NEW IMPRESSIONS
Epilogue

May, 2003

Seth Townsend pushed his hand through his thick wavy hair and squinted at the email attachment he had just received on his computer at the Berkleyan office. He had to smile as he recalled just what a part he had played in the events concerning this touching piece of news. Behind his back, his good friend and colleague, Jack Dawson, and his former college editor, Rose Dewitt Bukater, had met, fallen in love, and married. It was hard to believe that all of this had happened three years ago already.

Seth studied the picture that displayed a proud family with their first child. He looked at the man in the photo, and it would be hard to deny that he had ever seen a more contented looking individual. There before him was his friend Jack Dawson, a happily married man and now a father. The look of pride emanating from his intense blue eyes was obvious even on a computer screen.

When he had first had suggested to Jack that he be interviewed for the Berkleyan, Jack had spoken a few choice words indicating his reluctance. And Rose? She had been nervous and fidgety the entire week before, hoping not to make a fool of herself before the illustrious Professor Dawson. Before the end of the summer Seth had met Jack for coffee and he should have known right away that the usually straightforward Jack was up to something.

Glancing back up at the screen, Seth noticed that the Dawson family photo had been taken on a beach--a setting that was a great favorite of Jack and Rose. Jack was sitting on a blanket holding his daughter, and Rose was kneeling behind him, peering at the baby over Jack's shoulder. Typically, her red hair was blowing in the wind, giving a wild and free look to the impetuous young mother. That was Rose in a nutshell--yet somehow she had settled into married life and created a stable, if not sometimes unpredictable, life for Jack.

Seth had been proud to act as their best man at their wedding in November of 2001. Since then Jack and Rose and Caroline and he met frequently for dinner at a restaurant or enjoyed cooking exotic cuisine at each other's homes. It had been last fall at such a gathering that Jack and Rose had shared their special news. Rose had made the announcement herself.

It had been at a quiet dinner in the Dawson's garden that Jack and Rose had chosen to tell their closest friends that their most desired wish was about to come true. Rose had a radiant glow about her as she and Jack poured champagne into the four glasses that evening. Seth had smiled at Caroline when Rose referred to the special night when they had told their friends about the baby they were expecting. Rose had explained that it was on that night when she had decided that someday she would like to announce things the very same way--with a glass of champagne and their best friends. So with Jack beaming beside her and holding Rose's hand encouragingly, she had told them that in April of 2003 there would be a new member of the Dawson family.

Seth and Caroline had been tickled pink at the news of course, and had just last week served as godparents to Jack and Rose's beautiful daughter. He read the story that Rose had emailed over, smiling to himself as he thought of his own pregnant Caroline at home. Hopefully this time they would not have the scare of a sick and premature infant.

Seth sighed and gave one more look to the photo attachment. Resting peacefully in her father's arms was the star of the show--little Maureen Dawson. Named for Jack's mother, this little girl had her father's bright blue eyes as well as his intuitive gaze. But her little rosebud mouth seemed appropriately to favor her mother, along with a scant head of tiny strawberry blond curls. From what Jack had said on the phone the other day, it seemed that the young Miss Dawson had a personality as fiery and free spirited as Rose herself. Jack had told him that Rose was taking motherhood in stride and was already talking about having another baby. That would be just like Rose.

It amused, but did not surprise Seth, that even Claude had a place of honor in the picture. He was sure that if he'd had the nerve, Jack would have mentioned his dog in the article as well. For now though, Claude would remain nameless, (in the caption) but happy, lying on the blanket next to Jack. Seth rolled his eyes good-naturedly, finally prepared to read the short article, when his phone began to ring unexpectedly from beneath a scattered stack of paper. He struggled to find the receiver, kicking his feet up to the desk just as he did, and mumbled an exhausted greeting.

"They're still working you too hard, huh? Don't you think it's time the board hired you some sort of secretary?"

"Dawson, when are you going to mind your own business?" Seth laughed at his friend's good humor. "I was just thinking about you guys...how's it going?" Seth heard Jack's gentle chuckling and then it sounded like he was whispering to someone. A second later his voice was muffled by the soft sounds of a baby's gurgling.

