Monday 8th Apr 7:21 AM
Ever since leaving Sophie and Dean's wedding, Jack had stayed at his brother's in Douglas Park, twenty minutes outside of Campbelltown, when he wasn't at the hospital. It was the first time since New Year's that Jack had seen all of his family and he hated that it was under such circumstances ... let alone the awful timing of Robbie's accident that he and Kylie were locked in a passionate embrace for the very first time ...
Jack was the eldest of four boys and the only one who attended university. His brothers, Tom (Tommo), Damien (Damo) and Robbie were all tradies. Tommo was a mechanic, living in Douglas Park with his wife Paula; Damo was a chippie, living on a property in Picton and Robbie was a sparky, living in Leumeah with his girlfriend, Tayla. Jack was also the only one who left the city altogether.
Waking up and rubbing his face, Jack propped himself up on his elbows on Tommo's lounge, his neck stiff from sleeping on the small couch for the last two nights. Tommo's wife, Paula handed him a hot coffee as she walked passed him, her satin dressing gown billowing softly in her wake.
"Cheers, Paulz ... aw my neck ..."
"I'm sorry we couldn't give you a bed, Jackie – but you know," Paula said, patting her eight month pregnant belly. Jack grimaced at her with a shallow nod.
"Yeah all good, mate. I know. Thanks all the same – I don't think I would've been able to get myself to a hotel, not at three AM –"
"– like we're gonna turn you away, you're family!" Paula chided him, sweeping her messy blonde bed hair out of her face and turning to the clock mounted on the wall.
"Oh crap! Is that the time? I better get dressed! Tommy will be back soon if you're going back to the hospital again,"
Jack was too busy gulping down his coffee to answer her, but he did manage to at least nod, ignoring the sharp spasm in his neck.
Paula stopped and turned, heading back into the kitchen to unplug Jack's phone and handing it to him.
"Someone was keen to talk to you, I could hear it going off at six." She said with a smirk. Paula had a feeling there was a woman out there in the sticks, who had gotten to him. He was, by nature, so laid back and rarely ever one to fret (unlike Tommo, who could panic at the drop of a hat). But when he ambled into the ward at half past three in the morning two nights ago, Paula just knew by the look on his face, that someone had knocked him off his feet – and it definitely was not that neurotic ex of his.
She didn't know that Jack had actually been up quite late last night, texting Kylie and that it was her message alerts that she had heard earlier this morning.
"Yeah, I'll check it later –" Jack yawned, not wanting to have to discuss Kylie with Paula – she loved to tease and antagonise Jack, something she had learnt very quickly from Tommo. If Paula sniffed out Kylie, she would not let the subject drop for hell or high water.
Paula whacked Jack's shoulder, cutting him off mid–yawn.
"Oi! What's that for?!" Jack cried, flinching at Paula who clicked her fingers at him angrily and pointing in his face. Jack leant back on the lounge trying to put some much needed distance between himself and his heavily pregnant sister – in – law.
"Now you listen to me, Mr James 'call me Jack everyone does' Brookes! I am fairly certain that you're pining for someone and don't you dare make me cranky, my blood pressure can't handle it! So take your damn phone and tell that poor woman, whoever she is, that you miss her and you're on your way home, because if I have to look at that 'someone ran over my puppy' look on your face for one more day, so help me, I'll drag you back to Wangarra by the ear!"
Jack's jaw dropped hard. "What the f –"
"– JACK!" Paula thundered at him one last time.
The back door swung open, Tommo shuffling inside with his hands full of grocery shopping.
Jack surrendered and raised both hands to Paula in a conciliatory manner.
"Alright – alright! But ... how –" Jack asked, scratching his head with one hand and sheepishly taking his phone from Paula in the other, who cradled her bump and howled with laughter.
"Oh Jackie boy, you look so bloody miserable, it's almost annoying if I'm honest – so just – OH!" Paula's eyes popped wide and her mouth fell open.
Tommo and Jack sprang to their feet, thinking she was in labour – and neglecting the fact she still had a month to go.
"What? What is it? Oh shit – baby time! BABY TIME! FUCK!" Tommo yelled at the top of his lungs. Paula snorted at him and waved her fingers in Jack's face.
"Uh, Paulz?" Jack asked nervously grinning for a whole carefree second. Tommo also took this moment, realising that Paula wasn't in labour, to smack his forehead and drop to his knees, reclaiming the spilt shopping.
"It's that's sheila you work with, isn't it? OH MY GAWD! Awe this is adorable! Jackie, you little heartbreaker! Oh god help me now, what's her name again? Kelly? Kelsie? Kirsty? No, it's a K, isn't it? Oh gawd, I can't wait for you get out here kid, so I can have my brain back again! Far out!" Paula whined, addressing first Jack, thinking aloud and then nodding to her large bump.
