Jack was still sound asleep when Rose slipped out of bed. With a groan, he grabbed her pillow and hugged it to his chest. She lightly brushed her hand across his face. His breathing was deep and even. Hair covered his eyes. A smile played about his lips.
"I love you," she whispered into his ear.
The smiled widened. He buried his face in her pillow. "Rose Petal…"
The sun was just beginning to rise as she stepped outside. She hurried down the hill and across the beach. The sound of the waves filled her ears. Unable to stop herself, she ran into the water, arms outstretched and head thrown back.
She was shivering when she crawled back into bed. The water had been warm, but the brisk early morning wind had left her chilled. She lifted Jack's arm and slipped herself under it. He pulled her closer.
"Where'd you go?" he murmured, nuzzling her neck. "Why's your hair—" He opened his eyes, suddenly alert. "Did you go swimming alone again?" She kept her back to him. "Rose?" He flicked his tongue across her neck. "You don't taste like that unless you've been in the ocean," he said.
She sat up. Her wet curls hung limply around her face. "I went swimming alone."
"Rose, you know you shouldn't do that," he said. He put an arm around her shoulders. "Why didn't you wake me?"
She laid her hand on his cheek. "You should have seen yourself sleeping."
He smiled sadly. You should see it. "That's not the point. I don't like you going out alone, especially not into the ocean." He took her hand. "Anything could happen. You'd never—"
"See it coming? I know that. But I would hear it coming."
"Might not," he said, frowning. "You might not even know what hit you until it was too late."
"Jack, I'll be fine. You can't be with me every minute, and you shouldn't have to be. I like doing things for myself. I can do things for myself."
"I know you can. I would never say you can't. You're—" He sighed. "You're the strongest person I've ever known," he said softly. "The way you handle things…I couldn't do it."
"Yes, you could."
"No." He cupped her cheek. "Not being able to see you, able to draw, able to…I don't know how you do it sometimes." He laughed quietly. "You learned how to knit blind. I can't knit with sight."
"It isn't that difficult. Most things aren't anymore. It's been seven years; I've gotten rather good at living with it."
He squeezed her shoulder. "You've gotten very good at living with it, but—"
"But Little Rose can't go out by herself?"
"Don't say it like that. Don't make it sound like I don't want you to do things on your own. You know I do. I just don't want anything happening to you."
"You can't always be there to save me, Jack."
He didn't answer. He just placed a soft kiss on her cheek and climbed out of the bed.
*****
Eva and Lily were already dressed and sitting at the table when Dylan stumbled into the kitchen. He flopped into an empty chair. Flashing Eva a quick grin, he grabbed the pitcher of orange juice and poured himself a glass.
Eva returned the grin. "And what are you doing up so late?" she teased.
"Late?" he asked. "It's still early. In fact, it isn't even day, and that,” he added, pointing toward the window, "that is not the sun. It is some meteor that the sun exhales."
"Does that mean one of us is going to Mantua?" Lily asked drily. "I thought that was a Juliet line."
Dylan rolled his eyes. "It is. I borrowed it for my purposes."
"I wouldn't say yon gray is not the morning's eye," Eva said. "I'm pretty sure it's the sun. It is going on 9:30, after all." Just then, her stomach rumbled. "Otherwise known as breakfast time."
"Finally," Lily said. She shot Dylan a look. "We've been waiting for you."
"There are other people in this house, too, you know," he said, standing up. He moved over to the counter and began helping her slice bread for toast. "Not waiting for them?"
"Mom's asleep. I don't know where Dad is. He was gone when I woke up."
"That's strange."
Jack was actually on his way back home by then. He walked slowly, making a note of everything he saw. It was a different city from the one he had fallen in love with all those years ago. It wasn't even the same place he had brought Rose to during their first summer together or the time they came back with the children or the time after Rose…he pushed the memory aside. He shoved his hands in his pockets and quickened his pace.
"You couldn't do anything," he said. "Not anything more than what you did. She's fine now." But would she stay that way?
