When she woke up the next morning, Jackie felt her husband kiss her cheek lightly before he left for work. He had made little noise the whole morning and made no attempt to cuddle up for a few minutes, to just be with her. She knew it was because of what she had done the night before, but she just didn’t feel like it, at all. It had nothing to do with Brian, she just, she didn’t know why. She sat up in the bed, hearing the front door shut. She stood up and walked to the bathroom to get a shower. As she got out of the shower she yawned pulling a towel around her waist. The time on the clock above their bed read seven am.
Counting to three she timed the entrance of her daughter, who came running in with her bear.
“Morning” she smiled picking up Kate “You want to get Brian up, while I get Baker/” Jackie asked setting her down, so she could go change.
“Ok” Kate said excitedly, taking her bear with her.
…
Kate pushed the door open and waddled into Brian’s room, she patted the side of his bed to get him up “Brian” she said “Wake up!”
Ryan felt his bed shake only a bit, he rubbed his eyes, opening them. He almost forgot where he was for a moment, and then remembered. He looked over at the clock on the bedside table “It’s seven o clock” he mumbled closing his eyes.
“Yep!” Kate clapped her hands “Come on” she said smiling.
Ryan pulled his pillow over his head. These people got up early, why?
Another knock came at the door “You up?” he heard Jackie’s hesitating voice “We need to be out of here by eight for church.”
“Church?” Ryan asked, he hadn’t remembered ever going to church.
“Yep!” Kate said bouncing around the room.
“Kate go put your bear away so you can get a bath.” Jackie said running her fingers through her daughter’s hair.
“Can Bear take a bath with me?” she asked looking up at her mom, Jackie shook her head; Kate wandered out of the room.
“Do you have some dress pants and shirts?” Jackie asked, as Ryan got out of bed, he rubbed his head.
“No” he replied, he was about to say that he had a couple of pairs of nice pants at – but Harold had made it clear he didn’t want to hear about it. Ryan felt more tears fill his eyes.
Jackie looked at him, watching him try and hide his tears; she walked over to his bed and sat down beside him brushing his hair to the side, running her fingers through it.
Ryan shook his shoulders feeling Jackie pull him in letting him cry. They sat for a few minutes with silence between them, after another long while as he cried he heard her hum a tune massaging his back.
When his eyes were dry enough he looked at the clock and saw it was seven-fifteen. He whipped his eyes and sat up looking at her, she smiled warmly.
“Baker will have some clothes. You can just wear a sweater with some nice pants.” She said, cupping her hand around his cheek.
Ryan nodded, remembering how selfishly he dealt with her the day before “I’m sorry” his lip quivered.
“I am too” she said kissing his head hugging him quickly before pulling him back. They sat again for a few seconds before she looked at the clock herself “you already took your shower so all you –“
“I didn’t” he replied, looking down.
Jackie remembered what he her husband had tried to tell her about before, but decided to let it go, it would only make it harder on everyone “Ok, well you better get one fast, Baker will be up and getting in. He takes for ever in the shower.” She smiled, touching his cheek lightly. “I love you,” she whispered kissing his head, before she stood up again.
Ryan sighed watching her leave and attend to get some clothes for him to wear she came back a few moments later handing him a pair of pants and a dress shirt. “Thank you.”
She smiled and left again, resting her hand on her stomach as she went. Ryan paid little attention and instead walked to the bathroom seeing a clean towel laid across the sink.
…
Jackie sat down on the side of the tub scrubbing the shampoo through her daughter’s hair; Kate was playing with the bubbles as they slid down her small body towards the tub.
“Where’s Daddy?” Kate asked spitting small bubbles from her mouth.
“Working” Jackie replied whipping her daughters face “don’t swallow that.”
“Mom” Baker walked into the room “I don’t want to go to church today.”
“Baker, get ready we’re leaving in ten minutes.” Jackie replied looking at him.
“I don’t want to go.” Jackie poured the water over her daughter’s head, making sure all the soap was out. Kate started patting the water.
“Baker” Jackie said, holding her daughters’ hands still, she looked up at her son “You’re going, get ready.”
Baker growled and stormed out of the room. Jackie sighed pulling Kate out of the tub, wrapping her in a large towel.
“Mommy, what’s wrong?” Kate asked watching her mom sigh and rub her head.
