The Escapee Ch. 05-06

Chapter 5:

Jack phoned his mother from the ferry and let her know that he would be at her home by one that afternoon. She had sounded a bit better and said that she had talked to Marilyn last night and she was coming out on the first flight she could get. Her friend and neighbor, Joanne Horton, was there to help her with the arrangements and keep her company.

His parting from Donna had been sad and tearful on her part. It would be the first time they had been apart since they had become lovers and now, a couple of hours later, Jack already felt alone and lost. He had lost his father. They were close and shared many good times over the years. How old was he? Seventy five or six? He couldn't recall. It didn't matter. It was too soon and he was unprepared for it. Although he was the younger of the two offspring, he was the one his parents relied upon and it was he who was consulted and named executor.

Marilyn had left home directly after achieving her degree in Education. She was two years older than Jack. She applied for and was granted a teaching position in Ontario, near Ottawa. She had been a very good student in French and she wanted to become bilingual in a practical way. She had been a teacher and now administrator for almost thirty years. She had married a nice guy who was in the Education Ministry of Ontario and they had produced two children; twins Paul and Stephen. They were in their early twenties and both were attending University near their home.

Jack and Marilyn had never been close and yet they were fond of each other. He had not seen her very often over the years and her return for their father's funeral would be their first time since Shannon's funeral. These were all the wrong reasons to have the family, or what was left of it, coming together.

When he arrived at his parent's home, he was surprised at how tranquil his mother was. Her good friend and neighbor, Joanne was with her and he assumed she had been a solid anchor for her in this stressful time.

"Hi mom. How are you keeping?" he asked in sympathy.

"I'm OK John. I'm starting to get used to the fact that your father's gone. It's hard. We've been married for fifty four wonderful years. I was very lucky to have that many I think." she said calmly.

"It was too soon, mom. He was too young. I had no idea that he was ... vulnerable."

"Neither did I. There was no hint or any warning. He had high blood pressure, but then, so do most men his age it seems. He was just out in the back yard, picking up some bags of compost after I'd cleaned out the flower beds. He just keeled over. No sound, no cry ... nothing. If I hadn't been out there with him, I'd never have known it had happened." She was near tears now. The memories were beginning to overwhelm her.

Joanne moved to her and joined with Jack. The three were silent in their grief for a while. Jack finally stepped back and picked up his bag and went to his usual guest room. He stopped when he saw it was already occupied by someone ... Joanne he assumed. He backtracked to the third bedroom and entered, satisfied that it was free. He slowly unpacked his suitcase and hung up his clothes or put them in the dresser. He unpacked his laptop and set it on the desk until he could determine where he could connect to the internet.

He lay back on the bed with his hands behind his head and tried to empty his mind for a while. Too much had happened to him in this past year. It was what he was trying to explain last night at the dinner table when he got off track and he had blurted out his feelings for Donna. He meant every word he knew, but he had surprised and shocked her without consideration. He wasn't insensitive, he thought. Perhaps it was the wine, but more likely it was the excitement of the discovery of his feelings for her. He wanted the whole world to know. He was alive again. He was no longer in hiding.

It hadn't started that way. He was almost cold in his calculating strategy to seduce her. He recognized her vulnerability and quickly went to work to break down her barriers. He succeeded far more quickly that he had expected. She was his to do with as he wished. For a week or two, it was exhilarating; a conquest to brag about among the other Alpha males. It was later that he began to have different feelings about what he had done with and to Donna Remple.

She was so completely and totally female. When he looked at her he saw an erotic painting from a bygone era; boldly colored and broadly stroked on some aging canvas. At some point, she ceased being a captive and became a lover and some weeks later still, from lover to loved. It was an osmosis and the revelation of the previous night was almost as surprising to John Michael Matheson as it was to Donna Louise Remple.

He closed his eyes and tried to visualize her. He could see her lounging on her bed, the sheet pulled carelessly over her hips, her eyes fixed on him. They were hypnotic and he quietly drifted off.

He slept for over an hour and when waking, rose, stretched and moved to the kitchen as he heard sounds of activity.

"Did you have a good sleep, dear." his mother asked.

