Chapter Eleven

Three days later…

Rose yawns as she steps off the train and takes in her surroundings of the small quiet town. So this was Chippewa Falls. The place where her Jack had grown up. She’s been traveling three long days to get here and now that she was here…she had no idea what to do next.

She wondered where she could find some information about this town. She looks around and sees a girl waving to a leaving train. For some reason the girl looked familiar. The girl was about Rose’s height and a couple of years older than Rose. From what Rose could see from before she was kind of lanky and had a casual stance to her. Something told Rose to approach this girl…that she could trust her.

Rose is right up on her when the girl turns around and comes face to face with Rose. Rose gasped in surprise. The girl had these brilliant penetrating blue eyes. Rose had only seen eyes like in one person…Jack. Jack had those exact same eyes; in fact he also had the same blond hair. Could this girl be related to the Dawsons? Jack had mentioned a sister that had left home. Maybe this was her. Maybe she had returned in the five years that Jack had been gone. If so, she hated to be the one to tell her that Jack had died. She somehow knew that Caroline wouldn’t tell her.

"Hello," The girl smiled. "May I help you?"

Rose made herself look away from the girl. This wasn’t a good idea after all. In fact, coming here was a very bad idea period. She had to get away.

"Uh…I’m sorry. I thought you were someone I knew. I’m sorry to bother you," Rose backs away.

"Oh it’s no bother," The girl laughed. "I’ll be going now. I just came here to see my friend off on her way to college in Boston. I’ll see you around town sometime?"

"You probably will," Rose nods.

"Well goodbye then," The girl waves, walking past Rose and disappearing into the crowd.

Oh Jack," Rose thought to herself. "Was that your sister? If so, what am I going to tell her? She doesn’t seem to know or else she’d be mourning."

Rose sighed again as she picked up her bags and continued on her way. She’s halfway down the street from the train station when suddenly she’s grabbed from behind and a rough hand clamps over her mouth.

"Don’t say a word and you won’t get hurt," a harsh voice whispered into her ear. "All I want is the money."

Rose just nods as a tear escapes her eyes. She didn’t care about the money or the necklace that she carried with her. All she cared about was her last connection to the man she loved…her baby. She’d do anything to protect her baby from this monster.

"Now give me all your valuables," The voice hissed.

"Hey what are you doing!" An angry voice comes out of nowhere. "Let her go right now!"

The man curses under his breath and takes off running, forgetting all about the money that was so important to attack a poor pregnant woman for.

Horribly shaken, Rose collapses to the ground and sobs uncontrollably. Nothing like that had ever happened to her before. She didn’t know what else to do except cry.

"Are you ok Mrs.?" A gentle voice questioned, lightly touching her arm.

Rose looks up to meet two concerned blue eyes staring back at her. At first she thought it was her beloved Jack, that he had returned to her. But she zones back in on reality and realized that it was the girl from the train station, the girl she suspected to be Jack’s sister.

"I-I’m fine," Rose nods, her voice still a little shaky. "Thank you for scaring him off."

"Don’t mention it. Besides, I couldn’t just stand by and let that ruffian attack a pregnant lady. It’s unheard of. That’s the thing about train stations. Weirdoes always are lurking in the corner. You should be more careful Mrs. Chippewa Falls may be small and quiet but it does have it’s dark places. This trainstation for an example."

"Thank you for the advice. I better be going now. I have to find a place to stay," Rose gets to her feet.

"Well good luck there. You see there’s a big wedding tomorrow and there are more people from out of town than usual. All the boarding houses are booked up."

"Oh no," Rose’s hand flies to her mouth. What was she going to do now? "All of them?"

"All of them," the girl nods. "Listen…I have plenty of room at my house. The only people there are me and my brother and his friend Cory. There’s a extra bedroom just going to waste."

"Oh no I couldn’t. I don’t want to impose," Rose shakes her head.

"You won’t be imposing. My brother and Cory won’t mind. In fact you probably won’t even see them much, especially since my brother is the one getting married tomorrow and will be off on his honeymoon for the next three days," The girl laughs. "Besides, it’ll be fun having another woman around the old place."

Rose looks at the girl in astonishment. She was so like Jack…Rose was even ready to believe that she was somehow related to Jack. But the fact that the girl had a living breathing brother and didn’t seem to be distraught by anything proved that she was of no relation or she’d be heartbroken over her brother’s death…wouldn’t she?"

