"I'm so happy," Lisa turned her head and smiled at Jack, the two sitting on her back porch looking over the property as the sun started to set. Jack nodded in agreement.
"Me too-"
"To have my cast off," she finished her original statement after a long pause, and as she grinned at Jack for that, he chuckled, dropping his head. He looked up at her again.
"Me too," he nodded with a wink this time. "I'm really happy you got your cast off, and oh," he put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed one shoulder as he settled his arm, "that you and I worked through so much and that you know," he shrugged with a nod, "you agreed to marry me."
"Hmm," she nodded, glancing down at her arm and hand, shifting slightly there as the two sat next to each other, her right hand moving to twist at her new ring. "It looks so pathetic."
"Your ring?" Jack's eyes widened as he shifted slightly to look over her shoulder to her hands. Lisa gave him a look, glanced down, and realized Jack had misunderstood her.
"No, no," she started to laugh now, nudging his side with her elbow, "my arm. It looks so sad and weak from that cast, not to mention the coloring of my arm is off."
He nodded again, gesturing at her, "I know, but as the doctor said and Helene translated, it will get better. You might have a slight scar there from the surgeries," he pointed with his hand on her shoulder down to her arm, "but Lise, it's going to heal and be okay."
She nodded, now moving her hand to run over the scar from her surgery, "It's still somewhat of a grotesque looking scar. My arm was really mangled."
"It was, and I'm so glad they were able to repair it, and it seems weak now, yes, but you have full motion of it and with physical therapy, it will be good as new," he started to say, but when she gave him a look, he rolled his eyes, "okay, maybe not good as new, but you'll be using it just fine. That scar," he nodded down to it, "might just look like a wrinkle or something as it fades."
"Gee, thanks," she rolled her eyes at him and then chuckled, nodding. "That's some kind of romantic talk from you."
"You know what I mean," he sighed, frowning. "I'm sorry there will be a scar, but I'm not sorry they did that second surgery. That saved your arm. You wear a lot of cardigans and blouses anyway, so yes, it will not be perfect. I do hate to tell you-"
"What?" Lisa shook her head when Jack paused and raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you hate to tell me?"
"Oh," he gestured with his arm on her shoulder, "no one is going to be chasing after you with that look."
Lisa's eyes widened, shocked Jack had said such a thing, but he quickly laughed and gestured to her again.
"I was referring to your ring. You really think I'd ever say, let alone believe, you aren't the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."
"You're horrible," she elbowed his side, and he grunted. "You also need glasses because there are plenty of beautiful women out there. I'm not one of them."
"You're the only one," he said with a single shake of his head.
Lisa didn't comment further on Jack's remarks, but she looked down at her arm again. Still focused on it, she shook her head and started to finger at her ring, "You really bought this here?"
"Course I did," Jack said quietly, pulling her shoulder toward him to kiss the side of her head. "I'm only sorry in my haste to pack and the worry I had about your state, your health, that I didn't bring your engagement ring with me."
"My engagement ring," she nodded, still fingering her ring.
"Yes, your ring. I realize you haven't seen it, but it's yours. My grandmother would have loved you very much. She was kind and caring as you are, saw it as her responsibility to make sure everyone was always settled and well cared for. You remind me a lot of her, and she'd really like that you will have her ring."
"Well, I'm very touched," she told him, finally looking up from her hand to meet his gaze. She gave him a watery smile, her eyes brimming with tears. "Sorry," she wiped at them, a low chuckle escaping, "happy tears."
"I'd hope," he leaned in and kissed her quickly, winking as he did, "about to ask if the ring was so bad it brought you to tears."
"No," she elbowed him again, sighing. "I'm not vain."
"Not in the least, not ever," he nodded in agreement.
"I'm just really surprised, quite frankly," she admitted nodding. "I'm not surprised you love me, just that you'd already planned to ask me even with things so uncertain with us."
"Nothing uncertain about loving you, Lise, and as we've said, we're not wanting to rehash the past over and over, but I finally see the light in that it's you and me until the end, okay?"
"Yeah," she said, tears falling again. "Sorry," she shook her head. Jack reached over and wiped at her face. She let out a jagged breath and nodded, "I'm really happy, promise."
"I'm so sorry I've made you question anything, about how much I love you, about my thoughts on marriage, but I'm serious when I say that you name the day and the place. I'm there. I'll marry you tomorrow-"
"No," she patted his hand. "I'd really like to get married at home with the girls, the whole family."
