The Greens of Jericho

Author's Response:

Thanks Harshini!  Just a few things I can't not respond to.... :-D

Yeah, finally get to know what she called his car & yes it's way cool, along with Han Solo, Chewbacca ............... (laughs quietly to myself)

LOL.  I've known for months that Heather had named Jake's car Millenium Falcon II and it has been so hard not to share.  I am that much of a Star Wars geek.  Glad that I'm not the only one who thinks it's cool.... or that Jake as Han Solo is just the slightest bit appropriate.

Jake spending all day fixing fences in yucky weather seems such a Jake thing to do

love Jake trying to sneak in but all the covert ops training are just not good enough for mom!

you get the Gail mom thing so well with this bit - she knows what he needs & will keep at him until it happens:

"Jake, I think what you need, more than anything, is someone to talk to," Gail said, offering a hesitant smile. "So talk to me."

 Jake spending all day fixing fences in bad weather seemed very much like a Jake thing to do.  I have to confess, I had to go back and put bad weather into the April and Heather scene from DC 12A after the fact because it was so perfect that that's what Jake would do when he found himself in a foul mood.  I also have to laugh at Gail catching Jake, covert operative, sneaking in.  I wasn't thinking that when I wrote it, but you are absolutely right.  He's an adult, but she's a Mom and her super powers are definitely ahead of his.  Gail is one of my favorite characters, especially in how she loves her family.  I'm glad that that comes across. :-)

back to now
the school report idea was so Heather & the B plus for conduct a classic!

The different timelines in this section emphasise how they have gown together in the 5 years - they were so unsure of each other back then, but now they know they can rely on each other & deeply love each other.
ahhhhh love how she picks out the stuff for him to take

5 years ago
Heather seems so much younger here - once again empahsises how much she has grown emotionally in the 5 years

sigh, true love.......

"God, babe," he swore. "You want into my life? You already are. Completely." It wasn't a word Jake ever used, but he'd said it twice in less than an hour, and about Heather both times. He didn't know how else to tell her what she meant to him. His eyes locked with hers, he slid up the bed, toward where she stood. "I promise," he murmured huskily.

:-)  Thank you!  It's sometimes a challenge to go back and forth between the two timelines but it adds so much for me -- I understand Jake and Heather in the present better because I'm exploring how they got there -- and I'm just really glad that you can "see" their growth as individuals and as a couple.