He woke with a start, one of those times when the sweat was running down his back and his heart was racing. Jack didn't remember anything, but something told him he'd had a bad dream, maybe one about Lisa's accident. It was interesting to him that even though he'd not seen her accident, he was having nightmares about it occasionally. As he came to his senses and took in his surroundings, he noted the sunlight was already streaming in the window. He'd been getting up before the sun, so today, he'd slept in. That surprised him. Jack glanced over, hoping he'd not awakened Lisa only to find her spot empty. He patted at it and instantly rolled his eyes, as if patting at an empty spot on the bed would produce the person. Her spot was cool telling him she'd been up for some time. He sighed and flopped back onto the bed, removing the pillows stacked in the middle between them. It wasn't a 'pillow fort' to separate them, but the proper height for Lisa's hand. It certainly had served as a barrier, even if unintentional. He'd not dared to reach over to at all during the nights as for fear of bumping her broken arm. Still, there was something very comforting about being in the same bed as Lisa even if he had kept to himself. As Jack tried to wake up himself, he recalled the evening prior-Evelyn. Of course, that was probably why Lisa was already up, and from what he'd seen of Evelyn, she'd be here early. She definitely had a way about her, a level of energy even Lisa didn't have. Jack sat up and decided he would get up, hoping that his presence would be a help to Lisa, whatever that meant.
The house sounded quiet even with the bedroom door closed, and he wasn't sure if Evelyn had shown up yet or not. The two women could be on the back porch for as far as he knew. Still, he was really groggy this morning, feeling every bit his age. He recalled sleeping okay, so he wasn't sure why he was dragging so much this morning. A quick glance at his watch told him it was just after 7AM. Feeling rather 'at home,' Jack decided he wanted to freshen up a bit but really wanted a cup of coffee. He had a robe; he was presentable enough, especially for anyone who dared to show up at 7AM.
He opened the bedroom door and spotted Lisa, her back to him, standing at the kitchen counter, Jack noting she wiped at her eye as he approached.
"Morning," he said quietly, walking or rather shuffling up to her in his slippers. He really was tired. Perhaps he'd not slept as well as he'd thought with the dream or nightmare or whatever had him waking up in a sweat. He could hear Lisa put her coffee cup down on the kitchen tile as she then turned slightly to greet him, her hair clipped up-messy usually because she only had the one free hand and never seemed to want to let him help her, and also in her new robe.
"Morning," she said, biting her lip, and he instantly could see she'd been crying.
"Hey," he gave a nod to her as he stepped up next to her and frowned, looking down into her slightly puffy eyes. Jack gripped her good elbow and shook his head. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she tried to wave him off, but he eyed her and continued to frown. Knowing that look from him, she finally relented and sighed, rolling her eyes, "It's just, I don't know. I suppose I'm frustrated, feeling sorry for myself. I'm sorry you are here, putting your life on hold, for being a burden."
"Lise," he shook his head, fondly giving her a sad smile, "I am right where I want to be and need to be. You most definitely are not a burden. Why would you even think that?"
She wiped at another tear, and as she did, Jack lost his grip on her elbow. He wiped at a stray hair that was now matted on her face from her tears, and she shook her head, now almost sobbing. It was almost as soon as the tears started, she couldn't stop them.
"I just do. I'm independent, and I hate that I can't do anything. Everything, even pouring a cup of coffee is difficult. I'm still in a lot of pain, and things with us just feel awkward. Then," she waved her hand again, "there's Evelyn, rolling in, telling me I should be doing more. I'm doing everything I can. She's not been here and is suggesting things about you, suggesting I should be going elsewhere for treatment."
Jack nodded as he listened, continuing to wipe the loose strands of hair that kept falling into her face. He studied her as she expressed her frustrations, nodding, and finally answering, "Look, Lise, I'm here for your because I want to be. I really have tried to just let things be at the ranch, hands off. You are the most important thing to me, even if I haven't shown you that in the past. This has all been a wake up call for me, my heart attack, yoru accident. I promise you, I'm here with you, for you. Listening to your aunt last night," he paused, and Lisa looked up at him, wiping her tears again as he frowned, "look, I know she loves you. She's, ahh," he paused and nodded, "interesting, intense, but she obviously cares about you. I don't know how to ask this without you thinking am not invested, but listening to her last night," he frowned and found Lisa studying his eyes. He met her gaze, "Would you get better care if you did go somewhere else? Perhaps she's right about that. I am only supporting you and will in any way I can, but-"
"No," she said, wiping at her tears and then patting his chest. She eyed him again, "Right now, I'm where I need to be. I hate this, yes, but I know I have a long road of recovery. Going somewhere else," she shook her head, "it's not going to change anything. Right now, I need to heal, and while it's slow, I know I am. I have an appointment in a couple weeks about my arm, and hopefully, that will mean my cast comes off. I know I'll have rehab with it, but sometimes," she sighed, shaking her head over and over, "you just have to heal. I don't want to traipse all over France trying to find some magical solution. I've ahh," she sighed, finally glancing up at him, "been happy here, even in this mess, just taking it easy, and the best part of my day each day has now been walking into town, talking with you."
