DISCLAIMER: I do not own the television show Jericho or any part of it. The characters are not mine in any way. I am just borrowing them for a bit. I am not affiliated with CBS, the television show Jericho or the writers of Jericho.
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Main street was lit up with hundreds of lanterns. It seemed like everyone in town felt the need to be together this one night. They had survived nuclear bombs and the nuclear fallout in the rain without anyone getting sick. There were people everywhere. Tables had been placed all up and down the street with grills down one side. They were grilling up steaks, chicken, ribs....if it could be grilled it was being served. There were also some pretty good looking desserts.
Jake Green looked around Main Street for somewhere to sit. It was pretty packed. He saw there were seats beside his parents but he skipped over those....it would just be too weird. He saw Stanley and Bonnie and almost headed that way but then he saw Heather sitting all alone at a table on the other side of the street. He handed Jacob a plate with a hotdog and picked up 2 pieces of chocolate cake and headed toward Heather's table. Jacob put his hand in Jake's back pocket so that they didn't get separated and they started to wind their way towards Heather's table. Several people looked very surprised to see Jake with a child. Stanley looked at him and smiled and mouth "Yours?". Jake nodded his way smiling. Stanley looked back at him with big eyes and nodded. Jake waved and kept on going---he wasn't in an explanation mood right now. He didn't see Emily watching open mouthed from the other side of the street.
They finally made it to the other side of the street and down to Heather's table. She was looking down at the table, off in another world. She jumped when Jake asked, "Are these seats taken?" as he put a piece of chocolate cake in front of her.
"What, oh no not taken, please sit down," she said coming out of her daydream. A daydream all about a certain member of the Green family. She was glad it was dark since she was blushing to the roots of her hair. Jake and Jacob pulled the other chairs out and sat down.
"Who do we have here? Whats your name, Sweetheart?" she asked the little boy. She was totally in her element talking to kids totally unlike when she tried to talk to Jake. Talking to Jake made her feel like a freshman in highschool again.
"My name is Johnston Jacob Green. Everyone calls me Jacob though, except my dad...he calls me Jake."
"How old are you?"
"I'm 7 3/4," Jacob smiled as he said.
Jake watched them. She was so at ease. She was glowing. He could see how much she loved kids. No wonder she was a elementary school teacher. She got Jacob to talk more in the 10 minutes they had been sitting there than he had talked in the past 2 days.
"So, what do you like to do in school? You're in second grade, right?"
"No, I'm in third grade. I got jumped up a grade. I like gym best," Jacob said.
"I'm a third grade teacher. Maybe you can come visit in my class one day."
Jake tapped his hand and said, "you need to eat some of that hot dog."
Jake and Heather half heartedly ate chocolate cake.
"So, how long have you taught school in Jericho?"
"This is my 4th year. Before I came here, I taught at a very exclusive private school for mentally challenged kids in Denver."
"How in the world did you get from that to a 3rd grade teacher in Jericho, Kansas?"
"Well, the owner of the school decided she needed to be able to concentrate more time on her autistic son so she sold the school. I didn't really like the new way of doing things so I quietly started looking for another job. Emily and I went to college together and we had kept in touch so I told her my gripes about my job and she told me about a position that would be opening up here in Jericho. It was perfect. My dad was a minister here in town. He had just gotten sick with cancer and needed me to help him," she said this with a twinge of pain coming across her face. " I interviewed and got the job and 4yrs later here I am, still here. I love it," she said all this with a contented smile on her face.
"I'm sorry bout your dad." Heather gave him a small tight smile.
"So, what about you? I have heard all kinds of stories about the infamous Jake Green. Are they true?" she asked jokingly.
Jake grinned and laughed, "Lord, I certainly hope not!! I thought those stories would have gone away," he said and laughed some more.
"Oh, no. They get better with each telling. My personal favorite one is the one where you "borrowed" the sheriff's car and lost it in a drag race."
"I am no where near as exciting as the stories make me out to be," he said. "The whole drag racing thing was all a big misunderstanding. I didn't actually lose it. It all worked out in the end. Of course, my "end" didn't sit for while but lets not go there," he laughed. "It is a painful memory," as he laughed some more. "I have been making a simple living and raising a kid by myself. Pretty boring when you stop and think about it."
"Yea, right, not exciting at all. Lets see, you know how to do an emergency trach, fix a fallout shelter ventilation system and set a dynamite load for detonation, but you have been quietly living as a single dad, " Heather laughed, "no, you are right...you are down right boring."
Jake gave her a lopsided smirk, "It's amazing the things you learn on cable these days ain't it?"
Heather laughed, "Yea....amazing."
They continued to talk about totally unimportant things. They were just happy to be talking about something that was totally unrelated to the nuclear bombs and fallout. Jake would think back later how totally comfortable they were with each other. That it was totally unlike him. He had only ever been this relaxed with one other woman...Emily.
During the time they had been talking neither had noticed that Main Street had all but cleared out. Jacob had pulled up another chair and was laid across them sound asleep. Emily was still across the street with a group of people. They were all laughing and talking. Heather followed his gaze. "You made her very happy tonight."
"I owed her."
"I think you paid her back"
Jake smiled and said, "no....not even close," as he continued to watch Emily.
Heather was getting slightly uncomfortable. She knew a little bit about Jake and Emily's past. She had lived with Emily long enough to know there was a LOT of history there.
Jake realized he had been starring and looked over at Heather. "Sorry, zoned out there a minute. So, what about school? Do you think they will keep it open?
"Good question. The plan as far as I know is to keep it open. The kids need the normality. But now with Scott Reney gone, I don't know. I am hoping to keep it open. What are you going to do about school for Jacob?"
"I don't know. I really haven't thought about it to be honest. Jacob is a handful at school. During kindergarten and 1st grade he was always in trouble. Always. He was the most disruptive child in the whole grade. They were just about to put in special education when someone suggested testing his IQ. Turns out the reason he was so disruptive is that he was bored....he is so smart it is scary. He can read and do math at a high school level but he is only 7 and has a 7yr old maturity. I agreed to let him skip ahead one year so that he was more challenged but thats it. The school he was in really went out of its way to keep him from getting too bored. They had to or kick him out. When they started the upper level work it really settled him down. Last year was definitly a rough one. He is doing really well in the 3rd grade classroom. What do you think I should do?"
"He definitley needs to be in school. A child like him needs a strict routine with very explicit expectations. I'll bring some stuff over to your mom's house and we'll see whats what and go from there. How does that sound?" Heather said, once again very animated and happy.
Jake looked around, now they were totally alone. It was just the 3 of them. Jake hesitantly put his hand on top of Heather's. "Thanks for caring about a little boy who you don't know. It shows how special you are."
Jake looked away embarrassed. Heather blushed again.
Jake looked at his watch, "It's pretty late. Where do you live?"
"In an apartment over by the library."
"Let us walk you home."
"I'll be alright. It's just down the block. You don't have to do that"
Heather was blushing again. She was very happy it was dark. Jake's hand was still over hers. She hoped he couldn't feel it starting to sweat.
"No, I don't have to, but I want to, " as he very lightly squeezed her hand.
"Let me get the boy," Jake said as he reluctantly moved his hand.
Heather elbowed her napkin so that it fell. When she bent down to pick it up he hastily rubbed her hands on her jeans to dry them.
Jake picked his son up and held out his hand, "Ready?"
Heather put her hand in Jakes. After helping her up, instead of letting go of her hand, he laced his fingers thru hers and they walked slowly towards the library.
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