FROM NOW UNTIL ETERNITY
Chapter Six
Saturday arrived, and as
promised, Jack arrived to help Rose pack. It took them five hours, but soon all
of the DeWitt-Bukater belongings were piled into the moving van.
"This is really appreciated,
Jack." Rose stood in front of the van, ignoring her mother’s curious
stare.
"Hey, it’s no problem.
Anytime, Rose. Which reminds me, my grandmother wants to know if you’d like to
join us for dinner this Tuesday. She was hopping up and down with joy when I
told her we were dating."
"That’d be great." Rose
happily smiled.
The rest of the weekend passed by
quickly. Rose spent most of the day Sunday unpacking and wondering how her
friends were going to react when they learned that she was no long rich but
half-poor. She dreaded Monday, and it came all too soon.
It was lunchtime when the
confrontation happened. All day Leanne and the others seemed to avoid her. No
one bothered looking her in the eye, so she sat with Jack during homeroom and
Spanish. At lunch, she approached her regular table and noticed how all the chairs
were full. She had finally had enough.
"Okay. What is this all
about?" Rose asked, looking at Leanne, who refused to look at her.
"Anybody have the guts to answer?"
Suzette just giggled and looked
at her rival, not bothering to pity her. "Your dirty little secret is out,
Rose. You’re not rich at all. I was all too glad to call everyone last night
and let them know."
Rose looked at Leanne. She knew
she was bound to lose some friends, but she and Leanne had been friends since
grade school. They had grown up together! Surely she wouldn’t turn her back on
her, too! "Leanne…come on. We were friends before you even knew
them!"
Leanne looked at Rose, no emotion
in her gray eyes. "I’m sorry, Rose. But it was like I told you Friday
night. Elite stick with elite. And you’re not elite anymore."
Rose fought back her tears, never
having felt so alone before. She felt all the eyes in the cafeteria looking at
her. "I was such a fool to think you were my friend, Leanne. After all
I’ve done for you."
"Rose, please…"
"Who was there when you had
mono? It sure wasn’t Suzette and the rest! They were too busy primping in the
mirror! Who was it that listened to you cry over your uncle’s death or stayed
after a party and helped you clean? Who got in trouble right along with you? Remember
that from now on, when hard times come on you, and don’t come knocking at my
door!" With that said, fighting back tears, Rose walked away from the
table, determined not to let any of them see her cry. She dumped her tray and
marched out into the lonely auditorium. In there, she let the tears flow. She
wasn’t surprised or hurt by the others reactions. It was Leanne that hurt her
the most. She had thought that at least she was her friend.
*****
Moira turned around in her chair
after the scene and whistled. "Talking about a group of cold fishes. I’ve
just been proven right."
"I’d better go see if she’s
all right." Jack got up. Even though there were no tears yet, Jack knew
there would be soon, and he didn’t want her to be alone when there finally
were. "I’ll see you guys later."
*****
Lunch was over, and the last
class of the day had begun. Jack hadn’t been able to find Rose anywhere, and
she wasn’t in the last class he had with her. He was getting worried.
"No luck?" Moira asked,
noticing how her friend wasn’t paying attention.
"None. Her car’s outside,
but she’s not here. It’s like she vanished or something."
"We’ll look after school.
I’ll help."
Jack looked at Moira in surprise.
"I thought you didn’t like Rose."
"At first I didn’t, but
after seeing how those girls treated her, I feel sorry for her. Do you want my
help or not?"
"It’d be appreciated."
"I’ll get everyone to
help." Moira smiled.
So after school, everyone was out
looking for Rose. She was absent at cheerleading practice. Finally, it occurred
to Jack that he hadn’t checked the auditorium. Opening the door, a flood of
relief ran through him to see Rose sitting in the first row, staring up at the
stage, where auditions for a play were going on.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Jack sat next to her. "I was looking all over for you. It just occurred to
me that you might be in here. Did you sit in here since lunch?"
Rose just nodded, too numb to
speak or cry. She could only sit and stare, her mind blank.
"Do you want me to take you
home?" Jack asked, taking her hand, which was now pale and lifeless.
Rose shook her head. She didn’t
want to see her mother or her new surroundings. She just wanted to go somewhere
that wouldn’t remind her of anything. Somewhere where she could be safe and
warm with her own thoughts.
"How about my house? Do you
want to go there?"
Rose looked at Jack and nodded.
Something told her to trust him to take care of her. She was safe with him.
Nodding, she allowed him to help her up and lead her out of the auditorium.
Moira and the others stood in the hall, looking for Jack.
"There you are. You finally
found her, I see." Moira looked Rose up and down. "Now what?"
"I’m taking her to my place.
The rest of you can do whatever. Thanks for helping me look for her." Jack
nodded, leading her away from the group.
Jack’s house was warm and bright
as Jack led her inside. His brother and sister both ran up to them, greeting
them happily.
"Jack! Jack!" they
happily yelled.
