Link: Every Day Is Your Last Title Page and Description

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They buried Mary in the plot next to his father Danny there in Pittsburgh the following Saturday. It was just the two of them and Erica's father Frank there to say goodbye. They flew back the next day and Jack went to work on his big plan.

Jack told me about his plan for the weekend of March twenty-third, ninety-six. He'd thought of everything, but needed Heather and me to help pull it off. So we spent four weeks between Jack burying his mom and the weekend of the twenty-third plotting, scheming, and basically having a blast planning the surprise of a lifetime for both Erica and Richard. Rich almost caught us once. He walked into the shop while I had stuff out he shouldn't see, but he could be a bit oblivious at times. He never had a clue!

Rich once told me that he thought Jack didn't know how to plan ahead... that he seemed incapable of thinking more than five minutes into the future. He thought Jack was wasting his time and opportunities by not going to college on the government dime. We'd earned it, so why not take advantage? The truth is Jack did have a plan for what he wanted to do, he just had different priorities than Rich. He thought love and happiness, even in total poverty, were better than living in the lap of luxury...

...but Jack did know how to plan.

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When Richard walked into Jack's room the Friday before he was scheduled for a week's leave, he looked at his friend with a puzzled expression. "You're up to something, Jack." he said accusingly as he leaned on Jack's locker.

He looked up at Richard as he changed into his Civies with his usual half-smile. "Yep. I am."

Surprised at his candor, Richard pushed off the locker. "You admit it? Come on, Jack! Tell me what's up! You've been acting weird for weeks! Weird for you, I mean, I know you lost Mary, and you seem to be alright with that, but you're definitely up to something! Usually you can't help but brag to me over and over about whatever it is you have scheming, but this last month you've been button-lips!"

Jack chuckled at Richard's choice of words, nearly having to actually bite his tongue trying to keep from turning it into a crude joke. "I ain't gonna tell ya', Rich! Might as well drop it!" He laced his shoes as he talked. "Hey, change of subject, I was thinking. What do you think about a road trip with the girls this weekend? Say run up to Reno and drop some cash?"

"I guess that could be fun." Richard shrugged, secretly glad of the suggestion as it meant he could keep an eye on Jack and Erica.

"Thanks, Rich! We still meeting the girls at Erica's place for dinner?"

"That's the plan." he replied, seeming to forget all about Jack's odd behavior. "I'll see you two out front at eighteen hundred, alright?"

Smiling, Jack nodded. "See you then!"

Just as Jack, Richard, and Brooke walked in the front door of Erica's apartment, they saw Heather and Erica sitting at her dining room table talking. Moving away from each other as the trio entered, Heather ran up to Richard and threw her arms around him, planting a quick kiss with a smile.

"Richard? Have I told you lately what a wonderful man you are?" she asked.

Suspicious, he nodded. "Whadda you want? Don't get me wrong, whatever it is, the answer's yes, but I'd kinda like to know!"

Heather wrapped her arms around his chest. "Jack called earlier and said we were headed up to Reno this weekend. Would you mind if we spent some time alone while we're there? Just the two of us? I was thinking maybe a romantic evening at one of the casinos? Dinner, dancing..." She looked in his eyes. "...a room for just the two of us?"

"Sounds great for us," he commented happily, "but what about Brooke, Jack, and Erica? What'll they do while we're off on our own?"

Brooke laughed as she walked by him, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about us! You two have a good time! We'll figure something out!"

Shrugging, Richard smiled back at her. "Alright! If everyone's agreeable!" He planned to take a moment alone with Brooke to ask her to keep an eye on Jack and his sister and make sure they didn't get too carried away with each other. He took comfort in the idea that Reno was the divorce capital of the U.S. and that Las Vegas was where people got quickie marriages.

Jack spoke up as he wrapped an arm around Erica. "That's OK, I was kinda thinking we could spend some time up at Tahoe. They have this cruise and dinner around the lake that's supposed to be really great!"

"I think I should drive up in my own car." Brooke added. "That way when we split up, no one's left without a car. Sound good?"

The five sat in the living room, talking about their weekend plans and other things, Richard noticing that Heather and Erica occasionally would give each other knowing glances, as if the two of them knew something the rest didn't.

They headed off the next morning, Richard driving Jack, Heather, and Erica up in his station wagon, and Brooke in her car, packed to overflowing, full of all the things that they needed in order to carry out Jack's greatest gag of all time.