"You don’t even know me," Rose smiled.

"My name’s Caitlin. What’s yours?"

"Rose."

"Well Rose we know each other now. How about it? Stay with me?"

Rose laughed. The girl really wasn’t giving her any other choice, plus there was nowhere else she could go. "Ok," Rose nods in agreement. "I’ll stay."

"Good. Now let me help you with that," Caitlin takes one of the bags and leads Rose down the street away from the trainstation.

"Come right on in Rose. Make yourself at home," Caitlin leads Rose into the quaint cottage that sat at the edge of a wooded glade. "Just set your bags anywhere. I’ll have one of the boys take them up to your room when they return from what ever men do when they prepare for a wedding."

"You have a nice house here Caitlin," Rose looks around, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Oh thank you. It didn’t always look like this you know. When I came back to Chippewa Falls two years ago, the house was a mess. Water damage from the fire that killed my parents everywhere. But with a little hard work I got it up and going again, got it looking better that it did even before the fire," Caitlin smiled sadly. "If only mama and daddy were here to see it."

"Fire?" Rose’s interest is peaked. Jack had also lost his parents in a fire.

"Yes, Five long years ago this house caught on fire, killing both of my parents. The firemen said it was an electrical fire."

"Oh. I’m sorry to hear that," Rose swallows. Trying to tell herself that this was some sort of weird coincidence. Maybe Jack’s parents were here too when the fire happened. Should Rose ask Caitlin if she knew Jack? Should she risk having to tell what happened and break her heart all over again?

"Rose? Are you okay? You look rather pale? Is it the baby?"

"No, I’m fine. I’m just a little tired I guess. It was a long train ride."

"Rose…why don’t you go upstairs to my room. You can rest in there while I get your room all set up for you. What do ya say?"

"Caitlin…you are too good to me and you’ve only known me for a couple of hours," Rose smiles appreciatively. "You kind of remind me of my baby’s father. He was a lot like that too."

"Where is he now Rose? Is he joining you later on?"

Rose eyes begin to tear up. Oh how she wished Jack would be joining her…but that was something that could never happen. "No. He died in a terrible accident. It’s been six months now."

"Oh Rose I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories for you," Caitlin’s eyes widen in shock. "Come. I’ll show you to my room where you can rest for a while."

Rose smiles and nods, allowing Caitlin to take her hand and lead her upstairs.

One hour later…

Caitlin sighs as she places the comforter on the bed. It sure has been an interesting day. First she takes her best friend to the trainstation to leave for college and comes home with another girl new to this town without a place to stay. She can hear her brother now.

"Caitlin, I don’t know why you insist on helping every poor soul that crosses your path."
Caitlin shakes her head again at the thought of her moody brother. She could remember when he had once been like her. So carefree and softhearted. One time when they were children, he had insisted on bringing in an injured baby bird much to their mother’s protests. He had cried and cried ‘til their mother gave in. Now that kind-hearted child was gone. In his place was this very quiet, very somber and depressed person who did everything his fiancée told him too.

It was two months before he opened up and confessed all to Caitlin…told his twin sister what had happened to change his spirited outlook on life and why the light never danced in his eyes anymore. She had cried for hours on end after what he had told her. And sometimes at night, when he thinks no one is listening, she could hear him cry too. So desperate and lonely…so deep in despair. Caitlin’s just thankful that she had decided to return home two years ago so she can be here for him in his time of need. She just wished she could stop that blasted wedding. Marrying that woman, no matter how deep in despair he was is the wrong thing to do.

But she knew it was fruitless. The only person who could stop this wedding was dead and gone, buried deep in her brother’s broken heart. There she was nothing she could do to rescue her brother from this woman’s clutches.

She’s pulling down the blinds when she hears it…the sound of someone sobbing, so full of despair. At first she wondered if her brother was home, but changes her mind. It couldn’t be him.. The sobs had a feminine tint to it. She rushes to her room to see Rose, her head buried in the pillow, her body jerking with her sobs. Caitlin’s heart goes out to her. It’s obvious that this is about the baby’s father.

"Rose honey?" Caitlin goes to her and lays a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Are you ok?"

"Oh Caitlin I miss him so much," Rose throws her arms around Caitlin and holds on for deal life. "I can’t do this. I can’t go on without him here! It’s too hard! It’s so unfair!" Rose cried.

