Link: Every Day Is Your Last Title Page and Description

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Heather wasn't kidding or bragging, either. Five huge bedrooms, seven full baths, a great room, a formal dining room, and an adjacent kitchen, all with flawless pinewood floors that shined with two centuries of care and attention. In the wings off the main building was the library, den, music room, and what Heather called the 'Meeting Room'. It had marble floors and it's own huge fireplace, in addition to the one in the great room.

The bedrooms were all on the second and third floors, each with their own private bath, with two bathrooms on the main floor. The attached garage had chauffeur's quarters, as well as a machine shop... and that was just the house!

The property itself was almost beyond description. Forty-five acres with a private pond, apple orchard, woods, walkways, green space, equestrian trails, and, oh yes, lets not forget the 'barn'! The three-story barn with heated stalls and tack room and its own laundry! The second floor was a home for stable workers. Kitchen, living area, bathroom, with the three bedrooms on the third floor, and all of it surrounded by forestlands and fields that were donated to the state as a preserve. It was truly magnificent!

When we first arrived, I thought Heather was trying to show off, but she was just as warm and friendly as she'd always been. She was just very proud of her family home.

---

Brooke was speechless when Heather showed her to her room. It wasn't as large as the one she'd seen following Jack and Erica to the room Heather had given them, but it was more opulent than any she'd ever seen, let alone been allowed to sleep in. Centuries-old furniture decorated the room perfectly; an oak four poster bed with matching nightstands, a dresser, two wardrobes, and a vanity graced the room with functional style. On the far wall, French doors opened onto a balcony that connected all the bedrooms on the second floor.

"Heather! I... I can't stay here!" Brooke stammered.

Concerned, she walked up to her Maid of Honor. "Why not? I thought you'd like it!" She looked around the room wistfully. "This used to be my room, ever since I was a little girl. I... When Richard and I came home, I finally moved into my parents' bedroom." A note of sadness tainted her otherwise loving description of her home.

"I do like it!" Brooke exclaimed apologetically. "It's just I like it too much! I... I'd be afraid I'd ruin the floors with my sweaty feet!"

Laughing, Heather placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's fine, Brooke! Like I said, I grew up in this room! There's nothing you can do to it that I haven't done a hundred times over or even worse, dear! I used to draw on the walls! I think I drove my poor mother crazy, sometimes!"

Facing her, Brooke smiled. "Thank you, Heather! It's a lovely room! I... I really appreciate that you're letting me stay here!"

"Nonsense!" she dismissed Brooke's seriousness. "You're my Maid of Honor! I wanted to put you in the best room! The floor here is warm in the morning because the Great Room is right below us, so heat from the fireplace comes up through the floor!" Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, she smiled wryly. "Just don't tell Jack and Erica!"

While the two talked, across the hallway the two in question were putting away their things in their own opulent surroundings.

"Did you notice the look Gregory gave us when we said we'd unpack our own suitcases?" she asked.

"I noticed that she has a cook, butler, two maids, two groundskeepers, and a chauffeur." Jack intoned as he unpacked. "That's what I noticed!"

"Jack!" Erica stood and put her hands on her hips. "You aren't being snobbish about Heather's family background, are you?"

"Me, snobbish?" Jack pointed at himself. "I'm not the one with servants!"

"Jack Dunning!" she almost yelled at him before lowering her voice again. "Heather does not have servants! She has people that work for her! It's not like they're slaves or something! You know Heather! She likely pays them very well! Would they stay if she didn't?"

Something about Erica's logic seemed slippery and no matter how he tried, Jack couldn't make it gel. "OK, sure. She probably pays well, but don't you think people ought to take care of their own homes and not someone else's?"

Walking over to him, she stood in front of Jack with a look on her face that reminded him of the first day they met. "Do you see this place, Jack? Do you think Heather alone could keep it up? What was she supposed to do? Let it fall to ruin while she was in school? That would almost be criminal!" She glared at him. "And don't you even think about making a stink over the place she calls home, Jack! So help me God if you do, you'll be spending the next year sleeping on the sofa! Is that clear?"

