“Where’s Grey?” quizzed Jake looking round.
“Kola called. She’s gone into labour,” replied Paul. “Guess we’re back to plan A for the day.”
“Labour? The baby’s coming?”
Paul nodded, “Grey’s gone to take her out to Beebe.”
“What about the girls?”
“Becky’s got them till Annie arrives,” explained Paul. “It’s all systems go for baby girl number four.”
“He’s a pro at this now,” laughed Jake as he looked round trying to decide where was best to lay his guitar down to fix it. “Want to call it a day?”
“Yeah, might as well,” sighed Paul resignedly. “Better tell Jim though. He’s over at the house. He’ll be back in five.”
“OK,” agreed Jake. “I’m going back out to the lounge to glue this at the table.”
He was holding the shard in place when the door opened and Nicole walked in with two of the seniors from the high school. Neither of the students were kids that Jake recognised but they both stopped dead when they saw him, instantly star struck.
“Hi,” he said with a smile.
“Guys,” began Nicole. “Allow me to introduce you to Jake Power from Silver Lake. He used to teach at the school.”
Both students smiled and mumbled a shy hello.
“Running repairs?” asked Nicole, noticing the glue sitting on the table.
“Chipped it earlier,” replied Jake, avoiding making eye contact with her. “Wanted to fix it before my wife saw it.”
“Don’t stick yourself to it,” joked Nicole with a wink. “Right, kids, let’s leave Jake in peace. We’ve work to do and the clock’s ticking.”
As soon as he arrived back at the beach house, Jake dumped his guitars and book bag in the lounge and yelled through to Lori that he was going for a run.
“Have you heard from Grey?” she called back.
“Not yet,” he replied as he loped down to the bedroom to get changed.
With music blaring in his ears and hard-packed sand under his feet, Jake pounded out the miles north towards Gordon’s Pond. Still angry with himself, he ran hard and fast, pushing the pace until, as the two World War II towers came into sight, he thought his lungs would burst. How could he have been so stupid? The anger coursing through him fuelled his return leg back towards the beach house.
Why had he risked everything? The question ate away at him as he drew closer to home. During all the years of touring there had been plenty similar offers from obsessed fans but he’d never been tempted. He’d never so much as given any of them a second glance. So why had Nicole Tonriverdi been different? Why had he succumbed to her charms so easily?
He knew in his heart, if Lori found out, their marriage would be over. One thing that was sacrosanct to her was fidelity. For a few seconds of cheap sex, he’d broken that golden rule. Grey was right, he decided as the house came into sight, Nicole was trouble and he was going to have to deal with her sooner rather than later.
Slowing his pace, he ran past the house, adding an extra leisurely mile or so to the run by way of a cool down. His thighs were on fire, telling him it had been too long since he’d run so far.
Breathing heavily, he finally made his way across the soft sand to the path leading towards the house. As he walked up the narrow sandy path, he could hear Lori talking to the kids out on the deck.
“Daddy! Daddy!” shrieked Melody as soon as she saw him. “Kola’s baby has been born.”
Glancing over at Lori for confirmation, Jake said, “Has it?”
“It’s a girl!” declared Melody excitedly.
“A big girl,” added Lori. “Nine pounds ten ounces.”
“Everyone ok?” checked Jake.
“Mom and baby both fine,” reassured Lori, smiling at him. “Can’t say the same for Grey. He sounded shell shocked when he called.”
“He’s got his hands full now, that’s for sure,” said Jake. “House full of women. He’s no hope!”
“He wouldn’t have it any other way,” giggled Lori before adding, “You were gone awhile. Long run?”
“About ten miles,” replied Jake. “Been cooped up at JJL too long. Needed to stretch my legs. Clear my head. And now I need a shower.”
“Daddy smells bad,” said Jesse, grinning mischievously.
“Daddy does,” laughed Jake. “How about we walk into town for ice cream after I’ve got cleaned up?”
“Ice cream! Ice cream! We want ice cream!” chanted Melody, dancing round the deck.
“Ok, Miss M. Calm down. I’ll be fifteen minutes.”
It was late afternoon by the time all four members of the Power family set off along the beach. While the kids ran on ahead, Jake walked hand in hand with Lori, allowing her to set the pace. He could tell from the way she was leaning on her cane and occasionally sub-consciously squeezing his hand that her leg was troubling her. Seeing her in pain always tore at his heart.
“Want to grab an early dinner instead of ice cream?” he suggested casually, hoping that Lori wouldn’t realise he was making the suggestion so that she could rest before walking home.
If his wife sensed his ulterior motive, she never said but agreed that dinner sounded like a smart plan.
“You got any cash with you?” Jake asked.
“A little,” replied Lori. “But I can hit the ATM if you need some.”
“Let’s kill some time in Funland,” he proposed. “Been a while since we let them loose in there.”
After almost two hours of fun rides and playing games on the various arcade machines, Jake declared that they’d used all the quarters and that it was time to eat.
“Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!” shouted Jesse, jumping up and down
