Once in Every Life

Outside, heavy footsteps pounded up the porch steps. A second later, Jack broke through the kitchen door at a run.

A comical look of disbelief crossed his face as his heels skidded across the slick floor and whooshed out from underneath him. He hit the floor like a ton of bricks.

Tess gasped. "Are you all right?"

"What the hell?"

Her lips twitched. "Maybe I shouldn't have waxed the floor."

Jack shook his head. "If you're trying to kill me, how about using a less painful method?"

Tess smiled down at him and offered a hand.

Ignoring her, he grabbed hold of the chair and hauled himself to his feet. He looked around, noticing the kitchen for the first time. The customary scowl settled on his face.

"I suppose it's too clean?" Tess said.

"What the hell are you doing? You know goddamn well?"

She winced at the loudness of his voice. "Oh, for God's sake, Jack. Shut up."

He was stunned into speechlessness. "What?" "Your attitude sucks." "What?"

"I've got plans for this family?big plans. But frankly, I can't do squat if you're going to be running around yelling at me all the time. So we'd better come to an understanding." He laughed.

"Laugh all you want, just listen." He crossed his arms across his chest and studied her through slitted, uncompromising eyes. But he didn't leave. That was something, at least.

She curled her fingers around the chairback and stared at him. "Does the word 'reincarnation' mean anything to you?" "No."

She frowned. "Well, some people think that after death, a soul can ... go on. You know, change bodies and get another life. Some of these people believe that time doesn't really exist, that everything?past, present, and future?is actually happening now. You believe that?" "No."

Tess cocked an eyebrow. "That could present a bit of a problem." "Why?" She let go of the chair and moved toward him, noticing

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the way his eyes flinched at her every step. Directly in front of him, she stopped. "I'm not your loving wife."

He snorted. "No shit."

She laughed. "No, I don't mean I'm not loving; I'm mean I'm not your wife. She died."

He blanched. "You remember that?"

"Death isn't one of those things that escapes your notice. It makes an ... impact. Anyway, she died, and here I am. Get it?"

He leaned back against the dry sink. "I should be so lucky."

"No, it's true. I'm?"

"Yeah, and I'm the King of England."

Tess sighed heavily. She searched his gaze, probed the guarded green depths for a hint of open-mindedness.

It was a useless effort. She could tell that he wouldn't believe. There was no room in Jack's ideology for the reality of soul swapping. "Okay, Jack, have it your way. I'm Amarylis back from the dead. But I'll tell you right now: I'm not the same woman I was before."

The guarded, wary look crept back into his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Well, obviously I didn't really die; I mean, here I am. What I meant was I've ... changed. Like one of those improved toothpastes. Something new's been added."