9
On the way home that night, Rose had refused to say one word to Jack or anyone else. No matter what Jack said to her, or pleaded with her to say at lease one word to him, she remained silent. He had finally given up. Seeing that it was useless trying to communicate that night he went to bed. Rose had finally drifted off to sleep into a horrible nightmare. Her and Jack were aboard the Titanic along with Cal, her mother, and Kimberly. Rose was in a wedding dress along with Jack. The captain was about to pronounce them man and wife when Cal and her mother came in along with Kimberly. Jack looked up and his beautiful eyes lit up in a way Rose had never seen them light up before. Kimberly only held out her hand and Jack had went with her. Looking back once at Rose, he left with Kimberly, applause thundering all around.
"Jack no come back!" Rose had cried, but Cal grabbed her.
"Where are you going? To him? To be a whore to a gutterrat?!"
Rose tried to get away but it was no use. She cried and screamed for Jack but he never came. She soon bolted awake and looked down at a peacefully sleeping Jack, his arms tucked safely around her. She wondered if he thought he was holding Kimberly.
Jack kept his eyes closed, knowing that Rose had woken up. Not wanting to disturb her, or make her anymore mad than she already was, he remained quiet. Pretending to be asleep. He was surprised to hear her sobbing as she layed back down. He opened his eyes and sat up, looking down at her.
"Won’t you tell me what’s wrong? Why you’re so sad?" Jack asked one last time. This only made her cry even harder. "Oh Rose." He tightens his embrace and hugs her closely. They remained like this for the rest of the night, Rose miserable and Jack wondering what he had done wrong to make her so.
The next morning the house woke up at five o’clock, much to Rose’s chagrin. Rose opened her eyes from a troubled sleep and stared at Jack buttoning his shirt. She didn’t mean for the question to slip out, but it did.
"Are you going to see her?"
Jack turned around. "Who?"
"Kimberly Smith. Are you going to see her. Surely she must be up waiting for you to meet her."
Jack stared at Rose in shock. So that was what was wrong with her. But why would she think he was going to meet Kimberly? Or that anything was going on with Kimberly at all, then he remembered the hug. Rose must have caught on to the vibes between Kimberly and himself.
"No Rose. I’m not going to meet Kimberly. Everyone wakes up at this hour around here. It’ll take some getting used to," Jack said.
"Who was she to you Jack? Did you love her terribly? Is she the reason why you left?" Rose quickly asked, afraid of the answers to each question. "Do you wish it was her you were married to, not me?"
Jack stared at Rose, his mouth open. He had no idea Rose was thinking along those lines. So that was her problem all last night.
"Rose of course not. I love you. I love you more than anything in the world. You’re the only woman I want to be with, ever."
"But there was something between you two wasn’t there? She was important to you."
Jack sighed and sat down on the bed. He took Rose’s trembling hands in his own and looked deeply into her tearfilled eyes. He gently strokes her cheek. "Ok Rose. Kimberly and I do have history. But that’s what it is. History. She was the first girl I ever loved…and lost. And I guess a part of me will always love her. But that doesn’t in no way compare to how I feel about you Rose. You’re the only woman I want to be with, now and forever. What I had with Kimberly was puppy love, but what me and you have…that’s the real thing. I love you Rose. With everything I am…Everything I ever will be. You’re the only woman for me."
"Are you sure Jack? Because if you do want to be with her…it’ll kill me but I’ll step aside. Your happiness is so important to me."
Jack smiled, touched by her confession. "Oh Rose…I’ve never been more sure in my life about anything. You’re the one I want. Not Kimberly. I’m sorry if I did anything to make you think otherwise. I’m sorry," Jack pulled her into a comforting hug as Rose burst into tears of joy. "I love you so much Rose. I thought you knew that."
"I guess I do now," Rose smiled, burying her face into Jack’s chest, inhaling his scent. "I’m sorry for being such a brat last night. I should have discussed this with you then."
"It’s okay Rose. At least we’ve discussed and we both know where we stand," Jack smiled, pulling away from the hug to stroke her face. "I love you. Only you."
Rose smiled and kissed him passionately. They lean back onto the bed when there’s a knock at the door.
"Jack ready? There’s work to be done out there!" Charles knocks on the door.
"Coming dad," Jack groaned, pulling out of Rose’s embrace. "I gotta go. Guess I’ll see you at seven."
"Ok," Rose kissed him. The kiss threatens to become passionate again, but Jack tears himself away.
"We have to stop doing that. A trip to the stars will be inevitable if we don’t," Jack ruggedly whispers.
"Love you," Rose smiled, leaning her face closer to Jack’s.
"Love you more," Jack smiles, pulling away from Rose.
"Jack!" Charles knocks on the door a little harder.
"Coming!" Jack hollers back. And goes to the door. He turns one more time to look at Rose. "I’ll see you later."
"Can’t wait," Rose waves, watching her husband walk out the door. She sighs contently and leans back into bed. She’s now more secure in Jack’s love for her. In fact she feels silly for ever doubting it. But she was still curious about his past relationship with Kimberly Smith. Maybe tonight he’ll tell her what really happened between the two of them and if Kimberly was the reason for his leaving home.