Di2cJnJ: Spectators

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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#21	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:49 PM Editor-In-Chief	Part 22 - A Decision Jennifer woke to the early morning beginnings of light that would bring a cloudy day, and she was momentarily confused. She couldn't understand why she was on top of the bed and not in it. Then, thoughts and pictures of the previous night infiltrated her sleepy peacefulness and she balked. She remembered, now. The events of last evening fell around her in open array, like a deck of cards that had been dropped and scattered. She remembered her complete humiliation, and she wanted to shrivel up and die. She forced herself to get out of the bed, and her legs felt like lead as she plodded to the bathroom. Glancing at the clock beside the bed, she realized that she had slept in somewhat, and it was already past 7:30. What was she going to do, she wondered. She did not want to face Jack this morning, and she was afraid to go downstairs to see if he had left or if he was still there. Downstairs, Jack had been lying on the sofa, contemplating. He was sorry that he had hurt Jennifer's feelings, but it didn't surprise him much. She had been setting herself up for such disappointment for a long time, he thought. Perhaps he had done her a favor, in the long run, by pushing those feelings up to the surface for her to deal with and put away. Why didn't that thought give him any consolation, though? Jack debated about going home and grabbing a shower before work, but he was still concerned that Jennifer might come downstairs and find him gone before the designated 9:00 time, and he had gotten so far last night, he didn't want to jeopardize the situation any. He needn't have worried; Jennifer had no intention of showing herself to him, now or for the entire day! Upstairs, Jennifer was deep in thought. She didn't see how she could leave there until after 9:00, so she decided to wait things out. She just hoped and prayed that Jack would leave soon and let her be. Jennifer began to map out her plan of action for the day, and she started by putting in a phone call for Vern. She left a message, telling him that she was a little under the weather and that she would not be coming in that day. Having accomplished that, Jennifer crossed to her dresser and began to choose what to wear for her day off. She kept one ear cocked toward the door, straining to make out any sounds from the level below, but it was silent. She wondered if he was even there, but she was still smarting from the events of last night, and she would not go down there and see for herself, so she remained in her self-imposed exile until the time appointed. The minutes ticked by, time endless. Neither knew the other was waiting it out, both too stubborn to do something about it. Finally, as the 9:00 deadline loomed, Jack took matters into his own hands. The waiting was making him crazy, and he decided to head upstairs and see what this was all about. Inside the room, Jennifer heard his footsteps, and she double checked that the door was locked. Then, for good measure, she hastened across the room and took refuge in the bathroom. Jack stopped beside the door, finding his destination, but now unsure what to say or do. He listened a moment, but heard nothing. He waited, for an indeterminable amount of time, and when he could stand it no longer, he lifted a hand and rapped his knuckles gently on the door, saying softly, "Jennifer." She refused acknowledgement. Jennifer was tired and disgusted and she was not going to play this game any longer. Jack tried again. "Jennifer!" This time he raised his voice slightly. Jennifer felt a brief moment of panic. She did not even want to listen to whatever it might be he would say, and she slammed the door to the bathroom and turned on the water, full blast. At his post by the door, Jack was startled at the sound. She wasn't sleeping, obviously. She must have heard him call. So, she was still upset and angry with him. He felt compelled to try one more time, and he knocked hard and called her name, loudly. When she didn't answer, he got frustrated. After all, he had only been playing, just as she had. He didn't understand why she had to be so darned unpredictable now. But a foreign emotion Jack could not identify was beginning to seep into him, and he felt its awkward presence. Jennifer stood inside her bathroom fortress, a million emotions a jumble in her. Why did he have to treat her like a stupid little girl? And why did she keep on throwing herself at him, over and over, not facing the sure and certain knowledge that he didn't want at all. Hot tears threatened as they burned the back of her eyes, and she splashed at the water in the sink, trying to drown out the sound of his voice outside her door. If Jennifer's humiliation was not enough, her dismay was now complete. She still wanted him! More than anything in the world, she wanted to propel herself from the bathroom and hurl herself into his arms. What was wrong with her anyway? What hold did this man have on her? Jack did not know what to do. He waited an uncertain moment longer, and then he abruptly turned on his heel and headed back down the stairs. He lifted his jacket from the back of the sofa, and he stalked across the room to the door, intent on leaving. Swinging back the door, he stopped in his tracks, and then he crossed the room to the counter, where he found a small notepad with the name Jennifer proudly displayed. He fumbled in the cup on the counter for a pen, and he ripped off one sheet and began to scrawl a message. Then he stalked back to the door and smashed the note onto the door, exiting with a slam. Upstairs, Jennifer heard the sound and felt the shake, as it penetrated her heart. She eased out of the bathroom and over to the window, where she watched as Jack strode over to his car and got in and drove off. Anger intermingled with despair, Jennifer decided what she needed to do, and she crossed the room and reaching into her closet, pulled out an overnight bag. Without even being fully aware of what she was doing, she began to rifle through the dresser, throwing clothing and personal items into the bag, as she struggled to hold back tears. It really was over, she told herself, wishing she could believe it or accept it and knowing in her heart that she could not understand it. Jennifer knew three things in that moment. She knew that she could not go in to work and face Jack today, she knew that she needed to get away from the loft, a place that held so many memories that were tied to Jack, and she knew, heartbreakingly, that she had to deal with the fact that Jack did not share her feelings and that there was no future for them. Determination as her ally, Jennifer made short work of her packing, and she hauled the bag over her shoulder and made her way downstairs, flinging it on the sofa. She stopped and stared, for a moment, and then she reached down and lifted a pillow. Hugging it close to her heart, Jennifer let out the last precious tears and then thrust it away again, lifting her bag to her shoulder once again. Jennifer stopped only long enough to put on her coat and grab her purse. Then she made her way over to the door, where she stopped in shock at the note she saw awaiting her. It was most definitely Jack's scrawl of handwriting, and she lifted it from its position of prominence, swallowed hard, and read the message: See you at work! Jack A cynical chuckle, unusual for Jennifer, escaped her throat. She gathered all the anger and hurt within her as she crunched the paper into a ball and threw it on the floor. "We'll just see about that, Jack," she countered stubbornly, and she threw back the door and left the place she called home. Jennifer was going away, and at this moment, she did not know when or if she would return there again. With a toss of her blond hair, she departed, putting her memories and feelings behind her, as she prepared herself for the dismal realization that she was going to have to move on without him. Jennifer gulped one last time and thrust her most disturbing thought out of her mind: how on earth would she ever do that? ...to be continued... Next time: Jack goes off to work, but he cannot seem to locate his cub reporter. Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:23 PM. Edited 2 times.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#22	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:50 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 23 - A Problem Getting to work that day took Jack longer than usual. He had to go home first to shower and change, and by the time everything was taken care of, he found that it was already mid-morning as he strolled into the office to begin his day. Trying not to look, he glanced in the direction of Jennifer's desk, but it didn't appear that she had been there, and he started to wonder what would go on between them when she did arrive. Jack was loathe to create a scene, and he hoped that she would respect that. He needn't have worried. Barricading himself in his office, Jack attacked work with unusual vigor. He got so wrapped up in things that the minutes ticked by, and by the time he was ready to emerge from his room, it was nearing noon. As he found himself suddenly without a focus, he strolled from the office, again taking a look in the direction where he expected she would be sitting. There was still no sign of her, and Jack's unknown, unnamed feeling began to grow within him. He asked around with the workers who passed by, but no one seemed to know where Jennifer was today. That feeling increased to the next level, and Jack decided to actively seek out someone who might know what was going on. He bellowed for Vern, and in moment, Vern's usually ebullient face appeared, looking harried and worked up. "What is it, Jack?" he asked impatiently. "There's one heck of a mess going on in circulation. I don't have time for any of your nonsense today." Vern always told it to Jack like it was. "I'll keep it brief," Jack replied in his snarkiest tone. "I just have one question. Where is Miss Horton?" Jack tried to sound interested, without sounding overly interested. Vern sighed, as if this were the beginning round in a game he was not going to play, and then he said, "I don't know, Jack. I give up. Where is she?" "I'm perfectly serious," Jack shot back. "I haven't seen her all morning. Where is she?" He now struggled to keep his voice even, as Vern looked at him with perplexity. "I don't know," he repeated. "All I know is that she called out sick. I figured you knew about it." Vern looked mildly concerned, and Jack was fighting to keep the sick look he felt off his face. "Uh, no," he finally responded. "I didn't know anything about it." Vern noted the preoccupied expression Jack was trying to hide, and he wondered what was going on now. Jack began to mutter to himself, as he turned over the possibilities in his mind. Jennifer was acting like a silly schoolgirl, he told himself. He was disappointed that she would act in such an unprofessional way. Vern broke in to his thoughts. "If that's all, Jack, I'll just be on my way." Jack didn't acknowledge the question but waved his hand distractedly, and Vern stalked off in disgust. Turning to head back into his office, Jack was intercepted by the words, "Mr. Deveraux, there's a phone call for you on Line 1." Jack fairly sprinted for his phone and picked it up with a breathless greeting. "Jack?" came the voice on the other end. It was Isabella. "Jack," she repeated. "What's going on?" "What do you mean, what's going on?" he questioned, his feeling of unease multiplying in magnitude. Isabella sounded worried, and his tones matched hers. "What exactly went on last night?" Isabella shot straight to the point, and Jack felt his pulse begin to race. "What do you mean, what went on last night?" Isabella expressed her frustration. "Stop repeating my questions and answer me!" Jack was passing concerned and worried on his way toward frantic. "Isabella," he said, too harshly. "Just tell me what's going on." She launched into an explanation, and Jack slowly sank down in his chair at her words. Apparently, if his brain was functioning enough to understand her story, Isabella had gone to the loft to see how things had gone. When she couldn't get in touch with Jennifer, she grew worried and had used the key she still had to get in. There had been no sign of Jennifer, save for Jack's note, crumpled and tossed to the floor. Jack sat in silence, listening and wondering what she had done. As Isabella concluded her story, she stated, "so I repeat, Jack. What went on, and where is Jennifer?" Isabella's voice shook with concern, as she felt she was indirectly responsible for whatever had happened to Jennifer. "I don't know," Jack said, weakly, his mind racing in different directions. She sought clarification. "You don't know what went on, or you don't know where she is?" "Look," Jack spoke in frustration. "I'm telling you, I don't know what's going on." But deep down, Jack wondered if he did, in fact, know what was going on. One or both of them had taken things too far, and now Jennifer had run off. "Jack, I'm worried," Isabella confided. She was so sensitive, especially when it regarded a friend that she held in as high esteem as she did Jennifer. "And I feel responsible. Does this have something to do with the stunt I pulled?" Jack sighed deeply. Would he ever find a moment in his life that he wasn't trying to reassure a female, be it Jennifer, Isabella, or his mother or sister, for that matter? They always seemed to come to him in such moments, and it was exasperating. But he hastened to calm Isabella's fears and put them to rest. "No," he said, his voice taking on an air of soothing. "This isn't about you. You have nothing to feel responsible for." Jack knew the real culprit. If anyone was responsible, it was he. He should have broken the ties that had been forming between them for some time, and now Jennifer had apparently decided to do just that for both of them. The only trouble was, he was worried about her. What if she had run off and done something foolish? He just hoped that she'd find a place to cool off and then quietly come back to work. If so, they could get back to business, and Jack might not have to even address what had gone on. They just needed to get back into the business relationship he had created for them, and this time, there would be no games. A prickle of conscience ran through him as he concluded his conversation with Isabella and hung up the phone. Then, the realist in him came back to take charge. What was he worrying about anyway? Jennifer was emotional and idealistic, but she was also practical and dedicated. So she had taken a day off? What was there to be worried about? She'd be back tomorrow. Jack thrust his cares from his mind and got back down to the business of running a newspaper. But stray thoughts and feelings kept creeping around the sides of the desk as uninvited visitors. Jack remembered that teardrop, and his insides twisted into a knot. Had things gone too far? Did he send them there, or had she? And how, precisely, was he supposed to fix this problem, when he didn't even know where she was? ...to be continued... Next time: Jennifer has run away, but where has she gone? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:24 PM. Edited 1 time.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#23	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:51 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 24 - The Runaway Not since she was a teenager, a few short years ago, had Jennifer run away to her grandparents' house. She had turned to them many times over the years, but she was usually quite good about facing her problems and taking care of them herself. So it spoke wonders about Jennifer's state of mind when she stood before her startled grandmother, a suitcase clutched in her hand. "Jennifer Rose," said Alice in surprise, her eyebrows lifted and her eyes questioning. "What is going on?" Jennifer didn't know how to meet her grandmother's gaze, and she looked past her and into the house. "Grandma," she said, rather bluntly, "is my room open?" Alice gaped at her a moment, and then she stood aside as Jennifer sailed past, parking her bag at the bottom of the stairs. When Alice could find her voice again, she gave her granddaughter a stare and spoke slowly. "You know your room is always open here. But why are you here?" Alice's eyes bore into Jennifer, seeking explanation. Should she lie to her grandmother, Jennifer wondered. She hated to do that, and besides, Grandma always had a way of seeing past her words and into her heart. Jennifer quickly decided the best approach was to be honest, but only up to a point. She hesitated, briefly, and Alice spoke again. "Jennifer, dear, why don't you just bring your things upstairs. Then, I'm sure, you have to get off to work." There seemed to be a question hidden in that statement. Jennifer again managed to avoid her grandmother's pointed stare, and she spoke casually. "Oh, no. I'm not going to work today." Alice's eyebrows raised in genuine surprise at that startling admission. She knew how committed Jennifer was to her work at The Spectator, and there was very little she could imagine that would keep her headstrong granddaughter from the work on which she thrived. She didn't appear to be sick, and besides, Alice knew that Jennifer had often dragged herself into work when she was feeling less than one hundred percent. No, there was only one reason Alice could think of why Jennifer was skipping work today, and she brought it right out in the open. "This has to do with Jack." Those words were right on the mark, and Jennifer tried to sidestep the repercussions of her grandmother's shrewd intuition. "Well, of course, it does," Jennifer agreed, trying to appear to be unaffected by her own words. "Jack is my boss, so anytime I'm away from work, it affects what's going on at the paper." Alice spoke firmly. "Jennifer, darling. This is your grandmother you're talking to. I know what's going on between you and Jack." Her words were pointed, but there was a current of sympathetic understanding that ran through them. Still feeling emotional over the events of the previous night, Jennifer tried to swallow back a lump of emotion. "Grandma," she said, attempting to set the record straight. "There's nothing going on between me and Jack." Then she allowed words to slip past her and out into the open. "That's the problem." Alice was shrewd enough to pick up on those last words and the meaning behind them. She pulled Jennifer into an embrace, where to her surprise, Jennifer began to cry, her body wracking with quiet sobs. She held Jennifer and let her spend her tears, as she gently soothed her. When the girl had quieted, Alice led her to the kitchen, where Jennifer sat like a lead weight, as her grandmother bustled to get some tea and donuts served. Jennifer had to smile through her teary eyes. She loved her grandmother so much. In fact, she hoped that she would someday be half the woman Alice Horton was. When the table was set and the donuts and tea in place, Alice returned her full attention to her granddaughter and spoke again. "Jennifer Rose. You are in love with Jack," she pronounced. There it was again, thought Jennifer in resentment. Everyone apparently understood this. Everyone but Jack. Jennifer didn't know quite how to respond. She sensed that her grandmother, along with most every member of her family, had serious reservations about Jack's suitability as anything other than her boss. And even that had been