Secret Santa: "Nine times Jules realized Sam was the one..." for Justicerocks
Title: Nine times Jules realized Sam was the one and one time she actually admitted it
Author: paranoid_woman
Gift for: Justicerocks from ffnet
Word Count: 3,228
Characters/pairings: Sam/Jules, OCs.
Rating: PG-13.
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Finally, she told him how much he meant to her.
Beta: The wonderful lillyg!
Written for: The 2009 Flashpoint Secret Santa Exchange.
Disclaimer: I do not own Flashpoint or anything related to it.
Nine times Jules realized Sam was the one and one time she actually admitted it
1.
Oh, God.
Jules walked down the corridor and stood in front of the men’s room door, wondering how Sam would react to the news. Would he be okay with it? Would he totally back out? Deep down inside, she thought she knew Sam well enough to be sure he’d offer his help and support.
“Hey, Jules,” his voice said all of sudden behind her, and Jules almost jumped in her place.
“Hey!”
He didn’t seem exactly thrilled to see her. “You asked for a few days off, right?” he asked, frowning. “A doctor or something? Are you okay?”
What a question. She blinked a few times and felt a little shiver run down her spine, but she’d never admit she was nervous. “Yeah, I’m fine, considering I’m… you know, kind of… pregnant.”
Silence. There was no immediate reaction. Sam stared blankly at her for three seconds and then mumbled a little, “What?”
“Yeah… Pregnant.”
“Oh, my God.”
“So, what do you want to…?”
“I’m gonna be a father.” All his worry was gone now. His face had lightened up and he was smiling like crazy.
“Yes, you are,” Jules agreed, smiling in reflection, as the noticed he’d actually loved the news. “So, I was asking…” she started, but she stopped when Sam dropped to his knees and placed his hands softly on her stomach.
“Hello, little guy, or girl,” Sam muttered. “Everything all right in there?” When he looked up at Jules, his eyes were almost sparkling. “I’m in.” Slowly, he got up and reached for her. “You have no idea how excited I am.”
Oh, she did have an idea. Sam’s face said it all. “We’re gonna be a mom and a dad for this kid.”
“And you’re gonna rock,” he whispered against her lips, and she didn’t even care if the entire world saw them kiss sweetly outside the men’s room.
2.
“I don’t want you to do it.”
“Sam, it’s gonna be okay. It’s not like I’m going to be in danger or anything, it’s two blocks away.”
“I know, but I stick to my opinion.”
Jules watched him close the main door in front of her and take her hand to bring her inside of her house again. “Why don’t you want me to go buy some nice, tiny clothes for the baby?”
“Because… because… I don’t know. I think you should be in bed, just in case.”
“I’m pregnant, not useless, Sam,” she muttered.
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
“Yeah, but I’m telling you - I’ll be fine."
He squeezed her hand and kissed it lovingly. “I’m worried about you, okay? What if a crazy guy walks into the store and starts shooting for whatever reason? Maybe the place reminds him of a son he lost. It could be anything, we’ve seen how people react before. I don’t want you there.”
Okay, there was a point there. Still, Jules wasn’t convinced. “What will we do about the clothes?”
“I’ll go buy them,” he stated, but she didn’t respond. “Jules… Please, let me help. I’m the father.”
His concern was real, Jules could see it in his eyes. Now that she thought about it, there had been a couple of robberies in the area. No one had been killed, but then again, that could have been just luck. She couldn’t take the risk of the baby getting hurt, so she took a deep breath and let herself fall onto the couch. “You’re right. I’m just so used to do it all by myself that it’s hard for me to let anyone else handle things. But… I want the best for Mark.”
Sam sat beside him and she let him kiss her head. “I understand… but you have to understand that you’re not alone. I’m here now… And I’ll be here forever.”
3.
Her cooking skills were still amazing, and the proof of it was in the middle of the dining table. A cake for her birthday, the third one she’d spend with Sam and Mark. Chocolate with sprinkles. Wasn’t that lovely? Especially when Mark dug his tiny fingers into the dark pastry and licked them clean, enjoying himself. What a gorgeous little boy he was.
The door went open as the two main invited people arrived. Sam was carrying Mark with one arm and trying to hide something behind his back with the other. He didn’t even let her see what he’d bought when she helped closing the door.
