Christmas Break

Coming home

 "Hey everyone. I'm here and I brought my new again girlfriend."

"Jack, we are in the dining room mailing the last of the merch. That joke's not funny, you and Jaycee just broke up a few weeks ago."

Jack bent over and kissed Gabrielle before leading her through the kitchen. On the ride over they had wondered if his parents had heard anything about the incident. It sounded like this was going to be a real surprise.

"Well Mom, I wasn't joking."

Jack's mother looked up from the package she was handing to his father and saw them walking over. She looked a little stunned at the sight of her son with someone that she thought was out of his life for good. Jack's father took one look at his wife and turned around to see what had stumped her so. His reaction was different from his wife. When he saw Gabrielle hand in hand with his son he smiled a little knowing smirk. He had always thought that somehow they would find their way back to each other one day.

"Hello Gabrielle. It's nice to see you again. What happened to your eye? Jack, I think you have some explaining to do."

"Gabrielle... I am... surprised to see you with... Don't get me wrong, it's really nice to see you, I am just surprised... Was Jack telling the truth? Are you two really an item again?"

"Hi Mr. Brinkman, hi Mrs. Brinkman, yes Jack was being serious, we are back together again."

"OK. This is kind of sudden. How did this come about?"

"Well Mom, it started a couple of days ago. You see..."

Jack and Gabrielle spent the next hour explaining what had happened over the last few days. In the end Mrs. Brinkman came around and decided that either luck or fate seemed to be playing around in their lives and just decided to go with it. Jack's father just sat there with his knowing smirk and when they finished their tale he turned to his wife.

"You owe me one week in Ireland."

"Are you really going to hold me to that?"

"I believe I won the bet."

"That isn't the point."

"No no, you can't welsh on it."

Jack looked at Gabrielle and could see she was as confused as he was. He decided to break in to their little discussion to find out what they were talking about.

"Umm guys, what are you talking about?"

"Nothing Jack. It's just something between your father and I."

"Son, I bet your mother you two would be back together within two years. It's been less then one, so I believe I won't the bet. Your mother owes me a week's vacation in Ireland and at least rounds on three different golf courses while we are there."

Jack looked back down at Gabrielle and saw her looking up at him in disbelief. She seemed as stunned as he was that his parents had bet on their personal life.

"You guys really made a bet on our relationship?"

"Yes son. Your mother didn't think you guys would ever reunite. I knew it would happen at some point. I was a little unsure of how long it would take, but I knew you guys would find each other again eventually. Call it my fatherly intuition. I just had a feeling about you two."

"Glad to hear it Dad. Now we need to talk about..."

That's when they all heard the front door open and close and Olyvia's voice as she walked toward them in the dining room.

"Hey Mom, is Jack here? His truck is out front. You think he has smartened up about..."

Olyvia stopped talking when she saw the four of them sitting at the table. Her eyes were locked on Gabrielle sitting so closely next to Jack. Jack watched as her face as it went from surprise, to disbelief, to anger, and then finally to resignation.