Neglected

Jake turns at least five shades of red at Jamie’s comment, then receives an additional teasing elbow from Eric. Jake elbows him back…hard, making Eric wince, though he laughs.

The family all waves farewell to the couple, and as the cars fade into the distance, the kids disperse to go their separate ways. Dan reaches over to put his arm around Paula’s shoulders as they continue to look at the deserted road. “I’m proud of him.”

Paula smiles and puts her hand up to Dan’s. “Me too. I hope he’s happy.”

“I think he is. This trip was good for him, I could tell.”

“And Jamie is such a sweet young woman.”

“I’ll agree to that. She seems a good fit for Con…they act like they’re really in love”

Paula holds her smile as she tilts her head to look up at her husband. “I know the feeling.”


Clint leans into the engine, but turns his head as Wendy approaches. He gives a quirky grin. “Work? Work? Who said anything about work? I’m having too much fun for it to be work. Besides, somebody’s got to keep these buckets of bolts company. They get lonely, ya know.”

His eyes shift back to the motor, though his grin remains. “It’s a good thing you come visiting, otherwise I know somebody else who would get pretty lonely too.”


Con sighs a little and concentrates on his food. “Nah, not really. I need to go back…” His voice indicates a strange tone that implies something he hasn’t voiced…something he might not have shared.

Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he takes the last swig of his drink and straightens up. “Well, I’m ready when you are.”

Back on the road, it’s a little over an hour before they both pull into the TJY parking lot. Con gets out of his car and waits for Jamie, heading to the door with her. He pauses just a moment before going inside, taking a deep breath. The last time he was here, he hadn’t been in control of that monster deep inside…but today…today he was in charge.


“Now who’s a workaholic?” Carson leans on the infirmary doorframe, his hands tucked halfway in his pockets. He throws Misty a grin. “I haven’t heard a peep out of you all day – a guy could start feeling neglected.”