Fade To White - Sequel to Fade To Black

Things had changed in St.Bernard Parish. Something had changed in my heart as well, I realized, as I sat in front of the hearth of the big plantation house that I had grown up in, which felt so long ago. Clementine sat beside me with our two children sleeping between us. She looked at them lovingly, kissing the tops of their heads and brushing their curls from their foreheads. She looked at me then smiling, the fire light giving off the illusion of her glowing face. "Jack?" She asked, wondering what I was staring at so intently.

"Huh? What?" I said, coming back to the present.

"You're just as tired as the kids. Lets go up to bed, you've had a long day." She smiled warmly, getting up from the parlor chair. She pulled me up with all her strength and I didn't budge, pulling her on top of me instead. Our faces were inches apart and our lips met, her hands caressing my face as I cradled her on my lap. Our kiss grew deeper but she pulled away. "C'mon, let's get them to bed." She said again, and i looked at her, dissapointed.

She grabbed Annabelle and Wesley up from the couch who woke up, rubbing their eyes and whining before climbing up the stairs and heading into their rooms. Clementine followed them after and i peeled myself up from the couch. I sat in front of the fire then, rubbing my hands near the warmth, fire spitting out from the cackling wood. Things really had changed, i thought again. The twins were now ten years old, and growing everyday. The plantation house was better than ever- i had spent the last few months painting the house, and spending time in the plantations to get the cotton growing again. I built brand new coffle houses and even a new barn for Wolf, who was getting older as well. 

The town of St. Bernard still wasn't aware of what was going on in our house. It was said around town that i lived alone, mourning the loss of my parents and my wife, Gladys. Nobody came to visit and nobody really cared which was more than i could have ever asked for. I didn't want trouble, i didn't want to part ways with my family ever again. I loved my children and i loved Clementine and nothing could ever change that.

Only something had changed with Clementine. She was always tired these days, taking care of the kids when i was busy.  Like tonight, she went to bed with the kids, never giving us a chance for alone time. I didn't blame her for anything but i missed her. It wasn't like when we were kids.

The fire died down and i headed upstairs crawling into bed next to Clementine who was asleep. I laid there next to her in the dark, putting a hand over her waist. She moved a bit and then turned over to face me.

"Jackson..." She mumbled. I smiled, playing with a stray curl. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at me with her deep brown eyes.

"Clementine... can i ask you something?" I said.

"Yeah, Jack. Of course." She muttered, her eyes growing heavy again.

"Do you... still love me?" Suddenly her eyes grew wide and she sat up in the bed. I looked up at her, surprised.

"W-why are you asking me that? Of course i still love you!" I sat up next to her and looked her square in the face. I grabbed her face in my hands and kissed her gently. She didn't kiss me back. 

"But Clementine... you don't-" 

"Jackson, i'm just tired is all. It's been a long day. You should stop worrying because i love you more than anything and you know that." She said, as if it were something so simple. She turned away again and put her head back down on her pillow, going back to sleep. I sat there then, feeling hurt. It was strange. The past few years Clemy felt distant, it wasn't the Clemy i knew. We had so much fun together after we were married and we did so many things with the kids. We would go swimming in our favorite spot in the Bayou and visit Josephine and the baby.

But these days things were different. Something really had changed. Was this the reality of life? Did love really fade between two people over time?

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Hey readers! So this is the NEW sequel to Fade To Black. This first chapter is kind of a cliff hanger- i want to capture the truth between relationships and of course how their relationship is viewed by outsiders. I've been brainstorming and i think this is going to be  great sequel. i wanted to bring back Jack and Clemy because all of you guys fell in love with them so i think its for the best that they be in the Sequel. All i can tell you guys for now is that you guys will be cry, be shocked, laugh, smile, etc. I'm excited to write this. And if you're scared about what happened in this first chapter.. you shouldn't be lol. OK, well, i hope you guys are just as excited as i am! Enjoy!

Love, Rachel (Sayunspokenwords)