“You know what this little guy brought you?” Sam asked, winking at their son.
She tried to sound as excited as possible. “No, what is it?”
Sam finally showed her the secret gift. A bouquet of white roses.
“You know I’m not …” The phrase rolled out of her tongue instantly, but then she noticed how proud Mark looked for buying something for her and how happy Sam was to be able to help him. “They’re beautiful. Thank you, Sam.”
“Hey, it’s from him, I had nothing to do with it,” Sam explained, kissing the boy’s forehead as he laughed sweetly. “He really loves his beautiful mommy… Don’t you love her, Mark?”
The image of the two of them broke her.
“Well, thank you, Mark,” she corrected herself, laughing at the irony of liking flowers for the first time in her life.
Sam had made it happen. And that night, she asked him to come live with her.
4.
Not again. No more cries in the middle of the night… They hammered Jules’ brain and finally managed to wake her up. She sighed against her pillow as she thought about how much she didn’t want to leave her bed for the seventh time tonight. “Oh, no… Mark’s crying…”
“Again?” Sam asked, moving beside her, his voice groggy and weird from being woken up after a long day of work.
“He’s probably hungry.”
“All right… I’ll take care of it.”
“You’ve had the afternoon shift… You’re tired…”
“You saved someone’s life this morning, and yet you’ve sang to Mark three times until he fell asleep an hour ago,” Sam pointed out, slowly getting out of bed. “I think you win.”
Jules watched Sam get up from the bed -his hair a mess, his clothes wrinkled as he turned on the little light beside Marks’ cradle. “Shh… It’s okay, you don’t have to be afraid,” he told the little baby, picking him up and then rocking him carefully. “Daddy’s here.”
Slowly, Mark stopped crying and closed his eyes. Sam grinned at Jules, proud of his skills to make his son feel safe enough to fall asleep in his arms.
She couldn’t help laughing against her pillow. “It’s so weird to have a baby.”
“I know,” he whispered.
“Like… my whole life’s different.”
Sam looked at her like he was ready to make a point. “Our lives.”
She held his gaze, taking in the image of the man who’d given her a child, and then she breathed out. “Yeah. Our lives.”
5.
“And then, as soon as I sat down at the table, he said it,” Sam explained, getting a knife so he could start chopping some carrots for dinner.
Jules shook her head beside him as she worked on the sauce. “He said I still wasn’t good enough.”
“He still thinks his words have an effect on me.”
“Ah…” Was that true? Jules took a deep breath and suddenly felt Sam getting closer to her. They locked eyes and she feared he was going to say that sometimes he had doubts.
“Jules, I’ve built my life with you. I don’t want it to be any other way.”
They stared into each other’s eyes in silence. Finally, Jules relaxed. “Okay… Anyway, you’re lucky,” she answered, stirring the sauce. “My dad didn’t even ask about you when he called this afternoon.”
“That’s because he knows I care about you. He’s a great guy.”
“I know. He says he’s sending us a brand new knife set.”
“Cool.”
She tried a bit of the sauce and then made Sam taste it. “Good,” he said, licking his lips and nodding with enthusiasm. Then he turned to the kitchen door, exactly when Mark and his little sister passed by, running.
“Mark, Sandy, stop running around the house! Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes!” Jules yelled.
“Wow, look at you.”
“What?”
“You, dinner, the kids. It’s perfect.” He grinned at her and caressed her arm.
Jules shrugged and smiled. “It’s nice to spend time with the family.”
“Yeah…”
“What is it?” she wanted to know, as he suddenly looked very thoughtful.
Sam took a deep breath and continued chopping the carrots. “Nothing, I was just thinking that you’re right. I’m the luckiest guy on earth.”
6.
Teenagers and high school. How had Mark and Sandy grown up so fast?
“I don’t understand,” Sam said, shaking his head, and he grabbed the piece of paper that was on the table. It was marked with a big letter in red. “An F? Really, Mark?”
Seated across the table, Mark ran one hand through his light brown hair. “I had a thing with a girl, okay?”
“A thing?”
Mark explained himself as his mother kept watching him from the corner of the room. “Yes, a thing. I went to her house to study and one thing led to another.”