"I guess so. I didn't realize I was so tired. I'm still a bit dopey, I think." he confessed.

"I'm sorry I didn't warn you about your usual room, John. Joanne is staying with me. She's been very kind and very helpful."

"No need to explain, mom. I'm just glad you have someone here. Joanne is a very good friend." he said, smiling at the taller woman.

Joanne Horton had lost her husband to prostate cancer six years ago and Muriel had been very supportive then and their casual friendship had deepened. She had adjusted to living on her own and Jack idly wondered if that would be the way her mother learned to carry on. He had thought about having her come to Courtenay to live with him, but he could see a number of problems associated with that decision. He decided to wait and see what she wanted when she was better able to make a decision on her future.

"I'm going to head back to my house to see what's going on." Joanne volunteered. "I'll be back in an hour or so." she said smiling. She picked up her coat at the front hall stand and let herself out the front door.

"You're lucky to have her here, mom." Jack said quietly.

"Yes. She's been through ... this ... situation. She knows what to expect I suppose. I don't, John. I'm lost right now." she said sorrowfully. He walked to his mother and embraced her as her sobs began and they stood in the kitchen for some time just letting the emotions go.

"I think I'm finally beginning to understand how you felt when you lost Shannon." she said quietly into his shoulder. "Does the hurt ever go away?" she asked hopefully.

"Not really, mom. But maybe it was different for me. Shannon and I didn't have as much time together as you and dad and it wasn't sudden or unexpected. I think that made it worse in some ways ... knowing what was coming and not being able to do anything about it."

"Your sister will be here tomorrow. It's been a long time since you've seen her, hasn't it."

"Yah ... a long time." he said softly. "Mom ... there's something I have to tell you. Something important."

"What is it, John?"

"I've met someone ... someone important ... important to me." he stammered.

"Oh, John ... really? I'm surprised. That's good news ... isn't it?" She had stepped back and the look of astonishment on her face was hard for Jack to interpret. Was she happy or unhappy?

"Yes ... her name is Donna Remple. She's a real estate agent. She sold me my house. We've been ... dating and ... you know ... seeing each other for several months."

"John ... that's nice. I'm glad. You need someone in your life after ... after what's happened. Is it serious?"

"Yes ... it is for me. I think it is for her too. I'm going to ask her to marry me, but I'm not sure when."

"Oh John, that is good news. I'm so happy for you. You deserve to have someone to love and who loves you." she said sincerely.

"Thanks, mom. I'm glad you feel that way. I'm going to see Mr. & Mrs. Dunne and let them know too. I wouldn't want them to find out from someone else and I really don't know how they will take it. They were distraught with Shannon's death and I'm not sure that they don't blame me somehow."

"No John, they don't blame you. We've kept in touch and they know how devastated you were with her loss. I hope they will be happy for you. Just make sure young Michael stays close to them. He's their touchstone."

She always was the wise one, Jack thought. He smiled and kissed her forehead and sat in the nearest kitchen chair.

"I talked to Mike last night and again when I was on the ferry. He'll be here tomorrow too. I can move out to make room since Marilyn and Mike are going to fill the house to overflowing for a few days."

"No ... don't do that. Joanne is going to stay at her house and Mike can sleep either on the sofa-bed in the study or at her house. We won't be short of room."

They talked about making the funeral arrangements and Jack was surprised to learn that there would only be a memorial service and that the Memorial Society was looking after the remains. There would be a plaque for his father and one for his mother in the future when the time came. Jack had never given much thought to his own parents' mortality or for that matter, his own. It came as a shock to him that it wasn't that far in the future.

Joanne returned just before five and they shared a glass of wine while the dinner preparations were being made and ate almost in silence. It was Sunday evening and the shock of his father's death had begun to wear off and was being replaced by a sense of deep sadness. He could see in his mother's eyes that she was lost; wondering how she would make it on her own.

Just after nine, his mother retired and it gave Jack and chance to talk to Joanne.

"You must know what she's going through, Joanne. Will she be all right?" he asked seriously.

"In time, Jack. She's in shock right now. I'm going to stick close by her; even after you go back to your home. I have the time and we've become close friends. I will help her through this. She trusts me."