Jack raised his eyebrows, "You sure about that? That means wedding planner Lou-"
"She's not going to take over. I want simple, and I know I don't have to convince you of that. Simple and soon. I'm not going to take another moment for granted." She bit her lip as she eyed him, hoping he was okay with all of that.
"Whatever you want, Lise, and all of that sounds great to me. Simple, so are you wanting some big party in town, at the polo club?" Jack grimaced slightly and then schooled his face, hoping she didn't notice his grimace at the mention of the polo club.
"No, that's not us," she said with a shake of her head. "Very simple, maybe the church and something then at the house, outside. It's almost summer, and that would be lovely."
"Well, I'd really like that too," he leaned over again and kissed the side of her head, cupping her face as he looked down into it. "Whatever you want."
"First," she patted his hand, "we do need to get home. I should look for tickets."
"No, first," he reached to the coffee table in front of them and lifted the splint she'd been given. "You need to put this back on, Lise. They were confident in your cast coming off but insisted on this splint for a few weeks. "You've been so good with the doctor's orders, so on it goes."
"I know," she sighed, nodding. Jack helped her with it and then gripped her hand in his. The appointment had gone well. Her scans had looked good, and her arm was healing. Yes, she had some scars from the surgery and all, and she would need some physical and occupational therapy on her arm and hand, but finally, the cast was coming off. The team wanted her hand in a splint for a few more weeks due to the extent of her injury. While she had been cleared to travel, they did want her around for another few weeks to re-evaluate. Helene had been amazing and had agreed to translate at their appointment, and through all of that, Lisa had explained she would like her care then transferred back to Calgary. Her doctor had agreed, but the compromise had been a few more weeks here in France first with follow ups and more physical therapy. Jack hated he couldn't stay for the duration, but both understood why he had to leave and both agreed Lisa would follow him home very soon.
"I'm going to really miss you," Jack said quietly and sweetly to her, pulling her more to his side. "I've gotten pretty used to being around you all the time, and I'll really miss that."
"Me too," she glanced up at him, a smile on her face. "I'll finish business here for the spring, and then, I should be home all summer at least."
"Now, I like the sound of that," he winked. "Time to plan this wedding-"
"No," she chuckled, adding, "our wedding is happening when I get home. I'm tired of waiting. I'm locking you down before you can back out on me again," she chuckled patting his leg.
"Like I said," he rolled his head, "name the day and the place. I'll be there, but even before that, I'm going to make sure you get your ring the moment you get home."
At the mention of that, Lisa fingered the ring on her finger and nodded to herself.
"It honestly feels so odd wearing this, even though I've-" she made a face.
Jack nodded, knowing what she hadn't said, "Even though you've been married before. Lise, I know that, and I'm glad that you're wearing a ring I gave you. I hope you like it. I hope it's okay."
"Okay?" Lisa turned her head slightly and looked to him wide-eyed. "Honey, it's beautiful, and what wouldn't be okay about a diamond band? I would have been perfectly happy with a plain band-"
"I'm not that much of an idiot," Jack gave her a look and then chuckled. "Lise, I'll buy you a brand new diamond ring if that's what you want too, but I wasn't going to ask you to marry me with a plain gold wedding band. I'm glad you like it. Tom and I did too."
"That was very sweet of you to get his help. He's become a good friend-"
Jack's phone rang, interrupting their conversation. With his arm still around Lisa's shoulders, Jack shifted to pull his phone from his pocket. He frowned at Lisa, "Tim."
"Answer him," she encouraged. "I know you miss him, even if you act like you don't. He's been a huge blessing, keeping things going at home."
Jack nodded, not that he wanted to admit to agreeing with her, but then turned his attention to his phone.
"Tim, ahh, lunchtime there, I guess?"
"Have you booked your flight home?"
"Working on it now," Jack nodded. "I think it will be the beginning of next week."
"Great, that works. We have to vaccinate the herd, and I don't want to do that alone, nor do I want Caleb's help."
"What, Caleb a problem?" Jack asked.
"No, just, just get home. Ahh, will Lisa be coming with you."
"No," Jack frowned, glancing down at Lisa, and as he did, he met her beautiful eyes looking back up at him. "Lisa won't be traveling home with me."
"Oh, come on, Jack! You've been there three months and still haven't fixed that mess? You realize this is the last ditch effort. You leave here there, and she's not going to crawl back to you. Man, I still don't see the appeal you offer to her, but even Lisa has her end point-"
"Tim, let's focus on the herd," Jack sighed, shaking his head at Lisa. He knew with their close proximity, she could hear parts of the conversation. He certainly didn't want to get into relationship talk with Tim on the phone, and he wasn't about to spill their engagement news over the phone either. Tim would find out when the rest of the family did and over the phone and overseas was not the way it would happen.
