He'd had a good morning visiting with Ben, both men early risers, and they'd had some coffee early on, even though Jack hadn't had much sleep, just watching the early news and making small talk. Ben reminded him of Lisa in some ways, and he liked him very much.
"Oh, here they are," Lisa grinned into her phone and gestured for Jack to come over toward her. Lisa and Ben were sitting right next to each her, and he could hear Ben talking to his mom on the phone there. "We really should do a video chat more often, Beth. Why haven't we talked about doing these?," Jack heard Lisa say as he walked up to the table.
"Here is Jack and John," Lisa said, proudly pulling the guys into the video chat. She wrapped her arm around Jack's back, pulling him into the camera view. Jack gave a small wave, feeling a bit odd talking to the video. He talked to Lisa on video chats from the computer some when she was away, but that was different. He knew her, and it didn't feel awkward. This did to him, but he was trying because it was important to Lisa.
"Beth," Jack nodded to the video. "Ben has grown into a fine gentleman here. I met him a long time ago, and it's good to see him again. I'll give John to Lisa so she can show him off."
Jack stepped back, allowing them to visit. Lisa's facial expressions were so vibrant. She was so excited, and he wasn't sure why the two sisters hadn't spoken more like this, other than as Lisa had said, they just had different lifestyles, lived so far apart, and just hadn't made the time. They didn't talk long, and when the call ended, she turned to Jack and smiled at him.
"Glad you had a small chance to catch up," he nodded.
"Me too," she said, squeezing Ben's shoulder as she stood. "I suppose we need to get things ready to head back to the airport."
Jack's phone rang then, and he reached to answer it, groaning as he saw the number. He gestured to Lisa, "It's Tim. Tim," he said, "still in Toronto." Lisa now listened as Jack took the call. "Yeah, all is fine, headed back to the airport soon. Flight is supposed to get in, hold on," he paused, and he looked to Lisa. "What time does the flight get in?"
"Ahh, 7:15," she said, pulling up the information on her phone again, standing right next to him. "Right now, the flight is showing on time, no delay."
Jack nodded and relayed the information to Tim, "7:15, no delay so far. Yes," he threw up his hand, "Of course that was Lisa! Lisa is with me, and yes, she's on the flight too. No, we left John. Good family wanted him to stay and learn French. No, you idiot! Where do you think he'd be?" He looked to Lisa and rolled his eyes, sighing loudly too. Lisa just laughed and turned back to Ben, shaking her head. The two spoke for another minute, and Jack hung up, looking over to Lisa. Ben was working on the kitchen clean up and chuckling at the bits of conversation he'd overheard.
"Well, that sounded interesting, just like a typical Jack and Tim conversation. Is Tim picking us up?" Lisa asked, almost not sure she wanted to know the answer. She made a face.
Jack, holding his phone in the air and gesturing with it, nodded, "Yeah, apparently, he is."
She pursed her lips and nodded, "This is why I like to leave my own car at the airport."
"I know," he groaned, shaking his head. "A ride all the way home with Tim Fleming isn't my idea of a good time or any sort of relaxing welcome home."
"Isn't Tim Amy and Lou's dad?" Ben asked, jumping in. "I remember meeting him, right?"
Lisa nodded and looked to Ben, "He is, and he was married to Jack's daughter until they divorced, and Tim took off. He's been back since," she paused and looked to Jack, "I suppose he showed back up about the same time you and I started dating because I remember meeting him at the house. Ben, yes, you would have met him then too, around Heartland."
Jack nodded, "Yeah, he's like a vulture, always circling, even snatching up food at the house when it's not his to take."
"Jack," Lisa sighed and shook her head, "he's not that bad. I mean, yes," she nodded, "I know the past with him, but," she turned to Ben, "Jack and Tim have sorted a lot of their past and have one of those love-hate relationships. I suppose we all do with Tim. He's the relative that frustrates you to no end, but at the same time, if he's not trying to take a shortcut on some 'deal of the century,' he's the guy who would do anything for you. He just makes life, ahh, interesting," she said with a single nod.
"And, he can't stay out of my personal business," Jack muttered.
"Well, it was nice of him to call and check on us. I'll start to get things together, and I guess our visit is about to end," she smiled at Ben. "It has been really great seeing you, and I hope you will come and visit us all."
"I will," he nodded, giving them both a small smile. "It's been really good catching up, Lisa, you too, Jack. A visit to see all of you is long overdue."