called into question time and again. She wished she could make them understand. She wished she could even understand it herself. She looked at her grandmother helplessly. "Grandma," she said, tears still lingering close to the surface. "I know how you and everyone else feels about Jack, but I wish you could see him the way I do." Jennifer surprised herself with those words. As hurt and unhappy as she was, she still managed to defend him. She guessed it would always be that way. But more startling than her own words were the ones that followed from her grandmother. "Jennifer," said Alice, slowly and deliberately. "I think there's something I should tell you." Jennifer's eyebrows raised slightly, wondering what sort of confession would follow, and her grandmother's words were a shock. "I like Jack." Alice smiled sweetly at the look of astonishment that Jennifer had on her face. "It's true," she went on with a nod. "I haven't always liked his actions, but I do like Jack." Her next words were even more startling. "And your grandfather likes him, too." "You do?" Jennifer finally found her voice, and her words came out full of wonder. "And Grandpa does, too?" "Yes," Alice said, rather emphatically. "Your grandfather and I have talked about it, and we believe that Jack has changed. He's trying to turn his life around. I can't forget the things he's done, but I have to give him the chance to make things right." Jennifer's breath came out in a whoosh, and a tear slipped from her eye. "Oh, Grandma," she breathed, softly. "I believe that, too. I believe in Jack." Alice patted her hand in a comforting way, and then she asked. "If you believe in Jack, why are you here?" Jennifer wasn't sure how to respond to that query. Her breath came out on a shuddering sigh, and she finally spoke. "I can't face him right now. I made a complete fool out of myself…" Her words ran down and she looked at the table in embarrassment. Her grandmother was not about to let her get off that easily. "Jennifer Rose Horton," she admonished her uneasy granddaughter. "You are not the first woman to make a fool of herself over a man, and you will certainly not be the last." Alice spoke from years of experience, her own and that of her many family members. She got a reminiscent look in her eyes and said softly, "I remember times that I made a fool of myself in front of your grandfather. If I hadn't done that, we might not have ended up together." Jennifer seized the hope in her grandmother's words. Maybe all was not lost, yet. But Jennifer still didn't think she could face Jack today, and she chewed on her donut before finally putting forth a question. "Could I just stay here for today?" she asked softly. "This house is your house," her grandmother proclaimed, with pride. "Of course you can stay here. For as long as you like." Jennifer jumped up and circled the table to give her grandmother a hug. "Thank you, Grandma," she breathed. "Thank you for everything!" And Jennifer hopped up and hurried off to bring her things to her room. Alice sat in silent contemplation, amusement dancing in her merry eyes. Tom might not like it, she thought to herself in glee, but she was going to do something. Something she was sure he would not approve of. She was going to interfere. Jennifer might be running away from the situation, but Alice knew that she would do what it took to make sure that her granddaughter did not run away from her feelings. ...to be continued... Next time: Jack goes to the loft to find Jennifer, and he's in for a shock. Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:24 PM. Edited 1 time.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#24	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:51 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 25 - The Answer While Jennifer was enjoying a precious day off with her grandmother, Jack's day had been just shy of nightmarish. It seemed that whatever could go wrong around the office that day, did. And he was busier than usual, chasing after solutions to the many problems that popped up all day long. When the workday was finally drawn to a close, Jack exited the building, in relief. Only now that he had left behind the troubles of the day, he remembered, again, the trouble he had left on the backburner all day long. Jack was sorry that things had been spoiled between them, but he was also mildly irritated with Jennifer for having gotten so disgruntled. She was the very embodiment of someone who could dish it all out, but could not take it. In fact, he wondered in exasperation why he was devoting so much time to thinking about this topic. After all, hadn't he been trying to push her back into the outer corners of his life? Now, she was finally doing what he had wanted her to do all along. So why, then, did it feel like he had a hole in his soul? Jack plodded his way back home, but everything reminded him of her. The radio station she had asked to be played in the car, the faint lingering scent of her perfume there. Somehow he made it home, but he sensed that he was only going through the motions of a routine. Without Jennifer, there was no meaning to anything. He shook that ridiculous thought from his mind, and let himself into the house. The evening stretched out endlessly, and Jack was bored and lonely. He never used to feel that way. He had been quite accustomed to being on his own. But tonight, he was at loose ends and didn't know what to do with himself. It was a blessed relief when he could put down the book he wasn't reading and get ready for bed. A new day would bring the answers to his troubles, he sensed. Sleep did not come easy, but it finally captured Jack in its hold, and he drifted away to a place where everything was as it should be. * * * * The next morning, Jack fairly flew through his morning routine, anxious to get to the office. She would be back, and things could finally get back to normal again. Jack wasn't even contemplating what had gone on between them, only that he needed to see her again, in order to feel whole and alive. He couldn't acknowledge that idea, but it rattled about inside him as he had breakfast and headed out to the paper. He got to the office in near record time, surprised at how quiet things were before the bulk of the employees arrived. He couldn't conceal his look of question as he rounded the corner, but it was apparent that Jennifer was not in yet. He dumped his briefcase on the desk, and sat down with a heavy sigh. At that moment, Vern hastened into the office. He looked as if he'd spent a restless night, and Jack questioned him without words. Vern launched into his morning report, careful not to leave out anything in the massive account of what this day would bring. Jack half heard, his mind still on the one person he needed to see in order to relax and function. How could he broach the subject, he wondered. It finally broached itself. Vern was giving him a rundown on one of the pieces for today's edition, and Jack casually responded, "put Jennifer on it." "Can't," shot back Vern, without mincing words. "She called out again." This information was the absolute last thing Jack expected to hear, and he didn't even hide the startled look on his face. Where was she? What the hell was going on? From that moment on, Jack heard nothing of what Vern was saying, and finally Vern sensed he had lost his audience along with the mention of one Jennifer Horton. He sighed with exasperation and was about to stalk out of the office, when Jack's words halted him. "What did Jennifer say?" he wanted to know. It seemed terribly important, and Vern studied Jack impatiently. "I don't know, Jack," he said, gruffly. "She left a message. You wanna know what it says, you listen to it." That was precisely what Jack did next, although Jennifer's brief message left him more confused than ever. She said she wasn't feeling well and would not be in today, and Jack sensed that there was something more going on. She sounded funny on the phone; her voice was scratchy. Maybe she really was sick. Getting through that day became even more of a struggle than managing the day before it. When Jack finally had a moment to break away, sometime in the early afternoon, he grabbed his jacket and flew out of the building, racing over to the loft. He knocked, loudly, and waited, his heart thumping as he realized he did not know what he was going to say to her. When his knocking produced nothing, he pounded harder, calling her name. Jack was feeling frantic and out of control, and he couldn't wait any longer. He plucked his keys out of his pocket and hunted for the one he needed. Finding it, he unlocked the door and swung it open. The loft was strangely silent. There was no sound, no signs of life. Jack looked about him in confusion. Then his attention was caught by something on the floor. He reached down and picked it up, and just as Isabella had told him the day before, it was the note he had left for Jennifer, now scrunched and abandoned. Why was it still there on the floor where Isabella had found it the day before? A sick feeling began to pervade Jack's consciousness. He checked the room, but he really didn't have to in order to find the answer he sought. She wasn't there. Jack forced himself to go upstairs in search of an answer. Her bedroom was empty, save a suitcase and a pile of clothes strewn on the bed. For the first time, Jack began to acknowledge a distinct but very real possibility: she had gone. Jennifer had not been there at all. But where had she gone? And why hadn't she told anyone? Again, a prickle of guilt poked at Jack. Was this, somehow, his fault? Had she really been that hurt? Jack forgot completely his plan to cut her free and his vow to bring things back to a purely business relationship. All he knew as he stood in her bedroom and dropped weakly to sit on her bed, was that he needed her. He picked up one of her blouses from beside him, and in a gesture of self-comfort, he brought it up to his face, feeling it and smelling it. It was part of her, and he felt something stir in him. Right now, if she would just come walking through the door, he would gladly apologize. He would promise her anything for one of her smiles. Jack ached with want of her. If she would show herself, he would give her the moon and string the stars on a necklace for her. He would do anything. He just needed to see her. Jack wandered aimlessly back downstairs, unsure what to do, but knowing that he needed to find her. She had gone, and to where he did not know. But he would find her, he was sure. He would have to find her. He couldn't function in a world without Jennifer. As Jack walked back toward the door, his attention was focused on an object on the counter. A wry smile brought with it memories of their night together, and Jack picked up the item. It was a fortune cookie, left over from their Chinese dinner. Almost as though compelled by an action that was not his own, Jack pulled it from its crinkly wrapper and snapped the cookie in half. He unsteadily drew the slip of paper from between the folds of the cookie, and although he sensed he shouldn't, Jack read his fortune. A grim smile formed on his face as the words penetrated his mind: Follow your heart; pursue your hidden dream. ...to be continued... Next time: Jack finally tracks down Jennifer, but what will keep him from seeing her now? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:25 PM. Edited 1 time.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#25	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:52 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 26 - The Sickness Jennifer was well into her second day of playing hooky, and her grandparents were being incredibly quiet about it. Alice had thought Jennifer would have gone home after their first night together, but when Jennifer called out sick on the second day, Alice wisely kept quiet on the matter. She and Tom had discussed it, and they both agreed to keep an eye on Jennifer, but to let her make and deal with her own decisions. By the evening of the second day, Jennifer could not explain her feeling of melancholy and apathy. She wasn't herself, but she couldn't decide why that was. And by the time she was getting ready for bed, Jennifer felt her head throb with a headache unlike any she had had in a long time. She was grateful when sleep came over her, but she woke up a few short hours later, and her head still hurt and she felt the shivers of chills going through her. Well, that explains it, she thought, as she lay quietly in the dark of the bedroom. She must have been getting sick, and maybe that was why she had been so moody for the past few days. Jennifer got up to go to the bathroom, but she felt unsteady on her feet and had to lie back down. Somehow, she managed to get to the bathroom, where she turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water on to her hot cheeks. It was probably just a little bug, she told herself, as she crawled miserably back into bed and pulled the covers up tightly. Her teeth chattered and Jennifer tried desperately to relax. By the time morning came, Jennifer knew she was sick. She hadn't gotten much sleep, and now she was supposed to face a new day, feeling like this. It wouldn't do. She tried to take a shower, but she was feeling weak and unsteady, and by the time she had dressed herself, she had to lie down again. A soft knock came on her door, followed by the musical voice of her grandmother calling out to her. Jennifer feebly called back, and when Alice opened the door, she was startled by what she saw. Crossing the room, she knew instinctively to put her hand on Jennifer's forehead, and she frowned. "Tom!" she called out the door to her husband, and in a moment he appeared, as well. Jennifer didn't want them to make a fuss over her, but she was feeling so bad, she didn't have the strength to argue. Her grandfather did a brief examination, asking her a few questions and feeling her throat and head. He finally looked her over and decided that she must have picked up an infection from somewhere. The doctor ordered a couple of days in bed, and then he gave Alice some strict instructions to be followed, along with a call to the pharmacy for some antibiotics. When Tom had gone, Alice helped Jennifer crawl back under the covers, and she told her granddaughter that she was going downstairs to get her some juice and breakfast, but by the time she returned, Jennifer had dozed off to sleep, and Alice decided not to disturb her. She quietly stole out of the room, closing the door behind her. Jennifer slept fitfully, for several hours. When she awoke, the morning was nearly past, and she didn't feel any better. She was having trouble thinking, but she had a vague and uneasy feeling that there was something she should have done. She just couldn't seem to focus a thought long enough to remember what it was. In point of fact, Jennifer had forgotten something, and it was rather important. She never called the office on her third day out. Little did she know what a colossal mistake that was. * * * * Jack had had another rough night, and now even the prospect of work didn't seem to bring him any pleasure or satisfaction. Everything was so horribly wrong, and if he only knew where to find Jennifer, he would have tried to fix what had broken between them. Jack was faced with a terrifying conclusion. Jennifer had gone, and maybe she wasn't coming back. He had never known her to react this way before. She had always been so strong, and she had always stood up to him, even when he was behaving in an obnoxious manner. He had stopped by the loft on the way to work, and it was as empty and barren as it had been the day before, without her. Jack couldn't bear to be there. The place was a shell of a home, hollow and vacant without her to fill it with her laughter and light. Jack had left quickly and had gone to work, but a mere fifteen minutes into his day, he knew he couldn't stand it any longer. Jack placed a few calls to some professionals he knew he could give this sort of assignment to. He left them with specific directions to inform him immediately if they should discover her whereabouts. Then Jack quietly packed himself up and left the office, much to Vern's dismay and consternation. He wasn't sure where to begin. He knew only that he had to find her. The emptiness in him was like a hole being eaten away by moths that flew inside his stomach. Jack went to every place he could think to look for her, asking anyone who might have a clue, but no one had seen or heard from Jennifer in days. The day wore on and Jack's nerves grew more and more thin and frazzled. He checked and double checked his sources, and everything came up a dead end. Jack was now beside himself with worry. He didn't know what to do or where to turn. He sat dejectedly at the pier, staring out over the water that lapped against the pilings, telling his heart to beat and his lungs to breathe again. "Jennifer," he implored, silently. "Where are you?" Suddenly Jack bolted upright. Realization came to him like a streak of lightning and he fairly ran to his car, adrenaline pumping and spurring him into action. Of course! Why hadn't he thought of it right away? Jack almost moaned aloud, he was so overwhelmed. He knew exactly where she would have gone, and the only surprise was that he didn't think of it sooner. Jack knew the way to the Hortons' house, and as he pulled up, he sat a moment in the car, forcing himself to relax, when the effort was futile. Finally, summoning all the courage he had, he strode up the walk to the door and rang the bell, waiting while his heart tried to find one rhythm and stick with it. Alice Horton answered the door, and what she saw before her shocked and touched her. Jack Deveraux, one who was usually so well put together, stood before her, looking miserable and disheveled. He looked so awkward, in fact, that Alice smiled sweetly, trying to put him at ease. He stared at her a moment, words sticking in his throat, and before he could give voice to his tormented question, Alice laid a hand on his arm and said, "Jack, she's here." The sigh that escaped him was audible, and Alice could feel some of the tension drain from him immediately. Alice, herself, relaxed. The answer to her question was now as obvious as the worried young man before her. He loved Jennifer. He loved her granddaughter, it was apparent. Alice ushered him into the house, and he moved forward, as if in a trance. Alice put a finger up to her lips, and she motioned for Jack to follow her into the kitchen. Jack was barely in a state to be able to wonder what the mystery was about, but as soon as she had seen to it that he was settled in a chair, she spoke softly. "Jack," she said. "She's here. She's up in her room." Alice's bright eyes sought out Jack's pained expression. He relaxed another notch, and Alice took note of his acute relief. She patted him on the arm in a grandmotherly way, and Jack briefly wondered what it would have been like to have had a grandmother of his own. She was an incredible woman, and he admired her greatly. One look in her lively eyes, and he knew why Jennifer had become the extraordinary young woman she was. Jack fought to be able to express himself in a normal voice. When he felt he could speak, he looked into Alice's eyes and said, "I would like to see her. Please." He added the last word, for good measure, but he felt his heart sink as Alice began to shake her head. And her words shocked him. "Jack. She's sick." ...to be continued... Next time: Jack is frantic with worry over Jennifer, and he comes to a stunning realization about his feelings. Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:25 PM. Edited 1 time.