"That's a huge relief, Joanne. I couldn't leave her here by herself. I was thinking of taking her back to Courtenay with me, but I'm not sure she'd be better off there." he confessed. "I'm going to trust your instincts and judgment on this."

"Thank you Jack. You're very important to her. Just make sure you stay in touch with her." she counseled.

With that, Jack rose, remembering he hadn't called Donna yet. "Excuse me; I have to make a phone call." He pulled his cell out of his pocket and walked to the bedroom, closing the door behind him. She was number one on his speed dial.

"Donna ... it's me."

"Oh Jack ... how are you? I've been so worried. How are you holding up?" she asked solicitously.

"I'm getting used to the idea, I guess. He's not here and it's strange, but ... I'm getting used to it."

"I miss you, darling. Do you want me to come there?" she asked quietly.

"No ... no ... not right now. Mom has a good friend here and with my sister Marilyn and Mike coming, it'll be a houseful."

"OK ... I guess tomorrow will be busy ... with the arrangements, I mean."

"Yes ... I'm sure it will be." There was a pause. "Donna ... I told mom about us ... about you. She's happy that I'm happy."

"Oh Jack, I'm so glad. That makes it so much easier for you."

"I'm going to see Shannon's parents tomorrow or the next day, I think. I need to tell them too."

"Yes ... I understand." she said softly. "Jack ... you've made me very happy ... you know that don't you?"

"I wasn't so sure after last night, but it feels very good to hear you tell me that. I love you Donna."

He could hear the muffled sobs on the other end of the phone line. "I love you too, Jack." she finally responded shakily.

Chapter 6:

The meeting with Frank and Elise Dunne was somber and quiet. They offered their condolences to Jack on the loss of his father. Frank and Mike had become good friends over the years and even with the death of their daughter, they had remained in touch. The four often got together for bridge or just a social evening and although it hadn't been as frequent since Shannon's passing, they felt the loss of their friend very deeply.

Jack struggled with how to tell them of his love for Donna and in the end, he stuttered and stammered and finally got it out. He was relieved that they were supportive and congratulatory. They had no illusions that Jack would live in mourning for the rest of his life. They would meet again at the Memorial Service, but Jack felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders with their approval.

The service was relatively small; held in a Chapel in Burnaby and the plaque was placed in the cemetery not far from the family home. Just over two dozen attended the services and most gathered at the Matheson home on a dreary Thursday afternoon in November to celebrate the life of Michael Allan Matheson, born December 11, 1930. He didn't quite make his seventy sixth birthday.

Earlier that week, Marilyn and young Mike had joined Jack at the Mountain Shadows pub for a drink and to share a few memories of their father/grandfather. There were more than a few tears shed early on that afternoon and in the end, they took a taxi home rather than risk the short drive with the amount of alcohol they had consumed. If the Dunne family were of Irish Stock, the Matheson family was acting Irish that afternoon. Jack had called it a pre-wake and the mood, after the tears, was upbeat and sprinkled with laughter.

They remembered the good times, the quirks of Mike Senior, the warmth of the family that had been missing for a few years, and how lucky they were to have shared this time with a fine man. Jack took the opportunity to tell Mike and Marilyn about Donna. They too were happy for him and Mike wanted to meet her. He had a car and could drive to Courtenay on the weekend; staying at Jack's house. Marilyn smiled and wished she could meet her as well; perhaps in the future when things had settled down.

When they arrived home, Muriel was a bit nonplussed at their buoyant mood, but relaxed as she saw they were all together as family at this important time. It was the first truly upbeat moment she had experienced since that fateful afternoon.

His mother held up well at the reception and Joanne was always there to help and support her. If Muriel became forgetful or lost in memories, Joanne stepped in to rescue the moment. Jack was now certain that his mother's friend was going to be a very important part of her life in the near term and beyond. He was beginning to get a sense of comfort and confidence about her future.

He phoned Donna every evening and they talked and began to plan their future. He hadn't yet asked her to marry him, but he would never do that over the phone and he needed to find a ring to make it official. Then there was the practical matter; they each owned a home and only one would be required. Where would they live?

