Unexpected Love (Jo's Story) (59 page)

“Sounds perfect,” I smile.  He turns and walks back toward his office and I just stand there looking at the picture that he gave me.  I look extremely happy in it.

“You looked amazing that day,” Jake wraps his arms around me and kisses my neck.

“So did you,” I smile.  “That was an interesting day,” I laugh.  I remember what happened after we left the fire department before all of our friends got together at the house.  That was also the day that I told Jake that I loved him.

“You ok,” he looks at me.

“Yes, I am, just a hard day that’s all.”

“I understand.  I’m here for whatever you need.”

“I just need to know that you are here and that you love me Jake that is all I need from you.”

“You got it baby.”

“Mommy, did you see this?”  Lizzy walks over to me.  “I look a lot younger.”

“Yes, you do,” I smile.  “That is a great picture of you, Abby, and daddy though.”

“I like it.”  She smiles.

“Good, I’m glad you like it.  We will have to hang it in your room someplace where you can see it all the time,” I smile and kiss her cheek.

“Hey Jo,” I hear Luke say as he walks in by us.

“Hey Luke,” I stand up and give him a hug.  I see Barb walking behind him.  She is a mess.  I walk over to her and give her a hug and hold her tight.  I see Luke pick up Abby and give her a hug and kiss then Lizzy.

“You talked Lizzy into coming?”  Barb asks me shocked.

“Nope, wasn’t me.  Jake talked to her,” I smile.

“That is one amazing man you have,” she smiles.

“Yeah, I think I will keep him around for a while,” I laugh.  “Where is Danny?”

“He should be here soon, he wanted to stop and get something.”

“Oh, well Ed said everything is set up outside if you want to go out and find a place to sit.  I am willing to bet a lot of people are going to start showing up pretty soon.”

“Yeah,” she smiles and grabs my hand.  She has always leaned on me for these types of things.  In a way I think that is what gets me through days like today, knowing that there is someone that needs me just as much as I need them.  We walk out and see the seating and they have a banner and a picture of Jarrod on the stage.  I smile when I see it.  He was so handsome.  I see Lizzy grab Jakes hand and can’t help but smile.  She is such a strong little girl, but she sure has leaned on Jake for this.  We sit down in the front row and I just sit there looking around.  I see people coming and sitting down and don’t pay much attention to anyone but Barb.  She is crying already, I really hope I can keep it together.  I see Danny come up the aisle and scoot over so he can sit next to her and I move to the chair next to Jake.  He puts his arm around me and grabs my hand with his free hand.  I feel more confident and stronger with him here.  Next thing I know Ed is on the stage asking everyone to be quiet.

“I would like to thank everyone that is here to support the department and families of this great man tonight.  First off I want to remind you all about Jarrod Lewis.  This man was an amazing person and fought for this station with his whole heart.  He put everything he could into being a part of this community and this department.  We couldn’t have asked for a better brother to be with us fighting the battles that we did on a daily basis.  He never gave up, even with the guys at the station, he was always a fighter, and he wasn’t going to let us go down without a fight.  He was a family man, loved his wife and children more than anything.  They became a huge part of this family.  I stand here today looking down at them and can’t help but to feel pride for how the have handled this.  We have gone through this loss together.  One big family.  Jarrod is the first man that this department has ever lost, and I hope and pray he is the last.  They tell you when you take this job that the men on this department with you are going to become your brothers, but you don’t believe it until something like this happens.  Losing Jarrod was the worst thing this department could have ever gone through.  He had many friends, at the department and outside.  He knew many of the community members that are in this area, and he grew up not far from here so many of the families know his family.  He was taken from us at too young of an age, but he is now looking down and watching over everyone.  I can’t help but feel like this is just the beginning of a chain of amazing events for this family as a station, and his family beyond the station.” He looks at me.  I know that I am up next.  “Now every year we ask the family if they want to say a few words, and Jo, his wife would like to say a few words to everyone.”  I stand up and start toward the stage.  Once I am standing I look out and realize there a lot more people here that I thought there would be.

“Hi everyone,” I smile.  “Wow, I don’t think I have seen a turn out like this before.  I want to thank you all for coming.  I apologize ahead of time if I start babbling,” I smile and I hear some people laugh.  I glance at Jake and he winks at me and smiles.  “I usually sit down and write something for this, but lately I have been doing much better just speaking my mind.  You know two years ago when Ed showed up on my door step to tell me that Jarrod was not going to be coming home I was in shock, it took me about a week to come to the realization that I was never going to see my husband again.  It hurt, more than I had ever imagined.  I think though, that I was feeling more for my girls than for myself.  They were still little and where just getting to know their dad, I had many years with him to know who he was.  I think in the back of both mine and Jarrod’s minds we always knew that it was a possibility that one of us would not come home one day.  I thought of course that my job would be a little more hazardous since I tend to get shot at every now and then, but we both knew it could happen.  Never in a million years did I want it to happen, Jarrod was a great guy.  I wish my girls could have gotten to know him more.  But they have memories of him, a lot of them.  And they have me, and many family members and friends to tell them what an amazing man he was,” I pause for a minute.  “I stand here today telling each and every one of you don’t overlook the moments that you have with someone, they can be taken away from you in the blink of an eye.  We had many plans for the future, but now I am living a new life.  I know for a fact that Jarrod is looking down on me and my girls.  He is guiding us as to what is the right path for us to follow.  He wants us to be happy.  In fact about three weeks ago I got a letter that he had written when I was nine months pregnant with our youngest daughter for a just in case this were to happen type thing.  He told me in that letter that he loves us, and wants us to be happy.  He is sending many new people into our lives and that is making me realize that you can’t live your life without actually living.  As much as Jarrod and I hated each other’s career choices we both knew it was what we were meant to do.  This is what he was meant to do, and even though he was taken away from the girls and I a lot sooner than I would have liked, I know he died doing what he was born to do, and that was to save lives,” I barely get the last sentence out and I start choking up.  I nod to Ed telling him I am done and I hear everyone start clapping.  Abby and Lizzy both meet me and the steps of the stage and give me a hug.  I just kneel there hugging them for a minute then stand up grab their hands and walk back to our seats.  I sit down and Jake puts his arm around me and kisses my cheek.