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Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:52 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 27 - The Realization Jennifer didn't remember the last time she had been this sick, and she felt terrible. She also felt badly that she was putting her grandparents to so much trouble. Those thoughts were secondary, however, as she shivered and groaned and sweat and slept. She had nothing else in her with which to think about anything except sleeping and trying to feel better. She had lost track of time and days and events. All she knew was what was before her in the room her grandparents had kept for her since she was a little girl. She found that comforting now, that she was home. But something nagged at her, and she wasn't sure what it was. Much of her time was spent in sleep, not contemplation. Thinking was just too hard, and whenever she tried to really focus on a thought, she had to abandon it and just lie there, unmoving and unthinking. She dozed off again. Downstairs, unbeknownst to Jennifer, Jack was in conversation with her grandmother. Alice's words had cut him to the core. Jennifer was sick? There were many things in this world that made Jack nervous, but very few of them more than the concept of illness. He'd never been comfortable with it, but his struggle with Hodgkin's disease had laid that all out in the open. Illness terrified him with its absolute uncertainty and random choosing. It had only been a few short years ago when he had been so ill, and he'd somehow gotten past it all. Still, something deep in him always lingered over the possibility that his cancer could unexpectedly return someday. Jack thrust those thoughts from his mind and focused again on what Alice had said. She was watching the emotion play over his face, unspeaking. Finally, she repeated her words, as if she thought he might not have heard her before. "She's sick, Jack." There it was again. The words that could frighten him like no others. Jack desperately tried to hold on to his frame of mind, as he responded, with a stammer. "Wh-what do you mean, she's sick?" He was so worried he didn't even try to cover his feelings, but Alice didn't seem to notice as she went on. "Now, dear, it's nothing to be concerned about," Alice spoke gently, and Jack tried to use her words to calm his frantic heartbeat. "She's upstairs in bed. Tom thinks it's just some simple infection and it will run its course in a few days." Jack didn't know what to say to that. Finally, his voice caught up with his racing thoughts, and he reacted. "Well, I mean, are you sure? Maybe we should call a doctor or something." He didn't even realize how ridiculous his words were, but Alice just beamed at him. "Jack," she said, softly. "She'll be fine. I assure you, Tom is taking charge of our patient." "Yes, well," Jack was still stammering in fear. "But maybe we should call in a specialist?" He began to understand how his words were coming out, and he sheepishly broke off his next thought and fussed with the napkin before him on the table. That simple gesture touched Alice's heart, as she acknowledged again how deep Jack's feelings for her granddaughter ran. Alice went on. "You just run along, dear, and when she wakes up, I'll tell Jennifer that you came by." Jack knew he was being dismissed, and he didn't like it one bit. He liked to be the one in control, the one calling the shots. "No," he said, somewhat sharply, before toning his voice down and speaking more evenly. "I'll leave. I will. Just please let me see her first." Alice debated the wisdom of that, but Jack looked so lost and forlorn she didn't know how to refuse him. "Well, all right," she said, reluctantly. "But only a peek, and only for a moment." Alice's admonishment was enough for Jack. He only knew that he had to see her. Even if it meant that he was letting his guard down in front of her grandmother. He needed to see for himself that she was okay. Alice directed Jack to the stairs, with words to tell him where Jennifer was to be found. Jack nodded nervously, and he climbed the stairs slowly, unsure if he was doing the right thing. If Jennifer was awake, what would he say to her? It was a chance he would have to take. He knew he could not leave that house without seeing her, once. He would not be able to accomplish anything in his personal or professional life if he didn't lay eyes on her. He took the final steps of his approach, and he paused outside her bedroom door. Jack held back a sigh as he let his head come to rest against the door. He couldn't hear anything from inside the room, and he summoned all his courage and tapped his fingers against the door, calling her name softly. There was no answer. Hardly able to breath, but knowing that breath would not come without the sight of her, he opened the door slowly. Jack peered into the room, and there she was, in the bed, with covers pulled up, her blond hair all about, her face white and small, asleep. Jack's breath rattled in his chest, and he took a step forward, unthinkingly. There she was. His Jennifer. The breath of his life. Jack could have wept for sight of her. Instead, he moved closer still and got down on his knees beside her. Jack's chest tightened, almost painfully, as he watched her breathe and sleep. A few short nights ago, she had sat beside him to watch him sleep, and at the time, he had ridiculed her, thinking it one of her silly stunts. As he watched her, she moaned in her sleep, and Jack suddenly and completely understood that which had motivated her actions of the same. If he had been struck by a bolt of lightning, Jack could not have received any more cognition than he did in that moment. He suddenly and overwhelmingly came to a realization that shook the foundation of his very life. He needed her. He had to have her. Nothing else mattered anymore, and nothing made sense without her beside him. All his weeks and months of torture to keep her at arm's length and beyond---they were a dismal failure. Jack looked at her sleeping, and he knew. He knew! He would follow her anywhere----around the world three times and to the moon and back. But she would be his. He allowed himself one further luxury, before he would leave her in peace. He reached out a shaky hand and laid the back of his finger against her flushed cheek. Jennifer did not awaken, but every hidden emotion in Jack awoke at that moment. He gazed on her face with complete and total adoration. And then he stood slowly, lingeringly, and smiling softly, he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. If Jennifer had known he was there, if she had heard his sigh and felt his hand on her cheek, she would have had the best medicine in the world. But she continued to sleep away in oblivion. And Jack, in the hall, found himself leaning against the wall, breathing unevenly. He had experienced a profound moment in his life, he knew. He was at a crossroads, and he knew where he had been headed before, and where he was willing to go now. He couldn't explain it or describe it or even begin to understand it, but he knew with absolute certainty that he would not push her away again. He couldn't. She was the life in him, and without her, he was nothing. He knew he didn't deserve her, but even that didn't matter anymore, because he knew with equal conviction that he had to have her. And downstairs at her post, pretending to dust the table in the hallway, Alice smiled triumphantly. She was the lone observer in the life of a flower that had been planted and nurtured, and now Alice was the first to begin to see it grow. The budding love would grow and blossom, and with the proper care and pruning, Alice could help it along. And someday it would become a thing of beauty. Something to match the beauty of her Jennifer Rose. ...to be continued... Next time: Jack goes back to work, but he can't get his mind off Jennifer, so he decides to make a grand gesture. Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:26 PM. Edited 1 time.
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Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:53 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 28 - The Meeting Jack returned to work by noon, and the employees of The Spectator stopped their various acts of work to observe him as he sauntered into his office, noting that he was in a far better mood than when he had left hours earlier. Vern followed him into the office, watching with amusement as Jack sat down at the desk, leaned back, and put his heels up on the desk top. "Did I hear whistling?" Vern asked, smugly, and Jack didn't even hide the smile on his face. They both knew it was Vern's self-proclaimed mission in life to torment Jack, and they both rolled with it. "You did," Jack answered, matter-of-factly, refusing to let Vern's smugness get to him today. He was feeling far too good. "Then you found Jennifer," Vern stated, knowingly, a twinkle in his eyes. Jack nodded and responded. "She's staying with her grandparents for a few days, while she recuperates." Vern shook his head in concern, some of the light dimming from his eyes. "Poor Jenny girl," he said worriedly. "Then she is sick." "It's nothing that a few days of good, old-fashioned Horton TLC won't take care of," Jack informed him. "Still," continued Vern, thoughtfully, "we should at least send her a get well card or some flowers or something." That simple idea took hold of Jack's mind, and he turned it about. Yes, flowers. To the female mind, flowers were always a sign of the giver's penitence. Flowers would show Jennifer that he was seeking her mercy. It would be worth it. He contemplated it a moment longer, and then, he spoke up. "You leave that to me," he told Vern, motioning for him to get back to work. Yes, this would work out fine, he told himself. He could leave the office a few minutes early and swing by the Hortons' house to deliver the flowers himself. Jack was so pleased with his plan that he failed to notice Vern's merry look of suspicion. Vern watched the younger man a few moments, smiling with delight. There wasn't another couple of kids he felt more affection for than Jack and Jennifer, and he was prepared to do whatever it would take to help them along. When Jack finally looked up and caught his expression, Vern said, "Don't forget you have a meeting at one, Jack." He raised his eyebrows, watching as Jack slid back to the present with a start. "Uhh, yes," Jack stammered. "The meeting at one. With…" he broke off, realizing he didn't have a clue who with. He looked to Vern for assistance, and Vern resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. "With the production team," Vern supplied, and Jack felt relief seep through him. He could do this. He could get back to work and put in a good day, knowing that he would see her again later. Jack allowed thoughts of work to reenter his mind, and he put his feelings for Jennifer in a drawer, to be opened and examined again at a later time. "Of course, the production team." Jack leaped to his feet and began to shuffle papers on his desk, and Vern waved a hand in the air as if he were swatting a fly. Turning, he left the office, muttering to himself. The meeting, it turned out, went quite well, and by the time Jack was closing up the shop that afternoon, he was feeling good about the state of the paper and just life in general. The newspaper had never been doing better and things in his own life seemed to have taken a turn for the good, so Jack packed up and headed out, a smile fixed firmly on his face. Jack didn't have a tremendous amount of experience in the area, but he was sure of one thing. Nothing seemed to appease a woman more effectively than flowers. He was glad Vern had suggested it, and a plan began to take further shape in him. Blocks from the office sat a quaint little flower shop, and Jack pulled his car into the lot. Entering the shop, he was assailed on all sides by a multitude of flowers in every color and variety. Jack wasn't sure what he had expected; he just knew that this was not something he usually did. Normally, when an occasion called for it, he'd have some office staff flunkie or Sheldon take care of the arrangements. He just had to say the word, and it was done. Now he was left to his own devices, and Jack wasn't sure where to begin. A middle-aged, slightly overweight woman came forward, smiling sweetly at him. "Can I help you," she questioned. "Uhhh, yes," Jack spoke quickly to avoid his nervousness. "A dozen roses." That seemed a standard and safe choice. "Roses. What color?" The woman was eager to serve him. Jack realized that he would have to make a decision, and quickly. As had happened so often in his life, Jack allowed his mouth to open and words to race out without any prior thought. "Red." "Ahh, red," she responded, with a warm smile. "For the woman you love." Love? Who had said anything about that, he thought in shock. Is that what Jennifer would think if he gave her red roses? Despite the turnabout in Jack's feelings, he was not prepared to deal with anything more heavy duty. He looked about in confusion, and then said, "hold it --- make them white." Then he looked at her closely and asked, "does that mean something, too?" The woman smiled again and informed him, "white roses signify purity and innocence." Purity and innocence. That was certainly fitting for Jennifer, he thought wryly. He gave the woman his attention and said, "white it is. One dozen." She bustled about, gathering the flowers and arranging them, adding some decorative leaves and baby's breath to the arrangement. By the time she had finished, she turned back to him and Jack stared at the bouquet. Suddenly the white roses seemed ordinary and uninspired. Would Jennifer see them and think that he was implying that she was sickly and pale? Jack sighed heavily. There seemed to be more to this flower business than he had originally figured. He looked about the shop, rather desperately, and his eyes landed on a container of vibrant blue flowers that seemed to be calling out to him. "Those," he motioned, not knowing what they were even called. "Throw a few of those in, too." The woman looked surprised, but she did as he instructed. When she had finished, the white roses were set off by the beauty of the blue flowers, and Jack was immensely pleased with himself. He paid and left the shop, holding them gingerly on the way to the car, where he placed them cautiously on the front seat. All the way to the Hortons' house, Jack looked over at those flowers and thought about seeing Jennifer again. And he would see her this time. He would give her the flowers and watch her eyes light up, and she would forget everything that had been wrong in the last few days. All thoughts of the work day and meetings fled from Jack's mind as he contemplated the next meeting that would take place. And this meeting would be more important than all of them; Jack was finally willing to meet her halfway. ...to be continued... Next time: Jack tries to visit Jennifer, but she won't see him. Will Alice intervene? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:28 PM. Edited 1 time.
