CHAPTER NINETEEN
Three months later…
Jack is downstairs putting away the breakfast dishes while Rose is outside on the porch with Rebecca, singing her to sleep when the telephone rings. Placing the last plate in the dishwasher, Jack goes to answer it.
"Hello?" Jack asked.
"Is this Jack Dawson?" a voice asked.
"The one and only."
"This is Brinkley, the detective Cal Hockley hired to find your wife’s father."
Jack comes to attention. "Yes?"
"I found him."
Jack swallows. "Alive?"
"Yeap. Living it up in California. Very rich man with a very beautiful wife with three kids. Two boys, one girl."
"Oh God. This is bad," Jack sighed, glancing out the window where he sees Rose and their daughter. "And you’re sure this is Ralph Dewitt Bukater?"
"Black hair, green eyes full beard. A mole on the back of his neck, you can barely see it," was all the detective had to say. He had found Rose’s father.
Jack sighed. "Which part of California is he living?"
"L.A. The city of Angels. Lives in the best part of town too. Big house with a pool and all."
"Well…thank you Mr. Brinkley. How much do we owe you?" Jack asked.
"Mr. Hockley said to tell you not to worry about the bill. I was returning a favor to him. This one is on the house."
"Thank you Mr. Brinkley. Me and my wife appreciate this."
Hanging up the phone Jack sighs sadly. He didn’t know whether he should go and give Rose the news. She had lifted over the depression over her father in the past three months and this news was just going to make it worse.
"Hi Jack," Rose greets coming into the house with their sleeping daughter cradled in her arms.
"Rose…I have some news…"
"Wait a minute while I put Becky here to bed and I’ll be right back down," Rose interrupts him, heading for the stairs.
Sighing again, Jack sets down and waits for his wife to return. Five minute later she comes down. "What is it Jack?"
"Come here Rose," Jack pulls her over into his lap. "We have to talk."
Rose grows nervous when she notices how grim Jack seemed. She had never seen him look so serious before. "Jack? What’s wrong?"
"That was Cal’s detective on the phone a while ago," Jack looks down at the floor. "He found your father."
"Alive?"
Jack nods. "He’s living in Los Angelas California."
"Oh my God. Is he okay? Is he healthy?"
"Yeah. He’s very well off so says the detective. He’s living in a big house with a wife and three kids. Two boys and a girl."
Rose doesn’t say anything to this. She just looks up at Jack, her eyes showing no emotion. "How does Mr. Brinkley know this man is my father? I mean it could be a mistake."
"He had a mole on the back of his neck. You can barely see it," Jack strokes her hair. "I’m sorry Rose. I wish that he was wrong, but by the description, your father’s alive and well."
"Mother was right," Rose looks down at the ground. "She was right. I guess I owe her a apology."
"You don’t owe that woman anything Rose. Don’t ever think that," Jack pulls her closer to him.
"I want to see him Jack," Rose sighed. "I need to talk to him and get his reasons. I mean, maybe what my mother said is still a lie. Maybe he didn’t leave. Maybe she kicked him out or something."
"I don’t know Rose…I mean…California’s a long way. Plus there’s Becky. I don’t think we should take her on a long trip when she’s so young."
"Susan will watch her while we’re gone. I know she will. And we’ll use the money we saved from when I pawned Cal’s ring. We were saving it for California anyway. Please Jack. I have to do this…please."
Jack sighs. He had no choice but to give in. "Ok Rose. We’re going to California. I just hope you don’t regret this after it’s all over."
"I won’t Jack. I just want to put all this behind me. All this wondering…I just want to get to the truth," Rose lays her head on his shoulder.
"We will Rose. We will," Jack nods, pulling her closer into a hug. "Just remember that there are people who do love you, Becky and me…we’re just two of them."
Two weeks later…
Rose and Jack step off the train and look at their surrounding. California was even more beautiful than Jack remembered and he knew Rose’s was immediately fascinated with the place, just by the sparkle in her beautiful green eyes.
"Oh Jack, It’s so beautiful here," Rose gasped.
"Let’s go check in at the hotel," Jack grabs her hand and leads her down the street the hotel they were staying at. "Rose…I still don’t know about this. I mean…all that will come of this is you getting hurt."