Seeing he wasn't going to win this argument, Jack sighed in defeat, holding up his hands. "Alright! You win! But I'm telling you, I for one cannot wait to get out of this place and go back to a normal home!"

Erica shook her head in disbelief. "Of all people, I never thought I'd see the day when I'd lose any respect for you, Jack. You're a snob! You think you're better than Heather because you grew up poor, don't you? Like she's less of a person! She can't help who her family is, any more than I can, Jack! You think you're better than me, too? Because I grew up in Squirrel Hill and not North Oakland? Is that it? Oooo!" Erica stormed away from him and began throwing her clothes in the dresser one at a time as she boiled with anger.

Slowly, Jack walked to stand behind her as she knelt in front of the dresser. "Erica, can you stop for a second so we can talk?" He kept his voice low and soft, almost apologetic. "Please, Buttons?"

She stopped and almost began to sob, she was so angry. Composing herself, Erica stood back up and turned to him; her voice low and growling. "Alright. Fine! We'll talk." She stormed over to the bed and sat on it, curling one leg under her and waited.

Talking a breath, Jack moved and sat on the edge of the bed with his elbows resting on his spread knees and his fingertips together; his head hanging in shame. "You're right. I'm a snob. A slum snob. All my life I've seen people who had everything... handed to them on a silver platter... while Mom and I barely scraped by. All of Rich's friends who lived in nice houses and got cars on their sixteenth birthday? I hated them for it! Hated them for having it easy while Mom couldn't afford shoes." He looked up at Erica. "And I was just as wrong as Ox ever was. I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment to you."

"Oh, Jack!" she groaned. "You're not a disappointment! It's just..." Sighing in exasperation, Erica took a breath. "You can't blame people for what they have or don't, Jack! You know that! I would've done anything when we were kids to make your life easier! I hated seeing your heart get broken, or going through all the terrible things that happened to you, but you once told me you had to go through it, right? That there was a reason for it? Well, can't there be a purpose behind Heather's life, too? Why it had to be easy? Isn't that just as much a part of it as suffering?"

"You're right!" he smiled at her. "But then, you've always been right!" He reached out a hand to her and pulled her to him when she took it. "You were right for loving me, you were right when you showed it to me, and you're right now. What did I ever do to deserve you, Buttons?"

"Nothing." she replied as she wrapped him in her arms. "Just like I never deserved this!" She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, feeling the spark of electrical shivers that coursed through her entire body. Deepening their kiss, she found herself hungering for his touch with more ferocity than their first time. Just as she was about to suggest they do something about it, she heard a knock on the door.

"Erica? Jack?" Heather spoke through the door. "Lunch is almost ready!"

She groaned as she slid down his body. "Alright! We'll be down in a minute!" she shouted. Gripping the front of his shirt, Erica looked up at him. "Lunch, then dinner..." Sliding up against him once more, she planted a passionate kiss on his lips. "...then you!"

Swallowing hard, Jack was almost in fear of her. "Yes, dear!" Half-smiling as they stood up, he added, "Remind me to do something stupid once in a while so I can come to my senses again! I like the aftermath! Ouch!"

Erica slapped his belly with the back of her hand. "Not even funny, Jack!" she said as she tried to keep the smile off her face. "Come on. Lets get this stuff tucked away and get downstairs!"

Holding Heather's seat out for her as she sat at the table, she looked up at Richard with adoration. "Thank you, dear!"

"My pleasure!" he replied, leaning down to kiss her quickly before seating himself with Gregory's assistance.

Watching the loving exchange between two of her best friends, Brooke had a feeling of deep longing mixed with bitterness. The three sat for a moment chatting before Erica and Jack came in, Richard rising as his sister entered the room.

"Sorry we took so long, Heather!" Erica apologized as they entered. "Your family home takes a little getting used to! It's huge!"

When Erica was about to seat herself at the table and Jack seat himself next to her, Richard cleared his throat. "Ehem! Jack?"

