14
It’s Sunday at the park. Jack and Rose are comfortably seated at the on a blanket, enjoying the picnic that Jack and prepared for Rose as a surprise. They had spent all day laughing, eating, and just enjoying each other’s company. Now night has fallen and they lay in each other’s arms, mesmerized by the stars above.
Slyly, Rose’s mind drifted to the tiny life that they had created, but had yet to discuss. Her hand slightly caressed her abdomen, which held the tiny entity. What were they going to do? Options were numerous, but time was limited.
"Jack…what are we going to do?" Her voice was weak and trembling, revealing her fear. What if he wanted her to have an abortion? She didn’t think she’d be able to do such a thing. Adoption? Better then abortion, but could she really give up something that was made by the love she shared with Jack? Oh why did it have to be so hard?
"What do you want do?" he was just as confused as Rose. There were pros and cons to everything. Personally he was against abortion. To him, it was murder. The fetus was a human too and had a right to the chance of a full life. It was unfair and selfish to deny it that. But he knew this was also Rose’s decision. She was going to have to live with this. He wasn’t going to tell her what to choose.
Rose sighed, a bit overwhelmed. "I don’t know. It’s so…so…complicated. I mean this is another life we’re talking about here Jack. Whatever we decide…it’s going to affect the life and future of another person. How do we know we’re making the right decision?"
"That’s the problem. We don’t know. All we can do is discuss the options, decide what’s best, and hope for the best."
"Hope for the best huh? Let’s see…we need to discuss this."
"There’s no better time then the present," Jack squeezed her shouder. "Let’s see…there’s three options to consider here. We can keep it and raise it ourselves. We can give it up for adoption…and then…there’s…"
"Abortion," Rose sighed, not taking her eyes off the star-filled sky.
"So…what choice do you like best?"
"Not abortion. No matter what, this baby is a part of me and you. We made it out of our love. To kill that…it’d be like killing ourselves."
"Ok. That leaves two options. Keeping the baby, or adoption."
Rose looked at Jack, thinking of their baby. Could she really carry her baby for nine months just to give it away to strangers? But if she kept it…how would Jack and herself support it? What about their families? His sister already hated her…or disliked her rather; and Rose didn’t even want to think of her mother’s reaction.
"Jack…I…I just don’t know. I’m so confused."
"Well…we don’t have to make a choice right this minute. We have nine months to decide," Jack smiled, kissing her forehead.
"Nine months," Rose bit her lip, suddenly afraid. "Jack…I’m…"
"Shhh," He placed a still finger on her lips. "I know, and so am I. But I promise you Rose. We’ll get through this together. I will never leave you."
"I know you won’t. I love you Jack. More then you know."
"I love you too Rose. Now come. I’ll get you home before your mother sends out a search party."
Hand in hand, Jack and Rose head for Rose’s apartment building, their minds on the future and the life they were bringing into the world. A life that was going to be as perfect as their love.
~*~
The apartment was fully lit when Rose returned. Her mother was in the living room, taking plates from people Rose knew all too well. The Hockley’s.
"Rose! There you are!" Ruth got to her feet. "You do remember the Hockley’s don’t you?"
Rose just nodded, confused on why they would be visiting her mother, especially now, knowing that the social status of the Dewitt Bukaters had dropped down a notch. "Mother…what is this all about?"
"It’s about you and me Sweetpea," Cal got to his feet, a smug smile spread on his face. "I need you."
"You need me?" Rose frowned. She didn’t like the sound of this.
"You see, there’s this dinner party we have to attend," Mrs. Hockley explained.
"It’s tomorrow night. The problem is that escorts are required and Cal waited until the last minute to ask anyone," Mr. Hockley explained.
"So we turn to our old friend Ruth here," Mrs. Hockley squeezed the other woman’s hand.
"So what do you say Sweetpea? Be my date?" Cal gave her one of his toothy grins.
Rose grimaced. Just to think of a night with Caledon Hockley made her stomach crawl. Besides, she had a boyfriend. What would Jack say about this proposition?
"Of course she’ll be your date," Ruth grinned. "Be here at seven."
"Mother!" Rose’s eyes widened with shock.
"Excellent. We’ll see you then dear. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a wonderful relationship between our two families," Mrs. Hockley crooned.