Richard followed the four of them through the casino. They'd checked into their hotel at a little after two in the afternoon taking two rooms; one for Jack and himself, the other for the girls. That surprised him. Not that they'd split rooms that way, but that he didn't have to suggest it... Jack had. He knew that Jack was conscious of Richard's feelings when it came to him and his sister being alone together, so he chalked it up to Jack trying to make him more at ease. It was fine, so long as Richard didn't know what they were doing. If Jack hadn't suggested the arrangement though, he would have insisted on it.

Still, he couldn't shake the funny feeling that there was something amiss. The way Heather had been behaving had bordered on schizophrenic; secretive and quick to anger one moment, sweet and romantic the next. Erica was even more perplexing. She seemed to know something he didn't about their plans, but at the same time kept asking Jack what they were doing as though she were lost.

"Hey, Rich?" Jack asked as they stopped at the top of an escalator leading down to the gaming floor. "Erica wanted to take a walk down by the river, but Brooke wants to play the tables. You wanna come with, or stay?"

"I did?" Erica asked with a puzzled look. "Oh! That's right! I did!"

Her brother had little interest in walking more than they already had. It had seemed they'd done little else for two hours. "I think I'd like to stick around and sit for a while." He turned to Heather. "You wanna join them, honey?"

Clutching his arm, Heather smiled up at him. "Not a chance! Where thou goest! I don't trust some of the ladies here not to see you looking fine and sharp and try to pick you up!" Heather had asked Richard to wear his dress blues as they walked the casino floor, saying it made her proud to be seen with him. That prompted Erica to insist the same of Jack, which the younger Marine griped endlessly about the entire time that they were getting ready for the evening.

While Erica and Jack walked off on their own, Erica's arm in his, Richard took comfort in knowing that they couldn't do much in public, kissing at the worst. Following Brooke down the escalator, they walked past the fake mine shaft in the middle of the gaming floor and sat at a Blackjack table, enjoying the 'free' drinks as they slowly lost money. He didn't mind as it was fun, and Brooke seemed to be having a good time and won almost as much as he lost.

After a while, he noticed Heather checking her watch repeatedly. Eventually, she sighed and tugged on his arm. "Richard! Can't we go do something else now? I feel like we got dressed up for nothing!" A smile slowly crept across her face. "Let's go dancing at that place Jack talked about!"

"Fine by me." Richard shrugged. "Brooke's the only one winning. Well, her and the casino!" He dropped a twenty-five dollar chip in front of the dealer as he got off the stool. "Thanks!" he told the casino worker.

Walking away from the tables, he felt Brooke tap him on the shoulder. "We should go down to the river and find Jack and Erica. If we go without them, Jack'll get pretty steamed! After all, he's the one that suggested the place!"

He nodded, starting to get uncomfortable with how long they'd been gone, anyway. "Good idea. They shouldn't be too hard to spot, a Marine in dress blues with a girl in a white dress? They looked like salt and pepper shakers!"

Walking out onto the city's main street, they saw people coming and going. Richard kept his eyes open looking for Jack and wasn't really watching where they were going, just following Brooke while Heather held his arm.

Passing over the tiny river that cut the town down the middle, he looked up the sidewalk that ran alongside it, but still couldn't see Jack or his sister. They turned down the river walk, crossed the street, then turned down a side street, finally turning again to start coming back the way they'd come. By the time Richard noticed to look, he'd become completely lost.

"Hey, where are we, anyway?"

Brooke turned her head and pointed forward. "The main street is ahead, right by that little white house on the corner. See?"

Coming alongside the building, he heard Jack before he'd seen him. "Rich!" Looking around, he saw Jack peering from around the corner of the house.

"Jack! We've been looking all over for you! Where's Erica?" he asked as the three got closer to him.

"She's inside! I think she hurt her ankle or something! The people here let her sit down for a minute!"

Rushing ahead, Richard was worried about his sister. "Damn it, Jack! You were supposed to take care of her!" He turned the corner, ran up the short walkway, and up the few steps, not even looking at his surroundings as he stopped to knock on the door; Jack, Brooke, and Heather coming up behind.

An older man opened the door, smiling. "Come in!" he offered, stepping aside as he did.

