Washing windows was never one of Max's favorite jobs to do, but it had to
be done. The interviews for the barmaid position earlier had not gone the
way he wanted. He was spoiled by Jordan being there. He would miss her
banter with the regulars and her gentle, but firm way of handling the
drunks. He'd even miss the way she would smile at old man Sullivan when
he'd grab her bottom. Sully just lived to come in here and flirt with
Jordan.
'Sully had to be as old as Moses' Max mused 'He was one year away from retirement when I was a rookie. But he was still young enough to notice a beautiful woman.'
What was it about Jordan that attracted cops? Before he retired he noticed half the force sit up and take notice of his little girl when ever she walked into the office. He was able intimidate most of the 'would be' suitors with just one look. But there were a few that would sneak in under the radar. Luckily Jordan herself would shoot them down. At least all of them until Hoyt came along.
He shouldn't be too upset with the prospect of Woody being a part of her life. It's not like he ever did anything to discourage it. He hated to admit it but he actually pushed Jordan towards a friendship with him. The signs were all there that it would eventually turn into something more. With a slight chuckle he throws the wash rag back into the bucket. Hoyt is a good man. The buzz from the department on him was all very positive. He's intelligent and has a good heart. Above all he seems to love Jordan very much. If she had to pick a cop for a father for his grandchild he was glad it was Woody.
A grandchild... Actually he's been looking forward to this day for years. He wishes Jordan were properly wed first, but the idea of a sweet smelling bundle just warms his soul. Jordan wouldn't exactly be June Cleaver but she'll be a good mother and with the support of family and friends what ever choice she made in regards to her relationship with Woody would not matter.
Satisfied with the window Max picks up the wash bucket and heads back inside.
Just as he is to step into the store room he hears "Dad, you here?"
"Back here honey. I'll be out in a second." Max yells out to Jordan.
Jordan steps around the bar and grabs a coffee cup. She's about to pour when Max comes into the room. "Honey don't you think you cut back a little on that stuff?"
Self conscientiously Jordan puts the cup down.
"Dad, I'm glad your here. I need to talk to you."
"I'm always here for you honey and you know that." Max says taking a seat at the bar.
"Dad, I need to know how you got the idea I was pregnant." Jordan says looking at the floor.
"Are you telling me your not?" Max tried to hide the note of sadness in his voice.
Jordan looked up and reaches out to hold his hand. "Just answer the question."
"Woody told me when he stopped by yesterday..." Max answers.
Jordan couldn't believe her ears. Woody?
Max continues "...I have to tell you I was in a state of shock. I didn't even know you two were...you know...until yesterday morning. And now I find out I'm going to be a grandfather." The look on Max's face took Jordan by surprise.
"Why Dad, one would think you are excited about the prospect of being a granddad." Jordan smiles and leans in closer.
Max harrumphs "I always thought you'd eventually have children Jordan. I just thought you'd have a husband first."
Max lets go of her hand and walks over to the arrangement of tables and begins to set the chairs to the floor. 'I have to get ready to open, you want to help me?"
Jordan walks around the bar and begins to help her father. After a few moments of silence Jordan says "Ah Dad, I have something to tell you I hope you're not disappointed..." She couldn't finish her statement because the door to the pub was thrust open and a disheveled Woody walks in quickly looking around the empty bar.
Finally catching sight of Jordan and Max he says "Thank God I found you..." He walks up to Jordan and takes her into his arms and holds her for a second. Stepping back he studies her face for a second and then turns to Max and says "Mr. Cavanaugh"
"It's Max, Woody" Patting him on the shoulder Max says "I'm going back to the store room and give you two some privacy."
Woody lets out a relieved sigh as Max leaves the room. Turning back to Jordan he takes her by the arms "Jordan, we have to get going, our flight leaves in 2 hours."
"Flight...?" Jordan looks up at him confused.
"Yes, I have two 'E' tickets for Reno....the Vegas flight was booked. If we catch this flight we have time to get married and catch the return flight this evening."
Jordan put on the brakes as Woody began to drag her toward the door. "Stop!...less then 24 hours ago I turn down a diamond.... and now we're off to elope...."
"I have the ring somewhere..." Woody gropes around his suit jacket. He produces it and taking the ring out of the box he quickly slips it on her finger. Before Jordan could admire the sparkle Woody grabs her hand and starts for the door again.
Once again Jordan extricates herself from his grip.
"Jordan, if you're worried about Macy I talked to him...as long as we're back by morning..."
Jordan had to almost laugh at the frantic look on Woody's face.
"Woody, why don't you sit down before you fall down."
