TEARS IN HEAVEN
Chapter Five
Rose dropped her keys on the kitchen table
and sat down, going through today's mail. She finally decided, after the letter
from Jack, which she convinced herself was fake, she needed a job. There was
plenty of money to tide the family over left in the bank, but she need to go
out and start living again. Staying in the house with only the kids as company
was driving her insane. So she had done just that and found a job working as a
receptionist at a local movie studio. Not only was she getting out of the house
every day, she was also getting the chance to be around what she loved
most--movies. There was nothing but bills, so she decided to do some laundry
before it was time to pick the kids up. Josh spent time at a daycare center, so
he could spend time around kids his own age, and the twins were over at Greg
and Gina's. Their daughter was a little younger than them, so it all worked out
well. As she gathered the dirty clothes from the bedrooms, she heard the phone
in the kitchen ring. Afraid something had happened to one of the kids, she
dropped the basket and ran to get it.
"Hello?" she said breathlessly.
"Hello, Rose."
Rose nearly dropped the phone. Had she
finally lost it? Closing her eyes, she tried to put her reeling mind at ease.
It wasn't his voice. It wasn't. It couldn't be. "Hello. Who may I ask is
calling?"
The voice chuckled slightly. "Has it
really been so long you don't know me when you hear me?"
The voice. That laugh. It was him. She
couldn't deny it. But how...no, she was delusional. It wasn't possible.
"Excuse me, but..." she managed to get out.
"For God's sake, Rose! It's me."
"But...but you're dead," she
whispered, sliding down to the floor, tears falling.
"That's news to me. Doc here says I'm
alive."
"No, you're not you...you can't be. God,
stop doing this to me!"
The person on the other line sighed. "Listen
to me, Rose. I know you think I'm dead. I got your letter. But I'm not. I never
was. It's a long story and a lot of bad coincidences. You have to believe me. I
am alive."
"How can I believe you? How do I know I
can trust you?"
"Because it's me! I know you recognize
my voice."
"The voice...yes. How do I know you're
not some psycho who has one of them voice imitators like in the Scream
movies?"
He laughed dryly. "Because you know.
Deep inside you know it's true. But if it makes you feel better, ask me
something only I'd know."
Rose coughed. This was crazy. Jack was
dead...wasn't he? And besides, what could she possibly ask him? Then, slowly a
grin spread across her face. The most intimate of moments between them...stuff
only they'd know. "All right," she started confidently, because once
he answered this wrong, she could hang up and move on. "May 29, 2001.
Three things about that day. It was a big day for us, what happened? Second,
what became of that night?"
"That was the day you moved in at my house.
And Josh came out of that night."
Rose's heart sunk, but not completely.
"Okay...how many times did we make love that night?"
The man burst out laughing. "That, my
dear, would've had to be the infamous night of six times. As I recall, we
didn't get out of bed until late afternoon the next day."
Rose felt tears hit her again.
"Jack..." she cried.
*****
Although he was incredibly relieved to
finally have gotten through to her, Jack's heart broke at the sound of her
crying. He never could stand to hear her cry. "Shh...don't cry, Rose.
Please stop crying."
"But how? They said you died. That a
bomb hit and..." Rose asked, her voice trailing off.
"Who said that?"
"The government. I got a letter saying
that you were killed when a bomb hit the building you were in."
"Oh, God. I wasn't inside. A friend of
mine and I had just stepped outside when the bomb hit. A piece of concrete hit
me in the head and I went into a coma. My friend dragged me into the woods and
found some Italian soldiers. They brought me to Rome, which is where I've been
since. I just woke up in July. I would've called or written sooner, but my
motor skills weren't all that great. I'm so sorry."
"You're alive...God, I've prayed day and
night there was some kind of mix up...and there was."
"I had no idea they thought I was dead.
I figured at worst they had me listed as missing in action. I can't even
imagine how horrible this past year must've been for you."
"It hasn't been easy...but the kids kept
me going. They gave my life purpose."
"How are they?"
"They're good. They're not here right
now or I'd let you talk to them. Josh especially. He keeps asking when he can
talk to you again."
"Where are they?"
"Josh is at daycare and the twins are at
Gina's. I got a job, so it works out."
"A job? Isn't there anything left in the
account?"
"Yeah, there is still a lot left...I
just needed to get out of the house. I was going crazy."
"I guess that's understandable. You're
not working yourself too hard, are you?"
"No. How about you? Are you okay?"
Jack sighed. "I'm getting better. I had
to learn how to walk again, and it's still pretty hard to get around on my own.
But I'm getting there."
"When are you coming home?"
"As soon as I can. The doctors don't
think I'm ready yet. But as soon as they say I am, I'm on the next flight
out."
"How much longer until then, do you
think?"
"Few months, maybe. Doc says I'm
recovering faster then most people in my position. That's a good sign."
"Think you'll be home before the year is
over?"
"I sure hope so. I need to see you...I
think things will go faster now, though, now that I have my biggest inspiration
back."
Rose started crying softly. "I miss you
so much, Jack. I need to feel you...us, together. I can't last much
longer."
"I know honey, I know. I need it, too.
It'll all be over soon, I promise."
Rose sighed. "I have to go. I have to
pick Josh up in ten minutes."
Jack couldn't hide his disappointment.
"Okay. I'll call again next week. I love you."
"Talk to you soon."
"Bye."
"Bye."
*****
Rose hung up the phone, not quite able to
believe she'd just had a conversation with Jack. Something she thought she'd
never do again. But it was true. There wasn't a doubt in her mind. Her most
intense of prayers had been answered. Jack was alive.