30
Rose woke up to the sound of Jack happily singing in the shower. Yawning she sat up and decided it’d be a good idea to join him. Shedding her nightgown she entered the restroom and joined her husband behind the shower curtain.
"Good morning," Rose greeted, wrapping her arms around his naked waist.
"Good morning," Jack grinned, turning around to wrap her into an embrace. "This certainly is a nice way to start the morning."
"Hmmm," Rose agreed, kissing him tenderly.
"I thought you’d be downstairs eating breakfast. Mother has a feast planned."
"Oh. I thought you were my breakfast," Rose playfully pouted, causing Jack to laugh in response. "You certainly look good enough to eat."
"Well you look down right delectable," Jack nuzzled her neck, pulling her even closer just as there’s a knock on the door.
"Jack! I have to get in there too!" Jacklyn knocked on the door.
"Sisters," Jack rolled his eyes.
"Jack," Rose playfully slapped his arms.
"Jack!" Jacklyn called again.
"I’m on my way
out!" Jack released Rose and both exited the shower. Rose
began giggling. "What’s so funny?"
"The look on Jacklyn’s face when she sees us coming out
together. The poor dear is going to be mortified."
Jack grinned and grabbed her hand as soon as they were both clothed. Hand in hand they opened the door to see Jacklyn gasp in surprise and dismay.
"Oh…Jack why didn’t you tell me you two were busy…I’m sorry," Jacklyn’s face grew deep red with embarrassment.
Rose laughed. "It’s
ok Jacklyn. I had just joined Jack a few minutes ago so we
weren’t doing anything really naughty."
"Yet anyway," Jack crossed his arms, trying not to
laugh at the terrified look in his sister’s eyes.
"Jack stop it. Let’s go get dressed," Rose scolded, leading the way back to the room that her and Jack shared with Jolene and Richie. The room was empty since both Jolene and Richie had awaken and slipped downstairs.
"Looks like it’s just us," Jack again took Rose into his arms.
"But they can come back any minute," Rose whispered, not bothering trying to get away. Instead she stepped even closer. "Your eyes…they’re so pretty."
Jack laughed. "Is that all you have to say at a moment like this?"
"I guess you can say more?"
"You bet," Jack began to sway from side to side as if him and Rose were slow dancing. "Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa men have named you…do you smile to tempt a lover Mona Lisa or is this your way to mend a broken heart…are you warm or are you real or are you such a cold and lonely lovely work of art…Mona Lisa…Mona Lisa…."
Rose sighed. Her heart was touched whenever Jack sang to her. His words seem to flow from his heart. "Oh Jack…I love you," She layed her head on his shoulder. She sighed, content in his warm embrace. She never wanted to leave the safe circle of his arms.
"Rose."
"Hmmm?"
"We have to get dressed and go downstairs before they come up searching for us," Jack whispered, not making a move to release her.
"Do we have to? Can’t we just remain like this forever?"
"Sorry sweetie. We have to start our day."
Rose sighed and forced herself to step away from her husband. "Oh ok. Since you insist," She pouted.
Jack simply smiled and kissed her forehead. "Love you Rosie."
"I love you more Jack. Let’s get dressed," Rose went to the closet and fished out a cotton white dress she had brought a couple of weeks ago.
Looking at Jack get dressed she
smiled. She couldn’t have asked for a better husband. He was
everything she could ever want.
"Jack! Rose! Are you awake yet?!" Nancy’s voice
interrupted the comfortable silence that had fallen over the two
lovers. "Are you dressed?! We have company coming!"
Jack frowned. "Who could possibly be coming at this time of day?"
"Oh my God Jack!" Rose’s hand flew up to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.
"What?" Jack was immediately by her side. "What is it Rose?"
"I can’t believe this. I completely forgot…this is November. In two more days it’ll be Thanksgiving! With all that’s been going on I forgot," Rose stared at her husband who smiled.
"That’s right. That means a big dinner and you’ll be meeting more of my family," Jack laughed. "Every thanksgiving and Christmas ma throws a big dinner party and the whole Dawson and Webb clan get together. They all must be on their way now."
"You mean your whole family?"
"Most of them anyway," Jack shrugged. "You’re going to love them Rose. I can’t wait for you to meet Uncle Weaver, my mother’s brother. He’s my favorite Uncle."
