Chapter 7 #3
As soon as she was on the top step, he reached for her.
Her eyes brightened at the sight of him.
He’d stepped outside without a coat on, but didn’t even notice the cold.
Cupping her face, he drew her to him until their foreheads were touching.
They both clung to the other, simply taking in the moment of being together once more.
It was an action Jack found himself craving more and more around her.
More powerful than a kiss, it was a reassurance that she was there, that she was his.
“Wow,” came from below them. Jack lifted his head to see Carolyn leaning against the banister. “I get what you mean, Jen.”
Jenna turned to look over her shoulder at her sister. “You won’t tell Mom and Dad?”
Carolyn’s eyes flew to Jack, as if she was assessing him, and then back to Jenna. “You won’t be able to keep it from them forever, but your secret’s safe with me.”
Jack felt Jenna’s grip on his shirt tighten as she smiled. “Thank you.”
Carolyn nodded once before turning that dark stare onto Jack. “You hurt my sister and I will cut your balls off, shove them down your throat, and laugh while you shit them out.”
Though surprised by the sudden hostility, but also appreciative of it on Jenna’s behalf, Jack told her in complete honesty, “Hurting Jenna would be more painful than hurting myself.” He pulled Jenna against his chest protectively.
She laid her cheek on his shoulder like it was her favorite pillow.
“I can’t guarantee there will be no hard times in our future, Carolyn, but I vow to you—both of you,” he added with a kiss to Jenna’s forehead, “that I will never deliberately hurt her.”
Carolyn lifted her chin slightly. “Big words coming from someone so young. Teens are stupid, teen boys even more so. What happens when another girl throws herself at you or is willing to give you something my sister isn’t ready to?”
“Carolyn!” Jenna made to lift her head up, presumably to scold her sister, but Jack laid a gentle hand on her head to keep her where she was.
He didn’t hesitate or back down. “I won’t deny my attraction to your sister.
That would be disrespectful to her. I have urges.
What man, or woman,” he said pointedly at Carolyn, “doesn’t?
But I am not controlled by them. Your sister means everything to me.
I realize we only just met and that we’re young.
You think that’s news to me? At the end of the day, Jenna’s health and happiness are my priorities. ”
“And what makes you think you can make her happy?” Carolyn challenged. She looked at the house behind her. “You can’t even afford to take her on a proper date.”
He felt Jenna stiffen in his arms, but he soothed her by rubbing her back. “What makes you think the key to Jenna’s happiness is money?”
Carolyn watched him for another long moment before she nodded. “I like you, Jack. I think you’re exactly what my sister needs.”
Jack heard Jenna’s sigh of relief at her sister’s approval just as the front door behind them opened up.
Mrs. Zarin squeezed her way onto the top step, a shawl around her shoulders. “My goodness, what are you doing out here in the cold? Dinner’s ready, come on inside.” Glancing down the stairs, she added, “All of you.”
Jack loosened his hold on Jenna so she could stand up. Facing Mrs. Zarin, Jenna introduced, “This is my sister, Carolyn. She was just dropping me off—”
“And my dining room table can seat one more,” Mrs. Zarin argued. Then she ushered all three of them inside the house.
Jack and Jenna did not get to see The Terminator on Opening Night.
Dinner at the Zarins had been beyond anything any of them had experienced before.
For Jenna and Carolyn, the laidback, relaxed ambiance was opposite everything they’d been taught about family meals.
There were no proper utensils, servers delivering different courses, or the stark environment they’d come to expect at their own home.
The Zarins were a lovely couple who spoke to them with respect and did not belittle them based on their expectations.
For Jack and Lilly, the home atmosphere was more than either of them had ever experienced. He couldn’t recall a time when Lilly had ever had a home cooked meal like the Zarins had prepared for them. It had been longer than he cared to remember for himself.
The large dining room table that could have seated up to eight had plenty of room for the six of them, yet it wasn’t formal in any way.
The only awkward moment was when Lilly casually mentioned how special it was to not have to eat out of a can for supper. Everyone stopped and stared. Even Jack, but that was mostly because he didn’t know what to say. The truth of her words was what made them uncomfortable to him.
It was Jenna who saved the conversation. While squeezing his leg under the table, she quickly asked Lilly what her favorite food was, which led to Lilly explaining how much she loved pizza day at school.
