Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Author: SerenaJ
Title: Rachael and JD
Part: Chapter 10
Universe: Reedville and The Davidson Fishery
Summary: How JD fairs without her
Keywords: no sex

   Chapter 10: Long Night

   JD picked up another copy of Virginia Law Review and caught sight of the
clock as he did so.  2:46am.  Charles was no doubt long since in bed.  He
thought about turning in for the night himself and then imagined the cold,
empty room waiting upstairs.  He took another sip of bourbon and opened the
magazine.  One more, he thought to himself, one more issue and then I'll
turn in.

   This would be the 12th `one more issue' of the night.

   Sometime later Charles shook him awake.  It was well past sunrise and
his son was dressed, "Now, come on Dad, we had an agreement." Nominally
being that the office was Charles' during daylight and JD's at night.

   "I'm up." JD answered but neither opened his eyes again or made move to
get out of the chair.

   "You a lie." He shot back, poking him, "Come on, now.  Rise an' shine."

   JD swatted aimlessly at the poking finger, "Quit that, boy.  Show some
respect."

   The phone rang and frowned as Charles answered it.  He put the call on
hold.  "Alright now, Dad, that's uh conference call.  So you kin either
head on outta here or you kin talk ta Marcus.  Take yo pick."

   JD forced himself up, "I can't talk ta Marcus `fore I had a full pot uh
coffee.  I'm gettin'." He yawned and stumbled upstairs, "Need my own office
`round here." By the time he got to his room, however, he found he had no
desire to climb into bed.

   He looked at the headboard.  It was relatively new.  They had bought it
after the third time he tried to tie her down.  They spent so much time
laughing because her hands kept slipping free that he simply got dressed,
drove to the nearest store and bought the first bed frame with four posts.
Three hours later, she was strapped to the new frame and all laughter had
been exchanged for moans of pleasure.  Later that night, she tied him down
for the first time and he got to see what all the fuss was about.

   He smiled.  After that, they bought a couple pairs of padded handcuffs.
Much stronger - and less expensive - than his silk ties.  Neither of them
found pain much to their liking but a little bondage, a few toys and a bit
of latex does wonders for the imagination.  They were turning the basement
into a playroom and were considering making a small one in Reedville as
well.

   Were.  Past tense.

   He showered and dressed for the day.  After a quick cup of coffee and a
brief wave to Charles, he drove in to Washington.  Twice a week he met with
Bill to see how various issues were progressing.  So far, it seemed
productive.  Bill seemed to genuinely appreciate JD's insights and JD made
a point of not talking to Paul about policy decisions.  `The decision
process needs to be between Bill and Paul', JD reminded himself frequently,
`you in the way, old man.'

   He was very careful to avoid Helen when he was in the office.

   He was in the elevator on the way to the garage, when the doors opened
and Miss Bogud was the only one waiting.  He groaned silently but did not
speak.  She stepped on, looked at the lit button and waited for the doors
to close.

   "You're a jackass, you know that right?"

   "Good evening, Miss Bogud, I trust you had a pleasant day?" He did not
look at her, although for some reason, he could just remember how her skin
tasted.  It was a far more sensual thought than he wanted to have at the
moment and reminded him forcefully of just how long it had been since he
held Rachael.

   "She sleeps with one guy and you throw her out?  No discussion?"

   "Quiet day in our office.  Not much going on, overall." He continued as
if she's responded in kind.

   "I wouldn't care if she slept with one guy a day."

   "I suspect, Miss Bogud, that you would not care if she slept with one
man an hour.  You and I have slightly different criteria for fidelity."

   "Did you give her a chance to explain why it happened?"

   "Did she tell you who it happened with?"

   "You are an arrogant, self-righteous, mean-spirited, hypercritical
bastard and I hope you die alone." The elevator doors opened and Helen
strode out and across the parking lot.  JD watched her walk.  He did not
remember being a lecherous old man so he could not understand why all he
could think of while Helen was yelling at him was taking her into his arms
and burying his face in her more than ample cleavage.

   Die alone.  He seemed destined to now.  Without Rachael, days seemed
longer, work meaningless, family had become obligation.  Charles.  Charles
should be in Reedville with Lizzie and the children not in Falls Church
with his father.  Maybe then, JD should just retire from everything.  Bill
had the firm more or less under control.  The Fishery certainly did not
need him.  Falls Church was quiet and convenient.  He could just live there
off his annuity income without bothering anyone else.  Claudia was
re-married.  The boys were all grown.  Wilton had Rachael.