Stopping and about to sit, he looked over at his best friend. "What? Barn door open?"

Shaking his head, he waved dismissively as Erica finished seating herself. "Never mind, you cretin! Siddown!"

Looking confusedly across the table at Brooke, he asked in a hushed voice, "What'd I do?"

Shaking her head, Brooke sipped on her glass of water. "Manners, Jack. A gentleman always seats a lady. Don't you know nuthin'?"

"Oh!" he looked over at Erica. "I... I'm sorry, Buttons! I just thought..." He looked at the others seated at the table with him. "Don't women hate that kind of stuff now-a-days? When did this become a thing again? Last time I held a door for a woman, she bit my head off!"

Chuckling, Richard's laugh carried through the room and echoed off the old walls. "Not here, Jack! This isn't California! That part of Women's Lib never really reached this part of New England!"

Jack sat up straight. "Oh! Well, I'll just have to get back in the habit again, then! Hate to think Mom taught me all that stuff for nothin'! I guess today's the day I get to use some of it! So what's the plan?"

While Gregory brought out their soup and finger sandwiches, Heather looked toward Richard. "Well, we were thinking of just spending the day relaxing and catching up. I'm sure a lot has happened in the last six months, for all of us! Thank you, Gregory!" she added when he smilingly set her soup down in front of her.

Watching the old butler serve everyone while Heather and Richard talked as though it were an everyday occurrence was a little unsettling for Jack. Try as he might to push aside the feelings, he couldn't get past the fact that he was sitting and doing nothing while an old man brought them their food and then stood by to wait on them while they ate.

His discomfort didn't go unnoticed. "Jack?" Heather asked in the middle of telling them about her medical office. "Is everything alright? Did you need Gregory to get you something?"

Lowering his head, Jack chuckled at the irony. He was uncomfortable with being waited on by Gregory and she wanted to fix it by having him wait on Jack even more. "No. I'm fine, Heather. A little tired is all." he lied badly.

Reading his best friend like a book, Richard cleared his throat. "Gregory? Would you mind excusing us for just a moment?" Once the butler had left the room and it was only the five of them, Richard looked at him. "Alright, you can relax now, Jack! Spill it!"

Looking at Erica with a helpless expression, Jack looked at the floor. "OK! I admit it! I... I can't get used to being waited on! It's... weird! I keep finding myself wanting to get up and help the old guy!"

Heather looked away almost ashamedly. "So... so that's what you think of me, Jack?"

"No!" he protested, looking up at her seriously. "I don't think any less of you, Rich, or anyone! This is my problem, not yours! You haven't done anything wrong! Honest! I... I'm just a guy who grew up having to do everything for himself is all. It's... it's an adjustment that's harder than I'd hoped it would be. I never wanted to make you feel uncomfortable with my issues! I swear!"

Brooke hadn't said much of anything since the butler had seated her. Finally she spoke. "Well, I'm with Jack on this. I don't think any less of people that have..." She paused a moment while she carefully selected her words so as to not offend. "...staff, but it is weird for someone like Jack and me that are used to doing things for ourselves. I'm just better at hiding it than him, but then, I've always been better at pretty much everything than Jack!"

Her humor managed to defuse what could have been an ugly scene into a round of giggles from everyone at the table except Jack. "Oh, very funny, Brooke! You should take that on the stage! The first one out of town!"

After a moment more of light laughter, Jack looked over at Heather who was still trying to wipe the smile off her face. "Look, I'm sorry if I offended you, Heather." he said seriously. "I didn't mean to and I was trying to not to. I'm still just a screwed up kid from North Oakland!"

"It's fine, Jack." she accepted with a sigh. "I should have known better. You can't take people like you and Brooke that aren't used to being waited on and just drop them in it and expect it not to rub them the wrong way. I'm the one who should apologize! If it makes you feel any better, Gregory and the others are very well paid for what they do around here and I couldn't hope to run this house without them!"

Erica poked Jack in the ribs. "See? I told you!"

