30
Jack and Rose stood before the estate that Jack had called home for the past three years. It was huge and beautiful. It was obvious that someone rich and powerful lived there. Rose held Jack’s hand tightly, remembering her last meeting with Irene. This confrontation was something she wasn’t looking forward to. What if the old woman split her and Jack up again? What then? Sensing Rose’s insecurity, Jack squeezed her hand, reassuring her of his love and devotion. Irene was not going to split them up this time. He wouldn’t let her.
"Jack…I’m not sure about this. Can’t we just take off and not deal with her at all?" Rose bit her lip, feeling cowardly for wanting to avoid Irene and hide away, but she couldn’t help it. The woman terrified her and the last time she stood up to her, she had lost.
"If you want, you can wait out here and I’ll confront her on my own. You don’t have to face her again if you don’t want to."
Rose sighed, trying not to show her relief. She hated this. That she was too afraid to face the woman that had stolen her love self-respect and even her courage. No, Jack shouldn’t have to do this alone. She was going to go in with him. Fear or no fear, Irene couldn’t hurt her anymore…not when she had Jack by her side.
"No. I’m fine. Just don’t let go of my hand and don’t leave me alone with her," Rose chuckled, pushing away her fear. As long as she had Jack, she was going to be alright. "You jump, I jump."
Jack smiled at the familiar saying. It was like they had never been apart. "I love you," he kissed her gently, tightening his grip on her hand. "Let’s get this over with."
Rose nodded and followed him inside, hoping that this time, her courage wouldn’t fail her. This was her and Jack’s future at stake. She couldn’t let Irene take that away again.
"Jack!" The twins, Lily and Paul called out as they ran to greet their brother. They stopped when they saw that he wasn’t alone.
"Hey there," Jack hugged his brother and sister, who had grown a great deal from the last time he she saw them. "You guys remember Rose don’t you? From when we lived in Chicago?"
The children smiled shyly and shook their heads. They barely even remembered their lives in Chicago, much to Jack’s disappointment. They didn’t even remember Mae and Irene had forbidden any talk of the kind woman or their sister…or anything else about Chicago.
"You both have grown so much," Rose smiled, a bit of her unease evaporating.
"Lily! Paul!" Irene called, coming down the staircase. Jack stepped back to Rose’s side and took her hand in his. He smiled reassuringly at her as he felt her trembling. "Relax. Everything will be alright," He reassured his new bride, who was busy chewing on her bottom lip.
"Jack…" Irene blinked in surprise as she noticed that the twins weren’t alone. She frowned when she saw the Dewitt Bukater girl by his side. She had expected never to see the girl again. How odd. "Miss. Dewitt Bukater…what a surprise to see you again…and with my grandson."
"Surprised are you grandmother? After terrorizing her into dumping me?" Jack’s anger flared up. All the pain…all the heartache…it was all her fault! She saw what losing Rose was doing to him and she couldn’t care less!
"Jack dear…what are you talking about? Come…we’ll have some tea and we can discuss this."
"We don’t want anything from you. Not now, not ever again," Jack shook his head. "I wouldn’t even have returned to this miserable place if it hadn’t been for my need to say good-bye to Lily and Paul and to tell you how disgusted I am by your bullying Rose out of my life!"
Irene’s eyes widened with shock and indignation. So the girl had blabbed about her part in their break up three years ago. She had to admit she was surprised. From what the girl’s mother had said in a recent call, everything was fine. The girl was engaged to the Hockley boy and all thoughts of Jack seemed to have disappeared. Well…obviously that wasn’t the case, because here the girl was, by her grandson’s side as he ripped Irene apart for meddling in his affairs.
"What does this yelling matter now dear?" Irene asked, glaring at the girl who held her grandson’s heart. "I have it on very good authority that the girl’s engaged now. A Mister Caledon Hockley, I do believe."
"I was engaged to Caledon Hockley, but as of this evening, the engagement is off," Rose spoke up, pushing down her fear. Jack shouldn’t be the only one standing up for their love. She wanted to be strong and brave herself.
"Oh really?" Irene crossed her arms. "I’m sure your mother would beg to differ. She worked so hard for your union with the Hockley’s."
Rose frowned. What was that about her mother? She had nothing to do with this. "I don’t know what you’re playing at, but leave my mother out of this."
"Why she’s already in it my dear. You didn’t honestly think that I was the only one wanting your little romance with my grandson to end did you? Your mother also had a hand my dear. She wanted you with Hockley and away from Jack. At least my reason’s were honorable. You both were too young for marriage."
"Well we’re not now," Jack turned the conversation away from Rose’s mother. "Because we’ve just returned from Las Vegas. Rose and I got married and this time you can’t come between us."