   The though always made him run cold, as if someone poured ice water
through his veins.  He seemed to have it at least once a day.  He found
himself standing next to his car and not quite sure how he got there or how
long he'd been there.  He was much more absent-minded of late.  One more
proof that he was an old man - too old to be chasing young girls barely his
son's age.  He got in the car and drove to a bar-and-grill near the house.
He ate there often enough that the wait staff recognized him, if they
didn't know him by name.

   He sat at the bar, ordered a sandwich and a bourbon and water and stared
at a matchbook cover.  He didn't have any contracts to review.  There was
no pending legislation to analyze.  No woman in his life to think about.

   "You alright?"

   He looked up to see the pretty, little thing tending the bar looking at
him.  She was small and almost elfin with short, dark curly hair around a
round face and bright green eyes.  He smiled wanly, "Fine, honey.  Thank
you."

   "You don't look alright."

   "I have just realized that I have outlived my usefulness." He said with
a deep sigh, "Happens to the best of us.  Don't you worry `bout me."

   "What happened to your daughter?"

   He frowned, "Mah daughter?"

   "Yeah, didn't you used to come in here with a tall girl, `bout 25, real
long hair?"

   He stared at the girl for a moment.  Daughter.  They thought Rachael was
his daughter.  "That" he cleared his throat, "That was my, uh, my
girlfriend.  My fiancée."

   She looked embarrassed, "Oh, my god.  I'm sorry I didn't mean....  She
looks really young." Then she leaned over to him, "Actually, we sort of had
a kind of running thing around here `cause we weren't sure." She stood back
and grinned, "So I'm kind of glad I asked.  So where is she?"

   JD tried to get his face and emotions under control, "We, uh, we are no
longer seeing each other."

   "Oh," she lamented, "I'm so sorry to hear that.  Well, you'll find
someone new.  You're young.  You're cute." She tapped his glass, "Refill?"
He nodded and she popped down the bar.

   Young.  Cute.  Two words that even Rachael would never have applied to
him.  He was neither young nor cute.  Nor was he open, friendly or likely
to find someone else.  Die alone; Helen's words came back to him.  The girl
brought his drink and a few minutes later his dinner.

   "So.  How'd you two meet?"

   He shrugged, "She worked in my office."

   "Ooooh.  Interoffice romance.  Cool." She stole a french fry from his
plate "How long were you together?"

   "Approximately uh year an' uh half." He watched her steal another fry,
vaguely amused by the audacity, "Are you plannin' ta eat mah whole meal
while you interrogate me or is they a fee I am heretofore unaware of?"

   "Oh, sorry." She colored slightly and JD was struck by her high,
delicate cheekbones and olive skin tone.  "You never finish them, so I sort
of thought you wouldn't mind."

   He couldn't help himself smiling, "I don't.  But you young folk don't
know how ta ask `fore ya take.  No manners these days."

   "You should smile more." Someone called her name.  She took another fry
and she trotted back down to the other end of the bar.

   `She can't be more than twenty-two.' he thought to himself.  `Good Lord,
this is disgraceful.  Man my age ought ta have more sense than ta-` He
thoughts derailed as he watched while she bent over and struggled to reach
something behind the cooler, her round ass unconsciously twitching in front
of him.  `Lord uh mercy.'

   He and Rachael were just beginning to experiment - successfully - with
anal play when she left.  No, he reminded himself, when I told her to
leave. When I sent her without delay or hindrance into Wilton's arms.  He
shivered.

   Die alone.

   He finished his drink and paid for his meal.

   "You want me to wrap this to go?  You barely touched it."

   "You finish it.  You could use a little meat on them bones." "How would
you know" she smiled.  If he were younger, he would have thought it a
seductive smile.  "Or were you looking for a new baby girl?"

   "Young lady, you far too young fo' me ta look at."

   "So why you still looking?"

   He sat down again, "Now tell, me somethin' and be honest, now.  If-n you
had a choice `tween me an' my twenty-some-odd year-old son, who would you
go out with?"

   She started to answer, then stopped, "Depends.  Is your son like you?"

   `Hell no' he thought, `I've never stolen a woman.' She touched his arm
and he looked at her.  If the look on her face was a reflection of his then
he was not handling this well.

   "Oh my god.  What a bitch!  She dumped you for your son?"

