4
Finally the Carpathia arrived in New York. Jack, Rose, and Molly were in Molly’s stateroom, getting ready to disembark. Rose and Molly had followed the doctor’s instructions to the letter and indeed Jack was well enough to leave the ship.
"Well children, it’s time to get back on dry land. May I tell you that I’m not complaining. So what do you two have planned?" Molly ran finished with her hair.
The two young people just looked at each other and shrugged.
"We haven’t really discussed anything," Jack admitted. "I guess we’re going to have to find a place to live."
"How about letting me set you two up in a hotel for a couple of days. In the meantime you two can be discussing where you’re going from here."
"Oh Molly no," Rose protested. "We’ve intruded enough on your hospitality."
"Oh Rose nonsense. You have not intruded. I give my help freely. Now what do you say? It’d be good for Jack to stay off the streets for a couple of more days anyway."
Rose looked at her love and noticed that he was till quite pale and he still kept the cover tightly wrapped around his shoulders. A sign that he still had a slight chill from the hypothermia.
"Ok Molly. But only for a couple of days. Jack and I should know where we’re going after that," Rose relented.
Molly nodded in agreement. "Ok. Let’s blow this boat. I’m so sick of ships, let me tell you."
"Rose," Jack stopped her before she could follow Molly out the door.
"Yes Jack?"
"Are you sure this is what you want? Life with me I mean. I have no money, no place to live…maybe you’ll be better off going back to Cal…"
"Jack perish that thought right now. I am perfectly happy with my choice to stay with you. You know as well as I that I was terribly unhappy with Cal and the first class life. You were right that day in the gymnasium when you said I would die if I married Cal. I would have. I thank God everyday for you."
"Oh Rose," Jack pulled her into his arms and held her tightly against him. "I thank God each day for you too. I just want to make sure you’re happy with me. That’s all."
"Well I am. Now stop worrying and let’s follow Molly. She’s probably wondering why we’re lagging behind anyway," Rose took Jack’s hand and pulled him out of the stateroom in the direction she saw Molly go.
*
After they’ve cleared the dock, Molly led Jack and Rose to the Waldorf-Astoria hotel where they were putting up Titanic survivors for free.
"Two suites please. One for myself and one for my friends here," Molly replied as they approached the desk. "Their names are Jackson and Rosalee Dawson."
"Molly?" Jack and Rose looked at their friend a question in their eyes.
"Just in case Ruth and Cal enquire. It wouldn’t do for them to find you."
"Room 11 and room 12," The attendent handed them each a key. "Enjoy your stay at the Waldorf-Astoria."
"Thank you," Jack, Rose, and Molly all said in Unison. "Come along children. Let’s go to our rooms and freshen up. I’m treaten y’all to the finest restaurant in New York."
"Molly…would you mind terribly if we make it breakfast. All I want to do right now is go to bed and sleep for a week," Rose yawned.
Jack wrapped a secure arm around her. "It’s been a long couple of days for you hasn’t it sweetie?"
Molly just had to smile. They were so cute together. It was obvious that Jack was going to take good care of Rose and the way Rose layed her head on his shoulder, it showed that she had complete and total trust in him. "Ok darling. Breakfast it is then. But be sure to order some room service and charge it to me. I want to make sure that you two are well taken care of."
"Thank you Molly," Jack smiled. "We’ll see you tomorrow."
"Good night you two," Molly waved as Jack steered Rose into their room.
"Molly!" a familiar voice called to her. She turned and her heart stopped cold. There stood Ruth and that horrible Caledon Hockley.
"Ruth…Mr. Hockley. What a surprise to see you here," Molly cleared her throat.
"Molly, you’ve worked among the sick and dying aboard the Carpathia…tell me…did you by chance see Rose? We’ve looked for her but couldn’t find her anywhere."
Molly shook her head. "Sorry Ruth. I can’t help ya. It’s kind of obvious the poor girl didn’t make it. Listen I have to go. It was sure nice see you though."
"Thank you Molly," Ruth bowed her head and allowed Cal to lead her away. Molly hated lying but Rose had made it clear that Ruth was not to know that she was alive at any cost and Molly was going to honor that decision.
