CHANGES
Chapter Fourteen
Christmas Eve, 2004
The next few months passed quickly, both of
them adjusting perfectly to living together. They, along with both families and
their friends, were highly anticipating the arrival of the baby, which would
pop into the world in a few weeks. While Rose complained constantly about being
so big, she was incredibly excited to be a mother. When Christmas came along,
everyone in both families crowded in at the DeWitt-Bukater home to celebrate
the holiday.
*****
"Let me see you!" Rita
DeWitt-Bukater, Rose's grandmother, exclaimed coming into the house. Rose
smiled sweetly and embraced her as much as her swollen middle would allow.
"I missed you Gram."
"I missed you too, sweetie. Last time I
saw you, you were much too young to even go on a date. Now look at you, all
grown up and having a baby. Oh, I'm going to be a great-grandmother!"
Rose giggled, "You're much too pretty to
be a great-grandma."
Rita kissed her cheek. "You're too
sweet, Rosie. Where are those siblings of yours?"
"I would guess in the living room."
"I'm going to go see them, then. We'll
visit later?"
"Okay, Gram."
*****
The house was lit up with bright Christmas
lights, cars filling the street, leaving no empty spots for the young man who
was driving up and down the road. It had been six years since he had last
stepped foot here and he was nervous. Was it really a good idea to come
tonight? They were obviously having a party, not that he was surprised. His
parents had always been the social butterflies of Knollwood. Finally he decided
he wasn't going to find a spot to park on this block and turned down the next
street. There he put the car into park and got out, not ready for the cold
blast of Minnesota winter wind that awaited him. Pulling his coat closer to
him, he made his way back to the home that used to be his. Had it not been so
bitterly cold, he probably would've turned around and left when he reached the
walkway. But, unwilling to stay out in this weather, he reluctantly knocked on
the door.
*****
"Who in the world could that possibly
be?" Joseph said when there was a knock on the front door.
Tiffany shrugged and got up. "I'll go
get it."
Bracing herself for the cold could not have
prepared Tiffany for the face she saw when she opened the door. "Oh my
god!" she shrieked.
*****
"Dear Lord, what the hell is going on
out there," Ruth muttered when she heard her daughter scream. Walking into
the front hall, she saw Tiffany and a strangely familiar man hugging tightly.
"Tiffany, are you all right?" she asked and gasped when the two
individuals released each other. Staring at her were two deep green eyes that
could only belong to one person. Slowly she approached the man and hugged him,
crying quietly.
"Shh, Mom. Don't cry." The young
man whispered.
Ruth wiped her tears away. "Oh Frankie,
It is you. You've finally come home."
*****
"Rose, go see what's keeping your mother
and sister, would you?" Joseph asked.
Rose nodded and excused herself, heading
towards the front door. "Hey Mom, Dad's--Oh my God!"
Frankie turned to see his little sister
standing there, frozen in pure shock. "Rose?"
"Frankie!" She exclaimed, finally
breaking out of her trance and hugging him.
Frankie pulled away abruptly and looked at
her. "You're pregnant?"
Rose smiled happily. "Yes. Eight and a
half months."
He shook his head in disbelief,
"Wow."
Ruth interrupted the reunion. "You
picked the perfect time to come back! Everyone's here. Oh your grandmother is
going to be beside herself!"
Frankie exchanged amused looks with his
sisters. "Well, lets go see 'em."
*****
Later that evening, everyone gathered in the
dining room for Christmas dinner. Having been attacked by his family, Frankie
had yet to have a real conversation with Rose. What was his baby sister doing
having a baby at eighteen? Who was the father? The answer was one he wasn't
ready for.
*****
Watching Rose curiously, he was very
surprised to see Jack Dawson pull out her chair and help her sit down. Maybe
the father of the baby took off, leaving her to fend for herself and Jack felt
sorry for her? Even more shockingly, Jack sat next to her, saying something he
couldn't make out. This made Rose giggle and give him a peck on the cheek. What
he did not see was their intertwined hands under the table.
*****
"So, Frances, how long do you plan on
staying around here?" Joseph asked, giving his eldest child a cold, but
not completely unpleasant smile.
Frankie glanced nervously around the table
before answering. "For awhile, I suppose. Maybe until next term
starts."
"And when is that?"
"January fifteenth."
Joseph nodded. "Last I heard you
transferred from Yale. Where are you attending now?"