“Mark!” both Sam and Jules yelled at him.
“I’m fourteen, dad,” the teenager stated.
“Yes, we know that, but you’re not supposed to go around doing…?” Sam let Mark’s exam on the table and placed his hands over his face for a moment. “God. Please tell me you were at least careful.”
Mark raised an eyebrow and laughed. “What? You think we had sex? That’s crazy. We just made out.”
Sam sighed in relief and that was Jules’ cue to intervene. “Mark,” she muttered, seating beside her oldest son. “You do understand that… we’re just worried about you. We want the best for you.”
“Yeah, I… I know. I’m just… I’ve been into this girl for a long time now, so I saw the opportunity and didn’t really… think.”
“Obviously,” Sam said, resting his hands on his hips. “You got an F.”
“Sam,” Jules called, so he would relax a bit. Then she turned to Mark again and put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re better than an F. You’re smart!”
“Okay, hold on. What is this - good cop, bad cop?” he asked. “I’m sorry, mom, but I think your jobs are getting into your head. Plus, I’ve seen a lot over the years to know how you two roll.”
His parents glanced at each other and grinned. Slowly, Jules got up and stood beside her lover. “We’re not playing. The fact that we’re supportive doesn’t mean you’re getting out of this one.”
“Oh, no. We’re your parents, Mark, and you’re gonna have to listen to us whether you like it or not,” Sam added. “You still want that expensive video game you asked for Christmas?”
Mark’s eyes went wide at the idea of losing what Sam knew was what he wanted the most. Jules had to admit he’d been very smart to bring up that subject. “Um… yeah.”
Sam leaned over the table and handed him his exam. “Then you’re gonna fix this.” They stared at each other breathing heavily. “Do we have a deal?”
Mark finally nodded. “We do.”
“Okay. Now go do your homework.”
A second later, Mark had taken his exam with him and was leaving the dining room. Jules frowned when she saw Sam going towards the door. “Where are you going?”
“I’m gonna talk to him about that girl. He obviously likes her.” He ran his fingers through his hair - the same gesture Mark had picked up from him. “I know how to steal a woman’s heart,” he said, and then he followed Mark’s footsteps with the intention of giving him a lesson about love.
7.
The big day had arrived.
Jules had helped Sandy pick up her wedding dress, she’d arranged part of the wedding. Sandy’s friends and half the family had collaborated with the flower arrangements, the food, booking of the chapel and the beautiful invitations. And now Sandy and her soon-to-be husband were standing side by side, the priest about to start the ceremony.
“I can’t believe it,” Sam said, seated beside her at the first bench. His eyes were wide with pride to see his daughter get married. “I always thought this day would come, but being here… it’s completely different. It feels like a dream. It’s exciting to know that she’s starting a new life with someone who really loves her. She’s gonna be so happy… Jules?”
She covered her face and took a deep breath. “I’m going to cry… I told Sandy I wouldn’t. Oh, how embarrassing.” When she let him see her face, she thought he’d stare at her seeing a crazy woman with terrible make-up. “Look at me, I’m a mess.”
“No, you’re not,” he told her, and he kissed her lips softly. “I love you.”
The phrased hung in the air as the priest started with the usual speech in front of family and friends. Jules took a deep breath, trying to find the courage to say she loved Sam back, but when he squeezed her hand, the words died in her tongue.
8.
“Here,” Jules muttered as she gave her daughter the gift she’d picked for her.
Sandy unwrapped and smiled. “A baby name book.”
“Yeah. Thought you might like it.”
“Thank you… we really want the perfect name. We don’t want the twins to have weird, ugly nicknames when they grow up.”
Every time Sandy said ‘twins,’ Jules felt her heartbeats get faster with joy. She was going to be a grandmother. “You’ll find it. It’s all written there.”
“Where’s dad?”
“Ah, he… he went to go buy some clothes for the babies.” When Sandy’s face lit up, Jules raised her hands. “Don’t tell him I told you. He wanted it to be a surprise.”
“He’s kind of… full of surprises, isn’t he?”
“Yeah… I could tell you about all the things he changed in my life, but you’d get bored.”
