Chapter Eight
April 29, 1912
Dearest Leah,
I know it’s been an extremely long time since I wrote last. Two years in fact. I’m sorry, but my life’s been a whirlwind since I last wrote. I’m sorry about the shakey writing…but from the past weeks I’ve been through…gosh it’s even too hard to write about. Well I’m writing to tell you I’m coming home. Be looking for me at the trainstations. Has Chippewa Falls changed that much? Do anyone besides you remember me? Do they remember my parents? Does anyone visit my parents graves? I don’t know where I’m going to stay when I get there, but I guess I’ll think of something.
I’ve been in new york for the past couple weeks. Laying low and planning my next move and coming home seems to be the best logical decision. No use wondering aimlessly around the country when my whole view of life has changed. I just want to get somewhere warm and remain there. God I can’t even feel warm anymore. Everywhere I go seems to be freezing…sorry. I’m rambling again. I’ll stop now. I’ll see you in a couple of days I guess.
Jack
May 1, 1912
Leah Calvert stretches her neck as she looks for her best friend to disembark the train. He said he’d be there in a couple of days from what his telegraph had said. She frowned as she thought about that letter. It had a heavy sad air to it. Not like her Jack at all. But Jack did say his whole view of life has changed. She wondered what changed it. It’s been two years since she heard from him. It could’ve been anything.
"Looking for me?" a all too familiar voice speaks up from behind her. She turns and gasps. Standing before her was a man of twenty, shaggy blond hair and the brightest blue eyes. Eyes that were older than they should be.
"Jack," Leah gasped.
"Leah. You sure have grown up. The last time I saw you you weren’t this tall."
"Of course I wasn’t. it’s been five years," Leah giggles. "And you…you’ve changed a great deal. You’re so tall and your hair…"
"I know, I need a haircut," Jack runs a hand through his blond mass.
She looks behind him as if she’s expecting someone else.
"Looking for someone else?"
"Where’s this Fabrizio you wrote me about? You said he wanted to come here and become a millionaire in your last letter."
Leah regrets mentioning Fabrizio when unshed tears shine in Jack’s eyes.
"H-He’s not coming ok. Um…things happen…can we go? I mean not to sound rude or anything…"
"Oh sure. Come on follow me. I talked to mama and she said you’re welcomed to stay with us. We added another room last year so you’ll be staying there. Mama went all out getting it ready."
"Thank you," Jack forces a smile, the tears in his eyes still there. "This means a lot. I don’t think I would be able to remain out there like I was…"
"Hey it’s okay Jack. We understand. All of us do," Leah takes his hand. She looks in his eyes and feels her heart break at all the pain and heartache she sees there. Something awful has happened to her best friend. She wondered what, but she didn’t dare ask. It was still so raw for him obviously.
"Come. Let’s go. Momma’s probably climbing the walls by now. How did you pay for the train?"
"I didn’t. I stowed away in the cargo department," Jack laughs at the shocked expression on Leah’s face. "I do it all the time."
"Still Jack, you should have told us you needed some money to get home. We would have wired you some," Leah scalded. "Hopping trains is dangerous. You could have been killed. Then where would I be?"
Jack shruggs. "Waiting for a ghost?"
"Ha ha. Very funny. Come on. The car is waiting outside. Oh Jack you have to see it. Papa brought it with our income tax check."
Jack stops in his tracks and tears come to his eyes when he steps out to see the new Renault town car the Calverts had brought just two weeks ago.
"Isn’t it beautiful. You have check the inside. Jack? Are you okay? You look awfully pale," Leah looks her friend over.
"I-I’m fine," Jack stammers. He closes his eyes as the memories wash over him. He can still smell Rose’s perfume, fell her soft skin under his hand. The beating of her heart…
"Jack?"
"coming," Jack snaps out of his daydream and follows Leah over to the car.
"Nice huh?"
"Hmmm," Jack nods, forcing back the memories the car brought up.
Ten long minutes, they finally reach the Calvert house. Irene and Joseph Calvert stand on the stairs waiting for Leah and Jack’s arrival.
"Jack! Jack Dawson!" Irene grins from ear to ear, embracing her late best friend’s son. "You’re a sight for sore eyes. And my, look how you’ve grown, and handsome too. I bet you left a ton of broken hearts."
"Hello Mrs. Calvert," Jack smiles.
"It’s good to see you back Jack. You were sorely missed around here," Joseph shakes his hand. "Come in. Irene has a feast waiting for you."
"You didn’t have to go through any trouble," Jack follows the family inside.
"Oh it’s no trouble at all. Besides you must be starving," Irene grins.
Freezing actually, Jack thinks to himself, but he only smiles.
Leah’s only notices how Jack was rubbing his shoulders, as if he was cold. He was doing that since he came back. "Let me get you some hot chocolate," Leah replies. "Mother makes the best."
"Leah, it’s spring. We don’t have hot chocolate in spring," Irene laughs.
"I was just trying to make Jack comfortable. Well at least give him a steaming hot plate anyway," Leah goes to the stove and begins deeping out a steaming hot plate of mashed potatoes, fried chicken cream corn and buttered bread. "Here you go Jack."
"Leah, this is way too much," Jack laughed. "I haven’t eaten like this since…well…earlier this month."
Leah laughs. "Yeah right. Life out there on the road has got to be hard. Even though in your letters you make it sound like there’s nothing to it."
"Oh it’s hard alright. There were times when I had to sleep in ditches and under bridges."
"Tell us Jack, from your letters you were overseas. How did you get home?" Irene curiously asks.
"Uh…by ship. I won a ticket and I was coming back home."
"Oh. Hopefully you didn’t have to go by the area where that one ship…what was the name of it Joe?"
"Titanic dear."
"Yes. Hopefully you didn’t have to go through where the Titanic went down. All those poor people….but you know it’s their own fault. Flying in the face of God like that. Saying that not even god could sink that ship…"
"Uh…if you’ll excuse me, I need some air," Jack gets up and rushes outside. Leah finds him staring off into the horizon.
"Hey, are you ok?"
"I’m fine. It’s good to be back," Jack forces a smile.
"Jack…something’s wrong. Tell me. What happened to you out there? What was so horrible that you can’t even go ten minutes without looking like you’re having a total meltdown?"
"It’s nothing you should worry about Leah ok? I’m fine. I’m here, alive, healthy for the most part. I’m fine. Ok."
"Jack we used to be able to tell each other everything. You used to be so open with me. Why are you shuting me out? You obviously in pain about something. Is it Fabrizio? Does it have to do with him?"
"Hey! What’s going on out here you two?" Irene sticks her head out the door.
"Jack needed some air mama," Leah explains.
"We’re coming in righit now," Jack chooses that moment to dodge anymore of Leah’s questions, thinking that maybe coming back to Chippewa Falls wasn’t such a good idea after all.