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Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:53 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 29 - A Near Miss Jennifer awoke feeling surprisingly refreshed after her very long nap. She stretched and climbed out of the bed, padding down the stairs and into the kitchen, where her grandmother was bustling about the stove, preparing for their dinner. "Oh, Jennifer, dear," Alice gave a start when she turned and saw her there. "You startled me. What are you doing up and out of bed?" Jennifer sank down into a kitchen chair and let her head rest on her upturned hand. "I couldn't stand to be in one place any longer," she admitted. "And, I missed you." "Now, darling, there's no need to flatter me so," her grandmother said, and they exchanged chuckles and smiles. Jennifer sat and watched her grandmother tend to the evening meal, and she felt tired all over again. She was feeling so much better, but she was not better yet. She watched her grandmother's movements in contentment, and before she could make a remark, she was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. "Oh, heavens," said Alice, as she turned from her work. She faced Jennifer and said, "you just stay here, and I'll get it." Hastening off, she passed through the hallway and drew back the front door. Standing before her, a smile pasted to his face and flowers clutched in his hand, was Jack Deveraux. "Why, Jack," she said in surprise, and she almost forgot her manners. Inviting him into the house, she took him by the arm and guided him into the hallway. "They're lovely," she commented, and Jack looked at her blankly. Alice motioned toward the flowers and he came back to life. "Oh, uhhh, yes," he replied, briskly. "I'm just making a delivery from the workers at The Spectator." Jack sounded as if he really believed that, and Alice smiled. She was a shrewd woman who was perceptive enough to realize that not any staff member would receive such individualized attention during her convalescence. Alice murmured her encouragement and guided him into the living room with the words, "you just have a seat and I'll go tell Jennifer that you are here." Then she hustled off again, leaving Jack to entertain his own musings. Reentering the kitchen, Alice hurried to the stove where she grabbed a spoon and began to stir what she had left unattended for those few short moments. "This place certainly has gotten busy," she remarked. She knew that seeing Jack would be the best medicine for her granddaughter, but she was not prepared for the response to her announcement that Jack Deveraux was waiting in the living room to see Jennifer. "No," Jennifer bolted to her feet, looking for a path to escape. "No, I don't want to see him. Grandma, make him go away. Please," she pleaded. Alice sighed and set down her spoon, staring at her granddaughter. She was prepared to argue, but the look in Jennifer's eyes went to her heart, and she reluctantly headed back to the living room. In the living room, Jack was sitting awkwardly on the sofa, fiddling with a button on his suit jacket. It didn't appear that he could be any more uncomfortable if he tried, and Alice didn't know how to break the news to him. She went with the direct approach. "I'm sorry, Jack," Alice said, as she returned to his side. "Jennifer isn't feeling up to any company." A look of disappointment leapt into Jack's eyes and he stared at her helplessly. Why was Jennifer being so stubborn, he asked himself. Why wouldn't she at least see him? He got to his feet and shuffled toward the hallway, not knowing what to say or do next. "Please," he began, "just let me talk to her for a moment. Just talk." Jack wasn't prepared to give in that easily, and he had to make Jennifer's grandmother understand that. Alice came to his side and began to speak in a voice that was far too loud. "I'm sorry, Jack," she said. "Jennifer just isn't up to company. Maybe tomorrow." Her words were much too loud and they were almost exactly what she had already said to him. Jack looked at her as if she had lost her mind. Alice Horton had always struck him as an intelligent woman, and he didn't figure she was facing early onset dementia, so what was this all about? Momentarily forgetting his disappointment, he turned confused eyes to her, and Alice showed him to the door. She leaned closer and said softly, "Jack, she's in the kitchen. Go around to the back door." She knew the moment the words had made their impression, as a long, slow smile spread across his face. He nodded, almost imperceptibly, grabbing the flowers, as if for additional strength, and he headed through the doorway, hurrying around to the back. Returning to the kitchen, Alice glanced at Jennifer, who was looking tired and wan. She moved toward the stove again, muttering as she tried to get back to what she had been doing. "Jennifer Rose," she said, finally. "You know I love you dearly, but what you just did was plain wrong. Jack came all this way to see you. He even brought flowers." She hoped that information would at least draw the girl's attention. She continued. "The least you could have done was give him a chance." Jennifer watched her, wanting to know what had gone on, but before she had the opportunity to question, a rap at the back door startled her. She could make out the shadow there, and Jennifer jumped to her feet, looking wildly to her grandmother. "Jennifer," her grandmother said in a no-nonsense voice. "Talk to him." "I can't," she said, in a strangled voice. Alice crossed to the door, and Jack entered in just enough time to see the door to the hall swing shut and Jennifer bolt from the room. Alice clucked her tongue in aggravation, her eyes turned to Jack in sympathy. Jack sighed heavily. "Mrs. Horton," he said, respectfully. "I don't wish to offend you, but your granddaughter is the most stubborn human being I have ever known." "Jack," Alice rejoined in irritation. "Right now, I would have to agree with you. "Any other ideas," he asked, glumly, and she felt a spurt of admiration at his fortitude and how he was willing to press on, despite the setbacks. Alice had tremendous loyalty to her granddaughter, but she also knew she would do whatever it would take to help this thing along. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do have an idea," she responded, mulling it about in her mind. Jack watched the thought in its evolution, but nothing he could imagine could prepare him for her next words. Alice looked at Jack with eyes that twinkled in devious delight. She spoke just one sentence, but it was enough to make his breath catch in his chest. "How are you with a ladder?" ...to be continued... Next time: Jack and a ladder--will he or won't he? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:29 PM. 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Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:54 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 30 - A Ladder Jack muttered and cursed under his breath as he dragged a ladder from the Hortons' garage to the side of the house. He could not believe he was actually going to do this. Admitting to himself his growing feelings for Jennifer had reduced him to this sad state, and he shook his head in frustration. Inside the house, Alice was tending to dinner, a smirk of mischief obvious on her face. And further in the house, upstairs in her fortress, Jennifer was sitting on her bed, trying to decide what to do. She had narrowly avoided that last confrontation, and she understood that it was only a matter of time before Jack would try again. She just had no idea the lengths to which he would go this time. Outside, a car pulled into the driveway, and Dr. Tom Horton got out, tired and worn from a day at the hospital, eager to wrap his arms about his wife, Alice, and give her a hug. Coming home at the end of the day always gave him a sense of peace and calm. He was, therefore, in no way prepared for the incident that met him as he came up the walk. There was a small crash, followed by the sound of someone's aggravation being expressed with a few choice words. Tom had to bypass the front door to explore and discover who was making that sound and why. What he saw as he walked around to the side of the house made him stop in his tracks and stare. Jack Deveraux, fully suited, tie askew, was poised at the base of their ladder, which was leaning against the side of the house, stretching clear up to Jennifer's bedroom window. Jack was apparently trying to decide what to do with the rather large bouquet of flowers he held in his hand, and after trying unsuccessfully to secure them under his chin, Jack had opted to hold them tucked under one arm. He seemed about to take the first step upward, when he stopped and realized that he was being watched. Seeing Jennifer's grandfather watching him with a puzzled look, Jack froze in humiliation. Wondering what he should say, he stood, awaiting the inevitable moment of reckoning that would come from the good doctor. Tom Horton looked from Jack to the ladder to Jennifer's window. Then, he said, "Jack," and nodding his head, he disappeared back around the side of the house toward the front door, without another word. Jack didn't know what to make of that odd exchange. Perhaps Jennifer's grandfather owned a shotgun and he was going to retrieve it. But Jack couldn't worry about that right now. He'd gotten this far, and if there was anything to know about Jack Deveraux, it was that he was not a quitter. Entering the house, Tom Horton was met by his wife, Alice. She had a momentary qualm of concern about what was going on, but she didn't want to share it. Instead, she greeted her husband with a brief hug and kiss and asked how his day was. "Not bad," Tom answered, thoughtfully, as he absent-mindedly rifled through the day's mail on the hallway table. "The new head nurse on Four is working out nicely, the zoning board approved the variance we requested, the problem with the car seems to be solved...oh, and yes, Jack Deveraux is about a climb a ladder up to our granddaughter's room." Alice's eyes twinkled merrily, as she nodded to that last bit of information. Tom finally looked up from the mail and gave her a hard stare. Then, he said, "Alice?" "Yes, Tom?" "Alice. Why is Jack Deveraux about to climb a ladder up to our granddaughter's room?" Tom was so calm you would have thought he was discussing what they were having for dinner that night. "Why Tom," Alice replied, the twinkle in her eye still evident. "Because I suggested it to him, of course. You don't think Jack would come over here and take our ladder without asking, do you?" "Oh, not at all," he responded, equally nonplussed. And Tom wound his way past his wife and wandered into the kitchen to explore what was on the menu. Alice knew he would not mention it again, so she dropped the subject and followed him. Upstairs, Jennifer was still deeply engrossed in thought. Why was Jack going to all this trouble, when he so obviously had made it known to her, time and again, that she meant nothing to him, outside of her role as his employee. This single question was what continued to roll through her mind, but try as she might, she could not formulate a response to it. He had pushed her away for so long, and he was finally getting what he'd asked for. Why, then, was he being so persistent? Jennifer focused on that last thought, but she was about to realize that she didn't even know the meaning of the word persistent---yet. Jack had finally summoned enough nerve to begin climbing the ladder. It was set, rather precariously, against the house, and that, combined with the fact that he was not dressed for such an event, made the climb, complete with flowers, fraught with a degree of peril. He didn't think about that, or rather, he tried not to think about that, as he slowly and deliberately ascended, one rung at a time. Just a few steps further, and he would have achieved his goal. Jennifer thought she heard a strange sound. She couldn't place it, but it was coming from outside. The reporter instinct in her would not let a question remain unanswered, if it was in her power to find that answer, and she determined that the sound was coming from just outside. With a sigh, she crossed the room to the window and, opening it wide, she looked out. She was in no way prepared for what she saw there. A ladder stretched from the ground to just below her window, and several feet from the top, was Jack! Jennifer found herself looking down onto the top of his head, and she let out a gasp of outrage. Jack had been looking down, breaking the cardinal rule of any climber. Focus on where you are going, not where you've been. At the sound just above, he jerked his head upward, nearly losing balance in the process. And there, just a few feet above, a pair of flashing green eyes met his gaze. "Jack!" she gasped out, in anger, and he gulped and forced a rather sick smile. And without further consideration, Jennifer pulled her head back into the room and promptly proceeded to slam the window and lock it. Turning her back, she stood with arms crossed, seething. Downstairs, the sound of a slam got Tom and Alice's attention, but neither said anything to the other. Alice served her husband, and they began to eat, chatting away about any subject except the one playing out before them. Jack was weary, but he wasn't defeated yet. He carefully climbed the few remaining steps until he was looking directly into her window, seeing her as she stood and fumed. He shifted cautiously, almost losing the flowers. He paused, trying to steady his pounding heart, and he breathed a few times, just to be sure that he could. He stared at her back, through the window, and Jack sensed that she was not going to let him in. He could not believe the depth of her obstinacy, but something in him had to admire it. "Jennifer!" he called, rapping lightly on the window. "Jennifer! Come on. Open the window." From her position, Jennifer chose to ignore him. She could have left the room altogether, but she chose to remain, back turned, making a clear statement to Jack. He might be her boss by day, but he was not going to boss her around anywhere outside of the office, and even in the office was questionable. Jack knew she had no intention of opening the window. He stood on the top of the ladder, still unsteadily, and tried again. "Jennifer. Open up. I just wanna talk to you, that's all. Come on! Open the window…" If Jennifer thought she was determined, she had met her match. He had not come all this way to turn around and leave, unfulfilled. Jennifer had to decide what to do. She could storm out of the room and leave him standing there, or she could turn around and give him a piece of her mind. Forgetting that she was still weak, Jennifer chose to face Jack and tell him exactly what she thought of him. As he watched her through the window, feeling his first real spurt of defeat, Jack was suddenly overjoyed when she turned around to face him. He tried to smile, but as Jennifer angrily advanced toward him, he flinched, and it was that one small movement that set off a chain reaction. The ladder shifted, slightly, but in trying to compensate for it, Jack felt the flowers slip from his hand. He made a valiant attempt to grab for them, but they began to fall, and as they did, the ladder gave a lurch, and Jack felt, to his horror, that he was going to go over. Jennifer stopped in her tracks, the look of anger frozen on her face, replaced now with a look of astonishment. Before her, framed in the window, Jack's look of terror was the last thing she saw, and then he disappeared. There was a yell, a crash, and silence. ...to be continued... Next time: Is Jack all right? Does Jennifer care? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:30 PM. Edited 1 time.
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Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:55 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 31 - The Fall In the kitchen, Tom and Alice heard the yell and the crash. "What was that?" gasped Alice, her hand to her mouth to cover her gaping expression. Tom filled his fork and said, "that would be Jack," and he took another bite, chewing slowly and deliberately. The meal continued, with neither addressing what was going on just outside their house. Jennifer had stood, rooted in her place, fear gripping her in a vice for a few endless moments. Then, with a heartfelt cry of "Jack!" she raced from her room and through the house. The sound of thundering footsteps racing down the stairs and out the front door now imposed on Tom and Alice's lovely dinner. "And that would be Jennifer," Tom commented, drolly, taking another bite. Alice nodded, with a smile that was concerned but amused at the same time. Out on the lawn, the ladder lay, and Jack lay beside it, surrounded by flowers. As he slowly came to, he smelled the flowers, looked up at the sky, and wondered, briefly, if he was dead. Awareness came upon him in slow motion, and he began to realize that his head was throbbing and his back hurt. Jack shifted, and he knew that he hadn't died. He didn't think death could hurt this much. With a groan, he forced himself to wiggle fingers and toes, and when he could do that, he felt somewhat better, that he, at least, hadn't broken an arm or leg. Jack lay there, breathing heavily, and closed his eyes. His eyes suddenly flew open as he heard a wail of "Jack!" Jennifer flew around the side of the house and raced to his side, skidding to a halt just before him. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh," she said, over and over, as she knelt down beside him. Jack groaned again, partly for good measure, and his eyelids fluttered closed and open. Those same eyes that that burned green fire at him only a few minutes before, were now filled with tender concern. Jennifer was breathing unsteadily as she looked down on him, and Jack returned her look with a single word. "Ouch." Jennifer couldn't find any humor at all in the situation, so she ignored his word and began to let her eyes roam across his body, trying to determine what damage had been done. "Jack," she said, her breath coming in gasps. "Just don't move, okay? Just stay still." Jack somehow sensed that he'd had the wind knocked out of him, but he was amazingly okay. He didn't think there were any broken bones, just a series of bruises. He looked up into Jennifer's worried eyes and said, "Rapunzel, if you had only let down your hair…" Jennifer stared at him, her emotions in a jumble. Part of her wanted to holler at him, maybe even hit him. Another part of her desperately wanted to reach down and kiss those lips that were even now curling into an uncertain smile. She didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry right now. She just knew that Jack Deveraux wakened feelings in her that no one else could cause to stir. Settling for a small smile, Jennifer asked him if he was all right, and Jack responded, "oh, I'm great. Great." He tried to make a move to sit up, but Jennifer's hand gently held him down. She instructed him not to move, and Jack decided, he'd let her have her way, this once. She stared at him a moment longer, and Jennifer's smile died on her face. Now studying him with a serious look, Jennifer asked the question that was foremost on her mind. "Jack, why did you come here?" She was dying for the answer, but afraid to hear the joke he would undoubtedly make. "I…uh…I…brought you flowers," Jack responded quickly, and for the first time, Jennifer saw the white roses scattered about. But she looked right past the beautiful roses, her attention diverted by the vibrant blue flowers that were all about, as well. A small breath escaped Jennifer, and Jack was gratified to hear it. When Jennifer could speak, she turned shining eyes on him and said, "Jack…delphiniums. You got me delphiniums." "I did?" Jack asked in confusion, and then he quickly changed his inflection. "I did," he asserted. "I hope you like them." "Like them?" Jennifer asked, tears near the surface. "Jack, they're one of my favorite flowers. How did you know?" Jennifer tenderly began to pick the flowers from the ground where they had fallen and scattered about. Realizing that her attention had shifted from him to the flowers, Jack used the opportunity to try to right himself. He moaned as the pain assaulted him all over again, but he managed to get himself into an upright position, and he sat at Jennifer's side, rubbing his elbow with a grimace on his face. As he looked at her, Jack had trouble containing the smile that broke wildly across his face. Jennifer, in a bathrobe and slippers, was on her hands and knees, trying desperately to find and salvage any of the flowers she could reach. Jack noticed that for every rose she lifted, three more stalks of the blue flower were set aside. In a few moments, she had accomplished her task and was holding a bedraggled bouquet, cradling it to her as though it was a prize beyond compare. She looked back at him, and a light was shining in her eyes. "Jack, they're beautiful," she said softly, forgetting, momentarily, that she had been so angry with him before. All she could see now was those beautiful flowers. Jack wanted to tell her that she was beautiful, that the flowers dulled by comparison, but he couldn't find the words, or the nerve. Jack was unsure how to proceed from this point. He was vaguely worried that anything he said or did might set off her anger again, so he remained silent a moment longer. When he finally spoke, it was in hesitation. "So, uh, these --- dolphin flowers. You like them?" Jennifer couldn't hide her smile. She motioned toward the back of the house and said, "see for yourself." Jack followed her instructions and saw, to his amazement, the same blue flowers growing in glory in Alice's flower garden. He was surprised, and his face showed it. Jennifer smiled sweetly and said, "Grandma has been growing them for years. Whenever I was here, there was always a vase of delphiniums in the house. They've always reminded me of my childhood." Jack's mouth turned down slightly in a gesture of surprise at that information, and he silently thanked the fates that had caused him to choose that flower from among all the ones in the shop today. It was as though a silent, unseen hand was pointing him in a certain direction, and he was poised at the brink of a grand discovery. A few aches and pains came back to his consciousness at that moment and Jack stifled a small groan. And as he watched Jennifer put her face into the flowers and smell them, Jack's heart gave a little bump. A thought popped into his mind; a thought so small and unclear, but so new and amazing that he had to give it a place to reside. He had fallen from the sky today, and not just off a ladder. For the first time, Jack wondered if he might not have just fallen - in love. ...to be continued... Next time: Jennifer may finally be ready to share her feelings with Jack again, but what will stop her this time? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 4:31 PM. Edited 1 time.
