by Lisa Shelby
Chapter 26
Emily
5:45 a.m. comes faster than I would have liked. After lying in bed thinking about Jonathan out on the couch, Ireland’s wet bed and then trying to fall back to sleep after Jonathan’s words in the hallway, there wasn’t much sleep to be had. I turn my alarm off, stick my feet into my slippers, and throw on my robe. I point myself in the direction of the shower that will hopefully wake me the hell up!
The moment I open my bedroom door I can smell the fresh brewed coffee coming from the kitchen.
I shuffle down the hall towards the kitchen to find a sight that I could get used to waking up to. Before me is a barefoot, Jonathan, still in his sleep shorts and t-shirt from the night before with slightly messed hair, a sexy as hell five o’clock shadow and a cup of coffee in his hand that he’s holding out to me.
“Morning, Sunshine. Coffee?”
“Why are you up so early? Are you one of those crazy morning people?” I ask as I greedily take the cup from his hands and bring it to my lips. So good.
“Nope, I’m a night-shifter remember?”
“Then why in the world are you up with coffee and a smile? You seem like one of those crazy, happy the moment I get up morning people.”
“You said you were getting up at 5:45 so I made sure I was up before you to get the coffee going.”
“Some vacation this is for you.”
“I don’t mind at all. Besides I want to drive you in this morning.”
“What do you mean?”
Does he think I need a chauffeur now too?
“Well, I figured I would go with you to drop off Ireland at the school so you could introduce me, and they could add me to the list of people that are able to pick her up. That way if you have things you need to do and need her to be picked up, I can help. Now, what do you normally eat for breakfast? I know you didn’t really do breakfast in the past but that could have changed. What’ll it be? I can get it going while you jump in the shower.” He says this almost as if he’s excited at the prospect of making me breakfast.
“Jonathan, you don’t have to become my manny. It’s very kind of you, but you don’t have to do all of this. You don’t have to make coffee, cook, do pre-school pick up…” as I am speaking I see the folded sheets on the table from last night’s wake up call. “…And apparently do laundry too. Really, you are making me feel horrible.”
“I don’t want you to feel horrible. Especially when it’s making me feel so good to be able to help you and take a tiny bit off your plate. I’ll feel useless if you don’t let me help, and if I feel useless I’ll get bored and when I get bored, I get really annoying. More annoying than usual. I guess it’s your choice, but I’m not going anywhere. And I am driving you to work and Ireland to school. So, I think you might as well let me help.”
I’m still too hung up on his first sentence to laugh at his cute little joke about being annoying. Of course I heard him, but the first part is what stuck.
I have to know so I ask, “It makes you feel good to help us out? Why?”
“Emily, I don’t think you are ready to hear all the reasons why. The last thing I want is to scare you away.” He tucks a stray hair behind my ear with sincerity and a fear in his eyes that I am not used to seeing. “I don’t want you to walk away again.”
Finally, being honest myself, I set my coffee cup down, stretch up on my toes, put my arms around his neck and rest my head on his shoulder and nuzzle into the soft skin under his five o’clock shadow. As his arms come around me we just hold each other in silence before I whisper into his neck. “Thank you for everything the last couple of days, and thank you for wanting to give us another chance. Just so you know…I don’t want to walk away again either, Georgia.”
I can feel the tension fall from his body. “Thank Christ,” he says lightly before kissing me on the top of my head. Stepping away from our warm comfortable hug—that I could have stayed wrapped in all day—he hands me my coffee, spins me around, gives me a pat on the ass and says, “Go get ready for work, baby.”
I let out a little squeal at the slap on my ass and head to the bathroom as ordered. On my way, I can’t help but think about how much I love to hear him call me baby. I can remember the first time he did that in California. It still sends tingles through my body and gets me a little hot and bothered. When he calls me baby, it’s sexy. When he calls me Gracie, it’s his way of telling me how special I am to him. Both give me an incredible feeling but in two completely different ways. One is sexy and the other is sweet. I love them both.
I can’t help the extra pep in my step as I go through my morning routine. After getting dressed, I step out of my room and hear conversation and giggles coming from the kitchen. I follow the sweet sound and see an even sweeter picture. Ireland is sitting on the bar stool in her nightgown with her little bare feet swinging as she eats what seems to be a bowl of oatmeal. She hates oatmeal. It’s like he has magical powers and I can’t help but wonder what else he might have up his sleeves.
Walking up behind my blond beauty I ask, “What do we have here?”
“Hi, mommy. Jonafon and I are having oatmeal for breakfast.”
“I see that. How is it?” I question knowing that she won’t eat it for me.
“It’s nummy, mommy. It’s got apples in it.”
I walk over to Jonathan and lift my hand to him. He knows what I want and gives it to me with a slap of the hand and a confused look.
“I’ll tell you later,” I mouth to him.
“What about you? Can I make you anything?”
“Thanks, Georgia but I’m okay. I’m just gonna fix myself an English muffin and some OJ and I’ll be set.”