Jack was quiet for the rest of dinner. Both he and Jenna ate one-handed as he was unable to let her other one go under the table.
By the time Mrs. Zarin brought out dessert of homemade cherry pie, Jack and Jenna realized they’d missed their movie time. Neither one was overly disappointed though and they chose to stay to spend time with their siblings and hosts.
Mrs. Zarin still gave Jack the movie vouchers for future use.
Carolyn offered to drive Jack and Lilly home, but Mr. Zarin stepped in.
The older man was not much of a talker, but he had keen eyes that seemed to shrewdly observe everything.
Mr. Zarin had a silent strength about him that Jack admired.
He wasn’t overly tall, maybe five-eleven, with a clean shaven jaw, dark curly hair, and a trim frame.
Jack also noticed how he couldn’t stop touching Mrs. Zarin.
He barely let her lift a finger and served her plate before his own.
He also cut up Lilly’s meat without prompting before Jack could do so.
Though she’d tried to tell him not to due to the cold, Jack insisted on escorting Jenna and Carolyn to her car. The temperature had dropped precipitously and there was no doubt in his mind that it was going to snow again overnight.
While they hadn’t made specific plans over the weekend, they’d been meeting Jenna at the library Saturday and Sunday mornings the past few weeks.
Not wanting to embarrass Jenna in front of her sister, Jack gave her a chaste kiss before opening her door for her.
He caught Carolyn’s eye over the top of the car.
His opinion of Jenna’s sister had gone up since meeting her.
Instincts told him that Carolyn had a lot of rage inside of her, but she also loved her sister.
They had common ground there.
Jack waited in the driveway until they pulled out safely and then headed back inside. It was going to be a long bike ride back in the dark and cold. Hunched over against the chill, Jack did not notice Mr. Zarin was standing at the bottom of the front stairs until he nearly walked into the man.
“Sorry!” Jack immediately stepped back.
Mr. Zarin said nothing at first, those dark eyes of his seeming to miss nothing. “Follow me,” he finally instructed and walked off around the side of the house.
Not knowing what else to do, Jack followed. A path had been cleared across dark gray pavers that led from the front door to a shed in the back. Lights from the back porch illuminated the small yard.
Jack looked around, trying not to feel envious of what Mr. Zarin had. He would have such a house one day, too. It just wouldn’t be today. But it would be with Jenna.
Of that, he was certain.
The shed was bigger than Jack expected, making him wonder if it was once a garage that had been renovated. Gardening tools, a sitting lawn mower, a snowblower, and a work bench filled the space.
A furnace in the corner kept the space warm but not toasty. Just enough to break the bitter cold of the outside.
Mr. Zarin pulled a stool out from under the workbench. “Sit.”
Jack sat.
The man walked around to the other side of the long table. He flipped an empty crate over and then sat facing Jack. “Tell me about your father.”
Jack blinked, not sure what to say. “I’m sorry?”
“I’m going to be straight with you, Jack. My wife is the love of my life, the apple of my eye. I will do anything and everything for her.” His eyes narrowed slightly, “I have a feeling you are familiar with the sentiment.”
Stiffly, Jack nodded.
“You’re a great brother, Jack. There’s no disputing that.
But you’re also just a kid. You deserve to be able to do kid things—like taking your girl out on a proper date without having to consider who will watch your little sister.
Or having to work yourself to the bone so you can afford to feed your little sister. ”
Jack’s spine straightened. As much as he agreed with Mr. Zarin’s words, he wasn’t sure he appreciated them. His circumstances were what they were and he was doing the best he could about them.
“Mrs. Zarin, my beautiful Daphne, says that she taught you when you were in first grade, too. Ten years ago?”
“Nine,” Jack confirmed.
“Did you know she had a miscarriage that year?”
Shock filled him. He shook his head. At that age, Jack wasn’t sure he would have understood what a miscarriage was.
“She’s had several,” Mr. Zarin said, a note of sadness in his soft voice.
“Just when we start to get our hopes up that maybe this one will…” His voice trailed off as he shook his head.
“I can’t watch my wife go through that pain again.
We’ve stopped trying, but that doesn’t mean we’ve given up hope of having children. ”
Not knowing what else to say, Jack said, “I’m sorry.”
“My wife has always had a very generous heart, Jack. She sees the good in people, even when sometimes there’s not good to be seen. She wants me to take you and Lilly home tonight, to have a talk with your father.”