Look Closer

Jack watched over Chelley's shoulder while she used his computer to book a ticket for her flight home. And he hated every moment of it. He wanted more time with her, away from their friends. Away from her real life so she could get the chance to see his.

Just as she was about to hit the Confirm button, he spoke. "Stay," he said quietly.

That single word stopped her dead in her tracks. She took her hand off the trackpad and turned to look at him. Part of her wanted to stay. But the logical part of her brain said she needed to go home. She needed to repair some of the damage she'd caused to her life by walking out on her shift and was prepared to beg for her job back.

What she clearly couldn't see was that she had the chance to not only repair but improve what she currently already had. There would be other jobs. Better jobs. She had an entire life that was waiting to be lived. But she was always seeing the big picture. Never taking a moment to look closer and see that what she needed to focus on was happening right then.

"I can't," she said once she managed to gather her thoughts. Before continuing, she turned back to the computer and pressed the button at the bottom of the screen. Jack's heart dropped into his stomach as he watched. "I have to get my life back together," she said, her back still to him.

Jack sighed heavily, more heavily than he meant to. And Chelley turned to look at him. Her brown eyes met his own and she smiled. But it wasn't a happy smile and he could clearly see that. It was a smile that said quite the opposite. She wasn't happy about leaving.

"Maybe the life you had before isn't the life you're supposed to have now. Maybe walking out on your job was the best thing you could have done for yourself," he said. "Maybe this is where you're supposed to be."

"Jack," she said, "I really enjoyed spending yesterday with you at your cousin's wedding. But I still need to do things my way. That job, I know you see it as just Target but it's the only stability I have. Without it, I would lose my apartment. I wouldn't be able to go to school. And I wouldn't have much of a future."

For once, they were having a conversation. It was the same as the arguments they'd had before, but this time they weren't arguing. They were talking like adults. And Jack didn't want to ruin that, so he didn't say what he really wanted to. He just nodded.

"You have an incredible future in front of you, Chelle, regardless of whether you go back to Target or not. But you need to do what you think is best for you. So just tell me that you think this is for the best and I'll send you off, back to LA, with my blessing," he said.

"I do," she said but she wasn't fully convinced. Her eyes lowered as she continued. "I think this is the best thing I can do for myself at the moment. I just need to try, you know?" She brought her eyes back to his for the last part. And he nodded again. He knew exactly what she was saying. But he also saw in her eyes that she didn't believe it completely.

She could hide it well, though. Most people wouldn't have noticed it. But Jack wasn't most people. He loved the girl in front of him with everything he had. So he didn't say anything to contradict her. Because if he wanted her to love him back, he needed to let her do things her way.

Maybe she wouldn't get her job back. But she would find another one. Or maybe she would get it back. But this wasn't about a job. It was about her. She'd had a little taste of following her heart. And he was nearly positive that once she was back in her routine, she would feel the pull toward doing it again.

Or at least he hoped she would.

There was the possibility that he was being far too optimistic about the future he wanted them to have together. Maybe she would get back to her life and her job and be comfortable and continue toward her well planned out future. Maybe there was no room for him in her life.

"Would you quit your job if I asked you to?" she asked. It seemed to come out of nowhere because it had been so silent. "I mean, don't take that the wrong way. Would you be able to just walk away from everything you've worked for just because I asked you to?"

The question caught him a bit off guard and it took him a minute to be able to answer. "If it was the difference between being with you and losing you forever," he said, "Then yes, I believe I would."

Chelley nodded. It wasn't the answer she had expected but she understood it. "Is that what this is?" she asked.

A smile broke across Jack's face and he shook his head a little. "No. Of course not," he said. "I want you to do what you think is best for you, for your heart and for your future. I just hope there's room for me in that future you see for yourself, in some way."

His open honesty scared her a little. She cared about him but she wasn't ready to be quite so open with him yet. It had been a huge step to tell him about her family. Very few people knew. She didn't even know why she told him. It was like she had just needed to get it out. To tell someone. Since he'd asked, it seemed to make sense. And she wanted to believe that she could trust him, deep down, deeper than she was willing to look, she knew she could, but she needed few moments to take a breath and let that feeling in her stomach settle.

A lot about Jack scared her. And she didn't really know why.

"What time is your flight?" he asked, changing the subject. It had become pretty obvious that she was feeling a little uncomfortable.

It took a minute for her brain to process his question. "Um, five thirty," she said.

"Well, we should probably get going soon then," he said. "I think I have a old shirt that should fit you. I'll let you borrow it so you don't have to get on the plane looking like a Target employee."

Chelley smiled, holding back a small laugh. "Thanks," she said. "And you don't have to come with me. I mean, I have the rental car anyway so we'd have to drive separately and it just doesn't really make sense to do that."

He shrugged. "I don't mind. What doesn't make sense is you sitting in an airport for an hour by yourself," he said.

"I don't mind," she said.

"I do," Jack replied. "Now no more argument." He got up from his seat on the bed and walked to his dresser. After a minute he turned around and held a green tshirt out to Chelley.

Time seemed to speed up and before either knew it, boarding for Chelley's flight was being announced. They stood and Jack slid an arm around her. Hers immediately encircled his waist. Once his other arm found it's way around her petite body, he slid the wedding band off his finger. They held onto each other like some bond had formed between them. And it had, but neither had realized it yet.

When they finally broke the embrace, Jack reached for Chelley's hand. He pressed the ring against the palm of her hand and closed her fingers around it. A confused look spread across her face. But he didn't speak. He just lifted her closed fist to his lips and pressed a kiss to her fingers.

Suddenly a verbal explanation necessary. She nodded in understanding and slowly pulled her hand out of his. "I'll talk to you soon, Jack," she said. Without another word, she turned and walked toward the gate. Before she walked through it though, she looked over her shoulder and smiled in Jack's direction and then disappeared from view.