“That sounds good!” Graham agreed eagerly, “Thank you.” He stood up from the counter and went to get his wife. He accidentally bumped into Lincoln on the way.
Lincoln stepped out of the way. He cast a secretive, silent amused glance at James. “He’s so excited,” he mouthed.
Jack smiled back at Lincoln, and nodded. "He really is." he mouthed back. "I'm excited to try the gingerbread, though." he said aloud. "If it's anything like the bread, then it'll be delicious."
“Me too, I’m convinced it should be even better than he bread.” He squeezed Jack’s hand just before letting go when he heard two sets of footsteps returning to the kitchen.
Jack smiled. When Lincoln let go, he tucked his hand in his pocket, and turned to look and see who was coming in. Inside, though, he was worried. What happened to Graham and his wife that ended with Lincoln adopting their daughter? What was going to happen to this kind, blind man and his wife?
Graham pushed open the door and walked inside, followed by his wife, a fair-skinned woman with her brown hair pinned in a bun on her head. “Jack? This is Evelyn, my wife,” he grinned from ear to ear, “And Eve, this is Lincoln’s friend, Jack Morgan.”
Eve extended her hand in greeting, paired with a cordial smile, “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Morgan.”
Graham pushed open the door and walked inside, followed by his wife, a fair-skinned woman with her brown hair pinned in a bun on her head. “Jack? This is Evelyn, my wife,” he grinned from ear to ear, “And Eve, this is Lincoln’s friend, Jack Morgan.”
Eve extended her hand in greeting, paired with a cordial smile, “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Morgan.”
Jack smiled, and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you too." He replied, smiling lightly. He was still standing beside Lincoln, still smiling.
She bowed her head in return, “It smells like my cookies are done. If you excuse me, I’ll have to get to the oven,” she spoke the last sentence to Lincoln, who quickly moved away to give her room.
Jack scooched over to allow room for Lincoln, smiling a little. He wished he could still reach out and take Lincoln's hand, but…not with someone in the room who could see. Who could turn around and see their hands together. He knew what happened to gays, to sodomites, in these times. If he wasn't punished by the law, then everyone would reject him, and he wasn't going to do that to Lincoln.
Lincoln cast a secret smile over to Jack while Eve was focused on getting the cookies out of the oven. He was looking forward to tonight, when they went to the underground bar. It would be his first time there too. But after they picked up what they needed for Tip at the mechanics store, they would have time to go back home first. Hopefully they would have time to talk then.
Jack smiled back. He shifted, hand brushing against Lincoln's in a way that would, to anyone else, look like an accident. He watched Eve, taking a deep breath.
Lincoln’s lip twitched at the subtle touch.
Eve set the pan of cookies on the counter, “Mm, now to just let them cool.” She retrieved a spatula from the drawer to begin individually setting the cookies on the cooling rack. The scent of warm gingerbread wafted through the air like a sweet, invisible cloud.
Jack inhaled deeply at the scent of the cookies, eyes flickering shut for a moment. "Ooh, that smells good." He said with a smile, looking over at Eve. "Really, it does."
“Thank you,” Eve smiles wider at the compliment. “They should be cool soon. You can try one in a couple minutes if you’d like,” she offered, and weaved her way through the kitchen back to her husband, who was still near the doorway.
Jack nodded. "Alright." he replied, still smiling as he looked around the kitchen before returning his attention to Lincoln, Graham, and Eve. He was still desperately wondering what would happen to this kind couple that would result in Lincoln adopting their child.
Lincoln had no idea about what was to come, that he would be taking their child into his care. All he knew now was that Graham was his closest friend, and his friend’s wife made the best gingerbread cookies he’d ever tasted… It was a memory Future Lincoln would look back on with bittersweet emotion.
He complimented Eve on her baking skills yet again, and brought up the baking competition. “I’m convinced that you’ll win first place,” he assured her eagerly. “I haven’t tasted them, but based upon their smell, no other entry will even hold a candle to your skills.”
Jack nodded in agreement. "Definitely. I mean, I haven't seen anything else that's been entered, but like Lincoln said, judging by the smell alone it's delicious."
Graham heartily agreed with both them.
“Awe, thank you,” Evelyn gushed, fidgeting with the hot-pad that she was still holding. “They might be cool enough to taste,” she offered, “But still be careful, of course.”
Jack smiled, and cautiously picked up a piece of gingerbread. He bounced it between his hands, hissing between his teeth. "Ouch! Hot!" he exclaimed, wincing. He blew on it, and waited a few minutes until it had cooled down enough to eat a small bite of.
“How is it?” Lincoln hesitated to pick it up, nervous to burn his fingers. He looked at the steaming cookies, tentatively touching one of them on the edge.
Evelyn eagerly waited for their feedback, wringing the oven mit through her hands.
Jack grinned happily. "Delicious!" He announced, smiling. He blew on the piece in his hand again, wincing a little. "Very hot. But delicious!"
Lincoln gingerly picked up the cookie and took a very small bite. He quickly set it back down on the cooling rack, “Oh! It is hot. But scrumptious as always!”
“Oh, Good! I’m so happy,” Eve clapped her hands as a smile brightened her features.
Graham couldn’t see his wife’s face, but he heard her tone and knew she was making that adorable smile again. He pressed a kiss to her cheek.
Jack smiled, and finished his cookie quickly, as if he didn't even notice the fact that it was nearly burning his mouth from how hot it was. He reached into his pocket and brushed a finger over Tip, wanting to demand answers as to what would happen to this adorable, sweet couple and their child. He swallowed, and wished he could warn Lincoln. But if he did…if he did, he could royally fuck up the timeline. Really, really fuck it up.
Lincoln tore a piece off of his cookie and brought it up to his lips, blowing air at it to cool it off before popping it in his mouth. As much as he liked talking to his friend, he was eager to leave and get the hardware they needed to fix Tip.
Jack watched Lincoln for a long moment, then looked away again with a soft sigh, raking a hand over his hair and making the red strands stick up a little. He hoped that they would be able to fix Tip, but…he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure if they could find the right materials.