"Hey there. You remember Rose,
don’t you?"
Both the children nodded.
"Hi, Rose," they greeted.
For the first time since lunch,
Rose smiled. "Hello."
"Come on, Rose. I’ll take
you to my room. No one will bother you in there." Jack led her into the
last room on the right and shut the door. He picked her up, laid her on the
bed, and covered her with blankets. "You can stay here as long as you
like. I’ll call your mom and let her know you’ll be here for a while."
"Jack." Rose’s voice
was tiny and strained.
"Yes?"
"Thank you…thank you for still
liking me."
Jack smiled and ran a hand over
her hair. "Nothing, Rose…nothing on this earth could ever make me stop
liking you." He got up and closed the door behind him. Mae stood in the
hall, her eyes concerned.
"Was that Rose, dear? What’s
going on?"
"She had a hard day at
school today. I’m calling her mother and telling her Rose will be here for
awhile."
"Okay, dear. I’ll start
dinner. Come, children. Come help Grandma, and Jack, check on your grandpa for
me when you’re done."
"Yes, Grandma." Jack
nodded, heading for the phone.
*****
Rose woke up to see a tiny pair
of blue eyes looking up from the edge of the bed. "Hello, there,"
Rose greeted. Jack’s little sister got to her feet and shyly smiled.
"You’re pretty." The
little girl blushed, her hands folded in front of her.
"Why, thank you." Rose
smiled, sitting up. "Come here. Tell me your name." She lifted the
little girl up on the bed.
"Lily." The girl
happily grinned. "I’m a flower princess, too!"
"A flower princess?"
"Rose and Lily!"
"Oh, I see." Rose
remembered the dolls they were selling. Rose was the red-headed doll and Lily
was the blonde. "Well, it’s nice meeting a fellow princess." Rose
giggled, deciding to play along.
"My brother loves you."
Lily smiled again. "Are you going to get married?"
"Lily!" Jack stood in
the doorway, his arms crossed and his face red with embarrassment. "What
do you think you’re doing? You’re supposed to be in the kitchen helping
Grandma!"
Not answering, the little girl
hopped down from the bed and raced out of the room.
"I’m sorry about that,"
Jack apologized, entering the room. "She wasn’t supposed to be in here. I
thought she was helping my grandmother in the kitchen."
"Oh, don’t be sorry, Jack. I
woke up on my own, and she was a nice surprise to wake up to. She is so
adorable. Did you know that we’re both flower princesses?"
"I see she now has you under
her spell, too." Jack laughed.
Rose grinned. "I’m a sucker
for children. They’re the sweetest, purest things on earth. So, do you all live
with your grandmother full time?" Rose asked, wanting to keep the subject
off herself.
"Yeah. My parents died in a
fire, so we live here with my grandmother on my father's side of the family,
even though my other grandmother wants us to live in North Carolina with her.
It’s going through the courts now." Jack sighed, his thoughts going back
to the letter his grandmother had received in the mail. Another custody hearing
was scheduled for next month. He hoped he never had to say good-bye to Chicago
and move to North Carolina. It was too hot down there, plus all his friends,
including Rose, were up here. "Personally, I want to stay here. It’s too
hot down south."
"I hope you stay here, too,
Jack. I don’t want to lose the only friend I have left." Rose sighed.
Jack smiled, gently touching her
cheek. "You can never lose me, Rose."
They kissed gently, not wanting
the moment to end, when Mae appeared in the doorway and cleared her throat.
"Dinner’s ready, you two."
"Come on, Rose. Let’s
eat." Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room.
Two hours later, dinner had been
eaten, and now Jack and Rose sat in the living room, going over their English
homework. There was a knock on the door. Mae opened it to Moira.
"Hey, Mrs. Dawson!"
Moira greeted, entering the house. "Jack around?"
"In the living room, dear.
Studying." Mae nodded before going back into the kitchen.
Smiling, Moira entered the living
room, but her smile suddenly faded when she saw Rose.
"Hey, Moira." Jack
greeted, getting to his feet. "What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to see if you
wanted to head on down to the Quarry." Moira didn’t take her eyes off
Rose. "But I see you have company."
"That’s a great idea! Rose,
you want to go down to the Quarry?" Jack turned to his girlfriend, who
felt totally uncomfortable under Moira’s rather unfriendly stare.
"Uh…sure." Rose nodded.
"What is the Quarry, exactly?"
Moira rolled her eyes, and Jack
laughed good-naturedly.
"The Quarry is where all us
poor folk go and hang." Moira crossed her arms.
"Come on, Rose. It’ll be
fun." Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.
"Jack…I don’t know if…"
Moira began, but there was no stopping her friend. He was going to insist that
Rose come, much to Moira’s displeasure.
"Your car or mine? Or do you
want to take the L?"
"Your car." Moira
snorted, already heading out the door.
"Don’t be too late!"
Mae called as Jack and Rose followed Moira out the door.