July 1925
Santa Monica
The soft summer breeze blew her tendrils gently. The scent of summer flowers filled the air. The waves gently lapped onto the short of the pure white beach. Gentle laughter from children could be heard on the seafront and Rose smiled to herself. Her own three children played on the beach and mucked around in the sand and she smiled to herself contently. She was finally home. Back to the place she had only ever really called home, the place which held a special place in her heart. Rose was now a thirty-year-old woman, even though her face still shone youthfully, her eyes still sparkled the way they did when she was a seventeen-year-old girl. Dressed in blue pants, an overly large gray shirt, and simple flat shoes, Rose settled herself on a bench. It was almost sunset, the time of day Rose loved most.
“Mom!” Olivia shouted from the beach below, and Rose laughed as she watched her daughter’s attempt at a sandcastle. Brilliant rays of soft yellow, purple, and orange filled the sky and a dusk chill wrapped its way around her body.
“Come on, children! Time to go!” Rose shouted, and stood. Dusting the sand from her shirt, she turned once and glanced upwards at the pier. The roller coaster still stood tall and proud, though it had long since ceased to be used. Memories of the first time Rose had ridden it came back to her and she smiled weakly at the memory. Turning her attention back to the children, she saw them running towards her, racing each other to reach their mother. Since arriving in Santa Monica three weeks before, Rose had found work at a small theater. The stage was a place she felt she truly belonged and it was amazing to be working in the business again after a six year hiatus.
“Can we buy an ice cream, Mom?” Lizzy spoke as she grabbed hold of Charlie's hand, but he pulled his hand away, not wishing to be seen holding his older sister’s hand. He wasn't a baby anymore. He was six now.
“Yeah. Please, Mom?” Olivia begged, a smile on her little face. “The cart should still be open on the pier.”
“Oh, all right.” Rose shook her head, giving in. “But a small one. Don't ruin your supper,” she ordered.
“We won't.” Lizzy smiled as Rose handed her daughter a dollar, enough for the children's ice creams. Lizzy took off into a run in the direction of the pier while Olivia simply walked beside her mother.
*****
The view from the pier was breathtaking, especially this time of the day. The beauty of the sunset at dusk was Jack Dawson's inspiration nowadays and he created works night after night simply sitting on the pier. The children played on the beach below, putting a small smile on Jack's face. He wiped his face with his sleeve before wiping his hands down his khaki pants, oil pastel color now staining his pants. His light brown hair was pomaded back and he had grown a small beard. His eyes were lined as he was no longer a young man but a thirty-three-year-old, although visibly he hadn't changed much. Packing away his small selection of pastels, Jack's attention was caught by some children on the pier by the ice cream cart. A woman followed, a familiar woman. Squinting in the faint sunlight, Jack placed his hand on his forehead in an attempt to see clearer. As his vision adjusted, he thought maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him. He had been out since mid-afternoon in the sunshine and he was tired after concentrating on his work so much. Shaking his head, he continued packing away his work.
“Uncle Jack!” a faint voice was calling. Jack's head turned to see Lizzy Hockley running towards him. She wasn't small anymore. She was twelve years old. In her left hand she carried an ice cream. Behind her was Olivia, running towards him. Jack's heart soared as he picked up Lizzy in his arms and whirled her around as he always did.
“Uncle Jack, what are you doing here?” Lizzy cried, breathless from running.
“I live here. What about you, little lady?” Jack smiled. She certainly had grown. Olivia had just reached the area of the pier where Jack was and she mumbled hello.
“We moved here from Cedar Rapids just the other week.” Lizzy beamed. “If you live here, too, we will be able to see each other more.” A smile crept across Lizzy's face, and her innocence shone through.
Jack's smile faded slightly. “Where is your mother?” he asked in a serious tone, looking around the pier for any sight of Rose and her other children.
“She's down there with Charlie.” Lizzy pointed to the beach. “They were dawdling.”
Then Rose's figure on the pier became more clear, and Jack felt his heart beat faster. He glanced down at Olivia and Lizzy, the children who he had seen grow into lovely young girls. He knew Rose would approach him. He had thought Rose would never enter his life again. He had thought he would never feel his heart ache for her anymore. The world seemed to disappear around him and fade into the background and Rose glided toward him in almost slow motion. His breathing became more erratic when she was close enough for him to see, to take her in once more. Her hair was a light blonde, long and plaited to one side and her face still as angelic as ever.