"Jack…I’ll be fine. I promise," Rose kissed her husband. "I know that all you want to do is protect me, but this is something I have to do. Right now, I don’t need your protection. I need your support."
"Well you know you’ll always have that," Jack smiled, pulling her into his arms. "I’m sorry Rose. I just can’t help wanting to protect you from everything and anything. I guess I love you too much."
Rose smiled and hugs him. "Jack, I love you so much and I’m glad you love me too much. But just simmer down on the protective thing ok."
Jack just nods. "I’ll try."
Rose lightly kisses him. "Good. Now let’s get going. The sooner I talk to my father the better," Rose grabs Jack’s hand and leads him out of the hotel.
Fifteen minutes later they stand in front of a huge mansion. It’s even bigger than Rose’s mansion in Philadelphia.
"Here we are," Jack said.
"Here we are," Rose nods in agreement, her face not revealing any emotion. She just clings to Jack’s hand and doesn’t move to ring the bell.
"Should I knock or ring the bell?" Jack asked.
"If you want," Rose nods, not making a move.
Taking a deep breath, Jack knocks on the door. It’s a familiar face that answers. A young woman with blond ringlets cascading down her back, two little boys peek out from behind her skirt. Jack remembers having drawn a picture of her and her and her husband six years ago, right after he left Chippewa Falls.
"May I help you?" The woman asked, obviously not remembering Jack.
"Yes. We’re looking for the Dewitt Bukater mansion," Rose forces herself to speak, not letting go of Jack’s hand for a even a minute. She even steps closer to him.
"This is the Dewitt Bukater mansion. I’m Sarah Dewitt Bukater. How may I help you?"
"Yes, we were looking for a Ralph Dewitt Bukater. Does he live here?" Jack asked.
"Yes. He’s my husband. He’s in his study right now. Shall I go fetch him for you?"
"Yes please…if it’s not too much trouble," Rose forces herself to breathe. She was about to see the man she had thought was dead for the last eight years.
"Oh how rude of me. Come in come in," The lady steps aside to allow Rose and Jack entrance.
Rose gasps in surprise when she looks around the house and notices the elaborate furnishings. It was even fancier than the mansion in Philadelphia. She sees the pictures on the mantle and recognizes the man with the woman and children as her father. To just anyone it was a picture of a happy family. No one could be happier. But to Rose it was a picture of a man who had abandoned his daughter to her mother’s mercy to start a new family. Rose pushed back her tears and filled her mind with thoughts of Jack and Becky and their future to come. She was so lucky to have Jack and so was Becky. She knew he’d never desert them and start another family.
"Rose?" Jack asked in concern, noticing the hurt in his wife’s eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms and make the hurt go away. Take her away from this place that was causing her so much pain and fill her with joy and happiness. But he knew she wouldn’t allow that. She had to lay this thing with her father to rest.
"I’m fine Jack," Rose swallows her tears. "Just stay with me ok. Don’t leave."
"I’ll never leave you Rose," Jack squeezes her hand in reassurance. "Just remember I’m right here if you need me."
"Sarah what is this all about? Who would I know that would come visit me on a Sunday," a deep familiar voice booms from the next room. Two minutes later, Rose is face to face with her father, but being that she was a lot smaller when she last saw him, he didn’t recognize her. "Yes? May I help you?"
"Yes you can," Rose pushes back her tears and goes into one of her imitations of her mother when her mother was giving her a lecture on how to be a proper lady. "You may not remember me, but then again you might.. My name is Rose Dewitt Bukater Dawson. Dawson being my married name. I was your daughter eight years ago."
Ralph Dewitt Bukater’s mouth drops wide open in shock. He had never expected to see his daughter again after all these years…after Ruth had coldly thrown him out and told him not to bother getting in contact with his daughter again. The last time he saw her she was waving good-bye to him when he had returned home from his last visit with her at her boarding school. Then Ruth had thrown him out and he had never heard from his daughter again. In return he had left Ruth virtually penniless. All she had was what she had brought in the marriage and a small trust fund for Rose. He had always wondered what had become of her. Did Ruth turned her into a cold porcelian doll just like herself? By the look in her green eyes, despite the cold exterior she threw up, he had to say that Ruth had not succeeded. "Rose?"
