An Honest Kiss

Chapter 18 (The End)

Rachel was standing next to Paul and Addie who were seated watching the crowd flirt and drink their way through the evening. "You think all of these people are going to be sober enough to donate money later?" Addie asked watching an outrageously dressed blond and little bald man float by on their way to greet some friends.

She couldn't swear it was Debbie but it looked a lot like her.  If it was Debbie the last seven years had not been kind to her. "The more drunk they are the larger their donations," Rachel assured Addie as a cheer went up from the other side of the room where couples were showing off on the dance floor.

"I still can't believe Jack's not here yet.  He's missing you in that amazing dress."

"He's seen it before." Rachel said. She was wearing the same green dress she had worn the night of her of her father's last birthday party. The night Jack had first kissed her. She knew that they couldn't really start over, but she knew that symbolically they could, and this dress would be the best way to do it. It also went well with the USO theme.

Addie was making her usual entertaining comments about the people around them when Rachel saw Jack walk in with Nancy on his arm. He was wearing his uniform just as he had that night all those years ago, and Nancy had a look similar on her face as the woman that had been on his arm that night seven years ago.  She looked like the cat that had got the cream.

Rachel watched as Jack was greeted by friends and noted that, the possible Debbie stopped to say hi as well. Jack leaned down to hear something that Nancy said, and she heard Addie growl under her breath next to her. "Hasn't he told her yet?"

They watched as he and Nancy slowly made their way towards them.

"I can see why you fell for him, he wears that uniform well," Addie said, looking over at Paul. "Why didn't you wear your uniform?" she whispered.

"Because it doesn't fit anymore." He said, shoving another meatball into his mouth with a grin. Addie just rolled her eyes before she snuck a piece of cheese off his plate.

Rachel missed all this as her eyes stayed glued to Jack.

When he reached them he stopped taking his time looking at Rachel. They stood there silently staring at each other while Paul, Addie, and Nancy watched in silence. Jack reached up with his left hand placing it on her cheek and she turned her face into his hand kissing his palm.

Addie wasn't watching them her eyes were glued to Nancy who had looked stunned then a little sick. "Nancy, are you all right? You look a little green?" Addie asked with fake concern.

"I'm fine, nurse," she ground out between clenched teeth, "Jack, I think there are some people that we need to speak with..."

Jack didn't hear her or didn't care as he leaned in and kissed Rachel. Just as with that first honest kiss the world stood still and it was just the two of them, but this time it lasted for more than a few seconds as Rachel kissed him with all the love she felt in her heart.

"Jack!" Nancy hissed. "You're making a scene."

Jack ended the kiss but still didn't take his eyes away from Rachel as he dropped to one knee and a hush descended on the room even the band stopped playing as all eyes turned towards them. Jack opened a box with her mother's ring in it, "Rachel Edwards, I love you, you hold all of my hopes and my dreams in your hands will you marry me?"

Rachel was struck dumb, he had heard her, he was trying to make it right and give her the proposal she had always wanted.

Addie elbowed her.

"Yes!" she almost shouted laughing. "Yes, Yes, Yes."

He picked her up and twirled her around. "We can't start over, but we can go forward." She kissed him after he had placed the ring on her finger and there was a round of applause.

"Congratulations!" An old friend of Ava's came up and clapped them on the back, "but aren't you two already married?"

"Yes, but I love her so much I want to do it again." Jack laughed as he shook the man's hand.

Nancy was standing staring at her and Jack with her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "What do you mean you're already married, Jack?" Nancy finally asked he voice sounding shrill. 

"Didn't you know Dr. Lancaster? Everyone else did, how did you miss it? You must have only been snooping in Jack's stuff at the house and missed all of Rachel's." Addie was trying to sound sympathetic.

"I didn't see any sign of a wife when I was searching-" She stopped mid-sentence realizing what she was about to say. Ava must have taken pity on her because she showed up and took her away to meet a few people.

Oblivious to it all, Jack moved Rachel to the dance floor. "Thank you for wearing that dress," he said as he took her into his arms. The band started to play the song 'I Can't Help Falling In Love With You', and Rachel stopped as a husky female voice sang the lyrics that she had always associated with her mother and father.

She closed her eyes. "Jack, that's my parent's song."

"I know I asked him, before he died, if he would mind if we borrowed it."

"And?" She felt the tears.

"He promised that whenever we danced to it he and your mother would be dancing right alongside of us."

Rachel rested her head on Jack's shoulder looking at her mother's ring on her finger and closed her eyes, picturing her father and mother right there with them.

"You asked me once how he could leave you," Jack said gently in her ear. "It hurt him too much not to be with her. Even if you weren't with me physically you were with me in my heart. Every morning when I woke up you were my first thought and every night before I fell asleep you were my last. I know it was that way for your father. "If he felt one tenth of what I feel for you it was the only thing he could do...I never want to be without you again Rachel. "

"Never again," Rachel agreed as she reached up and brought his lips down to hers. Dr. Jack Cooper was hers, a fifteen year old dream had finally come true.