"Oh...sorry...Maureen will start crying again if I put her down, and Rose is at the store..." Seth grinned and waited a moment, knowing that Jack needed to attend to his daughter. Seth knew very well the kind of special attention infants needed, and also how precious and inspiring it had felt to hold his own newborn son. He heard a rustling as if Jack were trying to adjust the phone. "There we go...so to answer your question--we're great. A little sleep-deprived, but I think you know what that's like."

Seth nodded knowingly to himself. "Sure do. It took Eric a while to start sleeping through the night. It gets better though."

Jack laughed again, his voice bright and energetic despite his claims of no sleep. "It's worth it, though. And Rose won't let me miss a second...always going on about our baby only being this age once." Jack's wild grin was apparent even over a phone line, and Seth could sense Jack's genuine happiness and adoration for both Rose and the tiny child in his arms now. "She wanted me to call and make sure you got the e-mail with the attachment."

"Got it right here in fact...haven't even had a chance to read it yet, but I think the picture's perfect." Seth chuckled softly. "Even Claude looks like he's smiling. Couldn't leave him out huh?"

"Of course not!" Jack sighed and pretended exasperation. "We'll get a lot of flack for that I'm sure. But the real reason I'm calling is about Friday night."

"What's Friday night?" Seth reviewed his schedule silently in his head, drawing a complete blank for anything planned for this Friday. "Something come up?"

"Not exactly," Jack answered, his voice taking on that distinctly and jubilantly mischievous tone that Seth knew all too well--Jack was up to something. And knowing Dawson, probably something very special. "I was just thinking that you and Caroline could come for dinner...around eight maybe? Hopefully Maureen will be asleep...I just think it'll be good for Rose to spend some time with you guys, do some catching up, relax a little. She really hasn't seen anyone but the baby or me in the last few weeks. Just for a couple of hours?"

"I'll have to check with Caroline, but I'm sure that's fine. Does Rose know yet?"

Jack laughed gently. "Not yet, but I'll tell her as soon as I know it's definite. She'll want to share baby stories with Caroline anyway."

"She's enjoying every minute, isn't she?" Seth had known that Rose and Jack would make wonderful, loving parents, and that Rose's lust for life would give her unprecedented energy for handling a new baby.

"Yep...it's amazing, seeing them together. And now I have two women to keep up with...Maureen is going to be just like Rose--I can already see it. I guess I'm a pretty lucky guy."

"I won't disagree there." Seth heard a delicate whimpering on the line, and a few seconds later, Jack's voice cut through a rather loud cry.

"Listen, Seth, sorry to hang up on you...but I'm feeling like it's time to feed a certain daughter of mine." Jack's voice sounded rushed but so alive and so very happy.

"Sure thing...I'll call later about Friday. I'm sure Caroline will love to see Rose and the baby. And hey...congratulations again." Seth smiled as he barely picked up a hasty good-bye from Jack. He yawned and stretched his hands out in front of him. It was already six and his stomach reminded him that it was dinnertime. "Better get going Townsend and proof this. You know Caroline is waiting for you with dinner."

Seth mumbled softly to himself. He was eager to get home to play with Eric, their little boy, and sit across the dinner table from Caroline. How he had ever thought that Jack would want to be alone for the rest of his life, he never knew. If he hadn't thought that Rose and Jack were such opposites maybe he would have introduced them earlier. But like in so many situations in life, fate had taken its hand here and brought these two wonderful people together at the right time.

"Oh well. Read, Townsend, read. You have to get home." He sighed, blew his hair off of his face and focused on the words before him.

Born to Jack Dawson (Art Department) and Rose DeWitt-Bukater Dawson (Class of '01), a daughter. The baby, named Maureen Elizabeth, was born on April 15, 2003. Jack is a professor of Art History and Rose is on leave from her position as Assistant Editor for Pacific West Magazine. The baby's grandparents are Ruth and Donald Gibbons of Seattle, Washington.

THE END!

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