Link: Every Day Is Your Last Title Page and Description

--

Rich didn't ever tell me much about the time he spent in jail. He just would say, 'It wasn't that bad, really.' and change the subject. When Jack told the police that he hit Rich first and refused to press charges on the assault, the DA dropped the pending charges. Jack told me he was contacted by the DA while in the hospital saying they had filed assault charges against him, but Rich pled the fifth because testifying against Jack would incriminate himself, leaving no witnesses and a really weak case. So in the end, the whole matter was dropped and neither one was convicted of anything.

Jack spent the next three months in physical therapy. The only thing that kept them afloat was the money that Frank Hargrave gave them to help out. Rich said his dad felt responsible for the whole thing because he did nothing to stop Judith from playing matchmaker with the neighborhood floozy, not caring if Jack got hurt in the process.

He took classes between therapy sessions by state appointed tutor until he was able to come back to school, but by then it was early April and there was less than ten weeks of school left. Richard had classes to make up from his jail time, so he had to quit his job and go back home to have any chance of graduating with his class.

Rich told me the most about when Jack finally was able to go back to school. Jack didn't like talking about it, but he had the best stories about the things going on outside of school.

---

Richard waited in his car. If we don't leave soon we're gonna be late. He was just about to go back in and check on Jack when he came hobbling out on his cane. The neck injury damaged some nerves and it was taking extra effort to get full mobility back in his legs, but the prognosis was good that he would be able to walk down the aisle for his diploma unassisted.

Richard got out and opened the car door for him.

"You don't need to do that, Rich. I'm not an invalid! Just a cripple!"

"I do if we want to make it on time. Hurry up!"

Jack slowly lowered himself into the seat of Richard's station wagon. Pulling the cane in, Richard slammed the door and ran to the other side. Jumping in, he sped off down the road toward their school.

"I know you're the criminal type, but I would like to get there in one piece!"

"Fine, grandma!" Richard smiled as he slowed to the posted speed and turned to look at Jack. "Better?"

"Great! Now just watch where you're going."

Parking in one of the school's handicapped spaces, Richard jumped out and helped Jack up on his feet and stayed with him until he reached the office.

"Are you OK from here?" he asked.

"Yeah, Rich! Go on! You don't want to be late, too! See you at lunch."

Waiting in the office to be admitted back into school, the recently promoted Principal Ford came out to greet him.

"Welcome back, son. Getting around OK?"

"Good as can be expected, sir. Had a little trouble getting ready this morning, so I'm running behind. Well, not running..."

Harry Ford laughed, his obese form shaking slightly. It was a simple deep laugh that was barely noticeable, but sincere. "That's OK, Jack. We'll see to it you get where you need to go." He turned and snapped his bulky fingers. "Angie! Get Mr. Dunning here his re-admittance papers." He nodded slightly to Jack before slowly returning to his office.

Angie Green had been the school secretary for more years than anyone could remember. She quickly found the file and walked over to the desk. "Here's the form. Do you have your notice from the school district for your missed time?"

Slowly, Jack pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Sorry." he said as she impatiently snatched it from his fingers.

She looked him over. "You seem healthy enough. No casts."

Jack slowly shook his head. "Nerve damage, Ms. Green."

"What, were you hit by a speeding car?"

"Nightstand." Jack retorted with a smile.

She almost just accepted the answer, but then did a double take. "You were hit by a speeding nightstand?"

"Fell on it. Almost broke my neck." he answered seriously.

"Oh." she replied. "Well, give me a minute and I'll get your pass and you can run off to class."

"Nice trick if you can manage it!" Jack yelled after her.

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. Getting around was slow, but Jack had gotten used to that. He was beginning to wonder if he would ever be fully mobile again as he made his way to the lunchroom, finally seeing Richard sitting at their usual table with three trays.

"Jack! I already have your lunch!" he yelled.

Lowering himself into his seat, he looked at the trays. "Hungry much, Rich? I know I can't eat all that! You need me to do something to curb your appetite again?"

"No." Richard looked down. "I got you your usual and this tray's mine."

Jack looked at the third tray curiously. "Will our mystery guest enter, and sign in, please?" he said, quoting a line from an old TV show.

"Jack?"

Turning slowly to look behind him, Jack's heart fluttered. "Wendy." he said coolly, turning back to his tray.

