"What do you think is really going on?" Lisa asked Jack the next morning when the two were enjoying a late breakfast. John had been up early, and while Lisa had taken care of him, Jack had gone to the barn to work on the chores. He was now inside, hoping to warm up from the frigid temperatures, and Lisa had made the two of them some toast and eggs for breakfast. Amy and Ty had returned after dinner the night before; Ty dropping off Amy, and she was already up and exercising Spartan even with the cold temperatures.
Jack raised an eyebrow at Lisa as he held up his coffee to drink and frowned. "I have my suspicions, but I suspect you have the same ones. We seem to be in sync on things like this with the girls."
Lisa nodded, tilting her head at him, "So?"
"I think they've reached their breaking point. For Lou to come home from Vancouver without the girls, trying to say she had to get back to Maggie's," he shook his head. "She seems to be trying to stay busy."
Lisa nodded, "I think so too; I think they are talking about a divorce. I mean," she sighed, dropping her head as she shook hers, "I see some of the same signs I put out there myself way back when, and I know you don't want to hear it-"
"No," he shook his head, and Lisa's eyes widened at his admission, but he held up his hand. "No, I mean I do want to hear it. I didn't want you to assume I didn't. Lise, your divorce is a huge part of your past, and it's made you who you are now, the beautiful soul I love and Dan the man I want to strangle for how he treated you and broke your heart. Tell me what you see. I can't relate to this."
Lisa gave him a small smile, but she nodded, "When I was getting divorced, I threw myself into my work," she met his gaze and rolled her eyes as he chuckled, "even more than I do now, yes. Work was all I had. I didn't have family around. I was living in the U.S., which was fine, but it wasn't home. I was needed back at home with my dad ill, and I was just," she paused, "constantly questioning any decision I had made, just the where did I go so wrong? I doubted myself with everything, and I blamed myself for everything too. I avoided huge parts of my life at all costs, and I came home. Yes," she nodded, "my dad was sick, but I realized I was happier here without Dan than at our home in the U.S. with Dan. That was a sobering reality, and I think from the way Lou blew in here last night and announced the girls were coming home later, that she and Peter had a major falling out. She's been avoiding any sort of future plans, such as finding a home, and she's focusing on work more and more. I feel like she seems lost, lost in trying to figure out what I was-where did I go wrong?"
Jack sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, nodding as she spoke. He gave her a small smile again and a nod, "Thank you for telling me that. I need to hear more about things like that, and I don't think to ask. Don't ever think I don't want to know. I do. I think you are probably right. I also think you might be the right person to speak to Lou."
Lisa's eyes widened, and she pursed her lips, "That, or she'll blame me the most for ever setting her up with Peter."
He chuckled and shrugged, "The argument there is she wouldn't have those two wonderful girls, and that argument would end on the spot."
"She said Peter was returning the girls this weekend, correct?" Jack asked, frowning.
"Yes," she nodded. "It was an odd way to phrase it, and Jack," she gave him a sad smile, "there was just a look she had, and I can't even describe it, but I just know that look. I was that look."
Jack leaned back in his chair and glanced out the window. He gave Lisa a head gesture and sat forward, trying to look busy. "Speak of the devil. Doesn't seem like a mad rush to Maggie's if she's back by what," he glanced to his watch, "9:30."
"Well," Lisa glanced at him, "should we just go ahead and pry?"
"You take the lead," he nodded to her. "I think that might be the best. If it's not," he shrugged, "we'll reconvene and try another tactic," he winked at her. "I hate it if this is the case."
"Oh, hi, Grandpa, Lisa," Lou said as she came inside and started to take off her layers. "Wow, it's really cold out there. I forget just how that cold sets in here. It was much warmer in Vancouver."
Lisa, with a glance to Jack, at the mention of Vancouver, took Jack's nod to indicate to jump on that part of the conversation.
"Come and sit with us," Lisa patted the chair next to her. "We wanted to hear about your Christmas in Vancouver, and there are pumpkin muffins, your favorite."
"Oh," she said, with a small smile at the mention of muffins. Lisa winked at Jack, and he had to look away briefly for Lisa knowing exactly what to stay to get Lou to bite. She sat down, and Jack nodded to the coffee pot.
"Oh, I'm fine, no coffee, but a muffin sounds good. I was disappointed, but not totally surprised that Dad ate all of the pumpkin pie."
"Yes," Lisa nodded with a smirk as she looked at Lou, "sorry about that, but you're right. It's no surprise. Tell you what-I'll make another next week. I enjoy making pies."
"Oh, that'd be great," Lou nodded, grabbing two muffins and breaking them off to start eating them. "Ahh," Lou looked between the two of them, "how was your Christmas?" Lisa eyed Jack again, noting that Lou had not answered about hers.