Rushing into the house, Richard looked around. Instead of a living room, it seemed to be the front reception area of an office of some kind. Suddenly, he felt Jack behind him, pushing him forward and around the counter.

"This way!" he directed Richard. "Right down the hall and to the right!"

Confused, Richard walked into the room and saw Erica holding a bouquet and standing next to their father, Frank. Stunned, he stopped a moment until Jack pushed him the rest of the way into the room.

"Time's wasting, Rich! We're on the clock!" Jack said as he pushed Richard up to stand next to a podium.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Dad? What..." Suddenly it became clear to him, washing over him like a storm.

"Here. Hold these." Jack said, stuffing something in his hand. Richard looked down and opened his fingers numbly and saw two gold rings.

"Jack?"

Taking his place next to Richard as Brooke and Heather walked slowly to them, turning to the opposite side of the podium, Jack let a out a sigh and smiled toward Erica and her father. "You'll do fine, Rich! Just stand there and hand me those when the guy says to. Easy as pie!"

Richard looked around in a daze as the old man who'd let them in walked up to the podium carrying a bible. Setting it down, he opened it and nodded to Erica; Richard only just then noticing that she had added a beautiful floral ring veil to her dress, completing the look of a bride to perfection.

As Frank walked Erica up the aisle, the Wedding March playing softly in the background, he turned to his daughter and whispered, "You know, when I said I'd pay to send you to a school near him, I didn't think we'd be jumping to this so quickly! Are you sure, sweet pea?"

Nodding, Erica looked up the aisle at Jack, standing and waiting for her. "I always have been, Daddy! When it comes to Jack, I'm sure of everything!"

Coming up to stand next to Jack, Erica turned to her father and blushed as he partially lifted her veil and kissed her on the cheek before stepping back.

Richard was so dazed, he hardly noticed when Jack started nudging him a few minutes later when the man asked for the rings. "Huh? Oh." Wanting to refuse to give them over, drag Jack out of the building, and beat the tar out of him, Richard just sighed and accepted fate, handing them over.

"The couple have decided to write their own vows, so as you exchange rings, exchange vows." the officiant instructed.

Turning to Erica, Jack gave her his half grin. "I don't think I'll ever deserve the love you've given me over the years, Buttons. I intend to spend however many I've got left trying to be worthy of it, though!" Holding up the ring, he nearly cried. "Mom... Mom gave me this. It's been on her hand since the day she and Dad were married back in forty-five after the war. She wanted you to have it, and so do I." He slipped his mother's ring over her finger, fitting perfectly. "I love you, Erica. Now and forever!"

Trying to hold back her tears while she held Jack's father's ring, Erica took a ragged breath. "I have a confession to make, Jack! I've had a crush on you since I was ten!" she repeated to him, the words signifying their happiness together. "You make me laugh! You're the reason I smile! You've been my friend, and now I want you to always and forever be my love." She slipped the ring on his finger. "I love you, Jack! I always have!"

Nodding with a smile, the officiant stated, "If anyone can show cause why these two should not be wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Watching as everyone turned to him, almost daring him to say something, Richard shrugged. "What? Now? I'd lose a head I'm fond of! I'm good!"

Shaking his head, the minister took a breath. "Then by the power vested in me by God and the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you Man and Wife." He leaned forward slightly to finish with a smile. "You may kiss the bride!"

Jack turned and lifted her veil, laying it gently over the back of her head. Leaning down slightly, they tilted and kissed, simply and quickly.

When they all started exchanging hugs and congratulations, Richard found a moment and dragged his father aside. "Dad, I have to know. You're OK with this? I mean, I assume you are! You're here, you gave her away, but..."

Nodding, Frank clapped Richard on the shoulder. "Yes, son. I've known about your sister being in love with Jack for a long time. I figure if after this long she's still in love with him, then there's nothing more to say. You can't fight a woman's heart, boy. Remember that!"

Sighing, Richard nodded and turned to his best friend. "Jack, you son of a..." His words were interrupted as Jack hugged him tightly.

"Thanks, Rich! I know you could have said something, stopped the whole thing, but you didn't! I'll love you forever for that!"

Stepping back, he looked down at his new brother-in-law. "I meant what I said before, Jack. You know perfectly well that if I'd said one bloody word, Heather, Brooke, and Erica would have all thrown me into that creek they call a river here!"