Sandy frowned and opened the baby name book. As she flipped the pages, she comment, “You’ve never really told us anything about how you two met, about what you felt for each other. About why you never got married.”
“I guess we didn’t think it was necessary. We trust each other, and that’s enough.”
“That’s very nice, but I don’t buy it. Really, why didn’t you do it?”
Jules understood that the tone of her own voice had let Sandy know that she wasn’t sure why she’d never really thought about marrying Sam. After all, he’d been part of his life for decades. She just sighed and rested her chin on her hand, ready to tell the truth. “I wish I knew.”
9.
“History channel?”
“Nope.”
“Um… Crime show?”
“God, no. I’ve had enough. It doesn’t mean I don’t care about people, it’s just that I really want to focus on other things in my life.”
“I know, trust me,” Sam said, nodding. “Oh, I know what you want to watch. Cooking channel!”
“Are you kidding me? Give me the remote.”
“Fine.”
Finally, he gave her the remote and rested his head on the pillow. Beside him, Jules grinned and chose what they’d watch tonight. Sam closed his eyes; oh, this would be a pleasant surprise for him.
“Canada cities? Travelling? Awesome,” he groaned as she snuggled up against him. “When did you find out about it?”
“Last night, after you fell asleep. I didn’t get to watch much, though. You kept me distracted with your drooling.”
The comment had the expected effect on him. He raised an eyebrow and his voice didn’t lack of light sarcasm. “Ah, thank you. Nice to know I’m still so charming.”
Laughing, she kissed his shoulder and let her gaze fall on the TV, even if she wasn’t really thinking of travelling anywhere. “You looked nice. I enjoyed watching you sleep.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Is it creepy?”
He shook his head, smiling. “No, it’s sweet.”
“Good.”
They spent the next minute watching the host of the show explain the advantages and disadvantages of classic weapons. Mostly, nothing new.
“You know what? I don’t really feel like… watching the show.” Sam was even closer to her now.
She knew that look. Jules knew that move and the suggestion he’d just made. She pretended to think about it, though. It was part of the game. It’d never failed to drive him crazy. Several years had proved he didn’t like the easy path. “Mmm. Don’t we know everything about our own country already?”
“I believe we do,” he agreed, taking the remote from her hand. Sam’s lips brushed hers as he turned off the TV. “Shall I?”
“Yes, Mr. Braddock,” Jules told him before putting kissing him roughly and silently asking for more.
10.
Christmas was the best celebration of the year. Grandchildren running around with presents in their hands, sons and daughters toasting, families, reunited.
“C’mon, miss Callaghan. Tell us the story of how the two of you met,” asked Jerry, Sandy’s husband, with a big smile on his face. The two of them were beside the Christmas tree, and Jules felt her breath get caught in her throat.
“Yeah, Jules, tell them about it,” Sam encouraged her, coming closer. She was silent, frozen. “Okay, I can help out.” He straightened his red and green tie and put an arm around her. “I entered the SRU, witnessed a case and of course, I noticed her… I knew she wasn’t the regular girl. She knew how to handle weapons and do the job the best way. She even pointed her gun at me when I tried to show her a picture!” he explained, and everyone laughed. Without warning, he placed a kiss on her cheek. His breath was warm against her skin. “The more I got to know her, the more I fell for her. She was smart, funny, confident, beautiful. It was impossible not to love her.”
Even at the age of sixty, he managed to make her blush.
“Sam…” she ultimately whispered, and she grabbed both his hands. She had to say it. It was the right time and the right place. There was no turning back. “I feel like I haven’t told you this enough, but I just want to say it. I love you. I always have.”
He stared at her with passion, even after all these years. “I know. I always knew.”
Her heart was melting at his words. “I’d like to marry you.”
“You want to…?”
“Yeah, but it’s just an idea. If you don’t want to, we don’t have…”
The phrase died in her lips. When Sam kissed her, she felt the same passion he’d brought into her life since they’d met. She could hear Sandy, Jerry and even Mark and his wife clapping and laughing. Even their children joined them, smiling at them.
When a month later they got married at a beautiful church with their families around, carrying and supportive, Jules saw the smile on Sam’s face, she felt the way he held her hand, how much he cared.