The girl sat down with space between them, not wanting to sit too close. "Jack, I... I wanted to talk to you. I hope you don't mind. I asked Rich to arrange it."

"Well, I seem to be a captive audience, seeing as I can't outrun either of you two." He picked up a fry and slowly chewed it.

She laughed a little, but soon the awkwardness started to build.

"Jack, I wanted to tell you I'm sorry." she began. "I... I was really upset when I heard you got hurt. I went to the hospital a couple times to see you. I've been doing a lot of soul searching and... well... I was really unfair to you! When I got back from my vacation last year, I... I lied to you. I never found anyone in Florida. I let Anne and Beth talk me into dumping you."

Jack dropped his half-eaten fry. "Anne. Figures. That girl is like Typhoid Mary. Everywhere she goes she spreads just a little ray of her particular brand of sunshine."

Richard sighed. "I know you have a lot of reasons to hate her Jack, but..."

"I don't hate her." he said emotionlessly as he resumed eating.

"Well it sure sounds like it! Typhoid Mary?"

"I'm out of practice. I'll come up with a funnier joke on next week's show."

"Jack, I... I wouldn't blame you if you hated me." Wendy looked down ashamedly. "I guess I was just too willing to go along with whatever other people think, but I hope someday you can forgive me for being so stupid."

"You're forgiven, Wendy. And I don't hate you." Jack said around a fry. "I don't have the strength to be carrying around all the grudges I could. I... I owe you an apology, too."

She looked at Jack in surprise. "You have nothing to apologize for, Jack! You didn't do anything to deserve the way I treated you!"

"It's not about what you did, it's about what I did, and what I didn't do that I should have." Jack sighed. "When I asked you to be my girlfriend, I knew you only said yes to go along, but I didn't try and stop you. I let it happen when I knew I shouldn't because I wanted to believe it. Then when you broke up with me, I took a grotesque amount of joy at you being humiliated by Ox. I hope you can forgive me."

Wendy was taken aback. "Well, I... uh... I guess I can forgive that. I hurt you pretty bad, so I understand. I thought some pretty horrible things about you too, and I... um... well... I said some pretty bad things, too."

"Anything I can't live down?"

"Probably." she answered honestly. "I don't think you'll be getting a date for Senior Prom, and that's my fault, too."

"That's OK, I probably won't be able to dance by then anyway." he joked.

Deciding it was his turn to speak, Richard was much less forgiving. "Wendy, he may forgive you, but I don't. I don't think I ever will. I had to sit by and watch as Jack spiraled down into the worst state of depression possible and not be looking to eat a bullet. First of all, I don't believe you when you say you're sorry. If you really were, you'd ask for him back. I think you were just bored with Jack because he didn't have a fancy car or lots of dough to throw at your feet after my Mom stopped paying you to date him."

He took a moment to let what he was saying sink in. "Second, even if what you say is true, your inability to just tell Anne to 'ef off' like I did when she made me chose between her and Jack caused him so much pain and suffering that I don't think there's enough forgiveness in the world for you. I honestly hope you rot in Hell for what you did to him!"

Wendy held back her tears. "I... I understand. I don't blame you. You're right. I'm still letting her tell me what to do. Why did you even set this up for me?"

He stared across the table at her with boiling anger in his eyes. Keeping his voice low, Richard practically growled his response. "Because this isn't about you, Wendy! It's about Jack! He needed closure and told me last week that he wanted to apologize to you for giving you what I think you deserved! I may think he's crazy for wanting to apologize, but I'll be damned if I was gonna stand in his way! He deserved it!"

Standing slowly, Wendy picked up her tray. "I... I guess I deserved that, too." Turning to Jack, she smiled slightly. "I do honestly wish you all the best, Jack. Just for the record though, I said yes because I really wanted to. It... it was the one time I did something because it was what I wanted to do, not because someone else did, and not just because Mrs. Hargrave offered to pay me. I... I know I took her money, and then broke up when she stopped, but I really did want to like you. I won't bother you anymore." Carrying her tray away, she dumped it in the trash uneaten, running from the cafeteria in tears.

"You should forgive her, Rich. If not for her sake then for yours." Jack said.

"I don't get it!" Richard answered back. "You spend four months in misery because she flakes on you, and now you're all philosophical about it?"

"A little thing called perspective." he answered, pushing his pizza around with a fry. "When I was out, I was still thinking. I could even sometimes hear people. Couldn't understand them for shit, but I heard them. It was like a hundred eternities there. You can do a lot of thinking in that much time."