Donna knew it was only a matter of time before Jack would ask her to marry him. She sensed no hesitancy or lack of commitment on his part and she would be patient with him. It was a big step for him. It was his second life-time promise and it wouldn't be easy; especially after the unhappy ending to the first. For her part, she had been on her own for a long time and had only begun to realize how much she had missed during those years. Her only regret was not having met Jack Matheson a long time ago.

Marilyn had returned to Ottawa two days after the Memorial Service and Mike had gone back to school a day earlier. Jack was going a bit stir-crazy in the house himself with his mother and Joanne and decided to spend some time on his own. He headed out on the road in his car without a destination and eventually ended up at the Brentwood Mall. He wandered around aimlessly until he found himself walking by a large jewelry store.

He had thought about asking Donna to marry him and to do so would require a ring of course. He looked over the selection in the counter display without any of them popping out at him. It wasn't urgent and when the woman clerk approached him, he told her he was just browsing. The thought crossed his mind; exactly who would be 'just browsing' for engagement rings? Perhaps it wasn't that urgent after all.

He stopped at an espresso kiosk, ordered a latte and was heading for the seating area when he heard someone call his name.

"Jack? Jack Matheson?" a woman's voice called. Jack turned and his eyes widened as a very beautiful, mature blonde walked toward him. He searched his memory for some clue toward recognition but none came. She looked to be about his age; perhaps a bit younger. She was expensively dressed, very well coiffed and made up like a model. How would she possibly know him?

"You don't recognize me, do you." she smiled. It was a beautiful smile.

"Ah ... no ... no I don't. Sorry." Jack admitted.

"Merilee Wright." she smiled that dazzling smile again.

"Merilee! Wow! You look ... terrific. It's been years since I've seen you. I'm surprised you recognized me."

"Well I probably wouldn't have if it hadn't been for that magazine article on you a few years ago. You know the one about the top entrepreneurs in the province?"

"Oh ... that ... I'd forgotten all about it." he said with a slight smile.

"I haven't. You've turned into quite the handsome man, Jack." she said coyly.

"Yah ... well I guess I do look a lot different than I did in High School." he admitted. He looked at her and chuckled; almost to himself.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"I was just thinking ... you were my ... uh ... vision of the perfect girl. I see you haven't changed." he said a bit more boldly.

"Aw Jack ... that's sweet. But you never even asked me for a dance, much less a date." she said with a furrowed brow.

"Ah ... well ... you were well out of my league. Remember, I was the class nerd and I looked the part." he confessed.

"That's too bad. I always thought you were kind of cute and so smart. I often wished you were interested in me."

Jack stared at her for a minute. "Well, you could have fooled me. I didn't think you even knew I existed." he grinned.

"Why don't we sit over there?" she pointed to an empty table. "We have a lot of catching up to do." She smiled that lovely, bright smile and there was no way Jack could have refused her.

They sat opposite each other and Jack sipped his coffee tentatively, waiting for Merilee to make the first move.

"Well, I know what you've been up to, Jack. It was all in the magazine article." she said brightly. "And you're married with a son, if I remember correctly."

"Ah ... well ... that was then. My wife died three years ago." he said in a more matter-of-fact voice than he felt.

"Oh ... oh ... I am sorry Jack." she said sincerely. "That must have been very hard for you ... and your son."

"Yes ... it was." he agreed. "Cancer is never easy to deal with and Shannon's was a long, slow, painful process."

"Oh Jack. I can't imagine. That's so sad."

"Well ... it's been three years now and I'm finally coming to terms with it." he said with resignation. "But what about you? You look very ... professional ... like a model or something." he stammered.

She laughed at that and again that special smile shone through. "I'm in Advertising for Parker-Lewis. We handle a lot of TV and Movie promotions."

Jack glanced at her left hand and saw no rings. "No husband?" he asked directly.

"No ... not currently. I've had a couple of marriages, but I think I'll go it alone for a while until I really find Mr. Right. Are you interested?" she asked with a sly smile.

"Well ... Merilee ... this is so sudden. Don't you think we should get to know each other better." he laughed.