"Come here," he gave her a sad smile again and pulled her into a hug, mindful of her arm. He held her closely and was glad she tightened her grip on him too even with just her one arm. The two stood there for some time, nothing said between them. Jack just let her cry, soothing her by running his hand up and down her back. She continued to cry, and as far as he knew, this was her first really good cry about the accident. He'd mostly been with her, and she'd not let out her feelings like this. After some time, and when it finally sounded like she was all cried out, Jack pulled his head back to look down at her. He wiped at her tears and cupped her face, giving her a soft smile, one she returned, between sniffles. For the first time in a long time, he truly felt close to her. Cupping her cheek, Jack leaned down and kissed her, very relieved she returned his kiss. He knew it didn't give him 'Lisa's answer' about their future, but it felt like the first positive step in the right direction.
He caressed her cheek as she glanced up at him, "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too," he spoke quietly and softly to her. "I know I sound like a broken record, but you are getting better."
"I know," she nodded, biting her lip. Jack nudged at her chin, and she looked back up at him.
"I really liked kissing you again. I've missed that," adding with a nod, "you. I've missed this closeness with you."
She just nodded, a nod of agreement Jack knew, and with that, he kissed her forehead, Lisa wrapping her hand around his wrist. When Jack looked down into her eyes again, he gave a nod.
"How about I make you some breakfast?"
"Okay," she nodded with her own soft smile. "I can help."
"I'm sure you can," Jack said with a roll of his head, the two still standing in each other's arms. "However, I offered to make you breakfast. I'll do that if you," he paused and pursed his lips, finally finishing his thought, "make me a cup of coffee."
She let a nervous laugh escape as she nodded at him, "It's about one of the only things I think I can handle."
"Perfect," he winked at her and stepped back, clapping his hands together. "Ahh, should we expect Evelyn to join us?"
Lisa frowned, considering Jack's question. She finally shook her head, "I really don't know. You saw how she is. I, ahh," she pursed her lips and nodded, her blue eyes looking up at him, "let's make enough for her. If we don't, she'll most definitely show up."
"Coming right up," he winked, now stepping to her refrigerator. He turned back, and Lisa was still there, now leaning against the counter, just thinking, her head now looking to the floor. Jack gestured, "Should I change?"
Lisa's head snapped up when he spoke again, and she briefly seemed to consider his question, but quickly shook her head.
"No, I don't know what it is, but this finally feels like something normal, just making breakfast with you in our pajamas and robes."
"First morning it is well," he waved his hand, "normal, I suppose. First morning without Ben here, with just the two of us, and Ben was great, but it's the first morning it's just us. To be honest," he stood there with his hand on the handle of the refrigerator, "I can't think of many quiet mornings over the years like this, where it's just been the two of us, and that," he frowned, "is my fault. There's always a full house at Heartland, and I suppose I can count just the few times we had a quiet morning at Fairfield."
"Well," she sighed and frowned, still leaning back against the counter, "and even the last trip here, we were up and out of the house each day. I'm not sure if we had a single quiet morning like this, and that," she met his gaze and nodded, "is my fault."
As he continued to study here standing there, injured, but to him, still looking so beautiful in her soft pink silk pajama pant set and the new floral robe he'd bought over it, he winked at her.
"Since I offered to make you breakfast, it will be my fault if it's not made. Now," he turned to the open refrigerator he had been standing in front of, "how about some eggs, maybe a slice of French toast for each of us from that bread we bought last night?"
"No meat-" she pointed at him eyeing him as she frowned, "you promised to do better about that after your heart attack."
He nodded, "Just eggs and a piece of French toast, and the coffee. Coming up."
The two worked quietly in the kitchen. Jack glanced her way and saw that she was putting the cream into his coffee, no question she knew how he enjoyed his morning pick-me-up. Jack got to work at the stovetop, and soon, familiar breakfast scents filled the air. He was so focused on the French toast he didn't hear Lisa walk up behind him and pass around his cup of coffee to him so it was in front of him at chest level. He looked down at the cup and then over to her with a nod and soft smile.
"Thank you," and with just as much ease as their earlier kiss had been, Lisa ducked under his arm and stepped into his side. Jack happily wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her to his side, the two now standing at the stove. He shifted his spatula to keep her there at his side, leaning over to kiss her head again. She wrapped her arm around his back too, and just as they'd stood earlier in an embrace without speaking they did the same here again. He only broke their stance to put on more French toast onto the skillet.
Finally breaking the silence as their breakfast cooked, Jack looked down at Lisa, "Assuming Evelyn shows up here for breakfast, do you think she'll eat a lot or a little?"
Lisa made a face, glancing up at Jack before she cleared her voice, "She's related to me."
"Good point," Jack said with a single roll of his head, and without another word, he prepared three more pieces of French toast and put them in the skillet. Lisa could be heard chuckling while she watched Jack prepare all that French toast.
They both seemed to settle into the silence as they watched the food cook and sizzle, their minds wandering to thoughts of each other.
"One of my favorite first memories of you," Jack said, now flipping the toast. "I enjoyed that first picnic lunch you packed for us but also remember being impressed you ate. You didn't pretend to eat; you ate, just as you ate that burger at the cookout where we met. So, my dear, remembering that, knowing you all these years and how you enjoy a good meal, I'm going to be prepared to feed your aunt. She's already commented on my lack of ability to be my age and take care of you, so I'm not about to face a hungry Stillman aunt."
"I, ahh," Lisa started to speak and paused, frowning before she nodded, "I'm going to make Evelyn understand that my recovery is on me, and that while I'm glad to see her," Lisa glanced up at Jack, "I'm confident in my decisions, I mean," she rolled her eyes, "about my recovery decisions. Anything else," she made a face and shook her head, "well, I'm not confident about anything else right now, except maybe standing here, enjoying this moment."