As he waited at the corner for the light to change, he tried not to watch the family across the street. It was a mother, father, and two little boys. The parents didn't look much older than he and Rose had been when Lily was born. They were standing next to a truck piled high with household items. Their clothes had the too neat appearance that comes with trying not to look poor.
"It isn't the same place at all," he murmured as the light changed. "Isn't the same world anymore."
He caught the eye of the children as he passed. The parents were off the side, talking in whispers. Without saying a word, Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out everything he had. The older of the two boys stared at him in shock as he handed him a ten dollar bill.
*****
"Sounds like he's back," Eva said.
A moment later, Jack walked into the kitchen. His eyes lit up when he saw them. "Breakfast?" he asked, sitting down next to Lily. "You didn't make this, did you?"
"Are you trying to say something about my cooking?"
"Maybe something nice," Dylan said.
"Oh," Lily said, suddenly deflated.
Jack shook his head, grinning. "I've missed you two." He turned to Eva. "They were doing this before she could talk."
"That doesn't surprise me." She gazed at Dylan with love-filled eyes. "He likes to tease."
"Just like his father," Rose said. She bent down and hugged Jack from behind.
"I never tease," Jack said, kissing her.
"And I've never called you annoying, either," Rose said, taking the empty chair next to him.
"That's not true," he said. "You called me annoying the morning after you met me."
"And you were."
"I just asked a question."
"An intrusive and rude question."
"You only thought that because you didn't like the answer."
Lily leaned closer to Eva. "See what we were talking about? See how often they do this?"
"I like it," Eva whispered back. "Do you know what they're talking about?"
"No one knows that," Dylan said.
"I believe the children are discussing us again," Rose said.
"You just might be right," Jack said, feigning ignorance. "They do seem to find us endlessly fascinating. I wonder why that is?"
Rose laid her hand over his. "I don't know."
He slipped his fingers through hers. "It doesn't matter," he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. This morning, that is.
"It doesn't?" she asked. I'm sorry.
He ran his thumb over her knuckles. "It doesn't." So am I.
"And what you all doing today?" Rose asked, forcing herself to turn away from Jack. Even without her sight, she was still mesmerized by his gaze. There were times when she thought it was even worse than before. When she had her sight, she had always been so lost in his eyes it was a miracle, she would think, that she didn't drown, but now she felt his eyes on her in a whole new way.
"I'm taking them to a Party meeting," Lily said.
"When did we agree to that?" Dylan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Eva did before you got up," Lily replied.
Eva nodded. "I did."
"But you're not a—"
"I know. But I like to observe."
Dylan shrugged. "All right, then."
That afternoon, while the three of them were learning about orange picker strikes, Jack and Rose enjoyed some quiet time alone. They lay on the beach. Rose's head was on his chest. His arms were wrapped around her. The waves stopped short of touching their bare feet.
"This is nice," Rose said, closing her eyes. The sun was warm on her face. "We should start sleeping outside again."
"There's an idea."
"I mean it. Don't you remember how much fun it was?"
"Well, I do remember it being fun," he said mischievously. "But I'm not sure the great outdoors had much to do with it."
Rose shot up. "Jack Dawson!" she said in mock horror.
Laughing, he pulled her back down. "You brought it up," he said, kissing her temple.
She settled back into his arms. "You are rude and uncouth and presumptuous," she said, punctuating each word with a kiss on his neck.
"I thought that's why you married me."
*****
Rose could tell Jack was asleep from the sound of his breathing. Carefully, so as not to wake him, she slid out his arms. Standing up, she brushed sand from her dress. She was about to take a step when a hand closed around her ankle. She froze. "Jack?"
"What if it hadn't been?" He stood up. "See? Something could happen."
"Fine. You're right. Can we not discuss it anymore?" She held out her hand. "Please?"
They hadn't planned to go swimming. Neither of them was even dressed for it, but a few minutes into their walk found themselves moving closer and closer to the water. "We'll be up to our knees soon if we keep this up," Jack said.
"Or worse." Without warning, Rose dropped his hand and began to run into the water.
"Rose!" he yelled. He followed closely on her heels. It only took a few seconds for the water to reach his waist. His hand was just inches from her arm. He could grab her if he needed to.
And then suddenly, he couldn't.