CHANGES
Chapter Thirty-One

With his bag slung over one shoulder, Jack paid the cab driver and stood, staring up at his childhood home. The familiar red brick house was decorated with Christmas lights, the recently fallen snow adding the ideal perfection. Just as he started up the walk, the front door opened, the sound of laughter floating out, and he froze.

*****

"All right. I'll see you in a few days." Rose laughed, hugging each of the Dawsons tight.

"Drive safely," Elaine said, embracing her once more.

Rose nodded. "I will. Be good, Mandy," she called to her daughter, who was much too involved with the family dog to reply.

As Rose turned to leave, she stopped short. No more then twenty feet away stood Jack, halfway up the walkway, with a duffel bag at his feet. Her face paled and her hand, suddenly feeling incredibly bare again, trembled. Elaine took notice and tensed when she saw her son standing outside.

"Oh, sweetie," Elaine gasped. "I'm so--"

"No, it's okay. He's your son. I understand," Rose uttered lowly, forcing a smile. "I better go...I'll see you soon."

Elaine nodded, watching as Rose carefully maneuvered down the icy walkway, holding her breath as she passed him. Jack stared longingly at her back, but Rose kept her gaze straight ahead until she got to the DeWitt-Bukaters' home and disappeared inside. Once she was gone, Jack turned back to his mother, his expression unreadable.

"What was she here for?" he finally asked.

"Dropping Mandy off," Elaine said, opening her arms to welcome him home. Jack obediently walked into her embrace. "I'm so glad you're here. I've missed you so much."

Jack smiled into his mother's shoulder. "I missed you too, Mom. But right now I just want to see my daughter."

Reluctantly, Elaine let him go and nodded. "Of course...here, I'll take your stuff up to your room. You go see her."

"Thanks, Mom," he said, jogging up the front steps and into the house. His jog came to an abrupt halt as Mandy came into sight. Her blue eyes lit up like nothing ever had before, and she got up, ran over to him, and wrapped herself around his leg.

"Daddy!"

*****

Trying to regain her composure, Rose splashed some cold water on her face, then stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. It had been nearly six weeks since she had seen Jack, seen his beautiful blue eyes, that gorgeous blonde hair, those soft lips firmly against her own...

"Stop it, Rose. You're going to drive yourself insane," she muttered to herself. She had to get it together. It was over between them. He had cheated on her. There was no forgiving that, no matter how much she longed to feel his body pressed next to hers. Almost as if on cue by that thought, the life they had created inside her decided to make its presence known again, and Rose dove towards the toilet, barely making it before her breakfast came up again.

Letting out a frustrated cry, she leaned up against the wall and let the tears flow.

*****

"And then the princess lay her head down and went to sleep," Jack finished softly, glancing down at the sleeping child next to him. The day had been incredible. The two of them had spent it together, playing games, drawing, making snowmen in the backyard. Now they lay upon his bed, snuggled together as he read her favorite bedtime story. Allowing a smile to filter across his face, Jack leaned down, placing a kiss on her forehead before getting up. He crossed the room and was about to head downstairs when her tiny voice called out.

"Don't leave me, Daddy."

With a crack in his heart, Jack lay back down on the bed, kissing her head again. "I'm not going anywhere, Short-Stuff. I'm not going anywhere."

And it was like that, father and daughter reunited, that they fell asleep.

*****

The next day, Tiffany slid next to Rose as she sat in front of the fire. "Are you okay?" she asked, concerned.

Rose stared at the crackling flames incoherently. "I saw Jack yesterday," she said blankly.

"You did? Where?"

"He was walking up as I was leaving the Dawsons after dropping Mandy off."

"Oh...did you say anything to him?"

Rose glanced up at her sister, and for the first time, Tiffany saw the swollen red eyes and the despair that lay within. "Say anything? Tiff, I was lucky I even was able to walk past him without throwing myself at him. I...I just miss him so much...but he hurt me too much to forgive him."