Woody takes quick look at his watch and then rakes his hand through his hair. Quickly he looks right and left to find the nearest seat. Sitting down he says "Jordan, we can talk on the plane." he says as he drums his nervous fingers on the table top.
Jordan slowly sits next to him. She holds her hand up in the air and makes a show of studying the ring for a second and then looks at Woody. "How do you really feel about being a father Woody?"
Taken back by her question for a second he answers "I love you Jordan and I .... love... this child we have created."
"Why do we need to fly off to Reno today? What if I picture a big wedding with all the trimmings?"
Woody takes her hand into his "Honey, if that's what you want we can do that...later. But right now I don't want my daughter to count on the calendar and figure out she was conceived without her parent's having a marriage license."
"A daughter...?" Jordan chuckles.
Woody's eyes glaze over as if looking ahead in time. 'Yes, a little girl with long brown hair and big blue eyes...."
"You'll change your mind if she turns out like Jordan..." Max's voice breaks the intimate moment. "I hate to interrupt but don't you have a flight to catch?"
"How long have you been listening Dad?" Jordan looks up at her father with an arched brow.
"I couldn't leave you alone with him....that's why you're in the situation." Max justifies.
Jordan smiles at both of the men in her life... God how she loved them. Without saying a word she stands and walks over to the bar where her bag lay. She picks it up and walks back to the table. Rummaging inside she pulls out an open pregnancy kit box. 'I stopped by the store on the way here and couldn't wait I took the test in the store restroom."
As she nonchalantly tosses it on the table Woody nervously stands up. Max says "Jordan what's going on?"
Jordan begins to pace with her hands behind her back. She stops with sigh and looks up at Woody. "Woody, who told you I was going to have a baby?"
Woody swallows a few times and says "My boss..."
"Your boss?!...When..?"
"Ah... this morning..."
"Dad, when did you say Woody told you?"
Max levels a hard look it Woody "Yesterday..."
Woody's face drops, he steps closer to Max as he argues "I never said anything like that."
"You came in here talking about 'ramifications' and quickie weddings..." Max says heatedly towering over Woody his fists clenched at his side.
Jordan steps between them "I see; all we have is a small misunderstanding here."
Woody looks at Jordan "If it were small, then why is the whole of the Boston PD slapping me on the back, offering me congratulations and the morgue asking me who the godfather is going to be?"
"I think Nigel has a hand in that..."
"I told him to keep to keep our talk to himself." Max grumbles as the reality of the situation sinks in.
"Dad, have you ever known Nigel to keep anything to himself?" Jordan asks with a laugh.
Max's rage had cooled slightly but now it was beginning to redirection itself. Sensing this Jordan puts a hand on his shoulder. "Dad, don't be too upset, Nigel has always had my best interests at heart. He just sometimes goes a little overboard."
"I guess your right..." Max mutters in surrender as the bar phone rings. He walks to the bar to answer the phone.
Woody turns to Jordan and pulls her into his arms. "Well, except for a little clean up, I guess that's over." Stepping away from her slightly he picks up the pregnancy test box and reads the label.
"So you really weren't sure....I guess we need to really start thinking about birth control." Woody says as fumbles with the box. Unconsciously pulls out the little pink stick. "So, how exactly do these things work?" He asks as Jordan walks over to the pool table.
Thinking she didn't hear his question he looks at the illustrations on the box label again and then looks at the stick....
Woody's shocked, speechless face looks up at Jordan as she slides the pool cue to break the racked balls.
"Well, so much for our simple, uncomplicated relationship. I'm not ready to hop the first plane to Vegas..."Jordan says as she eyes her next shot.
Woody chokes out "Reno"
"Whatever...we've got time Woody, so what if he learns to count to nine...."
"...she..." Woody says as he steps up to the pool table.
"And as for Dad and this bar, he's been talking about going smoke free anyway..."
Woody takes the pool cue from her hands.
"Nigel will make sure I'm Ok at work..."
She couldn't say anything more because Woody takes her into an embrace she pours all the love and pride he feels into a kiss that melts her bones. He ends the kiss and leans his forehead on hers. "...a baby...we're going to have a baby..." he whispers.
Jordan nods and chuckles back "The ads don't lie when they say you can test early."
Woody picks her up a swings her around. Then he scoops her up in his arms and carries her to the bar where Max is just hanging up the phone.
"Max, I want to ask you permission to marry Jordan, not today.... but someday..." He looks in her eyes for a brief second and then looks back at Max "Because you're going to be a grandfather!"
Max looks down at the bar and picks up a rag and begins to polish its already shiny surface. "It's about damn time you decided to make an honest woman out of her..."
