Read Online A Family Reunited by Jennifer Johnson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Johnson
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everything about her, remembered the good, the bad and all the in-between. Alcohol had imprisoned him behind a lock only God could break through, but he’d never stopped paying attention, never stopped loving her.
Taking their treats to a booth, Emma grabbed her mother’s hand and nudged her to sit beside her. While Emmy talked about colliding with a friend on the inflatable, Jack studied his older daughter, wondering what he could do to get her to trust him.
It’s gonna take time. Jermaine’s words from last week’s phone call rang through his mind. Time and consistency. You’re gonna have to prove to that girl you ain’t leavin’ her again.
Jack took a bite of his sundae. He’d learned a great deal about patience in the years it took to get back on track. Meditating on God’s word, going to school, working at the shelter and staying sober had taught him about learning to wait. But since moving back to Tennessee, Jack found himself anxious to get started with life, to take Pamela back in his arms, to love and care for his girls.
“Hi, Pamela, Emma, Emmy.”
Jack blinked away his thoughts and looked up at the family standing beside the booth. Emma sat up straight.
Pamela smiled as she pointed to Jack. “Wayne, Libby, this is...” She paused.
Emmy wrapped her hands around his arm. “It’s our daddy, Jack.”
Questions covered the couple’s features, and Jack found himself biting back frustration.
Emma grinned at the girl beside Wayne and Libby. “Sabrina, I didn’t know you were coming here.”
The blond-haired girl giggled. “I didn’t know you were gonna be here, either.”
“Mom, can I go sit with Sabrina?”
“Well...” Pamela pursed her lips.
“It’s fine with us.” Libby glanced from Pamela to him, then placed her hand on her chin. “I mean, if it’s okay with you.”
Jack clasped his hands, wanting nothing more than for the couple to leave the side of the booth. This was an additional point he hadn’t considered when he’d returned to Bloom Hollow—the people who didn’t know him and had no clue that his wife and daughters did indeed have a husband and dad. “I think it will be fine. Don’t you, hon?”
She narrowed her eyes, and Jack realized the endearment had slipped from his lips. It was no secret that he wanted to renew their relationship, but she’d also made it clear she wasn’t ready. Part of him didn’t mind the fire that lit those eyes. The fire was better than emptiness. He still stirred her emotions. He’d just have to work on which ones.
Pamela nudged Emma. “You can sit with them.”
Emma jumped up, and she and Sabrina raced to a booth across the parlor. Emmy tugged his sleeve. “Daddy, will you let me out? I gotta go to the bathroom.”
Pamela opened her mouth, and Emmy lifted her hands. “I know. I know. I’ll wash my hands.”
Jack grinned at Emmy’s emphatic tone. She sounded much older than her eight years. After letting her out, he sat back down. “You don’t have to go with her?”
She motioned around the shop. “We’re in a small-town ice-cream parlor. She’s eight years old. She’ll be fine.” She took a bite of her sundae, then shoved the spoon into the cup. “Besides, we need to talk.”
Jack wiped his face. “Yes, we do.”
“Don’t call me ‘hon.’”
“But I love you.”
Pamela narrowed her gaze again. “Doesn’t matter. Don’t do it.”
“Fine.” He put his elbows on the table and leaned closer to her. “I want to see you and the girls every day.”
She snorted. “I don’t think so.”
He’d known what her response would be, but he wanted her to hear what he desired, what he hoped for, what he prayed nightly for. Since seeing that Peter character sitting on the stool beside her, Jack determined that he would let her know each time he saw her that he intended to win her back.
“I want to set up times to see you.”
“To see the girls.”
“And you.”
“Just the girls.”
“Do you really
Taking their treats to a booth, Emma grabbed her mother’s hand and nudged her to sit beside her. While Emmy talked about colliding with a friend on the inflatable, Jack studied his older daughter, wondering what he could do to get her to trust him.
It’s gonna take time. Jermaine’s words from last week’s phone call rang through his mind. Time and consistency. You’re gonna have to prove to that girl you ain’t leavin’ her again.
Jack took a bite of his sundae. He’d learned a great deal about patience in the years it took to get back on track. Meditating on God’s word, going to school, working at the shelter and staying sober had taught him about learning to wait. But since moving back to Tennessee, Jack found himself anxious to get started with life, to take Pamela back in his arms, to love and care for his girls.
“Hi, Pamela, Emma, Emmy.”
Jack blinked away his thoughts and looked up at the family standing beside the booth. Emma sat up straight.
Pamela smiled as she pointed to Jack. “Wayne, Libby, this is...” She paused.
Emmy wrapped her hands around his arm. “It’s our daddy, Jack.”
Questions covered the couple’s features, and Jack found himself biting back frustration.
Emma grinned at the girl beside Wayne and Libby. “Sabrina, I didn’t know you were coming here.”
The blond-haired girl giggled. “I didn’t know you were gonna be here, either.”
“Mom, can I go sit with Sabrina?”
“Well...” Pamela pursed her lips.
“It’s fine with us.” Libby glanced from Pamela to him, then placed her hand on her chin. “I mean, if it’s okay with you.”
Jack clasped his hands, wanting nothing more than for the couple to leave the side of the booth. This was an additional point he hadn’t considered when he’d returned to Bloom Hollow—the people who didn’t know him and had no clue that his wife and daughters did indeed have a husband and dad. “I think it will be fine. Don’t you, hon?”
She narrowed her eyes, and Jack realized the endearment had slipped from his lips. It was no secret that he wanted to renew their relationship, but she’d also made it clear she wasn’t ready. Part of him didn’t mind the fire that lit those eyes. The fire was better than emptiness. He still stirred her emotions. He’d just have to work on which ones.
Pamela nudged Emma. “You can sit with them.”
Emma jumped up, and she and Sabrina raced to a booth across the parlor. Emmy tugged his sleeve. “Daddy, will you let me out? I gotta go to the bathroom.”
Pamela opened her mouth, and Emmy lifted her hands. “I know. I know. I’ll wash my hands.”
Jack grinned at Emmy’s emphatic tone. She sounded much older than her eight years. After letting her out, he sat back down. “You don’t have to go with her?”
She motioned around the shop. “We’re in a small-town ice-cream parlor. She’s eight years old. She’ll be fine.” She took a bite of her sundae, then shoved the spoon into the cup. “Besides, we need to talk.”
Jack wiped his face. “Yes, we do.”
“Don’t call me ‘hon.’”
“But I love you.”
Pamela narrowed her gaze again. “Doesn’t matter. Don’t do it.”
“Fine.” He put his elbows on the table and leaned closer to her. “I want to see you and the girls every day.”
She snorted. “I don’t think so.”
He’d known what her response would be, but he wanted her to hear what he desired, what he hoped for, what he prayed nightly for. Since seeing that Peter character sitting on the stool beside her, Jack determined that he would let her know each time he saw her that he intended to win her back.
“I want to set up times to see you.”
“To see the girls.”
“And you.”
“Just the girls.”
“Do you really
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