It was the exact type of morning they both craved, just spending time together and relaxing. The idea for coffee outside on the porch was forgotten with the light sleet falling and wind gusts that shook the windows. That was fine, though, a quiet morning inside was more than okay.
Despite his best efforts to sleep in, Jack had awakened at the crack of dawn again, but it was his norm, after all. He was glad to have a small break from the morning chores. Lisa had made a good suggestion, not that he would shirk responsibility all the time, but she was right that Tim needed to carry his load too, and the guy often didn't. Sure, Tim was happy to show up whenever he wanted, eat their food, use the house for whatever he wanted-sometimes even a shower, but he definitely tried to avoid morning chores pretty often. Jack did get up, successfully without waking Lisa, happy to just see her sleeping there peacefully and he checked out the window to find that, thankfully, the barn light was on and Tim's truck was there. As much as his ex-son-in-law irritated him and had proven to be unreliable over the years, Jack knew Tim was doing much better. Sure, he still had his "Tim moments," but it was good to see the man his daughter had fallen so head over heels for so many years ago start to live up to be what he could and should be.
With the quiet house, Jack went about getting his own shower. In a house full of women, hot water was often at a premium along with a few quiet moments in the bathroom. It seemed that someone was always in the shower or doing their hair or doing their makeup. Adding Lisa to the mix would only make the single bathroom more of an issue, but Jack had no plans to change that. While it was the family home, it seemed that there was always a revolving door as to who was there and who wasn't. Right now, though, he was just glad for a few minutes of peace and quiet. If Amy had been home, she would have been up early to get to the barn, but she wasn't. Lou would be up whenever Katie got up, which was going a little later into the morning-all were thankful of Katie sleeping longer, and Georgie usually got up to help Amy, but Jack noticed she'd been sleeping in more with Amy gone right now. Georgie wasn't sleeping too late either, still taking on a lot of the barn chores, but she wasn't up at 5:30 or anything, and today, especially with the quiet house, that was just fine.
As Jack made his way back through the house, he smelled coffee and detoured into the kitchen. It was shortly after 6:30. Tim had come in at some point and started the coffee, which was a welcome surprise, and the other surprise was that Tim had picked up the morning paper out at the mailbox on his way in and left it by the coffee pot. Now, Jack knew it wasn't left there for him, as Tim always picked through the morning paper, but right now, without Tim in sight, Jack snagged the paper and waited for the coffee; Jack paid for that paper. It was his. He was sure that Tim had started the coffee, headed back out to finish the chores, and had plans to spend the rest of the morning drinking the household coffee and reading Jack's paper. As Jack stood waiting for it to finish, Georgie came flying through the kitchen, trying to put her arm into a fleece pullover.
"Ahh, good morning," he called to her as she sat down on the bench and started to put on her boots. Jack pointed to the boots, "Georgie, you need to be careful with those boots. Lisa tripped over those because you left them in the middle of the floor. We have the family boots lined up there on the wall for a reason."
"Oh," she made a face, "sorry, Jack. Is Lisa okay?"
"She's fine," 'he waved, "but only because I caught her. Someone, including me," he eyed her, "could get really hurt, though, if you leave those out again."
"I'll try to remember," she told him. "I have to get to the barn. Spartan has been so sad with Amy gone. I thought I would take him on a ride this morning."
Jack gestured to the window, "Have you looked outside? We're getting sleet and wind. That ride will have to wait. Tim is already out there, so the chores shouldn't take too long."
"Are you coming out?"
"No, not today," he shook his head. "Tim needs to pull his weight. You and I have been doing our fair share."
She nodded, "Okay, I'll be back in later, but if it stops sleeting, I'm going to take Spartan out."
Jack nodded, "Just make sure you stay close and bundle up. It's likely to be slippery, and that wind sure is a lot today. Put on some extra layers," he nodded to her, and Georgie stood, nodding back and did as he asked. They definitely shared a special bond, and he was proud of Georgie for stepping up with Amy gone and doing so much with the horses. She threw him a wave as she flew out of the house, and Jack followed behind to close up the door she'd left open. It was cold in the kitchen; it was cold in the house, and today was the exact type of day for a fire. He'd start one later once the day got going.
