"To Depths Unknown"-21&22
by Leslie
"To Depths Unknown"
Chapter 21
Jax's mind scrambled to come up with a way out of this. Kendall's hand was poised and ready. He knew if he started to move, she could easily remove the towel with one swift tug.
Ordinarily, he wouldn't mind having a woman he was attracted to see him in all his "glory", but he did have the chicken pox! His pride was on the line. It was the words of doting big brother, Jerry, that filled his mind. "Fight or flea!" he could hear him saying. That clinched it for Jax.
He held his arms out and extended this invitation to Kendall: "Go ahead!"
Not at all what Kendall was expecting, she was caught quite off guard. In her mind, the scenario had played out a little differently. She would threaten, he would run, she would reach for the towel -- miss -- and he would be gone. He wasn't supposed to call her bluff!
"Well -- what's it going to be?" he demanded with a smirk. He could tell he'd one-upped her, and he felt a sense of victory. "Oh -- come on -- you waged the war, now finish the battle!" That smug look on his face made Kendall burn!
She stood up and faced her opponent. Her steely blue eyes to his provocative blue-green eyes, determination overtook her, and -- maintaining eye contact -- she snatched away Jax's "robe of victory", never cracking a smile. "Don't ever challenge me and expect me to back down." She turned and left the room, and -- as tempting as it was -- she never looked back.
Jax was dumbfounded. That was certainly not the way he expected that to end.
He put his towel back around him and followed Kendall into the kitchen, where he found her nibbing on a snack. He couldn't understand how she went from playful to angry in a span of 10 seconds, but Kendall never gave him the opportunity to ask.
She smiled a huge smile and simply said, "So, I guess that battle went to me!"
"You're incorrigible!!"
"So I've been told."
"Did anyone ever tell you you're sassy too?"
"Just my mother all during my teenage years!" They both laughed.
"I've got to get some clothes on -- you're making me nervous!" he said as he headed towards the door to his penthouse.
No more than you're making me! she thought as she nervously munched on her pretzels. It took alot of willpower to not fall into temptation and she was bouncing off the walls with nervous energy.
Jax returned about 15 minutes later and found Kendall in front of the TV watching "Leno". He joined her on the couch and they laughed and talked and enjoyed each other's company. After "Leno" went off, they both turned in -- Jax in Kendall's bed, since it was already tainted with calamine, and Kendall on the sofa bed.
Everybody got a good night's sleep that night and slept in until just past 8:30. It was Jax's cell phone ringing that woke them up.
Jax sleepily reached for the phone, which he had been keeping by the bed, "Hello?" he mumbled.
"Good morning! Tell me I didn't wake you up again!" V's voice was worse than any alarm clock first thing in the morning.
"Ok, I won't tell you! What is it V?"
"Well, Jax, Mother's Day is coming up and I need to know what you want me to do for Lady Jane. I realize you'd rather do it yourself, but since you're laid up with the chicken pox I didn't think you'd be able to. So, what I'm asking is -- what would you like me to do for her?"
"How do you manage to get all that out with one breath?"
"What?!"
"Nevermind. Actually, I have already taken care of part of her surprise. I ordered a hand-crafted Austrian crystal vase like one Jerry and I destroyed during one of our, uhhh, differences of opinion. We had a picture of it and I had it recreated from that."
"Awwww, Jax, that sounds so sweet!" V was always amazed at his ability to delve so deeply into someone's innermost desires to demonstrate his thoughtfulness.
"It was a treasure. Jerry and I felt bad about that one for years. It was something Dad had given Mum as an anniversary gift. Irreplaceable, until now. But I do need you to work on the other part for me. I want you to order two dozen Moraccan roses -- they're her favorites -- and extremely hard to get in Alaska! Have the florist ship them to the florist I use in Alaska. The vase is being shipped there too. Explain what I want, ok?"
"Sounds like you've thought of everything," V said.
"Not quite. There's one more thing. Jerry and I, when we were kids, always tried to cook Mum a big breakfast and serve it to her in bed. Not very original, but she seemed to be pleased by the effort. So, what I need you to do is to call Trader Cal's in Alaska. The number's in my Rolodex. It's the best place to get breakfast anywhere around. Ask for Cal and tell him it's for John Jacks' son -- they're old friends. Tell him I want the works, and to take it to Mum Sunday morning at around 9:30."
