Mr. Jack Himself

“I needed something to do.” he smiles softly, as he turns the corner with her. Today was going to be interesting, he could just feel it. Yet, he didn’t mind it. He honestly needed someone to relate to, and Mary was one of those people he felt most comfortable with in his life.

“What brings you back Mary? It’s been a while since we saw you last.” he smiles, as he shoves his hands into his pockets as a way to avoid the bitter cold that was forming. It was freezing, unfortunately. Came with the early spring weather.

Mary smiled softly, thinking of her current position. “Oh, the same thing as always. I’m here for the Banks children,” she let out a soft laugh, thinking of the new children she was nannying. “Annabel’s children, you see.” The bite of the cold made Mary wrap her scarf a bit tighter around her neck. A soft shiver ran through her body as the wind picked up and she quickened her pace, longing to get out of the cold.

“I’m absolutely free for the evening, so that would be splendid.” He gave her his biggest grin and placed the can of coffee down on the shelf “I can do my shopping tomorrow.” 

He saw her look, how she examined him, and tried his best not to smile at it. She had her suspicions, he could tell, but the story? Well, it was a weird one, and one even Jack didn’t quite understand. Bert had never explained it to him fully, and he hadn’t bothered to care much until now. He wasn’t too worried with it, he just wanted to live his life.

“You don’t have to pay Mary,” he offered “I have a few jobs goin on around here. I’ll gladly pay for your coffee. It’s the least I can do.”

She decided against bringing up the obvious elephant in the room, at least, not yet. Mary offered Jack an arm and grinned as they walked out of the store. “Well, if you insist…” she knew better than to argue with the man. While she would likely eventually win out, she didn’t see the point in pursuing the debate. 

Mary poppins, in the flesh. It was a rare, but wonderful delight to see her, someone who he saw so highly. He had grown up with the stories from Bert, and experienced them for himself years and years ago. Nevertheless, it was unusual to see her here, yet pleasant. 

“Mary. How are you doing?” he asked, a hint of fondness tinging his tone as he examined her. She looked well….exactly the same. It was expected, yet still threw him into slight turmoil, even after he hadn’t aged either. Which, he could tell she noticed, with her smile and her examining eyes.

“Ah, yes, that. Long story,” he smiled a bit as he moved to check in his basket a bit nervously “Maybe one I can tell you over coffee when you’re off one day? It would be lovely to chat with you again.” It really would be. He had the best time with Mary, even with the children.

“Oh, I’m doing fantastic!” She replied. “I’m actually off today, if you’d like to get coffee now,” Mary suggested. As far as she had known, he was not a warlock. What had happened to change that about the man? She had missed Jack, that was for sure. 

He saw her look, how she examined him, and tried his best not to smile at it. She had her suspicions, he could tell, but the story? Well, it was a weird one, and one even Jack didn’t quite understand. Bert had never explained it to him fully, and he hadn’t bothered to care much until now. He wasn’t too worried with it, he just wanted to live his life.

“Oh, I’m quite alright.” he smiled a bit as he moved to pick up his ladder and check his bike “Are you alright?” He did feel bad, even as she gave him one of the dirtiest looks he imagined one could muster “I truly did not mean to bump into you, I was just in a rush.” He offered her a ‘sorry’ smile, hoping it would placate her for just a moment, or at least long enough for the two to part ways. He tried, he truly did. He was a people pleaser at heart.

Jack was off to yet another one of his many jobs, trying his best to quicken his pace, but the crowded-ness of the sidewalk today made that a task not possible to complete without-

Crash!

Him and a woman bumped right into one another, and Jack managed to catch himself before he fell. He was alright, of course, and he very swiftly made sure the other wasn’t injured. Right before he could apologize, however, the woman very crudely shouted at him, and he simply looked down.

“I apologize miss. Won’t happen again.” he said, with as small of a smile as he could muster.

He could hear Bert in his head now: “Stand up for yourself!” But, he didn’t want to cause any problems. He wasn’t that type of guy.

meg brushed off the front of her clothes, sighing heavily. in all honesty, she was a little relieved her meeting had been delayed even by a minute. she really didn’t want to go. however, being rammed into wasn’t exactly her idea of stalling. “ good, “ she said curtly, bending down to tie her shoelace. she glanced back up at him, raising a brow. “ you alright? “

@flanncls​

In all of this time, he had never expected to see her again.