‘Nothing sweetheart” she replied smiling for a moment. “I just wish Daddy was hear to help out.” She sighed, just wishing he could take over for a few minutes.
“Call him.” She said smiling, her teeth chattering, Jackie smiled rubbing her dry.
“I should call him.” She said smiling “but he’s busy sweetie.” She replied.
…
Ryan looked at the clothes, as he stood in the bedroom, the door was shut. The pants were large on him as he looked back at the mirror. He sighed buttoning up the shirt and stuffed in his pants as best he could. Everything looked a few sizes to big.
Lazily he walked out of his room, watching Baker storm across the way towards the bathroom. He wondered what was wrong with him.
…
When they walked into the church, Ryan was surprised how nice everyone was, he stayed close to Jackie though, making sure he didn’t loose her. When they sat down in the pews waiting for the service to start, Kate was walking back and forth begging for her mom’s attention at every moment.
“Jackie” a woman walked up to the pew behind them, “I’m sorry I forgot to call you about the music, we’re going to practice on Tuesday.”
“Oh” Jackie sighed “Thanks Sue I’ll have to call you.” She said smiling politely.
Baker put his head down on the pew in front of him, moping about still. “Baker” Jackie tapped his shoulder; he sat up and leaned back in the chair.
The sermon finally went underway, and Ryan listened he was a little confused, but felt something unusual as the pastor spoke. They sang a few hymns and listened some more before the sermon was over. After it ended, Ryan looked over at Jackie who was paying attention to her daughter.
“Let’s go” she said standing up.
“Finally” Baker mumbled, Jackie looked back at him, Ryan saw her speak with her eyes daring him to speak again.
As they got out to the car, and Jackie had finished putting Kate in her seat, Jackie stepped in the car and looked at her son “Baker” she started, as she backed the car out of the parking lot.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” He muttered. Jackie sighed and they drove on in silence.
When they were home, Kate looked at him before he got out of the car “can we go swing?” she asked, her mom was getting her out of her seat.
“Do you mind?” Jackie asked, looking at Ryan, he nodded.
“Good” she sighed smiling a little, “Let’s get you changed first” she said.
…
Ryan pushed Kate on the swing watching her laugh, as he did he looked back at the tree hearing words a whisper, he swore Jackie had crept up behind him.
“Your father would kill you if he saw you in that” he heard, holding the chains that connected the actual swing to the bar up ahead.
…
Harold stepped out of his car, and shut it walking into the house. He was sitting at work going through papers when he just decided he was through with paperwork for the day, he had made his visits to wherever he needed to go, and he was done.
As he stepped inside house he saw Baker was sitting in his office playing video games “What game are you playing?” Harold asked loosening his tie, dropping it on the chair to his side.
“Prince of Persia” he replied dully.
“Where are you at?” Harold asked walking behind his son looking over his shoulder.
“I just got passed the fourth level” Baker replied pointing to it before he went on playing.
“Good job” Harold smiled roughing up Baker’s hair before he walked out and into the kitchen, Jackie was already working on dinner as he walked in, he could see her cutting the fat off of the chicken she was going to fry.
“I really could’ve used you here today” she said throwing the pieces of fat into the garbage.
Harold sighed, “Good to see you to too” he replied heading for the fridge to find something to snack on.
“Harold, I didn’t mean that.” Jackie said looking over at him. Harold lessened the lid around the bottle of water, shutting the fridge as he walked back towards her.
“What did you mean?” he asked putting it down on the sink.
“Baker was driving me nuts, he won’t even talk to me.” She picked up the bottle handing it back to her husband “I was hoping you were joking about going to work.”
“Why would I joke about going to work?”
“I don’t know” she said, she was chopping the chicken into little slivers, smaller than bites size. Harold put his hand over her’s
“What’s going on?” he asked she dropped the knife throwing the chicken into the pan watching them sizzle. “Jackie?”
Jackie felt him lean over puckering up for a small kiss She looked away walking over to the sink, leaving her husband puckering up to the air.
“Dirk called” she said, she couldn’t look at Harold now. He was standing taken aback watching her continue to make dinner. He took a drink of his water and walked to the phone dialing Dirk’s number waiting for him to pick up.
“Dirk?” Harold asked into the phone.
“You bet” Dirk smiled “Hey, you have a flight hooked up for tomorrow to come down here.”
“Thanks Dirk. You boys don’t mind me coming down there?”
