AFTER TITANIC
BOOK ONE
Chapter Thirty-One
Five days later
They finally arrived in Santa Monica. It's a bright sunny day
and the sun is high in the sky. The small group disembarks the
train and take in their surroundings.
"Oh Jack, it's so big," Rose breathed, looking around.
"How are we going to find our way around?" Eliza
questioned.
"You two are forgetting that I lived here for a while. I
know my way around and I'll make sure that you will to,"
Jack squeezes Rose's shoulder. "Now come on. We'll stop by
my cousin's first, make sure that the beach house is still
around."
"And if it isn't?" Rose asked, trying to keep the fear
out of her voice and remind herself to have faith in Jack. He
always makes things work out. He got her through Titanic didn't
he?
"We'll think of something else," Jack answered.
"Don't worry Rose. We'll be all right. Now come. Let's go
see my cousin before it gets dark."
They walk for two blocks until they come upon a nicely built
Victorian house. The house was even nicer than the house Rose
lived in back in Philadelphia....Jack's cousin must be even
richer than the Hockley's.
"Jack...are you sure she'll remember you?" Rose asked
nervously.
"Positive. She wouldn't forget the guy that saved her
life," Jack smiled down at Rose, confidence shining in his
eyes.
Jack rings the bell and waits for the door to open. It's a kindly
old woman that answers the door. "Yes dearies. May I help
you?"
"Yes. I'm looking for a Katherine Dawson. Does she still
live here?" Jack asked.
"Of course she does. May I ask who's calling?"
"Tell her it's her cousin Jack," Jack smiles and places
a arm around Rose, who's holding the twins. "And
family."
"Yes sir. Why don't all of you come in. There's a chill in
the air and it won'd do any good for those babies to catch
cold," the woman beckons for them to follow her into the
house. "Wait here." She leaves them in the sitting
room.
Five minutes later a beautiful woman with light blond hair and
blue eyes comes down the stars and into the sitting room. She
stops when she sees Jack, her eyes are wide with shock and
happiness.
"Why isn't it Jack Dawson. The wondering cousin," the
girl smiles and shakes her head. "You couldn't stay long
enough to say good-bye to your cousin could you?"
"Well you know me Kathy. I have to go the moment the road
calls me," Jack smiled, walking up to his cousin.
"And where was it the road called you to?"
"Well, that's a long story, but I can tell you it was a
journey of a lifetime," Jack laughed. "But aren't you
going to give your cousin a hug? It's been two years since we saw
each other last."
"...Well, I guess I can give you that much," Kathy
laughed, hugging her cousin. This is when she notices Rose and
the twins. And Maxwell and Eliza. "And who are these?"
Jack smiles brightly, walking over to his wife and children.
"Kathy, let me introduce my family. This is Rose and these
two are our twins Molly Cora Dawson and Tommy Fabrizio Dawson.
And this is Maxwell and Eliza, two friends of the family."
"Twins! You have twins?! Oh Jack, that's wonderful!"
Kathy exclaims happily. "And may I be the first of the
Dawson family to welcome you to the family," She turns to
Rose, giving her a gentle hug since she was holding the babies.
"Oh Jack, they look so much like you."
"Yeah, the poor kids," Jack smiled.
"So I guess your days of wandering the earth are over. You
can't possibly lug the babies around everywhere can you?"
"No I can't Kathy. I have settled down. I'm a family man
now. Besides, if I didn't settle down, someone may come along and
steal Rose away and I can't have that," Jack puts a arm
around Rose's shoulder and pulls her closer. "She's my
life."
"I can see that," Kathy smiled. "Well come and set
down, all of you. Tell me where have you been?"
"Europe and back to Chippewa Falls. I thought it'd be a good
idea to bring Rose and the kids here. That way the children can
grow up in the sun," Jack explained.
"Europe? How did you manage that?" Kathy asked. "I
mean you left here without any money at all, except for what you
made with those drawings of yours and that wasn't enough to get a
ticket on a ship."
"I worked my way there," Jack explained. "Then I
won a ticket to get back to America, and that's how I met Rose
here. She was from first class and I was in third. What a pair we
made," Jack leaves out the part that they were on Titanic.
Neither he nor Rose wanted to go into it.
"You were always a master at poker. I always thought it'd
get you into trouble some day. But it looks as if I was
wrong," Kathy smiled. "I'm glad you weren't on that one
ship though. Titanic. Those poor people."
Jack and Rose just looked at each other guiltily, but didn't say
anything. Titanic was behind them. It was time to move on with
their lives.
"So Kathy, is that beach house grandfather gave me...is it
still available?" Jack asked nervously.
"I don't know Jack. You'll have to ask the owner. Which will
be hard to do since he hasn't been seen nor heard from in two
years. But you may have a stroke of luck today. Word has it that
he's returned," Kathy teased. "Of course it's still
available silly. I even kept it up for you. The key's under the
mat outside."
"Thanks Kathy," Jack walks over and gives her a hug.
"This really does mean a lot to us."
"But keep in touch Jack. And if you do decide to pick up and
leave again...please come and say goodbye before you go."
"Sure thing," Jack smiled, helping Rose to her feet.
"Stop by sometime. We'll be glad to have you."
"I'll do that," Kathy happily smiled. "And don't
be a stranger yourself. Come visit me and bring the twins."
Sure enough, the key was right where Kathy said it was.
"Ready to enter our new home?" Jack turned to Rose. She
just smiled and nods, still looking out at the ocean. She hasn't
seen the ocean since the night she got off the Carpathia. It was
magnificent. She was glad they'll be raising the twins by it
everyday.
"Let's get inside Jack, it's getting a little nippy out
here," Eliza rubs her shoulders.
The house is gorgeous on the inside. It had three bedrooms, a
kitchen, a bathroom, a livingroom, and a small dining room all on
one floor. It was perfect.
"Oh Jack I love it!" Rose exclaimed, her eyes lighting
up with happiness.
"I knew you would. And come here, look out this
window," Jack walks to the opposite side of the house and
opens the curtains. Rose gasps when she sees a roller coaster in
the horizon. It was the infamous pier...the one place her and
Jack had dreamed of going to together.
"Oh Jack. It's
beautiful," Rose gasped. "Can we go there?"
"Sure. Right after we get settled and everything," Jack
nods. "I was thinking that we can get the master bedroom,
the twins will sleep in the room across from ours and Eliza and
Maxwell can have the room next to the twins. What do you
say?"
"I like it. Is that okay with you guys?" Rose turned to
Eliza and Maxwell.
"That'll be fine," Eliza nods.
Later that night, when almost everyone has gone to bed, Rose sets
at the window, looking out at the pier, remembering the
conversation that her and Jack had about it. It was one of her
fondest memories.
"So my love, what's on your mind?" Jack comes up behind
her and takes her in his arms.
"When are we going to go there Jack? To the pier?"
"Soon Rose. I promise," was Jack's answer as he kissed
the top of her head. "Just wait a little while longer 'til
we get settled. Then I'll take you to the pier and we'll do
everything we've talked about."
"Teach me to ride like a man," Rose began to giggle.
"Chew tobacco like a man, " Jack laughed along.
"And spit like a man," Rose bursts out laughing.
"But wait, I've already mastered that one. Just ask Cal.
He'll tell you."
"Well then I'm going to give you a diploma for that one. But
it's in the bedroom."
"Of course," Rose smiled, already knowing what Jack
really meant. "I must say Mr. Dawson, it's about time."
That night, Rose and Jack returned to the stars and remained
there 'til both had fallen asleep.