The Family Man

Chapter 25

Jackie was having a staggeringly hard time of trying not to laugh.

First off, Jack was left handed. Having one's dominant hand tucked safely against the chest in a sling proved problematic in maneuvering through fine cuisine. She snorted and covered her eyes as Jack bit his lip and tried to roll Penne a La Vodka around his fork. It slipped and he sighed, "I give up."

"You've been like this for a week; what have you been eating?" she asked.

"Smoothies and French fries, exclusively."

"Oh, nutritious."

"I thought so, yeah," Jack laughed.

She shook her head and smirked, shoving her food around her plate.

"Hey, so thanks for returning all my phone calls."

Jackie rolled her eyes, "Hey, you're welcome."

Jack set his fork down and reached for a bread stick. Fair game. "So what did you say to the boyfriend?"

"Way to make it sound so ominous," Jackie laughed. She dabbed at her mouth with a napkin and sat back, staring at her plate. "William, his name is Will. And I told him I was meeting with an old friend from college."

"Sounds good."

"Also, you're gay."

Jack snorted into the glass of water he was drinking and set it down. He coughed, "What?"

"Oh, come on. It clears things up on the suspicion front. You want me to tell him that I'm meeting with an ex-boyfriend who spontaneously shows up at my door after ten years of nada?" Jackie yanked out a bread stick aggressively. "Um, no. Don't think so. I'm not in the business of breaking hearts."

"So now I'm gay."

"Yep." Jackie cocked her head and grinned, "I can be Grace and you can be Will!"

"Cute."

Their waiter arrived to clear their dishes. Jack played with the ends of the tablecloth absently. "So, you're moving in with him. Will."

"Why do you say that?"

Jack's eyes darted up quickly. "Um," he scratched the back of his head, "Lee visited me in the hospital."

Jackie's face registered surprise. Then she started to laugh. "God, I knew it! Judas." The cell phone was already out.

"Please don't blast her via text, okay? She was nicer to me than I could ever deserve. She even brought me flowers."

"That's Lee, Jack. She makes the rest of us mortals look like Stalin." Jackie's shoulders slumped and she tucked the phone away, "Fine. What else did she tell you?"

"That you were moving in with him," Jack said cryptically.

"Why would she tell you that?" muttered Jackie. She looked about a minute away from being upset, and he couldn't really pinpoint why.

Jack cleared his throat and looked down, "I can uh, help you move boxes and stuff. Laundry. Cleaning." At her doubtful expression, he laughed, "Don't judge, I'm kind of good at it now."

"Really?" grinned Jackie. "Wow, who domesticated you?"

He cleared his throat, "Anyway. The offer still stands."

Jackie mimed accepting an imaginary business card. "I'll consider it. Thank you."

After a couple minutes, the bill was paid and chairs were pushed in. A tip was left. Jack walked her home.