"Shhh Rose don’t cry. It’ll be all right. You’re strong and so is this baby. You both will be just fine. You just need a little rest right now. Get your mind off things."

Rose doesn’t respond to this. She just continues crying. They’re like this for a half-hour. Rose crying and Caitlin comforting her the best way she knew how. Finally Rose stops and gets up.

"I’m sorry about that. I guess all the emotions for the past couple of months have finally caught up with me."

"Don’t apologize Rose. You have nothing to be sorry about. You loved and you lost. And your heart’s not healed from it yet. But Rose it will heal and when you think about him you won’t be sad anymore. You’ll smile and be thankful for the time you did have with him," Caitlin smiled.

Rose smiled. "I hope you’re right."

"I am right. You’ll see," Caitlin grinned. "Well now that you’ve rested, let’s go downstairs and whip up some dinner. The men will be home soon. And believe me they’re ravenous…especially Cory. He’d eat the whole town if he could."

Again Rose is tempted to ask about Jack. But she passes up the opportunity. She’ll ask about him later. She’s passing the living room to get to the kitchen when she spot it…a leather portfolio laying on the table. Of course Jack came to mind. He carried one just like it on Titanic. She couldn’t resist. She had to see it. She had to hold something tangible that reminded her of him.

She picks up the portfolio and is about to open it.

"Rose?" Caitlin appears behind her and sees her with the portfolio, a far off look in her eyes.

"He used to carry one of these everywhere he went. He had an exceptional talent. He could see people, capture their very souls and in one stroke put them on paper," Rose sighed.

"That sounds like my brother. He’s an exceptional artist. He could make it big if he called off this wedding."

"Caitlin…what is your brother’s name? He sounds so much like my baby’s father…it really wouldn’t surprise me if he had the same name."

Before Caitlin can answer, a man with ebony black hair and laughing brown eyes came through the door. He stops in his tracks when he sees Rose.

"Caitlin, you didn’t tell me We were expecting company," Cory Calvert grins at Rose, his eyes sparkling with interest. He was entranced by the gorgeous young woman standing in his living room.

"Rose this is Cory Calvert, my brother’s best friend. Cory this is Rose. She’s new in town and needed a place to stay. Since the boarding houses are all full, I offered to let her stay here."
"Why hello Rose," Cory kisses her hand. "It’s a pleasure."

Caitlin rolls her eyes as she watches Cory try to lay on his charm on Rose. But Caitlin could tell it wasn’t working. Rose just kept a polite smile on her face as he laid it on thick.

"Where’s my brother!" Caitlin interrupts Cory.

"Outside waiting for the sunset. You know how he is. Besides, we should let him enjoy this. It’ll be the last one he sees as a free man," Cory laughed. "I still can’t believe he’s going to marry the shrew."

"Well believe it," Caitlin sniffed. "Nothing will change his mind."

"I take it you don’t like his fiancée?" Rose asked.

"Of course we don’t. The woman’s a shrew."

"Cory…" Caitlin warns.

"Well she is! It’s not my fault she’s made of stone."

"Cory. Please get Jack and tell him to come in here. I want him to meet Rose. Maybe seeing how a warm blooded woman acts will get him to see that he deserves a lot bertter," Caitlin sighed. She doubted that would help. Even though her name was rose, the same name of Jack’s lost love…she wasn’t his Rose. She wouldn’t be able to stop this wedding.

"But Cait!" Cory protests.

"Now!"

"Ok ok. I’m going," Cory mumble’s going out the door.

"So his name is Jack huh?" Rose asked, her heart stopping. He did have the same name.

"Yeah. Jack Dawson…my twin brother."

Jack closes his eyes and sighs as the wind brushes past him. Standing here like this, just when the sun is setting reminds him of the time at the bow with Rose. If he closes his eyes he can actually smell the scent of lilies and feel the soft whiffs of her hair brush his face. He could almost hear her say his name. For just a few minutes he’s back on the Titanic with the love of his life, letting all his worries float away.

"Hey Jack!" His best friend Cory comes running out into the back yard. "Cait wants you to come in and meet our house guest. You should see her Jack. She’s a knock out!"

"Cory, all women are knockouts to you," Jack slightly smiles. "Come on. I can’t wait to meet the new love of your life." Jack rolls his eyes, leading the way into the house.

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