TRAPPED
Chapter Five
"You sure this is the place
Jack goes?" Cal asked Lovejoy.
"Positive…he should be here
somewhere, and Rose should be with him."
*****
Over in the corner, Rose realized
who had just stepped in the door.
"Jack! Shit, Jack!" she
said urgently. "Jack, Cal and Lovejoy are here!"
"Shit! Oh, damn! Back door!
Back door! Do you even have a back door?"
"Yes, Jack. Don’t be
stupid," said Mary, one of the older ladies. She had been good friends
with Jack’s parents. "This way, both of you. Quick!"
Mary led them out the loading
entrance. Once outside, both let out sighs of relief.
"Jack, if Cal had seen me,
that would have been the end," Rose said.
"The end of what?" Jack
asked, a little too hopeful.
"Oh, Jack, the end of you
and me. You really think Cal would like his prize prancing around town with
another man, his cousin no less?"
"Oh…" Jack walked ahead
of Rose. "Is it really that hard for us to be together? Why can’t you just
dump Cal and be with me? You are not married yet! This shouldn’t be so
hard!"
"Jack, it isn’t that
simple." Rose caught up with Jack and spun him so he was looking at her.
"I wish it was. It would make my life easier. You’re the one I’m supposed
to be with, but for some reason, I am with Cal."
"Don’t tell me that, after
all that has happened to you and me, you still believe in fate?"
"What else could have
brought you to me?"
"How about my parents
dying?" Rose turned from Jack. She had to ask. It was now or never.
"Jack." She was crying
freely now. "If you had to choose between this life you are leading now,
with me in it, or having your parents back and never meeting me, what would you
choose?"
Jack didn’t know what to say. He
would give anything in the world to have his parents back with him, but he also
loved Rose.
"Rose, I would give anything
to see my parents again, but…"
"So, you wish you had never
met me? Is that it, Jack? Do I cause you too much pain to be around? Answer
me!" She pushed him against the wall.
"Rose, no! It is more than
that! Please listen to me!"
"No, Jack. I am sick of
listening to you! You listen to me for once! I have said this many times, and
you never get it! I love you! I have since the first time I went to the river
with you. I don’t love Cal. I will never love Cal. He is just some stupid boy
who I am engaged to. If I could take it all back, I would…"
"Well, it is very nice to
know what your fiancée thinks of you before the wedding. Right, Lovejoy?"
Cal had found them, and he had heard everything.
"Yes, Cal, it really is. To
know that you have a cheating wife before you marry is great. That way you can
stop it!" Lovejoy replied.
"Cal, there is nothing going
on here!" Rose stammered.
"You lying bitch! I have a
headache, Cal. I cannot come out with you tonight! You stupid girl! You anger
me! That was not a smart idea, darling. You little slut!"
With that, Cal slapped her. Jack
jumped at Cal, slamming him into the wall. Lovejoy stepped in. Within a few
minutes, Jack was on the ground. Rose was screaming at Cal to stop, but he only
hit her again.
"Lovejoy, stop! We don’t
want him dead now!" Jack lay very still on the ground. "Let this be
known, dear cousin. This is my girl. You are a worthless peasant compared to
me. She could never love you the way she loves me. Rose, darling, clean him up
and then return home. I do not wish to see you right now. Come, Lovejoy. We
have things to do, girls to see." Cal and Lovejoy left.
Rose was standing away from Jack.
She could not bring herself to go any nearer. He was bleeding in many places.
He didn’t look good.
"Jack, I’m going inside to
get Mary. Are you going to be okay?" Tears still streamed down her cheeks.
Jack reached up and brushed one away, leaving a trail of blood.
"I’ll be fine. Rose, just go
get Mary, and stop your crying. No should make you cry, least of all me."
Rose started to interrupt, but Jack cut her off. "Just go, Rose."
"Okay," was all she
said to him.