AFTER TITANIC
Chapter Twenty-Seven

Three Months Later

Rose was now nine months pregnant and due any day. Ruth and Molly had decided to move in with Jack and Rose to help with the housework and whatever else needed to be done until the babies arrived. Jack was still working at Conway's Mechanical Supplies, but he made it known to old man Conway himself that he'd be taking off at anytime that Rose went into labor. He wanted to be there for the birth of his first child. Of course, the man was understanding. He remembered when his son was born, and the feeling of holding him for the first time.

Rose was in the kitchen, making lunch for herself, Ruth, Molly, and Eliza, when the baby was ready to make its appearance. She was taking a pan down from the shelf when a contraction hit her and her water broke.

"Rose!" Eliza came into the kitchen at the sound of the pan crashing to the floor. "Rose!" Eliza ran to her friend's side.

"I believe it's time." Rose gasped.

"Oh, my goodness, Rose!" Ruth cried, running to her daughter's side.

"Jack! He's supposed to be here! He promised!" Rose breathed, her eyes urgent. She couldn't believe how fast this was happening. From what she had heard, especially about the first pregnancy, it was supposed to take a long time for this to happen.

"Eliza." Molly entered right behind Ruth. "You know this town. Can you go get Jack and that Dr. Calvert and tell them that Rose has gone into labor?"

"But..." Eliza stammered, not wanting to leave Rose's side.

"Just do it, darling. Don't worry. Ruth and I have everything under control," Molly reassured her.

Eliza nodded and headed out the door, heading straight for the factory, while Ruth and Molly helped Rose upstairs and tried to make her as comfortable as possible.

Luckily for Eliza, she easily found Jack at the plant office, along with Dr. Maxwell Calvert. She didn't know what was going on, and didn't care. All she cared about is getting Jack to Rose.

"Jack!" Eliza frantically called as she entered the office. "Jack! I've been looking all over for you."

"What is it, Eliza?" Mr. Conway impatiently asked.

"It's Rose, Jack. She's gone into labor. Mrs. Brown told me to come get you and Dr. Calvert."

"Oh, my goodness," Jack gasped. "Mr. Conway..."

"I understand, Jack. Go on. Your wife needs you." The older man nodded in understanding.

Fifteen minutes later, Jack was at his wife's side, encouraging her to keep up with the breathing exercises Maxwell had shown them.

"Oh God, Jack, it hurts. It hurts so much," Rose cried through the pain.

"I know, Rose. I know, and I'm sorry to put you through this." Jack stroked her hair back, away from her face. "Don't worry. It'll all be over soon. In a couple of hours we'll have our beautiful baby in our arms."

"Breath, Rose darling. You can do it." Molly threw in her encouragement.

"That's easy for all of you to say. You're not on this bed feeling like you're going to die now, are you?" Rose screamed as another pain raked her body.

"No need for anger, Rose," Ruth replied. "It's not good for the baby."

"Come on, Rose, you can do it," Jack again encouraged her, squeezing her hand once again.

"No, Jack. Not this time. I have no more strength." She felt so weak.

Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, there was an urgent knock on the door downstairs.

"Now, I wonder who that can be," Molly grumbled, as Eliza got up to answer it.

"Mother!" Eliza exclaimed in surprise when she opened the door to her mother, birthing supplies in hand.

"I heard that Rose went into labor, and I'm here to do my duty, of course." Mrs. Hathaway pushed her way into the house. "Really, Eliza, I'm surprised that you didn't call me."

"That's because there was no need to call you." Eliza sighed. "Jack made it clear that Dr. Calvert was to deliver the baby...not you."

"Not me? I don't understand."

"It's nothing against you, Mother. It's just that Rose is from Philadelphia, where doctors bring babies into the world...not midwives. Jack felt that she'd be more comfortable with a doctor, since this is her first pregnancy."

"That's rubbish. Birthing babies is my job, and I'm not letting the Calverts take it away from me. Now move aside, Eliza. I have a job to do." Mrs. Hathaway pushed past her daughter and headed upstairs.

"Mother, please! Don't do this!" Eliza begged, racing after her mother.

"Don't worry. I'm finally here, thanks to Mr. Conway." Marge Hathaway briskly entered the room.

"Marge? What is she doing here?" Ruth asked.

"I'm here to deliver the baby."

"That's what Rose's doctor is here for," Ruth replied. "Jack?"

"Doctor?" Marge asked. Then, she noticed Maxwell Calvert, kneeling before Rose, ready to deliver the coming baby.

"Hello, Mrs. Hathaway." Maxwell smiled, trying to keep the situation as calm as possible. A room full of hostility was the last thing Rose or the baby needed.

"What are you doing here? This is my job."

"Not this time. It was requested that a doctor help in the delivery."

"Of course it was. It's bad enough that she's not in a decent, sterile hospital." Ruth snorted, a bit of her arrogance coming back.

"Jack!" Rose screamed as another contraction gripped her, this one stronger than the last.

"It's okay, Rose. Just breath." Jack soothed his wife, trying to ignore Mrs. Hathaway and stay calm.

"Yes, Rose, breath. It's almost over. The baby's almost here," Maxwell agreed.

"Listen, I don't have time to argue. The baby's on its way." Marge got impatient. "Now, move aside so I can do my job."

