Chapter Text
Just after the new year started, Sarah decided it was time to really clean the house and get rid of things they didn't need. She’d started to feel like it was a little cluttered, and very quickly realized it would go much faster with help.
She was working in the living room, having enlisted Bill's help for their bedroom. As she worked, she called out to check on him. "Everything going okay in there?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, honey." Smiling a little, Bill stretched his back for a moment, pulling a small plastic bag out of their closet. "I just gotta..." He trailed off as he looked inside the bag, furrowing his brows a little.
She tilted her head just a little, waiting for a moment for him to finish. "Bill? You okay?"
"Oh, yeah. Sure." He shook himself out of his thoughts again at that, closing the bag again. "I just, uh... Can you come take a look at this?"
"Sure." She sat down the rag she'd been cleaning with, making her way into the room.
Once she'd come in, he held the bag out to her. "Is, uh, this something you wanna keep, or not?"
She blinked at it as she recognised what it was, taking it gently from his hands. "Well. I haven't seen this in... years." She sighed a little, shaking her head. "Yeah, we'll keep it for now. It's Jack's, anyway, and I'll give it to him."
Keeping his eyes on the bag and the item inside it, Bill hummed in curious agreement. "So, uh, what's the story?" He gave her a curious look; clearly realising that, despite the other man's 50th birthday rapidly approaching, this wasn't a gift bought specifically for that.
Sarah sighed a little. "It was intended to be his Christmas present. The Christmas just before we started the divorce. It was... not the best time."
"No, I'll bet it wasn't." He nodded thoughtfully at that, knowing all too well what Jack was like now and had been like back then. "So… why'd you keep it?" Shifting a little on his feet, his eyes invited her to share as much or as little of the story as she wanted to.
She shrugged a little, not having too much to say about it. "I guess I... always intended on giving it to him anyway. He did accuse me of cheating over it, at the time. So I wanted to let that cool down and... I suppose I just forgot it."
"Shit, that's... Not as surprising as it should be, I guess." He sighed a little, giving her a sympathetic look.
She sighed, nodding, then winced a little as the rest of the story came to mind. "And he left shortly after that fight, and I... Well, remember the conversation about me and, uh, passing out? That we had that time with Jack?"
Furrowing his brows thoughtfully, it took Bill a moment to recall that conversation from over a decade ago, but then he nodded slowly. "Yeah, I, uh... I think so. What about it?"
"I told you then that I fell in the kitchen." She couldn't quite hold his gaze as she spoke, her eyes dropping to the floor. "That was true. However, Jack was right. I... After he left that night, I did pass out, because I hadn't been eating. Tommy... got help."
A number of emotions rapidly flashed across Bill's eyes as he listened, and he shifted some more on his feet. "Shit, that's... That bad, huh?" Taking a step towards her, his eyes held concern more than judgement, though it was mixed with a certain amount of anger towards the other man for walking out like that.
She nodded, still not quite looking at him. "I'm... sorry I didn't tell you the whole story."
"It's okay, honey." Stepping up to her, he wrapped his arms around her. "I mean, I wish you could have... trusted me with this sooner, but it's okay."
She leaned into him, sighing softly. "I love you."
"I love you too, baby." He shifted slightly on his feet, a small smile settling on his lips as he tilted her head back a little to kiss her. "With or without your... food issues, or difficult ex-husband. I love you."
She returned the kiss, giggling softly at his words. "Where'd you come from?" she smiled.
Chuckling a little at that, he met her eyes again. "Well, from Lincoln, originally." He gave her another brief kiss, hoping she'd appreciate his joke.
She giggled again, the sound filtering past their lips as she returned the kiss. "Now," she said as she pulled away a little to survey the room. "Ready to get back to it?"
He was still smiling as he stepped back again, humming an affirmative. "Yes ma'am, let's do that. We wanna be done sometime today, right?"
"With any luck." She shook her head, but was still grinning. "So just hang on to this, and I'll give it to him."
"Sounds like a plan." Taking the bag back, he moved over to put it back in the closet, hesitating with his hand on the doorknob. "Y'know... Maybe you can give it as a birthday gift?"
She considered that for a moment, and then nodded. "Yeah. I'll do that."
"Alright then, that's a plan." He nodded approvingly at that, opening the closet door and storing the bag somewhere she could easily see it.
She watched him for a moment before heading back to the living room to continue her own work, finishing up in the living room before moving on to the kitchen next. Watching her go, he got back to his own work too, finishing up in their bedroom before moving on to Matthew's room to get the boy started on cleaning it.
*****
It didn't take too long after that before her phone started ringing. She answered it quickly, just a little out of breath from scrubbing. "Hello?"
"Hey, Sarah. It's Jack." Even without the introduction, the voice on the other end was more than recognisable after so many years. "Happy New Year."
"Hey." She smiled a little. "You too."