Sam was the one. She knew it in her heart and would tell him that she loved him as much as she could from now on.
The End.
Author: paranoid_woman
Gift for: Justicerocks from ffnet
Word Count: 3,228
Characters/pairings: Sam/Jules, OCs.
Rating: PG-13.
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Finally, she told him how much he meant to her.
Beta: The wonderful lillyg!
Written for: The 2009 Flashpoint Secret Santa Exchange.
Disclaimer: I do not own Flashpoint or anything related to it.
Nine times Jules realized Sam was the one and one time she actually admitted it
1.
Oh, God.
Jules walked down the corridor and stood in front of the men’s room door, wondering how Sam would react to the news. Would he be okay with it? Would he totally back out? Deep down inside, she thought she knew Sam well enough to be sure he’d offer his help and support.
“Hey, Jules,” his voice said all of sudden behind her, and Jules almost jumped in her place.
“Hey!”
He didn’t seem exactly thrilled to see her. “You asked for a few days off, right?” he asked, frowning. “A doctor or something? Are you okay?”
What a question. She blinked a few times and felt a little shiver run down her spine, but she’d never admit she was nervous. “Yeah, I’m fine, considering I’m… you know, kind of… pregnant.”
Silence. There was no immediate reaction. Sam stared blankly at her for three seconds and then mumbled a little, “What?”
“Yeah… Pregnant.”
“Oh, my God.”
“So, what do you want to…?”
“I’m gonna be a father.” All his worry was gone now. His face had lightened up and he was smiling like crazy.
“Yes, you are,” Jules agreed, smiling in reflection, as the noticed he’d actually loved the news. “So, I was asking…” she started, but she stopped when Sam dropped to his knees and placed his hands softly on her stomach.
“Hello, little guy, or girl,” Sam muttered. “Everything all right in there?” When he looked up at Jules, his eyes were almost sparkling. “I’m in.” Slowly, he got up and reached for her. “You have no idea how excited I am.”
Oh, she did have an idea. Sam’s face said it all. “We’re gonna be a mom and a dad for this kid.”
“And you’re gonna rock,” he whispered against her lips, and she didn’t even care if the entire world saw them kiss sweetly outside the men’s room.
2.
“I don’t want you to do it.”
“Sam, it’s gonna be okay. It’s not like I’m going to be in danger or anything, it’s two blocks away.”
“I know, but I stick to my opinion.”
Jules watched him close the main door in front of her and take her hand to bring her inside of her house again. “Why don’t you want me to go buy some nice, tiny clothes for the baby?”
“Because… because… I don’t know. I think you should be in bed, just in case.”
“I’m pregnant, not useless, Sam,” she muttered.
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
“Yeah, but I’m telling you - I’ll be fine."
He squeezed her hand and kissed it lovingly. “I’m worried about you, okay? What if a crazy guy walks into the store and starts shooting for whatever reason? Maybe the place reminds him of a son he lost. It could be anything, we’ve seen how people react before. I don’t want you there.”
Okay, there was a point there. Still, Jules wasn’t convinced. “What will we do about the clothes?”
“I’ll go buy them,” he stated, but she didn’t respond. “Jules… Please, let me help. I’m the father.”
His concern was real, Jules could see it in his eyes. Now that she thought about it, there had been a couple of robberies in the area. No one had been killed, but then again, that could have been just luck. She couldn’t take the risk of the baby getting hurt, so she took a deep breath and let herself fall onto the couch. “You’re right. I’m just so used to do it all by myself that it’s hard for me to let anyone else handle things. But… I want the best for Mark.”
Sam sat beside him and she let him kiss her head. “I understand… but you have to understand that you’re not alone. I’m here now… And I’ll be here forever.”
3.
Her cooking skills were still amazing, and the proof of it was in the middle of the dining table. A cake for her birthday, the third one she’d spend with Sam and Mark. Chocolate with sprinkles. Wasn’t that lovely? Especially when Mark dug his tiny fingers into the dark pastry and licked them clean, enjoying himself. What a gorgeous little boy he was.
The door went open as the two main invited people arrived. Sam was carrying Mark with one arm and trying to hide something behind his back with the other. He didn’t even let her see what he’d bought when she helped closing the door.