"Really nice Christmas," Jack nodded. "John even rolled over yesterday and started on solid foods."
"Oh, he did?" Lou asked, her eyes wide. "That's great, both things."
"Rolled over back to stomach," Jack chuckled. "Lisa," he nodded to her, "said that's not the norm."
"No, most definitely not," Lou said licking her finger. "Did he roll the other way too?"
"He is now," Lisa smiled. "Jack helped him a few times, but he's got it already today."
Lou nodded as she listened, "What food did he start on? It's really important to only introduce one food at a time."
Jack eyed her and gave a nod, "You do realize I've raised a daughter and two granddaughters already, not to mention I have this wife now who reads up on everything. I am already dreading having to potty train him with you women all telling me how that should happen with me being the man."
Lisa and Lou glanced at each other and started to laugh. Lou shook her head, "Yeah, sorry. I do have to admit the visual of you trying to teach that to a little boy," Lou covered her mouth with the back of her hand and laughed. Lisa gestured at Lou and laughed too.
"Yes, that is going to be interesting, and," she gave Jack a nod, "I do appreciate you have done all of this many times, and I even know I've helped with Katie since she was born, but please indulge me that I'm going through all of this for the first time as a mom."
"You're right, Lise," Jack chuckled. "Just like that Christmas outfit."
"Oh?" Lou looked between them. "Christmas outfit? Wait," she turned to Lisa, "did you find some adorable baby clothes? Oh, that's my favorite thing to look at online."
"Mine too," Lisa leaned in and laughed, like they were sharing a secret. "I'll have to show you later. I left my phone charging in our bedroom, and I don't want to wake John to get it, but I did get some pictures, pictures of Jack too," she nodded at him, "feeding John and then later Jack, John, and your dad all sleeping with hockey on the television." Lou started to laugh, and she nodded with a smile at Lou. Lou gestured to the hallway.
"Oh, I saw his room was set up. That's exciting," she gave them both a warm smile. "Is he going to use it?"
"We're going to move him," Jack nodded, giving Lisa a small smile. "His health scare just threw us a little, and we're just being ahh-"
"I get it," Lou nodded.
"So," Lisa said, getting to their questioning as she tilted her head and smiled sadly at Lou, "Last night, you mentioned Peter was returning the girls this weekend. It sounded like he was being a dad and bringing them home, not being a husband and coming home."
Jack raised his eyebrows slightly at Lisa's tactic, giving her an encouraging nod when she met his gaze. Lou's eyes widened, though she was looking down, but both Jack and Lisa noticed it. The room was quiet for a few moments, but eventually, Lou took a deep breath and looked up, giving each a quick glance before addressing Lisa because she'd asked.
"I think Peter is a very good dad and wants to be as involved as possible. I'm not sure-" she paused, searching for words, "I'm not sure he has that same interest as a husband." She looked then to Jack and tears appeared. She tried to shake them away, but she couldn't, "I wish we'd had a great Christmas, but he and I decided to separate and divorce. I feel like such a failure."
Lisa got out of her chair to embrace Lou. Jack reached over to clasp Lou's hand, and Lou put her head on Lisa's shoulder. Lisa, looking at Jack over Lou frowned and shook her head. He nodded back, their suspicions sadly confirmed.
"I don't even know what to say. I didn't want to have to tell you guys."
"Lou," Lisa sighed, holding her tightly, "honey, it's okay. Believe it or not," she told her, "I've been there. You just never saw me at that low. I suppose I'm here to tell you that it's awful, and I get that, but I'm also here to say that as bad as this is now, you will get through it, you and the girls, and someday," she pulled back to look at Lou, "you'll be happy again, whatever that means and looks like for you. You'll be happy, and you'll figure out what makes you happy. Had someone told me when I was going through my divorce that I would one day be married again, so very happy, and have a baby," she said with a chuckle, "I would have told they were crazy, that maybe others, but not me, especially the baby part," she grinned at Lou. Lou tried to give her a small smile. "This isn't going to be easy, but you also have one very big thing going for you I did not."
"What?" Lou asked, wiping her eye. Jack put a napkin in her hand, and she gave him a warm smile.
Lisa leaned in slightly, "You have a wonderful family behind you. I didn't have that, not then. My sister had her own issues. My dad was dying, and he couldn't help. My mom had long passed away as yours has. That isn't me wanting pity. That is me saying that if I could come through strong and independent alone, you, my dear, will be ten times that. We are all here for you. You have those amazing girls, and you have us."