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Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:56 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 32 - A Dead Faint Jennifer's thoughts and feelings were almost as bedraggled as the bouquet of newly rearranged flowers she held in her hand. Quite possibly, the sickness she had experienced in the past few days had affected her mind, because she sat and looked at Jack, torn between the hurt and anger she had held in for days and the sweetness of a new hope. Knowing she couldn't stop to contemplate that now, Jennifer's first thought was for Jack's well-being. He had fallen, after all, and despite the fact that he was making jokes and moving about, she was concerned that he might have done himself some real harm. Flowers and feelings would have to wait, she realized, as she got rather unsteadily to her feet. Right now, her priority was to have Jack taken care of. "Jack," she spoke, as she held the flowers in one arm and extended a slender hand out at him. "You just stay here, and I'll go get my Grandpa to check you out." "Uh, no," Jack answered, quickly. Seeing her look of concern, he hastened to reassure her. "No, I'm fine. Really. Let's not disturb your grandfather." Jack was still entertaining notions that Tom Horton was about to come out and dispose of him, permanently. With a barely concealed groan, and the distinct sound of creaking, Jack managed to get to his feet, where he had to struggle to right himself. "See?" he said, a forced smile making its way to his face. "See? I'm just fine. No doctor necessary." She wanted to argue with him, but Jennifer was suddenly overcome with fatigue. In the events of the previous minutes, she had forgotten the state of her health, and she was now realizing that she wasn't strong enough yet to deal with all this. "Jack," she said, and her voice came out funny. "I think that…" But her words were swallowed by darkness. In front of her, Jack who was still feeling the effects of his fall, stared at her in a moment of shock. Her face looked almost as green as her eyes, and he realized the instant she began to swoon what was taking place. He jumped forward and caught her in his arms, before she could crumble in a heap to the ground. With Jennifer held tightly against him, Jack was assaulted with a range of feelings and emotions. He was feeling simultaneously protective, concerned, exhausted and fearful. Add besotted to that list, because as Jack looked down at her closed eyes and small face, he felt a tug on his heart unlike any he'd ever felt before. Ignoring his own aches and pains, he gently swept Jennifer into his arms and carried her into the house, bringing her to the living room and setting her gently on the sofa. He should probably get her grandparents, but Jack was still uneasy about another run-in with Jennifer's grandfather, so he sought a solution of his own. Glancing quickly through the room, his eyes lit on the vase of flowers Jennifer had said was always there. He left her side long enough to cross the room and stop before that vase. Removing a clean handkerchief from his jacket pocket, he tipped the vase slightly, releasing some of the fresh water within onto the cloth he held. Then, he returned to Jennifer's side. Mopping her forehead with the cool water, he spoke to her, softly. "Jennifer. Come on, wake up, Jennifer." A short moment later, he was grateful to see her eyelids flutter and hear her soft breath of confusion. "Jack?" her words came out in a whisper. "Yeah, I'm right here," he told her. "Look, you just take it easy, okay?" Jack reached behind them and pulled down the hand-knit quilt Alice had placed on the sofa back. Then he used it to tuck about Jennifer to make her comfortable. "Jack?" There was her voice again, only somewhat stronger this time. The eyelids fluttered a second time, and finally eyes opened to focus on a face filled with concern. "There we go," he said, sounding more upbeat than he felt. "Much better." Jack reached forward trembling fingers and smoothed the hair off her face, as Jennifer felt her heart begin to beat crazily. She wanted to question his behavior, but she was afraid to speak. Afraid that this spell would be broken. She had waited and prayed and wished for so long, and now Jack was here, sitting beside her, looking at her in a way that made her insides twist within her. What did it all mean? Jennifer struggled to focus on Jack's eyes, as his face swam before her. "Jack," she said, softly. "What happened?" "What happened?" he repeated, in a low voice. "You fainted, that's what happened. "Oh, yeah." It was beginning to come back to her, but slowly. All the events of that day suddenly came rushing to her, in a flood of thoughts that could not seem to make sense of themselves. She was so lost, so confused, that Jack felt his own heart twist in silent sympathy. He continued to stroke her hair, and Jennifer let out a shuddering sigh. "You're still not well," Jack was saying, as she struggled to focus on his words. "You need rest, that's all." Jennifer nodded, words unable to form. She relaxed to the feel of Jack's hand in her hair, and her eyelids began to flutter as she struggled to overcome the extreme fatigue that was washing over her. Beside her on the sofa, Jack continued his comforting movements, feeling relieved when he could see that she was relaxing and heading off to sleep. It was what she needed, and what he needed, too. The level of emotional charge in the room was making him uncomfortable, and he needed an escape, but he couldn't do that as long as he was worrying about Jennifer. He whispered to her softly, encouraging her to let the sleep come, and in a matter of moments, she was breathing softly and easily. Jack extricated himself from her side, and he stood, feeling the stiffness and soreness of his fall again. Holding back a groan, he leaned forward, arranging the flowers that were still clutched in her arms. Then he swept a furtive kiss across her forehead and rose to his full height again. Jack made sure that the quilt was covering her, and when he was certain that she was comfortable, he prepared to leave. He took one more glance at her, his heart in his eyes, and then he quietly left the house. The ride home was a long one, and Jack had much to occupy his mind. He didn't remember a time he had had so many questions and so few answers with which to plague him. He also didn't remember the last time he felt so sore. Jack groaned again and ran a hand through his hair. As he contemplated the events of the last few hours, he felt a small smile take hold on his face. As it spread, Jack found himself grinning like crazy. The day, start to finish, had been filled with turmoil, anxiety, confusion and peril. He had made a fool of himself and had put his life in danger. He had allowed an inner part of himself to be slightly exposed, and he was more unsure of who and what he was than he had been in a long time. But he didn't regret a moment of it. It was a small price to pay for the luxury of a few short minutes with Jennifer's at his side. ...to be continued... Next time: Jennifer contemplates her feelings for Jack. Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 8:58 PM. Edited 1 time.
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Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:56 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 33 - The Consideration Jennifer had no idea how long she had slept. She awoke in increments, first to the feel of the quilt about her, then to the sounds of her grandparents in the kitchen, and finally to the smell of flowers. She allowed the sleepiness to pass, and she slowly returned to the reality of the moment. She was in the living room, and she was having trouble remembering what had gone on to lead her to falling asleep on the sofa. What a strange dream she had had, thought Jennifer, hazily, as she struggled to come back to the moment. Of course, any dream involving Jack Deveraux was bound to be a strange one, but Jennifer sensed that this dream had had a delicious moment or two, as well. What exactly had it been about, she wondered, sleep still causing her thoughts to run sluggishly. The smell of flowers hit her in a fresh wave, and Jennifer blinked and looked down. Her arms were filled with flowers; beautiful, vibrant blue delphiniums and elegant white roses met her startled eyes. In that moment, Jennifer understood that it had not been a dream. Jack had come to her, bearing flowers and surprises. She allowed a small chuckle to escape her as she thought about his face as it disappeared from her window, as Jack fell to the ground below from the ladder he'd propped at her window. Giving herself the luxury of a moment to contemplate those incredible events, Jennifer was relaxed in luscious reflection. And then her reverie was broken by the entrance of her grandparents into the living room. "Jennifer Rose!" Alice was startled to see her granddaughter lying on the sofa, but a quick look at the flowers in her arms alerted Alice to the fact that Jack had most certainly been there. "Grandma, Grandpa," Jennifer murmured, afraid to say too much or too little in the next minutes. She looked at them, joyfully, through the flowers, and her grandmother met her look with a loving, gentle smile. "Jennifer, how are you feeling?" her grandfather asked, and she swallowed and told him that she was feeling better. "Something to do with your visitor," he questioned, nonchalantly. Jennifer grinned and nodded, her heart in her eyes. Tom Horton pretended not to notice, and he reached a hand forward and felt her forehead. "No fever," he commented, pleased with her progress. "I'd say the infection has just about passed. You'll be tired for another day or two, but you'll soon be yourself again." Tom excused himself, and Alice sat in the chair across from Jennifer. "Jennifer?" she questioned, further words unnecessary, as she gauged her granddaughter's response to her unspoken query. Shyly averting her eyes, Jennifer looked back up and smiled. "Yes, Grandma. Jack was here." Jennifer clutched the flowers closer to herself, and she missed her grandmother's look of delight. "So that crash we heard was, in fact, Jack," Alice mused, and Jennifer had to nod in affirmation. "He fell off the ladder," Jennifer said, wryly, and Alice couldn't hide the smile from her eyes. "Oh Grandma," Jennifer breathed. "I was so worried about him. I didn't know what to do." "And Jack?" Alice asked. "He's all right," Jennifer assured her. "Just a bit sore, but nothing major." Jennifer wanted so badly to question her grandmother, but she was afraid to. She desperately wanted someone to fill her in. To explain Jack's behavior. To reassure her that the path she had gone down was a worthwhile pursuit. Her own faith was a bit shaky, and she needed to lean on someone who wasn't afraid to tell her the truth. "Jennifer, darling," Alice began, thoughtfully. "Have you even thought about what Jack was doing here today?" "Grandma, I've thought of little else," Jennifer reacted strongly. "But I just don't know. I'm so confused." Jennifer's eyes shone her confusion, and Alice sighed. "You know why he was here," her grandmother said, softly. "I know why I hope he was here," Jennifer answered, afraid to believe the impossible had come true. "You know why," her grandmother notified her, matter-of-factly. "He was here because he was worried about you. Because he cares about you." "Oh, Grandma," Jennifer breathed shakily. "If only that were true." "Search your heart," Alice told her simply. "You know what's true." Jennifer was still tired and dizzy and overwhelmed by the events that had transpired, and she couldn't handle much else. Alice read that in her and took matters into her own hands. She swept forward and removed the flowers from Jennifer's weakened grasp, saying, "you let me take care of these for you. And you, young lady, march yourself right up to bed. You've had enough excitement for one day." Unable or unwilling to argue that logic, Jennifer pushed back the quilt and got to her feet unsteadily. She tottered from the room, practically pulling herself up the steps using the banister. When she got back to her room, she plopped on the bed, her heart racing. She lay, panting softly, thoughts taking her from every side. She tried to put the events of the week in some sort of chronological order, but it was difficult. Jack had humiliated her; he had made her feel angry and defeated and alone, and a part of her was still hurting. But something in her would not let go of the feelings she carried for Jack. He had become the brightest star in her universe. When she was tired or sick or unhappy, it was Jack's face that would allow a smile to come back to her. When she was filled with pride over an accomplishment, it was Jack she wanted to run to, to share it. When she was happy, it was his smile she wanted to cause her own to grow. At the end of the day, Jennifer knew it was all about Jack. He had taken mysterious hold of her, and that connection had grown and bonded in such a way, that to break it now would cause her to bleed and suffer. Her thoughts were interrupted by the reemergence of her grandmother as she entered the room, Jennifer's lovely flowers now in a vase that Alice set on the table beside the bed. Jennifer allowed only a small smile when she saw those flowers again, and Alice sighed. "Jennifer Rose," she said. "You have to make a decision, one way or the other, about Jack. Either he's worth all the hard work you will need to put into a relationship, or it's time to move on and put him aside. You have to make that decision. No one else can do it for you." Alice's eyes pierced Jennifer's, and her mouth was set in a firm line. Jennifer knew that her grandmother was heartfelt, and she locked eyes with her just before she gave voice to her own genuine feelings. "I have made a decision, Grandma," she told her, with absolute sincerity. "I know exactly what I'm going to do about Jack Deveraux." ...to be continued... Next time: Jack is back to work and in an uncommonly good mood---what can change that, and who can help him? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 8:59 PM. Edited 1 time.
