FROM NOW UNTIL ETERNITY
Chapter Twenty-Three
A month had passed since the
hostage incident, and Jack had yet to wake up. Rose, of course, stayed by his
side, playing music and talking to him. Hoping that something would trigger him
to open his eyes. But so far, nothing had helped. Jack was still in a coma, and
showed no real signs of life.
"Jack, please, wake
up." Rose forced the tears back. For the past month, it had been nothing
but tears, and she was tired of it. She wanted Jack awake so she could smile
again.
"No change?" Irene
stood in the doorway, her arms crossed as she studied the girl her grandson
thought he loved. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Rose. The girl came from one
of Chicago’s finest families and she was well-behaved. It was the fact that
they were both so young. Too young to be in such a serious relationship.
"You love him?"
"Very much." Rose tried
to smile, but failed. Sighing, she wondered if she would ever have reason to
smile again. "I love him more than anything. I know that you probably
think that we’re too young, but we honestly do love one another. I’d do
anything for him."
Irene just looked at Rose and
shook her head. She didn’t like this relationship. They were too attached to
one another. An attachment that had almost gotten Jack killed. "Hmm. We’ll
see." Irene just turned and walked out of the room.
Rose sank down onto the bed, not
knowing what to think about the short encounter. She had a strange feeling that
she and Jack’s days as a couple were numbered. Sighing, she pushed a strand of
blonde hair away from Jack’s closed eyes, wishing that he’d wake up and once
again reassure her that they’d always be together. No matter what.
"I love you, Jack. No matter
what anyone says."
He didn’t respond, but that was
okay. She knew that he felt the same way. She just hoped that their love would
be enough to keep Irene from tearing them apart.
*****
Two hours later, Rose was still
there, praying and hoping that today was the day Jack would wake up. The doctor
had said that things didn’t look too good. Usually, coma patients woke up long
before now, if they woke up at all. Rose wanted to break down and beat the
floor with her fists. She wanted to kick things and scream about how unfair
life was.
She needed Jack. She needed him
to wake up and be with her. But according to the doctor, that might never
happen. Jack might be gone from her forever. Sighing, she closed her eyes
against the stone cold reality. She pretended that it was months ago, and she
and Jack had just started dating. Mae was there, still alive, and there never
was a baby. So there never was a miscarriage. Jack awake, happy, and in love
with her. His blue eyes sparkling.
Sighing again, she opened her
eyes to stare into those exact blue eyes she was daydreaming about. Rose
blinked a couple of times, just to make sure that she wasn’t hallucinating. She
wasn’t. His eyes were still open, yet void of emotion. But that didn’t register
with Rose. All she saw were open eyes.
"Jack! Jack, you’re awake!
Wait…I’ll get the doctor!" She ran out of the room, her heart beating with
excitement. Finally, her prayers were being answered. Jack was awake, and now
they could be together forever. But when they got back to the room, Jack’s eyes
were shut again, as if they had never been open. What was going on here? Why
had he closed his eyes?
"Jack?" she asked,
dread building inside of her. "Jack, I’m back with the doctor. Come on.
Stop fooling around and open your eyes back up."
Checking Jack’s vitals, the
doctor shook his head. "There’s been no change."
"What? What do you mean
there’s been no change? He opened his eyes. He looked right at me."
"Involuntary action. Happens
every now and then in coma patients." The doctor gave a sympathetic smile
to the young woman he had grown accustomed to seeing every day. "I’m
sorry. I really do wish it had been a real response."
"Rose?" Ruth stuck her
head through the door, frowning when the doctor patted Rose’s shoulder.
"What’s going on?"
"I thought Jack had woken
up." Rose sniffed. "He had opened his eyes, and I thought that
everything was going to be okay again. I got the doctor, but when we came
back…Jack’s eyes were closed. The doctor said that it was an involuntary
action. He hadn’t woken up at all." Tears erupted from her eyes, and
suddenly she was on the floor, her head in her hands. "Why won’t he wake
up, Mother? Why?"
"Shh, Rose. Let’s go home.
You’ve been here nonstop. It’s time to go home and get some rest." Ruth
pulled her sobbing daughter off the floor. "Come on, Rose. Let’s go
home."
Taking one last look at Jack,
Rose followed her mother, finally feeling the month she had stayed by his side.
She felt as if she could sleep for a week.
*****
It was a foggy night on the
wharf. Rose slowly made her way through the fog, searching for someone, but she
did not know who. She soon found out when he suddenly materialized, the fog
pushed aside. Jack.
"What took you so long? I’ve
been waiting for you." He grinned, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Jack!" Rose’s heart
did somersaults at the sight of him. Awake, tanned, and beautiful.
"You’re…you’re here."
"And waiting for you. Every
time I think you’re coming, you don’t."
"Oh, Jack." She raced
into his waiting arms. "I’ve missed you so much."
"I missed you, too."
"Well, then, wake up, Jack.
Please, open your eyes and come back to me."
Jack laughed, his eyes full of
amusement and love. "Oh, my silly, beautiful Rose. I never left you, and I
never will. I’m with you all the time. In the air, the wind. I’m all around
you, Rose." Jack pulled her into his arms, holding her close. She sighed
in pleasure as she felt the steady beat of his heart and the tickle of his warm
breath on her skin. "Like this."
A feeling of love and safety
overtook her. A feeling that had been with her all along. "You were with
me." She gasped. "Jack."
"Never let go, Rose."
He softly kissed the top of her head. "I’ll see you soon."
"I’ll never let go."
She lifted her face up to meet his gentle kiss.
At just a touch of his warm lips,
she woke up, feeling totally refreshed and optimistic. Jack was going to wake
up and she was going to be there to greet him. "I love you, Jack
Dawson." She sighed, getting out of bed. It was time to lift herself up
out of this depression and beginning living again, encouraging Jack to do the
same.