IN THE ARMS OF A STRANGER
Chapter Nine

The next morning, Rose woke up early and just stared at her sleeping husband before getting up and heading downstairs, where the smell of eggs and bacon drifted from the kitchen. Rose entered and saw Susan sitting in a chair, reading the newspaper. Taking a deep breath, Rose entered, determined to get to know the person who was a big part of Jack's life.

"Good morning." Rose nervously smiled, standing in the doorway.

"Oh. Good morning." Susan turned to acknowledge Rose before turning back to the newspaper. "I see you're an early riser, unlike Jack. He always was a late sleeper. It's nice to see that not much has changed. So, Rose...how long have you known Jack?"

Rose didn't know how to answer this. Should she tell people that she had only known Jack for a little over a month, or should she make up something? No. She had to start off on the right foot. She had to be truthful. "For a little over a month. I know it seems sudden, but I feel like I've known him forever."

Susan looked closely at Rose, examining her face as she talked about Jack, and found the shine of complete and total adoration. This girl really did love Jack, but how deep was that love, and was she the type of person Susan would want as a friend?

"But you haven't." Susan put down the paper. "I bet you don't even know what his favorite color is."

"Maybe not, but I do know..."

"What?" Susan asked, sitting up. "Tell me what else you might possibly know about Jack, other than he's the nicest guy you've ever met and that his eyes are blue and that he's dirt poor."

Rose searched her mind for one detail she had learned about Jack since they had first met, but couldn't find anything except for the general stuff he had told her. "What is this? An interrogation on how well I know my husband? I may not know much about Jack, but I have my entire life to find out. Besides, I don't need to know what his favorite color is to know I love him more than life itself."

"Rose...I didn't mean to offend you. I was just curious about how long you knew each other. That's all," Susan apologized. "By the way, his favorite color is red."

Rose couldn't help but smile. "I guess I should tell him my favorite color is blue. I guess that's why I love gazing into his eyes all the time. They're the most beautiful things I've ever seen."

"They are the first thing that grabs ya." Susan laughed.

"Morning, girls." Mrs. Emma entered the room, a pot of flowers in her hand. "I see Mrs. Dawson is an early riser. Would you like some breakfast, Rose, or do you want to wait for Jack?"

"I think I'll just wait for Jack." Rose smiled. "In fact, I think I'll go wake him up now. It was nice talking to you, Susan."

"You, too, Rose." Susan nodded as Rose headed upstairs.

"Looks like you've made a friend." Mrs. Emma smiled.

"I was just feeling her out, Ma," Susan said. "I'm still not sure about her, but she does have a fire in her. I can tell that much."

"Well, at least you're being civil to her. I'm grateful for that much." Mrs. Emma sighed, taking a plate out of the cabinet.

*****

Jack groaned as sunlight began to filter through his closed eyelids. "Ten more minutes, Pa, and then I'll rake the yard." He groaned.

Rose giggled and planted a kiss on his lips. "Come on, sleepyhead. It's time to wake up and eat breakfast so we can head out to your house before it gets too late."

Jack blinked against the light as he opened his eyes. "Okay, okay. Since you insist."

"Don't be grumpy. You can sleep all day tomorrow if you like." Rose brushed his blond hair away from his eyes.

"Do you ever sleep in, Rose?" Jack asked curiously, getting up and pulling a shirt over his head.

"No. Not really. For some reason, I can't stay asleep past seven o'clock."

"I can change that." Jack pulled her into his arms and began kissing her. "Another visit to the stars can make you a very late sleeper."

"Jack...please...we have to get up. Mrs. Emma and Susan are waiting for you." Rose giggled, trying to resist his advances to no avail, but he sighed and released her anyway.

"Okay, okay. Since you insist." Jack smiled. "My beautiful Rose..."

"Jack." Rose blushed. "You have to stop doing that."

"Doing what? Calling you beautiful? But you are."

"You are definitely what my grandmother would call a charmer. You could probably charm the stripes off a zebra." Rose giggled.

"Are you two awake in there?" Mrs. Emma's voice floated through the door. "Breakfast is ready! I make Jack's favorite. My blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, and an omelet made with Colby cheese!"

"Blueberry pancakes!" Jack's eyes lit up. "Come on, Rose! You haven't tasted anything 'til you taste Mrs. Emma's blueberry pancakes!" Jack was about to head for the door.

"Jack, aren't you forgetting something?" Rose asked, eyeing him with a strange look on her face.

"What?" Jack was confused.

"Your pants." Rose began to giggle uncontrollably.

"Oh, right. Almost forgot." Jack smiled sheepishly. "Thanks."

"Are you two coming?" Mrs. Emma asked.

"We'll be right there." Jack hopped into his pants and pulled Rose out the door behind him.

Two Hours Later
Dawson Farm

Rose looked up at the rundown building in uncertainty. "Are you sure it's safe to live here, Jack?"