"Hmmm, sounds like you're waxing nostalgia this morning! Any particular reason?"
"Just realizing all Mum did for me, that's all."
"That would make Lady Jane happy to hear! Should I pick up a card too?"
"No, I'm going to write her a letter."
"Jax! What a great son!"
"She's a great lady!"
"Well, I'd better get busy then. Call me if you need anything else. Hope you're feeling better!"
"I'm feeling fine -- I just look like hell!"
I doubt that! V thought. "Glad to hear you've improved. Talk to you later then -- Bye." And they hung up.
Jax laughed to himself, imagining how hard it had been for his Mum with her Jacks' boys! We must've been a handful! Not anything like little serene Jensen. She seems so complacent! Jerry and I seemed to be trouble from the word 'Go'! He smiled and shook his head remembering their shenanigans.
Then it occurred to him, Jensen! Kendall! Who is going to remember Kendall? God knows she deserves some sort of recognition after this week!
He determined in his heart to make sure this Mother's Day was memorable for her. She deserves it!
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Subj: "To Depths Unknown" - Chapter 22
Date: 98-05-07 16:54:43 EDT
From: Skootum
BCC: GreekGypsy
"To Depths Unknown"
Chapter 22
Jax dressed and set out to find Kendall. He found her in Jensen's room getting her ready for the day. They were sitting on the floor, Kendall doing her best to distract Jensen, which made getting her clothes on much easier! Her distraction method of choice was a song that always left Jensen literally rolling with laughter . . . .
"The wheels on the bus go round and round,
round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
all through the town.
The babies on the bus go "Wah, wah, wah!
Wah, wah, wah! Wah, wah, wah!"
The babies on the bus go "Wah, wah, wah!"
all through the town."
Jensen's giggles reverberated through the room. Kendall's laughter rang out as well, which Jax found to be almost as beautiful as she was.
"You girls sure wake up in a good mood!"
"This is the first night we've slept all the way through since this whole ordeal started!"
"So it is!" Jax acknowledged. "What's that I smell?"
"Blueberry muffins -- Jensen's favorite. She seems to have her appetite back. Would you like to join us for breakfast?"
"Sure -- I'm a little hungry myself."
The three of them enjoyed a breakfast of warm, homemade blueberry muffins, fresh fruit, juice, and, of course, hot coffee for Kendall.
"So, you're a coffee connoisseur, are you?"
"In a big way! I like it hot! I like it cold! I like it often!"
Kendall was in the best mood Jax had seen her in since they'd met. It made him feel better just watching her.
After breakfast, Kendall shooed them out of the kitchen so she could clean it up. She set them up in the living room -- Jax with his Wall Street Journal and Jensen with a barrage of books and toys.
"Jax, would it bother you if I turned on the radio while you're reading the paper?"
"Not at all."
Kendall walked around the couch to the radio, and again, flipped around until she found something befitting her mood. She stopped when she heard the fast, driving beat of Matchbox 20.
She says it's cold outside and she hands me my raincoat
She's always worried about things like that
She says it's gonna end and it might as well be my fault
And she only sleeps when it's raining
And she screams and her voice is straining
Jax looked amused at her choice.
Kendall noticed the look on his face and answered a question he didn't ask. "It helps me clean the house faster," she explained. "Keeps me moving."
"Oh? Is that it?"
Kendall headed back towards the kitchen to finish cleaning.
She says baby
It's 3 am I must be lonely
When she says baby
Well I can't help but be scared of it all sometimes
Says the rain's gonna wash away I believe it
Jax started reading the paper, and then realized how thirsty he was. After yesterday, he didn't dare ask Kendall to get some for him. He actually felt well enough to get up and pour his own juice.
As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, he could see Kendall, unloading the dishwasher and putting away the dishes, bopping in time to the beat. She kept perfect time as she swayed to the music.
She's got a little bit of something, God it's better than nothing
And in her color portrait world she believes that she's got it all
She swears the moon don't hang quite as high as it used to
And she only sleeps when it's raining
And she screams and her voice is straining
She says baby
It's 3 am I must be lonely
When she says baby
Well I can't help but be scared of it all sometimes
Says the rain's gonna wash away I believe it
She believes that life is made up of all that you're used to
And the clock on the wall has been stuck at three for days, and days
She thinks that happiness is a mat that sits on her doorway
But outside it's stopped raining
She says baby
It's 3 am I must be lonely
When she says baby
Well I can't help but be scared of it all sometimes
Says the rain's gonna wash away I believe it*
He decided to make his pressence known.
