Jopper // Light at the End of the Tunnel - A Love Story (Completed)

Saturday Night

It had been a week since Joyce and Jim went on a date when Joyce got a call from Murray on the phone. 

"What have you done to him?" he asked. 

Even though Murray couldn't see her, she shrugged her shoulders. 

"What do you mean?" 

Murray scoffed on the other end of the line. 

"You know what I mean, Joyce. I can barely recognize him. He's whirling around my house like a little lost puppy, whistling and humming along to songs on the radio."

"That IS strange..." Joyce agreed. 

"Tell me about it. I haven't seen him like this in like... ever!"

Joyce laughed. 

"Well, it's good he's getting better." 

"Getting better?! Joyce, I don't even know who this man is! Tell me what you did to him!" Murray demanded. 

"We just went on a date." Joyce sighed. 

It really was none of Murray's business, but she gave in. She didn't want to argue with him today, she was too tired. 

"Well, there it is." Murray said. 

"Anything else?"

"See you later, Joyce. Take care." Murray's voice said, suddenly filled with concern. 

"I will." Joyce promised and hung up. 

She couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day, and Will and El noticed. 

"What's with you, mom?" Will asked at the dinner table. 

"Nothing." Joyce assured him and shuffled a spoonful of mashed potatos into her mouth. 

"Doesn't look like nothing." El said smugly. 

Joyce only smiled and ruffled their hair like they were still little kids. They weren't. They were fourteen. 

The phone rang later that evening. 

"I'll get it!" Joyce said and hurried to pick it up. 

"Hello?" she said. 

"Joyce! Hi! It's Jim." said the familiar, deep voice on the other line. 

Joyce felt her face go hot. 

"Jim! How are you?" 

"All good, Joyce. I just wanted to ask... Are you doing anything on Saturday night?" 

Joyce's heart skipped a beat, and she could feel her legs turn to jelly.

"Saturday's movie night with the kids." Joyce told him. 

"Oh, right. I forgot." Jim said, dissapointment looming in his voice. 

"You can come over if you want. I'm sure the kids won't mind." Joyce offered. 

Her heart thummed in her chest when she heard his next words. 

"I'd love to." 

Saturday night came around, and Will and El had picked a horror movie. Scary movies weren't Joyce's favorite kinds of movies. She figured she'd seen enough horrors in the real world for a life time, but the kids were relentless. 

"This one is really good, mom." Will assured her. 

"I don't  doubt it." Joyce sighed and gave him a smile. 

"I'll get the popcorn and the blankets!" El beamed from the kitchen. 

There came a knock on the door. Will looked at his mom with a funny expression on his face. 

She hurried to the door. 

"Jim!" she said when she opened the door and looked at the tall, handsome man standing in the doorway. A rush of desire shot through her. He had trimmed his beard, she noticed. Since when did that happen? 

"Hi, Joyce." 

"Come in!" she urged him and closed the door behind him. 

"I have something for you." Jim said, his cheeks reddening. 

Will appeared in the hallway. 

"Flowers?" he said, looking at his mom. 

"Oh, Jim, they're beautiful." 

"Red roses?" El said, as she, too, appeared in the hallway, a bucket of popcorn in the arms. 

"I just figured since... you know..."

"I love them! Thank you." Joyce said and took his hands. 

The kids dissapeared into the living room. 

Joyce and Jim sat together on the couch, neither of them paying much attention to the gory movie on the screen. Their thoughts were elsewhere. Jim's hand found Joyce's under the blanket, and he tenderly caressed her skin. She looked at him and smiled. 

When the movie ended, Will suddenly got up. 

"Mom, is it okay if I head over to Dylan's house?" Dylan was Will's new friend he'd met in school. 

"Okay, but be home by ten." Joyce told him. 

"If was thinking I could stay the night at his house. He had this new video game that's totally mint!" 

"Well..." Joyce began, but El cut her off. 

"Can I go over to Allison's house? She's having a sleep over." El asked. 

Joyce looked at Jim. 

"I guess it's okay... what do you think?" she asked. 

"I think it'll be alright. As long as you call your mother in the morning." Jim said. 

Joyce nodded, suddenly nervous. They were going to be alone then. She hadn't counted on that. 

The kids left and Joyce and Jim had the whole house to themselves.