YOU JUMP, I JUMP
Chapter Five

April 10, 1933

Our house was in chaos.

The Stirlings were all here, and between them and us, you couldn’t move. Jack and I were at Mom’s bidding, running around, cleaning up this, off to the store for ice…to pick up the cake.

By noon, I was exhausted. Jack must have noticed, because he grinned at me.

"You think this is bad, Jamie? You have no idea." His voice lowered. "Women are crazy."

"Jack!" Mom had come up behind him. She half-heartedly smacked him. "Did you get the cake?"

"Yep. It’s in the kitchen."

"What about the—"

"All taken care of, Rose. I’m nothing if not efficient," he soothed.

"I’m sorry. It’s just between getting sick and helping Jo with her hair, I’m ready to collapse." She slumped against Jack’s arm.

"Hey, it’s okay, ya know? Weddings aren’t fun until they’re over." He laughed.

"Tell me about it," I added. "Where’s Johnny?"

"Oh, Dave is with him in the guesthouse," Mom replied. "I told them they could get ready here, but Jonathan didn’t want to accidentally see Jo before the wedding."

Jack chuckled.

"How is she doing?" he asked Mom.

"How do you think?" Mom asked sympathetically. "She’s doing her usual where she pretends to be calm, but you know she’s panicking on the inside so that we don’t worry about her."

"I’m going to go see her," Jack said, but Mom held his arm.

"First, get dressed and ready. Then come. Get Jamie ready, too. Luke is done."

"Aw…why do I have to wear a suit?" I moaned. She gave me the death stare.

"James Todd, get upstairs this minute."

"Ooh…" Jack said teasingly. "Better do it or her head will explode."

Mom growled at him.

"Rose, sit down before you collapse, okay?" he said, ushering me up the stairs.

"I think I’ll just rest my eyes for a moment," she said, sitting in a chair.

"Good," he said quietly so that she couldn’t hear. "She needs a nap. She didn’t sleep at all last night."

"Why?" I asked.

"She’s just…excited for your sister. And a little sad," he explained, pulling me into the room gently. Our clothes were laid out on the bed.

It’s much easier for men to get dressed. We were ready in seconds. Mom came tiredly into the room to survey us.

"Perfect." She yawned.

"Ma!" Jo called from in the hallway. Belinda appeared at the door first, all dressed up. She was standing up in the wedding with Gloria. Jo followed, and looked…well, like Jo, but a bride.

She looked really pretty.

"Wow," Jack said, looking at her. Jo smiled quickly.

"Thanks…um…" She turned to Mom. "I don’t have anything blue. I can’t wear this awful thing you gave me."

Mom laughed.

"Of course not. I cringe at the thought of it." The two shared a private giggle. Jack looked down at me in confusion.

"I have no idea," I said. Mom turned to us and noted the dual looks of bewilderment.

"Show them, Jo."

Jo opened her hand to reveal a big, ugly gemstone on a chain. I made a face.

"That is ugly," I agreed. I looked up at Jack for confirmation of this, but he looked strange. It was almost as if he wasn’t sure if he were amused or horrified.

"How…?" he asked in disbelief. "How did you get that?"

Mom smiled wryly, crossing her arms.

"Cal put his coat on me when…well, you know. Unfortunately for him, he forgot this was in the pocket." She took it from Jo. "Ugh." Jack took it gingerly from her.

"Why didn’t you sell it?" he asked. Shrugging, she took it back.

"I came close so many times…but I…I couldn’t. It was sort of like the only connection I had left to you."

"Besides me, of course," Jo piped in with a laugh.

"Right," Mom said, handing the necklace back to her. The clock began to chime that it was one.

"Where is Luke?" Jack asked.

"Right here!" Gloria said, coming into the room holding Luke’s hand. He was giggling. When Gloria let go of his hand, he ran straight to Jo, who messed his hair. Gloria looked even more pale than her usual self today, but somehow it only made her prettier. Her big blue eyes were wide with laughter.

"I think I hear my Mom calling us," Belinda said, starting toward the door.

"Tell them we’ll be right down, Lindy," Jo said, sending Luke off with her.

