“Where’s Momma?” Diane asked.
“She’s lying down in the family hospitality room.”
“I want to go check on her,” she said
“I’ll come with you.”
They walked to the room and his mother was sleeping. The stress of the day prompted her to take a nap at the time she normally would have been adding a half a pound of butter to something for dinner. Jack returned to their waiting room. Diane went and got them something to eat from the cafeteria. They sat for a couple of hours, exchanging few words.
“You should have called me sooner?”
“I didn’t want to throw you off from taking your exam.”
Diane was amazed that he could think of her when his world was rocked.
“I’ll be right back. Let me go check on Momma again,” Diane said
Jack smiled internally at the love and concern she showed for him and his parents. “I love you, Diane.”
“I love you too, Jack.”
Diane walked into the room where Rose was sleeping. Diane did not want to disturb her so she pulled the covers up to keep the chill off.
“Boy, I told you to stop fussing over me.”
“It’s not Jack. It’s me, Diane.”
“Oh, hi sweetheart, I’m so glad you’re here. Jack’s beside himself. You can help keep him calm and convince him to go home.”
“I don’t think he’s going home anytime soon.”
“You convince him to. He can’t do surgery and he doesn’t know how to do lab work so the best thing he can do for me and his dad right now is rest.”
“Is there something I can get you before I go?”
“No I’m fine. I’m so glad Jack has you. Last time he didn’t cope too well with his father being in the hospital. I know I don’t have to worry about him because you’ll be there for him this time.”
“I’m here for you too.”
“I know sweetheart. What you can do for me right now is love my son.”
“I can do that. I’ll take Jack home now.”
Diane returned to the waiting room and sat next to Jack. “Jack your mother wants me to take you home and so you can get some rest and I agree.”
“But.”
“You being here or at home won’t change how long the operation will take. You need rest and the hospital only allows for one family member to stay over. Let’s go home and I’ll make you some dinner and we’ll come back out here first thing in the morning.”
He liked that she said home and not “the farm” like usual. “When you say cook do you really mean warm Momma’s food up?”
She smiled, “Let’s not split hairs funny man. There will be warm food in your belly that is all that matters.”
He kissed her hand and stood. “Okay. But I’ll drive myself. You have a test tomorrow.”
“I’ll drive, it’s been a long day for you. Don’t worry about me and my exams.”
Jack went to the room to tell his mother goodbye, “Ma, Di and I are about to go home. Do you need anything before we go?”
“I’m fine. I’ll call you with updates. Can we pray before you go?”
“Of course we can Momma.”
They all held hands and bowed their heads, “Dear Lord, I know we’ve prayed so many times today, but I come to you once again. I know you’re a powerful healer. I pray that you continue to guide the hands of the doctors as they remove that mass from my father. Please let the tumor be benign. Bless us all with the miracle of dad home and healthy soon. It is in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus that we pray. Amen.” They both kiss Rose on the forehead before leaving.
The drive home was quiet. Diane did not know what to say. Nothing she could say could soothe him. Once they were home, he went to finish up some of the minimum chores that needed to be done on the farm. When he came in he sat in the den and mindlessly flipped through channels while she finished cooking.
“Did you cook this?”
“Yes, and it’s a first attempt so be nice. It won’t taste like your mother’s and I’m almost certain that it’s edible.”
He took her by the waist and kissed her. She felt so right. “Why didn’t you just warm the leftovers up, darling?”
“I thought I’d use you as a guinea pig. If this is good I can be more of a help in the kitchen when your dad comes home. It’ll give momma one less thing to worry about.”
“Diane, just when I think I couldn’t love you more you surprise me.” He kissed her again. A sweet and loving kiss with just a hint of passion.
“Dinner will be cold if you keep kissing me like that.”
Jack hesitantly took a bite of the food. “This is good Diane.”
“Really? I’ve been taking mental notes but I wasn’t certain how good it would be.”
“It’s really good, just like you.”
They sat relatively quiet as they ate. He finished all the food on his plate and got seconds. Either he liked it, or he did not want to discourage her. Either way, she was greatly appreciative. Diane stood to do the dishes.
“Let me get those, you go study.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. I’ll clean this up and then I think I’m heading to bed.”
Diane studied for a while then headed upstairs to call it a night. She was about to get in her bed, but left the room instead. Quietly she opened the door to Jack’s room. He was sound asleep on his back. She tipped toed across the old squeaky floor and pulled the covers back. She was happy to see that he was sleeping in a t-shirt and boxers and not his birthday suit. She snuggled in close to his warmth and rested her head on his chest. He moved and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer.
“What are you doing in my bed Diane?” he asked without opening an eye.
“Shhh. Just sleep.”
He tilted her chin up and kissed her. “If I weren’t so tired, I’d take advantage of you.”
“I’d let you.” She lay her head on his chest and he pulled her in close until they drifted off to sleep.