"Ahh, well, the herd is okay. Caleb and I did move them to the west pasture, which will be good for the vaccinations. I'll get everything in place so that maybe we can do that mid-week next week, that is if you haven't forgotten how to ride your horse."
"I haven't forgotten, you know," Jack smirked. "In fact, I've ridden some here, over at Lisa's stable while she's been working."
"Oh, so you're at least civil, well, that's just great, Jack. Seriously, she's not coming home?"
"Lisa got her cast off today," he told Tim, choosing to move the conversation to another area. "Her arm needs some therapy now, but she's on the road to recovery. Her hand is now in a splint."
"That must have been a horrific accident, Jack, man, for her to just be getting out of that cast now. You've been there forever."
"So glad you miss me so much," Jack smirked, rolling his eyes when Lisa gave him a look. "Look, Tim," he paused, and the pause drew on.
"Hello? Earth to Jack? You didn't have another heart attack-"
"Why are you joking about that? I paused for a moment-"
"It was longer than a moment," Tim said quickly. "Wait, you got all choked up trying to thank me for taking care of things, didn't you?"
"That's not what that was," Jack gestured with his hand on Lisa's shoulder. "Just, just, I appreciate you holding down things at home."
"Wow, closest I'll get to a thanks," Tim chuckled. "You're welcome, Jack, but when you get home, I am going to drag the details out of you, about how only you could mess up the best thing that's ever happened to you once again. Man, you're an idiot. Oh, I see. Heart attack took more out of you than you thought, no reason to have a beautiful woman waiting around when you can't-"
"Tim!"
"Hey, gotta go, looks like Scott is here, and I promised Amy I'd help them."
"What's wrong that Scott is there?"
"Oh, a couple of the trail horses, hopefully nothing major. Amy just needs some help. Gotta go, Jack, but man, even if you can't, you know with Lisa, fix it-"
"Tim, I'm warning you," Jack said sternly, but Tim hung up before Jack could say more. Jack sighed as he put the phone down, but his expression changed when he looked over and saw his favorite set of eyes, the most beautiful eyes looking up at him.
"What was that all about with Tim?"
"Oh," he waved his hand, "just the usual, Tim's mind always going to the gutter."
"What? You two were talking about the horses."
"Hmm," he gave a single nod, but then sighed when Lisa continued to study his face. He rolled his eyes as he answered, "He pestered me about us, and I'm not going to talk about the state of things between you and me over the phone with Tim."
"Ahh, yes," Lisa nodded, now sitting up more and stretching her good arm as she shifted toward Jack. "I'm sorry I won't be traveling home with you. Those two appointments I have with the doctor-" she trailed off, and Jack nodded.
"I know," he gave her a soft smile. "I will miss you terribly, but you won't be far behind me, six days."
"Are you planning to tell everyone about us?"
He shook his head, "No, not without you there. I really want this to be something we do together, Lise, and I hope that's okay?"
"I'd really like that," she said with a warm smile now on her face. "Thank you for waiting."
He nodded, "Just gives Tim time to worry over us."
"He's always rooted for us," Lisa admitted with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, he does care deeply for you and has always been fond of me."
"Glad you saw me first," he winked at her with a grin. Lisa let out a low chuckle and shifted toward Jack, leaning up to kiss him.
"No comparison, and even if I'd met Tim first, I'd never have pursued him."
Jack raised an eyebrow, "You pursued me?"
"Oh stop," she swatted at him. "You know I did."
"I know," he winked. "I like hearing you admit that." Both broke into a laugh, and Jack opened up his arm for Lisa to snuggle into it again. She did, and he kissed her head once again as the silence settled over them.
"So, what exactly did Tim ask about us?" Lisa asked, now her hand reaching for Jack's to intertwine in his.
"Ahh, nothing," and with a brief glimpse up at Jack, he sighed loudly. "Tim always goes to intimate topics, and I refuse to indulge him."
"Intimae topics?" Lisa raised her eyebrows and started to chuckle. "Oh, I can only imagine from Tim. What? You didn't want to tell him about our conversation earlier today?"
Jack's face reddened, and he cleared his throat, "That's different and understandable."
"Well, yes, in a way," she continued to chuckle, "but no arguing it was an awkward conversation to have with someone translating. Your face was beet red listening to Helene explain from the doctor that we can't," she paused and then just forged ahead, "that intimacy isn't on the table for us until I heal properly."