"So, Dali Lama. What's the word from on high then?"

"Drop your baggage. A laugh is worth more than gold. Forgiveness isn't for the person that screwed with you, it's for you. When you see a chance to do some good, don't pass it up. When you have the chance to get even, don't."

Richard shook his head. "Sounds easy, but also sounds impossible."

"That's when you forgive yourself, for the crime of being an imperfect and flawed human being." Jack smiled. "To boil it all down, cut yourself and everyone else some slack!"

As time wore on however, Jack started to find it harder and harder to keep his new outlook. It seemed the stronger his body got, the weaker his new attitude became. He became increasingly agitated over a very short time, and after six weeks Richard sat with him to talk again.

Hearing a knock on the garage door, Jack turned to look and saw Richard smirking at him.

"What's so damn funny?" Jack asked as he put down the five-pound weight.

"You! That's what. Working out? Aren't you afraid you're going to ruin that marvelously gelatinous physique of yours?"

Jack shook his head. "Can it, Rich! I need to do my P.T. if I ever wanna be normal again."

"Bull!" Richard laughed as he walked into the garage that had become Jack's physical therapy room. "You're doing way more than the therapist required. Free-weights? Who do you think you're kidding?"

"OK! So I want to be more than a ninety pound weakling my entire life! Is that so terrible? Besides, I need to be in some sort of decent shape to pass MEPS." Jack said between breaths. Wrapping a towel around his neck, he walked over to the weight machine that Richard's father had bought him.

Richard stood and walked around the garage, seemingly at random. "No, I suppose it's fine, but your attitude is changing with your newly discovered muscles. Just a few weeks ago you were all Zen and peaceful. Now you bite my head off for a simple question."

Lying down, Jack started leg lifts. "You want to talk about my attitude? Fine. Lets talk about yours while we're at it. Don't you think you're about done walking on eggshells around me all the time?"

"Fine!" Richard barked. "Let's drag it all out then! I nearly killed you, Jack! Over you falling asleep on my bed! What does that say about me?"

He stopped lifting and looked at Richard. "Well, for starters it says no one should ever screw with your sleeping arrangements!"

"Knock it off, Jack! I'm being serious! Can't you be? Does everything always have to be one big freaking joke to you?"

Jack stood up slowly. "OK, lets be serious. You nearly killed me. OK. So now what? What to you want me to do, Rich? Hate you for it? Yell at you? Punch you? I was being a self-centered bum and you know it!"

"Alright fine, Jack! Yes! I want you to hate me! I want you to yell at me! Hell, take a free punch! You owe me one! But your Zen halo is slipping and that self-centered jerk is starting to come back!"

"Bum, not jerk." Jack nit-picked.

"Whatever! God! Jack, you can't turn it off, can you? Always the comedian! Always need to go for the quick laugh!"

"It's who I am, Rich! Haven't you figured that out by now?"

"What are you hiding from, Jack!?"

"What? Now what are you going on about?" Jack looked at him perplexed.

"I'm talking about you! About your always-on comedy routine! You're hiding, Jack! Hiding from something that's been scaring you since before I even met you! Now the comedy bit isn't enough! You're hiding in this room! Hiding behind physical therapy! Hiding behind your near-death experience that seemed to put you at peace for a while, but now you act like you've totally forgotten about it!"

"Hard to forget an eternity floating around with nothing to do but think."

"So talk to me about it!"

Jack laughed. "Sure, pull up a chair! Have ya got a few thousand years to spare? That'll cover the beginning."

"It was an illusion, Jack! Drugs messing with your head and sense of time!"

He stormed up to Richard, his eyes burning with anger. "No it wasn't, Rich! Drugs can't let you contemplate your life a few hundred times! It was real!" He stared at his friend a moment before turning away. "It was terrifying."

"What was so damn scary?"

"Me! That's what! I looked my life over a hundred ways and it all added up to one thing! Nothing! Just a big waste of time!"

Sitting down on the free weight bench, Richard looked at Jack. "What did you expect? You're only seventeen, dude! What, you thought by now you'd have cured cancer or something?"

"It's not just that!" Jack snapped back. "It's like my whole life is just some big joke! Joke of the universe! The world's biggest situation comedy! God wanted to see what would happen if he gave an old infertile couple a baby! Hilarity ensues! Ha! Ha!"