“Well, if you like English muffins then you will love the Kelly McMuffin. I must say it’s my breakfast specialty. Maybe one day if you’re lucky I’ll make you one.”
“That good huh?”
“That good.”
After breakfast, I get Ireland dressed and ready for school while Jonathan lets the dogs out and takes a shower. I’m in Ireland’s room directly across from the bathroom when the door opens and out walks a shirtless Jonathan. His jeans hang low enough to see that he still has that V shape that disappears into his perfectly fitting jeans. He’s drying his hair with his towel and doesn’t notice me gawking as he walks down the hall to the living room where he must have left his shirt. Just seeing his bare skin does something to me.
He was in amazing shape during our time together all those years ago, but now he is seemingly perfect. He’s still lean, but a bit thicker to go with all that cut muscle. Simply put…he looks like a man. He’s aging nicely. Very nicely indeed.
Ireland comes bounding into my face and says, “I’m ready, mommy!”
I shake my head to clear myself of my lustful thoughts and follow her out to the family room. Jonathan unfortunately now has a shirt covering his bare chest and is tying his boots.
“You pretty ladies ready?”
“Yep, all ready Jonafon,” Ireland says proudly. She hooks her thumbs in her backpack straps and sways back and forth while she waits for him. If only she got ready for me like this every morning. So far, having Georgia around has its benefits.
Jonathan throws a red plaid flannel on over his white t-shirt, leaving it unbuttoned but rolling the sleeves up his forearms. Put that together with his jeans and hot as fuck work boots and he is quite the sight. I’m not so sure I want him to come into the school for drop off. All those teachers are going to have heart failure when they see him. God-forbid even one of his dimples makes an appearance while he’s there, because none of those women will stand a chance.
Ireland is in her seat—still in the back of his truck—and is talking a mile a minute telling Jonathan all about her new school. She is so excited to show it to him that she’s practically jumping out of her seat. Thank goodness she’s strapped in to that thing because she might just bounce right out of it.
We get to school and Jonathan lets them make a copy of his
ID and they add him to the list of adults that are allowed to leave with Ireland. When I think about the fact that her list has me, Mick, my Mom, Cami, Alex and now Jonathan. I realize that she is a pretty lucky girl to have so many cool people to take care of her. Once again this just proves that it really does take a village.
As expected, all the teachers at school are completely charmed by Jonathan. It’s a struggle to get him out of there as Ireland walks him around to show him everything!
Once we’re finally out of the school we head to the high school campus. Jonathan pulls up to an empty spot near the front and puts the truck in park.
“Listen, Carter Blackburn, the school resource officer, is fully aware of what’s going on. He’s going to be around if you need him. I’m going to text you his number and I want you to program it into your phone. You know that I’m just a phone call away. If anything happens or even if you just have a gut feeling that something is off, you call me and I’ll be here. Got it?”
“Got it, Georgia. Thanks for worrying about me, but I’ll be fine.” I assure him.
He hops out of the truck and walks around the front to open my door and help me out.
“Just call me if you need anything. Otherwise, I’ll be here at 11:45 to pick you up,” he says putting one hand on the back of my head and gently pulling my head closer to his and placing one of his sweet kisses on my forehead.
I feel myself float into the building and turn to look over my shoulder to see him still there waiting to make sure I make it into the building safe and sound. I give him a little wave and he lifts his hand in reply.
Wouldn’t it be great to start every day like this?
I continue to float my way through the halls of the school, into the office to check my mailbox, and then head toward my classroom. I always get in early and get things powered on and ready for class so that Heidi doesn’t have to really worry about anything before the bell rings.
I unlock the door and flip the light on and see that there’s an envelope on the floor. I add it to my pile of mail, power on all the computers and the overhead projector. As I log into my email, I remember the envelope.
I dig it out from under the other stack of papers I had picked up in the mail room and nearly drop it when I see the writing on the front.
E. Jacobs
I know this writing and I know this is not good. This means that whoever this is knows what car I drive, my name and what classroom I’m in. What the hell have I done to somebody out there for them to want to scare me like this? I don’t want to open it, especially alone. Knowing that somebody was in the school after or before hours to place this letter here is disconcerting to say the least.
I follow my first instinct and call Jonathan.
He answers on the first ring. “Hey baby, everything okay?”
This time his baby is a comfort and that is all I want to feel right now. I don’t want to feel the sick feeling that I have in the pit of my stomach.
“Jonathan…there was a note left under the door of my classroom.”
“What’s it say, baby?”
He sounds calm but I can hear the anger he’s fighting hard to hide.
“I don’t know. I haven’t opened it yet. It just says E. Jacobs on the outside of the envelope.”
“Okay, I want you to open it and tell me what it says. I’m right here, baby, and I’m turning the truck around and headed back to you.”
I can hear the wheels of his truck screech as he turns around to come back to me.
I open the envelope slowly making sure I don’t rip it, and when I unfold the paper a picture falls out. The moment I see the picture, tears fill my eyes and I feel as though my throat’s closing up.