"Oh I’m sure it will be," Ruth smiled, leading the Hockley’s to the door. "Rose looks forward to tomorrow evening."
"As do I," Cal winked at Rose, who just stood there and glared at her mother. "Tomorrow Sweetpea."
Ruth sighed with satisfaction as she closed the door behind her guests. By the look of things, she’ll be moving back into the world of luxury that she once knew. That is if things went the way she hoped they did. Finally, she turned to find Rose glaring at her. "What?"
"How dare you mother. How dare you arrange that date without consulting me first."
"Rose…the Hockley’s are a very powerful family. They can help us back in the circle of polite society."
"I don’t care about polite society mother! I hate Caledon Hockley! He’s a pompous jerk and a bully! That’s why I broke up with him the first time!"
"Rose…"
"And I will not go to that dinner party with him! I won’t!"
Ruth’s eyes grew cold and her voice as hard as steel. "You will go on that date Rose and you will behave accordingly. You will do whatever it takes to make us rich again. If that means spending time with young Mr. Hockley, so be it. Do you understand me?"
Rose opened her mouth to answer, but no sound emerged. She was too stunned by her mother’s cold determination to answer.
Suddenly the ice in Ruth’s demeanor melted and she embraced her daughter tightly. "I knew we understood each other. We both want the same thing. Now, go upstairs and go to bed. You have a busy day tomorrow with school and then the party. You need your beauty rest. Now good-night darling," She kissed Rose’s forehead before watching the young woman disappear up the stairs. She was totally unaware of the secret Rose held or the swirling emotions her plan had set in motion.
~*~
Rose sat on her bed, her head buried in her hands, her emotions a whirlpool. Her life had turned into a roller coaster and she didn’t know how to get off. How did her life get to be such a mess? Well at least she still had Jack. That was a plus. No matter what, she’ll always have her blue-eyed artist.
She yawned tiredly at the ring of the phone, interrupting the silence of the room. Sighing, she picked it up. "Hello?"
"Rose," Jack’s voice came through the receiver, cutting away at the gloom that was beginning to gather in her head.
"Jack, I’m so glad you called," She sniffed back her tears.
"I called to say one more good-night and tell you what a good day this was. Hey, are you alright? You sound kind of…gloomy."
Rose had to smile. Jack knew her so
well. "It’s my mother. She wants me to go out with
Caledon Hockley tomorrow. Some kind of dinner party."
"What did you say?"
"I tried to tell them I refuse the offer, but she accepted and it was like I wasn’t even in the room. After the Hockley’s left, I told mother that I wasn’t going out with him."
"What happened next?" Jack sounded worried. For Rose and their baby. He had met Ruth Dewitt Bukater only once and the way she had looked at him…it was like he was an insect; a dangerous insect, that must be squashed quickly.
"She informed me in so many words that I didn’t have a choice. That it was all a part of her get rich quick scheme. She wouldn’t even listen to me Jack. It was like she didn’t care. What am I going to do?"
Jack took a deep breath. He didn’t know what to say. Of course, he didn’t want Rose to go out with Caledon Hockley…but what choice did they have? Going up against Ruth Dewitt Bukater could be trouble; and that was something neither Rose, nor himself needed right now. Especially with a baby on the way. "…Rose…just go out with him…this one time."
"Jack!"
"No Rose, listen. If we fight this right now, she can ruin everything. She can make both of our lives miserable. For right now, we’ll play her game until we can come up with a solution."
Rose took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together. She understood what Jack was saying, but she didn’t know if she could do it. "Jack…I don’t know…I despise Cal…"
"So do I Rose. But it’s what we have to do if we want to stay together. At least until I can think of something anyway."
"…Ok Jack. I’ll go to the dinner party. But I’m not happy about this."
He laughed. "I don’t expect you to be. I love you Rose. Everything’s going to be ok. I promise."
"I love you too Jack. Good-night."
"Night," he hung up, hoping
that he was doing the right thing. What if she decided that she
wanted to be with a rich Hockley instead of a poor Dawson? What
if Ruth made sure he’d never see Rose again?
He blocked those insecurities from his thoughts as he turned off
the lights. Falling asleep, he reassured himself that Rose truly
loved him and wouldn’t leave him for Cal, no matter how much
money was involved.