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Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:57 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 34 - A Good Mood Despite his aches and pains, Jack had had a good night's sleep, and he awoke refreshed and revitalized the next morning. He whistled his way through the morning routine, and it wasn't until he was walking into his office that he even noticed he had been doing that. Vern noticed, and he had to hide a sly smile. Something in Jack's demeanor was different this morning. Vern had curiosity piling up within him, and in the next several moments, as he finished his morning debriefing spiel with Jack, he finally had to ask. "Okay, Jack, what is it?" "It?" asked Jack, who was either avoiding the question or who was truly in the dark. "Define 'it,' Vern." "It. It!" Vern was impatient, as usual. "The attitude. The goofy smile. The whistling." Jack shrugged, trying to adjust the smile on his face, hoping that it looked less 'goofy' than Vern had observed. "One would think that the good mood of one's employer would be cause for celebration," Jack speculated. "Oh believe me, I'm not complaining," Vern insisted. "I'd just like to know who or what gets the credit for this remarkable transformation in you." Jack shrugged again, but there was a certain something in his eyes, and Vern finally made a connection between their conversation the previous afternoon and what he surmised had gone on last evening. This time he couldn't hide the smile from his eyes or his face. It was Jenny girl, and he was sure of it. "You saw Jennifer," Vern said, a statement rather than a question. "Actually, yes," Jack said, forcing himself to sound unaffected. "And?" prompted Vern. "And," Jack resumed, "she's fine. Will probably be back tomorrow." Vern smirked at that information, watching Jack carefully. "Tomorrow?" he questioned. "She'll be awfully lonely." "What are you talking about?" asked Jack with a small frown. "Tomorrow is Saturday," Vern reminded him. "We don't usually put in hours on a Saturday around here." Vern was speaking to him as if he didn't know what 'the scoop' was, and Jack began to feel irritation nagging at him. As the elder gentleman walked from the room, Jack sat down behind his desk, thoughts peppering his mind. He was beginning to admit to himself the depth of his attachment to Jennifer, but he was now facing a sudden realization. What kind of reaction could he expect from others? It was rather obvious that Vern found this all highly amusing. What would the others think? The faces of everyone he knew in Salem began to dance through his mind, most with huge smiles and shouts of laughter. The picture of Dr. Tom Horton with a shotgun flitted through his mind again, and Jack gulped. He saw others---Jennifer's brother, with a frown, Jennifer's aunts, uncles and cousins, lined up to take their shots and barbs at him. The sympathetic face of his mother floated by, his brother's smirk. And Jack began to wonder what he was doing, and what he was getting himself into. Jack was so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not even notice the door to his office open, or the voice that spoke his name. The figure crossed the room and Jack gave a start when he felt a hand on his arm. It was the one person Jack least expected to see, and perhaps the one person he most needed to see at that moment. He blinked and looked into the eyes of his sister, Adrienne. She smiled, sweetness and uncertainty in her expression, and Jack fixed blank eyes on her. "Jack," she said again. "Did I come at a bad time?" "A bad time?" he repeated, trying to gather his thoughts and wits. "Are you busy?" she asked. "Busy?" Every time Jack was reduced to repeating already repetitious dialogue, it didn't bode well for him, and Adrienne had an insight into him that only a sibling would share. "I did come at a bad time," she told herself, aloud. "I'm sorry. I guess I should have called first, but I was in the neighborhood and just decided to stop." Her eyes full of apology and regret, Adrienne turned to leave. "No, wait," Jack's words stopped her, and she turned back to him, question in her eyes. "It's fine," Jack reassured her, although it was obvious from the tone of his voice that things weren't fine at all. Jack heaved a sigh and asked, "why did you come by?" Adrienne decided not to push things, and she answered his question. "I was out at the store, and I saw something that reminded me of you," she said, a shy smile sent in his direction. "I couldn't resist." Jack was filled with uneasy surprise. He hadn't grown up with a sister, and he had no idea how one was supposed to act in situations such as these. He watched with amazement as she whipped out a hand from behind her back and extended a gift-wrapped box toward him. In fact, Jack was so startled, he didn't know what to do for a moment. "Jack," Adrienne said, with a soft chuckle. "It's a present. A gift. It won't bite you." "Yes, of course," he responded, somewhat automatically, and he reached forward to take the present she offered. Another awkward moment passed, and Adrienne realized that she would have to help him along. "See, Jack," she said, patiently. "This is the part when you take off the wrap and open the gift." Jack had enough presence of mind to be able to return her remark with a comeback of his own, and Adrienne gave him a smile of encouragement. Jack slowly sank into his chair, his hands, with the gift, now on the desktop in front of him. He just looked at it a moment more, and then, like a small boy who has been given his birthday presents a day early, his eyes twinkled as he began to pull back the wrap. It soon became apparent, that Jack was the proud recipient of a lovely gold-plaited ballpoint pen. Jack lifted his startled eyes to Adrienne, who now studied him with a look of uncertainty on her sweet features. Jack was frozen in the moment, awkwardly unsure what to say or do next, but Adrienne spoke for them both. "I know, it was silly," she admitted in a small voice. "I mean, you must have a hundred pens. I don't know what made me-" Jack broke in, wanting to ease her mind. "No, no," he insisted. "I have pens, but not like this." He was still feeling funny, and Adrienne's look of genuine hopefulness caused him to continue. "This was really--- I mean, you didn't-" Jack didn't know how to express himself, but his sister made things easier. Extending a hand to his arm, Adrienne said, "it's fine, Jack. And you're welcome." She must have realized the effect her visit was having on him, and she spoke up, saying, "well, I can't stay. I just wanted to stop by and give it to you." She turned to leave, and Jack leaped up from his chair. "Well, wait," he said, stopping her in her tracks. As she stood there, watching him with that same uncertain smile, Jack came around the side of his desk to stand beside her. "Thank you," he said, softly, as though the words were difficult to pronounce. Adrienne's eyes crinkled with happiness, and she reached forward to give him a quick and impulsive hug. "You're welcome," she repeated, and then she swung around and exited the office, leaving Jack standing there, his hand still holding the golden pen. As he returned to his desk, and indeed to his work, Jack completely forgot the uncomfortable thoughts that he had been entertaining, and he was suddenly swept up into the same good mood he had entered the office with. Things were going well in Jack Deveraux's world, and for a change, he was not going to question why. He was going to accept it and enjoy it. ...to be continued... Next time: It's Saturday and Jack has the idea to make a nice gesture for Jennifer. Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 9:01 PM. Edited 2 times.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#34	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:58 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 35 - A Day Off True to Vern's prediction, the next day was Saturday, and Jack woke with a delicious feeling. He was the rare individual who usually preferred a work day to a weekend day; Jack never seemed to know what to do with himself on the weekends. He just ended up puttering about, and it was usually with a happy sigh when he could wind down on a Sunday evening, knowing he was going to head back in to work in the morning. Jack knew on this particular Saturday, just what he wanted to do with himself. He had an idea, and he was looking forward to implementing it. Sheldon was off for the day, and Jack meandered about the place, deciding for himself what he wanted to do about breakfast. He eventually chose to go with an apple, and he tossed it into the pocket of his jacket as he picked up his keys and headed out the front door. It was still relatively early, by Saturday standards, but the stores were open by now. Jack's first stop was to the card store. He wandered about for a moment or two, and then he began to look up and down the rows of cards, trying to find one that would suit the occasion. Trouble was, there really wasn't an occasion, and he didn't know what to pick. Get well would not be appropriate at this point, as Jennifer was nearly at that point already. Jack paused beside a row of cards that were categorized as "I'm Sorry," but he shook his head. He wasn't going to go there, either. Some cards were labeled "Friendship" and Jack turned up his nose with a disgusted expression. How trite, he thought. It became quickly apparent that there was no card that would be able to help him express an emotion he couldn't even yet define. Finally, in relief, he noticed that some cards were purposely blank on the inside, conveniently made so that you could write in them and express your own sentiments. Yes, that would do. Now, for the pictures on the front: flowers, dogs, a couple walking hand in hand. Once again, Jack was assailed with a feeling of impatience. He probably should have just made his own card, he thought with a spurt of defiance. But he was here now, and he might as well choose one. He finally decided on one with a picture of a beautiful sunrise. Jennifer was the sunniest person he knew, although he had to acknowledge to himself, with a chuckle, that she was also the stormiest. Maybe that was what he appreciated so much about her. The constant challenge. Once the card had been chosen, Jack moved across the store, threading in and out of the aisles to see what might catch his fancy. There were all sorts of trinkets and knickknacks, all impossibly impractical, and he felt himself snort in derision. Who would spend good money on such junk, he thought. The next aisle produced a sea of stuffed animals that made his stomach want to turn. Another extraordinary waste of time and money, he told himself. He could never understand the female love for a piece of fur with eyes. Jack turned the corner. Potpourri? Now that really was a joke, he thought to himself. Paying for the sole purpose of buying dead flowers, that one was only going to turn around and burn again anyway. Jack couldn't hide the smile from his face. It was all a racket. The next aisle brought him into contact with boxes and boxes of candy. Now maybe they were getting somewhere, but when Jack turned over a box and saw the price, his eyes nearly gouged out. There was no way… By then, Jack had nearly made his way through the store, and he still only had the card in his hand. What to do? His eyes roamed about the store, and something caught his attention. Yes, that might do. Festive without being too trite, inexpensive without losing the whim of impracticality. Jack stepped forward to the counter, setting the card in front of him, and placed his order. And by the time he exited the store, he was holding his card in a small bag, one hand firmly grasping a handful of balloon strings. There were six. A dozen was way too many, and four didn't seem to be enough. Six seemed like a reasonable choice. He made his way to the car, saying a silent prayer that he would not pass anyone he knew along the way. This would be far too embarrassing to explain to anyone, and he heaved a sigh when he was safely across the lot and to his car. There, he was faced with the next complication. What to do with the balloons? Jack spent an awkward moment, trying to push them into the front seat ahead of him, and when he'd finally gotten them all to cooperate, he quickly jumped into his seat and shut the door before anyone could make an escape. It was then that he realized that he would not be able to drive with them floating about the car. And, what if he should stop for a traffic light and someone should see him? Jack tried mightily to push the balloons into the back seat, and when he thought he had gotten them to settle, he turned and looked behind him, realizing that he could not see out his back window. Another sigh went through the car. After a moment's hesitation, Jack did the only thing he could think to do. He got out of the car, carefully pulled the balloons out, and crossed back to the trunk. With a slam of satisfaction, he shut the trunk and returned to the front seat. The ride to the loft didn't take long, and Jack munched his apple. He was feeling pretty good by then. Even the aches and pains that had been with him since the infamous ladder incident seemed to take mercy on him, and he felt unusually good. Jack arrived at the loft, and he realized that Jennifer's car was not parked in her usual spot. So much the better, he thought. He hadn't planned to actually run into her here. This was just a delivery. Reclaiming the balloons along with the card, he set out for his final destination. His keys opened her door, and Jack swung back the door and stepped inside. The place still felt as empty as ever, knowing she had not been there, but Jack pushed that thought aside, knowing that it was only a matter of time before she would be back. He went straight to the counter, where he tied the balloons to the handle of the utensils drawer. Watching them as they lifted up toward the ceiling, he felt his spirits lift, as well. Now, for the final touch. Jack pulled out the card and looked at it. Yes, he had made the right choice; it would do nicely. But what to write? He hadn't given himself a chance to consider that until now. Jack stood, rubbing his chin in concentration as he thought about it. Words were his forte, but inspiration was not coming today. Some things, he realized with chagrin, were beyond words. This was one of them. Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out the golden pen Adrienne had given him yesterday. He fingered it a moment, thoughtfully, and when he finally put the pen to paper, his words flowed out. Welcome home. I spoke to the boss, and he said you should take off tomorrow, as well. See you Monday. Jack. Jack examined his words, but he realized it didn't matter if they met with his approval. This was a one take, and since he didn't have another card, it would have to stand as written. He placed the card into its envelope, and then closed it and turned it over. As he went to write her name on the front of the envelope, Jack realized that his hand was shaking. With trembling fingers tightly holding the pen, Jack lovingly wrote her name on the front, finishing with a double line underneath. Then, he gently set the card on the counter beside the cheery balloons. Mission accomplished. Now Jennifer would return home and see that he had been there, and she would know that she had been missed. Jack let out a small smile, and he turned to leave. At the door, he paused and looked back one final time. He hoped that the next time he stood in this spot, he would see her smiling at him, pleased with her balloons, and happy to see him. He could always hope. ...to be continued... Next time: Jennifer returns home to a lovely discovery. Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 9:02 PM. Edited 1 time.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#35	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/03/05 9:59 PM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 36 - A Discovery By Saturday evening, Jennifer was feeling so much better that she informed her grandparents that she was ready to go home. Tom insisted that she be driven there; he didn't think she was quite ready to get behind the wheel just yet, and Jennifer smiled her love at him and acquiesced. Alice said that she should leave her car there and they'd bring it by the next day, and Jennifer said that was fine. She sensed that they were trying to assure that she would not get into the car and go anywhere, and rather than argue with them, she simply smiled and thanked them both. Tom carried her suitcase, and Alice walked beside her to the car, carrying the vase of Jennifer's flowers. All the way to the loft, Jennifer chatted easily with them, feeling more like herself than she had all week. She appreciated her grandparents having attended to her, but she wanted to get back to the loft again, to try to resume her normal life in some way. Again, her grandfather carried the suitcase up the elevator, and Alice walked with her granddaughter, but this time Jennifer held onto her own flowers. Alice was anxious to make sure that she would be fine, and she walked closely beside her. Jennifer smiled at the way they fussed over her, but when she commented, Alice only said, "Jennifer Rose, don't be silly. We love you." "I love you, too, Gram," she said, softly, her eyes shining. Sometimes she missed her parents terribly, but Jennifer had her grandparents to fill that void, and they did so, nicely. She pushed the key into the lock and turned it, and as she swung the door aside, Jennifer eyes lit on the balloons, sparkling in the room. "Oooh," she breathed, sounding like a little girl. She turned, leaving her grandparents still standing in the hallway. "Grandma, Grandpa," she said, in wonder. "Did you do this?" It was apparent by the blank looks she received that Jennifer's grandparents had no idea to what she was referring, but as she came into the room, their eyes lit on the balloons, as well. "Why, I don't know who did this," said Alice, in surprise, but Jennifer had already crossed to the counter, seeing the card. She set down her beautiful flowers, and then, when she recognized the writing on the front of the envelope, her heart tripped a beat, and she felt weak-kneed again. She forced herself to be calm as she pulled back the top of the envelope and slid out the card, to reveal a beautiful sunrise picture. A small smile began to replace the look of surprise on her face, and Alice watched with delight as Jennifer opened the card, reading, her smile growing by the moment. Tom sailed past, seemingly oblivious, telling Jennifer he was taking her suitcase up to her room. She barely noticed, acknowledging his words with a smile and a nod. Alice knew without a doubt who the balloons were from, but she said nothing, waiting instead for Jennifer to share it with her. "They're from Jack," Jennifer informed her grandmother, with a smile of joy. If Jennifer had been shocked by Jack's gesture of bringing her flowers, she was really overwhelmed to think that he had gone out and gotten her such lovely balloons. And his card---although the sentiment was rather vague, she knew how to read in between the lines of his words. He had missed her, she was sure of it. Jennifer could have sung and danced, she was so thrilled, and her grandmother continued to watch her, as her grandfather