The LOST Writers' Island

No Place Like Home

The rain feel hard outside as he sat at the bar.  It was Christmas Eve and they’d had another fight.  This one was bad, one of the worst they’d had.  And, James wondered if it was even worth it.  They called each other every mean and horrible thing they could think of.  He accused her of still having feelings for Jack and she was sure he was still in love with Kate.  And Juliet hated Kate.  Not so much because of James’ feelings for her, but more because of the way Kate had taken his heart and ripped it to shreds.  Juliet loved her husband more than anything and she knew deep down in his heart that he didn’t want to end their marriage.  But sometimes it was like he reverted back to his old ways and basically tried to push everything and everybody away.  And that was one more thing Juliet hated.  She hated that his old feelings for Kate made him do that.

“Again.”  James growled as he downed the last shot of bourbon.  The bar tender poured him another one and he downed it once more.  “Again.”  He said.

“Are you sure about that sir?”  The bartender asked.  “Wouldn’t want you to have too much.”

“If you’re done preachin’ reverend, do it again.”  He growled through his clenched teeth.  The bartender sighed and poured him another drink.

James listened to the old juke box and let the words Randy Travis’ No Place Like Home burn into his head.  “It’s sad to think that one must leave ‘cause we can’t work things out.”  James listened and drank down another shot.  “You got that right, Randy.”  He muttered.

He reached into his back pocket and took out the picture he carried with him all the time.  It was his favorite.  It was taken at Juliet’s last birthday party.  She was opening the journey necklace he’d given her and the look on her face was just so beautiful.  He’d only seen that look a few times, the day they were married, their first Christmas and the day he’d given her that necklace. 

He also saw that look on her face when Josh had been born and again while she was carrying Lizzie.  He couldn’t believe they were both in their first and second years of college, and of course, not home for Christmas.  Something about the slopes in Aspen calling their names.

“How ‘bout you leave the bottle.”  He said to the bartender.  “And no, I ain’t drivin’.”  He said.  “I ain’t even gonna live long enough to get home.”  He muttered out of range of the bartender’s ear.

James looked up at the TV over the bar and saw some news program, and lo and behold, there was Jack.  He’d just done something else  that got him some kind of notoriety.  Big deal.  Jack’s notoriety had gotten to become a daily occurrence now and it didn’t phase James in the very least.  He didn’t even care anymore.  Jack had been his best friend and Jack had finally thought better of him once James’ business took off.  He owned the largest and most prestigious construction company in California.  He had been contracted to build some of the finest homes on the west coast and his company did excellent work.

But none of that mattered anymore as he sat there and drank himself to death, absolutely certain he didn’t want to even make it through the night. 

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Juliet sat at the kitchen table with a cup of egg nog and watched the rain fall outside.  She relived the whole argument in her mind.

“Don’t you dare say that to me!”  She yelled.  “I’ve been married to you for 20 years now!  You really think I give a damn about Jack!”

“I sure as hell do!”  He yelled as he stood in the living room.  “I’ve seen it Julie.  I’ve seen the way you two still look at each other.  My God, how fuckin’ much longer are you gonna keep this up?!”

She strode over to him and slapped him square in the face.  “You know something James?  When you’re wrong, you’re so wrong, it’s frightening.”

“Maybe.  But I’m not still in love with Kate.”  He said.

She spun around and put her hands on her hips.  “And you’re a damn liar too!  The hell you don’t still love her.”

“I don’t have to take this shit!  ”  He said.  “When the kids were here, there was something to keep us together.  Now, who the fuck cares.”

That cut her deep.  She’d stayed married to him for 20 years and still adored everything about him.  He still had the same look he had when she first saw him.  His hair was a little grayer and a little shorter but he still was in such perfect physical shape and damn, what a good lover he still was.

“Go on then get out!.  You wanna be away from me so damn bad, go on and go!”  Juliet yelled. 

James grabbed his coat and tossed it over his shoulder.  “Don’t wait up.”  He hissed.

“Don’t worry.”  She spat back at him.  The worst part was that both of them were certain that neither one had any feelings for their former lover, but for some reason that was always what every argument reverted back to, bringing out their own insecurities.

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Tears ran down Juliet’s face as she thought about their horrible hateful words to each other.  Just then she heard the phone ring.  “Mom, Merry Christmas!”  Josh said brightly. 

“Merry Christmas baby.”  She said, trying to hold back the tears.

“Are y’all okay?  How’s Dad?”  He asked.

“Oh we’re fine honey.”  Juliet said.

“Can I talk to Dad?”  Josh asked.

“Well he’s, uhm, he’s not here right now.”  Juliet said.  “He’s gone to the store.”  She couldn’t tell her son that they’d had another fight and his father went off drinking again.  “I needed some sage for dinner tomorrow and he went to go get it for me.”

“Oh okay, well tell him I said Merry Christmas and Lizzie said she’ll call y’all later.”  Josh said.  “I love you Mom.”

