TEARS IN HEAVEN
Chapter Six

Rose happily skipped up to her best friend's doorstep to pick up the twins. Josh gave her a weird look and banged on the Emerson's door. In her very pregnant state, Gina opened the door. "Rose! Josh! Come on in. Greg took the kids down to the pier, so they should be back shortly." Rose couldn't help the huge grin that spread across her face. The first one hundred percent genuine smile she'd had since before Jack left, and Gina didn't miss it. "All right, Rose. I know when you're hiding something from me. Out with it."

Rose's grin grew even larger. "Guess who called me today."

"Um...Arnold Schwarzenegger?"

"What the...no. Guess again."

"James Cameron? That's it! You got an acting job!"

Rose shook her head. "You're way off. Couldn't be more wrong if you tried."

"Oh, hell, I don't know. Who?"

Calmly folding her hands in her lap, Rose looked up at her lifelong friend. "My husband."

Gina's jaw dropped and she gave her a very concerned look. "Rose, hon, you know that's impossible," she said, quietly, not wanting to upset her.

But Rose's happy expression didn't fade. "No, it's not. He called me, G, he did. He's coming back to me. After two years, he's coming home."

Gina pulled a chair up next to her. "Rose, Jack is dead. You know that."

"No, he's not. That I know. He called and we talked. I think I'd know my own husband's voice."

"Rose, please. He was killed in the war..."

Rose stood up abruptly. "You can't prove that. They never found his body. You'll see, G. When he comes home, you'll see. I'm not as crazy as you think I am."

Gina sighed. "I don't think you're crazy, Rose. Just maybe...all the stress you've been under lately has gotten to you. I think maybe you need to slow down."

"No, I don't. I'm fine. How can I not be? Jack's alive! The one thing I wanted most in the world is reality."

Just then Greg came in with the twins. "Hey, Rose," he greeted. Rose echoed the greeting and said her good-byes. Greg noticed the worried look on his wife's face then. "Gina?"

Gina shook her head as Rose and the kids got into their car. "I'm worried about her. She came in here today announcing that Jack called her and promised he was coming home."

Greg stared at her. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. I'm so scared she's on the verge of losing it. Do you think I should call Ruth?"

Greg shook his head. "No, I'll talk to Ruth. We'll make sure she's okay."

*****

Ruth knocked impatiently on Rose's door. She'd rushed right over after she'd gotten off the phone with Greg Emerson. There was something wrong with her daughter...mentally. Sure, she'd been a little erratic ever since Jack died, but never had it gone this far. Finally, Rose appeared at the door, her face covered in what looked like paint. "Mom! Come on in. The kids and I were just doing a little finger painting." She paused, wiping some of the goop off her face. "I guess we got a little out of hand."

Ruth stepped into the house, surprised by what she saw. Over the past year, since the death, Rose had insisted on keeping every curtain in the house tightly shut, claiming she needed darkness to mourn correctly. But now, all of them were open, along with the windows, letting in natural light and the cool late October air. "Rose, honey, we need to talk."

"Whatever about, Mom?"

Ruth sat down on the couch and motioned for Rose to join her. "Greg called me earlier. He says you told Gina you received a phone call from Jack."

Rose nodded happily. "Yes, I did. I thought I was losing it at first, but it's true. He's alive and he's coming home."

Ruth sighed, contemplating how to get through to her. It was obvious that she whole-heartedly believed that she had talked to Jack. "Rose, it wasn't Jack. You know it, whether you want to admit it or not. He's dead, honey, gone. He's not coming back. People don't come back from the dead. You need to pull yourself together for those kids of yours."

Rose gave her mother a rather bothered look. "Listen to me, Mother. It WAS him. I'd know his voice anywhere. And it WAS him who wrote that letter. I didn't want to admit it, I thought I was going crazy, but it was. That is his handwriting, just like it was his voice. He's alive. By some unexplainable miracle, he is alive. And he's coming home to me, to our family. I know you think I'm insane. Gina and Greg do to. But you'll see."

"We don't think you're insane. We're just worried about you. You have been under a lot of stress since Jack left. I think it's starting to take its toll on you."

Rose rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter if you believe me or not. I know it's true and that's enough. And I'm not under that much stress. For the first time in two years, my stress level is down. My husband is coming home, just like he always promised. In fact, I'm going to go down to the cemetery and have that headstone removed first thing tomorrow."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Rose. What if you ARE just imagining this and you realize Jack is really dead? What are you going to do then?"

"It's not going to happen, Mother. I know he's alive, and I'm not imagining anything. Now either we can sit here and argue over my emotional state of mind, or you can help me start dinner and have a nice meal with us."

Ruth sighed, defeated. She knew Rose was hard-headed, but never had she been so unreasonable. "All right. We'll do dinner."

