FROM NOW UNTIL ETERNITY
Chapter Nine
Two days later, Jack received a
phone call from Chloe, much to his surprise. He was positive that she had
packed her stuff and gone back to New York.
"Jackie, is that you? Oh, my
God!" Chloe giggled. "I just dialed Grandma Mae’s number out of the
phonebook, and you answer. What a stroke of luck."
"Do you want to talk to
Grandma?"
"No, not exactly. I was
hoping that she’d know the number to the house in Chippewa Falls. I tried the
old one, but someone else answered."
"That’s because it’s not our
number anymore."
"Oh. Well then, what
is?"
"Is there anything in
particular you wanted, Chloe?"
"To talk to you. I want to
meet my little brother and sister. I was wondering…can we set something
up?"
"I guess. We’ll meet you on
the wharf this afternoon. It’s three o’clock, okay?" Jack was still
hesitant about letting Chloe anywhere near the twins. But he knew that Rose was
right. Chloe was their sister, and they should get to know her.
"That would be great. Tell
Mom and Dad they can come, too, if they…"
Jack sighed. It was time to tell
her. "Mom and Dad are dead, Chloe."
Shock filled her voice.
"What? When? How?"
"Three years ago. It was a
fire in that restaurant they liked so well. Lily, Paul, and I have been living
here with Grandma Mae ever since."
"Oh, no!" Tears were
evident in her voice. "I…I should have come home. Oh, Jack…I’m so
sorry."
"Listen, I’ll have Paul and
Lily at the wharf at three. You just better be there."
"Okay. Bye."
Jack hung up the phone,
swallowing back his anger. Chloe had better not get Lily and Paul to love her
and then leave them like she did him.
Sighing, he headed for the
kitchen, where Mae was in the midst of making breakfast the last time Jack had
seen her, which had been almost an hour ago.
"Grandma! You won’t believe
who that was on the phone…" Jack’s voice faded away as he walked into the
brightly lit room. His eyes widened with a mixture of concern and fear.
"Grandma?"
*****
Rose sighed luxuriously as she
stepped out of the shower. She was in an extremely good mood this morning. The
sky was blue, the birds were singing, and above all those things, she was in
love. Her thoughts were now more than ever centered on Jack. On how his eyes
twinkled whenever he smiled at her or laughed. The way the very sound of his
voice caused heat to rush through her from head to toe.
Rose sighed, looking into the
mirror with a dreamy expression in her eyes. "Rose Dawson. Ms. Rose
Dawson. Mrs. Rose Dawson." Rose’s smile widened even further. "Mrs.
Jack Dawson." She giggled, answering the phone after only one ring.
"Ms. Jack Dawson. How may I help you?" She giggled, knowing now that
she was being silly.
"Rose?" Jack asked. By
the sound of his voice he was crying.
"Jack? What’s wrong?"
Her smile faded and concern replaced the giddiness.
"It’s Grandma…she’s dead…oh,
God." He broke into renewed tears, breaking Rose’s heart in the process.
"Oh, no…Jack…where are you
now?"
"The apartment. I sent Lily
and Paul next door so they wouldn’t…"
"I’m on my way over. It’ll
be okay, Jack. I promise."
"I love you," Jack
replied, and hung up the phone before Rose could reply.
*****
Fifteen minutes later, Rose
arrived at the apartment to find the door unlocked. Entering, she found Jack on
the couch, sobbing with his head in his hands.
"Jack." She went to him
and wrapped her arms around his quaking shoulders.
"She’s gone, Rose. She’s
gone." He sniffed, finally pulling out of her embrace after crying for
about five more minutes. "What am I going to do without her?"
Rose blinked back her own tears
as she remembered the kind, elderly woman she had walked home from the L. How
her being with Jack now was largely thanks to Mae. She was going to miss her
greatly. "You’re going to go on, Jack. You’re going to take care of the
twins and your grandfather. You’re going to continue living. That’s what Mae
would have wanted. Have you called the ambulance yet?"
Jack shook his head. "After
I found her…it slipped my mind."
"Okay. We’ll call now, and
then we’ll go from there." She reached for the phone when Jack took her
hand.
"Thank you, Rosie."
She smiled, suddenly shy.
"Anytime, Jack."
*****
Hours later, the twins had
returned home, curious about where Grandma was. Not having the strength to
answer, Jack sent them to their room to play. Now it was five after four. Rose
was in the midst of talking to the funeral home people over the phone when
there was a rapid knock on the door.
Sighing, Jack got up and opened
the door to a miffed Chloe and her boyfriend Carter. Realization suddenly
dawned on Jack. He was supposed to meet Chloe at the wharf so she could meet
the twins! He had totally forgotten about the meeting when he found Mae’s body.
"Where have you been? We
waited a whole hour for you!" Chloe crossed her arms, waiting for an
explanation.
"Jack, I just got off the
phone with the funeral home and…oh, hello." Rose stood behind Jack.
"Funeral home?" Chloe
frowned. "What’s going on here?"
"Nothing that concerns
you," Jack coldly replied.
