by Jamie Hill
He shook his head to clear it. He needed to concentrate on the facts of the case, and stop letting his mind drift back to his house, picturing what was going on there. Crystal getting out of bed, wandering around his room naked with those black glasses on, until she had time to get dressed and put her contacts in. He loved her green eyes, and he loved those damned black glasses. Love. It was a word he hadn’t let himself use much. Why did he find it so easy to use when describing Crystal? He closed his eyes and envisioned her rising above him that morning, so beautiful and uninhibited he almost groaned aloud. He shook his head again. This is not working. He grabbed his coffee and his jacket and left for the loading dock. Talking to people, keeping busy, that's what he needed to do.
* * * *
Crystal stretched lazily before slowly climbing out of bed. She hadn’t felt this good in ages, if ever. Making love with Jack far exceeded anything she'd previously experienced. As she moved around his room she realized she had muscles aching that she didn’t even know existed. She felt sore in a good way. And she couldn’t believe that after being completely sated the previous night, they'd made love again this morning. Yet she still felt aroused as she touched his things and smelled his cologne in the air. She smiled, knowing she only had to wait until that evening to feel him wrap himself around her again. Jack would want it as much as she did. She had no doubts that his desire equaled hers for him.
Her day progressed much as the previous day had. Feed the boys, watch TV with them, and now she had video games to play with them. She generally found those a huge time-waster, but she seemed to have time to burn these days. She was feeling a little cranky when the afternoon rolled around.
The boys were also feeling the effects of their seclusion. They started bickering and wanted her to play referee. She frowned at them, never having settled an argument between them before, and unsure of the best way to handle it. She sided with Devon and Mark got mad, so she sided with Mark and then they both got mad. She yelled at them. They slammed the door on her. Everyone sank into rotten moods. To top it off, the dog chewed up one of her shoes. By the time Jack got home, she was about ready to explode.
“Hey! How are you doing?” He walked in the door and kissed her cheek.
“How do you think I’m doing, cooped up with two kids and a dog that can’t go outside all day? It sucks, I hate to tell you.”
He seemed surprised at her tone, but tried to be understanding. “I’m sure it’s not easy for you. I know—”
“What do you know?” she snapped. “Do you know how it feels to be plucked out of your life and stuck someplace else, in a situation you have no control over? Along with two kids, whose one goal in life is to drive you up a frigging wall? You can’t go outside or even send them outside, so they’re underfoot all damn day.” She evaporated into a puddle of tears. “I’m sorry, I just need a few minutes. Do you think you could watch them so I could take a break?”
“Of course. I’ll just go change, then take them outside.” He walked to his room and unbuttoned his dress shirt.
Crystal followed him and lay on the bed, watching him undress.
“You checking me out?” he teased, trying to improve her mood.
“Like there’s anything we could do about it now. Even sex has to be scheduled when you have two automatic kids.”
He sat on the bed next to her. “Did last night feel ‘scheduled’ to you? It sure as hell didn’t to me.”
“I don’t know. I’m tired.” She flopped over on her side and faced the wall.
“What happened to put you in this mood, Crys? Don’t say nothing. It had to be something.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Doesn’t make it very easy for me to fix, then.”
“Maybe you can’t fix everything, Jack.”
“Maybe,” he stood up, voice hinting at irritation. “I’m taking the boys outside.”
She waved a hand at him without looking up, and he left her alone.
* * * *
He bundled up the boys and took them and Zeus into the backyard, where they ran off some energy and tossed a ball and a Frisbee for the dog. The snowman got tackled and decimated. Jack had worked off some of his own frustration by the time they went back in the house.
He looked in on Crystal and found her asleep, so he made grilled cheese sandwiches for the boys’ dinner. Afterward he popped a movie in the DVD player and made them some popcorn. He went in and sat next to Crystal, rubbing his hand over her back.
She stirred, and he said, “I can leave if you just want to sleep.”
“Not sleeping,” she murmured and rubbed at her eyes.
“Yeah,” he smirked. “And I’m not stinging from your earlier mood. I am hoping it’s improved somewhat.”
She rolled over and looked at him. “Sorry. Everything kind of piled up on me today. I guess the boys aren’t used to being together twenty-four/seven anymore than I am. They were picking at each other, and no matter which one I sided with, someone got mad.”
“Welcome to parenthood.” He smiled, still rubbing her arm lightly.
She gave him an irritated look. “That damn dog chewed up one of my shoes.”
Jack bit his lip and tried not to laugh. “I’m sorry. I’ll replace the shoes.”
She looked at him. “It’s not funny. I think I’ll go stir crazy if I have to stay cooped up like this one more day.”
“Tomorrow’s Saturday. I have some things to check out at work, but I might be able to spend part of the day with you.”
“Great,” she said dully, and Jack’s eyes flashed irritation.
“I’m doing the best I can for you, here, Crystal. I’d love to be able to blow off work and spend all my time with you, but this case isn't going to solve itself.” He stomped into the kitchen and she followed him.
“You don’t know how oppressive it is to be stuck here like this! I really think I’ll lose it if this goes on much longer.”
