AFTER TITANIC

BOOK ONE

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Three Months later...
Rose is now nine month pregnant and due any day now. Ruth and Molly decided to move in with Jack and Rose to help with the housework and whatever else needed to be done 'til the babies arrived. Jack is still working at Conway's mechanical supplies, but he made it known to old man Conway himself that he'll be taking off at anytime that Rose went into labor. He wanted to be there for the birth of his first child. Of course the man was understanding. He remembered when his son was born and the feeling of holding him for the first time.
Rose is in the kitchen making lunch for herself, Ruth, Molly and Eliza when the baby is ready to make it's appearance. She is taking a pan down from the shelf when a contraction hits her and her water breaks.
"Rose!" Eliza comes into the kitchen at the sound of the pan crashing to the floor. "Rose!" Eliza runs to her friend's side.
"I believe it's time," Rose gasped.
"Oh my goodness Rose!" Ruth cried, running to her daughter's side.
"Jack! He's supposed to be here! He promised!" Rose breathed, her eyes urgent. She couldn't believe how fast this was happening. From what she heard...especially about the first pregnancy, it was supposed to take a long time for this to happen.
"Eliza," Molly enters right behind Ruth. "You know this town, can you go get Jack and that Dr. Calvert and tell them that Rose has gone into labor."
"But..." Eliza stammered, not wanting to leave Rose's side.
"Just do it darlin. Don't worry. Ruth and I have everything under control," Molly reassured.
Eliza nods and heads out the door, heading straight for the factory while Ruth and Molly help Rose upstairs and tries to make her as comfortable as possible.
Luckily for Eliza she easily finds Jack at the plant office along with Dr. Maxwell Calvert. She doesn't know what's going on and doesn't care. All she cares about is getting Jack to Rose.
"Jack!" Eliza frantically calls as she enters the office. "Jack! I've been looking all over for you."
"What is it Eliza?" Mr. Conway impatiently asked.
"It's Rose Jack. She's gone into labor. Mrs. Brown told me to come get you and Dr. Calvert."
"Oh my goodness," Jack gasped. "Mr. Conway..."
"I understand Jack. Go on. Your wife needs you," the older man nods in understanding.
Fifteen minutes later Jack is at his wife's side, encouraging her to keep up with the breathing exercises Maxwell had shown them.
"Oh God Jack, it hurts. It hurts so much," Rose cried through the pain.
"I know Rose. I know and I'm sorry to put you through this," Jack strokes her hair back away from her face. "Don't worry. It'll all be over soon. In a couple of hours we'll have our beautiful baby in our arms."
"Breath Rose darlin, you can do it," Molly throws in her encouragement.
"That's easy for all of you to say. You're not on this bed feeling like you're going to die now are you!" Rose screamed as another pain raked her body.