“Please” Dirk smiled into the phone “I actually told the Huntley’s you were coming as well so they’re planning a little bar-bee-Q.”
“Aww, can’t wait for some good Huntley meat” he smiled “Listen, I need the times that are best for your guys to be out there.”
“Right” Dirk answered “I’ll have those for you tonight, I’m just squaring things away.”
“Great, thanks Dirk” Harold replied.
“You are welcome, you take care.”
“You too, bye” Harold hung up the phone; he walked up to the master bedroom.
Jackie sighed watching him leave out of view, pursing her lips for a moment before she continued with dinner.
Ryan and Kate walked inside; Jackie whipped her eyes for a moment smiling at them as they walked inside.
“Can I have some chicken?” Kate asked she was playing with the cupboards that were within her reach, opening them and closing them.
“At dinner” Jackie said softly “Brian, do you know how to cook?” she asked.
He shook his head, smiling a little “no” he said, remembering what Taylor had said “I heard Harold couldn’t either.” He said, and then realized he was being rude again.
Jackie smiled a little “it’s not his motif. He is great at grilling” she said smiling looking over her son. Ryan smiled back politely. “Here” she said handing him a package of small mushrooms “Cut these up and throw them into that pan there, I’ll get the butter and you can sauté them.
“Ok” Ryan started to do as she asked, it was fun cooking. Pam rarely cooked, and when she did it was usually the pre-cooked meals or something easy. Taylor wasn’t joking about Jackie being a good cook. “What do you do all day?” he found himself asking “I mean if you don’t work.”
Jackie dropped some butter into the pan, it sizzled she handed him a fork to stir the mushrooms with.
“Church things, cleaning, cooking. Baby-sit Kate and her little friend, Annabelle when she comes. Read with the literary group I’m in. Go to school events, well I used to go to all of Bakers games and stuff. I went to yours when you were playing baseball –“ she stopped walking to the sink to dig out the pit from a green pepper.
“I played baseball?” he asked, “did I like it?”
“You loved it” she said lazily “you were really disappointed because they had to order an extra small pant size for you, and you they still were too big.” She chucked. “Your dad and I were really scared about you over exerting yourself, especially after we fond out about your heart condition.”
“What?” he asked, he thought he had asthma or something.
Jackie felt her heart sink “We need to get you into an appointment for that” she looked at him starting to worry “Will you go get your father.” She asked cutting up a cucumber.
Ryan nodded, feeling fears flood through his veins, he gulped and walked up the stairs, as he reached the master bedroom he knocked on the door.
“Come in” he heard Harold say, then continue his phone conversation. Ryan opened the door and watched as Harold paced around the room. “It’s not that hard Dick.” He said “of course – tell – no tell him I need it by tonight. I’ll send, yes him, I’ll send him over to pick it up. Ok, all right. Good, bye.” He pushed the off button on the phone sitting on the ottoman loosening the laces on his shoes.
“Jackie wants to talk to you downstairs.” Ryan said watching Harold kick his shoes off, and stand up again.
“Thanks” he said smiling “So what did you do today?” he asked taking off his socks.
Ryan shrugged “we went to church and then Kate wanted to swing, so I was doing that with her.” He said
“She really likes you” Harold smiled. Ryan shrugged smiling embarrassed.
“She’s really cute” he admitted.
“She is, it’s not because of me though. That’s all Jackie.” He smiled and stood up and walked towards the door.
“What did you do?” Ryan asked, his interest rising with the questions thumbing in his brain.
“I went to the office, talked with some people about a detainee, a bad guy, and did some talking with some officers on the national scale, and paperwork.”
“Huh?” Ryan asked, mystified.
“Exciting huh.” Harold demurred draping his hand over Ryan’s shoulder walking with him back out the door. They walked down the stairs when Harold looked at Ryan square in the eye “Would you be interested in coming with me to Kentucky this next week?” he asked.
Ryan was a little caught off guard, he was barely touching the surface of this hot water, and Harold was wanting in a sense to dunk him in, ripping him away from what he was trying to now force himself to get adjusted to. Smiling understandingly Harold nodded.
“Next time” he said smiling walking into the kitchen leaving Ryan at the bottom of the stairs.
Ryan followed him in the room sitting at the table watching as Harold walked to the counter leaning his arm on the sink while he asked his wife what she wanted.