Jordan wraps her arms tighter around his neck. The road ahead was going to be rocky. A lot of decisions and compromises were yet to be made, but together they'd make them.
The End...promise this time!
'Sully had to be as old as Moses' Max mused 'He was one year away from retirement when I was a rookie. But he was still young enough to notice a beautiful woman.'
What was it about Jordan that attracted cops? Before he retired he noticed half the force sit up and take notice of his little girl when ever she walked into the office. He was able intimidate most of the 'would be' suitors with just one look. But there were a few that would sneak in under the radar. Luckily Jordan herself would shoot them down. At least all of them until Hoyt came along.
He shouldn't be too upset with the prospect of Woody being a part of her life. It's not like he ever did anything to discourage it. He hated to admit it but he actually pushed Jordan towards a friendship with him. The signs were all there that it would eventually turn into something more. With a slight chuckle he throws the wash rag back into the bucket. Hoyt is a good man. The buzz from the department on him was all very positive. He's intelligent and has a good heart. Above all he seems to love Jordan very much. If she had to pick a cop for a father for his grandchild he was glad it was Woody.
A grandchild... Actually he's been looking forward to this day for years. He wishes Jordan were properly wed first, but the idea of a sweet smelling bundle just warms his soul. Jordan wouldn't exactly be June Cleaver but she'll be a good mother and with the support of family and friends what ever choice she made in regards to her relationship with Woody would not matter.
Satisfied with the window Max picks up the wash bucket and heads back inside.
Just as he is to step into the store room he hears "Dad, you here?"
"Back here honey. I'll be out in a second." Max yells out to Jordan.
Jordan steps around the bar and grabs a coffee cup. She's about to pour when Max comes into the room. "Honey don't you think you cut back a little on that stuff?"
Self conscientiously Jordan puts the cup down.
"Dad, I'm glad your here. I need to talk to you."
"I'm always here for you honey and you know that." Max says taking a seat at the bar.
"Dad, I need to know how you got the idea I was pregnant." Jordan says looking at the floor.
"Are you telling me your not?" Max tried to hide the note of sadness in his voice.
Jordan looked up and reaches out to hold his hand. "Just answer the question."
"Woody told me when he stopped by yesterday..." Max answers.
Jordan couldn't believe her ears. Woody?
Max continues "...I have to tell you I was in a state of shock. I didn't even know you two were...you know...until yesterday morning. And now I find out I'm going to be a grandfather." The look on Max's face took Jordan by surprise.
"Why Dad, one would think you are excited about the prospect of being a granddad." Jordan smiles and leans in closer.
Max harrumphs "I always thought you'd eventually have children Jordan. I just thought you'd have a husband first."
Max lets go of her hand and walks over to the arrangement of tables and begins to set the chairs to the floor. 'I have to get ready to open, you want to help me?"
Jordan walks around the bar and begins to help her father. After a few moments of silence Jordan says "Ah Dad, I have something to tell you I hope you're not disappointed..." She couldn't finish her statement because the door to the pub was thrust open and a disheveled Woody walks in quickly looking around the empty bar.
Finally catching sight of Jordan and Max he says "Thank God I found you..." He walks up to Jordan and takes her into his arms and holds her for a second. Stepping back he studies her face for a second and then turns to Max and says "Mr. Cavanaugh"
"It's Max, Woody" Patting him on the shoulder Max says "I'm going back to the store room and give you two some privacy."
Woody lets out a relieved sigh as Max leaves the room. Turning back to Jordan he takes her by the arms "Jordan, we have to get going, our flight leaves in 2 hours."
"Flight...?" Jordan looks up at him confused.
"Yes, I have two 'E' tickets for Reno....the Vegas flight was booked. If we catch this flight we have time to get married and catch the return flight this evening."
Jordan put on the brakes as Woody began to drag her toward the door. "Stop!...less then 24 hours ago I turn down a diamond.... and now we're off to elope...."
"I have the ring somewhere..." Woody gropes around his suit jacket. He produces it and taking the ring out of the box he quickly slips it on her finger. Before Jordan could admire the sparkle Woody grabs her hand and starts for the door again.
Once again Jordan extricates herself from his grip.
"Jordan, if you're worried about Macy I talked to him...as long as we're back by morning..."
Jordan had to almost laugh at the frantic look on Woody's face.
"Woody, why don't you sit down before you fall down."
Woody takes quick look at his watch and then rakes his hand through his hair. Quickly he looks right and left to find the nearest seat. Sitting down he says "Jordan, we can talk on the plane." he says as he drums his nervous fingers on the table top.
