JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU
Chapter Thirteen
January 21, 2002
Rose ran her free hand over her now very
enlarged stomach. At eight months pregnant, she was surprised she could still
get around the house. Jack and she had been married for five months and were
finally heading out to California, or for the horizon, as Jack put it. Rose
groaned and fell back into a nearby chair. "Get this baby out of me,"
she muttered, irritated by the excess weight.
Jack heard his wife's words and immediately
was at her side. "Rose? Are you okay?"
Rose glanced up at him. "Besides the
fact my back is killing me, I can't see my feet, I'm carrying an extra twenty
or more pounds around and yet still have to pack an entire household for a
cross country move in three days, yes, I'm just peachy."
Jack knelt down in front of her and took her
hand. "Why don't you go upstairs and lay down? I'll finish up in
here."
Rose sighed. "That's all I ever do
anymore, Jack. I'm sick of either being in bed or being too sore and moody to
go anywhere. I haven't been out of this house in weeks."
"The doctor said you have to get a lot
of rest if you want this baby to be born healthy, though. I don't want anything
happening to either of you."
"I know, Jack. I don't either, but I'm
so tired of being in here day in day out."
Jack smiled sadly. "I know you are,
sweetie. But we'll be leaving for Santa Monica in a few days and you'll be able
to spend as much time outside as you want. The cold here isn't good for you in
your condition."
"You're right." Rose yawned.
"Help me upstairs?"
Jack stood up and picked Rose up, seemingly
unaffected by the extra weight. "Gladly, my love," he replied with a
fake English accent.
Rose giggled and wrapped her arms around his
neck, leaning her head against his shoulder as they made their way up the
stairs.
January 25, 2002
Jack glanced around the living room, making
sure nothing was unpacked. They were leaving for California today and the
movers were going to be there any minute. Rose was still asleep upstairs and
Jack had every intention of letting her sleep until she absolutely had to get
up. The baby had kept them both up half the night with its kicking. Rose,
obviously because the child was within her and Jack because Rose had been
snuggled so close to him, he could feel its movements on his back. Then, after
he had moved away, he hadn't been able to sleep because Rose was no longer
snuggled against him. Jack sighed and pushed some hair out of his face. He was
incredibly nervous about seeing his friends again, worried about how they would
react to Rose. Especially Fabrizio. He had been Meg's cousin and Jack was
concerned that he might see it as him disrespecting the memory of Meg and his
unborn child. He would just have to make it clear that he had loved Rose longer
then he had even known Meg. If they didn't accept that, as much as it would
hurt him, he'd have to back away from them. He loved his friends, but Rose
meant more to him. A sudden knock on the door shook him from his thoughts as he
went to answer it.
Jack opened the door to a middle aged man,
dressed in a blue uniform. "Hello, Mr. Dawson is it? My name is Tony from
Star Moving. Are you ready for us to load up?"
Jack nodded. "Yeah. Take everything
except for the suitcases in the master bedroom. I'll have to wake my wife up
before you can move the bedroom furniture..." Jack stopped when he
realized he was babbling.
The man nodded and motioned for his coworkers
to follow him in.
*****
Once the men started to take their belongings
out to the truck, Jack went up to their bedroom. He sneaked in quietly and sat
down on the bed, watching as his wife slept. He loved doing that, watching her
sleep always calmed his nerves, reminded him that nothing besides her and the
baby she was carrying mattered. Though he hated to wake her, he knew he had to.
Jack bent over and gently kissed her partially opened lips. Immediately
responding, Rose ran her hand through his hair and deepened the kiss.
"Mmm, I love when you wake me up like
that," Rose murmured.
Jack grinned. "I love waking you up like
that. But you really have to get up now. The movers are here and they're going
to want to take the bed."
Rose stretched lazily. "Bah. What time
is it?"
Jack glanced at his watch. "A little
after eleven. We have to be out of here by one if we're going to catch our
flight."
Rose sat up and swung her legs over the side
of the bed. "Okay, I'm up. Can you hand me my dress?" she asked,
pointing to a dress draped over a chair.
Jack nodded and got it for her. "You get
dressed. I'm going to see if I can be of any help with moving."
"Okay," Rose said, kissing his
cheek. "I'll be down shortly."
*****
Jack stood next to Rose as they watched the
movers load the last box into the truck. This was the end of their lives here
in Chippewa Falls. But only the beginning of it together.
February 5, 2002
"Jack, really...couldn't you have waited
until this thing was out of me before you invited your friends over?" Rose
grumbled.
They had been in Santa Monica for a little
over a week and Jack had just informed her his friends were coming over that
night for a house warming party.
Jack laid his hand on Rose's stomach, trying
to avoid another fight with her. Lately her mood swings were getting harder and
harder to ignore. "Rose, I haven't seen them in nearly a year. It's only
for a few hours. Besides, they don't care if you're pregnant."
Rose turned to glare at him. "They might
not mind, but I do! I look like a damn house!"
Jack sighed. "You do not, Rose. You're
as beautiful as ever. I told them you were due at the end of the month anyway,
so they're not expecting you to be your regular size."
"I'm staying in the bedroom
tonight."
Jack reached up and brushed his hand against
her cheek. "Please, Rose, this means a lot to me. I want you to meet
them...for me? Please?" he begged, giving her a puppy dog face.
