6
The service for Jack was now over. Everyone stood, ready to head for home, lost in the memories of the special young man they had once known so well. Molly and George flanked Rose as they stood, ready to head back to the house, where Rose planned to spend the rest of the day in Jack’s old room. No one noticed the figure enter the building, just standing in the doorway, surrounded by sunlight, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. Everyone was too busy talking amoung themselves and offering Rose their condolences. It’s Molly who glanced towards the door and gasped with shock.
"My lord it can’t be!" Was her outcry. All attention flies to the lone figure and gasps of shock and disbelief went through the room.
Rose glanced over to the door, wondering what all the commotion was about when she met a pair of eyes she thought she’d never look into again. Beautiful blue eyes that pierced her very soul. "Oh my God…Jack," was all Rose could get out before collapsing into George’s arms in a dead faint.
Jack Dawson had decided to return home after five months of living in New York looking for his beloved Rose. But after five months he had decided to face facts. Rose was gone forever. If she wasn’t dead, she was most likely married to Cal. There was nothing more he could do for her if that was the case. So he collected the money he had saved from the odd jobs he was able to find and hopped the first train out of New York three days ago, his heart aching for his lost love. All he wanted to do now was go to the house he had grown up in and forget all about the world outside of Chippewa Falls and hopefully about Rose. If he forgot about her, he wouldn’t miss her so much and he would be able to move on. But so far he wasn’t able to forget about her. In fact, she consumed his every thought, his every waking and sleeping moment.
When he had arrived in town that afternoon, he was surprised to find the town deserted, so he decided to check the church and there he found the whole town, just like when his parents had died. The service was obviously ending and he was about to ask who the service was for when he heard a familiar boisterous voice cry out. He looked up and stared in surprise at Molly Brown. This was the last place he expected to see her. And she wasn’t alone. She was clutching the arm of a young woman with flaming red-hair, her face facing the floor so Jack couldn’t tell who she was. From looking at her, Jack would have thought it was Rose, but he didn’t dare hope. Rose was gone forever. He’d never see her again. Then the girl’s face lifted and Jack thought he was seeing a ghost. It was Rose. Right in front of him, her eyes full of pain and disbelief. Then she was falling into a dead faint and that was when Jack’s feet moved of their own accord. Soon he was kneeling at her side, holding her hand, begging her to wake up. He couldn’t believe that he had found her here in his hometown. But how? Why wasn’t she on the list? How could he have missed her.
"My Lord it’s a miracle!" Molly stared at Jack in disbelief. "It has to be."
"Jack you’re dead," George stared at his cousin, at the same time trying to tend to Rose, who was now cradled in Jack’s arms.
"What?" Jack asked confused.
"You died on that ship. Frozen to death. At least that’s what Rose and Mrs. Brown here told us," Thomas stood behind his newly-resurrected friend.
"We must have missed each other," Jack thoughtfully replied. "I looked everywhere for her, but I couldn’t find her. I thought she was dead."
"Oh you poor dear," Molly shook her head. "Poor Rose here was so overcome with grief over your passing…thank goodness that you’re alive after all."
"Oh my poor Rose," Jack held her even closer, wanting to protect her from anything else that could cause her grief.
"Come on everyone! Give them room!" Samantha began pushing people away from the couple. "Rose here needs oxygen!"
"I think we should get her back to the house," George cleared his throat. "A nice warm bed would do her good."
Jack nodded in agreement, not paying attention to the crowd surrounding them. They weren’t important right now. What was important was getting Rose to a nice quiet and warm place. Lifting her up into his arms, Jack followed Molly, George and Samantha through the crowd and up to George’s car. Jack cradled Rose’s head in his lap and George was about to pull away when Dr. Calvert stopped them.
"Would you like me to follow and check up on the young lady. In her condition you can never be too careful," The doctor offered.
"Condition?" Jack furrowed his brow.
"She’s pregnant Jack. Five months along," Molly gently explained.
Jack only nodded, too shocked to say anything. "Is she healthy?" Jack asked.
Molly only grinned and nodded. "As healthy as you and me."
"Where has she been all this time?"
"Later Jack. I’ll explain everything later. Right now let’s just get Rose home and checked out by a doctor," Molly gently patted the young man’s shoulder, touched by the love in Jack’s eyes as he gazed down at Rose and gently cradled her in his lap.