Sighing, Richard stood up. "So that's it? That's what's been eating you up? You were born to an old couple?"

"Mom's sick, Rich!" Jack barked. "She won't tell me what's wrong, but I can see it in her eyes! She's dying! Dying of old age or something and her only child isn't even out of high school yet!"

Silence hung in the air while the two friends looked at one another, whole volumes being spoken without a word.

Walking over to Jack, Richard put a hand on his shoulder. "I... I'm sorry, Jack." He wrapped his arms around his buddy and hugged him. "Is there anything I can do?"

Jack strained just trying to not cry. "No. I don't even know what can be done. Like I said, she won't talk to me about it." Jack let Richard go and walked around the room like a caged animal. "I just feel so... so useless! On top of all that, I have no outlet! Nothing fun to look forward to! Ever!" Jack sat and looked at the floor. "So anyway, how've you been?"

"Can't complain." Richard shot back. "Oh, there's the usual things. Money, girls, school, girls, graduation..."

"...girls!" they said together.

"Have a date for the Prom?" Jack wondered.

"No." Richard shook his head. "Doesn't seem to be in the cards, anyway. Ah! It's not important. Just the end-all be-all that everyone and their mother has been hammering on for weeks about. Nothing too important, though."

"Yammering, not hammering. Don't corrupt the language." Jack half-smiled.

"No, I mean hammering! After the thousandth time someone asks you 'Have a date for the Prom?' the words start to feel like a hammer beating into your skull!"

"Guess I'm lucky." Jack commented. "No one has even brought it up to me."

"Think they're afraid how you'll react. You tend to have a viscerally negative response to any and all mention of the word 'Prom', for some reason."

"Gee, can't imagine why! My last one ended just marvelously, didn't it?"

"You seemed to think so at the time, gut punches excluded, of course."

"Hindsight, my boy. Hindsight. If I had to do it all over again... Ah, hell! Who am I kidding? I wouldn't change a thing!" he laughed.

"Really? Why not?"

"Part of my eternal self analysis." Jack looked over at Richard. "I figured out that every part of my life was important, especially the bad stuff. I need it or else I wouldn't be me, I'd be someone else... and I like me."

"Wow, Jack! That's... profound!"

"I'll try not to make a habit of it. The wear and tear on my poor bruised body to get me there is murder!"

"So then... not going?" Richard asked nonchalantly.

"Going?"

"To... the... Prom!" Richard sounded out each word slowly.

Flinching like he'd just been slapped, Jack looked away. "Oh, that! Well let's see... I don't have a date, I don't have a tux, I don't have tickets, I don't have money to get tickets, don't have a way to get there or back... There's literally no end to the list of things I don't have in order to go to this clam bake, so... maybe?"

"I was talking to your mom the other day and she's worried about you. She seems to think you should go."

Picking up the five-pound weight again, Jack started exercising his other arm. "I really don't want to disappoint her, but I just don't see it happening, Rich. I would have had to start preparing for it a while ago. Days even!" He stopped working out and looked at Richard. "You're driving at something."

"Who? Me?" Richard looked astonished.

"OK, let's start with who."

"What who?"

"You expect me to go stag to this thing? Who? You obviously have someone in mind or you wouldn't have brought it up. A name! I assume this girl has one." Jack looked sideways at Richard. "It is a girl, isn't it?"

"If you asked her, I bet your dear Wendy would go with you." Richard's voice dripped with loathing as he spoke her name.

"Ugh! No more pity dates! You don't have to say her name like it's 'Hitler', either. You gotta let that go, man. It'll eat ya' up inside."

"Fine. Is there anyone you want to go with?"

Jack sighed as he put the weight down once more and stretched his arm. "I'm sorta out of the loop. I don't know who's available to turn me down. So... no, but like I said, I know you, Rich. You already have someone in mind, don't you."

"You wouldn't consider a blind date would you?"

"Oh, that would be great! I can see it now. 'Daddy? Who did you take to the Senior Prom?' 'Well, I never really caught her name, sweetie.' I don't think so."

"And stag's right out?"

"With the trash." Jack answered as he started to put away the weights.

"You could always go with my sister!" Richard joked.