"I sometimes feel like Gregory is almost like a second father to me," Heather admitted, "and Theresa's been the cook for my family since I was a child! They're all like family."

"I have no complaints!" Jack offered. "The soup is great! Heck, everything here is! But yes, it does make me feel better knowing all that. I should have known! You can't be anything less than you Heather, but do you have to be so generous that you're willing to live with this box-kicker the rest of your life?" he asked, pointing a spoon at Richard.

"Hey!" he barked. "Watch your language, Snuffy! I can still kick your butt!"

Relaxing into the lunch, Gregory came in again, served coffee, and collected their bowls. As he did, Jack decided to truly make himself at home, so when the butler was heading for the kitchen, he quickly got up and held the door for him.

"Thank you, Master Jack!" Gregory smiled at him. "But there's no need! I can manage!" he said happily as he entered the kitchen.

His tone was friendly, but Jack could detect the faintest hint of irritation as he tried to help. Returning to his seat, the rest of them looking at him, Jack shrugged. "What? You said to make myself at home! I wanted to help is all!"

"Jack," Richard explained, "I know you're used to doing your part, but help like that would be like when Corporal Rogers thought he was helping you when he squared away your rack for you."

"That's not the same thing!" Jack defended his actions. "Rogers was being a smartass! Kept telling me my rack wasn't regulation!"

"It's the same to Gregory, Jack!" Richard retorted. "If you help him, he'll think that you don't think he can do his job!"

Thinking about it from that perspective, Jack mulled it over as he sugared his coffee. "Well, when you put it that way, you make me feel like an absolute heel for wanting to help! Should I apologize? You know, sort of explain it to him? I just don't want to make it worse is all!"

"Just let them do their jobs, Jack." Heather said softly. "Enjoy being able to take it easy for a while!" Relaxing after lunch, Heather continued with her glowing description of her new job. Finishing up, she noticed Gregory refill Jack's cup, Jack just smiling and thanking him. "So Jack, what have you been doing these months? Getting up to no good, I assume!"

"You know me too well, Heather!" he replied as he re-sweetened his drink.

"Nonsense!" Erica chided him. "Jack is doing fine!"

"Seriously, I've been doing alright." he admitted. "I started managing this dry cleaner in Palo Alto. Pay is pretty good, so Buttons and I should be able to put a substantial down on a place when Erica graduates in the spring."

Richard turned to Brooke. "How's things at The Bricks? I told Heather that things have been easier lately, but anything new?"

Nodding as she drank her coffee, Brooke put the cup down. "They closed the NADEP at the end of September. All the Airdales are gone."

"They really are gonna close Alameda, aren't they? Like the end of an era. Any idea when?" he asked.

Shrugging, Brooke sighed. "Nothing official, but scuttlebutt is that it could close by next spring, probably early May, I'd guess."

"So, you'll be moved to another base before I graduate?" Erica asked sadly.

Brooke looked away. "It's almost a guarantee. I doubt the base will still be open next June, and I don't qualify for Early Release. The Corps is already done with their drawdowns. Either way, my enlistment won't end until next September thirtieth, and I'm not shipping over again."

"What are your plans when you get out?" Jack asked. "I don't think you've ever said."

"I'm not sure." Brooke answered honestly. "I'd thought about college, but then I don't know what for. I guess right now I don't have a plan. I always thought I'd be a lifer."

"You could always do like your old man suggested, go to college and become an officer!" Jack snorted.

"Oh, Ha! Ha!" Brooke sneered at him. "No, I'm done with the service. At least as an enlisted I'm safe from Airdales and other officers. No way would I ever want to open that can of worms!"

"So? You've got ten more months to figure something out then." Jack pointed out. "Plenty of time!"

"In the mean time Brooke," Heather changed the subject, "I was hoping you would go with me into town tomorrow? You'll need a fitting if you want your dress to be altered before Saturday. You too, Erica!"

Brooke's mood quickly went from apathetic to irritated. "Jeez, Heather! Are you really gonna make me wear a stupid Bridesmaid's dress? Honestly?"