"I thought you were dead. At least that’s what mother said…"
"That figures," Ralph rolls his eyes angrily. If he ever saw that woman again, he’d ring her neck. It was totally unnecessary for her to lie to poor Rose like that. He had to wonder what had made Ruth come out with the truth. He had to ask. "How come she told you the truth?"
"She got angry with me for ruining her plans to remain in the lap of luxery. You see I married below myself as she puts it," Rose coldly replies, stepping even closer to Jack. It was getting to the point that if she stepped any closer to Jack, she’ll step on him.
"What did she say?"
"That you left us for another woman and that you never even loved me…that you hated the fact that I was a girl and not a boy and that you left us penniless," Rose explained. "at first I didn’t believe her, but I had to find out so I had a private detective find you. And by the look of things…mother was telling the truth."
Ralph feels the anger build towards Ruth Dewitt Bukater. That woman had lied one too many times and he was going to set things straight. "Rose you have to know that’s not true. I mean true I left, but that was because she threw me out and she told me I’d never see you again. I tried to get custody but it was refused. But I didn’t leave you penniless. I left you a trustfund that your mother was in control of. Didn’t she even tell you that?"
Rose’s icey exterior was beginning to melt at this explanation. It sounded just like something her mother would do. "I never saw one cent of that money. Mother must have depleated it."
"What else was you dear mother up too?" Ralph asked. He wanted the whole truth.
"She had almost forced me to marry one of the richest men in Philadelphia. Caledon Hockley. "
"You mean Nathan’s boy?! That man is a cold fish and from what I’ve seen of his son, he raised him the same way! Oh my poor Rose," Ralph stammers over unshed tears, thinking of what a nightmare his daughter’s life had been like.
"Fortunately I got lost in Southampton England when we were on our way home from a tour of Europe before the wedding. There I met my husband here Jack Dawson. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me," Rose squeezes Jack’s hand and looks lovingly up at him, her icey exterior already melted. She couldn’t keep up the Ruth act any longer when she looks at him.
"So you didn’t marry
Hockley?"
"No I didn’t. Needless to say mother was furious since
she didn’t see any of that Hockley money after all,"
Rose turns back to her father. She said you had died and left us
with a lot of debts and she’d have to become a seamstress if
I didn’t marry Cal. But once I met Jack…none of that
mattered anymore."
"Well I’m glad," Ralph grinned and turned his attention to the blonde man who had looked a little familiar. "I guess I owe you a thank you. Say, have I seen you before?"
"Well I used to draw portriats down in Santa Monica for ten cents a piece," Jack shruggs.
"Oh yes, you drew my wife’s picture for me. I remember she kept raving about how this artist was going to make it big someday," Ralph laughed. "Who to know that such a talented artist to capture my wife’s attention would end up marrying my oldest daughter."
"Father…I just want to know one thing. Why didn’t you ever try to contact me? Let me know that you were alive and had married? That I had two brothers and a sister? Why did I have to find all this out from a total stranger?"
"Rose, I wrote you a letter every day. All of this was in those letters. I thought you were getting them. I didn’t think that Ruth would be so cold hearted as to keep those letters from you."
"Well she was," Rose turns away from her father to hide her tears. "I can’t describe how much it hurt me to hear from mother that the man I thought was dead for years was actually alive and never really loved me, then to have a total stranger tell me that he had started another family…a family I wasn’t a part of. While I was left to mother’s mercy, you were out living it up with another woman who could give you better children."
"Oh Rose," Ralph takes his daughter into his arms and cried himself. "That’s not how it was at all. I loved you with my whole heart and I did fight to get you back. But when I lost, I knew it’d be even harder for you if I appealed the courts decision. I had no idea she had told you I was dead and that she had practically sold you to the highest bidder. If I did…I’d never had given up. I’m sorry Rose. I’m so sorry. I never meant for you to be hurt."
He pulls away from the hug and wipes away her tears. "How would you like to meet you little brother’s and sister?"
Rose smiled, her tears gone. She had gotten to the truth and had found out that it wasn’t as bad as her mother had made it. "I’d love too," Rose smiled, allowing her father to lead her upstairs. "Coming Jack?"
"Of course," Jack runs to keep up.