"Buttons! Don't be grotesque, Rich! She's not a girl! Not one someone my age should be staying out late with, anyway. Or any age really until she's at least eighteen! I'd get arrested for violating her curfew or contributing to the delinquency of a minor or something! I mean, don't get me wrong... I love Buttons... but she's your sister! Taking Buttons would make me one of those creepy guys! Besides, she just thinks I'm her brother's weirdo friend! Next?"

"Hmm... it does present a problem. I don't suppose you could, ya know, trust me or anything." Richard asked.

"Of course I would!" Jack stated obviously. "Who is the hero in this story? You! I'm just your professional victim, remember?"

"So that's it then. You're going to the Prom and I'll take care of everything."

"With a date, that's not a blind date, and actually wants to go with me?"

"Yep."

"Tickets? Dinner? Money?"

"Yep, yep, and yep."

"Transportation? That clunker of yours won't cut it. If you are so fired up for me to go to this dog and pony show, I want a nice ride. Go in style for once!" Jack walked toward the door to the garage.

"Doable. So it's settled, then?"

"One other thing..."

"Oh, here it comes! The caveat. I knew you wouldn't make it that easy."

Jack stood next to the door, blocking it. "Nothing like that. It's just..."

"Spit it out, boy!"

"When is Prom? Honestly, I don't know! I've been a little... preoccupied." Jack gestured to the collection of weight machines.

"Oh! It's tomorrow night." Richard said nonchalantly.

Jack chuckled. "Pushing it a little aren't you? What if I'd said no?"

"Never would have happened." he dismissed the idea. "What? You think I didn't know I could needle you into it when I came in here?"

"I suppose you're right. After all, you did!"

After a Saturday afternoon trip to the barber, Jack was pleasantly surprised that by four Richard had brought him his tuxedo. By five Jack was sitting in his living room ready to be picked up. He found himself wishing Mary was up, knowing she would be getting more out of this than he was, but she'd been in her bedroom all day, only coming out to have breakfast. She seemed tired, distracted, and unfocused. Jack wondered how long it would be before she wouldn't even be able to take care of herself, let alone him.

Hearing a car pull up, he looked out the window to see a black limousine parked in front of his house. Richard had come though so far and now Jack found himself anxious to find out who his 'not a blind date' was. He figured it must be a girl he knew, but had never considered, but he quickly dismissed that idea as he believed there was no such thing as a girl he didn't consider.

When he heard Richard knock, he quickly opened the door. "Rich! Looking good! Where's the girl? We need to go pick her up?"

"Anxious much, Jack?" Richard shook his head. "And no, we don't need to go get her. She's here."

"Well, why didn't you ask her in?" Jack scowled at him.

"Because you need to ask her out, dear!"

Jack turned at his mother's voice and was stunned by the sight that greeted him. His mother was wearing a beautiful pink satin gown. It was obviously not a modern design, one that was more reminiscent of the fifties than the eighties. Gone was the gray of her hair, now tinted the blonde he'd seen in pictures of her from before he was old enough to remember, and she'd done her makeup beautifully. Altogether she looked twenty-five years younger, and she looked stunning.

"Well, dear? How do I look?" she asked, turning in place.

Jack smiled his half-smile and turned to Richard. "My mother. My mother. My mother! No matter how I say it, it keeps coming out the same!"

Mary frowned, thinking that she'd made a horrible mistake in agreeing to this with Richard. "Dear, if you'd..."

Jack turned around and looked at her. "It keeps coming out 'wonderful'! Mom, you look beautiful!"

"Thank you, dear." she smiled, blushing at the compliment. "So you wouldn't mind taking your Senior Mom to the Senior Prom?"

"Oh, Mom! You need to quit stealing my jokes! You keep this up and I'll have to start stealing Berl's stolen material to impress you! Where did you get the dress?"

"Do you like it? I haven't worn this since my fifteenth high school reunion! I know it's sort of old-fashioned. Will it do?"

"It looks beautiful on you, Mom! Don't you think so, Rich?"

He nodded. "So you two about ready?"

Slipping her arm around her son's, Mary nodded. "Whenever you are, dear."

The three made their way to the waiting limo. Climbing in and waiting to be taken to the dance, Jack turned to his mother. "Well, I won't have a girl I can make out with, but I think I'd rather be going with you than anyone I know." He sighed sadly. At least I know she won't break my heart.

"You better not try anything!" his mother joked, nodding toward Richard. "Our chaperone would be quite put out!"