Now, with the coffee done, Jack prepared two cups and snagged one of the kitchen trays. Lisa had made a couple loaves of blueberry bread two days ago and brought them over for dinner two nights ago, and Jack saw one of those still wrapped up on the counter. He sliced that and finished breakfast prep. Leaving the kitchen, he gingerly opened the bedroom door and saw that Lisa was stirring. He gave her a warm smile.
"Morning," he told her, putting the tray down on top of the dresser. She gave him a sleepy smile.
"Morning, is that sleet?"
"It is," he chuckled. "Definitely picked a good day to stay in from the morning chores."
Lisa smiled again, her head halfway buried in her pillow, "How fitting for Tim, ehh?"
"Guy has to be cold. He'd already been in and started the coffee, not that I'm complaining, but I'm sure he will be when he realizes I have the morning paper, and he doesn't." Jack took the paper from the tray and tossed it onto the bed. Lisa sat up and yawned while she stretched.
"I've come with coffee and your blueberry bread."
"Oh, that sounds heavenly," she sighed, twisting her neck side to side. "I've got to get a better pillow, Jack. This one always kills my neck."
"Okay," he nodded. "Change whatever you need."
"Right now," she said, standing up and stretching again, "I'm going to brave a trip to the bathroom. Anyone up?"
"Georgie already went to the barn, and Tim's there too, as you know. I haven't seen Lou, so your mission is at your own risk."
"I'll see how it goes," she said, walking around the bed to the door, but before leaving, the two greeting each other with a morning kiss.
"I'll be here," he gestured. "I thought we would enjoy our coffee and the paper in here, unless you want to sit around the kitchen with Tim." Lisa made a face, and Jack nodded in agreement. She flashed a smile as she stepped out of the room, and Jack moved the tray over onto the bed. He stretched out, separating out the morning paper. Lisa liked to start with the news, while Jack usually started with the farm report and the obituaries. It was a good day if he didn't know anyone listed.
When Lisa returned, Jack eyed her, and she gestured with one hand in the air, "Victory, no one roaming about the house yet, and I used my own toothbrush, not Katie's bunny one," she smirked. Jack chuckled at that, and Lisa moved back around to stretch out herself, holding up one of the living room throws.
"Boy, it's cold this morning," she told him, propping up her pillows and accepting her cup of coffee from Jack. Remind me to bring over one of my thousand throws to leave in here because I can't get warm." Jack glanced at her, and unlike on their honeymoon when she'd complained about that but hadn't had on heavier clothing, this time she did. She had on her favorite style of pajamas. He knew she had them in multiple colors, and she had on a navy blue pair this morning. He helped her with the blanket, and soon, both looked very comfortable there sipping at their coffee. Jack handed her half of the paper, and she gave him a small smile as she settled into reading the current events.
Not much was said over the next several minutes, both enjoying their closeness but also just enjoying the peace and quiet. Jack missed this, missed having Lisa around all the time, and he'd told her a little bit about missing her so much when they'd been broken up, but it was almost as if he didn't realize just how much until she was now back in his life and sitting right there with him. After several minutes, Jack put down one section of the paper. Lisa glanced over at him.
"Know anyone today?"
"No, I don't know anyone listed in the obituaries," he tilted his head at her. "A good day."
"Yes, that is," she nodded. Jack gestured to the tray where the bread was still there, and she nodded in agreement.
"I have just enough coffee left to enjoy some of that bread. Yes, please," Lisa encouraged, and Jack moved the tray between them to enjoy their food. They settled into their breakfast, glancing to the door with the sleet and wind pounding against it.
"Really coming down," Jack commented. "I'll build a fire here soon. I know the house is colder than anyone wants."
"Mmm," she nodded in agreement, sipping on her coffee. "Perfect day for soup. I can make some later."
He glanced at her, "I'd love minestrone if you are taking up requests."
She laughed at that and nodded, "I think that can easily happen. I'd thought about that too. If you are done with that section of the paper," she nodded to his discarded part, "I'll trade you." The two went back to reading the paper and finishing their breakfast, both enjoying the peace and quiet, even with the bad weather raging.