“You know what this little guy brought you?” Sam asked, winking at their son.
She tried to sound as excited as possible. “No, what is it?”
Sam finally showed her the secret gift. A bouquet of white roses.
“You know I’m not …” The phrase rolled out of her tongue instantly, but then she noticed how proud Mark looked for buying something for her and how happy Sam was to be able to help him. “They’re beautiful. Thank you, Sam.”
“Hey, it’s from him, I had nothing to do with it,” Sam explained, kissing the boy’s forehead as he laughed sweetly. “He really loves his beautiful mommy… Don’t you love her, Mark?”
The image of the two of them broke her.
“Well, thank you, Mark,” she corrected herself, laughing at the irony of liking flowers for the first time in her life.
Sam had made it happen. And that night, she asked him to come live with her.
4.
Not again. No more cries in the middle of the night… They hammered Jules’ brain and finally managed to wake her up. She sighed against her pillow as she thought about how much she didn’t want to leave her bed for the seventh time tonight. “Oh, no… Mark’s crying…”
“Again?” Sam asked, moving beside her, his voice groggy and weird from being woken up after a long day of work.
“He’s probably hungry.”
“All right… I’ll take care of it.”
“You’ve had the afternoon shift… You’re tired…”
“You saved someone’s life this morning, and yet you’ve sang to Mark three times until he fell asleep an hour ago,” Sam pointed out, slowly getting out of bed. “I think you win.”
Jules watched Sam get up from the bed -his hair a mess, his clothes wrinkled as he turned on the little light beside Marks’ cradle. “Shh… It’s okay, you don’t have to be afraid,” he told the little baby, picking him up and then rocking him carefully. “Daddy’s here.”
Slowly, Mark stopped crying and closed his eyes. Sam grinned at Jules, proud of his skills to make his son feel safe enough to fall asleep in his arms.
She couldn’t help laughing against her pillow. “It’s so weird to have a baby.”
“I know,” he whispered.
“Like… my whole life’s different.”
Sam looked at her like he was ready to make a point. “Our lives.”
She held his gaze, taking in the image of the man who’d given her a child, and then she breathed out. “Yeah. Our lives.”
5.
“And then, as soon as I sat down at the table, he said it,” Sam explained, getting a knife so he could start chopping some carrots for dinner.
Jules shook her head beside him as she worked on the sauce. “He said I still wasn’t good enough.”
“He still thinks his words have an effect on me.”
“Ah…” Was that true? Jules took a deep breath and suddenly felt Sam getting closer to her. They locked eyes and she feared he was going to say that sometimes he had doubts.
“Jules, I’ve built my life with you. I don’t want it to be any other way.”
They stared into each other’s eyes in silence. Finally, Jules relaxed. “Okay… Anyway, you’re lucky,” she answered, stirring the sauce. “My dad didn’t even ask about you when he called this afternoon.”
“That’s because he knows I care about you. He’s a great guy.”
“I know. He says he’s sending us a brand new knife set.”
“Cool.”
She tried a bit of the sauce and then made Sam taste it. “Good,” he said, licking his lips and nodding with enthusiasm. Then he turned to the kitchen door, exactly when Mark and his little sister passed by, running.
“Mark, Sandy, stop running around the house! Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes!” Jules yelled.
“Wow, look at you.”
“What?”
“You, dinner, the kids. It’s perfect.” He grinned at her and caressed her arm.
Jules shrugged and smiled. “It’s nice to spend time with the family.”
“Yeah…”
“What is it?” she wanted to know, as he suddenly looked very thoughtful.
Sam took a deep breath and continued chopping the carrots. “Nothing, I was just thinking that you’re right. I’m the luckiest guy on earth.”
6.
Teenagers and high school. How had Mark and Sandy grown up so fast?
“I don’t understand,” Sam said, shaking his head, and he grabbed the piece of paper that was on the table. It was marked with a big letter in red. “An F? Really, Mark?”
Seated across the table, Mark ran one hand through his light brown hair. “I had a thing with a girl, okay?”
“A thing?”
Mark explained himself as his mother kept watching him from the corner of the room. “Yes, a thing. I went to her house to study and one thing led to another.”
“Mark!” both Sam and Jules yelled at him.
