CHAPTER TEN
It’s late morning when Jack wakes up and goes downstairs. The house is full of people, probably waiting to welcome him back home. But he wasn’t ready for that, so he slips out unseen by everyone except Leah. Excusing herself she follows Jack to the burned rubble of his old house. No one had even tried to rebuild.
"Too much work was the vote," Leah speaks up after five minutes of watching Jack look at the ruins.
Jack sighs. "You know, this reminds me of my life right now. Nothing but a bunch of rubble. Where once there was light and love and hope for the future is now nothing but darkness and smoke and hopelessness. Unbearable grief for two best friends lost."
"For someone who doesn’t want to talk about it, you sure do give a different impression."
"Because I changed my mind. I do want to talk about it. I want to tell you about what happened only a few short weeks ago. I’ve thought about it all last night and that’s the only way I’ll be able to move past it."
"So you’re going to tell me?" Leah’s surprised. She thought she was going to have to pry it out of him.
"If you have a couple of hours," Jack smiles sadly.
"I have plenty of time for you Jack. Come. We’ll go set by lake Wissota and you can tell me everything."
Jack smiles and nods. "ok."
"But first let me sneak back into the house and round us up some breakfast. Ok?"
"Fine by me."
A half hour later, they are seated next to the tree right in front of the lake. Jack sets there just staring out at the blue water. "It’s a shame you know. Something so beautiful as a lake or the ocean, can be so deadly."
Leah only nods and patiently wait for Jack to begin his story.
Jack takes a deep breath and leans his head against the tree and closes his eyes, seeing all the familiar and beloved faces that’s been lost. Fabrizio, Tommy, little Cora Cartmell…Rose. His beautiful wild Rose.
"It was April tenth. Southampton England. Fabrizio and I were in the throes of a hot poker game. Two third class tickets aboard…titanic was up for grabs."
"Did you say Titanic?" Leah’s eyes widen. No matter what he’s so sad.
Jack nods. "You heard right Titanic. I was optimistic and Fabri was worried that I had bet everything we had in the whole world. But of course the ole Dawson Luck held out and I won us two tickets aboard Titanic. I was so happy, I was finally going home and Fabri’s dream was going to come true. He was going to America to become a millionaire. We had to run with everything we had in order to catch the boat. We did everything when we got on that ship from exploring the third class area to standing out at the bow of the ship watching dolphins race against us. I even had the nerve to stand on the railing and declare myself king of the world," Jack laughed at the memory.
Leah snickered. "I can picture that."
"It was the twelfth that I saw her standing upon the first class section of the ship."
"Rose?"
Jack nods. "I was drawing a picture of a father showing his little girl the dolphins. Fabri had gotten into a conversation with a irishman named Tommy Ryan. He was commenting on how typical it was for first class dogs to take a …well you know…down in steerage. Me, being the optimist said aw that’s how they let us know how we rank in the scheme of things. He just laughed and asked me if I made any money off the drawings. That was when I saw her. I looked up on the first class deck and there stood the most beautiful angel I’ve ever layed eyes on. Her fiery red hair was pulled up in a bun and wisps of it framed her face. He eyes were like emeralds, her lips like rubies. She wore this lacy green dress. She looked back at me and she had the saddest look in her eyes. Like she was ready to cry at any moment. Then a man, her fiancee I was soon to find out came and took her back inside. I never thought I’d see her again. She was first class and I was third, plus she was engaged."
"What happened next."
"That night I was out on deck, laying on a deck chair looking up at the stars. Thinking about my life up to that point and what I was going to do once I got back to America. That’s when I heard the running feet. I sat up and saw a blur of red and black heading for the stern. I of course being curious followed. There she was, my angel, standing on the wrong side of the stern. She was going to jump and end her life. I wondered what could have happened to make her want to end it. She was obviously a girl who wanted for nothing. Money, food, and so I thought love. I couldn’t let her do it, so I told her don’t do it.
"She turned to me, her red curls flying in the wind, her mascara running as tears streamed from her eyes…eyes filled with misery and hopelessness. But still there was a spark there. Something told me that this girl did not want to die. Not really. That maybe things were just too much to handle but she didn’t really want to end her life. She threatened to jump if I came any closer. And of course I said no you won’t. She was rather indignant and told me so. I finally talked her into wanting to live again by telling her about that one time when I fell through the ice…"
"Oh yes, I remember that," Leah nods.