came back to join them. "Nice balloons," commented her grandfather, and Jennifer smiled in agreement. It was, by far, the sweetest thing Jack had ever done for her, and suddenly, all that had passed between them was forgotten, as Jennifer readied herself to make a new start between them. If Jack had known, he would have been relieved. His efforts had not gone unfulfilled. Tom and Alice would have stayed a bit, but they had just finished dinner with Jennifer at home, and Alice said that she had things to finish up. Jennifer understood, and she hugged them both, thanking them again. Both Tom and Alice gave her big hugs, expressing their love and continued concern. Tom told his granddaughter that if there was anything she needed, to simply call, and he'd be over in a matter of minutes. Jennifer laughed shakily and told them both that it would be fine. She just needed a good night of rest. With a few parting words, they were gone. Jennifer turned from the door, and her smile lit the room as she looked again at the balloons and flowers there. But when she crossed back over, it was the card she picked up and held close to her heart. The flowers would die, and the balloons would lose their air, but Jennifer knew she would keep that card forever. It wasn't so much what it said, as what it suggested. Jack cared enough to come by, and Jennifer's heart glowed with the imagining of him coming here, arranging everything in surprise for her. It was then that she first noticed the golden pen lying on the counter beside the card. Jennifer frowned slightly, not recognizing it. It must be Jack's, she thought, and she clipped it to the envelope of the card, to keep for him until she would see him on Monday. Jennifer wanted nothing more than a hot bath, comfy pajamas, and an evening in front of the television. Before she could make her wishes become a reality, she reached over the counter and hit the button that was flashing on her answering machine. There were several messages. Isabella had called, and she asked that Jennifer call her to let her know that everything was fine. The second message was Isabella calling back to let her know that she knew Jennifer was sick and at her grandparents' house, and to feel better and call her if she needed anything. Jennifer smiled, realizing, again, what a good friend Isabella had become to her. There were several unimportant messages, and the next one was of interest. Emilio had called from New York. According to the message, things were going very well, and he was being offered a job there! Jennifer could hear the excitement in his voice, and she was genuinely happy for him. Emilio said that he would be home in a few days to pick up some things, and then he'd be off to begin his gig in the big city. Jennifer sighed, happily. Things really were coming together. Emilio would be off on a new adventure, and things could move forward for her and Jack. It was everything she would have wished for all of them. Jennifer allowed sleepy satisfaction to wash over her, and she crossed the room to head upstairs and prepare for her bath. It didn't take long, and before too much time had transpired, she was bathed and dressed for bed in a pajama t-shirt. Jennifer returned to the downstairs and switched on the television and began to flip the channels. She finally settled on the Saturday Mystery Movie, an episode of Columbo, and she hunkered down on the sofa, snuggled under a blanket, and felt lazy contentment drift over her. She must have dozed off, because the next thing Jennifer realized, she was awakened with a start. There was a sound at her door, as if someone were trying to get in! She leaped up in fright, her eyes darting about the room in fear. Springing to life, she sprinted across the room to the kitchen, where she grabbed the biggest frying pan she owned, and as her heart pounded wildly, she positioned herself beside the door and waited, in terror. ...to be continued... Next time: Jennifer makes a big mistake, and Jack pays the price for it. Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 9:03 PM. Edited 1 time.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#36	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/04/05 2:44 AM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 37 - The Mistake It was a few hours after Jack's stop at the loft, when he realized he had left his pen there. At first, he had searched high and low, berating himself for having lost it already. Then, when he retraced his path, he realized that the last time he had seen it was when he had been signing Jennifer's card. Initially, Jack convinced himself that it was only a pen. He could get it back another time, he told himself. But then, as the day wore on, he found his mind shifting back to it, again and again, and Jack realized that he was bothered by its disappearance. He told himself there was no reason for that, but deep down, he didn't want to acknowledge to himself how much Adrienne's gesture had meant to him. By the time dinner had come and gone, Jack knew that the only way to get that pen out of his mind was to go back and retrieve it. He tried calling Jennifer's loft, and when nobody answered, he decided to hang up rather than leave a message. Then, figuring that she was still at her grandparents' house, he got into the car and drove over there. He told himself that he was being ridiculous. He told himself it was, after all, only a pen. He told himself that it could certainly wait. But he apparently didn't listen to himself, because he continued with the original plan, which was to go back there and get it. When Jack pulled up again outside the building, he looked for Jennifer's car. Not seeing it was, he was sure, confirmation that she was still with her grandparents. He looked up toward her windows, but he couldn't make out anything more than what was surely a nightlight, now that it was beginning to get dark outside. The coast was clear. He could just slip in, retrieve the missing pen, and be on his way. No one would be the wiser, or so he thought. The faint smell of roses in the hall should have been a clue, but Jack didn't notice it. He was fishing for the keys to the door, and when he found them, he fumbled a bit, but finally managed to get the right key into the lock. As he swung the door open, Jack's mouth dropped open at the sight of the television going. He was so surprised that he didn't even see Jennifer standing beside him, the frying pan held high over her head. Only as she brought it down, did he see it coming, and he instinctively leaped aside. "What the ---" Jack hollered, as Jennifer dropped the frying pan, almost hitting her own foot in the process. At the same time, she was saying, "Jack! What are you doing?" But Jack's yowl of pain drowned out her words as she realized that the frying pan had hit his foot, instead. "Oh my gosh," Jennifer muttered, as she moved toward him, but Jack was already backing away from her, his eyes leery. "Oh, Jack, I'm sorry," she said, trying not to smile as he hobbled over to the sofa and began to peel off his shoe and sock. She followed him and was horrified to see that his toe was bruised and swelling quickly. "Jack, I'm sorry," she said, moving into action. She raced back to the kitchen and grabbed some ice out of the freezer. Wrapping it in a towel, she brought it back to him, and he grabbed it indignantly. "Here let me," she said, softly, situating herself beside him on the sofa, as she grabbed the icy towel with one hand and shifted his foot to her lap with the other hand. Jack was too stunned to react, but it was evident from his expression that he was distrustful. "It's the least I can do," she told him, sweetly. "Jennifer," Jack finally found his voice, and he forced it past his grimace. He spoke with great weariness. "Are you some kind of jinx or something?" Jennifer burst out laughing, and Jack had to admit to himself that it was the sweetest sound he could hope to hear. "No," she told him, through her mirth. At his dubious expression, she continued. "What about you, Jack? What did you think you were doing, coming in like that?" Considering her words, Jack had to admit that she had a point. It didn't look good for him, and he hung his head a moment. "I didn't think you were here," he admitted, dropping his eyes shamefacedly. Jennifer looked over at her balloons and answered, "I see that you are making a habit of stopping by when I'm not here." He followed her line of vision and managed a small smile. "Jack, thank you for the balloons and the card. It was a lovely surprise," Jennifer said, shyly. Jack's heart somersaulted in his chest. That was it. When she became shy, it was his undoing. He was suddenly and uncomfortably aware of the fact that he had his foot on her lap, and her gentle fingers were holding the ice towel in place. Jack's foot was frozen, but his heart was melting and he didn't even feel the pain or cold of his foot. He only felt her in his heart. "It was nothing," he stammered, in response to her thanks and praise. "It was too something," she insisted, her green eyes holding his gaze in a hypnotic spell. "It meant a lot to me," she confessed. Her hands continued to stroke his foot, and Jack felt a shiver pass through him, one he hoped she would not notice. And then Jennifer asked her question. "Why did you come by this time, Jack?" Not realizing how lame it would sound until the words were out, Jack said, "I left my pen here." But Jennifer seemed not to notice. She gently set his foot down on the sofa cushion, got up, and crossed the room. Returning from the kitchen area, she held it out to him. "This must be yours then." "Yes." Jack didn't seem to know what to say. He took the pen, and as he did, their hands brushed against one another, and Jack stopped breathing for a moment. Jennifer spoke again. "Jack." She sat back down again, shifting his foot back to her lap, and he didn't seem to be able to say anything in response. Jennifer tenderly lifted the towel and looked at Jack's foot, and her heart gave a jump. There was a definite bruise, and Jennifer felt terrible that she had caused him trouble, yet again. "Jack, I'm so sorry." Jack was feeling no pain. He smiled a half smile at her and said, "and you should be." Jennifer returned the smile and answered, "and I am." "Well," Jack countered, with that same, cocky smile she was so used to seeing, "next time I'll just send a candy-gram." Jennifer's eyes sparkled at him, and he was momentarily lost in their depths, but when he was finally able to speak again, he asked, "And how are you feeling?" "Better," she asserted. "Better and better." Jack sensed that she had more to say, but she didn't seem to know what to say next. Finally, she committed to one sentiment and expressed it. "Jack, I'm sorry I missed so much work this week." She looked so sincere, and Jack studied her for a moment, his thoughts hidden deeply. Was she for real, he was asking himself. As much as he thought he knew Jennifer by now, could she really be this sweet? Could anyone be that sweet? Jennifer saw the look of wonder in his eyes, and she blushed with happiness. Jack stared at her, words unable to form from a cohesive thought in his mind, and then, as he contemplated whether coming over had been such a good idea after all, Jack's heart took charge of his mind. Without further thought, he gave way to an action that he knew must surely be a mistake. Jack leaned forward and gave Jennifer a kiss on the cheek. ...to be continued... Next time: It's all about that kiss --- Jack thinks it was a mistake, but Jennifer has a very convincing argument otherwise. Will there be another kiss to see who's right? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 9:03 PM. Edited 1 time.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#37	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/04/05 2:45 AM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 38 - A Kiss Jennifer was frozen in her place. She saw Jack's face as he leaned in toward her. She detected the slight pucker of his lips before they reached her, and she knew that he was going to kiss her; her heart stopped beating as she waited. Jennifer leaned forward to meet him, but at the last moment, Jack turned slightly, and his kiss found its way to her cheek instead. Barely had his lips touched her soft face, when he pulled back with a look of scarcely concealed shock. Jennifer wasn't shocked, he noticed. She looked thrilled, in fact. Jack wasn't sure what had possessed him to do that, and he struggled to explain it away. "Uh…I'm sorry," he began, painfully aware that he had let his heart rule his head, this time. "Why?" Jennifer's lone word came out on a breathy whisper. "Well…uh…because," Jack stammered, as if that word alone was the answer. "Because why?" She persisted, leaning unconsciously closer to him, her long blond hair falling in front of her shoulder and reaching down to his foot, where it tickled and teased him. Jack wanted to pull away from her, to jump up and move away, but he was paralyzed and unable to move from his spot. So he continued his feeble protests. "Well…uh…because…it was wrong." "Why was it wrong?" Jennifer might have been a nuisance, but she was so sincere and ingenuous that Jack knew she was not playing a game with him. She wanted an honest answer, and he struggled to give her one. "It was wrong…because…I'm your boss," he said, quickly, as if that explanation alone was enough to end the conversation, but Jennifer would not release the hold she still had on him, and he was caught there, in her spell. "No, you're not," Jennifer whispered, seductively. "I'm not?" Jack questioned, in confusion. What did she mean by that? Was there something he didn't know? "Did you quit your job?" What was this all about? "No," Jennifer's voice purred at him. "We still work together. But you are not my boss." "Jennifer," Jack began, in bewildered protest. She extended a small finger forward and placed it lightly on his lips, to still the words he was speaking. Jack stopped, his throat dry, and swallowed hard. "Jack," she said, softly and sweetly. "I read the card you gave me. You said you had spoken to my boss. Mr. Deveraux, I believe." She looked at him in question, and he nodded, unable to help himself. "Mr. Deveraux said I could take another day off. But you-Jack-wrote that you'd see me Monday." Jack could begin to understand where she was going with this, and he gave her a weak smile and began to shake his head in warning to her. But Jennifer was not to be deterred. "My boss- Mr. Deveraux-didn't kiss me. You did, Jack." "Jennifer," he said, warningly, but he had walked right into her trap. "That's right," she went on, in that same, soft and hypnotic voice. "It's just me, Jennifer, and you, Jack. That's all. No Mr. Deveraux. No Miss Horton. Just you and me, Jack." He was about to protest, trying to find the right smart comeback to her cleverness, when she took him by surprise. She inched forward, until her eyes were just in front of his own. He was nearly cross-eyed, just looking at her, but he realized he had no way to move back. Jennifer gazed deeply into his nervous eyes, indeed his exposed soul, and she went on, still speaking in the third person. "Jack. Jennifer liked the card. And the balloons. And the flowers." Here she paused, with a look that seemed to suggest that she was unsure if she should go on, but she did, and her words caused a flutter in his chest. "But most of all, Jennifer liked the kiss. In fact, Jennifer would like another kiss." Jack strained to move his head back, to take her all in. His words came from him, sounding strangled and taut. "Uhh, I-I don't think that's a very good idea." But his words sounded far from convincing, and they both knew it. "Oh," Jennifer corrected, "I think it's a very good idea." "No, it is---" but Jack wasn't able to complete his sentence, for in the next moment, Jennifer lips came down on his, and the world began to spin crazily. It was a moment of sweetness unlike any other he could recall. For a fraction of a moment, he was dazed and caught off guard, determined to put a stop to this. But something inside Jack snapped, and in the next instant, he was not only allowing the kiss, he was returning it. Jennifer sensed the moment his resolve was broken, and she used it to her advantage, reaching her slim hand behind his head and pulling him even closer. Jack's throaty protest became a groan of surrender, and he got lost in that kiss, his lips moving over hers in silent wanting. Jennifer's hand remained on his neck, playing with the hair that reached just above his collar. And still it went on, lips on lips, breathing in one another's air. Surprisingly, it was Jennifer who broke it off first, and only because the breath had been stolen from her. As she pulled back, she gulped in air, breathing shallowly, her eyes filled with wonder as she looked at him. And then Jack surprised them both by sweeping in for another kiss, every bit as sweet as the first one had been. This time, he was emboldened, his hands coming up and resting on either side of her face, his lips landing on hers possessively, claiming them, in fact, as his own. Jennifer's mind was reeling. They had shared a few sweet kisses before, but this was somehow different. Jack had managed to release some of his inhibitions, and he was returning her kisses with almost reckless abandon. She sensed that something had changed, and she was desperate to understand it and hold on to it, but at the same time, she could only focus now on the kisses he was bestowing on her, each one now a small, gentle reminder to her of the hidden love she had been holding for him. Jack finally broke away, his face a mask of uncertainty. Jennifer looked deeply into his eyes; she wanted to tell him what was in her heart. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, that she was in love with him, but she didn't dare. She settled instead for shining the answer from her eyes to him. Jack saw that look in her eyes, and he understood it, but he couldn't acknowledge it or quite return it, yet. But somewhere, in the hidden, darkest corners of his heart, Jack wondered if he would, someday. And that was enough to bring the hint of a smile to the outermost corners of his mouth. Perhaps, someday, there could be more for him. But for now, this was all he could hope to have. This was enough. ...to be continued... Next time: Jennifer has an idea that Jack should spend the night. What could possibly convince him to do THAT again? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 9:04 PM. Edited 1 time.