"What would you suggest, Brooke?" Jack asked with a grin. "Suit and tie?"

"That might be preferable!" she quipped. Looking at Heather with the same look she used to give her mom when she didn't want to eat her lima beans, Brooke knew that she was going to give in, but that didn't make her like it. "OK! Fine! Dress me up like a friggin' Barbie doll, Heather! At least I know it's only for an hour or two, and then I can burn the damn thing!"

"I'd be surprised if satin doesn't spontaneously combust when it touches your skin, Brooke!" Jack let slip. "Like a cross on a vampire?" He then hissed like Bela Lugosi. If nothing more, it made Brooke laugh and forget her troubles for a moment.

Richard chuckled before he cleared his throat. "Erm... I... uh... I hate to rub salt in it Brooke, but it'll be more like six to eight hours."

"What?" she yelled. "Eight hours? Dressed up like a cake topper?"

"You're forgetting about the reception, pictures, and the bridal party will be getting their hair and makeup done that morning." Heather pointed out. "We will have to be wearing our dresses when we do, otherwise when we go to put them on it will ruin it all!"

Shaking her head, Brooke refused. "Uh-uh! I ain't letting some amateur do anything to my hair! I can do my own, and better!" Sitting up straight, she got a look of giddiness across her face. "That's it!" she slammed her hand down on the table, making Gregory jump slightly. "I've been knocking my brains out over what to get you two for your wedding, and that's it!"

"Brooke!" Heather interjected. "You don't have to give us anything!"

"Yeah!" Jack added. "You never got us nothin'!"

"You two got my car for an entire week, buddy-boy! Remember?" Turning to Heather, she grinned. "I want to do everyone's hair and makeup! I can do that, and it'll make me feel like I gave you two something! Please?"

Erica stepped in for Brooke. "Oh, Heather! You really should let her do it! She did mine for New Years!"

"She did, did she?" Jack asked with a pointed look at Brooke.

Suddenly shy, Erica demurred. "Well, I... I wanted to look perfect for you!"

"Why you old softie!" Jack stared at Brooke in astonishment. "I wasn't just set up, I was submarined! I never stood a chance, did I?"

"Nope!" Brooke answered as she smiled into her cup. "Not a chance!"

"Alright!" Heather admitted defeat. "Only because you want to, Brooke! I don't want you to feel you have to!"

Suddenly feeling a lot better about the impending nuptials, the 'dress issue' temporarily forgotten, Brooke hardly listened to a word after that. Instead the Marine spent the rest of their lunch going over in her head what she planned to do to make Heather shine brilliantly that day.

The next morning, Jack walked into the dress shop behind Erica so she too could get her fitting done. Turning a corner, the sight that greeted him was something the likes of which he had figured would signal the apocalypse. "Oh... my... God!"

Brooke glared at him as she stood on the pedestal in a beautiful pink satin strapless A-line gown. "Don't you say one fucking word, Jack! Not. One. Word!" A round of gasps followed from the seamstress, her assistant, and several ladies looking over dresses for their own weddings the next spring.

"Nope!" he replied. "I have no words, Brooke. Just waiting for the ground to open up and swallow us all!"

"Jack?" Erica warned. "Behave!"

"Yes, dear!" he replied dejectedly. "You ruin all my fun!"

Brooke closed her eyes and took a deep breath. While she stood waiting for the seamstress to finish pinning the gown, she rolled her eyes impatiently. "Aren't you done yet? I feel like I've been in this thing for hours!"

"It's been less than twenty minutes!" Jack pointed out. "Couldn't be longer! You only left half an hour ahead of us!"

The seamstress shook her head, talking through pins stuck between her teeth. "It'll only be another few minutes, ma'am."

"Don't ma'am, me!" Brooke snapped. "I'm no officer! I work for a living!"

"Sorry." she replied, trying to finish as quickly as she could. Standing after pinning the hemline, she worked on pinning the back as she asked Heather, "So, Miss Moore. Do you know when the other Bridesmaids are supposed to arrive?"