“I love you baby.  And Daddy love you too.”  She said.

“I know.  Bye Mom.”  Josh said as he hung up.  He looked over at his sister who walked over to him.  “She said he’s gone to the store.”

“And you believed that?”  Lizzie asked.

Josh shook his head.  He looked so like his father.  “Nope.  Not at all.”

“Me either.”  She said.

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Juliet picked up her cup and walked out onto the covered patio and sat down in one of the loungers.  She watched the rain and listened to it fall.  It reminded her of being on the island and all the nights that she lived right next to him and they barely spoke.  So many nights she’s wondered what he was doing, what he was thinking, even if he was cooking something. 

Juliet sat there on the lounger thinking about how he looked and what he did when Kate and Jack and the rest of the people who’d  left came back.  It was as if he hadn’t known Kate at all, and the truth was he didn’t.  He’d been part of that purge and they’d taken him and erased his memory.  Juliet never did understand that.  How they could do something like that to him and to everybody else, but thankfully it didn’t last too long and soon it started to come back.

The rain began to fall harder as her thoughts went back to all those nights after they fell in love and after James had moved in with her.  She thought about all the love they made and all the happiness they’d had together.  It didn’t take long before both of them couldn’t even remember what made them fall in love with Jack and Kate.  Before long, all they noticed and all they thought of was each other.

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James noticed that the rain had stopped falling and was it was just drizzling now.  He folded the picture and put it back into his wallet.

“She’s pretty.”  The man two seats over said.

“Yea.”  James answered.

“So she’s your?  Wife?  Sister?”  The man asked.

“Hmph.”  James chuckled a little.  “No, she’s my wife.”  He said.

“Like I said, she’s pretty.”  The man said.  Then he pulled out a picture himself.  “See them.”  He said.  “Those are my kids.  They’re the only reason I’m still talking to her.”

James acted like he wasn’t listening, but the man kept on talking.  “I swear if it wasn’t for my kids, I had her too.  Turns out I seem to hate everything.”

“Yea, I know what you mean.”  James said.  Truth was, he didn’t.  He had a good life with Juliet.  She was a good mother and she loved him, even when he didn’t think she did. 

“And man, the thing I hate the worst is that one bedroom prison cell with the swimmin’ pool and the covered parking.  Man, it’s just fantastic.”  He said sarcastically. 

“Why’re you tellin’ me all this?”  James asked. 

“Convenience.”  The man said.  “You’re here.”  He was about 20 years older than James  and he stared him right in the eyes.  The man continued on.  “I guess the last thing I hate is my job.  It’s boring and with alimony and child support at least until both my kids are 18, I don’t make shit.”

“Well mine are in college so they don’t need it.”  James said.

“Yea, well you’re lucky on that part.  That is until mama poisons ‘em against you because your not the perfect man she married anymore.”  The man said as he downed his drink.  “Then they’ll hate you too.”

James pulled out his wallet and threw down two one hundred dollar bills.  “Thanks man.”  He said as he disappeared out the door.

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He opened the front door and looked around for her.  James didn’t see Juliet and then noticed the back door was open.  He walked out through the door and saw her there.  He sat down on the end of the lounger she was sitting on.  He looked into her incredibly beautiful blue eyes.

She swallowed hard and looked at him.  “I’m glad you’re back.”  She said.  “What happened?”  She looked at his wet disheveled clothes. 

James shook his head.  “All I know is I ain’t every gonna hurt you again.”  He said.  He didn’t go into the story about the man in the bar.  “I’m sorry, Julie.”

Juliet looked into his eyes.  “I’m sorry too, James.  I really am.  I didn’t mean…”  James reached over and kissed her.  He let his tongue move with hers as he body began to respond to her.  He pulled her closer to him.  “I love you, Julie.  More than you know.”

Juliet slipped her arms around him and leaned into his kisses even more.  “I love you too James.”  She whispered as she broke their kiss.  “Oh Josh called to say Merry Christmas.”

“Oh honey, you make me so hot when you talk about the kids.”  He teased.  He shoved off his jacket and his shirt and pulled her t-shirt off.  He unhooked her bra and slipped it off too.  He dipped his head down and licked and nibbled her breast.  “Hmm, oh James.”  She moaned.

“I’m sorry baby.  I ain’t lettin’ fight anymore.”  James whispered.  He moved his fingers inside the waist band of her pants and dipped down inside her.  He sucked in his breath, feeling how hot and wet she was.

“Take me to bed James. Please.”  She said.  He lifted her up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.  James laid her down on the bed and gently pulled her pants off.  He gazed down at her naked body.  “Merry Christmas honey.”  He said as he sank his body down over hers.

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The man in the bar got up and nodded to the bartender.  “You saved another one Mike.”  The bartender said.

“What are angels for Jake.”  Mike winked at him and slipped out of the bar and into the street and then up and off toward Heaven.