He opened the cabinet and grabbed his bottle of Crown Royal, and slammed it on the counter with a thud. “I think you’re being melodramatic. You’re in a safe, comfortable house. You don’t have to wait tables. You get to relax and take it easy. Doesn’t sound that damned hard to me.” He reached for a glass and glared at her.
“Spoken like someone who gets to come and go as he pleases!” Crystal glared back. “And don’t you dare crawl into that bottle at the first sign of an argument! How could you even think about doing that with the boys in this house? They had a father who got loaded every chance he got. Now he’s dead and all they’ve got is you!”
“I am not their father,” he snapped as he poured himself a tall shot. “And I told you up front that I like to drink. I drink a lot. If you want to mother someone, mother them, but leave me the hell alone.”
“Who said I want to mother anybody?” she hollered at him. “I never asked for them to be dumped in my lap! But here we are, and what the hell are we supposed to do about it?”
“We can leave,” Mark spoke up from the doorway, his arms wrapped around his crying brother. “We’ll just go.”
“Oh, my God! Mark, Devon…” Crystal looked mortified.
The children turned and ran into their room, and their door slammed. She looked at Jack in horror.
He shot her a look that could kill and downed the last of his whisky.
Crystal sighed. “Okay, I screwed up. It’s my fault. I forgot they were even here.”
He continued to glare at her. He was irritated with her for a myriad of reasons.
She sighed. “I admit it. I messed things up royally. But for their sake, could you help me, please? We’ve got to undo the damage.”
“That ought to be pretty easy,” he growled at her sarcastically as he passed by and went to the boys. “Zeus, come,” he snarled and the dog headed with him for the bedroom.
Jack knocked once and went in. He looked around and didn’t see the kids at first glance. He heard sobbing and opened the closet door. They were
huddled on the closet floor together, tears streaming their faces. Jack sighed and leaned back against the closet door, then slid down on the floor in front of them. He brought Zeus down next to him and rubbed the dog's back as he spoke.
“You could have really freaked me out. Did you know there’s a hidden crawlspace behind that back wall? It’s probably just big enough for the two of you. And maybe a few spiders.” He smiled at them hopefully, but they weren’t going to be so easily consoled. Jack sighed. “Well, obviously Crystal and I aren’t used to arguing with children in the house. We said some things that we shouldn’t have said. Now I guess we need to talk about them with you.”
Crystal sat down on the edge of their bed and tapped her toe nervously. Jack shot her an irritated glance. How was he going to talk their way out of the mess she’d stirred up?
Mark held on to Devon possessively. “We just want to leave.”
“And go where?” Jack asked softly.
The boy shrugged, and hugged Devon.
Jack inhaled. “I’m going to be straight with you guys, and you’re going to have to grow up a little bit for me today. You don’t have anyplace else to go right now. I guess you heard us saying that your father is dead. It was a rotten way for you to find out, but honestly, Crystal and I didn’t know how to tell you. We knew you’d be really sad.”
“You should have told us.” Mark looked at Jack defiantly.
He nodded. “You’re right. We were trying to protect you, but we should have just told you. I think you’ve figured out by now that Crystal and I aren’t perfect.”
“You don’t want us!” Devon sobbed, and Jack’s heart clutched.
“Devon—” He made solid eye contact with the boy. “I never said that. I was angry at Crystal for something that had nothing to do with you, and when I said I wasn’t your father, well, I think I was trying to get back at her. See, she’s under my skin, and that’s not a place any man wants to find a woman.”
Jack saw Crystal look at him with surprise, but he didn’t face her. He ignored her. He was still very irritated.
She said, “Devon and Mark, I was in a crabby mood because of the situation we’re in, and said some things I really didn’t mean.”
Mark ignored Crystal and looked at Jack. “What situation are we in? Why are we here? Why aren’t we going to school? Why was our apartment so messed up?”
Jack looked at him and continued to scratch Zeus behind the ears. “Okay, guys, here’s the deal. A week ago—the same day that homeless guy Manny died in front of your apartment building—your dad disappeared. Crystal tried to find him, and after a couple days she called me to help look for him. Before I could find out anything, someone broke into your apartment and tore it up, like they were looking for something. We have no idea what, but they keep coming back every night and looking. When they broke into Crystal’s place, I knew it wasn’t safe to stay there so I brought you all here. In the meantime, a couple days ago, I got a call from another police department not too far from here. They'd found your dad. He’s dead. I’m really sorry about that.”
He looked at them, and they faced him back bravely. Jack went on, “I did some checking, and your parents didn’t have any other family that I can find. That’s why Crystal and I have been sitting on this information, waiting until we could figure out what was going to happen. Frankly, it’s been a big mess, with someone trashing the apartments the way they did. We’ve been trying to decide the best thing to do for you both.”
Mark was still trying to be brave but his lip quivered. Devon didn’t even try to hold back his tears. “We don’t have anywhere to go,” Mark said softly.
Jack reached over and scooped both boys into his arms. “You have me, and you have Crystal. We’re not going anywhere until we get this whole thing figured out.”
“Crystal said she never asked for us.” Mark looked at her bitterly, and then back at Jack.