“I’m fourteen, dad,” the teenager stated.
“Yes, we know that, but you’re not supposed to go around doing…?” Sam let Mark’s exam on the table and placed his hands over his face for a moment. “God. Please tell me you were at least careful.”
Mark raised an eyebrow and laughed. “What? You think we had sex? That’s crazy. We just made out.”
Sam sighed in relief and that was Jules’ cue to intervene. “Mark,” she muttered, seating beside her oldest son. “You do understand that… we’re just worried about you. We want the best for you.”
“Yeah, I… I know. I’m just… I’ve been into this girl for a long time now, so I saw the opportunity and didn’t really… think.”
“Obviously,” Sam said, resting his hands on his hips. “You got an F.”
“Sam,” Jules called, so he would relax a bit. Then she turned to Mark again and put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re better than an F. You’re smart!”
“Okay, hold on. What is this - good cop, bad cop?” he asked. “I’m sorry, mom, but I think your jobs are getting into your head. Plus, I’ve seen a lot over the years to know how you two roll.”
His parents glanced at each other and grinned. Slowly, Jules got up and stood beside her lover. “We’re not playing. The fact that we’re supportive doesn’t mean you’re getting out of this one.”
“Oh, no. We’re your parents, Mark, and you’re gonna have to listen to us whether you like it or not,” Sam added. “You still want that expensive video game you asked for Christmas?”
Mark’s eyes went wide at the idea of losing what Sam knew was what he wanted the most. Jules had to admit he’d been very smart to bring up that subject. “Um… yeah.”
Sam leaned over the table and handed him his exam. “Then you’re gonna fix this.” They stared at each other breathing heavily. “Do we have a deal?”
Mark finally nodded. “We do.”
“Okay. Now go do your homework.”
A second later, Mark had taken his exam with him and was leaving the dining room. Jules frowned when she saw Sam going towards the door. “Where are you going?”
“I’m gonna talk to him about that girl. He obviously likes her.” He ran his fingers through his hair - the same gesture Mark had picked up from him. “I know how to steal a woman’s heart,” he said, and then he followed Mark’s footsteps with the intention of giving him a lesson about love.
7.
The big day had arrived.
Jules had helped Sandy pick up her wedding dress, she’d arranged part of the wedding. Sandy’s friends and half the family had collaborated with the flower arrangements, the food, booking of the chapel and the beautiful invitations. And now Sandy and her soon-to-be husband were standing side by side, the priest about to start the ceremony.
“I can’t believe it,” Sam said, seated beside her at the first bench. His eyes were wide with pride to see his daughter get married. “I always thought this day would come, but being here… it’s completely different. It feels like a dream. It’s exciting to know that she’s starting a new life with someone who really loves her. She’s gonna be so happy… Jules?”
She covered her face and took a deep breath. “I’m going to cry… I told Sandy I wouldn’t. Oh, how embarrassing.” When she let him see her face, she thought he’d stare at her seeing a crazy woman with terrible make-up. “Look at me, I’m a mess.”
“No, you’re not,” he told her, and he kissed her lips softly. “I love you.”
The phrased hung in the air as the priest started with the usual speech in front of family and friends. Jules took a deep breath, trying to find the courage to say she loved Sam back, but when he squeezed her hand, the words died in her tongue.
8.
“Here,” Jules muttered as she gave her daughter the gift she’d picked for her.
Sandy unwrapped and smiled. “A baby name book.”
“Yeah. Thought you might like it.”
“Thank you… we really want the perfect name. We don’t want the twins to have weird, ugly nicknames when they grow up.”
Every time Sandy said ‘twins,’ Jules felt her heartbeats get faster with joy. She was going to be a grandmother. “You’ll find it. It’s all written there.”
“Where’s dad?”
“Ah, he… he went to go buy some clothes for the babies.” When Sandy’s face lit up, Jules raised her hands. “Don’t tell him I told you. He wanted it to be a surprise.”
“He’s kind of… full of surprises, isn’t he?”
“Yeah… I could tell you about all the things he changed in my life, but you’d get bored.”
Sandy frowned and opened the baby name book. As she flipped the pages, she comment, “You’ve never really told us anything about how you two met, about what you felt for each other. About why you never got married.”