Frankie sighed. His father had been upset
with his college choice ever since he turned down the scholarship to Harvard.
He wasn't going to like this new development. "Right now I'm at NYU. I
should be graduating in June."
"New York University?"
Ruth placed a hand on her husbands arm.
"Joe, please. Lets not discuss this now. Its Christmas," she said
quietly.
Joseph's face softened when he looked at his
wife. "All right. You'll be staying here or a hotel?"
"I was hoping I could stay here. If not,
I can find somewhere else."
"Nonsense. You're more then welcome to
stay here. Its Christmas and you should be with your family." Ruth said,
nudging Joseph who managed a small smile.
"Of course. Its Christmas."
Frankie shot his mother a grateful smile. The
rest of dinner was ate in silence.
*****
"So you finally decided to come home,
huh?" Frankie's childhood best friend, Jessica Dawson said, coming up
behind him.
Frankie turned and smiled. "Yeah. I
thought it was about time to face my father. Mom kept him calm tonight, but
once the holiday is over, he's going to be all over me."
Jessica shook her head. "I don't get
it."
"He wanted me to be just like him. Go to
Harvard, go to law school. But because I didn't, I'm a failure in his
eyes."
"Dang. You'd think he'd lighten up. At
least one of his kids are following in his footsteps."
Frankie looked at her in confusion.
"Who?"
"Rose. After she has the baby, of
course."
He smiled at the mention of his favorite
sister. "Good. Speaking of her, do you know where she ran off too? I
haven't been able to talk to her all night."
"Knowing them, she and Jack are probably
hiding out somewhere."
"What's the deal with them anyway? When
I left, they were at each others throats and now its like they're best friends."
Jessica giggled. "Things have really
changed the past six years, I can tell you that. The fighting stopped last
year. Now they've got a townhouse together and expecting a baby..."
"Hold up," Frankie interrupted.
"Are you saying Jack is the father of her baby?"
"Their baby." Jessica corrected.
"Yes. They've been together for over a year now. Its not the first time
she got pregnant either."
"She has another kid?"
Jessica shook her head. "No. She was in
a fight with Jack's ex-girlfriend the day she found out. Krista pushed her and
she lost it."
Frankie stared at her, wide eyed. "Poor
Rose. But dang...the two of them? Isn't that impossible?"
"We all thought so at first too. But if
you saw them together...there wouldn't be a doubt in your mind that they're
meant to be together. They love each other so much...its so romantic."
"Wow. So they live together?"
"Yeah. They got a nice place in
Minneapolis. They'll be heading out to Boston this summer though."
"Shit. I never would've...I should kill
him, you know that, right? Getting my baby sister pregnant."
Jessica rolled her eyes. "Both of our
parents have already lectured them to no end. But what's done is done. Now
they're all excited about being grandparents."
"Jess?" A young man said, coming up
to the two.
Jessica smiled. "You're finally here!
James, this is my oldest friend in the world, Frankie. Frankie, this is my
boyfriend, James."
James extended his hand and Frankie took it.
"Nice to meet you."
"You, too."
Jessica nodded to Frankie. "I'll talk to
you later."
"All right. See Ya, Jess."
*****
"Jack! What has gotten into you!?"
Rose exclaimed, pushing him away playfully.
Jack gave her a goofy grin, the one she'd
said turned her on, pulled her back into his arms and kissed her. "I can't
help it, its what you do to me. Driving me wild, sitting there so
gorgeous."
Rush pushed him away again. "You know if
our parents catch us in here like this, we're going to get it."
"Ah, let them yell. I need you."
Jack replied, once again pulling her back to him.
Rose sighed and gave up, settling herself
into his embrace. "You are impossible, Mr. Dawson."
"Mmmhmm." He murmured, kissing her
neck, his hands coming around her waist and resting on her stomach.
Rose threw her head back, kissing him with her
entire being. "I need you, too." She whispered.
Something inside Jack snapped, and he dragged
Rose out into the sunroom on the back of the house. "Here. Now."
Rose glanced at him. "Here? Are
you--" She was interrupted by his kiss and she moaned in his mouth as he
hitched up the skirt of her dress...
*****
Frankie stared in complete astonishment as
his sister sat in Jacks lap, in the sunroom, making out. He could tell they'd
just finished doing a little more then that. Rose's dress was up around her
thighs, Jack's shirt was untucked and both of their face were incredibly
flushed. Feeling a bit awkward, he stepped back into the house and left them
alone.