JACK AND ROSE: PRESENT TIME
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
Rose frowned as she
tried to read the confusing thermometer. Rose had missed two days of school
because of the flu, and she finally thought she was getting better.
"Mom!"
Rose yelled.
Ruth walked into
Rose's bedroom and took the thermometer.
"Ah, Rose your
temperature is back to normal," Ruth said with a smile.
It was Sunday night
and Rose actually wanted to go to school. The only thing she wasn't looking
forward to was all the homework she would have to make up.
They both heard the
doorbell ring. "I'll get it," Ruth said as she started down the
stairs.
About a minute
later Rose saw Jack, Tommy, Fabrizio, and Dominique come into the room.
"Hey Rose, we
came over to see if you're feeling better," Tommy said.
"I'm totally
well. I will be going to school tomorrow," she replied.
"Good, I don't
think I could stand another day at school without you," Jack said as he
put his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek.
"Hey look at
this..." Dominique said as she picked up a trophy from Rose's dresser.
"Best Girl Scout of 1995, wow."
"I thought
Fabrizio won that award," Tommy said.
Everyone laughed,
for the exception of Fabrizio.
"Your room is
so awesome!" Dominique said. "I've always been jealous of it."
Rose smiled.
"Dom, you're the one with two walk-in closets."
"Do you got an
outfit picked out for tomorrow yet Rose?" Dominique asked.
"Not
yet," she replied.
"Well, can I
help you pick one out? You have da bomb wardrobe!"
"Sure."
"Well, we get
to help too," Fabrizio said as he opened Rose's closet.
They all got up and
looked at all of Rose's clothing.
"How about
this?" Tommy asked as he held out a green dress.
Rose and Dominique
started to laugh. "That is so last season Tommy," Rose said.
"Rose, this is
the cutest outfit," Dominique said as she held up a casual, yet pretty
outfit.
"Perfect,"
Rose said.
It was almost 10:00
P.M. and they were all getting ready to leave.
"I love you
Rose," Jack said as he gave her a kiss goodbye.
"I love
you," Rose said with a smile.
They all went
downstairs, Rose practically falling asleep with her head on Jack's shoulder.
As they were all
about to go out the front door, Jack paused and stared at an old looking photo.
"What is it
Jack?" Dominique asked.
"That
picture...who is that?" Jack asked.
"Oh, that's a
photo of my mother and her best friend when she was our age," Rose said.
"Rose, can you
tell your mother to come out here," Jack said in a serious tone.
Rose came back in a
few seconds with her mother.
"Yes, Mom,
Jack needs to talk to you," Rose said cluelessly.
"Mrs. DeWitt
Bukater, who was your best friend?" Jack asked. "In this
photo..."
Ruth smiled.
"Her name was Emily, we were best friends up into our 20's, then we lost
contact. I never knew what happened to her."
Jack swallowed.
"Emily Johnson?"
Ruth looked
shocked. "How did you know?"
Jack looked at Rose
and then back at Ruth. "That's my mother."
Ruth looked even
more shocked than before.
"Um I think we
should leave," Dominique said as she took Fabrizio and Tommy out the door.
Rose, Ruth, and
Jack all sat down on the couch.
"Mr. Dawson,
you're mother grew up in Philadelphia too?" Ruth asked.
"Yeah, she
did," Jack said.
"Well, maybe I
should give your mother a call," Ruth said.
Rose held up her
hand to her mother. "Mom, you can't."
Jack, surprisingly,
took Ruth's hand in his own. "My mother and father died in a fire a while
back."
Ruth looked sadly
into Jack's eyes. "I'm terribly sorry."
Jack nodded sadly.
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater."
"No, call me
Ruth, Jack," she said.
Rose smiled with
tears in her eyes. This whole thing was sad, yet it was good. It was bringing
Jack and Ruth together.