A Simple Act of Charity

He found himself on the edge of personal tragedy as he listened to Jenna's distressed message not one time, but many. Every time he replayed it, her voice became more fearful.

And he completely understood why. Hearing that Robert needed some emergency surgery for another tumor was like a knife in his side. The kind, elderly father had suffered enough already this year, and now he had to undergo another bout of misfortune? It was proof positive that the world wasn't fair. And despite doing his best to force Jenna to move on, she'd drew her own line in the sand for him to cross.

At that moment, it wasn't a question of if he was going. The only question was if he was going to log it as sick time or personal time with his job. He ultimately went with personal time and showed up at the hospital just before nine-thirty. There was no way that he could let Jenna, who had done everything for everyone but herself, suffer alone. The question of whether he was good for her or not was damned. He loved her, and despite her deserving so much more, she was all that mattered.

Austin walked into the waiting room for the surgery wing and quickly scanned the rows of seats. He was searching for one thing and found it quickly—beautiful, red tresses. In an instant, her sky-blue eyes locked on his, and as he quickly moved to close the distance, she decided to meet him halfway.

"You came," she said with weepy eyes as he moved in close to embrace her. They collided with a strong force a second later, both of them clutching onto each other and needing nothing else in the moment.

"I did," whispered Austin.

"Thank you," she whispered in return.

"Jenna, I'm so sorry, I—"

"Shh," she whispered again, moving to look at him. "Just let me hug you for a second and then sit with me? There will be plenty of time to talk about that later, okay?"

He nodded, enjoying her warm embrace as long as he could. They surely made an odd sight, standing there in the middle of the waiting room pressed together like such but as long as she needed him, he'd be there.

After several more minutes, she finally released him and pulled him by the hand to her seat. He sat down in the chair next to hers as she pointed to the nearby monitor.

"He was just sent in for prep just now. We can watch their progress as he goes through the procedure."

"What happened, Jenna? I thought he was just about done with this cancer?" asked Austin.

She shook her head quickly. "I thought so too. The doctor brought us in last week, and it's spread to his lungs. There are two fast-growing tumors that are particularly worrisome. Then we need to start the chemo all over again."

Austin shut his eyes. That was about the worst sentence he could think of for someone who'd been through so much already. "How's he doing with all this? Is he okay?"

Jenna grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. "As well as he can but he's discouraged. I can't say I blame him but he's just not in the right frame of mind right now. Maybe after the surgery, as long as it goes well, he can be his old self again."

Austin nodded. "How are you doing with all of this? Are you okay?"

She shook her head quickly as a wave of tears descended down her cheeks. "I'm really s-struggling right now."

"Come here." Austin positioned their chairs so that he could hold against him. She nuzzled herself against his side like she had so many times before and wept freely. He held her tightly against him, trying to be the beacon of strength that she so desperately needed.

"I missed this," she said after some time had gone by. "I missed being with you."

"I missed it too," he whispered hoarsely. She clung to him tighter as they watched the progress on the monitor.

In retrospect, the surgery didn't take that long, but it felt like an eternity to the two pairs of eyes glued to the monitor. It wasn't far past lunchtime when he was finally in recovery, and the doctor came out to give them an update.

"He did fantastic," said the sandy-haired doctor as he pulled off his surgical gloves. "Both tumors are now gone. He'll need to take it easy for the next few weeks, and we'll still want the chemo to start immediately, but the surgery was a success from our standpoint."

Jenna smiled. "That's wonderful to hear. When can we see him?"

"He's going to be out of it for quite a while still but perhaps by tonight he'll be ready for visitors," said the doctor.

"That's fine," said Austin. "We'll wait until he's ready." The doctor nodded and soon walked away as Jenna looked at him with near adoration. They waited together for the rest of the day, never really approaching any deep topics and keeping their conversation light and simple. It was only once they got permission to visit the newly-awakened Robert that they left the waiting room for the first time.

As they were led back to Jenna's father's room, her hand crept into his on the walk. Austin smiled and squeezed, keeping a firm grip on her hand all the way back to Robert's room. As soon as they walked in, they made a beeline to the closest side of the bed.