Jack looked at him seriously. "For what it's worth Rich, I really do love her, and I'll be good to her. I meant what I said in my vows. I'm gonna spend the rest of my life trying to deserve how much she's always loved me."

Grabbing him in a hug, Richard sighed, "You damn well better, Jack!"

The two separating, Frank came over and took Jack's hand. "Congratulations, boy. Welcome to the club. Just remember the most important words in any marriage."

"I love you?" Jack guessed.

"Nope! It's 'Yes, dear.'" his father-in-law advised. "You'll see!"

When the six walked out of the building after paying the fees and signing the license, Richard and Heather signing as witnesses, Richard took a look at the outside of the building, wondering how he'd been fooled. "I could of sworn this was a house when we walked up!" he said as he looked at it.

"It used to be one!" Jack pointed out. "That's what made it so easy! Well, that and you're an all day sucker, Rich!" he added. "Gotcha!"

Richard tried to grab him, but Jack slipped loose and backed away; his cover falling to the pavement. Quickly grabbing it again, Jack ran in a large circle, keeping Richard at a good distance and laughing the entire time.

"Will you two children act your age!" Heather barked at them.

Leaning back, Jack howled like a coyote as Richard caught up to him, nearly tackling him.

Starting to walk back toward the casinos, Frank pulled his daughter aside. "I can't stay, sweetie. I've got a nine o'clock flight back to Pittsburgh, but I wanted to tell you something first."

"I'm sorry you have to go home so soon, Daddy. What is it?"

"Well, your mother and I are moving to Newport Beach, California in May. I retire in a month, and I'm sick of shoveling snow, dealing with rain half of the year, and never seeing the sun. We've sold the house and bought a place there, so we'll be closer when you want to visit."

"I notice Mother didn't come." she stated disappointedly. "Why not?"

Exhaling heavily, Frank started to walk with her behind the other four. "Jack invited her, that's one of the main reasons I'm here. He swallowed his pride and showed me what kind of a man he was. He offered to pay for both our tickets, round trip, too." Pulling out his pipe, he struck a match, puffing on it until it lit. "Your mother wouldn't accept it, sweet pea. Keeps insisting that if we cut off your tuition and threaten to disown you, you'll forget all about Jack. She even threatened to leave me just for coming to give you away, but I called her bluff."

"I think she's been trying to push Jack and I apart for a while, Daddy." she stated sadly as they started to cross the bridge over the tiny river. "When I first told her how I felt about Jack, the first thing she did was to try and push me toward someone else, anyone else! I got so sick of her trying to set me up on dates with boys that go to our church!"

Looking at the pavement as they walked up the street and toward the casinos, Frank grimaced while the other four ahead of them talked and laughed. "I... I need to tell you something else, sweetie. I don't know if it's a good idea to let Jack know this. I'll leave that to your judgement."

Swallowing hard, Erica knew that whatever he had to say was going to be bad. "OK, Daddy."

He let out a sigh. "See, your mother knew you had a crush on Jack longer than you think." he explained. "She told me after Jack invited us here to your wedding that she knew how you felt about him almost a year before she set him up with that Wendy girl."

She stopped on the sidewalk on the side of the bridge over the river. "Mom was always trying to get Jack away from me?" Suddenly her mother's erratic behavior regarding Jack all made sense. "But why, Daddy?"

"Your mother thinks Jack is a 'bad influence'." Frank huffed as he puffed on his pipe. "She wanted you to marry a rich boy who could take care of you, the way I took care of her. Jack grew up poor, so she thinks he'll always be poor. She just won't ever admit that love beats money. I'm sorry, sweet pea."

"Daddy? I know this sounds terrible, but..." Erica sighed and looked out onto the small river flowing under their feet. "Why don't you just leave Mother in Pittsburgh and marry some busty actress!"

"Can't." he replied. "Despite it all, I still love her. Besides, I didn't promise your mother I'd stay with her the rest of our lives, I promised God."

They started walking again, Erica seeing that the other four had stopped at the north side of the bridge. "I can understand that, Daddy."

His arm hugging her shoulder while he puffed his pipe, he nodded toward the group that waited for them. "You gonna tell him?"

"I don't think I can keep it from him." Erica sighed. "I love him so much I just can't! I spent so long hiding how I felt from him, I don't think I could hide anything from him ever again. I don't want to." She looked at him as they slowly walked together. "Do you understand?"