In an instant, they didn't realize they'd been interrupted until it had already happened. "Grandpa," Lou knocked abruptly at the door. "Are you okay? Please be okay." Lou burst into the room, startling both Jack and Lisa. They looked over at her, and her facial expression turned to a horrified one.
"Oh my gosh, I didn't know you were here, Lisa!" Lou's face drained of color, and she waved her hand, stepping back to the door. Jack looked over at Lisa, who was there with the paper in her hand, looking at Lou. Jack looked back at Lou too, seeing her trying to exit the room.
"Lou," Jack called, and now, with Lou sticking her head in the door and nothing else, she gave him a pleading look. Jack sighed, and rolled his eyes, "You barged in, so now take what you started. What's the problem?"
She waved her hands, desperately trying to walk back her entrance, "Nothing, nothing at all. It's 7:30, Dad is in the kitchen, said he hadn't seen you, and it's not you at all to miss morning chores, especially this late in the morning. Just worried about you especially when you weren't home when I went to bed. Just making sure you hadn't," she sighed and nodded, "had some episode or something in here and needed help. Obviously, you are fine."
"We'll talk about this," he waved, "later. I can't think of a time I've barged into your room."
"Sorry again," she said to him and glancing to Lisa, "very sorry, Lisa."
"Hmm, just coffee and the paper," she held up the section she was reading. And yes," she pursed her lips and looked at Lou, "I would like to clear up some things later."
"Okay," Lou said, pulling her head from the doorway and closing it. Lisa put down the paper and frowned at Jack.
"Well, that was fun."
He groaned and leaned his head back against the headboard, "We're back to this hovering she is doing over me."
"Oh, I'm getting to the bottom of it this morning. I wasn't kidding when I said that. You and I both know that Lou and I seem to be one extreme or the other, getting along really well or to barely speaking. I want to clear the air, whatever is going on especially since we're both going to be in the same shared space going forward." Jack nodded, glancing over at Lisa with a low chuckle.
"I didn't mean to heat things up in the house in that way."
Lisa swatted at him, "You know I'm right. We need to clear the air, better than this ridiculous nonsense of her hovering over you so much and having some unknown issue with me. I mean," she covered her mouth, laughing, "her reaction was quite comical, and this is about as innocent as you can get, coffee and the paper," she gestured at him, "you're dressed for the day, I'm at least presentable, and she about died. I do have to laugh, though," Lisa chuckled. "Pair this today with how mortified she was about that comment your doctor made and she repeated, about you being virile" Lisa covered her mouth with the back of her hand. "Oh, Lou," she continued to laugh. Jack started laughing too, nodding at Lisa, and Lisa shook her head and continued, "I couldn't hold my wine when she burst out with that comment, and I'm married to you." The two broke into further laughter, finally settling down moments later.
"Serves her right," he shook his head. He put down his paper and looked over at Lisa who was still frustrated about it, "I'm sorry. She shouldn't be just barging in, and I can guarantee she won't again, but I will address it with her. That's now how things have ever been here. She knows better."
"Thank you," she said, reaching to clasp his hand. "She might be looking for a new place to live had she really seen anything." Jack started laughing at that comment, and he shifted to pull Lisa into his side. They sat like that for several minutes, the longer they did, the more movement they heard in the kitchen. Jack eventually leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"I suppose I should get a fire going. It sounds like everyone is up."
"Hmm, yes, and I'd really like another cup of coffee, but I won't throw all caution to the wind and show up in my pajamas." Jack chuckled at that, squeezing her shoulder.
"Sorry, it will be better when we can tell everyone. I'll get your coffee, need another cup myself."
She nodded, "I'll get dressed, and this makes me so grateful I usually take a shower in the evening," she chuckled. "Not to mention, all of my toiletries and things for my hair are in here."
Jack broke their contact and shifted to get up for the day, "I'll get coffee first and start that fire. Take your time getting dressed. I'll know this was all too much for you if you sneak out the door there," he nodded to the exterior door. Lisa grinned at that but pointed at Jack.
"That would mean my taking your truck, and no," she shook her head and made a face. "I think I'll face the family instead."
"Brave woman," he winked, and with that, he picked up the breakfast tray while Lisa started to make the bed. He winked at her again as he opened the door, and she returned his flirtatious wink with a warm, loving smile.