Jack had no idea what a safe response would be here and yet a single word escaped him.
"Kylie."
"Oh of course! Feisty Kylie! I remember now – you've talked about her quite a lot, haven't you, you little cutie pie?" Paula teased, winking at Jack and cackling when she was sure she saw a faint blush in his stubbled cheeks.
"Well for god's sake, go find her! Stop holding back and go lock yourselves in a room, for fuck's sake!"
"Reckon he's got the point, mate," Tommo teased Paula from the kitchen with a smirk.
"But ... but Paulz ... I'm here to check on Robbie –" Jack stammered weakly, unable to believe the conversation unfolding before him (and silently wishing to hell that he was with Kylie).
"Pfft, Rob's fine – he's got all of us to check on him, even that gronk Damo ..." Paula rolled her eyes, tutting loudly.
Tommo chipped in now, upending a bag of fruit into the ceramic bowl on the kitchen counter.
"Besides mate, you've been here for two days – I mean, you ran out on your mate's wedding, what's running out on Rob?"
Jack glared at Tommo as any older brother would. Tommo knew that Jack put his family first – as did all of them – but knowing that Jack was head over heels for someone, he was not about to pass up the opportunity to roast his older brother. Nor was he going to let Jack hide behind Robbie's accident – not since he had been forced to listen to Paula's lecture last night in bed about how she thought it was time Jack found someone and settled down. Plus, agreeing with Paula had far more benefits than agreeing with Jack right now for Tommo.
"Yeah about that," Paula said, swatting Jack's shoulder again, forcing his attention.
"Ow." Jack replied sarcastically at her.
"You left your friend's wedding? Jeez, I hope they're understanding people –"
"– yes, Paula they're understanding people – and look, what was I supposed to do? Wait till morning?"
Paula ignored him, pressing a finger to her bottom lip, struck by a thought.
"Now hold on – your mum said you didn't answer her first four calls. I get you were at a wedding, but when she rang, it was already pretty late ... so what were you were doing that late that you didn't answer your phone? I know you, Jack – you pick up on the first ring."
Jack rubbed the back of his neck. What a way to have to tell someone about that night ...
"I – I was with Kylie alright – and look, I know what you're gonna say Paul and I don't need to hear it –"
"– oh my gawd! Aww, Tommy did you hear that?! Awe, my Jackie boy's growing up at last!" Paula gushed, pulling Jack into a sudden, tight hug.
"Whoa – oof!" Jack felt himself being dragged off the lounge and into Paula's arms, not sure if he should be amused or terrified. Tommo, however, was bent double howling with laughter watching Paula pat Jack's head.
"Right, I am telling your mum that you – I dunno, your house burnt down or something – I'M KIDDING! But you need to be in Wangarra and like two days ago!"
Twenty minutes later, Jack was on the highway back to Wangarra. He turned up the volume, listening to Spotify and heard a song play that made him laugh out loud: Slice of Heaven. He couldn't help but glance at the empty passenger seat and remember the last day of term, not all that long ago, when a drunk Kylie was singing loudly, shamelessly laughing at nothing and getting tongue tied over the simplest sentences.
11:35 AM
Kylie was outside, putting the washing on the line, music playing loudly inside. It was such a beautiful autumn day that she had the whole house open, with the intention of going to Woolies to buy Easter eggs for her nieces and nephew after she finished cleaning the house.
But she heard something ... and for a long while, was sure she was hearing things.
"KYLZ!"
Frowning, sure she had heard someone call her name this time, she grabbed the empty laundry basket and made her way inside –
"Jack?!"
With a loud plastic clatter, the laundry basket fell to the floor as Jack dashed across the living room and wrapped his arms around her waist, smashing his lips against hers with even more passion than the last – first – time.
Kylie had no time to react or to think. Her whole body automatically, instinctively giving in to him.
He grabbed her face with both hands, spinning them around, fumbling almost, until Kylie's back was up against the fridge. Her hands were tugging on his waist, pulling him closer to her.
She opened her mouth to him, feeling his tongue tangling with hers; she could smell him and was certain she could feel his heart pounding rapidly against hers. Jack dropped one hand to her neck, his fingers dancing over her collarbone, before tracing the supple curve of her right breast and further down to her hip. Kylie felt every inch of him pressed against her.
Coming up for air, high on the moment, Kylie barely recovered her breath, gazed into his damn hazel eyes feeling her heart beating painfully fast in her chest ...
"Take me to bed."
Jack grinned devilishly at her, grabbing Kylie's hips, feeling her lock her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.
"Gladly ..."