♥♥♥
The next morning Jack woke feeling more rested than the few hours of sleep he’d gotten. He knew that was because of the woman next to him. During the night they’d changed positions and her short- clad perfect, round butt was nestled snug against his intimate area which only enhanced his normal morning excitement. He wished New Year’s Eve would get here soon. The sooner he got the ring on her finger, the sooner she’d walk down that aisle which meant the sooner he’d be able to give into his desire for her.
He tried to get up without disturbing her with no luck. She sat up and the covers fell down exposing her top half. Her nipples strained against the tank style pajama top she wore. She yawned with a big upper body stretch that made her shirt rise exposing her gently rounded stomach.
“Good morning.”
Her voice made him realize he was staring. “Um, good morning.”
“You want to head to the hospital?”
“After I feed the hogs, I’m going to come and get a quick shower and go.”
“I’ll help you.”
“With the shower?” he asked with that dimple highlighting his grin.
“As if,” she said much more lightly than she felt. “If I help you with the feeding you’ll be done faster and we can get you to the hospital. Did Momma call?”
“Let me check.” He looked at his phone and let out a little chuckle. “She sent a text, or probably had one of the nurses do it. She said the surgery went longer than expected, but they were able to remove the tumor successfully.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “That’s a blessing.”
“It is. I’m so relieved.” He returned the embrace and added a quick kiss to her lips. “Are you sure you want to help?”
“Of course I am. It’s the least I can do.”
Diane helped him feed the hogs. She wasn’t certain she was of much help, but he was encouraging and appreciative for her novice attempt at hog farming. One tried to escape and sh
e caught it, but Jack had to get it back in its pen between burst of laughter. By the time they were done she was filthier than she’d ever seen Jack and possibly smelled worse than the animals. When they got back to the house he stopped her in the mud room.
“You better take that stuff off here. I don’t want Momma to hurt you for getting her house dirty.”
“Okay.”
“Here, let me help.”
He slowly removed every article of dirty clothing leaving her in just her bra and panties. His body responded immediately to the sight of her full breast barely contained by the bra. Her dark tips called to his mouth through the transparent lace. His hand could not resist and reached out to touch her hardened nipple.
“Why are you torturing me Jack?”
“Torture doesn’t even begin to describe what seeing you like this does to me.”
“You didn’t need to see me like this. I am perfectly capable of undressing myself.”
“Are you capable of showering by yourself as well?”
She was tempted to say she needed his help, but the phone rang saving her. Instead she said, “You should get that.”
“Hello.”
“Hi, Jack. I thought I’d missed you. Can you bring me a change of clothes? They offered me scrubs, but I don’t trust their washing enough to wear them.”
“Yes Momma. Diane will be dropping me off as soon as we shower?”
“Excuse me?”
“She helped me feed this morning since–” he was going to say since dad wasn’t here but changed it to “so I could get there sooner.”
“How’d she do?” The humorous smile could be heard in her voice.
Jack smiled at her, “Pretty good for a newbie.”
“Diane’s really special. Give her a kiss for me.”
His body responded to the thought of kissing Diane, but he was certain that the kiss he had in mind wasn’t the kind his mother meant. “I will Momma. See you in a bit.” He hung up the phone.
He watched Diane head up the stairs. Her underwear barely covering her bottom giving him a beautiful view of smooth dark brown flesh as her rounded bottom swayed from side to side up the steps. He knew his shower would be colder and longer than normal.
♥♥♥
After her last exam she rushed over to the hospital. Jack and Rose were both in Pete’s room. Diane started to enter, but was stopped by one of the nurses.
“Only family is allowed to visit.”
“I am family.”
The nurse looked Diane up and down. “Really? You’re his family?”
“Yes, I am his family.”
“I don’t see the resemblance.”
“He’s not my father. I am his son’s girlfriend.”
“Well there you have it. Son’s girlfriend does not qualify you as a relative of the patient.”
Diane was trying to hold tight to Jesus and not let some very choice words fly when Rose walked out.
“Diane you’re here! What are you doing out here? Why didn’t you come in? Jack’s been waiting on you.”
“I’m not a relative.”
“According to who? You’re family.”
“Can you tell Nurse Ratched that?”
“Mrs. Sloan. ICU rules are family only. She’s only your son’s girlfriend.”
“If my son’s best friend could come in earlier, she can come in now.”
“Mrs. Sloan, I’m not sure which nurse let his friend in, but I’m sorry, I can’t let her in.”
“You were the nurse on duty when he came here a half hour ago. You didn’t even question him. Did you assume that because he was white he was a relative?”
“I didn’t see him go in or I would have stopped him.”
“You were sitting right there behind the desk. So why don’t you resume your seat and continue adding cellulite to your thighs with Twizzlers while you don’t see her walk through that door.”
“Mrs. Sloan! Insults aren’t necessary.”
“I agree, so stop insulting my intelligence by acting like you’re enforcing a hospital rule and not being bigot,” Rose said.
“I’m simply following the rules. You and this girl aren’t worth getting written up for,” the nurse said speaking only to Rose.