I try to speak, but I have to try again and I barely get the words out. “Oh my God Jonathan…there’s a picture…it’s the three of us walking at the zoo with Ireland in the middle of us. They’ve seen her, Jonathan. This can’t be happening. Not my baby girl”
“Baby, I need you to take a deep breath and keep talking to me. Did they draw anything on the front or back of the picture?”
“No.”
“Okay, was there anything else in the envelope?”
“Yes, there’s a letter.”
“Read that to me, darlin’.”
Hope you, Ireland and your boyfriend had fun at the zoo?
Stay away from my family if you want me to stay away from yours.
“Oh my God, they know her name! Jonathan, they know her name!”
I suddenly notice that the halls are getting louder and the bell is about to ring. There will be students in the room any minute.
“What do I do, Jonathan? The bell is about to ring and Heidi isn’t here yet.”
“Just stay calm and try to act like nothing is wrong. I’m calling Blackburn right now and I’ll be there in five minutes. Hang in there, baby. I’m on my way and we’ll figure this thing out. Why don’t you take a picture of the letter and the picture and send it to me, okay?”
“Okay, I will. But, Jonathan don’t disrupt class. I don’t want the students to know that anything’s wrong. Just come in as soon as first period is over, okay?”
“Okay, but I’ll be with Blackburn or right outside your door.”
The bell rings and the first few students start to trickle in.
“I have to go, class is starting. Thank you and see you after class. Thank you so much, Jonathan.”
“On my way, Gracie.”
I hang up my phone, take the picture and send it to Jonathan. I throw the picture and the letter in my purse, and put my purse in my desk drawer. I can feel myself shaking, but I’ve stopped the tears from falling. Taking deep breaths to try to appear normal, I get up and go check in with my kids.
The bell rings and Austin walks in with Heidi right on his heels, and she closes the door behind her.
“Hey, Miss J. How was your weekend?”
“It was good. How was yours, Austin?”
“Not too bad. Just hung out with Kayla all weekend and actually did a little studying.”
“That’s great, Austin. What did you study? Please tell me it was math?” I ask him, trying to stay engaged. He really is a great kid so it’s easy to fall into conversation with him.
“I did. Math and Spanish. I’ve narrowed down the sections I need to go over with you today if we have time. I have my math test next period so I would love to have it fresh in my head.”
“No problem, we’ll make sure to find time. Hey, how are things at home Austin? I know things were pretty rough last week.”
“You know, it’s been better. Dad is still drinking a lot and I walked in the other day and he had just hit mom and split her lip open, but when I jumped in between the two of them he just walked away. He still has never touched me, but he hits mom sometimes when I’m not there.”
“Austin, I am so sorry. Your mom still won’t press charges or leave?”
“Nope, I’ve begged her to and she just won’t do it. I told her I would leave with her and for some reason she won’t leave. I don’t understand why he’ll hit her and not me. I could take it so much better than her.”
I rip the corner of a piece of paper off and write my number on it and give it to him.
“Listen, I’m not supposed to do this so please don’t tell anybody that I gave this to you, but this is my number and I want you to program it in to your phone. If you ever have an emergency, and you and your mom need help, you call me okay?”
“Thanks, Miss. J. I really appreciate it, but to be honest I already have it. Jesse said you gave it to him and he wanted me to have it in case my dad ever did touch me. Sorry, please don’t be mad at him. We just don’t have too many adults that we can count on and he wanted me to have it just in case.”
Shit, I could get in so much trouble if any of the staff or parents found out that I gave my number out. I need to be more careful.
“Of course I’m not mad. But again, please don’t tell anybody because I could get into a lot
of trouble or even lose my job, okay?”
“Promise.”
“Okay, now let’s get that math out and see what we need to go over.”
As Austin gets out his homework, I look up and through the glass on the classroom door I see Jonathan talking with Officer Blackburn. The sick feeling in the pit of my stomach eases just a bit knowing he’s here.
I’m barely holding it together when the bell rings and the students gather their things to move on to their next class.
“See you later, Miss J. Thanks for everything.”
“Have a good day, Austin.”
As soon as the class is clear of students Jonathan walks in. The moment his eyes meet mine I feel a tear glide down my cheek. He wastes no time getting to me and pulling me into his arms.
“I’m here, darlin’. You aren’t alone. You don’t have to deal with any of this alone.”
His words are exactly what I needed to hear, and I feel some of the weight lift off of my chest. He gives me a little squeeze along with one of his comforting kisses to the top of the head.
“Where is it, sweetheart?”
“What?”
“The note and the picture.”
“Oh crap, duh, sorry.”
I go get the note out of my purse and hand it to him. By this time Heidi can see that there’s something going on. We pull her to the front corner of the room and fill her in on what’s been happening including this latest threat that now involves my daughter.
“Emily, I am so sorry. I had no idea. Do you think it’s Jesse’s family?” Heidi asks as she pulls me into a hug and then holds me by my shoulders. “Go home if you need to, but be sure that you go talk to Principal Utz and make sure that he’s up to speed on the situation, okay?”