"I’ll join them, I think. Dave and Jonathan will meet us at the church." She hugged Jo quickly. "I’m so very happy for you, Jo."

"Thanks," Jo said, looking a little uncomfortable with everyone’s eyes on her.

"Get used to it, sweetheart," Mom said, seeing her discomfort. "In a bit, every eye in Boston will be on you."

"Great," Jo muttered.

"Come on, hon. The car is waiting," Mom said, pulling me along.

"Mom…" I groaned.

"Hush up," she scolded lovingly. "You are my escort, remember?"

"Yeah," I grumbled. Jo smirked, folding her arms.

The church was so crowded, everyone in Massachusetts had to be there. Jo was taken in the back so no one could see her. I saw Dave and Johnny standing near the door. Dave grinned at me. Johnny looked nervous. His stepmother was standing beside him, holding his hand. His two sisters were with Jo because they were walking down the aisle first.

"My goodness, he looks like his father," Mom said, smiling fondly at Jonathan before pulling me to the back room where Jo waited.

Jack and Jo were laughing about something when we walked in.

"I didn’t know!" Jo cried. "You said I wasn’t bad for a beginner."

"You should have seen her." Jack laughed. "She fell as soon as her skate touched the ice." I heard a sniff and looked up at Mom.

She was crying already. I tried really hard not to roll my eyes. Stupid girls.

"Oh, Mom…don’t…" Jo said, dropping her smile.

"I can’t believe this is happening," Mom said, hugging her. "I’m not ready to give you up."

"You’ll never have to give me up," Jo comforted, staying calm as always. I noticed her swallow, though, and I could tell she was really close to crying, too. Jack looked at the floor. Gloria, Belinda, and Johnny’s sisters all moved toward the window to give them some privacy.

"I feel like I never had you," Jack said quietly.

"See, that’s where you’re wrong…" Jo said, letting go of Mom. "Jack…" She stopped herself, smiling slightly. "Dad…you always had me." She took his hands and squeezed. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and they embraced.

Then she turned to me.

"Jamie…" she said, now sounding like she was near tears.

"Well, don’t look at me," I teased. "I’m glad you’re leaving!"

"James!" Mom said, looking ashen, but Jo burst into laughter. I smiled, too, as she crushed me into a hug.

"I love you, Jamie," she whispered.

"Yeah…yeah…" I muttered, patting her back. "Get off me."

"Rose?" Aunt Liz came into the room. "It’s time," she said. Mom nodded, holding out her hand to me. She touched Jo’s arm once before we left.

We walked down the aisle first to the front row, where Luke was already seated with Aunt Liz and Uncle Randy. Johnny and Dave stood at the front. Grace and Bianca Hockley were next to walk down the aisle. They were pretty girls, but all they talked about were boys and their hair. Belinda was next, her brown hair piled into pretty curls on her head. Finally, Gloria came out, looking pale still, but she was smiling so wide, I was sure it was my imagination.

And then came Jo.

Her gown was huge, the sleeves sitting off of her shoulders and the entire satiny thing covered with beaded lace. Her red curls were pulled up and adorned with a headband that held her veil. The veil covered her face. I looked at Jonathan.

I could have sworn I saw a tear.

"Who gives this woman to be wed?" the priest asked. Jo looked at Jack expectantly. He smiled affectionately.

"Her mother and I do." He pushed back her veil and kissed her cheek. I noticed him whisper something that I couldn’t make out, but both Jo and Johnny laughed.

He sat on the other side of Mom, winking at me in the process. The ceremony was torturously long, and right then I made a mental note not to ever get married.

"Do you, Jonathan Caledon Hockley, take this woman to be your wife?"

"I do," Johnny replied thickly, looking at Jo, whose face I couldn’t see.

"Will you honor her and protect her? Through sickness and in health, until death parts you?" the priest asked.

"I will," Johnny promised. I looked at the ceiling.

Jack must have noticed because he leaned down and whispered, "Not much longer." I sighed.

"And do you, Josephine Margaret Dawson, take this man to be your husband?"

"I do," Jo said in a tiny voice.