“Hello, Jack,” Rose spoke quietly, disturbing Jack from his thoughts. He did not know what to reply, or how to reply. He simply smiled and held his breath for a few moments.
“Hello, Rose.” He smiled. Lizzy came closer to Jack, hugging him from her height.
“Isn't it wonderful, Mom? Jack lives her just like we do.” She grinned. Not taking her eyes away from Jack, Rose ordered the children to sit on the bench a few feet away from them while they finished their ice creams. They did as they were told. Breathing slightly erratic, Rose smiled at Jack. Words were lost to her, but she was so happy to see him here. He looked fantastic, better than she remembered, and she felt as though she had found heaven to just see him before her.
“How are you?” Jack broke the silence.
“Good. How're you?” she answered nervously.
“Good. Thank you. Where is your husband?” Jack looked around, expecting Robert to follow sometime soon.
Rose began to wring her hands, obviously nervous. “Robert and I are divorced. When you and I last…saw each other…well…I…I lost the baby three days later.” Tears formed in Rose's eyes, the pain of losing her child still fresh to her.
“Oh, Rose.” Jack stepped forward and took her hands in his, tears obviously shining in her beautiful eyes. “I'm so sorry, Rose. To lose a child…I…cannot even imagine the pain.”
“No need to be sorry, Jack. It was no one’s fault. It just wasn't meant to be.” Feeling Jack's hands gently rub hers was a comfort, and she felt like she was exposed to him now. He was here in front of her and she wanted him to know how much she wanted him.
“Jack, I…I think you do know about pain. The pain which I have caused you over the years was just…” Rose could not even put into words how sorry she was.
“It’s all right.” Jack smiled in an attempt to lighten the mood. “It’s good to see you, Rose. You look good.”
Rose smiled, glancing up at him. The smile reached her eyes. “Thanks. So do you.”
Nodding, Jack let go of Rose's hand, and her smile faded. It was almost as if something was wrong, a barrier stopping him from having contact with her. “But I am sorry, Jack, for my behavior over the years, for the hurt I caused.”
“It’s in the past now,” Jack simply said. He glanced behind Rose to the children and back to Rose. “It’s all in the past.”
“Would you like to have a walk on the beach?” Rose asked, a little hopeful. She wanted to spend time with him, get to know him again. He was here now, living in the same place as her. It was perfect. She wasn't about to run again.
Rose's words hit Jack hard. Just a walk on the beach? He knew how it would end, and he couldn't let anything happen now, when he had just begun to find happiness after Rose. “I'm sorry, Rose. I can’t,” he simply said.
“Why not? Is there a problem?”
“'I'm married, Rose. Amelia is due to give birth to my child any day now.” Tears filled his eyes. He felt torn. Rose's face fell, and he immediately felt sorry for her. She didn't know where to look, and tears were obvious in her eyes.
“Oh,” was all Rose could manage. She was absolutely stunned. But then, of course she was stupid to believe that because they lived in the same place they could maybe pick up where they left off. Of course he was married. He couldn't wait around for Rose forever, although in the back of her mind she had always believed he would wait for her. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Jack felt his heart tear in two once again, but why he did not know. Rose wasn't hurting him. In fact, it was the other way around. Rose had tasted her own medicine, seeing the person you love with someone else.
“You will make a wonderful father, Jack.” Rose smiled through her tears, and felt a few fall down her cheeks. All Jack wanted was to reach out and hold her close to him, but he had to restrict himself. He was a married man now, after all. He thought of Amelia, his wife. She was lovely, with long blonde curls and large brown eyes. Every man who laid eyes on her wanted her, but she had chosen him, and he did not know why. But he loved her, not in the way he should, he knew that, but he would learn to, and they would have a baby together.
Backing away slightly, Rose took in the length of Jack, the man she now realized she loved with all of her heart. His wedding ring was clearly on his hand, and Rose shook her head to bring herself back to reality. “Good luck, Jack.” With that, Rose backed away and took a final look at Jack on the end of the Santa Monica pier, the place they had spoke of going to as teenagers, the place where Rose had dreamt of having a life with Jack, but now she was walking away again, from Jack and the dream that could no longer be. Jack Dawson wasn't hers, and never was and never would be. She knew that now.