Jack had spent years wondering, curiously thinking over what had happened to Mary Poppins. As usual, and as how Bert had told it, she dissapeared after she was needed. It was abrupt, yes, and a bit sad, but she had things to do, he reckoned. But, he could never help wondering where she was, and how she may have been doing nowadays. Hell, he wondered how she would react if she saw him, ageless as well. 

But he certainly didn’t expect to see her this soon.

He had been getting some coffee from the store, a basic morning routine of his, when he nearly ran into her. She was shopping as well, possibly for herself. Either way, that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Jack had been clumsy, and bumped right into her.

“I am so sorry-”

He froze when he saw her. It really was her.

“Why, I never thought this would happen. Is that you, Mary?” He gawked at the sight before him, still shocked by what he was seeing. A big, almost childish smile stretched across his face as he looked her in the eyes, transfixed by the image.

Mary was enjoying a morning off. Annabel had Jamie and Abigail was at school, leaving Mary with some newfound free time. Browsing the shops had become a recent favorite pastime of hers and she was taking her time, enjoying the fact that she had nothing to do for once. 

As she rounded a corner, a young man bumped into her. “I beg your pardon, s-” she stopped, tilting her head in small surprise. It was Jack. 

He hadn’t changed a bit since the last time Mary had seen him, all those years ago. She frowned almost imperceptibly before her face lit up with a grin. 

“Mary. How are you doing?” he asked, a hint of fondness tinging his tone as he examined her. She looked well....exactly the same. It was expected, yet still threw him into slight turmoil, even after he hadn’t aged either. Which, he could tell she noticed, with her smile and her examining eyes.

@ofoceaneyes

It was the early morning, and Jack had just started work.

Now, with Jack, his work depended on…well, what he was hired to do. Right now? It was street cleaning, and maintenance. So, a bit like those days, but no one around here seemed to really recognize him. Which was preferred really, with his current situation. He never minded the work, and the people around the town were nice enough. So, it worked. He got work and also kept away from…well, people he needed to avoid.

It was hard to explain not aging for twenty some years. 

At the moment, he was currently changing light bulbs around the block, his little ladder next to the lamps, him greeting everyone who walked past. Old habits die hard. Which explained why he was inching closer and closer to the old Banks house, even with knowing that no one he once knew lived there anymore. Michael had moved a while ago, and Jack hadn’t heard of the children in ages. Probably for the best, really. 

annabel rose early that morning, like she did most mornings. she had gotten used to waking up hours before the kids to send james off to work or write one of her novels. old habits died hard. she rose lazily that morning, taking her time in getting up and making a fresh kettle for tea. opening the fridge, she noticed they were out of cream. with a sigh, annabel made the trek back upstairs to pull on her shoes and coat. mary would be with the children, so she felt comfortable running to the store real quick.

she left a note for mary on the kitchen table, just in case, and exited the cherry tree lane house quietly. she let her mind wander as she made her way down the street. as she walked down the street, she almost didn’t realize the familiar bike and ladder, it’s owner calling down a greeting from above. “ oh hello jack, “ annabel said, before stopping dead in her tracks.

jack?

she turned around and walked back over to him, looking up. like mary, jack hadn’t seemed to age a day since her childhood adventures. “ jack? is that really you? “ she asked, looking at him sideways. suddenly, she realized he might not remember her. “ it’s annabel banks, “ she smiled a little cautiously. 

He hadn’t noticed her at first, focusing instead on the task at hand. He was a busy man, yes, and he hadn’t truly heard her at first. He had gotten in a sort of trance, greeting everyone, changing lightbulbs, and cleaning.

Then he heard her say her name.

He nearly fell off of his ladder, quickly grabbing the side of the lamp and re stabilizing himself. It-it couldn’t be, could it? He thought that house had been empty for all this time, and he had never noticed annabel herself? He was almost ashamed of himself, moving to slide down his ladder and make his landing on the ground.