Chapter 62 – Fighting for Love part 1
Doug looked at Jack and then back at Elizabeth.
"Can I preface this by saying we were young and stupid." Doug said.
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I hear that, so what is the story?"
"Well." Doug said. "Jack told you that we all met at a charity function, right."
Doug saw Elizabeth nod.
"Okay, then." Doug said. "When we were about fourteen/fifteen we were forced to attend some charity function. So this was about a year or so after we met. Most of the young teenage boys were all sitting off to one side talking about various … teenage boy things."
"So you were talking about the various young ladies that were there." Elizabeth said.
She didn't need an answer as all three ducked their heads and she could see the blush forming on both Jack and Doug's faces.
"Anyway." Elizabeth said. "You were sitting around talking about the young ladies."
"Well." Doug said. "I was already walking a fine line with my parents since I had snuck out of the house earlier in the week. So I was trying to be on my best behavior. As we were sitting there, Charlie joined in the group of about ten boys that included us. His eyes constantly seemed to follow one certain young lady. Jack over there noticed and couldn't help himself."
By this point, Jack and Lee were doing everything they could to keep themselves composed so Doug could tell the story.
"So what did you do, Jack?" Elizabeth asked.
"I started asking Charlie what he thought about the girl." Jack said. "The more that I saw him continue to follow her around the room with his eyes, the more everything just came together. Seriously, I didn't plan it."
"Right." Lee snickered.
"Well, finally." Doug said. "Jack got Charlie to admit what he really was thinking about said young lady. I won't repeat what Charlie said, but will say that it was very lewd and inappropriate. Jack leaned back, gave me a look and I gave him a nod that he had my approval. Jack continued to casually talk to Charlie and when Charlie wasn't paying attention, Jack reached back and smacked him upside the back of his head."
Elizabeth let out a little laugh, but then looked at Jack. He just gave her a dimpled grin before busting out laughing.
"I assume that there is more." Elizabeth said.
"Yes." Lee said between laughs. "Charlie was so pissed, but he thought it was Doug that had hit him. Charlie turned to Doug and wanted to fight. Jack, not wanting Doug to get in more trouble, stepped in between the two and insisted that it was him who had hit Charlie. Charlie sneered at Jack, thinking that there was no way that little twerp had hit him."
"So to prove that it was him." Doug said. "Jack stood up to his full height which was still about six inches shorter than Charlie at that time and sucker punched him right in the stomach. Of course Charlie doubled over. Charlie looked at Jack and asked why he had done that, and it wasn't like he hadn't thought about doing the same thing with the young lady."
"Of course this only further enraged Jack." Lee said. "As he wound up to punch Charlie again. Charlie said, 'What it isn't like it is your sister.'"
"What did you do?" Elizabeth asked, looking at Jack.
"I punched him a second time." Jack said. "Then I told him that the young lady might as well be my sister since it was Doug's sister."
Elizabeth started laughing. She could totally see Jack and Doug doing that.
"So Charlie didn't know that it was your sister?" Elizabeth asked.
"No." Doug said. "If he did, he didn't seem to care."
"So what happened?" Elizabeth asked.
"Charlie found our parents and told them that we attacked him." Doug said. "Of course once we explained what actually happened, complete with the other boys that were sitting there backing our story, they just walked away shaking their heads."
"So you didn't get in trouble?" Elizabeth asked.
"For defending my sister's honor?" Doug said. "Heck no."
"I would have loved to see that." Elizabeth said.
"When we saw Chief Burke and Mr Thornton coming our way." Lee said. "We thought for sure that we were in so much trouble. What I don't think those two saw was the high five between the dads as they walked away after hearing what really happened."
That was it, all four were laughing. It was about that time that James and Margaret walked in. They looked at the four young adults sitting on the couch laughing. They shook their heads and continued on to their room. It was only a few moments later Nathan had come in and looked at the group on the couch.
"What is so funny?" Nathan asked.
"The boys were telling me a story about when they were younger." Elizabeth said.
"Well." Nathan said. "Sounds like a good story. I might like to hear it sometime."
"Sure." Doug said.
It was then that Jack looked at Nathan. He noticed that Nathan didn't have the same smile that he had had on his face earlier. Jack jumped up and was at Nathan's side.