"Of course it is. It just needs to be fixed up some. That's all." Jack shrugged. "Don't worry, Rose. We'll have this place looking like new in no time."

"Tell me about your childhood here, Jack. Was it a happy one?" Rose asked.

"It sure was. I remember coming home from school to the smell of freshly baked bread. And Pa...he was always in his easy chair, reading the paper. It was one of the happiest times of my life." Jack smiled happily.

"I wish I could've known your parents, Jack. They sound like good people."

"That's because they were good people. The best around." Jack grinned. "Well, let's go inside and see what needs to be done. Then we'll take it from there." He took Rose's hand and led her inside.

Two hours later, the house was in order. Rose happily stretched, glad to be done with the hard work.

"Work well done, Mrs. Dawson." Jack came over to his wife and took her in his arms as he looked at the newly painted walls done by Rose. "I never thought you were such a good painter."

"Well, you see there, Jack? You've learned something new about me today. Another new thing is that the walls are now my favorite color...blue...like your eyes." Rose grinned, kissing him lightly.

"You flatter me, Rose." Jack grinned. "Since you have such great taste, I'll leave the decorating stuff to you, too. Fix the house the way you want it."

"But what would you like, Jack?" Rose asked.

"Whatever you want is fine." Jack smiled. "The only thing I ask is that my parents’ room remain the same and my mother's good furniture in the sitting room stay as well."

"If that's the way you want it." Rose sighed happily as she thought about how she had lucked out in marrying Jack. Cal had had a fit whenever Rose had made a suggestion for the house they were going to live in once they were married.

"Rose...you've done such a good job with the walls, I think you deserve a trip to the stars. What do you say?" Jack smiled, nuzzling his nose into her neck.

"That sounds grand." Rose smiled, giving in to Jack's advances.

Jack picked Rose up in his arms and was about to carry her upstairs when there was a knock at the door.

"Now, who can that be?" Jack rolled his eyes, going to answer the door, not bothering to put Rose down.

"Are we interrupting something here?" Susan asked as Jack opened the door to her and three other girls Jack recognized, even though right now he didn't remember their names.

"Well, we were kind of busy, but I can make time." Jack grinned, placing Rose back on her feet. "Come on in."

"I thought I'd bring the girls over to welcome you back to town and to meet Rose." Susan grinned. "You remember Brianna, don't you? Didn't you escort her to the fall formal that one year?"

"He sure did." A pretty blonde girl stepped in front of Susan and took Jack's hand. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Jack. Five years is much too long."

"And these are Sophia and Margaret, the Stratford twins." Susan nodded to the other girls. "All three of them insisted on coming over here with me to catch up on old times."

"Gee, Jack, how many girls do you have to catch up with in this town?" Rose crossed her arms, a bit of jealousy flashing in her eyes.

"Not that many," Jack said, pulling away from Brianna. "In fact, I don't really remember these three very well."

"And who's this?" Brianna took notice of Rose.

"Jack's wife, Rose," Susan introduced. "She's from Philadelphia."

"Upper class girl, I can see." Brianna looked Rose up and down. "How long have you known Jack?"

"For a little over a month." Rose smiled.

"Awfully short time, isn't it? Not even long enough to know what each other's favorite color is."

"Red," Rose said. Jack looked over at her in shock.

"What?" the girl known as Sophia asked.

"Jack's favorite color. It's red." Rose smiled triumphantly.

"So, Jack. Tell us about your travels!" Margaret took his arm and pulled him over to the couch. "We're dying to hear about where you've been for the past five years."

Jack glared at Susan. "Oh, I've been over to Europe and back. That's all. Just trying to make a living off my sketches. That's all."

"Oh, really? May we see?" Brianna asked.

"Well, they're all packed away right now. Maybe some other time. In fact, we're going to have to continue this conversation some other time. It's been a long day for me and Rose, and we were planning to get some sleep, so if you don't mind..."

"Oh. Of course." Sophia nodded. "We'll stop by some other time, then."

"See ya around, Jack." Susan smiled, just as Jack grabbed her arm.

"You're going to pay for that," Jack growled.

"Promises, promises." Susan smiled. "Just like old times, huh?"

Jack just smiled and released Susan. "See ya later, Susan."

"Later. Bye, Rose!" Susan waved, following the other three women out the door.

"Old girlfriends, Jack?" Rose asked, an eyebrow arched.

"Jealous, Rose?" Jack smiled, remembering the flash of jealousy in Rose's eyes.

"Maybe." Rose shrugged. "Maybe I shouldn't be so independent and hang on your every word, since those are the type of girls you seem to attract."

"Oh, Rose, you know those girls aren't my type. I only go for girls who have brains. Like you. If there was a contest, Rose, you'd win hands down."

Rose smiled and immediately went to her husband. "I love you, Jack Dawson. How about that trip to the stars you were talking about?"

"You always have great ideas, Rose." Jack once again picked her up, and took her upstairs to his old room, where they spent the rest of the day.

Chapter Ten
Stories