CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Four Weeks later…
Rose sat down in the
entertainment room watching CNN, listening to an updated report on the cleaning
of ground zero. It was now October and
Rose has yet to go anywhere except for school and home. She’s been too nervous to go anywhere
else. She knew she wasn’t helping
matters by staying in, but everytime she thought of what happened and saw the
Winston’s empty driveway it just drove her back inside where it was safe and no
terrorists could reach her. She even
refused Jack’s request to go out to a movie or take a walk through central
park. Instead they would just spend the
day at Rose’s house, in her room or down in the entertainment room.
But today was going to be
different. Jack was determined to drag
Rose out of her depression and outside.
Make her live life again. He stood
in the entrance to the entertainment room, just watching her, wondering what
was the best way to reintroduce her to the outside world.
“Hey Rose,” Jack entered the rest
of the way.
“Jack hi. I wasn’t expecting you today,” Rose took her
eyes off the television to greet her boyfriend.
“I know. I was thinking, we should take a nice walk
in the park. We can stop by Burger King
or Subway and have a picnic lunch.”
Rose glanced down at her
hands. She knew what Jack was up to and
she really did want to go, but she was so scared. What if the terrorist hit central park? Or what if they planted a bomb at the restaurant? No where was safe anymore. She wished she could make Jack understand
that.
“Uh…Jack not today ok? I’m pretty tired and I have so much
housework to do…”
“Rose you’ve said that each and
everytime I’ve suggested leaving this house.
This isn’t healthy Rose. You
need to get out of this house.”
“I do. I go to school.”
“And then
you come back here and mope,” Jack sighed, walking the rest of the way
downstairs and taking her hands in his as he sat next to her. “Rose, I know the world is a scary place
right now. And I wish that I could make
it safe and normal for you again but I can’t.
No one can. We’ve been hit by
terror and we’ve been hit hard. The
city nor the country will ever be the same again, even after this war is
over. But we can’t just tuck our heads
in the sand and never leave our rooms again.
That’s just what those terrorists want us to do. We have to show them that we’re made out of
tougher stuff. That they can’t come to
our country and tell us when and where we can go or anything else. We have to continue making it count
Rose. Or else all those people died in
vain,” Jack gently stroked her face.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes
Jack. I do. But I’m so scared.”
Jack smiled. “Believe it or not, so am I. That’s why it’s important to take this step
together. Hand in hand. We’ll fight our fear together.”
Rose
sighed. She knew she was going to say
yes the minute he had taken her hand in his.
There was no fighting Jack when he was being so gentle and loving. “Ok.
Let me get my jacket and do something with my hair, then we can go to
central park. Happy?”
Jack
grinned. “Definitely. I’ll be in the living room waiting.”
Looking
back at Jack, grateful for his love and strength, Rose darted upstairs to
prepare for their date, ready to conquer any fears that may arise.
And
love is not the easy thing
The only baggage that you can bring
Love is not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind
And
if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong
Oh,
Oh
Walk on
Walk on
What you got, they can't steal it
No, they can't even feel it
Walk on
Walk on
Stay safe tonight
You're
packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen
You could have flown away a singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly, for freedom
Oh
Oh
Walk on
Walk on
What you got, they can't deny it
Can't sell it, or buy it
Walk on
Walk on
You stay safe tonight
And
I know it aches
How your heart, it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk
on
Walk on
Home,
hard to know what it is
If you've never had one
Home, I can't say where it is
But I know I'm going home
That's where the hurt is
And
I know it aches
And your heart, it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk
on
Leave
it behind
You've got to leave it behind
All
that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you feel
All this you can leave behind
All
that you reason - it's only time (?)
All that I'm feeling on my mind (??)
All that you sense,
All that you scheme,
All you dress-up,
And all that you see,
All you create,
All that you wreck,
All that you hate
Walk On-U2