"So, uh, how's it goin'?" Shifting a little on his feet, he lit up a cigarette and took a deep drag.
"It's going. Cleaning," she laughed. "How about you?"
He let the corner of his mouth twitch up a little at that, her answer almost surprisingly predictable. "Yeah, I'm, uh... I'm alright too. Just stopped for my dinner break."
"Everything going okay while you've been gone? I worry, you know," she said honestly.
Taking another deep drag of his cigarette, he let out a small cough. "10-4, I know you do. Always have." Especially after Michelle had almost certainly relayed to her mother what had happened when he’d been at her house for Christmas, he didn't add. "But, uh, yeah. It's been fine so far."
"That's good. I'm glad you're okay. Sounded like things got a little rough for a minute." She raised an eyebrow slightly, making a vague reference to what had happened at Michelle's.
"10-4, I guess they did." He shifted on his feet, shivering slightly in the early January cold. "But it worked out fine."
"You've changed," Sarah said softly. "Quite a bit, over the years."
"Yeah?" Raising an eyebrow slightly at the apparent non-sequitur as he took another drag of smoke, Jack got the distinct feeling she had a point she was trying to make.
"Yeah. Sorry. Just... took an unexpected trip down memory lane today, is all," she chuckled, a little dryly.
He hummed a thoughtful affirmative as he tapped some ash off his cigarette. "Sure, I… guess we all do sometimes." His own trips down memory lane were unpleasant more often than not, but he had a feeling he didn't need to spell that out for her at this point.
"Told Bill about... that last Christmas we had," she admitted with a small sigh.
Furrowing his brows, it took him a moment to remember what she was talking about, but then he hummed another thoughtful affirmative. "So, uh, what'd he say 'bout that?"
"Not much, you know how he is by now. Just… gave me a little reassurance." She smiled then.
"10-4, uh, sounds like him alright." His own lips curled up just a little too, glad she'd ended up with such a good husband in the end. "He's a good man, ain't he." It wasn't a question so much as just a statement of what he considered fact.
"He is," she agreed anyway. "You are, too."
"Now, uh, I dunno 'bout that." Taking another drag of his cigarette, Jack blew out a thick stream of smoke as he shifted on his feet. "But thanks, either way."
"I mean it," she said firmly, raising a brow.
He let out a small cough, shaking his head. "Alright, if you say so." Shivering a little in the early January cold, he glanced briefly towards the truck stop building a short ways away, idly noticing a couple more trucks pulling up to park nearby.
"I do," she said, chuckling a little. "One day you'll agree."
"Guess we'll see." Tapping some more ash off the end of his cigarette, he shifted some more on his feet. "Anyway, uh, I'd better get goin'. Get some food 'fore I move on, y'know?"
"Okay. Be safe." She nodded at that, shifting back to the phone's hook.
"Thanks. You too. And, uh, see ya later." He took a final drag of his cigarette as he too prepared to hang up, tossing the butt into a nearby pile of snow.
"See you later," she echoed, placing the phone on its hook after a second.
Bidding her goodbye just before the dial tone sounded, Jack replaced the payphone receiver too, making his way into the building and heading to the counter to order.
*****
A voice from behind Jack spoke after he’d approached the counter. "Thought that was you, getting out of that truck. New company?" the other man said.
Jack startled a little at the unexpected noise, taking a couple deep breaths, but then he turned around to see exactly the face the voice had led him to expect. "Shit, buddy. Don't sneak up on me like that." Shifting on his feet, he gave the other man a pointed look. "But, uh, yeah. Guess it is, since last time you saw me."
The other man - who Jack knew only as Caterpillar - chuckled. "Sorry about that. But that's nice! Better deal?"
"10-4, it's, uh... Pay's about the same, but I got a better schedule." Clearing his throat, Jack shifted on his feet. "How 'bout you? Still with them folks down in, uh, Arkansas?"
Caterpillar nodded. "Yeah. Got pulled to local for a bit. But I'm back over the road now."
"Right. Guess that explains, uh, how come I ain't seen ya in a minute." Jack nodded a little in understanding.
"Yep. Glad to be back, though." Caterpillar nodded. "You look like you're doing pretty well."
Scratching the back of his neck for a brief moment, Jack shrugged a little. "Sure, I guess so. Could be a lot worse."
"That's good." Caterpillar smiled approvingly, then took a minute to look at the options for food.
"Sure is." Jack nodded in agreement, glancing over to the counter himself too and trying to see if his order was ready yet.
Right around then, the lady behind the counter called out an order for Wilkins, sliding it forward. Stepping up to take his food when called, Jack gave the lady a nod, then did the same to the other man before starting to make his way back out to his truck.
*****
Jack made it back to his truck and got in, settling down and taking a few bites of his food. And then, since he was finally in private, he reached for his mobile phone and called Roger's house phone.
Roger answered quickly. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's Jack." Clearing his throat just a little, Jack took a swig of his soda. "Happy New Year."