One Week Later

"Mommy, Josh broke my Barbie's head off!" one and a half year old Janelle screamed, running into her mother's bedroom crying.

Rose calmly popped the head back onto the doll. "All fixed. Go tell your brother I want to talk to him."

Janelle nodded and went back into the playroom across the hall. Rose sighed. The past week had been a whirlwind of hell. Nobody believed her when she told them Jack was alive, and now they wanted her to go seek some mental assistance. But she refused. She was fine. Jack was alive. Though she claimed it didn't matter if people believed her or not, it hurt that everyone thought she was some poor, crazy widow. They'd see soon enough.

"You wanted me, Mommy?" Two and a half year old Josh asked softly from the doorway.

Rose smiled and patted the bed next to her and Josh scrambled up. "You were teasing your sister again, huh?"

Josh nodded, obviously ashamed.

Rose saw this and hugged him. "I'm not mad, sweetie. I just wish you'd be nicer. She's the only little sister you've got."

"But Mommy, she keeps bugging me to play with dolls! I'm a boy and boys don't play with dolls!"

Rose laughed. "I know you are. But you don't have to be mean about it. Just tell her you don't want to play. Promise you'll be nicer to her?"

"Promise. Can I go now?"

Rose nodded. "Hug and kiss first."

Josh stood up on the bed and wrapped his little arms around her neck, planting a kiss on her nose. "Love you, Mommy."

"I love you, too. Now go, play. And be nice!"

"Okay!"

*****

Rose brushed a curl out of her face as she put the last bottle into the dishwasher. Dinner was done and the kids were cuddled together watching a movie in the living room. Suddenly the phone rang, making her jump. Flipping the dishwasher on, she answered it. "Dawson residence."

"Hey, gorgeous."

Rose smiled and pulled a chair over by the phone. "Hey, yourself. I was wondering when you were going to call again."

"Sorry, I'm only allowed one international call a week. How are you?"

"Tired. It's been a long week."

"What's going on?"

"Ah...everyone thinks I've completely lost it. They don't believe me when I tell them you're alive."

Jack laughed. "Can you blame them?"

Rose smiled wistfully. "No, not really. It's just hard when I know you are, and yet everyone's trying to convince me otherwise. Anyway, how are you?"

"Getting better. I walked all the way down the hall on my own today. It shouldn't be long now."

"Thank God. If you don't get home and help me with these kids soon, I'm going to hurt someone."

"Is that all you want me home for?" Jack asked.

Catching the meaning in his words, Rose blushed. "You are bad, Mr. Dawson."

"You're turning red, aren't you?" Jack teased.

"No!" Rose objected, but then giggled. "Well, maybe a little. I'm serious, though. Josh is you all over again, only worse because he has me in him."

Jack started laughing. "Poor you. How are the kids?"

"They're good, for the most part. Would you like me to see if Josh is still up so you can talk to him?"

"Does he even remember me?"

"Yes. He asks about you all the time."

"Okay. I'd love to talk to him, then."

Rose sighed. "I know it's hard, Jack. I'll go get him now. Hold on."

"All right."

*****

Rose walked into the living room, hoping Josh was still awake. He was. "Josh, honey, would you like to talk to your daddy on the phone?" And before she could blink, the child was in the kitchen.

"Daddy!" Josh exclaimed excitedly.

Jack couldn't believe that little voice was his son. His son, who he hadn't seen in two years. "Hey, Josh. How are you?"

"Good. I miss you."

"I miss you, too. I'll be home soon, though."

"Promise?"

"Promise. But until then you have to take good care of your mommy, brother, and sister. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes! Mommy says I'm the man of the house!" he announced proudly.

"You are. Are you doing a good job?"

"I think so. Mommy says it's time for bed, though."

"Then you better go. I love you, Josh."

"I love you, too, Daddy. Night-night."

"Good night."

*****

Jack heard him hand the phone to Rose. "Go put on your pajamas. I'll be in there in a minute."

"Okay!" the child replied, and then Rose came back.

"I've never seen him so happy," she commented.

"I feel like crying. I can't believe how much I've missed."

"Don't dwell on it, Jack. You'll be home, and then you'll spend the rest of their childhoods with them."

Jack sighed. "I know. I just wish I hadn't missed the early stuff."

"I know, but there's nothing we can do about the past. We can only do our best for the future."

"How'd you get so smart?"

"It's been a long two years. I've learned a lot."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"Listen, I gotta go. The kids are already up way past their bedtime."

"Okay. Give them all a kiss for me."

"I will. I love you."

"Love you, too. Take care of yourself."

"You, too. Good night, Jack."

"Night, Rosie."

Chapter Seven
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