“You should avoid ending sentences with preposition, it makes you seem uneducated. This educated woman,” Diane said pointing to herself, “would like you to get your supervisor before this situation gets any uglier.”
“Is that a threat?”
“She was likely talkin’ about your face.” Rose’s southern accent was getting stronger as she became more angry.
Diane held back her laugh and continued in her most poised tone. “Not at all. The ugliness was in reference to your treatment of me. At this time it can be settled with an apology and my entrance into the room. If it continues, the settlement will be for my pain and suffering and likely result in your termination. If you would please, get your supervisor.”
“I am the head nurse.”
Jack walked out the room looking tired. He hadn’t shaved and Diane felt bad for thinking the inappropriate thought of how sexy he was. He smiled when he saw her.
“What’s going on out here? I heard raised voices.”
“This hag isn’t letting Diane in.”
“Jack, Momma, you can go back in, I’ll be in as soon as this is resolved with her supervisor.”
Jack took Diane’s hand and walked through the door into his father’s room, “Whatever the problem is, it is now resolved.”
Rose followed them into the room, but the nurse did not.
Pete was in the bed with many tubes and wires coming from him. She had only seen this stuff in movies. He was pale. So much different from the vibrant, joking man she’d come to know.
“Has he been awake since surgery?”
“No, but the doctors say his vitals are good.”
“How are you doing?” she asked Jack.
He sat and pulled her down onto his lap. “Much better now that you’re here. How was your exam?”
“I’m sure I passed.”
“I’m sorry to distract you with this.”
She took his face into her hands, “Jack, this isn’t a distraction. The test was a distraction. I wanted to be here with you and your mom. I love you.” She brushed her lips against his.
She was beyond amazing. He almost asked her to marry him right then and there. The only thing that stopped him was that they were in a hospital.
♥♥♥
“Merry early Christmas Di. This is just a little something. It’s not your real gift, just something you need.” She unwrapped the small box and found a car charger for her cell phone. “I don’t want you being stranded and falling for some sexy guy that stops to help you.”
“Like that would ever happen. There was this one guy, but I don’t know if I’d call him sexy.”
“Oh really now?” He pulled her on his lap and kissed her until she sighed.
“So he wasn’t sexy?”
“Well I guess there was something kind of attractive about him if you could see past the mullet.” She slid off his lap and picked up a gift wrapped in elegant blue foil paper with a silver bow. “This is for you.”
He unwrapped the box revealing a vanity plate that read “Hoosier” over an American flag. He smiled.
“Your real gift is underneath,” she said with a look of anticipation in her eye.
He unwrapped the box but had no clue what he was looking at. “Um, thanks,” he said trying to figure out what it was.
“It’s a laptop recording studio,” she reached for it, “you don’t like it?”
He pulled it back from her. “I love it and I love you.” He pulled her close for another kiss. “It’s perfect because ever since I met you I’ve had a thousand songs in my head, and now I’ll be able to share them with you.”
“This is your real gift,” he said handing her a box wrapped in snowman paper. Inside was a small wooden box with two hearts intertw
ined on it.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Open it.”
She followed his instructions and opened the box. Inside was a silver bracelet with the words “follow your heart” engraved on the inside. Diane’s eyes began to tear.
“Thank you. Having this on my wrist will make me miss you less over Christmas. Or I could just stay here.”
“You missed Thanksgiving with your family. You should have Christmas with them.”
“The food will be better here. For some reason my mother insisted on cooking this year.”
“You’re going home. I don’t want your mother to hate me anymore than she already does.”
“She doesn’t hate you, she just doesn’t like you. Welcome to the club, we have meetings monthly.”
“Just promise you’ll be back for New Year’s Eve with me.”
“Broke down cars and dead cell phones couldn’t keep me away.”
♥♥♥
Christmas afternoon Diane was in the kitchen at her parent’s house cooking when Amara came through the back door.
“Look at you. Is that an apron? You’re so domesticated.”
Diane ran over and hugged her. “I missed seeing you in November.”
“You wouldn’t give up meeting Jack to see me.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t.”
“What has this man done to you? You’re cooking and smiling at the mere mention of his name. Did you and him, you know?” She leaned closer to her friend to ask the question in confidence.
Diane frowned and shook her head. “No, but it’s not because I haven’t wanted to. Every time he touches me I just want to-”
Amara threw both hands up. “Stop! No is good enough for me. Spare me the details.”
Diane’s phone rang. She wiped her hands on her apron and picked up the phone. Every tooth in her mouth seemed to show when she saw the name on the caller ID.
“That must be Jack.”
“It is. Let me talk to him and I’ll be right back.” Diane passed Ryan as she exited the kitchen.
“Merry Christmas! I miss you so much Jack.”
“Merry Christmas. I miss you more. I love you.”
The sound of his deep voice made her heart flutter. Being away from him made her more sure of her feelings and easier to say the words. “I love you. How’s your dad?”
“He’s home. He was released this morning. The tumor was benign. Dad being home and healthy was the best gift.”
Jack & Diane Page 9