"Jack!" Rose stared at
her boyfriend in disbelief. She had never seen Jack so rude before. "Mae
died this morning. Jack found her on the kitchen floor."
"Oh, no." Chloe gasped
in disbelief. First her parents, and now her grandmother. Who was next?
"Where are the twins?"
"In their room," was
Jack’s flat reply. "You’ll just have to meet them some other time."
"Why not now? I’m going to
be staying here anyway." Chloe walked past Jack and Rose.
"What? There’s no way you’re
staying! Rose and I have everything under control!"
"You and Rose are minors.
The funeral home is not going to take orders from a couple of kids."
"She’s right, Jack. They
won’t." Rose placed a hand on his shoulder.
"And there’s no else except
Grandpa, and he’s in no condition to help. Not to mention that there will be
Children’s Services, who will be sure to ship you all off to North Carolina. I
assume you don’t want that, either. All your friends are here, plus your pretty
little girlfriend."
Jack slumped in defeat.
"Okay. Fine. You can stay."
"Cool beans. Now, what was
the number of that funeral home?"
After Jack and Rose disappeared
into Jack’s room, Chloe and Carter collapsed on the couch. Chloe sighed,
exhausted after dealing with the funeral authorities.
"Well, it looks like our
problem of finding a place to stay has been solved." Carter wrapped an arm
around Chloe.
"That is, if we can obtain
custody of the kids. Which will be hard to do once my grandmother in North
Carolina finds out." Chloe sighed.
"Not too hard, since you are
their closest blood relative."
Chloe smiled, leaning her head
against Carter’s shoulder. "Are you ready for instant parenthood?"
"How old are these kids,
anyway?"
"Well, Jack’s the oldest.
You’ve just met him. He’s sixteen years old, and the twins are five."
"I never thought of myself
as a father figure." Carter sighed.
"Well, we have no choice. I
wasn’t there when our folks died, but I’m here now, and that’s what matters.
From now on, I’m going to take care of everything."
*****
Meanwhile, in Jack’s room, Jack
paced the floor while Rose stood next to the window, watching him, worried.
"Can you believe the nerve
of her?" Jack grumbled. "She just shows up out of nowhere and thinks
she can take over just because she’s older! And to top it off, she brings him
with her!"
"That man?"
"His name is Carter, the
reason she left in the first place. What if he wants to pick up and leave
again? Do you think she’ll stay? Think again!"
"Jack, don’t you think
you’re jumping to conclusions here?" Rose meekly asked.
"No, I don’t. I’ll eat my
words when the twins graduate high school and she’s still here." Jack
shook his head, stopping to face Rose. He frowned as he noticed how
uncomfortable she seemed. "Hey, babe, I’m sorry. I’m putting you right in
the middle of my problems here."
"Jack, I said earlier that
you can talk to me about anything. I meant that."
Jack walked to her and rubbed her
shoulders, looking deep into her eyes. "I know, and I love you for
it."
"I love you, too, Jack. I
love you more and more every day." Rose found herself getting lost in his
gaze, so full of grief and passion…passion for her. She sighed with pleasure as
his lips descended on hers.
She stepped into his embrace, not
thinking of where doing so would lead. This felt so good, and she wanted to
make him feel the same. Anyway she could. She groaned as he pulled away, but didn’t
loosen his hold.
"Jack?" she asked,
confused. Didn’t he want her? Hearing the tears in her voice, he kissed her
again. All too soon, they were on the bed. Jack again pulled away, and stared
deeply into her eyes.
"Nervous?" he asked.
Rose shook her head. "Put
your hands on me, Jack," she whispered.
Hesitantly, he obeyed, wondering
if this was the right thing to do. He, of course, was upset, and he didn’t want
to use her just to feel good again. But she was so beautiful laying under him
like that, and so willing. All doubts fled his mind when she placed her hand
over his and pressed their lips together.
"Take me to the stars,
Jack," she whispered, so full of love and the need to feel his hot skin
against hers. So that was where they went…to the stars.
*****
Night had fallen over Chicago,
and Rose had spent the entire day in Jack’s arms, making love and just holding
him when he felt the need to cry again over Mae’s death.
"Jack?" Chloe called
through the door.
"Shit," Rose cursed,
pulling out of Jack’s sleepy embrace and quickly pulling on her clothes. It
wouldn’t do for his sister to walk in on them like this. As soon as Rose was
dressed, Chloe entered.
"Rose. You’re still
here?" Chloe’s voice betrayed her surprise.
"I must have fallen asleep.
I better get home or my mother will call the National Guard." Rose
nervously smiled, grabbing her car keys.
"Good night, Rose, and thank
you for being here for Jack." Chloe led Rose to the door. "You are
coming to the funeral, aren’t you?"
"I wouldn’t miss it. Mae was
a wonderful woman. If it weren’t for her, Jack and I wouldn’t be together now.
Chloe…I know there’s tension right now between Jack and yourself…he’s really
hurting right now. Just give him some time and space. I’m sure he’ll come
around. He’s a great guy." Rose smiled.
"Thank you, Rose. That’s
good advice. Drive safely."
"I will. Good night."
Rose waved, disappearing into the night, her mind reeling from the day’s
events.