Page 63 of Bursting With Love
Jack’s muscles tensed as a tear tumbled down his cheek. “Ralph—”
“Jesus. You’re the same old stubborn bastard as you’ve always been. I told you to listen.” He sputtered a cough. “I’m still plenty of years your senior, so shut up and listen. You are a good man, Jack. You were a great husband, and I know Linda felt the same way. I couldn’t have asked for a better son-in-law. She loved you, Jack. For all your stubbornness, for all the love you have in that gigantic heart of yours, and for all the things you had hoped to become.”
Jack blinked away tears, but he could not ebb the flow of them. “Thank you,” he managed.
“I’m not done yet.” Ralph drew in a long, slow inhalation; then his body shook with another phlegmy cough. Elise came to his side with a box of tissues and helped him clean the gunk from his mouth.
Elise brushed her father’s hair from his forehead. “You okay, Dad?”
Ralph nodded. “You’re a good egg, Elise. Thank you.” He turned to Jack. “Just like Linda, right?”
Jack nodded, afraid that if he spoke he wouldn’t be able to keep himself from sobbing.
“There’s one more thing that I wanna say, and I know this is gonna kick you in the gut, Jack, but you need to hear it. This bullshit you’ve pulled of running away to a cabin in the woods and hiding from life, that’s not who you are. You’re a survivor, all right, but a survivor of a different kind, and I think you know that by now; otherwise you wouldn’t be here.”
“You know about my cabin?” The cabin I haven’t told a soul about?
“Never underestimate people, Jack. You know that from your military career. Do you think I’d have let Linda down by letting you go from our lives forever? Hell no. Don’t ever forget that there’s nothing a man can’t do if he really wants to do it. I had to know you were okay. Even if not emotionally. I needed to know where you were in case you really did need someone.” He held up his palm to stop Jack from even thinking about refuting his words. “A good private investigator is worth every penny. I know where you’ve been, and I’m pretty certain I know where you’re headed now.”
“Headed?” Jack was blown away by the lengths Ralph had gone to after the way Jack had treated him.
“Remember Elizabeth and Lou?”
Jack narrowed his eyes. “Yes.”
“They’re my friends, Jack.” Elise touched his arm.
Elise continued. “We didn’t spy on you. She and Lou had registered for your course, and I found out about it after the fact but before she left. Dad really wanted to talk to you, and we weren’t sure if you would be approachable. You were so angry for so long. I asked Elizabeth to let me know if you seemed okay enough for Dad to talk to you. I’m sorry, Jack. It was like fate stepped in.”
“You went to that extent to make sure I was okay?”
She nodded. “And their son, Aiden, adores you.”
Jack thought of how drawn he’d been to the little blond boy and how natural it had felt to teach him. Then the fear the day he went missing and how Jack had felt as if his world were crashing down upon him until he’d found Aiden, safe and sound in his makeshift shelter.
“Jack, Elizabeth told us about a woman. Savannah,” Ralph said in a frail voice.
Ralph held his gaze, and Jack could not turn away. His chest constricted. “Yes.”
“Elizabeth said she was quite fond of you, and that it appeared mutual.” Ralph’s eyes never left Jack’s, and Jack didn’t back down from the question.
He couldn’t lie about Savannah, but he hated to hurt Ralph and Elise with the truth of his feelings. He settled on honesty. It was the least he could give back to them.
“Yes, sir. She was right.” Jack addressed Ralph formally due to the importance of the subject they were addressing, and he hoped it conveyed the respect that he felt for him. He drew his shoulders back, ready to face whatever they might hand him. God knew he deserved it.
A weak smile spread across Ralph’s face, gathering the loose skin around his mouth and multiplying the fine lines that surrounded his eyes. “That’s good, Jack. That’s good.” Ralph motioned with his hand for Jack to come closer.
Jack leaned in close, catching a whiff of his medicinal breath.
“You deserve this, Jack. Be happy. Let love find you and have that family you always wanted. Linda would want you to.” Ralph reached up slowly and patted Jack’s back.
Jack put his mouth beside Ralph’s ear. “Thank you, Ralph. Thank you.” He drew back, and Ralph grabbed his arm, his frail fingers pressing into Jack’s skin.
