A ROSE BLOWING IN THE WIND
Chapter Five
Rose sits at the window in the
setting room, looking out the window, lost in her thoughts of
Jack. Even though it's been a full month since the sinking she
still couldn't believe he was gone. He had come into and gone out
of her life so quickly that sometimes she thought the few days
they had together was nothing but a beautiful dream, but the
sharp pain in her heart and the strong memory of his voice told
her otherwise. Plus her situation now was also proof. If her time
with Jack had been a dream she would become Mrs. Caledon Hockley
today.
She couldn't help but wonder how her mother and Cal were doing
without her. Was Cal taking care of her mother? Did he even miss
Rose or was it his precious necklace he was mourning, not his
fiancee? f She had read her own obiturary a couple of days after
arriving at the Singleton House:
Rose Dewitt Bukater, fiancee of Caledon Hockley, son of famous
steel tychoon was one of the poor souls that parished in the
sinking of luxery liner Titanic. Only her mother Ruth Dewitt
Bukater survives her. She will be sorely missed.
You mean sorely hated don't you? Rose Thought to herself. Her
mother must hate her for "dying" just when she was
about to have everything she's been praying for for the past two
years. And Cal...she knew he despised her for leaving him for
Cal. He even tried to kill both her and Jack. She didn't care,
she despised Cal even more. If it wasn't for him framing Jack for
taking the necklace, Jack may still be alive right now. They
could have gotten into a lifeboat together before they inforced
the rule of women and children first.
Oh Jack why? Why did you have to die and leave me all alone? We
were supposed to be together right now. Maybe we'd be in Santa
Monica at the pier and you'd be teaching me how to ride like a
man. No. We'd be riding the roller coaster right now. I'd be
holding your hand tight and screaming as the car plunged down the
track. Then we'd have another spitting lesson since mother
interrupted the first one. We'd save the riding lesson for last,
so we could ride off into the sunset together. It could have been
so beautiful Jack.
"It could have been so beautiful," Rose whispered,
a hot tear slipping from her eyes.
"Rose? Are you okay?" Laurie enters the room to see
Rose once again setting alone in the dark crying.
"I'm fine," Rose nods. "I was just thinking."
"Oh. It must be about the disaster. It was a horrible
tragedy...all those people dead. You were so lucky to survive.
There's a rumor that the third class passengers were locked down
below until the ship was practically under water."
Rose shivers as she remembers her and Jack running up against a
locked gate with water rapidly rising around them. She's thankful
that Jack was able to get the gate open...but then again...if he
wasn't able to...she'd be with him right now for all eternity.
"Rose?" Laurie looks closely at her friend, noticing
how pale she had gotten. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No Laurie. You didn't say anything wrong. But that
rumor...it was true. If it wasn't for some of the men breaking
down the gate with a bench they had tore from the floor...I may
not be here now. It was so horrible. It was like you had to be
rich to be worthy of survival."
"Oh my God. That's horrible..." Laurie raises her hand
to her mouth.
"Enough about Titanic," Rose changes the subject,
wanting to get away from the wash of horrifying memories of the
sinking ship. "I saw you in the park today...talking to a
man. Who was he?"
"Laurie pales. "No one. He was no one," She
quickly turns away and gets up. "I better get to the kitchen
and start dinner. It's my turn tonight and Mrs. Wilma is strict
about kitchen duties, especially dinner preparation."
"Laurie..."
"I'll talk to you later Rose," Laurie takes off into
the kitchen, leaving Rose staring after the girl, totally
confused about what had just happened. What did she say? Had she
offended Laurie somehow?
Rose just shakes her head and sighs as she leans back into the
sofa and sinks back into her thoughts of Jack, forgetting about
what had made Laurie flee the room so fast.
"Run Rose!" Jack pulls her through the ship, trying
to escape the wall of ice cold water that was bearing down on
them.
"Jack!" Rose screamed, clutching his already slippery
hand, she could feel herself slipping away from him. "I
can't hold on Jack! I have to let go!"
Suddenly everything stops and turns into darkness. The water is
gone and so are the flickering lights. Rose looks ahead and then
everything's bright again and she finds herself, along with Jack
standing right outside the entrance of the first class dining
saloon. Just about everyone she knew was in there. Mr.
Andrews...Cora Cortmell and her father...the orchestra...J.J.
Astor...Mr. Guiggenheim...and Jack's friends Fabrizio and Tommy
Ryan. They were all there. Jack grabs her hands and holds them
tightly, he forces her to look at him. She shivers as his blue
eyes bore into hers intensely.
Do not let go Rose," His voice is strong and determinded.
"Do you hear me, never let go. Keep your promise."
Rose looks away from him and into the dining saloon, where people
were gathering around and talking. Fabrizio was slapping Tommy on
the back and laughing. Everyone was getting along and having a
good time. She wanted to be in there more than anything. She
turns to go in, but Jack grabs her shoulders.
"No Rose no. Not yet. You can't go in there yet. It's not
your time. You have too much to do," Jack holds her still.
"But why Jack? I want to go in. I want to be with you."
He looks at her, deep sorrow in his eyes. "You'll always be
with me Rose, always. Just as I'll always be with you. You just
can't go in there yet. But someday Rose, you can. I promise and
I'll be waiting for you."
"When?"
"Someday," Jack smiles, letting go of her hands and
backing away from her towards the saloon. Rose becomes
frightened. Why was he leaving her?
"Jack?!"
"Someday Rose," He holds up his hand in a wave. "I
promise. Now keep your promise to me Rose. Honor my memory.
Remember I love you and I'll always be with you."
"Jack?"
He turns his back to her and enters the saloon. She presses
against the glass and watches as he turns to her one more time
and waves. She can make out the words I love you from his lips.
He turns again and ascends the stairs and stands in front of the
clock in the same manner he stood after the first class
dinner...when he had asked her if she wanted to go to a real
party. That's the way he stayed. He did not turn around to look
at her once.
Rose awakens on the sofa, she rubs the fresh tears out of her
eyes. What a strange dream. But then again, it was just like the
other dreams she's had since the sinking. All of them either
about Jack or Titanic or both. But this one...it seemed so
vivid...like she really was with Jack.
"Rose I see you're awake," Mrs. Wilma enters the room.
"Come, dinner's ready."
"Yes mam," Rose nods, getting off the sofa and heading
into the dining room. She looks one more time at the couch she
had been sleeping in and once again sighs forlornly. "I miss
you Jack."
Then she disappears into the dining room, ready to force herself
to eat and share in conversation with the other girls in the
house.