“I guess we didn’t think it was necessary. We trust each other, and that’s enough.”
“That’s very nice, but I don’t buy it. Really, why didn’t you do it?”
Jules understood that the tone of her own voice had let Sandy know that she wasn’t sure why she’d never really thought about marrying Sam. After all, he’d been part of his life for decades. She just sighed and rested her chin on her hand, ready to tell the truth. “I wish I knew.”
9.
“History channel?”
“Nope.”
“Um… Crime show?”
“God, no. I’ve had enough. It doesn’t mean I don’t care about people, it’s just that I really want to focus on other things in my life.”
“I know, trust me,” Sam said, nodding. “Oh, I know what you want to watch. Cooking channel!”
“Are you kidding me? Give me the remote.”
“Fine.”
Finally, he gave her the remote and rested his head on the pillow. Beside him, Jules grinned and chose what they’d watch tonight. Sam closed his eyes; oh, this would be a pleasant surprise for him.
“Canada cities? Travelling? Awesome,” he groaned as she snuggled up against him. “When did you find out about it?”
“Last night, after you fell asleep. I didn’t get to watch much, though. You kept me distracted with your drooling.”
The comment had the expected effect on him. He raised an eyebrow and his voice didn’t lack of light sarcasm. “Ah, thank you. Nice to know I’m still so charming.”
Laughing, she kissed his shoulder and let her gaze fall on the TV, even if she wasn’t really thinking of travelling anywhere. “You looked nice. I enjoyed watching you sleep.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Is it creepy?”
He shook his head, smiling. “No, it’s sweet.”
“Good.”
They spent the next minute watching the host of the show explain the advantages and disadvantages of classic weapons. Mostly, nothing new.
“You know what? I don’t really feel like… watching the show.” Sam was even closer to her now.
She knew that look. Jules knew that move and the suggestion he’d just made. She pretended to think about it, though. It was part of the game. It’d never failed to drive him crazy. Several years had proved he didn’t like the easy path. “Mmm. Don’t we know everything about our own country already?”
“I believe we do,” he agreed, taking the remote from her hand. Sam’s lips brushed hers as he turned off the TV. “Shall I?”
“Yes, Mr. Braddock,” Jules told him before putting kissing him roughly and silently asking for more.
10.
Christmas was the best celebration of the year. Grandchildren running around with presents in their hands, sons and daughters toasting, families, reunited.
“C’mon, miss Callaghan. Tell us the story of how the two of you met,” asked Jerry, Sandy’s husband, with a big smile on his face. The two of them were beside the Christmas tree, and Jules felt her breath get caught in her throat.
“Yeah, Jules, tell them about it,” Sam encouraged her, coming closer. She was silent, frozen. “Okay, I can help out.” He straightened his red and green tie and put an arm around her. “I entered the SRU, witnessed a case and of course, I noticed her… I knew she wasn’t the regular girl. She knew how to handle weapons and do the job the best way. She even pointed her gun at me when I tried to show her a picture!” he explained, and everyone laughed. Without warning, he placed a kiss on her cheek. His breath was warm against her skin. “The more I got to know her, the more I fell for her. She was smart, funny, confident, beautiful. It was impossible not to love her.”
Even at the age of sixty, he managed to make her blush.
“Sam…” she ultimately whispered, and she grabbed both his hands. She had to say it. It was the right time and the right place. There was no turning back. “I feel like I haven’t told you this enough, but I just want to say it. I love you. I always have.”
He stared at her with passion, even after all these years. “I know. I always knew.”
Her heart was melting at his words. “I’d like to marry you.”
“You want to…?”
“Yeah, but it’s just an idea. If you don’t want to, we don’t have…”
The phrase died in her lips. When Sam kissed her, she felt the same passion he’d brought into her life since they’d met. She could hear Sandy, Jerry and even Mark and his wife clapping and laughing. Even their children joined them, smiling at them.
When a month later they got married at a beautiful church with their families around, carrying and supportive, Jules saw the smile on Sam’s face, she felt the way he held her hand, how much he cared.
Sam was the one. She knew it in her heart and would tell him that she loved him as much as she could from now on.
The End.