Frank nodded as his pipe went out again. "Yeah. I get it, sweetie."

"What's with the long faces?" Jack asked. "Second thoughts, Buttons?"

She laughed at the suggestion. "No, Jack! No second thoughts! No regrets, no going back!" She separated from her father and flowed into his arms. "Daddy can't stay. He's flying home in just over an hour."

"Yeah, I know." Jack nodded. "I bought him his ticket, even after he tried to insist on paying for it himself! You sure you can't stay, Frank? You're more than welcome! You can still get your ticket traded for a later flight."

He clapped his hand on Jack's shoulder. "I'd love to son, but I gotta get home. Lots to do! Your wife can fill you in on the details!"

"My wife!" his expression brightened. "God, I love the sound of that!" He kissed Erica on the forehead quickly and sweetly before extending his hand to her father. "Have a good flight then, Frank!"

Taking it, he gave a firm grip back. "Oh, and you can call me Dad, now! It's official! You're family!"

"Jack's been family for a long time, Daddy." Erica cooed.

"No. Good thing too, or else you two would be in serious trouble!" he replied jokingly. "So long, sweet pea!" He bent and kissed her cheek before hailing a cab to take him back to the airport.

After the five watched him depart, they turned toward the casinos once more, Richard suddenly remembering something. "Oh! We were supposed to be looking for you! Heather wanted to go dance!" he looked at the conspirators. "Or was all that just a part of the ambush?"

Smiling, Heather wrapped an arm through his. "A little of both, dear!"

Jack grinned as the three walked into the club, music playing loudly while video screens all over showed re-runs of 'American Bandstand'. Leading the way to the bar, he ordered drinks for all of them. "You're looking at a married man!" he told the bartender.

"Congratulations!" the man said as he poured, eyeing Richard and Heather. "Them too?"

Turning to look up at Richard, his girlfriend smiled. "We could if you want to, dear! Nothing stopping us!"

Sweating, Richard shook his head. "Oh, no! You're not getting off that easy, lady! You're getting a wedding in a proper church with a proper reception and the whole nine yards!"

"So what?" Jack interrupted angrily. "You think my wedding wasn't good enough?" He scowled at his oldest friend; all humor gone from his face.

Pushing between them, Brooke put a hand on the both of their chests. "Don't either of you even think about starting anything, or else I'll kick the shit out of both your asses! Stand down!" she ordered them. Turning to Richard, she poked him in the chest. "And don't you ever belittle Jack and Erica's wedding ever again!"

Seeing he was completely outnumbered, including Heather, he dropped his head. "Look, I didn't mean... I..." He looked up at his sister who was staring daggers at him. "Erica, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of your wedding! It was beautiful, really! It's just... it's not us is all. OK?"

Heather softened her ire some. "I'd be happy with any wedding, Richard!"

Moving closely to her so he could talk more privately, Richard lowered his voice. "I thought you wanted to wait until you graduated and I got out?"

"I still do, dear." she said softly and pulling herself close to him. "But I don't care how we do it!"

"I want to give you the wedding you always dreamed of!" He felt someone bump against him as they pushed past, trying to make their way into the club. Pulling her aside and out of the way of the entrance, he took her hands in his. "I love you. You know that, don't you?" he asked.

"Of course I do, Richard dear, and I love you. I think it's adorable of you that you want me to have a big wedding with all the ceremony! So if that's what you want, then that's what we'll do!" She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply, not caring who was watching or if it was proper.

When their kiss ended, they were greeted with a round of cheers and catcalls. Richard could only blush and nod his head in a slight bow.

"Here!" Jack said, almost shoving a drink in his hand. "Drink it, jarhead!" His face was still serious until a moment after he raised his own glass against Richard's, then slipped into his half-grin. "You are such an easy mark, Rich!" he gloated.

After Jack downed his drink in one gulp and started to laugh, it dawned on Richard that his best friend had gotten him yet again. "You are so gonna pay for that later, Jack!" he chuckled as he downed his own drink.

"Rich! How many times are you gonna fall for it!?" Jack laughed. "You are such an all-day sucker! See? This is yet another reason why you need me!" He took Richard's glass and slapped it back down on the bar for a refill.

"He's not the only one that needs you, Jack." Erica said, slipping her arms around his waist. Pulling him down into an even more passionate kiss than the one her brother and Heather had just shared, she didn't end it until both of them were gasping for breath.