Tiffany smile apologetically. "I'm sorry...I just think you guys need to talk. I mean, you can't just take his daughter away from him."

"I know." Rose exhaled, turning her gaze back to the fire. "I know."

Christmas Eve--December 24

"I don't wanna!" Amanda protested with a stomp of her foot as Jack walked her out to his brother's car.

"You're gonna go see Mommy and Grandma and Grandpa and everyone," Jack told her, kneeling down in the snow in front of her. "And I bet they have lots of presents for you."

Amanda's pout lessened a little. "You come with me?"

Jack shook his head before picking her up. "Not this time, Short-Stuff. You're gonna go spend Christmas with Mommy. But I'll see you again soon, okay?"

Burying her face in the crook of his neck, Amanda whimpered her agreement. Jack hugged her tight, not wanting to let go, because he knew it would probably be longer than six weeks before he saw her again. Suddenly, there was a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see David standing there.

"We've gotta get going," he said lowly.

Exhaling loudly, Jack nodded. "Time for you to go, Manda-Bear."

Amanda, teary-eyed, placed a big kiss on his cheek. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, Mandy. Be good for your mommy, okay?" Jack choked out as he buckled her into her car seat.

"Okay," Mandy said, as the door closed the space between them.

David gave his brother a sad smile. "I'll make sure she's okay, Jack."

Jack nodded. "Thanks. I'll see you when you get back, I guess."

"All right," David said, as he got into the car.

Waving from inside, Amanda blew him a kiss, which Jack caught and held onto for years to come.

December 27

Rose stared at her bare body critically. At almost three months, her once thin body was really beginning to show the signs of her pregnancy and that wasn't good. Nobody but Ashley knew yet, and she really would like to keep it that way. Only because if they knew she was pregnant, they'd insist she tell Jack and she wasn't ready for that yet. Biting her lip, she slipped back into her nightgown and sat down on the bed. It was only a matter of time before the sweats couldn't conceal her expanding middle anymore. She had to do something and soon.

*****

It was on the twenty-ninth of December that Jack returned to Boston. After nine days of almost normal living again, he didn't want to, but had to. Opening the door, he was greeted by the smell of stale smoke and gagged. That habit had to go. Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside. Since all their family lived in the area and they'd be home for the holidays, Helga and Tommy agreed to bring in his mail, and there it all was, piled on the two-legged kitchen table. On the top of the pile was a large manila envelope. Pulling up a chair, he took it, paling when he saw the return address. Kaci. What could she possibly want now? Biting his lip, he put it aside. He'd read that later. No use in getting pissed off while reading bills and holiday wishes. And so three piles were made. Bills and Christmas cards, junk mail, and then those envelopes addressed to both he and Rose. Those he wouldn't open. It didn't seem right. Pushing those aside, he took the openable mail into the living room, forgetting all about the envelope from Kaci.

*****

As silently as possible, Rose crept down the hall, past her parents' room, relieved to see the door shut and the lights out. It had come to her earlier. The solution to her problems was so simple, and it was staring her right in the face! With a slip of paper clutched tightly in her hand, she made her way downstairs, into her father's office, firmly shutting the door behind her. By memory, she felt her way around the room until she made contact with the large executive chair. There she sat, turning on the desk lamp and reaching for the phone. Quickly, she dialed the number from the paper and mentally crossed her fingers. After a few rings, a breathless voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Lauren?" Rose whispered.

The voice hesitated for a second. "Who is this?"

"It's Rose."

"Rose? Knollwood Rose?"

"I usually just go by Rose, but yes." She grinned.

Lauren laughed. "Hey, girlie. How the hell are you?"

"Screwed. That's really why I'm calling...you have your own place, right?"

"Yeah. What do you mean, screwed?" Lauren asked.

Rose sighed. "It's a long story...but do you think it's possible for me and my daughter to come stay with you for a little while?"

"Of course. You know I'm always willing to help...but where's Jack?"

Sucking in her breath, Rose forced out. "We broke up...like I said, it's a long story and I promise to tell you when we get there...but not right now."