*
Rose and Jack laid on the queen sized bed in each other’s arms. Rose had her head on Jack’s chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, a sound she had thought she’d never hear again.
"What are you thinking?" Rose asked, looking up into Jack’s beautiful blue eyes.
"About where we’re going to live after we leave here. We can’t stay in this hotel forever. Let’s see…we can always go to Santa Monica."
Rose shook her head. "I want to save that for later. Um…how about Wisconsin?"
Jack made a face. "I don’t know…my cousin’s now at the house and I don’t think he’d appreciate me showing up unannounced…"
"Why? Don’t you and your cousin get
along?"
"Yeah…but…I don’t know. I’ll think about
it. Let’s leave Chippewa Falls as a option."
"Ok. Santa Monica and Chippewa Falls.
Where else?"
"…I don’t know. Cincinnati? I hear it’s a
nice area."
"…I like the sound of Chippewa Falls better," Rose sighed.
"Rose!" Jack laughed. "You just want to go there because that’s where I’m from."
"So what’s wrong with that? I’d like to know what kind of boy you were."
"Mischievous. I was always getting into trouble. Ok? Happy now?"
"No. I want to know where you lived, how many friends you had…"
"What am I going to do with you? Well…if we do go back to Chippewa Falls…we won’t be able to live together."
"And why not?"
"Because we’re not married," Jack said in a matter-of-fact like manner. "Chippewa Falls is a small conservative farming community and such things are not done outside of marriage."
"Well then we’ll just have to get married now won’t we? I can’t go a night without you Jack."
"Rose was that a proposal?"
"No. But this is," Rose giggled as she sat up and got
out of bed. Jack sat up to watch her. Rose went over to his side,
got down on one knee and took his hand in hers. Jack all the time
was trying his hardest not to laugh.
"Jack Dawson. Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?" "Are you serious?" He asked, his smile beginning to fade as he saw the pleading gaze of her eyes.
Rose simply nodded.
"Rose…you know this is a big step we’ll be taking. There’ll be no turning back after this. You really will be leaving your first class life behind."
"I know."
"The wedding won’t be big. It’ll just be me you and Molly."
"I know that too and I’m perfectly ok with that. I don’t need all of Philadelphia society at my wedding."
"You’ll have to love me forever and put up with my bad habits. Snoring and all," Jack laughed.
"I know. Plus you don’t snore. You just smoke."
"You’ll become Mrs. Rose Dawson."
"I like the sound of that."
"Well then…ok. My answer is yes. Yes Rose, I will marry you."
Rose smiled happily and threw her arms around Jack. "You’ve just made me the happiest woman in the world."
"Come here," He pulled on top of him and leaned her head on his chest. "I can’t wait to make you Mrs. Jack Dawson. We’re going to be so happy."
"I know you will. And wait until we tell Molly. I bet she’s going to throw us a engagement party," Rose laughed. "She believes in us so much. This will make her day."
"And she’ll have a laugh when she learns it was you who did the proposing."
"Well someone had to do it," Rose shrugged.
"I’ll have you know I was going to propose, but you just beat me to it."
"Uh-huh. So when do we go to Chippewa Falls?"
"After we’re married and we get ourselves some new clothes," Jack replied. "I want to go back with more than I left with."
"Trick people into thinking you’ve made it big huh?"
"No. But you know, right now I do have more than I left with. I have you," He tenderly brushed her hair away from her face and gazed up into her eyes. "I love you more and more each day Rose. I no longer know where you end and I begin. Sometimes…my feelings for you scare me."
"Oh Jack…"
"Shhh. Don’t talk. Just kiss me," He pressed a finger to her lips and pulled her head down so her lips could hungrily meet his.
"So tomorrow we go shopping?"
"Well we have to get a job first."
"I’m sure Molly will loan us the money. Then we’ll get married. Then we’ll head to Chippewa Falls."
Jack laughed. "You have everything planned don’t you?"
"No. I’m just winging it really. I’m doing what you told me. I’m making each and every day count. Especially everyday with you."
Jack just smiled and pulled Rose in for another kiss.