"To say the least!" Richard added. "You two start kissing and I might just blow a gasket!"

"No worries there, Rich." Jack chuckled. "Don't get me wrong Mom, you look gorgeous tonight, but I just don't think I could look past the whole Mom thing. Oedipus, I ain't!"

"Can we change the subject, please?" Richard begged.

Arriving at the two teens' Prom, the three were shown to their table, each guest being grouped by request for the dinner that would precede the dance. Several of Richard's friends came by, offering for him to join them, but he kept refusing, choosing instead to stay with Jack and Mary no matter what.

After dinner, when Richard declined a dance for the third time, Jack scooted over to him and lowered his voice. "Look Rich, it's OK to have fun without me. This is your Senior Prom, too! You should enjoy it! After all, you're paying for it!"

"It fine, Jack." Richard insisted. "I just wanna make sure you're having a good time, is all."

"Richard?" Mary interrupted. "Go tell that pretty brunette that was just here that you've changed your mind and would love a dance." When the two of them looked at her surprised, she blinked back at them. "What? You two aren't nearly as sly as you think you are!"

After Richard got up and left to ask Sherry for a dance, Mary looked at her son. "You know, it's OK for you to ask someone to dance, too. Don't let me being here stop you from having a good time. I think you deserve it after all you've been through."

"Mom," Jack began. "I'm glad you're here! I want to spend time with you, not these jerks. Besides, I've wanted to talk to you for a while now." Taking a breath, he let it out slowly. "When I was in the coma, I... I saw Dad."

Mary drew in a sharp breath. "Jack! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to think your son had stripped his gears, Mom!"

"Nonsense!" she slapped his hand lightly with her gloved hand. "I would never think that!" Sighing, she looked at him. "Did he say anything?"

"Sorta." he replied shyly. "He... he helped me get back to you. I was lost, for a really long time. It... it felt like forever a dozen times over. I did a lot of thinking, not much else to do for eternity, and I... I learned a lot about myself. I haven't been a very good son to you over the years. I... I was... embarrassed... by you. I feel so ashamed for even admitting that."

"Jack, it's alright." she said, taking his hand in hers. "I... I understand. Your father and I were a lot older than your classmates' parents. It's part of the reason we never got involved in your school activities. We didn't... didn't want to embarrass you. So we let you do your own thing. I was so happy when you became friends with Richard! Your father and I were worried that we'd raised you such that you wouldn't be able to relate to your peers."

"You don't need to worry about it, Mom. I don't relate to them, but I don't care! I don't want to dance with any of these girls! They're all vapid and as shallow as a sidewalk puddle! I'm happy being me, and I wouldn't change it for anything! I think you and Dad did a great job of raising me, and even after Dad..." Pausing, he cleared his throat. "Well anyway, you're the perfect mother!" Hearing 'Songbird' begin, he stood and extended his hand to her. "And I would love a dance with my perfect mom!"

"Are you sure, dear?" she asked concerned. "I... I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. I know even walking is still hard for you."

Jack looked at the dance floor. "I think I can manage a dance or two, so long as it's slow like this!" He looked back at her. "Please?"

Taking his hand, Mary rose graciously. "I'd be delighted, young man!" she sighed as she followed him out onto the dance floor. As they danced together simply, she sighed. "You're a fine dancer, dear. How did you get to be so good? I know I didn't teach it to you! I'm terrible!"

"You're a great dancer, Mom!" Jack said defensively. "Are you having a good time? I know the songs they're playing aren't exactly off the Hit Parade, but some are kinda nice, don't you think?"

"Well, I like this one!" she smiled. "Reminds me of Benny Goodman!"

Continuing to dance, Jack laughed. "You know it's funny? I feel more at home with Benny Goodman, Uncle Miltie, Burns and Allan, Bing Crosby, Bob Cummings, and those people than anyone today. It's like I can relate to them better!"

Smiling, Mary shrugged. "Well then, I guess it was right when your father and I named you Jack! Did we ever tell you who you're named for?" Seeing him shake his head curiously, she laughed. "It was your father's idea! You're named after Jack Benny!"

"Funny, I feel more like Jack Lemon!" he chuckled, making Mary laugh along.

Swaying slowly to the tenor sax, Mary's smile slowly melted. "Thank you for tonight, Jack! I... I really wasn't sure about Richard's idea to have me be your Prom date, but I'm glad he talked us into it! I... I think we both needed it more than either of us will ever admit, each for our own reasons."