"Hey, Dad," said Jenna with an anxious grin. "You did it. How do you feel?"

Robert's eyes fluttered open. "I don't want to do that again. No way, no how."

"Look who I found," said Jenna while pointing to Austin. "He waited with me to make sure you're okay."

Robert seemed to finally notice Austin's presence in the room and his eyes went wider. "Austin, you're here too? That's incredible. I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad to be here too," said Austin while resting his free hand on the elder man's. "We're just glad you're all right."

Robert looked at both of them and noticed their hands intertwined together. "And I'm glad you two finally got your acts together!"

Jenna looked down at their hands and started to blush. "What do you mean, Dad?'

"Don't 'what do you mean dad' me," said Robert with an amused grin. "How long have I been telling you that you needed a good man in your life? A good man like Austin here!" He turned his head to look at Austin. "I've been pleading your case for a while now!"

Austin's eyes darted to Jenna who was now incredibly red in the cheek. "Is that right?"

"Oh, you don't have much of an excuse either, young man," said Robert. "I've been doing the same to you! It's about time you two stopped ignoring what was right in front of you."

Both Austin and Jenna caught each other's eyes and laughed. There was too much truth in the older man's words, and something seemed to just click when they were together. To see the look of happiness on Jenna's face, and the satisfaction on her father's, was enough to make him accept the situation for what it was. It was time to stop fighting it.

"So what's next for you two kids tonight? Should have the house all to yourselves, right?" said Robert as his mischievous eyes darted back and forth between them both.

"Dad!" Jenna chastised him before covering her mouth.

"I think that's a really good idea, Robert," said Austin as he squeezed her hand. "We have a lot to talk about."

Jenna looked back to him and nodded. "Yes, we do."

At that moment, one of the nurses came in with some further medication for the older man. He took a series of pills, got a new IV, and received a new, stiff pillow for his back.

"Any idea on when you'll be able to come home? It won't be the same without you there for a while," said Austin.

Robert shrugged. "I don't know. Tomorrow? The next day? Either way, it won't be soon enough. There's nothing like sleeping in your own bed. But that means you're the man of the house while I'm gone, okay? Take care of Jenna for me?"

Austin started to chuckle. "You have my word."

"I knew I liked him for a good reason," said Robert to his daughter.

They stayed to chat with him until the end of visiting hours. After saying goodnight to Robert and promising to come back in the morning, both Austin and Jenna left the hospital and went out into the parking lot.

"You meant what you told him, right?" asked Jenna. "You're coming over as soon as we get back, right?"

"As long as that's okay with you still?"

She nodded eagerly. "You better!"

Austin chuckled. "I'll see you soon."

They managed the drive home in their separate vehicles. While on the drive, Austin tried a practice run of everything he wanted to tell Jenna when the moment was right, to give her some kind of explanation for his behavior. The day had been too easy as far as a reconciliation was concerned. Now Jenna would be out for real answers. He couldn't blame her—she deserved as much.

They arrived back at the townhouses at the same time and after parking his car, he met her on the front doorstep before going inside. Jenna smiled at him while producing her key, and a half moment later, they were inside and kicking off their shoes. He was happy to have the privacy right now. There was a lot for them to discuss.

"Do you want something to drink at all?" offered Jenna as she dashed into the kitchen.

"Just a water would be great," said Austin.

"Two waters coming up!"

She returned a few moments later with two glasses and they headed for the living room. Austin took a precarious seat on the couch while Jenna sat across from him, facing his body. Their eyes locked for a moment, producing a small smile for each of them, until the awkwardness of the moment forced them to look away.

"What a day that was," said Jenna, breaking the silence.

"He seems like he's in good spirits now," said Austin. "He was definitely happy to see us."

"He was happy to see you," corrected Jenna. "He's right, you know? He does talk about you all the time."

"He does the same about you. He has so much pride when it comes to you, Jenna. You can see his love for you with every word he says."

Jenna beamed with a smile. "And I love him."

There was a moment of silence as the small talk dissipated. Both of them took the opportunity to drink from their waters. It was Jenna who broke the silence once again, opening with the heaviest question of the night.