"All right. When do you plan on coming?"

"In a week or so...after New Year's, I guess. I need time to get everything together."

Lauren nodded on her end of the line. "Okay. So just give me a call when you know exactly."

"Thanks, Lauren," Rose said. "Could you do me one more thing?"

"Sure."

"Don't mention this to anyone. I'd rather they not know."

"Okay, but why--"

"I'll explain it later." Rose stopped her question.

"All right. So I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah. I'll call you after the first of the year and let you know."

"Okay, sounds good."

"Thanks again...you have no idea how much this means to me."

"No problem. Talk to ya soon."

"Okay. Bye."

Rose hung up, a satisfied smile on her face. Mission one accomplished. Now onto phase two...

*****

Stumbling in the dark kitchen, Jack flipped the switch, but instead of the light he intended to turn on the, garbage disposal growled to life, causing him to jump and ultimately, slam into the table, which then crashed to the floor.

"Son of a bitch!" he cursed, limping over to the stove, turning on the overhead light. The glow illuminated the room just enough for him to get around without killing himself. Grabbing the milk from the fridge and a mug from the cabinet, he poured it and then shoved it into the microwave. The clock in the living room struck midnight and Jack sighed. It was a new year. He had intended to sleep through the whole thing, so he wouldn't have to think about starting it without Rose, but fate intervened. And so here he was, alone in his kitchen, warming up a mug of milk as the rest of the world rang in the new year. Yeah, his year was off to a great start.

"Happy New Year," Jack said meekly, to no one but himself, raising his cup in a mock toast. "Happy Fucking New Year."

*****

Meanwhile, back in Minnesota, Rose was currently seeking a way to escape her parents' New Year's party. Her body ached, she felt sick, and the corset she wore to hide the bulging middle while she was dressed in this flimsy satin dress was beginning to dig into her every pore. In short, she didn't want to be here. Not while everyone else was there with the one they loved, and she was alone. Not while all of the guests mingled and chatted happily with one another, and she sat in this corner alone. More then that, the party was much too like another New Year's gathering of the past. It was on this very day, in this very house, at this very party, two years earlier, that Jack had proposed. And the memory stung her heart hard. Sighing deeply, she made her way over to where her father was having an animated conversation with Don Dawson.

"I'm gonna go lay down," Rose whispered in her father's ear.

Joseph cast a worried look at her. "Are you okay?"

Rose nodded, though her heart told a different story. "I just have a headache. I'll be back down for the countdown."

"All right, Princess," Joseph said, affectionately kissing the top of her head. "Feel better."

"Thank you," she returned quietly, happy to have been relieved of this torture. Turning on her heel, she made a beeline for the stairs before anyone could intercept her. Once in the haven of her room, behind a locked door, she shrugged out of the dress and loosened the corset. Lying down on the bed, she stared unseeingly at the ceiling. After a few minutes of the silent reverie, she turned on her side, taking note that it was 11:01. She had an hour. Getting up, she slipped on a sweatshirt and padded through the bathroom that adjoined her room to Amanda's.

The child was peacefully sleeping, unaware of the inner turmoil her parents were living or the upside down world they were about to embark into. Rose pulled the rocking chair next to the bed, softly stroking her daughter's honey blonde hair. She was so perfect, the best child anyone could ask for, Rose surmised. This was her whole world now, her and the child she was carrying. Nothing else mattered, just them. And at that moment, Rose vowed that she would do the best she could do for them. On her own. No longer would she run back to her parents if things went wrong. She was an adult and she was a mother. She could do this. Bending down, she kissed the smooth cheek and smiled. It would be all right. She knew it.

*****

Shaking his head, Jack dropped the cup into the sink and started towards the door when his foot hit something. Glancing down, he recognized the brown envelope. Picking it up, he sat down in a chair and with a deep breath, opened it. Pulling the contents out, the color drained from his face. Inside were the results of the pregnancy test and the court papers, naming him as sole guardian of the child.

The End.

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