Lyndy & Jackson

Chapter - 3

Lyndy & Jackson;

Chapter 3

By: Mike hurley

'Listening and Regrets'

Lyndy saw Jacks pick-up enter the ranch. Right on time, he said he would be home at 5:00. Lyndy's mom had to leave at 4:00. It was just an hour, Lyndy insisted it was ok. Helping Bill fix his John Deere was important. Friends were important to Lyndy. Keeping your word was golden. The screen door closed; she folded the last of the bath towels & put them on the shelf. After almost 2 years of marriage she knew her husbands routine. Just when I walk in the kitchen, he will be digging in the fridge for a snack, she told herself. She walked a little slower every week. Just 2 more to go and she would give Jackson a gift; his first child.

Lyndy entered the kitchen & found Jack standing at the window, looking outside. He still had his boots on, his hat and jacket were dropped on the floor, beside him. This was new to Lyndy; Jack always hung his coat and hat up in the entry way, & took his boots off. Jack was a creature of habit. He stood at the kitchen sink, hands by his side, & staring out the window. She could see a refection of his face in the window. Jack was a tall man, he usually stood tall, but today something was different. Her husband of 2 years looked tired, worn out, and burdened. Lyndy walked up behind him, gently slipped her arm around his waste. Jackson, she whispered. What's wrong honey? Did something happen today Jackson, what happened? She looked at his face, in the reflection. She leaned forward & peered into his eyes. Jack was barely present, his countenance was just a glimmer of his usual self. He did not look at her, he just stared into space, out the window. She listened to her husband with her eyes. She was trying to find a clue, anything to help her help Jack. Sometimes he kept stressful things to himself. If he was troubled about something he often buried his feelings. When his Grandma Lois passed away 1 month after their wedding, it took Jack almost 2 weeks to tell Lyndy how devastated his heart was. Grandma Lois meant the world to Jack. They had always been close, very close.

But in her heart, Lyndy felt something was different this time. She sensed something had rattled her husband to his core. Jack was a strong man, physically and emotionally. She knew it took a lot to get Jack upset or mad. He cared for others deeply.

Jack treated Lyndy like a queen, no one had ever loved her like Jack. She had been terribly sick the previous year with flu. So weak she could not sit up or get out of bed. A fever drained her strength for days. The doctor visited the house often, & once after examining Lyndy's condition, told Jack she might not pull through. Jack smiled at the young doctor & told him Lyndy would be fine; he would see to it. Jack fought for Lyndy, he worked day and night caring for her. He checked on her constantly, bringing her gentle foods, and cool drinks, & warm teas. He wiped her forehead with a cool cloth. When the awful cough weakened her, Jack sat and held her hand, until she fell back to sleep.

Jack was convinced Lyndy needed sunshine and fresh air, so every afternoon, he would come into the bedroom, gently picked her up & carried her outside; all the way down the long drive to the mailbox. Lyndy would reach in, pull the mail out, then Jack would try to sing songs to her as he carried her back to bed. Lyndy could barely contain her laughter at his goofy songs and croaking voice. Laughter would bring her cough back, and as a distraction she would try to tickle his ribs and beg him to be quiet. Jack sang like a bullfrog and loved Lyndy with every ounce of his being. He brought flowers to her room. He took care of the animals, the ranch, cooking, cleaning. When she began to feel a little better, he told her stories, his grandmother Lois had told him as a boy, of imaginary animals in the forest.

As her strength returned, she wrote a couple songs about the animals in Jack's stories. Hummingbirds, butterflies, otters and monkeys. Who ever heard of a monkey living in Alberta she teased him. He assured her lots of monkeys lived in the forests of Alberta, because Grandma Lois said so in her stories. He loved seeing her smile return; and hearing Lyndy laugh was a comfort to Jack. You and Grandma Lois, Lyndy laughed, you were two peas in a pod, that's for sure!! Jack brought Lyndy her guitar, pen, and paper and sat with her in the evenings while she wrote music. He was often sound asleep, right after sitting down, he was so tired. He borrowed a carriage from Marvin's father, hooked up George, a big Morgan horse and took Lyndy for rides in the countryside. He covered her with a blanket and she rested her head on his shoulder, Jack told Lyndy, she was the most important person in his life. Jack adored Lyndy, and would do anything to help her recover.