"Austin, I'm not going to dance around the question anymore," she said while her expression turned to something more serious. "I just want to know why. Why were you avoiding me? Why weren't you answering me? Did I do something that made you mad?"

Austin shook his head quickly. "No. Not in the slightest. You've never been anything less than perfect."

She smiled briefly before her expression became more confused. "I don't understand. It's almost like you just disappeared. Even that night when I came over, it was like you didn't want anything to do with me. I can't figure it out, Austin."

Austin took a deep breath.Now or never. "It was nothing that you did, Jenna. That was all me. I meant it when I said it earlier—you've been just about perfect during this whole thing. You're just about everything a man could possibly want in a woman."

Her look of confusion spoke volumes. She didn't have to say another word, and her expression forced him to keep going.

"This was all about me," said Austin while looking away. "I felt like I was using you."

"Using me? How could you feel that?"

"Because every time I would do something for you around the house, you'd come over and we'd hook up," he said. "Not that it wasn't wonderful—it was. But it felt like I was treating it too cavalierly. Like you had so much to offer, and I was just using you for sex."

"I never felt that way about it," said Jenna while crossing her arms. "And if I remember right, I was the one that made the first move on you."

"I know. And it just spiraled from there," said Austin. "Your dad would always talk about how great you are and how you deserve the best. He'd always say how you deserved a good man and how he wanted a big family for you someday so that he could be knee deep in grandchildren."

"What's that got to do with anything, Austin?" she interrupted.

Austin swallowed and turned to face her. "I can't give that to you, Jenna."

Her face turned to ash. "Why not?"

"You know why. I can't have kids. I'm as infertile as they come. I still struggle with the breakup of my marriage and that blow to my conscience. I feel broken, Jenna. You deserve someone so great because of everything that you are and I'm just not that guy." He took a deep breath, uttering the words that had most scared him. "You'd settle for me and then you'd soon get bored of me too."

Jenna was quick to react, and she slid closer to him on the couch. "Is that what you really think?"

He nodded. "Your dad's words affirmed it for me. Even JD called you my call girl or whatever. I thought if even my dumb cousin could see it, it must be written on the wall. I thought the best thing to do would be to just break this off and let you find someone better. Someone who deserves you." Austin hung his head. "I know I didn't do it the best way. But that's part of my own shortcomings too, I guess."

"Austin, some of the best times in my life have been the moments I spent with you. And despite what you think or feel, you're a good person. And you're a good man. That's why I kept coming back. That's why I wanted to do something for you when you selflessly started helping us out months ago. So I got the cookies and the bourbon in hopes that I could get to know you. I'd see you enough in passing that I wanted to get to know the man who could be so selfless on his own."

She continued while taking his hand with hers. "Once I got to know you, I didn't want to put any brakes on this. None whatsoever. Even after we started to get sexual."

"Even though it started rather quickly?"

Jenna giggled. "Yes, even then. It wouldn't have happened if I wasn't attracted to you. Which I was then, and I am now, maybe even more so."

"You still are?" asked Austin. "Even though I acted like a bonehead?"

She laughed a little harder. "Yes, even though you acted like a bonehead. Just promise me you won't do something stupid like that again, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Austin too quickly.

Jenna leaned in and kissed him, a gesture he eagerly responded to instinctively. It had been so long since they'd kissed that he missed the tender way her lips melted into his and the silent intrusion of her tongue begging entry to his mouth. When she pulled back, she locked her gaze on him.

"Austin, I know what I want. I knowwho I want. This didn't happen by accident. I got the measure of what kind of man you were early on. So did my father. That's why he talked about you constantly, and he's completely right. You're a good person with a good heart. That's why I want to be with you. That's why I love you."

"You love me?" whispered Austin. "You're sure about this?"

Jenna nodded slowly. "I've never been more sure about it."

Austin started to crack a smile. "I love you too, Jenna. I've known it for a while now but I've been so afraid of it. I've been afraid to love someone and have to lose them again."

She brought his hand to her heart. "You won't lose this. You have me and my love and nothing could take that away."