Jack smiled. “Well it’s true, she didn’t. And I’m afraid you got the best of her today when you started fighting. You guys are used to going to school, and she’s used to going to work, so when you’re all together in the evenings it’s pretty nice. But when you’re together every day and night, all the time, sometimes people get cranky.” He glanced at Crystal and made a little face at her. He whispered loudly to the boys, “Crystal got really cranky. But I think she’s over it now. Got anything to say, Crys?”
She made a face back at him and knelt down in front of them. “I’m so sorry, Mark, Devon. I didn’t mean anything I said. I was taking my bad mood out on you guys and—”
“And me,” Jack added.
She made another face at him. “And Jack. I apologize to all of you.”
The boys didn’t look at her; they shrank into Jack and let him hold them tightly.
“We’ll just sit here for a bit, okay?” He leaned back against the closet door. He held one boy in each arm, and rocked them gently back and forth.
Crystal sat and watched for almost thirty minutes. Devon’s eyes eventually closed and his breathing grew regular. She whispered to Jack, “I’ll lay him down.”
He nodded in reply, but when she reached for Devon the boy cried and clung tightly to Jack’s neck. “Okay, okay,” Jack whispered. “We’ll stay right here. It’s okay.”
Crystal stood up and stomped out of the room. Jack heard the back door open, and pictured her standing out there, puffing furiously on a cigarette. He smiled to himself. He couldn’t stay mad at her. He completely understood her frustrations. It was unfortunate that the boys found out about their father that way, but they were going to be okay.
He stretched and tried to work a kink out of his back. Dev had a death grip on him. It was going to be a long night if Jack had to sleep in this position.
Crystal appeared in the doorway with an armload of pillows from his bed. She dropped them beside Jack and pulled the boys’ pillows and blankets off their bed. She arranged the pillows so Jack could lie back, with one arm around Devon. Mark curled up between his brother and Zeus. Crystal covered them with blankets.
Jack smiled at her. “Looks like I have one free arm.”
She scooted up next to him. “You’re not going to punch me with it, are you?”
He pulled her against his chest. “Not tonight.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I know.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry, too. We’ll have to brush up on our arguing skills.”
“Not for a while.”
He sighed. “Definitely not tonight. I’m beat.”
She slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him. “Did you mean what you said about me being under your skin?”
“You know I did. You’re in there so deep it hurts.”
She hugged him again. “I feel the same way,” she whispered.
He pulled her up to him with his free arm and they kissed tenderly and then again more passionately. “Stay here next to me tonight.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she whispered and they kissed again.
The boys awoke early in the morning to use the bathroom. Returning to their room, they looked at Jack and Crystal suspiciously. “You slept in here with us?” Mark asked.
“Of course we did.” Jack sat up and yawned. “I told you I wouldn’t leave you. And Crystal was worried sick about you.” He watched her rise and go to the bathroom. He told the boys, “You have to realize that this is a big change for her, being responsible for two children when she’s only ever had to be responsible for herself. She’s doing the best she can, guys, and I think she’s doing a pretty good job. She cares so much about you two. She could have called the police and dumped you off, you know. She never once thought about doing that. She really, really cares about you, and wants to do the best thing for you.” He stopped talking as she returned and looked at them from the doorway.
“Are we getting up, or going back to bed?” She yawned.
Devon slipped over to her and reached up for a hug. Mark was a little slower t
o come around but he hugged her as well.
Crystal hugged them both tightly and whispered, “Thank you for forgiving me. I promise to try harder and do better.”
“We think you’re doing just fine,” Jack stood up next to her and smiled. “And I vote for going back to bed for a little bit. It’s Saturday, and it’s still early. Why don’t you two climb up here and see if you can’t get back to sleep?” He put their pillows and covers back on the bed, and tucked them in. “I’ll let Zeus outside for a minute, and then send him back in. We’re going to go to our room for a couple hours or so. If you can’t get back to sleep, come get us, but not until…” He looked at the clock. “Let’s say nine-o’clock, all right?”
The boys agreed. Jack took care of Zeus and went to the bathroom. He found Crystal putting his bed back together. “A real bed.” She dropped into it.
“And we’re all alone.” He locked the door and peeled off his sweatshirt.
Crystal smiled at him. “Why do I think we’re not going back to sleep?”
He grinned and stepped out of his pants. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
She gazed at his stiff erection and batted her eyes. “Oh, I don’t know. Something just popped out at me.”
He rolled on the bed and brought her on top of him. “If you’d really rather sleep…”
“Are you crazy?” she pulled her sweater off and kissed him hungrily.
There was time for both sex and sleep, since the boys didn’t wake up again until almost noon. Jack went to the door of his room and asked them to go watch TV. He’d rouse Crystal and they’d be out shortly to fix something to eat. He slipped into the shower and was toweling off his hair when she woke up.
“What are you doing?” she murmured and smiled at him.
He grinned at her and looked at himself in the mirror. He ran a hand over his chin and answered, “Big decision—to shave or not shave.”
“Ooh, not shave. You look so sexy with stubble.”
