Chapter Thirteen
The next morning
Rose stretched and yawned contently. What a wonderful dream. Her Jack had returned to her and had asked him to marry him. She hated to wake up. She groans and opens her eyes to the most wonderful vision in the world. Jack sleeping next to her, his arms tightly wrapped around her. How extraordinary…it wasn’t a dream after all. In just a couple of more hours she’ll be Mrs. Jack Dawson and will be heading out for the horizon with the man she loved.
Suddenly Molly pops into Rose’s mind. Her aunt will be thrilled to hear that Jack was alive and well and that he was going to make her his wife. In fact, she was going to get up and write the letter right this minute. With the whole house still asleep, there was nothing else for her to do.
Pulling herself out of Jack’s warm embrace, she goes to her bag and takes out a pen and some stationary. Not wanting to disturb Jack, by turning on the light so she could write, Rose heads on out to the kitchen where she can write the letter without disturbing anyone.
Setting down, a slight smile on her lips, Rose begins her letter:
Dear Aunt Molly,
Hello. This is my most recent letter dated October 15, 1912. Aunt Molly, so many extraordinary things has happened to me today, my first day in the little town of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin…Jack’s hometown. Now before you grow all concerned and worried about my emotional state, I just want you to know that this visit has brought nothing but happiness to me. I have found out so many wonderful, in fact extraordinary things.
First of all, I met a wonderful girl by the name of Caitlin Dawson. That’s right Dawson. She’s Jack’s twin sister. Oh aunt Molly, she looks so much like him. Same blond hair, blue eyes, and dazzling smile. She even has his personality. So kind hearted and generous and easy going.
Well anyway, when I first met her, I suspected she was Jack’s sister, but I didn’t want to say anything about Jack or his death. It just didn’t seem to be the right time. Well anyway, she took me in since the boarding houses were all filled up.
Well she took me in and found myself trusting her completely. I couldn’t help myself. Plus the fact that she reminded me so much of Jack…and there were reminders of him everywhere Molly. Everywhere I turned, I could see something that had once belonged to him. But that wasn’t enough. She kept talking of her brother…her very much alive brother that was going to get married the next day. Despite my suspicions, plus Jack had never mentioned another brother and since Jack was dead it couldn’t possibly be him, I asked her questions. It was when she said that her brother’s name was indeed Jack Dawson and that they were twins did I finally catch on.
And Aunt Molly, you won’t believe what happened next. It was like something out of a dream. He came right through that door. The most beautiful man in my life…the only one who could make my heart do somersaults and cause my spirit to soar above all the hurt and pain of the past several months. His face was a deathly pale and his blue eyes were opened wide in shock and disbelief, but it was indeed him…my Jack. OH Molly it was Jack and he’s alive and well and right now sleeping quite peacefully up in the bed we had shared the night before. But anyway, we were in each other’s arms in minutes, declaring our love for one another and delight to discover that neither of us were lost in the terrible Titanic Tragedy.
And he’s thrilled about the prospect of becoming a father. You should have seen his eyes light up with complete and utter joy when I made my condition known.
More happened after that, but I rather tell you in person whenever we get to Denver. I’m sure Jack would like to see you again and express his thanks for taking such good care of me after Titanic when we had gotten separated. That in itself is a whole other story. I’ll fill you in when we come to visit. Right now I leave off. I hear Jack or Caitlin walking about upstairs and I don’t want to seem rude or preoccupied, especially with my future sister in law. So I’ll leave off here.
Oh Aunt Molly, I’m so deliriously happy. I’ve finally gotten my Jack back and we’ll never be separated again.
Love
Rose
"Rose?" Caitlin
asked, entering the kitchen. "What are you doing up so
early? I thought that most definitely you’d still be in bed
with Jack. He’s always been a late riser."
"So I’ve noticed," Rose giggled. "I just
wanted to write a letter to my aunt Molly, telling that Jack
survived. She’ll be so happy Caitlin. Do you know it was her
who made sure that I’d see Jack again on the Titanic? She
knew we were meant for each other from the very start."
"She sounds like a very smart woman," Caitlin smiled, her interest in the woman that’s captured her brother’s complete devotion and the power to make his eyes light up with complete joy again growing. Rose was indeed very different from the other society girls she had come in contact with. "So what’s the first thing you and Jack are planning to do today?"
"Well…we’re going to head to Eau Claire and get married, then hopefully we’ll head out to Denver to visit Aunt Molly. After that…I don’t know," Rose sighed. "We didn’t really get further than that."
"I can’t believe it Rose. When Jack returned to Chippewa Falls…I never thought he’d have another happy day in his life, but when he saw you…it’s like he came back to life," Caitlin grinned. "I can’t tell you how thankful I am to you for that. I just wished we had more time to get to know each other, but with Carly and her group…it’s best that you and Jack leave today."