   He tried to smile, "Oh, it ain't all that.  She was too young fo' me
anyhow."

   "You're not that old.  What, like around fifty?"

   "Older than that, I assure you."

   "Well it doesn't matter.  If she dumped you like that, she's a bitch. 
And if she did it for your son, she's a whore and a bitch.  I would never
do that."

   "Wouldn't you?"

   "No.  I really wouldn't." Someone called her name again and she patted
his arm affectionately.  Then she stopped and suddenly kissed his cheek.

   He drove home.  Charles was in the office, on the phone so JD went into
the living room, poured himself another drink and turned on the TV.  He
scrolled through the channels without any real interest.  Rachael watched
TV.  Undoubtedly, she was watching it now.  With Wilton.

   He finished his drink and poured another.

   An hour later, Charles joined him in the living room.  They sat together
flipping through channels on an endless loop.

   "How long you gonna be doin' this?" Charles finally asked.

   "Oh, I expect I'll head on up ta bed soon enough." JD sighed.

   "No, I mean all uh this." Charles gestured vaguely at the house. 
"Livin' here `steada at home.  Drinkin' yo'self ta sleep providin' you
actually go ta sleep.  Wanderin' `round like the livin' dead."

   JD shrugged, "'Bout four months after yo' mamma left me.  I `spect I'll
be comin' `round soon enough."

   "You need to get out.  Meet people.  Get a hobby."

   "I meet someone today.  Had dinner with a charming young woman.  Chrissy
- or Christy - not quite sure which.  She felt sorry enough for me ta kiss
me."

   "So?  Call her up.  Take her out.  Stop sitting here doin' this.  Dad,
it's like I'm watchin' you dyin'."

   "Ain't all that." JD shrugged and took another swallow of bourbon,
"'Sides, I'm old.  Old men die.  That's the way uh things.  You need ta
head home.  Go on back.  Bad habit, livin' apart from yo' family.  I
shoulda never done it.  I shoulda insisted that yo momma bring you boys up
here."

   "Or you coulda stayed in Reedville with us."

   JD nodded.  "I was a bad father, wasn't I?  Don't you follow mah
footsteps, son.  You be with yo' boys.  Stick close ta Ms.  Lizzie.  Make
sure they know you love `em."

   "Great.  Tomorrow, we'll pack an'..."

   "Tomorrow you'll pack."

   "I go home when you do."

   "I have no home." JD hadn't meant to say that but it was true.  He
looked at Charles, "Home is where the heart is an' she took that with her."

   "Daddy, I know."

   "You couldn't.  Lizzie ain't never done nothin' like this."

   "Lizzie done stepped out on me more times-n I kin count."

   "Not with yo' son."

   "No - but only `cause they both under age.  Jus' with both mah brothers,
mah cousin an' half mah teammates." He looked away, "She, uh, she ain't no
saint.  But then, neither am I so's I ain't got no right ta talk."

   JD stared at him.  "Both?  An' George?  Are you sure?"

   "Edward got three little girls, Daddy.  An' nobody sure who's child
Peter is.  Only one I'm sure is mine is Robert an' I ain't never check that
`cause I'd just as soon not find out I'm wrong about him too."

   Charles first-born son was another man's child.  Beth was Edward's child
not Charles.  It was a greater betrayal than he could have though possible.
JD put his hand on Charles' shoulder, "Son.  Oh god, son, I'm sorry."

   "Water under the bridge.  Me an' Lizzie made our peace a while ago. 
Edward don't know I know an' I ain't fixin' ta tell him."

   "I failed all ya." JD whisper to himself.  All these years, he thought
he'd been a passable father - not the best but at least had taught his sons
ethics and pride.  Learning that they were lecherous, deceitful....  He was
to blame.  He should have taken a stronger hand; he should have been there
more instead of concerned with his own personal quest for recognition and
power.

   "You didn't fail anyone, Dad.  If anything, you taught me an' Edward
both that family come first.  He loved Lizzie but he stepped aside `cause
uh family.  An' I forgave `em both.  Truly.  I love Beth both an' I don't
care who her father is `cause she's my baby girl.  That's mah point, Dad.
If-n you think you love this woman, then you gonna have ta forgive her. 
An' if-n you can't, then you don't rightly love her an' it's high time to
move on.  Sometimes you gotta fight ta land `em an' sometimes you gotta cut
bait.  I don't know which one this is, Daddy, but you gonna have ta pick
one."