Jordan slowly sits next to him. She holds her hand up in the air and makes a show of studying the ring for a second and then looks at Woody. "How do you really feel about being a father Woody?"
Taken back by her question for a second he answers "I love you Jordan and I .... love... this child we have created."
"Why do we need to fly off to Reno today? What if I picture a big wedding with all the trimmings?"
Woody takes her hand into his "Honey, if that's what you want we can do that...later. But right now I don't want my daughter to count on the calendar and figure out she was conceived without her parent's having a marriage license."
"A daughter...?" Jordan chuckles.
Woody's eyes glaze over as if looking ahead in time. 'Yes, a little girl with long brown hair and big blue eyes...."
"You'll change your mind if she turns out like Jordan..." Max's voice breaks the intimate moment. "I hate to interrupt but don't you have a flight to catch?"
"How long have you been listening Dad?" Jordan looks up at her father with an arched brow.
"I couldn't leave you alone with him....that's why you're in the situation." Max justifies.
Jordan smiles at both of the men in her life... God how she loved them. Without saying a word she stands and walks over to the bar where her bag lay. She picks it up and walks back to the table. Rummaging inside she pulls out an open pregnancy kit box. 'I stopped by the store on the way here and couldn't wait I took the test in the store restroom."
As she nonchalantly tosses it on the table Woody nervously stands up. Max says "Jordan what's going on?"
Jordan begins to pace with her hands behind her back. She stops with sigh and looks up at Woody. "Woody, who told you I was going to have a baby?"
Woody swallows a few times and says "My boss..."
"Your boss?!...When..?"
"Ah... this morning..."
"Dad, when did you say Woody told you?"
Max levels a hard look it Woody "Yesterday..."
Woody's face drops, he steps closer to Max as he argues "I never said anything like that."
"You came in here talking about 'ramifications' and quickie weddings..." Max says heatedly towering over Woody his fists clenched at his side.
Jordan steps between them "I see; all we have is a small misunderstanding here."
Woody looks at Jordan "If it were small, then why is the whole of the Boston PD slapping me on the back, offering me congratulations and the morgue asking me who the godfather is going to be?"
"I think Nigel has a hand in that..."
"I told him to keep to keep our talk to himself." Max grumbles as the reality of the situation sinks in.
"Dad, have you ever known Nigel to keep anything to himself?" Jordan asks with a laugh.
Max's rage had cooled slightly but now it was beginning to redirection itself. Sensing this Jordan puts a hand on his shoulder. "Dad, don't be too upset, Nigel has always had my best interests at heart. He just sometimes goes a little overboard."
"I guess your right..." Max mutters in surrender as the bar phone rings. He walks to the bar to answer the phone.
Woody turns to Jordan and pulls her into his arms. "Well, except for a little clean up, I guess that's over." Stepping away from her slightly he picks up the pregnancy test box and reads the label.
"So you really weren't sure....I guess we need to really start thinking about birth control." Woody says as fumbles with the box. Unconsciously pulls out the little pink stick. "So, how exactly do these things work?" He asks as Jordan walks over to the pool table.
Thinking she didn't hear his question he looks at the illustrations on the box label again and then looks at the stick....
Woody's shocked, speechless face looks up at Jordan as she slides the pool cue to break the racked balls.
"Well, so much for our simple, uncomplicated relationship. I'm not ready to hop the first plane to Vegas..."Jordan says as she eyes her next shot.
Woody chokes out "Reno"
"Whatever...we've got time Woody, so what if he learns to count to nine...."
"...she..." Woody says as he steps up to the pool table.
"And as for Dad and this bar, he's been talking about going smoke free anyway..."
Woody takes the pool cue from her hands.
"Nigel will make sure I'm Ok at work..."
She couldn't say anything more because Woody takes her into an embrace she pours all the love and pride he feels into a kiss that melts her bones. He ends the kiss and leans his forehead on hers. "...a baby...we're going to have a baby..." he whispers.
Jordan nods and chuckles back "The ads don't lie when they say you can test early."
Woody picks her up a swings her around. Then he scoops her up in his arms and carries her to the bar where Max is just hanging up the phone.
"Max, I want to ask you permission to marry Jordan, not today.... but someday..." He looks in her eyes for a brief second and then looks back at Max "Because you're going to be a grandfather!"
Max looks down at the bar and picks up a rag and begins to polish its already shiny surface. "It's about damn time you decided to make an honest woman out of her..."
Jordan wraps her arms tighter around his neck. The road ahead was going to be rocky. A lot of decisions and compromises were yet to be made, but together they'd make them.
The End...promise this time!