"Rose, meet your brothers Andrew and John. We call John Jackie for short," Ralph laughed once they reached the nursery where two little brunette boys were playing. "Boys, this is your big sister and your brother in law. Jack and Rose."
"Hello," Little Jackie came up, his blue eyes lighting up with interest. He turns t to Jack. "We have the same name."
"I know," Jack smiled down at the little boy who had already taken his hand.
Suddenly a seven year old girl with blond pigtails and a dirt stained dress comes running into the room, Sarah chasing right behind her. The little girl runs right to her father who scoops her up in his arms. "And this is Cindy. Your little sister. Cindy, this is your big sister Rose and her husband Jack."
"Hi Cindy," Rose offers her hand and smiles. She remembered having the exact same stains on her dress when she was Cindy’s age.
"Hello," Cindy’s big blue eyes look Rose up and down. "You’re pretty."
"Why thank you," Rose smiled.
"It’s too bad Becky’s not here," Jack replied, rejoining Rose.
"Becky?" Ralph asked curiously.
"Oh yes daddy. You’re a grandfather. ten months ago Jack and I had a baby girl. We named her Rebecca after Jack’s sister. She’s so cute and looks so much like Jack. She has his hair and eyes. You have to come visit us so she can get to know her grandpa and aunt and uncles."
"You hear that Sarah? We’re grandparents!" Ralph happily announced. "I definitely have to get down there to Wisconsin. In fact, I think we’ll take our family vacation there this year. It’s only in a couple of months."
"We’ll be glad to have ya," Jack grinned.
"Where are you two staying?" Sarah asked, coming to her husband’s side.
"Oh at a hotel a couple of blocks from here," Rose explained.
"Well that’s about to change. There’s no use for you two to stay in a hotel when we have plenty of room here."
"Oh no sir. We couldn’t impose…" Jack’s interrupts, but Ralph holds up his hand.
"You’re not imposing. We’re talking about my daughter here Jack and I will not have my daughter staying in a hotel when she can stay here in my home. So I’m not taking no for a answer."
"There’s no use to resist Jack. When my husband makes up his mind there’s no changing it," Sarah laughs.
"Now I know where Rose gets it from," Jack grinned, just to be punched playfully in the arm by Rose.
"Sarah go have Alfred go collect Rose and Jack’s belongings from that hotel please," Ralph ordered. "I’ll show them to their rooms."
"Yes dear," Sarah nods.
That night Rose cuddles up to her sleeping husband and goes over the days events. It was totally amazing how things worked out. Her mother had lied to her and she had just gained not only her father back but three younger siblings and a wonderful step mother. She had to wonder how she got so lucky. Then she looks over at her sleeping husband and suddenly knew. It was Jack. A little bit of his luck must have rubbed off on her. She sighed happily as she thought back on her life with him. He was the most amazing person she had ever met. She knew that there would never be anyone else for her.
Jack yawns as he opens his eyes to find Rose staring at him. He can read the love she felt for him in her eyes and he immediately gave her a passionate kiss. "I’m glad things worked out for ya Rose. "
"Thanks to you," Rose lightly kisses him. "You have brought so much into my life and I’m positive that you had something to do with this to."
Jack laughed. "Rose some of the things you say are crazy. I had nothing to do with this."
"Oh really Mr. Dawson? Well why is it that none of these great events never happened before I met you? I mean first I get Rebecca, then I get my father back with siblings to boot."
"Well there’s an explanation for both of those. With Rebecca, you needed me to get her, but as far as your father, you would have met up with him again eventually. Fate had her hands in that."
"It was fate meeting you," Rose turns serious. "I don’t know how I got so lucky Jack. I really don’t. One day I’m the most unlucky girl on the planet and the next I’m the luckiest. I’m so glad I found you."
"I’m glad I found you too Rose," Jack kisses her tenderly. "You’ve changed my life so much. When I first met you I had no intention of settling down. But when I fell in love with you…settling down was all I wanted to do. Settle down and make a living of drawing my beautiful angel."
"Oh Jack," Rose sinks into the meaning of his words.
"I love you Rose Dawson, he wraps his arms tightly around her.
"I love you more," Rose kisses him passionately. They never stop kissing. They spend the remainer of the night up in the stars where they’re the only people in existence.