Furrowing his brow, Jack looked at her quizzically. "OK, I'll bite. I know why I'm happy to be here with you. Why did you need tonight?"

Gulping, Mary couldn't look her son in the eyes as she said it. "I... I saw the doctor a few days ago, Jack. I... I'm in the early stages of Alzheimer's, dear. Very soon, I... I won't be able to do things like this anymore. I just hope I can still remember tonight! It's been wonderful, Jack!"

Stunned at the revelation, Jack stopped dancing a moment before picking up again. "OK, Mom. Did... did the doctor give you any sort of idea how long before..." stammering to a stop, he couldn't ask without breaking down.

"It's OK, Jack!" Mary comforted him. "I have a while left! Years, with any luck! I might still be able to see my grandchildren, if you hurry!"

"Fat chance of that, Mom!" Jack chuckled. "Not with these girls, anyway! I'd have to meet someone really special. Someone who gets me and doesn't have any ulterior motives. I... I just want a girl that loves me... not what they can get out of me or who thinks they can make me better. None of the girls my age fit the bill."

"Then maybe you need to broaden your horizons, Jack." Mary offered.

"What?" he asked with a half-grin. "Date older women? No offense Mom, but I need to stick to girls between the ages of fifteen and twenty! You don't want your son to be accused of cradle robbing or falling for Mrs. Robinson, would you?"

"That's not what I mean, dear." she admonished his jumping to conclusions. "I mean, maybe there's someone for you that you've never considered, for one reason or another. Men often think a girl is unattainable or uninterested, even when all she wants is him. Your father was that way. I practically had to club him over the head before he realized I was in love with him!"

"OK, Mom!" Jack conceded. "I promise I won't put any girl on my 'out of bounds' list!"

When the song ended, they made their way back to the table, seeing Richard there with Sherry. Jack's benefactor stood for Mary as she sat back down, noting his friend's limp. "Do you need me to run back home and get your cane, Jack?"

Shaking his head, Jack grimaced as he sat back down. "It's fine, Rich. I don't know that I'll be dancing much more tonight, though."

"Oh, by the way." Richard noted. "This is Sherry. Sherry? Jack and Mary."

"Mary and Sherry," Jack commented. "Sounds like a vaudeville team!"

Sherry looked at him with a puzzled expression as Mary laughed. "A... huh?"

"Never mind." Jack shook his head. "Before your time."

"Yours too, dear." his mother added mirthfully.

"Not in my heart, Mom."

When the next song began, Richard and Sherry headed for the dance floor once more. Dancing together, Sherry asked, "So why is Jack here with his grandmother? Isn't that a little... odd?"

Defensive of Jack, Richard stopped dancing. "No it's not. And she's his mom, not grandmother." Taking a moment, he started dancing again and tried to explain. "Jack was in the hospital from December until last month, so he never got a chance to ask anyone. Besides, his mom isn't doing well. She... well, let's just say this might be her last chance at a fun night out."

"Oh! I didn't mean... oh, shoot!" Sherry admonished herself.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. You're new. Jack and I have been friends all through high school. He's a good guy."

"He seems sort of... well... different. I don't mean in a bad way, just... kind of... geeky!"

"He's just Jack." Richard shrugged. He spent the rest of the dance telling her how they'd become friends, Jack's unusual upbringing, and by the time they were heading back to the table, had just explained about Wendy.

"He must be pretty torn up." Sherry commented as they stopped near their table. She looked over at her other new friends. "Say, listen. I... I need to spend some time with the girls, but I'd like to get together sometime, if you would."

Jack smirked. "He says 'Yes'! Right, Rich?"

Turning from Sherry to Jack, Richard scowled. "I can answer for myself, thank you!" Looking back at her, he nodded and smiled. "I'd like that!"

While Sherry left to join her friends and Richard started to sit down, Mary stopped him. "Richard, you should go with her."

"But..."

With an exasperated sigh, Mary explained things to him. "Richard, when a girl says she wants to spend time with you, then leaves, she wants you to follow her! Trust me on this! I used to be a girl!"

"Get lost, Rich!" Jack smiled. "Go on! Who needs ya'!"

"You do, remember?" Richard shot back. "Who else is going to bail you out of trouble all the time?" he quipped before turning to follow her.