“Don’t you think Brian needs a check-up. I can’t believe he’s gone without one this long.” She said suddenly, Harold turned his gaze to Ryan then back to his wife.
“I’m flying to Kentucky tomorrow, if you want to call the doctors at the University we can set something up. Keller has all of Brian’s records, well at least all the copies. The University has the originals.”
“Can’t we just have them send them up here?”
“I think it would be good for the St. Josephs to have a look at him, since he was there case” Harold replied picking out a red pepper chewing it, Jackie looked at him giving him the ‘no no, bad boy’ look before she went back to cooking. He smiled waiting for her response to his thoughts.
“Whatever you want to do.” she replied.
Harold was getting irritated again, she made these pitiful attempts to talk about things, and then just dropped it “We can test him up here too?” he tried, thinking ‘hello honey, who hoooo hello, me here, your husband I’m not the devils advocate’ “can you help me find the numbers to the University?” he asked chomping on the last of the pepper slice.
“They’re upstairs” she replied looking down at the food.
“I know, but I don’t know where you put them.” He lied; he wanted to get this cleared up,
She put down the spatula and turned down the heat on the food, whipping her hands on the towel following him up the stairs to their bedroom. Ryan watched slightly bewildered.
…
“They’re right here” she said picking them out from under their bed, it was in a large plastic container, she handed them to her husband. Harold took it from her hands looking at for a moment, before he looked at her.
“Thank you” he said smiling going to kiss her lightly on the cheek, she moved away leaning down to push the container under the bed again “Did I do something?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” she asked standing up.
‘What do you mean, what do I mean, last night, today. The first thing I hear –“
“I don’t know, I’m just, I don’t know.” She said rubbing her head.
“Well do you have a headache, are you sick,” he paused “are you going through, you know” he asked.
“No” she looked at him annoyed.
“Well for Gods sake will you tell me what’s going on? I can’t read your mind.” He said frustrated.
“I know” she sighed “I just” she sighed, “I don’t know, I just don’t want the kissing and hugging.” She said.
Harold exhaled heavily trying not let his frustrations surface more than they had “Jackie, I, this, I mean if you aren’t feeling well, I’ll understand, but if it’s something else, if there’s something else –“
“I don’t know what it is” she yelled back upset.
Harold bit his lip nodding “Ok” he said scratching his head, sighing, he walked into the closet pulling out his suitcase.
“What are you doing?” Jackie asked, her heart racing, as she watched him pack.
“Going to Kentucky.” Replied sorting out some of his things he would need.
“That’s why Dirk called, he got some of the detectives together, and some of the field officers who were doing the search party. I was going to see if you and Brian wanted to come, but He doesn’t seem comfortable with it right now, and we can’t just leave him here all alone. So –“
“Please don’t go.” She looked at him hurt, “I don’t know what’s wrong me, I’m, I don’t know, I just don’t feel” she breathed out confused with herself “I need help, with Brian and with Baker, and with Kate, you can’t just leave me like this.” She looked at him.
Harold sighed zipping up his bag, he walked over to her hugging her for a moment, except it was one of those light friend hugs. Harold pulled her in tighter but she pushed away and walked to the bed sitting down, crying.
He looked towards the door, biting his bottom lip bitterly then walked back picking up his bag to walk out the master bedroom.
“When will you be back?” she asked tears flowing down her cheeks.
“A few days” he replied walking down the stairs to the front room.
…
Ryan watched as Harold walked into the kitchen quickly to pick up the water he had left on the counter “I’ll see you Thursday” he said half heartedly, looking at Ryan “Do I get a hug?” he asked smiling a little.
Ryan stood up and hugged Harold for a moment, then let go watching him head for his office.
“Where are you going?” Baker asked confused “I’m on level six.” He said looking up, he was in a slightly better mood.
“Ken-tuck-eee” Harold replied slowly then sighed “I need you to help our your Mom, both of you.” He continued, “I’ll be back Thursday.” He said hugging Baker’s head quickly before he walked back out the door, grabbing his tie had left on the chair before. “Bye you two” he said,
Kate came running up “Daddy” she whined begging to be held.
“I’ve have to go Kate” he said bending down to give her a hug “I’ll be back, I’m just going on a little trip.” He said smiling kissing her cheek. After letting her go he walked out the door.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Yes, finally another chapter... lol, Tell me your thoughts :)