"It was the fear of the freezing water that got her I think. We exchanged names. Jack Dawson, Rose Dewitt Bukater, then she took my hand and she was about to come back over when her foot got caught and she lost her footing. I held on to her hand her screaming all the way. I finally got her back over and we both landed in a rather compromising position. The crewmen came up and thought I was attacking her."
"Oh Jack," Leah gasped. She was totally enthralled by Jack’s story now.
"Well anyway she got me out of trouble and a invite from her ass of an fiancee, Caledon Hockley.
The next day she came down to the third class general room and asked me to walk the deck with her. So we walked and talked and talked. Finally she broached the subject of why she jumped. She told me it was jitters from the wedding, but I saw through that. I asked if she loved her fiancee. She got indignant. Was about to leave, but didn’t. I showed her my art. Then we talked about my travels and about my time on the Santa Monica pier. We talked about going there and I said we’d do all these things like riding on the roller coaster, drinking cheap beer, and riding in the surf. She made me promise to show her how to ride like a man and to spit like a man and I couldn’t resist. So I did."
"Oh Jack…" Leah shakes her head.
"Well, Molly Brown …you may have heard of her…she let me borrow a tuxedo to wear and I met Rose at dinner. After dinner, I took her to a steerage party to show her a good time. She was something else for such a reserved first class girl. She downed a beer in one gulp, she smoked a cigarette and did this trick by standing the very tip of her toes. Wasn’t very lady like at all."
"I think that was when I
realized I loved her. When I walked her back to her room. The
next day I went down to tell her that, but her fiancee’s
valet told me to leave and I was escorted back to third class. So
I snuck back upto the first class deck and swiped this hat and
coat off someone’s chair…"
From there Jack told his story of how Rose had refused him then
joined him on the bow, having changed her mind. How he taught he
to fly and drawing her nude in her stateroom. Their flight from
LoveJoy and her vowing to get off the ship with him. Then the
iceberg, being framed and locked down below to die. Of Rose
rescuing him and of busting through a locked gate. About Rose
refusing to get on a life boat without him and her jumping back
on to be with him. Of running away from Cal who was shooting at
them and of running through the ship, fighting for survival.
Clinging to each other as the ship went to it’s watery
grave. Finding Rose in the icy waters and pulling her to the
board. How he stayed in the water and she got on. Making her
promise. Of falling asleep and waking up on board the Carpathia.
"When I looked at the lists of survivors…her name wasn’t on it. No Rose Dewitt Bukater could be found on the list. I felt horrible. She died because of me. Because she loved me. If she didn’t she would have been on a lifeboat. Sure, she’d be Cal’s wife, but that’s better than having died a icy death. But what I don’t get is why she didn’t keep her promise. She promised me that she’d survive. That she wouldn’t give up, no matter what happened. What made her change her mind?"
"Maybe it was Cal. She thought if you two were rescued, and he found you that he’d force her to go back with him," Leah shrugged. "Or maybe she realized she made a mistake by choosing you over Cal and decided that the poor life was too hard."
"That doesn’t sound like Rose Leah," Jack just looks at her.
"Well do you have a better explanation of why she wasn’t on the list?"
Jack just shakes his head. "No. Not really."
"How about Fabrizio?"
"He didn’t make it either. I don’t know what happened to him."
"Oh Jack," Leah hugs him. "I am so sorry for your pain. And whatever reason Rose didn’t keep that promise…it wasn’t your fault. You tried your best to save her…risking your life again and again…"
"She’s probably in a better place now," Jack sighed. "Doesn’t have to worry about Cal, or her mother. Not in pain from the freezing waters…"
"Jack…you have to go on. You have to rebuild your life. Pick up the rubble and rebuild what’s left."
Jack looks at her and nods.
"You’re right. I’ve spent almost a whole month
depressed over the tragedy of Titanic. It’s time to pick up
the pieces and move on. For Rose if not for myself."
"For Rose," Leah nods,a tear in her eyes. She
didn’t know if she’ll ever have a chance with Jack now.
He may never be able to mend his heart after this Rose Dewitt
Bukater. But she was going to be his friend and be there for him
as he picked up the pieces of his shattered life. "Well come
along jack. Mama want’s to reintroduce you to the folks of
Chippewa Falls."
Jack sighs and smiles. "Lead the way."