CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Five days later…
Susan and Cal are in the sitting room. Cal is reading that afternoon’s paper and Susan is rocking baby Rebecca to sleep. She can’t help but look at Cal and wonder when it’ll be their baby she’ll be rocking to sleep.
"We’re back!" Jack and Rose announce coming into the room, their bags in their hands.
"Jack, Rose!" Cal grins getting to his feet. "When did you two get back?"
"Oh a bout fifteen minutes ago. Where’s my baby," Rose immediately looks around the room and spots Susan and Rebecca. "Oh there she is." She immediately goes to them and takes her baby. "Hello Becky. Did you miss Mommy as much as she missed you?"
Cal looks at Jack with a strange expression on his face. Jack just shrugs, "This trip was her first time being separated from Becky. She missed her like crazy."
"So what all did you two do in Santa Monica?" Susan asked curiously.
"Well we went to see daddy and everything mother had told me was a lie. Turns out she kicked him out and wouldn’t allow him to see me. So he moved to Santa Monica and started a new family. I have two brothers and a sister."
"How interesting," Susan smiles. "So how did all you get along and did your father like Jack?"
"Oh we got along great and he loved Jack. Just like he was his own son," Rose grinned. "Then we went to the pier in Santa Monica and Jack taught me how to ride like a man and we rode on the roller coaster. Then I met a couple of Jack’s friends. Big Mabelle was the most interesting," Rose giggled.
"Big Mabelle?" Cal asked.
"The bearded lady," Rose giggles again.
"She was no one really," Jack dismissed the subject. "Anyway, tell me what’s been going on in the Falls."
"Oh same old thing. Brianna is still chasing after every eligible bachelor in town and mother is still accepting guests in the boarding house. Oh! That does remind me! We have two new guests Jack and they were looking for both you and Rose," Susan said.
"Really? Who can that be? Are they still here?" Jack asked. He was curious. There were only four people who knew him and Rose and that was Fabrizio and Kate and those two men from Southampton.
"They went out a hour ago. I forgot their names, but one was Italian and the other was Irish. Quite a mismatched couple if I say so myself," Susan shakes her head.
"Jack!" A all too familiar voice called out. Jack’s eyes light up when he turns to see Fabrizio standing in the room.
"Fabri?!" Jack asked in disbelief.
"It’s about time you returned. Imagine inviting me and wife to Wisconsin and not even be in town," Fabri crosses his arms.
"W-when did you get in?" Jack asked incredulously.
"Two days ago. We went to house, no one home. This nice girl comes, tells us you’re gone, offers place to stay until you return."
"Susan, this is Fabrizio De Rossi. My very best friend in the world. We traveled the world together before I met Rose," Jack grinned. "Fabri, this is Susan. One my best friend since childhood."
"We met," Susan smiled.
"And of course you met Susan’s fiancée Caledon Hockley," Jack nods to Cal. Jack goes to Rose and takes their baby into his arms. "And here’s one other person I’d like you to meet. Fabri…meet your Goddaughter Rebecca, becky for short," Jack holds the gurggling baby out to his friend. "Here take her. From your last letter you’re gonna need a lot of practice."
"She looks like you Jack," Fabrizio nods, taking the baby, who laughs and gurgles in his arms.
"Yeah, but she has Rose’s smile and even some of her mannerisms," Jack grinned, always the proud father. "So where’s Kate?"
"Coming. She’s so big now. Slow walker," Fabrizio smiled.
"I’ll go out to meet her," Rose excitedly runs outside to meet the first real friend she had made since meeting Jack.
"So you two are staying here?" Jack asked.
"Yes. It’s quite nice. A lot nicer than that flat in Southampton," Fabri smiled at the memories and so did Jack. That flat was where he and Rose had gotten to know one another, the place where they had fallen in love.
"I plan to revisit that place someday Fabri. Holds a lot of memories," Jack grinned.
"Let’s leave them alone," Cal leans down to Susan, touching her back to escort her into the kitchen.
"Fabri…why don’t you and Kate stay with us? I can’t see letting my best friend and his wife pay for a room when they can stay at our house for free. Besides we have plenty of room and Rose would enjoy Kate’s company," Jack suggests.
"I don’t know Jack…you know how I feel about charity."
"Charity? Fabri we’re friends. This is not charity in the least. This is giving by best pal a place to stay ‘til he can afford his own place. Besides, with Kate so far along, that little room isn’t going to be big enough for a family, where as my house is big enough."
"Let me talk to Kate. See what she says," Fabri sighed just as Kate and Rose enter.
"Jack Kate and I was just talking. Fabri and her should move in with us!" rose announces. "They’re our best friends, plus with a baby on the way, there’s not going to be enough room for three people. What do you say?"
"I was just telling Fabri here the same thing," Jack grinned.
"Fabri I want to stay with Jack and Rose. Plus our baby will have a playmate. How about it," Kate pleads with her husband.
"Ok then. We stay with Jack and Rose," Fabrizio relents. "Let’s get our things."
"Wait. We can’t go to the house now. As you already saw it’s a little ways from town. It’s best if we all sleep here then we can be on our way tomorrow," Jack replies.
"Ok." Fabrizio nods. "Let’s go upstairs Kate. Time for bed."
"Yes Fabri. Night Jack and Rose. We’ll see you in the morning," Kate follows her husband up the stairs.
"It’s so great to have them here," Rose grins. "They bring back a lot of good memories. Like meeting you," Rose hugs Jack tightly. "And marrying you."
Jack laughed. She really did love him. He found it amazing that someone like Rose loved him so much. "Seeing Fabri again sure does bring back memories. Oh Rose, there were so many adventures we had together. We’re going to have to tell you and Kate about them. They were a trip."
"I’m sure they were Jack," Rose laughed, already heading upstairs. "I’m sure they were."