Chapter 12

Jack came home from the office around 6 p.m., and he went straight to the nursery. Eric was awake. Marry was holding him when Jack entered the room, and the joy painted the baby's face as soon as he saw his father. He smiled with his characteristic toothless smile and started to giggle and to move his little legs like he was trying to go to Jack.

Jack's heart melted, and he immediately went to Marry and took the baby in his embrace. His one night stand with Jennifer was a mistake, the one he will forever be careful not to repeat. But Eric? Eric was a gift, and he was worth it. If Jennifer were alive, he would do anything to make it work with her for Eric's sake. Now? He will have to figure out things on his own...

"Is she awake?" he asked Marry.

"No," she answered, not taking her eyes from the baby, "I checked on her maybe a half an hour ago, but she was still asleep, so I let her be."

After Jack had dinner, he played with his son for a while, bathed him and fed him, and was about to put him in his crib when Marry peeked through the door.

"I have to go, Jack. But I'll be back as soon as I can." She had her grand-kids that she has been neglecting recently, and the birthday of one of them was tomorrow. It was something that she couldn't miss, and Jack understood that completely.

"Don't worry, we'll manage," he said before she left.

When Eric fell asleep, Jack slowly sneaked out of the nursery, careful not to wake him. When he was out in the hallway, he glanced towards the door of Margaret's room. Was she awake? He decided to check on her only to find her still asleep, so he closed the door and went to his room.

He was still bothered by his behavior earlier today. Like he subconsciously wanted to mess things up with her. Yes, he had to admit to himself, he liked her. He wanted her, and he needed her. He didn't understand it, and all the reasons were against it, but it was the truth. He was attracted to her. Jack had to figure out what it was so special about her, and that was drawing him in, and then he will go from there. Now that she was within his reach, he will have to stop acting stupid around her. Then, they will see.

That night, Eric woke up only once, and Jack heard him and tended to his needs. When he was on his way back to his room, he peeked in Maggie's room once again, but she was still sleeping. Just how much could that girl sleep?

It annoyed him that he failed to spend some time with her, but it looks like she desperately needed some rest.

When Jack's alarm rang at 6'clock, he got up, and after his shower made his way down to the kitchen to get coffee, he was pleasantly surprised with the sight he found there. Maggie was sitting in the kitchen, stuffing her mouth with scrambled eggs. In front of her was a mountain of toast and a mug with steaming coffee. 'Oh, what a sight to see early in the morning' he thought.

"Good morning," he said upon entering the kitchen.

The sound of his voice scared the crap out of Maggie, and she dropped the fork she was holding and choked on her bite. Jack shot her a questioning look, but she quickly recovered and took a few gulps of coffee to help the food go down easier.

Jack poured a coffee to himself and joined her, sitting on the stool on her left. Maggie watched him as he moved around the kitchen wordlessly, enjoying the sight. She remembered what her friend Sidney said about him when he was at the restaurant she worked at, and she barely contained her lips from curving into a smile.

She woke up around three this morning when she thought she heard a baby's cry, but as the crying stopped before she was fully awake, so she wasn't sure if it really happened. She tried to go back to sleep by keeping quiet and motionless in the same position she was in, but when she heard the door open, she got scared, and even after the door closed again, there was no chance that she could fall back asleep. So, she got up and went to the bathroom and took her time inside. She used all the products that were there, and for the first time in a while, she felt so fresh and rested.

When she was done pampering herself, she realized she was starving, and she went hunting for some food. She found the kitchen easy, and to her satisfaction, it was fully stocked with everything she could think of, so she made a pot of coffee, toast, and eggs. She was wearing a simple white cotton shirt and cotton shorts, her hair for the first time in a while was let freely down her back, still damp.

Maggie didn't think about her 'host' once before he appeared in the kitchen. He slipped her mind. Now he was sitting next to her, helping himself with the breakfast she made, and after she swallowed the food that got stuck in her throat, she wished him good morning too.

"I hope you don't mind me eating your food. I was starving," she said quietly, not looking at him.

"Don't be silly. Why would I mind such a thing," he answered between bites. It was just a simple dish, scrambled eggs, and toast, but it tasted heavenly on his buds.

"You said we should talk when you come back from the office, but I guess I overslept... sorry about that," she didn't know why she suddenly had the urge to explain that.

"Again, nothing to be sorry about. I guessed that you were tired. We have time, we will talk." he murmured, continuing to eat.

Well, as far as Maggie was concerned, she wanted to know where she stood in all of this as soon as possible.

The weird thing was she didn't feel uncomfortable in his presence. There were only two of them in this house, and she never felt threatened. After that initial encounter in her home back in Charleston, she was expecting something else entirely. He was acting weird but not as much as she thought he would.

Maggie remembered getting a strange vibe from him back then, but she couldn't say the same about him now.

Jack was about to say something when the baby's cry interrupted him, so he rose to his feet and turned to Maggie.

"Would you mind preparing the formula for Eric? Instructions are on the counter." he waited for her confirmation, which came in a form of a simple nod, after which he went upstairs, and Maggie rushed to do what he asked.

It wasn't hard to do what was instructed on a piece of paper, and as soon as she finished, she made her way upstairs.

The door to the nursery was open, and Maggie gently stepped inside. Jack was just about to finish changing his diaper when she came in. She walked across the room and handed him the bottle she brought. Jack took it and fed the baby while she stood awkwardly in the same place.

"I'm just going to go downstairs..." she whispered, turning to leave.

"You don't have to," Jack said equally quiet, and in his eyes, she could see unspoken plead to stay.

So she did. There was something about the sight in front of her that prevented her from leaving. Something sad and happy at the same time.