They didn't notice the whoops and cheers for their kiss until it was over and Jack found himself taking his turn at bows, in his case more flamboyantly and in grandiose style, bowing deeply at the waist. "Thank you! Thank you! No! Please! You're too much! It was nothing! Thank you!"

Grabbing his arm to halt his bows, Richard pointed at Brooke, who'd snagged a table for them while they'd gotten drinks and applause. Making their way over to her, they all sat and enjoyed the music, slowing their drinking to a reasonable pace. In the middle of a funny story that Jack was telling, Richard stopped him. "Wait a minute! What about our rooms? We only have two and... well... I guess you two will want... um... your own now." He looked at Brooke sadly, noticing she was still the odd girl out.

Brooke shrugged. "Don't sweat it, Rich. Jack and Erica aren't staying in either one tonight. He already reserved a suite for them before we even got here! As for me, well now I get a room to myself! You two can have our room..." She indicated Heather and Richard. "...and I'll get yours!" Hearing a song come on that she liked, her eyes got wide. "Oh! Jack! Come on! You're with me!" She grabbed his hand and almost jerked him to the dance floor.

While Heather laughed at Jack and Brooke hamming up the place to 'Heart of Glass', Richard scooted over to his sister. "Erica, I just wanted... well... I wanted to say I'm happy for you, for both of you!" he shouted over the music. "I can tell you make each other happy, and I guess that matters a lot to me."

"Thanks, Richie!" she shouted back. "Same for you and Heather! She's a great girl!"

"She is. Sometimes I worry that she's too good for me, ya' know? Like I don't deserve her and one day she's gonna wake up and realize that she's dating down?"

"I'll be the judge of that!" Heather interrupted with a shout, leaning against him happily.

When Jack and Brooke returned to the table, he sat next to his new wife and exhaled heavily. "Woo! Brooke, I don't know where you get the energy! That about wore me out!"

Erica leaned against him happily and took his hand. "None of that! I need you healthy and rested for later!"

Finally leaving the club for their rooms after one in the morning, the five stumbled, staggered, and laughed the whole way there. When the elevator stopped at their floor, Jack and Erica didn't get out.

"Aren't you coming?" Richard mumbled.

"Not our floor!" Erica answered, while Jack pushed another button. Seeing her brother disappear between the closing doors, she waved. "Goodnight!"

Slowly Richard sobered to the thought that Jack and his sister were about to celebrate their wedding night. He sighed as Heather led him to their room with Brooke already ahead of them and grabbing her things to take them to the room he and Jack had shared that afternoon.

Walking in, Brooke tapped him on the shoulder. "Key, please?" Seeing him fumble for it, she grabbed his wallet and removed his room key, dropping the wallet in his hand once she had it. "Goodnight, you two!" she shouted.

Heather undressed him, Richard being too sauced to know how. Shaking her head, she tsked. "This will be the last time I do this, Richard! Promise?"

He nodded his head, the room spinning as he did. "Promise. I jus' wanted ta' celeb... celeb... ah, shit! I just didn't wanna think about Jack an' my sis doin'... stuff!"

"She's his wife now, Richard. You're just going to have to put it out of your head!" When she heard a snore emanate from her fiancé, she shook her head, finished undressing him, and tucked him into bed; staying up half the night to make sure he didn't vomit and choke in his sleep.

Walking slowly along the sidewalk next to the tiny river that ran through the middle of the city, giving it life, Brooke tried to settle her emotions. She'd gotten restless after moving her things to Jack and Richard's room, so she decided to take a walk. Leaning against the railing along the riverside, she sighed wistfully as the water ran by her; its soothing natural sounds helping to distract from the loneliness that threatened to overwhelm her.

Even as she tried to escape the feeling, she would see couples roaming along the walkway, each one a hot knife to her aching heart. "Shit!" she exclaimed to nobody. I know I should be happy for them, but... Her thoughts filled with self-loathing, she was angry with herself for her jealousy of the happiness that both Jack and Richard had found that continued to elude her.

"Damn it!" she swore. Stalking back to her hotel room, she passed a laughing group of teens going the opposite way, sure that they were far too young to be out so late, even for a Saturday. "Patience has its limits!" she grumbled absently. "I know I'll find her someday, but someday better get here pretty damn soon!"