Jack immediately saw her cold exterior melt a
bit and she smiled slightly. "You are the devil spawn, you know that,
right?"
Jack grinned. "So does that mean you'll
be the little socialite I know you are, tonight?"
Rose nodded. "I will. IF you'll go get
me a banana split. Three scoops...hot fudge with nuts."
Jack shook his head, still somewhat baffled
at her spontaneous cravings. "All right, deal." He slid off the bed.
"I'll be back in a few." Rose gave him a strange look.
"What?"
"Aren't you going to kiss me?"
Jack chuckled. "You really are
something," he said, bending down to kiss her gently.
"Hurry," she whispered when they
parted.
*****
"I feel like a hippo," Rose
complained, coming out of their bedroom.
Jack glanced up from the drawing he was
working on. "Nah, you're much prettier. Not to mention, hippos don't dress
as fancy."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm a
pretty, fancy hippo."
Jack got up and wrapped his arms around his
wife. "You're not a hippo. And you look gorgeous, so stop."
Rose leaned back in his embrace and kissed
him. "If you say so."
Jack smiled. "I do." Just then, the
doorbell rang. "That's them."
Rose nodded absentmindedly. Jack had told her
that his friend, Fabrizio, might be a little hostile towards her since he was
Meg's cousin, but not to worry. Taking a deep breath, she followed Jack to the
front door.
*****
"So, Rose. How long have you and Jack
known each other?" Helga asked as she helped her load the snack trays.
"We've known each other our entire
lives, actually."
Helga nodded. "How long were you
together? If I'm being nosy, just tell me to mind my own business."
Rose smiled. "No, no, it's okay. We were
together a little over a year when he left...and we've been together since he
came back."
"You married in August?"
Rose nodded. "Yeah, August
fourteenth."
Jack stuck his head into the kitchen.
"What are you ladies talking about?"
Helga smiled. "Wouldn't you like to
know."
Rose giggled and kissed her husband's cheek.
"Just girl talk. Come on, you can help us carry these trays back out. We
need a big, strong man..."
Helga burst out laughing. "Yeah, Mister
Big Strong Man, take this out to your fellow men." She handed him two
bowls of chips.
Jack took the bowls and headed back into the
living room, shaking his head. Rose and Helga glanced at each other and
laughed. They were going to get along just fine.
*****
Rose stood out on the back porch, watching
Jack, Tommy, and Sam play a deformed version of football. "Hey,
Rose?"
Rose jumped and spun around to see Fabrizio
standing behind her. "Hi, Fabrizio," she said hesitantly, not sure
what he wanted.
"Can I talk with you?"
"Of course. What can I do for ya?"
Fabrizio scratched his head. "I just
wanted to say that I'm glad it's you who Jack married. I know he was worried
how I'd feel about you, because of Meg and all...and I'll admit I was a bit
steamed at first, when he told us he was married and expecting...but when I see
you together, I know how much you love each other."
Rose exhaled. He didn't resent her!
"Thank you, Fabrizio. I know that means a lot to Jack...and myself."
Fabrizio nodded. "That man loves you
with all his heart. To tell you the truth, the first time I heard him say your
name...I wanted to hate you. It was right after Meg's funeral...when the police
came to arrest him. He had this terrified look on his face and he was shaking.
He was crying and kept saying, I'm so sorry, Rose. I love you. Please
forgive me. I understand now, though."
Rose wiped a stray tear from her face.
"He never told me all that," she whispered.
Fabrizio smiled gently. "Having seen
that and watching you together now, makes me believe you're soul mates."
Rose giggled lightly. "Yeah..." She
paused, glancing lovingly at her husband, who at the moment, was doing a
victory dance, shouting something she couldn't quite make out. "I guess we
are."
Fabrizio followed her gaze and laughed.
"Has he always been like that?"
Rose turned back to him and nodded.
"Yes. Ever since I can remember, he's had this wild streak. Very
spontaneous. Of course, I'm the same way...when I'm not the size of a three
story building."
Fabrizio shook his head. "You're not
quite that big. Have you decided on names?"
Leaning up against the railing, Rose nodded.
"Yes. Allison Rose if it's a girl. I wanted to name it after Jack, but he
refused. So it's Joshua Paul if it's a boy."
"I like that. This kid is going to be
lucky, having you two for parents. Though Jack might drive it nuts."
Rose laughed. "Nah, he's going to be an
amazing father. He has always had a knack for caring for kids. I'm lucky I have
him or I'd probably end up hurting the poor thing."
Fabrizio looked up, shocked. "I somehow
can't picture you being anything less than a great mother."
Rose blushed. "I hope so."
Ending their conversation abruptly was Jack
and Tommy who came clambering up the stairs, laughing loudly. Jack stopped
immediately when he saw Fabrizio and Rose standing next to each other. Rose
caught his look and smiled, indicating everything was fine. Tommy yawned,
"We should probably head out. We've kept Jack from his wife long enough
for one night."
Fabrizio nodded and Sam and Helga echoed his
agreement as they came up the stairs.
*****
Jack fell into bed beside Rose after he had
straightened up the house somewhat. "What did Fabri say?"
Rose smiled. "That he doesn't hate
me."
Jack let out a whoosh of relief. "Good.
I'm exhausted." He kissed her forehead. "Love you. Good night."
Rose turned off the bedside lamp. "Good
night, Jack."