"You and Cory are going to accompany us to Eau Claire aren’t you? I’m sure it’ll mean a lot to have you and Cory there at the ceremony, even though it’s not going to be much."
"Of course we’ll come. We wouldn’t miss Jack marrying the woman that he loves. Wild horses couldn’t keep us away."
"Morning Cait," Jack walks down the stairs, his face downcast, his blue eyes dimmed. Having waked up alone, he knew that yesterday was just a dream…a last ditch hope to avoid marrying Caroline. Rose really didn’t come back…she was dead and gone. Probably buried somewhere in Philadelphia. He’s so deep in his despair he doesn’t even bother to look up.
"Jack?" Caitlin asked, wondering why her brother was so melancholy.
"Darling?" Rose stands from her chair concern shining in her green eyes. She hated seeing him look so dejected. "What’s wrong?" Then Rose’s eyes fill with horror and despair. "You haven’t changed your mind have you? You haven’t decided that you didn’t want me and the baby after all have you?"
Jack looks up quickly, his eyes lighting back up. So it wasn’t a dream after all. She was still here. "Rose…it’s really you," Jack swoops her up in a tight embrace. "When I woke up alone this morning, I thought yesterday was just a dream. I couldn’t believe life was being so cruel."
"Oh Jack," Rose couldn’t help but giggle. "It’s no dream.we’re here together…at last. This time nothing will break us apart."
"Well I guess I better go on up and help get Jack’s things together for your trip. I’ll leave you two alone now. Jack you can cook breakfast. Let Rose have a sampling of what’s in store for her," Caitlin smiled, exiting the kitchen, leaving Jack and rose alone together.
They just stand there for a couple of minutes, just looking into each other’s eyes. Then Rose kisses him long and deep. He held on to his shoulders for dear life. She was never going to let him go again.
"Rose," Jack smiled, coming up for air.
"Yes darling?"
"What do you want for breakfast?" Jack laughed at the look of shock on her face. She wasn’t expecting that question.
"Well that’s easy. You," Rose grinned, going in for another kiss, but Jack pulls away.
"Something edible," Jack laughed.
"Eggs and coffee will be fine," Rose smiled. "I’m not all that hungry."
"But our little one must be starved," Jack breaks an egg in a skillet. "You know what, I should make you the famous Dawson omelet. It’s a Dawson specialty."
"Ok. That sounds good. How do you make it," Rose comes and stands behind Jack. The idea had just occurred to her that her and Jack wouldn’t have servants to cook for them. They had to fix meals themselves and it’d be good to watch Jack and learn how to cook herself so all the burden wouldn’t go on Jack.
"Well you have your basic eggs. Then you add your ham, onions, black olives, lots and lots of cheese, and sausage," Jack explained as he added the ingredients. "You’re going to love this Rose."
"Not as much as I love you," Rose kisses his cheek gently.
"You’re sweet," Jack smiled. "Rose, we’re going to be so happy. Trust me."
"You know I do," Rose places her arms around his waist and rests her cheek against his back as he finished making the omelets. Five minutes later they set down to breakfast.
"Bon appetite," Jack smiled.
Rose takes a bite of the omelet and is in heaven. This was the best tasting omelet she’s ever had in her life. "Jack this is delicious. You’re a wonderful cook."
Jack blushed at the compliment. He wasn’t used to getting compliments from the woman he was going to marry. This was an entirely new thing to him. He thanked God that he had found Rose, not only on Titanic, but also here in Chippewa Falls.
"Thank you Rose. But that’s not the only thing I can make. You can say that I’ve spent a lot of my time in the kitchen with my mother. I picked up on all the dishes she cooked."
Rose smiled and looked down on the table. She was going to be such a burden to him. He should be warned. "Jack…there’s something I have to tell you." Tears spring to Rose’s eyes as she thinks about the possibility of him not wanting her because of her inexperience.
"What is it Angel? Why are you crying?" Jack asked, taking her hand, his eyes shining with concern. He hated seeing Rose sad. He wanted all her days to be filled with happiness.
"Because I’m useless. Jack I don’t know anything about being a lower class wife. I mean…I can host any party and play bridge with the best of them. I can host a tea gathering and even a dinner party. I can play hostess to any business meeting. But when it comes down to cooking, doing the laundry, and raising children, and keeping house…I’m totally clueless," Rose begins to cry. "You want to leave me now don’t you? You want to leave me."
"Oh Rose no. I don’t want to leave you. I’ll never leave you. Listen, you’ll learn all those things and they’ll be like second nature to you. Trust me. And even if you don’t learn them, so what. I can do them. I don’t mind. Just as long as we’re together, that’s all that matters to me," Jack squeezed her hand.
"Really?"
"Really," Jack smiled reassuring at her.
Rose smiled happily, those insecurities put behind her for now.