MIRACLES

CHAPTER 6

Both Brooke and Jax stared intensely at Brenda as she tested each one of their different shake concoctions. As Brenda forced each one of them down, she could tell from the smile on Jax’s face that he was enjoying every excruciating minute of it.

“You know, I think you might be getting better at making these” she said with the biggest smile she could muster.
“Oh really? Well I have a lot of help from Brooke; she just loves to make them. Actually I have a wonderful idea; why don’t you tell Brenda what we put in these yummy shakes Brooke.”

After about 5mins of ingredients, Jax could begin to see Brenda’s face turning green. He knew how much she had always hated his protein shakes but he had to admit he was getting a kick out of it all. It had been such a long time since he had allowed himself to think of her, let alone the good times they had shared.

“Oh and this one has seaweed and -”
“Ok Brooke lets not tell Brenda all of our secrets” he said with a wink as he watched Brenda silently thank him.
“Oops! Ok Uncle Jax, our secret.”
“Now how about we make Brenda a real breakfast?”
“Yeah, but I want to help!”
“Jax… you don’t have to go to any trouble on my account. I’m sure I can make some-”
“Brenda, it’s not problem it’s the least I could do for making you drink all those shakes” he said with the devilish grin that Brenda loved.
“Well in that case, you may owe me two breakfasts but I’ll accept one if you promise me one thing.”
“And that is?”
“Please no yogurt, I don’t think my stomach could help it.”
“Ok, deal” he said flashing a bigger smile then he intended. “Do you think you could handle some pancakes?”
“Definitely, if you let me make the coffee”
“Actually that’s the only thing I trust you to make!”
“Hey! For your information I’ve gotten a lot better in the cooking department these last 2 years-” But the words had already sunk in, a reminder of the 2 years she had been gone and the reason she had left. Jax’s walls went immediately up; Brenda could practically see them now as they stood in silence staring at one another.

“Well I’m sure you’ve changed a lot in the last two years, heaven knows I’ve had to” he said coldly.

“I haven’t changed that much” she said as she moved in closer and reached out for his hand instinctively. But deep down she knew that no amount of hand holding would ever bring her closer to him emotionally; he was still too far to reach.

“I should get to breakfast” he said as he pulled he hand away. He then proceeded in silence, ignoring everything besides Brooke for the following hour.

During breakfast Brooke seemed to be the only voice in the room as she entertained them with stories of her family and how she got to stay home from school. Brenda was relieved that someone was talking to her, after all Jax hadn’t acknowledged her presence in forever. She hated how he sat there; looking as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Wasn’t this situation bothering him at all? She couldn’t handle it much longer and rather than throwing her plate of pancakes at him she decided it was time to go freshen up.

“Well that was just delicious” she said as she stood up from the table. “Can I help clean up?”
“No, I’ll do it” he said not even bothering to look up from his plate.
Brenda could feel her blood beginning to boil as she stood there staring at him. She knew that things weren’t even close to being alright but she at least deserved to be looked at.
“Jax I insist, I’ll perfectly capable of cleaning up pots and pa – OUCH!!”
“Brenda!” he screamed as he came running towards her.
“That damn pan is still hot!”
“Did you burn yourself? Let me see.”
“I’m fine it just stings a little…”
“Brenda, please don’t argue just give me your hand” he screamed.

Brenda placed her injured hand in Jax’s and instantly felt better. Suddenly she couldn’t concentrate on anything but his touch; the coolness of his skin against hers and how perfectly they fit together. And now they were standing so close that she could feel his breath on her as she slowly she looked up into his gorgeous eyes. It wasn’t till then that she noticed he had stopped talking too and was staring just as intensely at her as she was to him. They stood there for what seemed like forever, frozen in a moment that neither wanted to end, maybe that’s why they didn’t notice when Lois entered the room.
“What’s going on you guys?”
“Mommy!!! Brenda burned her hand and Uncle Jax is trying to fix it”
“I can see that” she said with a smile.
Awkwardly Jax released Brenda’s hand in an attempt to forget what had just occurred between them.
“I think it should be alright but you might want to put some ice on it.”
“Oh….thanks.”
“Anyway I should really get going; I have a dinner date later this evening”
Brenda swallowed hard at the idea of his dinner date; she had hoped she had heard him wrong.
“I thought you were coming over here for dinner? Don’t you have to discuss some things with Ned?”
“Well I have to look my best for my date” he said as he winked at Brooke. “She has such high standards”
Finally catching on to his meaning Lois couldn’t help but laugh. She loved how well Brooke and Jax got along and it confirmed her belief that one day he would be an excellent father.
“I’ll be here at 6:00 then?”
“Yeah we can all have a nice little dinner” she said as she looked back and forth from Brenda to Jax.
“I’m sure it will be” he said as he took a quick glance and Brenda and walked out.

After Jax had finally left, Brenda tried to bandage her hand up as nicely as possible and help clean up the mess she had made; all the while feeling Lois’ curious stare.

“Go ahead and just say it Lois.”
“Say what? I was just sitting her admiring you cleaning abilities.”
“The pan was hot and I burned my hand; that was it, nothing more.”
“Oh you could have fooled me, it looked like the pan wasn’t the only thing is here that was a little hot. As a matter of fact you look a little flushed.”
“I do? “ she said as she felt her cheeks; then feeling foolish that she had fell for Lois trick.
“Lois! Stop that.”
“Why, it’s so obvious that he still loves you, and we know you do. When I walked in here I actually saw my best friend in the whole world happy and excuse me if I want it to continue.”
“Do you really think he still loves me? I used to be so sure, but if he does it’s so buried under his anger that I don’t know if I can reach him.”
“Well you’ll never know unless you try; what else to you have to loose?”
“Nothing, I guess. You’re right, I don’t have a thing to lose by getting him back but I have everything to gain!” she screamed. “I’m going to do it Lois! I’m going to make him love me again and guess what?”
“What?”
“You’re going to help me!”