The smile slowly started to slip from his face. "What about children though? Even if I can't give you that?"

To his amazement, Jenna's grin spread wider. "About that. Hang on right here for a moment, okay?"

Austin's face filled with confusion as the redhead bounced off the couch and headed up the staircase. She came down a few moments later, clutching something behind her back.

"Close your eyes for me, please?"

"What's this for—"

"Austin!" Jenna giggled. "Just close your eyes!"

He did as she asked, only feeling the couch shift as she sat back down beside him. "Put out your hand."

As soon as his fingers extended, she placed something into it. Something long and thin, but lightweight as well. He wanted to take a peek but waited for Jenna to be ready.

"I thought I was sick this past week," started Jenna. "There's been a stomach bug going around the hospital, and I thought I finally caught it. I was sick just about every morning. It happens so much that I'm used to it but when it happened every morning at the same time, I started to pay attention. And then I noticed how tender my boobs felt. I put two and two together and well, I'd like you to open your eyes now."

Austin's eyes popped open and settled on his hands. The lightweight object in his hands was a pregnancy test. And clearly marked was two solid, vertical lines.

Jenna was pregnant.

He looked up to her to see that she was wearing an apprehensive smile. It was too much to take in as his eyes darted back and forth between her face and test several times.Could it really be so?

"You're sure about this? You're really pregnant?" said Austin in disbelief.

Jenna giggled. "As sure as four separate pregnancy tests can be. We'll have to go to the doctor to confirm but I'd say this is at least ninety-nine percent!"

"I can't believe this," he said while staring at the test again. "I've wanted this for so long. So very long in my life and it's finally here."

"I think you just needed the right person, my love," said Jenna. She leaned in and kissed him tenderly.

"You're right. I needed you, Jenna. I'll always need you," said Austin, pulling her into his embrace.

She moved quickly and slid on top of him. In the next moment, their hands were blurs of activity as each sought to rob the other of any clothing they could reach. They couldn't move fast enough until the both of them were as naked as could be.

Jenna's hand wrapped lovingly around his cock. "I've missed this so much. I've missed you. You have no idea how badly I need you."

"You have me now," said Austin. "I can't believe how foolish I've been but I'm never going to let anything get between us again. I almost lost you once. I'll never lose you again."

She quickly jerked him to full hardness. "You could never lose me."

Once he was fully hard, she positioned herself over him and quickly impaled herself. They both groaned with pleasure as he slowly penetrated her, waiting until she was completely full before she lowered her upper body to rest against his. Their lips connected lovingly and between each kiss, their souls shone through each other's eyes.

"I love you entirely, Jenna," said Austin.

"And I love you, my Austin," she whispered in return.

Nothing was able to match the power of the passion behind their lovemaking that night. Their bodies moved slowly and tenderly while each held onto the other without a single thought of letting go. Between gentle thrusts and quiet moans, their lips held together the powerful love that they now shared. And through it all, the pain of the last few weeks became a distant memory.

"I'm going to cum soon," he whispered against her lips as her eyes locked on his.

"Inside me please. Where you belong," she whispered in return.

Their orgasms hit at the same time, a tender moment of release that had both of them clinging to the other person. Austin flooded her with his seed, and a greedy Jenna wouldn't stop moving until she claimed every drop inside her body.

"It's a good thing you've already knocked me up," said Jenna with a flushed giggle as they came down from their mutual high. "With how much you just came in me, I'd be pregnant for sure."

"I can't believe this is really real. You're pregnant," he said with a smile.

"We're having a baby, Austin," she said as she cupped his face.

"I can't imagine a better future than one spent with you and our miracle baby," he said.

"The baby that only our love could create."

Austin kissed her tenderly. "I still don't feel like I deserve you though. Are you sure this is what you want?"

She responded by eagerly pressing back to his kiss. "I couldn't be more sure. You're the man I want to be with, Austin. When we needed help, you did everything you could to help us any way possible. In a way, what's happened to us was me trying to help you. My situation was broken, and I didn't realize it, but so were you. Just as you helped us the only way you could, this is now my chance to help you. To help put the pieces back together. This is our chance to start fresh."