"Ahem!"
"Jaaaaaaxxx! You've got to stop sneaking up on me!!!"
"It's not sneaking when I let you know I'm here!"
"Ok, I'll give you that. Whatcha need?"
"Something to drink -- but I'll get it!" he said emphatically.
"I said I was sorry about that! Stop making me feel bad! I'll get it, just let me look in on Jensen." Kendall peeped around the corner and saw that Jensen was still quite involved in building her block tower. She returned to pour Jax some juice and she got some for herself.
"Work up a sweat?" Jax asked.
"Funny!" Kendall returned.
"I've heard you listen to every kind of music imaginable. Most people aren't quite so versatile."
"What kind of music do you like?" she asked.
He thought about it for a minute. Then he looked at her and admitted, "I guess I'm not so cut and dry either. I like classical. I enjoy the blues. One of my favorites is Otis Redding."
Kendall looked surprised. "Really? I wouldn't have expected that! I love Otis Redding! 'Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay' has to be one of my all time favorites! It's one of my 'Go There' songs."
"'Go There' songs? What does that mean?"
"It's one of those songs that transplants me to a place I'd rather be," she said wistfully. "When things aren't going so great, I can turn on one of my 'Go There' songs, and it transforms me. I can close my eyes, and let the music almost wash over me." Kendall closed her eyes and leaned her head back. "And I can relax -- and let go of my worries."
Jax felt an overwhelming urge to tell her that such a wonderful, beautiful woman like herself shouldn't have to worry about anything, but he refrained.
She went on. "When I was a little girl, if I felt sad, I would go and find the happiest record I had and I'd play it -- over, and over, and over -- until I couldn't feel the sadness anymore. As I grew older, it kind of became habitual. I would blast the radio or go pound out my frustrations on the piano to one of Beethoven's Symphonies. What can I say? It helped."
"What did a little girl have to be so sad and frustrated about?" Jax talked softly, his caring eyes trying to read this woman who he found so intriguing.
"Nothing that matters now." She looked at him and saw the concern on his face. She smiled. "I'm not trying to be mysterious. It really wasn't anything more than regular childhood stuff. Really!" She paused. "Let's relocate to the living room so I can keep an eye on Jensen. She's gotten awfully quiet, which usually means she's into something!"
They found Jensen still playing contentedly in the floor. Kendall got down in the floor with her.
"Come on, let's walk," Kendall encouraged her little girl.
Jensen stood up, holding on tightly to her mother's fingers. "She will be fourteen months old in a few weeks and she hasn't started walking yet," she explained to Jax. "I think she's beginning to get the hang of it though."
"When do they normally start walking?" Jax asked.
"Around one year, give or take a few months. Depends on the child. They're all different." Kendall stood up and led Jensen around the room slowly, with Jensen taking slow, robotic steps, sometimes falling to her knees. But she always got back up.
She's as determined as her mother, Jax noted.
Kendall steadied Jensen and then stepped back away from her. "Come to Mommy," she coaxed. "Come on, sweetie, you can do it."
Jensen plopped down stubbornly on her bottom and smiled a beautiful, four-toothed smile.
She also has her mother's bullheadedness!
"Jeeennsonn!" Kendall chided, "come on, sweetie, jump back up! Let's try again. You can do it baby girl." Again, Kendall steadied her on her feet. Jensen's focus was on her mother. She put her chubby right foot out in front of her -- wobbled a little -- steadied herself, and then brought the left foot up to meet it. "There you go -- come on -- come on to Mommy. Times like this I wish I had a video camera!"
Jensen repeated what had been successful for her and ended up taking three stumbling, bumbling steps, into her mother's waiting arms. "You did it, baby girl! You did it!!" She hugged her tightly and rocked her back and forth, conveying fully how proud she was of her daughter's efforts.
Jensen giggled. Kendall cried. And Jax looked on in quiet reverence of the preciousness of this moment between a mother and her child, that he felt privileged to witness.
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* "3 am" by Matchbox 20