"And I said this one wasn't your job. Now, Marge, I'm trying to be patient with you, but you must leave now. This is the last thing Rose needs." Maxwell glared at the woman.

"Come on, Marge. Let's go outside." Molly gripped the woman's shoulders and led her out of the room.

"I can't believe this. This is inappropriate." Marge snorted. "Not only is the father in there, but a man is going to deliver that baby!"

"Grow up, Marge! Get out of this little world you live in. Sure, Jack being in there with Rose while his baby is being born is unusual, but it's necessary. Rose wants him there. But as far as a man delivering the baby...that's completely normal. Out in the real world, in hospitals, male doctors are the ones bringing babies into the world. Not midwives."

Before Marge had a chance to answer, there was a scream and a cry from the next room. The baby was born.

"It's a boy!" Maxwell happily exclaimed, as Molly and Marge reentered the room. He handed the baby to Ruth, who wrapped him in a blue baby blanket.

"Oh, Rose, he's beautiful." Ruth smiled down at her grandson, who looked back up at her with wide blue eyes.

"Ow!" Rose screamed again, and another cry erupted into the room.

"Twins! We have twins!" Maxwell happily exclaimed, catching the crying baby. "And it's a girl!"

"My goodness." Molly grinned, running for the pink blanket lying over a chair, taking the baby from the doctor, and wrapping her in a blanket. "Beautiful blue eyes like her father."

"Wow, Rose, we did it. We have two beautiful babies." Jack smiled down at his wife, who was now half asleep, thankful that her ordeal was over. "Do you want to see them?"

Rose just shook her head no. Not yet. She needed to sleep first. She needed to recover.

"Where are they going to sleep?" Ruth asked.

"In the baby bed, of course." Molly snorted. "They're so tiny right now, they'll both fit. We'll go shopping for another bed later on."

"Well, Jack, you're a father of two beautiful babies. You're a lucky man." Maxwell slapped his friend on the back.

"I know am. I just hope I'm able to give them everything they could ever want."

"Oh, you will, Jack. I can tell just by looking at you that you're going to be a doting father."

"So, what are you two going to name them?" Eliza asked.

"Molly Cora Dawson and Tommy Fabrizio Dawson," Jack replied, taking his son in his arms.

"Fabrizio? What kind of name is that?" Marge Hathaway snorted in disdain.

"It's Italian...the name of my best friend that died on Titanic," Jack answered, his voice harsh. "It's a perfect name. And if you must know, Cora is the name of a little girl who also died aboard that ship."

"Cora and Fabrizio? Those are not proper names for American children. I suggest you choose something else." Marge snorted.

"Mother," Eliza growled, her face growing red with embarrassment. "Don't do this. Please."

"Well, nobody asked for your opinion." Jack's voice was now even harsher. Anger flashed in his blue eyes. "Those are perfect names for our children. I don't care what you think. Eliza, I suggest you escort your mother home before she causes any more tension in this house. That's the last thing the babies and Rose need right now."

"Yes, Jack." Eliza nodded, both understanding and disappointment at not getting a close look at the babies flashing in her eyes. "Come along, Mother. You've caused enough trouble for the day."

"I was just saying..."

"I know what you were saying. Now, come on. Jack has kindly asked us to leave, and that's what we're going to do." Eliza pulled her mother out of the room.

"She never knows when to keep her mouth shut." Ruth shook her head. "But you're right, Jack. Those are perfect names for the babies."

"Thank you, Ruth." Jack smiled at his mother-in-law. She'd never know how much that compliment meant to him. It meant that he really did have her approval.

"Jack?" Rose awoke. "Where are the babies?"

"In the baby bed, fast asleep," Jack said, stroking her hair. "You want to see them when they wake up?"

Rose nodded.

"They're beautiful, Rose. They look just like you and Jack." Ruth proudly smiled.

"Come, Ruth. Let's leave the little family alone. It's been a long day for them all." Molly pulled on Ruth's arms.

Ruth nodded and followed Molly out the door, leaving Jack and Rose alone with the babies.

"You did great, Rose." Jack took her into his arms. "We both did. The babies are so beautiful."

"Twins." Rose's voice was full of disbelief. "How did that happen?"

"Beats me. Twins don't run in my family. It must be on your side." Jack shrugged. Then, he turned where he heard soft cooing from the baby bed. "They're awake. Do you want to see them?"

"You know the answer to that. Of course I want to see them. Little Molly and Tommy." Rose smiled, holding her arms out for the babies when Jack went to get them.

"Say hello to your mommy, kids. Be nice to her. She's had a very hard day, bringing you into the world." Jack softly spoke to the babies, unconditional love shining in his eyes.

"Oh, Jack, they are so beautiful!" Rose exclaimed, when she had a baby in each arm. She looked up at her smiling husband, pure joy shining in her eyes. "Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for, Rose? I didn't do anything." Jack's voice showed his confusion.

"You gave me these two beautiful children. That's what you did. I wouldn't have them now if I hadn't met you."

Jack just smiled, his cheeks glowing a slight red. "Well, then...you're welcome, Rose. But you did most of the work. You deserve a medal for this."

The young couple just cuddled together, with their children in their arms, and drifted off to sleep. It was Molly and Ruth who put the babies to bed and turned out the light, careful not to disturb them, knowing that from now on peaceful nights like these will be few and far between.

Chapter Twenty-Eight
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