"Hey. You too.” Roger smiled to himself when he heard his boyfriend’s voice. ”Everything okay? It's been a few days."
"10-4, uh, sorry 'bout that. It's just been real busy; everybody wants the holidays off, so the rest of us gotta pick up the slack."
"It's okay. Just started to worry." Roger shrugged, even though the other man couldn't see him.
Jack hummed a vague affirmative as he scratched his cheek. "Well, I'm fine either way." Shifting just a little where he sat, he took another bite of food. "How 'bout you? You alright back there?"
"Yeah, guess so. Nothing too crazy." Roger shifted the phone slightly in his hand.
Swallowing his latest bite, Jack nodded at that. "That's good. And, uh, landlord ain't givin' ya no more trouble?"
"More of the same," Roger sighed in frustration. "Dunno what I'm gonna do about it."
"No, me neither." Jack cleared his throat a little at that; the beginnings of a possible solution starting to form in his mind, but not sure he dared bring it up just yet. "Guess we just gotta figure somethin' out."
"Yeah. Something." Roger shook his head a little at that. "But I'm okay for now."
"Well, that's good either way." Nodding approvingly, Jack took another sip of his drink. "Let's hope it stays that way."
"Yeah. Being kicked out wouldn't be fun." Roger sighed.
Jack shook his head just a little as he put his drink back in the cupholder in his centre console. "Sure wouldn't. So, uh, let's hope it don't come to that."
"Definitely not. But anyway, enough about that. I'm really glad you called."
"10-4, I'm glad I got to speak to you too." Shifting a little in his seat, Jack took a bite of his food. "'N I'm glad you're fine."
"I am." Roger chuckled a little. "Food good?"
"Well, it's food. Could be a lot worse., Jack shrugged.
"Glad it isn't, then." Again, that low chuckle.
Setting the rest of his food aside for now, Jack hummed in agreement. "10-4, me too." He glanced down at the time, letting out a small sigh. "But, uh, I gotta go. Break's nearly up."
"Oh. Uh, okay. Well, be careful."
"Thanks. You too." He shifted a little more in his seat, starting to buckle up. "'N I'll call tomorrow too, alright?"
"Alright. I'll be here," Roger promised, smiling a little.
"Good." Nodding approvingly at that, Jack scratched his cheek a little. "Love you."
"Love you too." After another brief moment, Roger said goodbye, and waited for the answer before hanging up.
*****
It was just an hour or so later that Roger's phone rang again, just as unexpectedly as that last call.
He blinked, picking it up. "Hello?"
"Hey, grandpa." His brother's voice came through from the other end, a teasing tone to it. "It's Steve. Happy new year."
"Ha. Funny. Thanks. You too." Roger shook his head with a fond little smile.
"So, how you doin'? Anything exciting happening on your end?" Settling down on a chair next to the phone, Steve pulled one ankle up to rest on his knee.
"Not really. More of the same." Roger shrugged. "How ‘bout you?"
Steve shrugged a little himself too. "Not a whole lot here either. Well, except my oldest is gettin' married this summer." A hint of pride and disbelief could be heard in his voice as he shook his head with a small smile.
"That's really nice." Roger voice was even, but the words did cause a little ache in his heart. "Bet you're enjoying that."
Scratching his cheek a little, Steve hummed an affirmative. "It's... something else, for sure." He paused for a moment, then shook his head a little. "Anyway, that being said. You should come visit us sometime soon. I'm sure the kids would love to meet their uncle."
"Really?" Roger’s voice dropped in volume, his eyes widening in surprise. "You want me to?"
"I've been thinking about it for a while, actually. And now that, uh, dad's gone..." Steve trailed off with a shrug, clearing his throat. "Would be nice if you finally got to meet my family."
"Oh. Wow. Okay. Uh, yeah. Sure. I'd... like that," Roger said softly, sincerely.
"Good, good." Shifting a little where he sat, Steve smiled approvingly at that. "So, uh, when d'you think works for you?"
"Hmm. I dunno. You got any ideas?" Roger frowned just a little thoughtfully as he considered that.
Steve considered that for a moment too, scratching his jaw. "I dunno, uh... I'll be pretty busy at work this month, but we could do it sometime next month?" Raising an eyebrow slightly, something seemed to occur to him. "Maybe around your birthday, if you, uh, don't have other plans?"
Roger thought about that for a moment, then nodded a little at that. "Yeah. Yeah, that works for me."
Smiling a little, Steve nodded approvingly. "Alright then, let's say we figure something out for that week."
"Sounds good." Roger smiled. "I love you, kiddo," he said with a quiet little chuckle.
"Love you too, grandpa." Steve rolled his eyes, a good-natured smile on his lips. "Take care of yourself, yeah?"
"You too." Roger smiled, shaking his head before saying goodbye.
Saying goodbye himself too, Steve hung up the phone, then returned to what he'd been doing before he called.