"No one wants to have that discussion with a third party, let alone a translator," Jack grunted. "Incredibly embarrassing, and no, if I don't want to have that conversation with medical personnel, even with you, the participating party right there, I certainly don't want to discuss that with Tim."
While Lisa swatted at his chest and continued to laugh, Jack's mind wandered back to that moment. Even now, he could feel his face redden.
"No intimate acts for Lisa with anyone for at least another four weeks," Helene explained the translation to them and gave them both a look. "Ahh, the doctor wants to know if you need him to go into more detail on that, the specifics-"
"No!" Jack said abruptly, giving Lisa a glance, and she bit her lip and shook her head too. Jack could feel his face redden, and before he could think more of it, Helene continued.
"Lisa, even when you do resume things, he said to ahh," she paused, and Jack could see her face redden all the while the doctor was just spitting out more and more information, no expression on his face, "it could be painful, could not be the same, and you should take things slowly-"
"Thank you, Helene, got it," Lisa cut in, eyeing Jack who was standing there, glancing only at Lisa. She patted his hand and cleared her throat, "Well, glad we had our relationship discussion before this."
"It doesn't change anything, Lise," he told her quietly, reaching for her hand.
"No, ahh," she pursed her lips, "just would have been awkward to talk about intimacy if I'd told you we were over and didn't accept this beautiful ring," she nodded to it.
"Jack-" and with that, Jack's head snapped to Helene. In one moment, they were keenly aware of others in the room, and in just a separate moment, he only noticed Lisa.
"The doctor asked if you understood Lisa's restrictions-"
"I do," he cut in, sighing.
"We're quite the pair," she patted his hand with a soft shrug, looking then to Helene. "His heart attack, my issues-"
"Oh, yes," Helene nodded. "The doctor asked if you had questions about intimacy-"
"I think we'll work through it ourselves," Jack cut in, eyeing Lisa and dropping his voice. "Never been a problem, and with all of this going on, we'll work through it."
"Eventually," Lisa looked to Jack. "Together we'll work through it eventually."
"Course," Jack said with a firm nod. "Can we talk about anything else?"
"Jack?"
His head snapped toward Lisa, and thankfully his mind was pulled from that very awkward conversation earlier in the day. Jack now found those beautiful eyes studying him.
"You okay?" Lisa asked.
"Yeah," he nodded with another warm smile at her. "Sorry, just tired."
"That's exactly what I was going to ask you. I'm really wiped out. Okay if we head to bed?"
"Of course," he told her, shifting to move. "I'll be right in. You get ready for bed. I'll put up the dishes and lock up." The two went their ways, and finally, after securing things in the house, Jack retreated to the bedroom where Lisa, who was in her pajamas as they'd sat on the porch, was already pulling down the bedding.
"Lise, you don't have to change sides again with your hand still in that brace-"
"I want to," she met his gaze with a smile. "I really miss us, being able to sleep on my side normally with your protective arm around me. I'd like to get back to that, seems we had a very big day with clearing the air finally and our engagement. I'd really like that closeness again, with you right next to me. I know I had to have all kinds of pillows to prop up my arm, but I'm ready to start getting back to normal, our new normal."
He smiled, nodding. Normal sounded wonderful to him, but even better was this notion of a new normal.
"I'll sleep wherever you need me to, as long as it's right next to you. That sounds really great, Lise, from now on, you and me, my favorite time of the day, just lying next to each other, winding down, no one around, and seeing this side of you no one else sees."
She grimaced, "You really do need glasses if you enjoy the makeup free, tousled hair, restless sleeping version of me."
Jack walked to her and pulled her into an embrace, "I see just fine, and I see my very favorite person on the road to recovery, something I wasn't sure I'd see. You're recovering. Our relationship is recovering, and I'm very, very grateful for that."
She patted his chest as she eyed him, "Let's not forget you're still recovering too. We both need clearance from our doctors."
He nodded, "Well, maybe that's our goal for a wedding, both of us finally medically cleared."
"Ahh," she nodded with a grin. "That would be reason to celebrate."
He eyed her, "Best part of a wedding," he winked, and Lisa laughed at that, nodding in agreement.
"Hmm, I won't disagree with you, especially since I really don't want a big production, just you, time with you. I am looking forward to marrying you in front of our family. Well then, let's get some sleep. They say rest is the most helpful when recovering, so-"
"I'll rest 24/7 if that speeds things along," Jack jumped in, and Lisa burst out laughing. She leaned up to kiss him.
"Love you, Cowboy."
"I love you more than anything, Lise, and I look forward to getting home and planning this small, yet intimate," he winked, and she chuckled, "wedding."