"Everything okay?" Jack asked.
Nathan let out a harsh breath.
"What?" Jack asked. "If I did something please let me know. If there is a way that I can help, please tell me."
Nathan closed his eyes and debated telling Jack what was going on. Jack looked back at Doug who jumped up and came next to Jack.
"Nathan." Doug said. "Please tell us. If something has happened, maybe we can help."
"Fine." Nathan said. "Adam complained to Mr Thornton about what happened on Sunday."
"What happened on Sunday?" Doug asked. "I mean other than Lacy Pennybaker."
Jack quickly told them about talking in the park and Nathan giving Elizabeth a hug and Adam getting mad. Doug looked between Elizabeth and Nathan, then Jack and Nathan.
"You mean." Doug said. "I am sorry …."
Doug closed his eyes and let out a small chuckle. Elizabeth looked between the three of them confused.
"I am sorry Elizabeth." Doug said. "I mean it is obvious to all of us that you and Jack are meant to be together. It is ridiculous to think otherwise. If Adam seriously thought that, then I think he needs his head examined."
Elizabeth laughed at that, especially having seen Adam. Of course Elizabeth's laughing caused the others to start laughing again. That was how Thomas and Charlotte found them.
"So what is so funny?" Thomas asked.
Doug glared at Thomas and then looked at Nathan. Doug closed his eyes and tried to compose himself, but couldn't stop laughing. Thomas looked at Jack and Nathan for an explanation, but they were laughing as well. Finally looking at Lee, Thomas gave him a serious look.
"Sorry." Lee said. "But seriously. I just met Nathan and Elizabeth. Even I can see that Jack and Elizabeth were meant to be together. Also anyone who thinks that Nathan would do anything that was inappropriate is crazy. Adam is so uptight, I doubt that he even hugs his own sister. I mean is he going to freak out if any of us give Elizabeth a hug."
Charlotte just looked at Lee and then at the others. She had a scowl on her face and everyone saw it. It was at that moment that both Lee and Doug realized that Charlotte had probably fed into Thomas' questioning of Nathan and they were mad.
"I was just trying to protect my son and family name." Thomas said. "I mean I have to admit that I am worried because of who JP is and it wouldn't be the first time that someone tried to get their hands on our family money by going after JP. Just because Devin knows Nathan doesn't mean that I do and I am not all that impressed with Elizabeth's background either."
"What?" Doug said. "I saw it the first two minutes I saw them, Jack and Elizabeth, together. I also saw right away that Nathan is more like a big brother to us than anything. Seriously, Mr Thornton, I think you need to consider the source. Adam has never been the most warm human being to be around. Don't get me wrong, he is good at his job, but to him everything is black and white. I have learned that life is more shades of gray.
As far as someone wanting your family money, you are so wrong about Elizabeth. She is one of the kindest and most caring people that I have ever met. If you think that about her, then you are not the person that I thought I knew all these years. I just met Nathan and I am sure that he would never be after your family money either. Devin is a fairly good judge of character. Honestly!"
After Doug finished speaking, Elizabeth let out a harsh breath and turned her icy gaze on Jack's parents. She thought that Jack had been wonderful to her, but his mother had been cold to her and now this, well Elizabeth couldn't take anymore without saying anything. She didn't lash out a lot, but she had held her tongue enough. With everything else going on, Elizabeth wasn't going to let Jack's parents bully him into something that he didn't want and she really wasn't going to let them bully her. She had been bullied enough and with Jack supporting her, she had decided that she wasn't going to tolerate it anymore. She was sure that was why she had the courage to yell at Tommy when he was being disrespectful. Elizabeth knew that as long as Jack supported her, she could do anything and that included standing up to his parents.
"Mr Thornton." Elizabeth said. "Nathan didn't do anything wrong. I was upset, he asked if he could give me a hug and I gave him permission. Jack, Nathan, Doug and Lee have been nothing but respectful of me. I feel comfortable with all of them and know that none of them would do anything to hurt me intentionally. I may not be familiar with security details, but I agree with Doug. Life is more gray than black and white.