"No need for anger Rose," Ruth replied. "It's not good for the baby."
"Come on Rose, you can do it," Jack again encouraged her, squeezing her hand once again.
"No Jack. Not this time. I have no more strength," She felt so weak.
Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, there's a urgent knock on the door downstairs.
"Now I wonder who that can be," Molly grumbled as Eliza got up to answer it.
"Mother!" Eliza exclaimed in surprise when she opens the door to her mother, birthing supplies in hand.
"I heard that Rose went into labor and I'm here to do my duty of course," Mrs. Hathaway pushes her way into the house. "Really Eliza, I'm surprised that you didn't call me."
"That's because there's no need to call you," Eliza sighed. "Jack made it clear that Dr. Calvert was to deliver the baby...not you."
"Not me? I don't understand."
"It's nothing against you mother. It's just that Rose is from Philadelphia where doctors bring babies into the world...not midwives. Jack felt that she'd be more comfortable with a doctor since this is her first pregnancy."
"That's rubbish. Birthing babies is my job and I'm not letting the Calverts take it away from me. Now move aside Eliza. I have a job to do," Mrs. Hathaway pushes past her daughter and heads upstairs.
"Mother please! Don't do this!" Eliza begs, racing after her mother.
"Don't worry, I'm finally here. Thanks to Mr. Conway," Marge Hathaway briskly enters the room.
"Marge? What is she doing here?" Ruth asked.
"I'm here to deliver the baby."
"That's what Rose's doctor's here for," Ruth replied. "Jack?"
"Doctor?" Marge asked, then she notices Maxwell Calvert, knelt before Rose, ready to deliver the coming baby.
"Hello Mrs. Hathaway," Maxwell smiled, trying to keep the situation as calm as possible. A room full of hostility was the last thing Rose or the baby needed.
"What are you doing here? This is my job."
"Not this time. It was requested that a doctor help in the delivery."
"Of course it was. It's bad enough that she's not in a decent, stirle hospital," Ruth snorts, a bit of her arrogance coming back.
"Jack!" Rose screamed as another contration grips her, this one stronger than the last.
"It's okay Rose. Just breath," Jack soothed his wife, trying to ignore Mrs. Hathaway and stay calm.
"Yes Rose, breath. It's almost over. The baby's almost here," Maxwell agreed.
"Listen, I don't have time to argue. The baby's on it's way," Marge gets impatient. "Now move aside so I can do my job."
"And I said this one wasn't your job. Now Marge, I'm trying to be patient with you, but you must leave now. This is the last thing Rose needs," Maxwell glares at the woman.
"Come on Marge, let's go outside," Molly grips the woman's shoulders and leads her out of the room.
"I can't believe this. This is inappropriate," Marge snorts. "Not only is the father in there, but a man is going to deliver that baby!"
"Grow up Marge! Get out of this little worl you live in. Sure Jack being in there with Rose while his baby is being born is unusual, but it's necessary. Rose wants him there. But as far as a man delivering the baby...that's completely normal. Out in the real world, in hospitals, male doctors are the one bringing babies in the world. Not midwives."
Before Marge has a chance to answer, there's a scream and a cry from the next room. The baby is born.
"It's a boy!" Maxwell happily exclaimed as Molly and Marge reenters the room. He hands the baby to Ruth, who wraps him in a blue baby blanket.
"Oh Rose, he's beautiful," Ruth smiles down at her grandson, who looks back up at her with wide blue eyes.
"Owww!" Rose screams again and another cry erupts into the room.
"Twins! We have twins!" Maxwell happily exclaims, catching the crying baby. "And it's a girl!"
"My goodness," Molly grins, running for the pink blanket lying over a chair and takes the baby from the doctor and wraps her in a blanket. "Beautiful blue eyes like her father."
"Wow Rose, we did it. We have two beautiful babies," Jack smiled down at his wife, who's now half asleep, thankful that her ordeal is over. "Do you want to see them?"
"Rose just shakes her head no. Not yet. She needed to sleep first. She needed to recover.
"Where are they going to sleep?" Ruth asked.
"In the baby bed of course," Molly snorts. "They're so tiny right now, they'll both fit. We'll go shopping for another bed later on."
"Well Jack, you're a father of two beautiful twins. You're a lucky man," Maxwell slaps his friend on the back.
"I know am. I just hope I'm able to give them everything they could ever want."
"Oh you will Jack. I can tell just by looking at you that you're going to be a doting father."
"So what are you two going to name them?" Eliza asked.
"Molly Cora Dawson and Tommy Fabrizio Dawson," Jack replied, taking his son in his arms.
"Fabrizio? What kind of name is that?" Marge Hathaway snorts in disdain.
"It's italian...the name of my best friend that died on Titanic," Jack answers, his voice harsh. "It's a perfect name. And if you must know, Cora is the name of a little girl that also died aboard that ship."
"Cora and Fabrizio? Those are not proper names for American children. I suggest you choose something else," Marge snorted.
"Mother," Eliza growled, her face growing red with embarrassment. "Don't do this. Please."
"Well nobody asked for your opinion," Jack's voice is now even harsher. Anger flashes in his blue eyes. "Those are perfect names for our children, I don't care what you think. Eliza, I suggest you escort your mother home before she causes anymore tension in this house. That's the last thing the babies and Rose need right now."

"Yes Jack," Eliza nods, both understanding and disappointment at not getting a close look at the babies flashing in her eyes. "Come along mother. You've caused enough trouble for the day."
"I was just saying..."
"I know what you were saying. Now come on. Jack had kindly asked us to leave and that's what we're going to do," Eliza pulls her mother out of the room.
"She never knew when to keep her mouth shut," Ruth shakes her head. "But you're right Jack. Those are perfect names for the babies."
"Thank-you Ruth," Jack smiles at his mother in law. She'll never know how much that compliment meant to him. It meant that he really did have her approval.
"Jack?" Rose awakes. "Where's the babies?"
"In the baby bed fast asleep," Jack said, stroking her hair. "You want to see them when they wake up?"
Rose nods.
"They're beautiful Rose. They look just like you and Jack," Ruth proudly smiles.
"Come Ruth. Let's leave the little family alone. It's been a long day for them all," Molly pulls on Ruth's arms.
Ruth nods and follows Molly out the door, leaving Jack and Rose alone with the babies.
"You did great Rose," Jack takes her into his arms. "We both did. The babies are so beautiful."
"Twins," Rose's voice is full of disbelief. "How did that happen?"
"Beats me. Twins don't run in my family. It must be on your side," Jack shrugged, then he turns where he hears soft cooing from the baby bed. "They're awake. Do you want to see them?"
"You know the answer to that. Of course I want to see them. Little Molly and Tommy," Rose smiled, holding her arms out for the babies when Jack went to get them.
"Say hello to your mommy kids. Be nice to her, she's had a very hard day bringing you into the world," Jack sofly spoke to the babies, unconditional love shining in his eyes.
"Oh Jack they are so beautiful!" Rose exclaims when she has a baby in each arm. She looks up at her smiling husband, pure joy shining in her eyes. "Thank-you."
"What are you thinking me for Rose? I didn't do anything," Jack's voice show his confusion.
"You gave me thes two beautiful children. That's what you did. I wouldn't have them now if I hadn't met you."
Jack just smiled, his cheeks glowing a slight red. "Well then...you're welcomed Rose. But you did most of the work. You deserve a medal for this."
The young couple just cuddled together, with their children in their arms and drift off to sleep. It's Molly and Ruth who put the babies to bed and turns out the light, careful not to disturb them, knowing that for now on peaceful nights like these will be few and in between.

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