"Erica here is next, then I have two ladies from my medical group coming down. They should be here in the next ten minutes or so."

Just as she was finishing with Brooke, the door chimed once more as Jack turned to see two ladies enter. "I think that might be the others." he offered.

Heather rose and greeted them. "Maya! Jennifer! So glad you could make it! Mr. Frakes didn't give you a hard time about leaving, did he?"

Maya, the taller of the two shook her head. "He knew better! You may not be practicing yet, but he knows you will be next month!"

"Good!" She turned to Erica as Brooke stepped down off the platform. "Well, since they're here, would you mind if they went ahead of you Erica so they can get back to work?"

"Not at all, Heather!" she replied smiling. "I'm sure Jack won't mind waiting, will you, dear?"

"Yes, dear." he replied absently. "Oh! Uh... no, dear, I wouldn't mind!"

"Maya, why don't you go first." Heather suggested.

The tall blonde went back into the changing area just ahead of the fleeing Brooke, cutting the Marine off and closing the curtain in Brooke's face.

"Make a hole, lady!" Brooke barked, charging into the changing room. "I need to get out of this monkey suit! You can wait!" she barked as she pushed the blonde bodily back out through the curtains.

"Heather!" Maya whined. "Who does she think she is? Rude much?"

"Sorry!" Heather apologized for Brooke. "Brooke's my Maid of Honor, but she's... well... not entirely comfortable with the dress. Here, why don't you sit for a minute and I'll get you something to drink, alright?" She looked at the shop girl assisting the seamstress, who rushed off unasked, returning a short time later with a bottle of mineral water.

Waiting, Heather made introductions to Jack and Erica. When Brooke came back out carrying the dress, Heather sighed and shook her head as she saw her Maid of Honor toss the dress at the seamstress like a football.

"Here's your dress, lady." she barked. Sighing in frustration, she practically stalked back to Heather as Maya headed into the changing room. "I still don't know how you talked me into this, Heather! I think that damn thing's gonna fall down and my boobs are gonna pop out every time I move!"

"It'll be worth going to the wedding just for that!" Jack arched an eyebrow.

Erica smacked him in the back of the head. "Shut up, Jack!"

"Yes, dear." Jack muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

Turning to Brooke, Heather smiled sweetly. "It will fit better once it's fitted for your measurements, dear. I swear to you, it won't slip!" Seeing that her words still offered no comfort, Heather shook her head and sat back down, waiting for Maya to come out wearing her dress.

"Well, if you don't need me for a while," Brooke said, grabbing her purse, "I think I'll just pop down to that pizza place just down the strip. I'm starved! Wanna come, Jack? Split a meat lovers with ya'!"

The seamstress looked at Brooke as though the Marine had just slapped her. Turning to Heather as the two ran out the door, she was speechless with her eyes like saucers. "Wh... bu... Isn't she on a diet for the wedding? She's the Maid of Honor! If she puts on more than a pound, the dress won't fit!"

"I'm sure it's fine!" Heather consoled the stricken woman. "Brooke isn't like most women!"

"I should say not!" Maya growled as she came out wearing her dress. "She acts like a man! You would think it was some sort of punishment to wear that gorgeous dress! It's even nicer than ours, and this is beautiful, Heather!"

"Well, to her it almost is!" Erica stood up for Brooke. "She's a United States Marine, and proud of it!"

Maya looked at her. "Well, it shows! She has the manners of a bulldozer!" Taking a breath and smiling, she stepped up on the platform. "Well? How does it look?"

Sitting next to Heather, Erica lowered her voice and asked, "Can I ask you a question? Maya... she seems kind of... stuck up. Why did you ask her to be a bridesmaid?"

Leaning over, Heather whispered, "She's usually very nice. I guess Brooke just rubbed her the wrong way. You'll see! She can be very sweet!"

"I'll have to take your word for it, Heather." Erica shook her head in disbelief.

All the while, Jennifer, the other newcomer who hadn't said more than hello since coming into the shop, sat and watched the exchange silently as she struggled with her own inner turmoil.