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#38	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/04/05 2:46 AM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 39 - A New Decision Jennifer was so thrilled by the kisses, she almost forgot that Jack was also her patient, and as she leaned back, she leaned into his foot, causing Jack to suddenly wince and grab for that tender spot. "Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized, readjusting his foot on her lap, but the moment was gone for right now, and they both knew it. Both regretted it a bit, but they each realized that things could not be rushed in this matter, and they were willing to let it go. Jack shifted his leg around to the floor and made a move to stand up, but his toe was really hurting, and Jennifer was filled with regret. She wanted to make it up to him, but she didn't know how. "Jack," she said, sincerely. "I feel awful." "No," he corrected, his eyes coming back to land on her. "I feel awful." "I know," she agreed. "And it's my fault." Her mind suddenly racing, Jennifer spoke quickly. "Jack. Let me make it up to you." "And how, pray tell, do you propose to do that?" Jack wanted to know. "A matched set?" As he hobbled to his feet, Jennifer quickly reached out her hand and grabbed ahold of his hand, pulling him back down to the sofa beside her. Jennifer didn't know what she had in mind, and she spoke without thinking. "I'll tend to you," she offered. Then, as the idea took shape in her mind, she forged ahead. "Jack, you can't drive like that. Stay here, and I'll get you whatever you need." Jack groaned to himself, wondering what he was going to do to get out of this. Another night at Jennifer's? He remembered what had happened the last time, and where it had gotten them. He felt certain that the last thing he should do was spend another night at her place, but he didn't know what to say to her suggestion. "Please," Jennifer insisted, beseechingly. "It would relieve me of my guilt." Jack hesitated, telling himself that he really ought to be shot if he was crazy enough to consider this. But one look into her hopeful eyes, and Jack felt as awkward as a teenager on a first date. What was he supposed to do? He wished there was some sort of guidebook or blueprints for dealing with a headstrong female. She always seemed to be able to figure out how to get him in the hot seat. But try as Jack might, he could not feel anything but the greatest affection for the woman-child at his side. She stirred up feelings in him that he hadn't even known were in him. She made him feel alternately protective and predatory, and often was the case when he really did not know what to do about her. Jennifer could see that he was wavering, and she had to strike the right balance to go on. Dare she speak and push things, or should she sit back and let him come to his own choice. Her eyes were flooded with love for this man, who stood before her, unsure what to do next. Jennifer ached to touch him again, but she dared not push things any further. Jack seemed so lost and indecisive, that she finally had to speak again, no matter what the outcome might be. "Jack, let me make it up to you. Please." How could he resist? She was the very embodiment of sweetness, and Jack didn't want to be anywhere in the world but by her side. "Come on, Jack," she urged him, and as she jumped up to her feet to further convince him, Jennifer felt her head swim, and she lowered herself back down to her place on the sofa. Jack caught the strange look she had, and he guessed that she had made herself dizzy. "You see?" he said, unable to help himself. "You're not fully recovered yet." "No, I'm okay," she spoke, rather unconvincingly. "I just got up too fast." "You've had too much for one day," Jack told her, their roles having suddenly shifted. Now he was the boss again, making the decisions for both of them. "You're the one that has to take it easy. What if you get up too quickly and you pass out?" Now the thought was forming in Jack's mind. He hadn't wanted to stay, but now he was worrying about her again. What if she was left alone and something happened to her? He would never be able to forgive himself for that. No, it looked like he was really going to have to spend another night there, for her sake. "I'm staying," he told her, emphatically. "You shouldn't be left alone here." Jennifer had to, with effort, hide the smile of delight that was inside her, threatening to break out. She always felt better when Jack was near her, even when their being together was awkward and even when he was making her feel bad. But he wasn't making her feel bad now. In fact, he was looking at her with such warm and tender concern, that Jennifer felt lightheaded all over again. But sweet Jennifer was being replaced by devious Jennifer, and Jack could not see the transformation or sense the change that was taking place. Devious Jennifer set out her plan, carefully, so as to not alert him to it. "Jack," she said, still feeling a bit funny. "You stay here on the sofa, and I'll head up to bed." But as she stood again, she had to reach out to grab ahold of the arm of the sofa, and Jack grabbed for her before she could swoon. "That's it," he decided for them both, gently setting her back down again. "You stay right here. You are not to get up again, do you understand?" Jennifer nodded, looking every bit the innocent school girl. Jack could not see what she had brewing just under the surface. He picked up the comforter and tucked it more firmly about her, and she had to hold back of sigh of contentment. "What about you, Jack?" she asked, pure innocence shining from her eyes. "Where are you going to stay?" Jack had to admit to himself that that caused a slight problem. He thought a moment, and then responded. "I'll stay upstairs, and you stay down here." "No," she said, almost too quickly. "You can't go up and down the stairs with your foot bothering you." She saw his hesitation, and before he could argue, she added, "it could be broken, you know." The only thing broken at that moment was his resolve. Jack told himself that he was being chivalrous; he didn't want to leave her alone. What if she got up during the night and fell? No, he was going to have to stick close to her, for now. Jack had no idea at all how much that prospect delighted her. How could he, when his own mind was filled with her? He finally was able to speak. "I'll take the floor," he told her. "No," she said, immediately. "Jack, it's because of me that you got hurt. You take the sofa, and I'll stay on the floor." "Absolutely not," he argued. The very idea was absurd. He would not allow it. "It's the floor for me." "Jack, I'll never be able to sleep worrying about you on the floor," Jennifer insisted, and neither knew what to do for a moment. Finally, Jennifer hit on the solution to their dilemma, and Jack's heart jumped when she spoke it. "Okay, then," she finally said. "We'll share the sofa." ...to be continued... Next time: Saying 'goodnight'...will Jack have the willpower to leave, or does he really spend the night on the sofa, with Jennifer at his side? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 9:06 PM. Edited 1 time.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#39	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/04/05 2:49 AM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 40 - The Sofa How he had gotten himself into such a mess, Jack wondered for the umpteenth time. He allowed himself a quick rewind in his mind, and he saw the events laid out before him. He had come to the loft to retrieve his pen. It was pure and simple. And then, there was Jennifer with a frying pan. That's where it all began to go awry. The next thing he knew, he was nursing a possible broken toe, and now he was very likely stuck spending the night at the loft, to keep an eye on Jennifer. And to add the final insult to his injury, it looked as if he had no choice but to spend the night on the sofa, with Jennifer at his side! Jack shook his head in bafflement, and Jennifer watched him with interest. She loved to just sit and watch him as he let his thoughts tumble about; it was always intriguing to guess what he was thinking, and right now she was fairly certain she had a clue about it. She was amused to imagine that he was wondering how he'd gotten into this mess. If Jack had known how on the mark she was, he would have run from the room, screaming and hollering. But he thought he was doing a fair job of keeping his thoughts to himself. Oh, if only he had known the truth. Jennifer settled back on the sofa, seemingly weary. "You still dizzy?" he asked, in semi-concern. "Because it looks like you have little birdies flying around your head." She smiled at that, and then remarked. "Yeah, I'm feeling a little strange." Then, she turned it back on him. "Your toe still hurt?" "Uh huh," he told her, with another grimace on his face. They were each playing it a bit, but neither knew for certain what the other one was up to. "Then it's settled," Jennifer said, firmly. "Neither one of us leaves the sofa." "Well, you're certainly not going anywhere," Jack said, firmly. Jennifer echoed him like a parrot. "Well, YOU certainly aren't going anywhere." "Then I'm staying," he said, with an air of indifference. "Then I'M staying," she said, mimicking his tone. "Well, uh, it's a good thing it's a good-sized sofa," Jack mumbled, and Jennifer hmmmed her agreement. Jack looked across to her, and it was obvious that he was uncomfortable. "What do we do now?" he asked, uncertainly. "We can watch tv," Jennifer suggested. "Or, if you're tired, we can just go to sleep." "No, no," Jack answered, nervously. "Television is a great idea." Jennifer handed him the remote, and he went around the channels several times before he felt that he could form a coherent thought. "There's nothing on," he said, with frustration. "Just put on the news," Jennifer instructed him, and he complied. They sat, watching, without a word, each lost in thought, neither paying any attention to the newscast. Jennifer broke in first. "Do you need anything, Jack? A glass of water or anything?" Jack studied her, still nervous, and said, "no…no…nothing at all." Then, not knowing what to do, he turned the question back on her. "What about you? You need anything?" "Oh, no," Jennifer said, with certainty. "I'm good." Jack felt a bashful smile begin to steal over his face as he thought, 'yes, you are good.' But he put it quickly aside so that she would not see it. They hemmed and hawed for a few more minutes, neither knowing what to do to ease the awkwardness between them, and finally Jennifer sighed and said, "just turn off the tv, Jack. We might as well go to sleep." "Certainly." Jack did as she had asked, and then the two of them sat in the darkness for a few more minutes, neither knowing how this was supposed to work. Finally, Jennifer's sigh rattled through the room. From the darkness beside him, Jack could hear her breathing become unsteady. "Jack?" "Yeah?" "Do you have enough covers?" she asked, breathlessly. "Uh huh." It was hardly the most eloquent conversation either had participated in, but neither seemed to notice. Jack had pretty much come to a conclusion by now. He might be 'forced' to spend the night on Jennifer's sofa, with her beside him, but he didn't see how it was possible that he would be able to sleep like that. So, he decided he might as well just stay awake. He heard Jennifer yawn, and he had to struggle to keep a yawn of his own from creeping out. This could very well be easier said than done. The minutes crept by. Neither spoke, and neither slept. Finally, Jack spoke into the darkness. "You asleep?" "No." It was soft but firm. "You?" It was a silly question, and Jack felt himself smile at it. "No." Jennifer suddenly realized how ridiculous it was, too, and he heard her soft chuckle from the other end of the sofa. More long minutes passed, and Jennifer felt herself dozing. Jack had to fight to keep his eyelids open, but he was determined that he would not sleep one wink that night. His body had another idea. "Jack?" Her voice was sleepy and sweet. "Yeah?" "Goodnight." He smiled at that. "Goodnight," he responded, in kind. All was quiet and still. Jack sighed, and the sound broke through the night. He stopped himself and listened, certain he could hear a cricket chirping three miles away. And then he heard a sound that made him smile, even as his insides began to flip again. Jennifer was snoring softly. It was barely even a snore, but he could hear that she was asleep, and he began to breathe easier, himself. And somewhere during that night, Jack finally succumbed to the sleep that overtook him as well. They each sat, propped up on the sofa, legs extended out and onto the coffee table, with one quilt barely covering the two of them. But, they each slept. On the sofa. ...to be continued... Next time: What wakes up Jennifer, and what wakes up Jack tomorrow morning? Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 9:07 PM. Edited 1 time.
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HJBJDJ	Re: Di2dJnJ: Spectators	#40	[url]	[-]
Posts: 14150 08/04/05 2:50 AM Editor-In-Chief	Chapter 41 - A Wake Up Call Early morning light penetrated the silence of Jennifer's loft, and she stirred in her sleep. The movement did not escape Jack's notice, and he also stirred, also very much still asleep. Several moments passed. Jack murmured something unintelligible, and Jennifer murmured back. Neither woke. Finally, a sound broke through Jennifer's stream of consciousness. It was music. Jennifer fought it and tried to continue sleeping, but the music went on. One notch closer to waking, she spoke out sleepily. "Isabella. Turn off the radio." The music went on, without pause. Jennifer frowned, her eyes still closed, and called out again, a little bit louder. "I said, turn off the radio." And still the music went on. Jennifer was almost awake now, irritated that her slumber had to be broken by that sound. Without opening her eyes, her last resistance to waking, she listened and frowned again. It was music, but it was not the radio. Someone was singing, and that someone sounded like Jack! "Oh when the saints…go marching in…oh, when the saint go marching in…" Jennifer forced her eyes open, and was suddenly aware of what was going on. Answers flooded back into her mind, as she recalled them sharing the sofa for the night. But what she saw and heard and felt was a far different reality from what she might have expected as she opened her eyes. She was pretty much in her original spot on the sofa, but Jack had shifted during the night, his long legs up over one of the sofa arms, and his head in Jennifer's lap. She looked down and saw him there, singing away in his sleep, with the comforter recklessly tossed over him. Jennifer's first reaction was one of shock. Her second reaction was one of love. How she wished she could wake up every morning to Jack like this. It would be wonderful to have him so close that she could reach out and touch him; she'd even put up with that singing, just to be able to feel him at her side. Jennifer sat and looked down at him, as he launched into a fourth chorus of the song, still fast asleep and unaware of what he was doing. She knew that she should wake him up, but she also knew that he'd be mortified to find himself in that position. Besides, she wanted to take advantage of his closeness for a few precious moments more, before he really did wake up and quickly move away from her, as she knew he would. Jennifer looked down on his face, so peaceful and innocent its look in sleep, and she put out a tentative finger and pushed a stray lock of hair back from his forehead. Jack stopped singing, but he did not wake up. She studied him a few moments more, enjoying that look that he wore in his sleep. Jennifer wished she could see that look on him when he was awake. When he was awake, Jack seemed to wear a perpetual frown. He worried about everything, from work to life, and he walked around with that oh-so-serious look pretty much all the time. Poor Jack. How Jennifer longed to ease the troubles that plagued him, but he would never let her do that. Her very deepest regret was that he seemed to consider 'her' one of those troubles. And Jennifer knew it didn't need to be that way between them. Her thoughts were broken by the interruption to Jack's final chorus, a sudden and unexpected knock on the door. Jennifer was startled, wondering who could possibly be at her door so early on a Sunday morning. She looked down at Jack, who was stirring again, pulling the blanket up closer to his chin, and she didn't know what to do. Should she get the door or ignore it? She was completely torn. A second knock, louder than the first one followed, and Jack mumbled and seemed to be headed back from dreamland. Jennifer looked about her wildly, wondering what to do. The decision, it turned out, was made for her, because in the next instant, Jack's eyes flew open, and he bolted upright from her lap. Now it was his turn to look about wildly, as the memories of the previous night made their way back to him again. He looked about him in confusion, and then, realizing he'd been asleep on Jennifer, a look of utter horror came over his features. Jennifer might have tried to put his mind at ease, however unlikely the possibility of that being, if it were not for the next knock on the door, a persistent pound. She and Jack exchanged looks of sheer terror, and the unspoken question between them was suddenly and effectively answered as they heard a voice call out, "Jennifer! It's your grandparents. Are you awake?" Now Jennifer's look of terror was complete. They could NOT come in and see her there, with Jack at her side, and as she looked to him for support, he nodded, wide-eyed. They were in full agreement on that, at least. Jack jumped up, forgetting his injury, and as he banged his foot on the leg of the coffee table, he had to swallow a moan of pain. Jennifer threw him a quick, sympathetic look, and she whispered one word. "Hide!" Jack nodded again, looking desperately about the room, as Jennifer's grandparents called out to her again. Seeing nothing, he dove behind the counter and prayed they would not see him there. While he was scrambling for a hiding place, Jennifer was calling out, "I'm coming. Be right there!" When she was fairly certain that he was in his place, she crossed to the door, and with a quick prayer of her own, she pulled back the door, running a hand through her hair and faking her best yawn. "Grandma, Grandpa," she said, in her best sleepy impression, as she leaned against the doorframe, not inviting them in. "What are you doing here?" Her grandparents looked at her in a strange way, and then Tom spoke. "We are on our way to church, and we wanted to drop off your car in case you should need it." "Oh," Jennifer said, her smile too bright and her tone too chipper. "That's so nice of you. Thank you!" She still didn't move aside from the doorway, and her grandparents looked her over. "How are you feeling, dear?" Alice asked, and Jennifer assured them both that she was feeling much better. She caught her grandparents' quizzical expressions as they peered beyond her and saw the mess of the sofa. Jennifer caught their hint and responded to it. "I fell asleep on the sofa last night," she explained, even though they had not asked a question. "But I'm feeling just fine, and I don't want to keep you. I know you have to be going." Tom and Alice nodded. Tom held out Jennifer's car keys, and she accepted them with gratitude. "Thank you so much," she said, with sincerity. Her grandparents exchanged glances, and they knew that she wanted them to leave. They excused themselves and turned to leave, but before Jennifer could pull back inside and shut the door, her grandmother turned back to her, her eyes twinkling merrily. She whispered loudly enough for Jennifer to hear, but not so loud that her husband could hear, as he stood, waiting, at the elevator door. "Make sure you tell Jack to move his car. He's near the tow-away zone!" ...to be continued... Next time: Jack and Jennifer try to deal with the repercussions of their night together. Last Edited By: Di2cJnJ 08/09/07 9:08 PM. Edited 1 time.
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