Wounded

Chapter I

The sky was stormy and the ocean angry when Jack stepped out onto the upper balcony of the old family lighthouse.

He clutched a digital recorder in his right hand, an old crumpled photo in his left. He stared at the image for several minutes. The woman in the photo had dominated his thoughts for the last several days.

Jack gripped the railing as the wind whipped his clothing in every direction. A small part of him wished his grip would fail. That the elements would take away his grief and usher him to the rocky oblivion below.

But, that was a coward's wish. Jack was no coward.

He sighed deeply, entered the bulb chamber, and fastened the door shut behind him. The hum of the electric rotation motor filled the little room. He watched as the beacon light slowly turned and offered its safety to all that would see it out on the ocean below.

He brought the recorder to his face and pressed 'record'.

"Doc says I need to start recording my thoughts. Said it would help me work through... my feelings."

He stepped to the window and watched the ocean crash against the rocky shores of the lighthouse's little island.

"It was three years ago today that you left..."

Jack looked down at the photo in his hand again and swallowed hard.

"...three years ago... that you left me. Jennifer."

A sudden wave of emotion washed over him and Jack had to cough it back a few times. He took another breath and brought the recorder back to his face.

"Three years ago, you walked out of the door and into the arms of another man. You left me. You left our life. You left our plans... and our dreams... and our hopes... and, um, no, you took the dog. You took our dog with you. My dog, Jennifer. You took the dog that I gave you! It was OUR dog, Jenn! How could you–"

Jack dropped the device to his side and stopped the recording. He took several deep breaths and wiped the moisture from his eyes. Why did the doc say this would help him? He certainly didn't feel like this was helping him right now.

He descended the winding staircase to ground level. The elements greeted him with the same level of abuse as when he stood on the balcony. Jack quickly made his way into the other little structure on the little island. His old family home.

His companion parakeet cocked her head to the side when he entered. She stared for a moment, then went back to preening.

Jack tossed a couple of logs into a little stove. The new logs happily crackled as the dying flames licked at them.

He placed a little kettle on top that still contained yesterday's tea bag. Strong tea made for strong men – at least that's what his mother had once told him.

He started the recorder again.

"I don't know where you are right now. I've thought about you a lot these last few years. Does he make you happy? Hell, I don't even know his name. Just some guy that picked you up in a fancy boat the day you left. I don't like him. I don't trust him. Any man that sways a woman's interest with fancy toys... yeah, he's no good. You should have stayed with me. You made the wrong choice, Jennifer."

Jack clicked off the recording again and tossed the device on his bed. The little bed that he once shared with his Jennifer. It was honestly too small for the two of them, but that only meant they were forced to be close. Forced to cuddle. Oh, how he missed feeling her next to him. Hearing her breathe. The way she would grind her teeth at night. The way her neck smelled in the morning.