Next time, I suggest that you ask the people actually involved before jumping to conclusions. Jack told me that you were different then most people, but from where I am standing I don't see it. I also don't see how Jack has turned out to be such a wonderful young man when he has two very judgmental parents that allow their youngest to treat people horribly. Maybe Jack is the way he is because of his grandparents, because from what I can see it isn't from you.
I may not be from the best family around, but I am not blind or stupid. I felt a connection with Jack before I ever knew about his money. I have felt bad that he has had to spend money to help me, even though he tries to tell me that it is fine. I have also been upset that he has to rearrange his life and yet he tells me that it is perfectly fine. You, on the other hand, are just like my father, more worried about money and appearances than the safety and welfare of your family. You are just like all the other rich assholes that I have met in my life."
With that, Elizabeth turned and headed downstairs. Jack could tell that she was upset and debated following her for a moment. Doug beat him to it.
"Lee and I have Elizabeth." Doug said. "You and Nathan talk to your parents."
Thomas and Charlotte stood there stunned by Elizabeth's outburst, but when they turned to look at Jack, the anger that they saw so clearly written on his face stunned them even more. They watched as Jack painfully watched his two best friends go after Elizabeth. When they had disappeared from view, they saw Jack turn that pain into a cold stare at them. They hadn't seen him like that since he got angry at them about jumping and even that paled in comparison to what he looked like at the moment. Normally, it took a lot to know what Jack was feeling since he had an excellent poker face when he wanted, but in that moment the anger radiated off Jack like a heat wave from the sun. It was so strong that it even made Nathan uncomfortable. He put his hand on Jack's arm as a show of support. Thomas and Charlotte were waiting for Jack to say something, because neither of them knew how to respond to what had just happened. Jack turned and looked at Nathan. Nathan could see the anger in Jack's eyes, but he also saw the hurt that was behind the anger. Nathan had thought about excusing himself, but at that moment, he decided that he would stay as long as Jack wanted him to stay.
After a few tense moments where no one spoke and Jack was pacing back and forth in front of his parents like a caged animal. While Jack was pacing Nathan knew that he made the right choice staying. He wasn't sure if he was going to have to protect Jack from his parents or himself. Finally, it was Charlotte that spoke first.
"JP." She said in a soft voice.
Jack wasn't buying the soft act that he knew his mother was trying in an attempt to get her way. He knew that it was an act, as he had seen it before when she hadn't gotten her way. Jack was long over his mother's manipulations. The words of his grandmother came back to him and Jack got even angrier. He turned and leveled a glare at his mother, the likes of which she had never seen from him, even when he was furious about them wanting him to jump. Jack wasn't just angry at his mother, but his father as well, but he was going to deal with one at a time.
"How dare you?" Jack finally ground out. "How dare you treat Elizabeth that way? How dare you speak to her like that? How dare you try to be all nice to me after you have been nothing but cold and aloof to Elizabeth, THE … WOMAN … I … LOVE! How dare you even say anything to me after you have been keeping secrets from me all my life. I am going to be with Elizabeth and I don't care what you think. Is the reason that you wanted to keep us apart so bad is that you thought that we might be half siblings? Well, I can tell you that we aren't. I talked to Devin and he told me based on blood type alone that it was impossible. My question was why I even had to check it anyway. Additionally, why are there sealed records and documents regarding my birth?"
"John Parker Thornton." Charlotte said.
Jack stopped at the sound of his full name, but he didn't lessen his glare at his mother.
"What?" Jack hissed.
"You are eighteen years old." Charlotte said. "I doubt you know what love is and she is not the woman that I envisioned your future with."
"I am old enough to know what I feel." Jack said. "I don't care what you envisioned for my future. Because … well, it is MY future and it is going to look how I want it to look. I will do what I want to do and I will be with who I want to be with. Honestly I don't care if you approve or not. I am not seeking your permission. I am telling you that I … love … Elizabeth Grace Marie Thatcher and I will marry her if she will have me."
"You are too young to get married." Charlotte said, taken aback at the way that her oldest son spoke to her.
"As you pointed out." Jack said. "I am eighteen years old. Last time I checked, I was a legal adult in this country. I don't need your permission to get married or hell, even enlist in the military. I am an adult and I will decide what my future looks like. It will be with Elizabeth if she will have me after the way that you have treated her."
"Jack." Nathan said softly, putting his hand on Jack's back.