"Lou," Jack said, and she looked at him, "I'm not good with the relationship stuff," he made a face and sighed. "Lisa is right though," he told Lou. "We're all here for you. I can't begin to understand a divorce and how devastating that must be, but we're on your side. You can come to us," he gestured to Lisa. "You can come to Lisa. I had a lot of long talks with your mom, not sure those did any good because I always felt like I wasn't giving her a good shoulder to cry on, but we're here. Even with your mom, it was different. Tim had a lot of destructive behavior that well," he glanced at her, "we won't get into, but that is a more visible reason for divorce than you have, but it doesn't mean it's any less relevant."
"I'm still trying to process it all," Lou sighed. "We haven't told the girls and will have to do that. I can barely grasp what all needs to be done. I just sat on that flight and stared straight ahead, the entire trip which was the worst use of my time."
"It will all come together," Jack reached for her hand again. "The good thing your mom didn't have is that you and Peter will work together. You said it-he's a good dad and is wanting to be involved. Your dad wasn't at that stage. We just want you to know we are here for you, whatever you need."
"And," Lisa said, taking a deep breath and meeting Jack's gaze as she said it, "Lou, this is your home, and you can obviously live here."
Jack's eyes met Lisa's with surprise, but adoration. He didn't comment, but Lou looked between them, "I know Peter and I talked about buying something. I guess," she shook her head and dropped her head in her hands, "I guess that was maybe a distraction, that the reason I couldn't find the perfect house was that I knew deep down it wasn't going to work."
"Lou," Lisa said her name and waited for Lou to look at her. She squeezed her shoulder, "You know, once I divorced Dan and returned to my home at Fairfield, I finally felt at peace. I told myself that after my divorce, I'd never leave there, that it was the one place I felt safe." Lisa gestured around to the house, "As I said before, you never know what may eventually come, how you may feel. Look where I am now. This is your home, and you and the girls can stay as long as you like."
"I really appreciate that," Lou nodded, reaching to hug Lisa. She held onto her for a moment, and then she sat back in her chair and took a deep breath. She looked to Jack, "Grandpa are you disappointed?"
His face turned downward, and his eyes met Lou's, "Lou, I'm only sad seeing you sad. I'm not disappointed. I'm glad you told us so we can be here to support you."
She nodded, taking another deep breath, "Ahh, please don't say anything-"
"Honey," Lisa squeezed her shoulder again, "not our news to share."
Lou stood and looked to both of them, gesturing to leave the room, "I appreciate it, and you guys," she sighed, "I'm really glad to have you both. I really see it, how you balance each other, how things are just calmer when you are both around. Thank you both for the advice, and I'm going to just process this more before I can really figure out what I need."
"You do that, Lou," Jack nodded. "We're here for you."
Lisa squeezed Lou's hand as she walked away and then put her hand to her chest, looking at Jack, "My heart aches for her, mostly because this isn't some check the box. This is obviously a life-changing event that will rock her to her core."
"I know," he sighed, dropping his head. "I saw it with Marion, but hearing it from you, it's different. Marion never would talk about much of it with me. I just knew it was tearing her up. It's a lot different to hear my wife talk about how much she was hurting then to see it from a bit of a distance with my daughter and granddaughter. I just know I saw a lot of tears, and that kills me."
Lisa reached over and took Jack's hand in hers, "We will help her, both of us, all of us," she gestured to the house. She thought a moment and then nodded, "I think what is so special here is that each one of us can be of help to her in a different way, a different type of comfort. You're her rock; that's very clear. I've been where she is. Tim, well," she rolled her eyes, and Jack nodded. "He's her dad and will have that different fatherly protective instinct. Amy is her sister and perhaps the person Lou can turn to for that non-judgmental support. Lou will need each of us, all at different times."
Jack nodded again as she spoke, and then, he stood and walked around to pull her into a hug, "Listening to you with Lou, I just wanted to tell you how much I love you and that I guarantee we will never have to go through anything like that. I'm so happy we have this deep connection and commitment and all these years behind us of life lessons learned. I mean, we couldn't stay away from wanting to protect each other when we were trying to stay away," he chuckled, kissing her head. She hummed at that. "I love that we talk, that we laugh a lot, that we just want to be in the other's presence. I also love that you just opened our home to Lou and the girls without a second glance, even after I promised you a quiet home for us, for John. What you just said, did," he amended, "change the dynamics here completely, and I know that it's not the life we planned."
Lisa pulled back from their embrace and looked into his eyes with a deep breath, "Jack, life isn't this perfect plan all the time. You and I have seen that over this last year. This is our family, and I know that family can be messy." She gestured outside, "We have a Tim on our hands all the time. Lou and the girls need us, all of us. I know as lonely as I felt when I was getting divorced, I would never wish that type of loneliness on anyone, let alone family, so yes," she said with a sad smile as she leaned in to kiss him sweetly, "of course, they can stay. It's not what we planned, but what has been? It's what families do, and even though I haven't had one in a very long time, I know families stick together."