Rose nervously smiled. A house
full of strangers, she couldn’t wait. "Jack…I
don’t know any of these people…are you sure it’s
ok for me to come?"
Jack laughed. "Rose sweetie, you’re family now. The
minute we got married you became a Dawson and that little baby
you’re carrying is a Dawson too. To these people you are
family. No two ways about it."
"But what if they don’t see it that way?"
Jack sighed. He kept forgetting that Rose’s background was much more restrained than his. In her old world, if you weren’t a part of the immediate family you were a stranger. There was still a lot Rose had to learn about her new social status. "Rose. Don’t worry. Just be yourself and they’ll love you," Jack kissed her forehead and pulled her into a warm hug. "And if they don’t it won’t matter because I love you enough for all of them combined."
"Do you think I should have invited my mother?" Rose asked. "We were supposed to go up there, but never made it."
"Well…it’s a little too late now. But how about Christmas. That way she won’t be so rushed to get here. We’ll send a telegram this afternoon if you like."
"That’d be nice," Rose smiled, kissing Jack’s nose just as Nancy poked her head into the room.
"Oh good, you two are up. Rose, why don’t you and Jacklyn do the food run today? Jacklyn is already going, I just need a second person."
"What’s the food run?" Rose asked.
"It’s where women of
the community give out food to the needy and less
fortunate," Jack explained. "It’s a tradition with
this family. We do it every thanksgiving and Christmas."
"Oh. Ok, I’ll do it. I’d like to do something good
for once," Rose agreed.
"Mom…is it ok if I invited Bill for the dinner? He’s all alone and has no one. I hate to see him spend Thanksgiving alone," Jack questioned.
Nancy hesitated for a moment then nodded in agreement. "That’s a good idea Jack. He can come if he likes."
"I’ll ask him while we’re out," Rose smiled.
"Now are you two coming down for breakfast?" Nancy placed a hand on her hip, having to smile at the warmth and love coming from the couple.
"We’re on our way," Jack laughed, leading Rose out of the room.
*
They found Bill setting on the porch in his favorite chair smoking on a cigarette, reading the local paper, a habit he took up when he had found Jack. He had thought it’d help find Jack’s family.
"Jack and Rose!" He greeted standing up from the chair, laying the paper in the chair. "What a surprise. What bring you two here?"
"Hi Bill," Jack grinned. "Rose and I just wanted to stop by and see what you were doing for Thanksgiving this year."
"Oh…well…," Bill didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to lie, yet he didn’t want to admit he was doing nothing at all. Especially he didn’t want pity from the Dawson’s just because he saved their son. "Why do you want to know?"
"We want to invite you to have thanksgiving with us if you’re not too busy," Rose smiled up at Jack.
"Listen…I don’t want to be rude, but I don’t need pity nor charity from nobody. Especially not from the Dawsons. What I did for Jack was a decent thing to do for any human being."
"This isn’t about pity Bill. We’re inviting you because we want you there. Believe me, if we didn’t want you there we wouldn’t be inviting you. I know all about pity, believe me and I wouldn’t do that to anyone else," Jack explained.
"You excepted that dinner invitation aboard that ship," Bill arched a brow.
Rose giggled. "That wasn’t pity. Believe me. My ex-fiancee of the time wanted to make a fool of Jack in front of the first class but Jack turned the tables on him. He was the star of the table."
"Bill, please…come to thanksgiving dinner. We really want you there," Jack pleaded.
Bill sighed. Why didn’t Jack understand that he was a loner and he always would be, but looking at the younger man he knew he couldn’t say no. "Oh alright! I’ll come!"
"Great! Be there at four. That’s when we’ll eat," Jack grinned.
"It’ll be great to have you Bill," Rose smiled, happy that Jack was happy. The light in his blue eyes when he smiled made her want to laugh and dance.
"We better get back to the
others before they leave without us," Jack took Rose’s
hand. "We’ll see you Thursday Bill."
"See ya," Bill waved as Jack and Rose disappeared down
the path. Bill shook his head. He never could say no to Jack and
he supposed his wife couldn’t either. Those two would be in
big trouble if that baby of theirs inherited Jack’s ability.
Laughing he disappeared into his cabin to start his lunch.