“I love you, and that was amazing,” he says in my ear.  I see Luke go up and start talking but I don’t really pay a lot of attention.  I am thinking about what I just said.  I meant what I said.  And I know now why Jake hates my career so much, he is scared of losing me before he is ready to give me up.

After about an hour of people talking about Jarrod we are all walking to the dinner hall to eat.  I get a lot of hugs and a lot of people tell me the loved my speech.  I smile and nod, it is all I can really do.  I grab some food and go sit by Jake and my parents and the girls.  We are sitting there eating when I look around and notice that there are still a lot of people there.  I see my team sitting a couple tables over and I see Molly is there with Ryan.  I see Annie and Michael down a ways on our table and I also see Mark and Lisa and the girls.  I really do have an amazing group of friends and family.

“Mom, where is Lucas?”  I ask.

“He is around somewhere, where do you think the food came from,” she smiles at me.  Just then I look up where all the food is sitting and see him talking to Danny.  I smile and wave to him.  He blows me a kiss. 

“Hey, I am going to run to the truck real quick, I will be right back,” Jake says to me.

“Ok,” I smile.  I watch him walk out of the hall and look at my mom.  She is smiling at me.  “What?”

“It’s amazing to see you so happy Jo, usually today is the hardest day for you.  Jake has truly made you happy.”

“He has,” I smile.  “He has done so much for the girls and I and there is nothing that I could do to ever repay him,” I smile.  “I can’t wait until we move into the house and are with him, the girls are so excited, and so am I.”

“We drove past that a couple days ago, it looks like it is going to be amazing.”

“Yes that it will be.  It is based off of the house he is in now with a few changes.”

“I’m so happy for you Jo,” my mom grabs my hand.

“Excuse me, everyone can I have your attention,” I hear Jake’s voice on a microphone.  Everyone gets quiet and looks at him.  I stare at him with my mouth open.  What is he doing?  “I wanted to say a few words to everyone that is here tonight.  I know a lot of you, a lot of you know me.  I have recently become a big part of Jo, Lizzy, and Abby’s lives and I have never been happier to be with someone.”  He looks at me.  “Now most of you know that she and I have only been together a short time, but we have done a lot together.  I feel like I have known Jo for a long long time.  We have accomplished a lot together, and I am sure that most of you have seen the news reports trying to make our relationship public, then trying to drag my name through the mud, and then there was the time when Jo got shot trying to save my brother, which is still a sore subject,” he smiles at me.  “I guess what I am getting at is she hasn’t given up on me and my ability to make things work between us.  She has done more than she realized for my family and I.  She has been there for me when I needed someone to talk to about things that were going on, she was there for my sister when she had some problems, she saved my brother from becoming someone that he wasn’t, and that is only the things that I have seen her do for my family.  This girl’s heart is as big as they come.  She would do anything for anyone, and that is why I love her so much.  So,” he walks over closer to me.  “I wanted to proclaim my love for her in front of her family and friends.  She told me when we first started dating that she has extended family.  I guess I didn’t realize that meant an entire fire department and police department, but I look around and see how much everyone here cares about her.  I know that I can never replace Jarrod, I told her that, and I’m not trying to.  I just want to fill that gap in her heart with my love for her.  Now, I know this is going to seem crazy, but I’m going to do it anyways.  Lizzy, Abby, will you girls come here for a minute?”  I see the girls get up and walk over by him and he bends down to get to their level.  “Now, I have already taken care of dad,” he smiles.  I look at John and he smiles at me and my mom is bawling.  I know right then what is coming.  “However, I feel like I need to ask you girls something.”  They both look at him.  He puts the microphone down and whispers something to them and I see their faces light up right away and they both start nodding.  “Ok then,” he smiles and gets off his knee then walks over to me and grabs my hand.  I stand up and follow him out to where the girls are standing and he gets down on one knee.  I hear gasping and I can hear a couple people crying and I can feel tears forming in my eyes.

“Jodene Marie Lewis, I love you with my entire heart.  I have since the day that you tripped over your heels and knocked me over at the bar.” I can’t help but let out a little laugh when he says this, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you please do the honor of becoming Mrs. Jackson Adams,” he pulls a ring out of his pocket and holds it up to me.  I have to stop my jaw from hitting the floor that is the biggest diamond I have ever seen.  I look down into those amazing blue eyes and nod.  How can I say no to a man that makes me feel like his love is never ending?  He slips the ring on my finger and stands up and pulls me into a deep sensual kiss.  I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back.  I hear everyone cheering and clapping and I don’t care.  I am in the arms of the man that I love, and I am going to marry him.