Irene stepped back in shock. This she wasn’t expecting. They had remarried and the boy was right. Now that he was no longer a minor, there was nothing she could do. She had no choice but to accept it. "Fine Jack. If this is what you want, you’ll get no more resistance from me. You’re right. You are of age now. But if you think that this will be easy for either of you…think again."
"Rose and I know that it won’t be easy. That it takes a lot for a marriage to work. But we’re up to the challenge."
Irene only nodded. She glanced at Rose, who appeared to be deep in thought. "You’ll have no more trouble from me. But I can’t speak for your mother. Surely she’ll be against this union," With that said, Irene disappeared upstairs and made a phone call. Poor Ruth. She had worked so hard for the Hockley marriage to happen. But now it was all ruined. She had to be warned.
~*~
Rose frowned as her and Jack left the mansion. Something was bothering her…something important.
"Well that was easy," Jack pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. "I was expecting more of a fight."
"I don’t think it’s over yet," Rose sighed, turning in his arms, laying her head against his steady chest. "What do you think she meant about my mother?"
Jack sighed, tightening his hold around her shoulders. "Maybe she was in on it. We can go pay her a visit if you want, but it’ll have to wait until tomorrow. We’re pretty much jet-lagged here. We should get some sleep before we do anymore traveling."
"I…I don’t know Jack. If my mother was apart of breaking us up…I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive her."
"Shhh sweetie. Don’t think
about that right now. That’s something to leave for
tomorrow. Right now, we’ll go in, eat something…and get
some sleep. I’m sure grandmother won’t mind fulfilling
our needs. She does owe us that much."
"I love you," Rose rubbed his arms, feeling at peace
for the first time in years. Jack was right. Her mother could
wait. Right now, all she wanted to do was spend the rest of the
night in Jack’s arms, basking in the glow of being Mrs. Jack
Dawson once again.
~*~
The next day, Jack and Rose left South Carolina in high spirits. Irene had apologized and welcomed Rose into the family. She had given them a huge breakfast and drove to the airport. Rose of course was surprised by Irene’s kindness. At first she was horribly suspicious, but decided that there was nothing to fear. Jack had made good and sure that Rose was never left alone with Irene.
Setting on the plane, she watched South Carolina fall away as they headed to Chicago to confront Ruth.
The penthouse was dark and quiet when Jack and Rose arrived. At first, Rose thought that the place was empty, until she heard the soft chink of ice against glass. Her mother was home and by the sound of it, drinking. She knew of Rose’s recent nuptials. Irene had probably called her.
"Mother?" Rose took Jack’s hand in hers, needing his warm strength as she lead the way into the penthouse.
"So the little slut has returned home," Ruth’s voice was cold and full of anger. All her plans…her hard work…all flushed down the drain by her ungrateful daughter. Trembling with pent up emotion, Ruth got to her feet and turned on the light, allowing Rose to view the evidence of last night’s tirade. Glass and vases…broken. Priceless paintings, ripped. Her home had been destroyed by hurricane Ruth.
"You did all of this?" Rose took a step closer to Jack, realizing just how unstable her mother really was.
"Represents the mess you’ve made out of both our lives, don’t you think?" Ruth glared at her daughter.
Rose shook her head, refusing to be held responsible for her mother’s life any longer. "No mother, it’s your mess. Didn’t you think that I would find out about your part in keeping Jack and I apart? At least Irene was concerned about us being so young, but your reasons…they were nothing but selfish."
"I did what I did for you Rose. I knew that Cal was what you needed…"
"No mother. Cal was what you needed. I never liked nor did I love him. Not now, not ever. The engagement…it was all for you. But I can’t do it any more. I won’t. I will not sacrifice my life for yours…it ends now."
"Like hell…." Ruth began but was cut off by Rose’s icy stare.
"I won’t mother. I’ll never forgive you either. We’ll be going now." Rose pulled Jack towards the door, wanting to be away from her drunk mother as soon as possible.
"Rose! Wait! What will become of me?" Ruth cried out in desperation, knowing that once Rose walked out that door, she’ll be all alone. "What’s to become of me?"
Rose looked at her mother, pity in her green gaze. What could she say to her now? Really, there was nothing else to say. She had been betrayed and now it was time to take her leave. To begin a new life with the only man she could ever love.
"Mother…. that is all up to you. Just like my life is now all up to me. Good bye," that said, Rose and Jack left the ruined penthouse, and didn’t look back. Their lives were now intertwined and their love truly lasted into eternity, no matter what obstacles were thrown in their way.
THE END