"Will you honor him and cherish him? Through sickness and in health, until death parts you?"

"I will," she breathed. Mom let out a breath, too. Jack squeezed her hand supportively.

Finally, they were announced husband and wife, and Johnny kissed Jo so fiercely, he had to catch her from falling back.

"That’s disgusting," I said with a grimace. Mom laughed through her tears and Jack picked up Luke, who had fallen asleep on the other side of him.

"Can we eat now, Mom?" I whined. She kissed my forehead.

"Yes, sweetheart. Let’s get to the Hockleys’ house."

The reception was miles better than the wedding itself. There was music and dancing and, best of all, there was an enormous cake.

"When can we eat that?" I asked, and Luke looked up at Jack.

"Is it Jo’s birthday?" he asked. Jack chuckled.

"No. When people get married, they have cake to celebrate it."

"Oh, okay."

"Let’s sit down," Mom said, guiding me toward where Jo and Johnny were. Jo grinned at us.

"Oh, good, you’re here," she said, taking Mom’s hand.

"I can’t believe this is real," Mom said quietly. "Everything is so different than it was a year ago."

"I know," Jo said as she linked her arm through Jonathan’s. "We were still in Iowa." She looked at Jack. "And you’re so happy now…"

"And the new baby," I added.

"Yes, which reminds me. We need to eat soon, because eating for two is a bit rough on the body."

"Very soon," Jack assured her. "Are you excited about your first night in the new house?" he asked Jo. Johnny had been steadily moving their things in for the past few weeks and had been living there to get it ready for them. Jo was going to officially be living there tonight.

"Actually…" Jo laughed, blushing. "I think both of us just want to sleep when we get home."

"It’s been a long day," Johnny agreed.

"I can imagine," Jack added, putting his arm around Mom’s shoulders. I noticed that she sort of leaned on him to hold her up.

"Sleep sounds wonderful." Mom yawned, agreeing.

The food was good, and the cake was even better. Luke was covered in frosting. So were Jo and Jonathan because they mashed the cake into each other’s faces. It was all very confusing.

"Now, we ask that everyone please give your attention to the dance floor as Josephine Hockley dances the first dance with her father." I noticed Jack swallow really hard as he took Jo’s proffered hand and led her to where the orchestra was playing. I heard a sniff and realized it was Mom.

"Why are you upset?" I asked her. She laughed, wiping her eyes.

"Oh, Jamie, I’m not…not at all. I’m happy," she explained, extending her hand to me. "James Todd Calvert, will you dance with your mother?"

"Do I have to?" I chanced. She grinned.

"Yes."

I followed her, and to my embarrassment, people were clapping when we started dancing. I heard a few ladies say, "Aw…"

"Mo-om," I complained. "These people are stupid. They’re all saying mushy things."

"Just bear with it, James. It’s one dance."

"Fine," I mumbled. "But I won’t like it." I heard her stifle a laugh as Jo and Jack moved past us. A moment of silence passed between us. "Hey, Mom?"

"Mmm?" she replied with a yawn.

"It’s gonna be weird, you know. When the new baby comes," I said honestly.

"I know, hon." Her eyes were soft. "Are you worried I won’t have time for you?"

"No," I answered. "Just, you know…worried about Luke. He never knew Daddy and…just, give him enough attention." Her lips curved.

"It’s nice to see you worried about him. Don’t worry. Jack and I plan on keeping both of you very involved with the baby. And we both love you two so, so much. No baby will ever change that."

"But Jo and the new baby are his real kids," I said stupidly, voicing my innermost fears. I really loved how Jack and I had bonded. I didn’t want him to forget about me when his own kid was born.

"Just because he wasn’t the man who fathered you doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be your father," she said easily. "Jamie, you two boys are all he talks about. The things he wants to teach you…he wants to take you to the cabin in Wisconsin this fall to go fishing and hunting."

"Really?" I asked, sounding overly excited.

"Yes." She chuckled as the song ended. Leaning down, she kissed my cheek. "Thank you for dancing with me. I love you."

"Love you, too, Mom," I said, wiping my cheek. When she wasn’t looking, I smiled.

Chapter Six
Stories