AFTER TITANIC
Chapter Five
"Name, please?" the man with the
clipboard asked, as Jack and Rose were about to disembark the ship.
"Rose and Jack Dawson," Jack proudly
replied, placing a reassuring arm around Rose, who was growing anxious to get
off the ship.
"Thank you." The man nodded his
head, moving on to the next passenger.
"Man, that sounded good." Jack
grinned happily. "Rose and Jack Dawson."
"Jack," Rose nervously replied,
staring into the churning crowd. "Look at all the reporters. They must be
here about the Titanic. What do we do?"
"Let's try to get past them as best we
can. Here, put this on. It'll keep you warm." Jack placed Cal's coat
around her shoulders.
"Thanks, Jack...wait a minute...what's
this?" Rose frowned as she thrust her hand into her pocket and felt a hard
and cold object. She wrapped her hand around the object and brought it out into
the sunlight. She gasped when she noticed the Heart of the Ocean that Cal had
presented to her the night she tried to kill herself. "Oh, my goodness.
Cal must have left it in there. No matter what, he was chasing us."
"What are we going to do with it?"
Jack asked.
"I don't know. We could pawn it. We do
need the money."
"No, Rose. If we pawn it, it could get
back to Cal that you survived. It's best that we keep it put up somewhere.
Somewhere safe."
"But where is that? In fact, where are
we going to stay?"
Rose had a point. Where were they going to
stay? They couldn't stay out here in the cold rain. That was all right for
Jack, but not his Rose. He wanted to keep her as dry and warm as possible,
especially after what they been through. "Don't worry, Rose. I'll think of
something."
He placed a protective arm around her
shoulders, and they began pushing their way through the crowd of reporters.
They'd just reached the streets when a familiar voice called out. "Hey,
Jack! Is that you?"
They instantly recognized Molly Brown heading
in their direction. "Why, so it is Jack Dawson...and goodness gracious, is
that Rose? Why, girl, everybody thinks you're dead!"
"Hello, Molly." Jack smiled. He had
instantly taken a liking to Molly Brown. She was a third class woman in a first
class body. Just like his Rose. In fact, if it wasn't for Molly, he and Rose
wouldn't be together now.
"What happened to you two? People have
been searching everywhere for you. In fact, Rose, your mother had a breakdown
over your death, but here you are, as alive as daylight," Molly said.
"I know, Molly, and that's the way we
want to keep it." Rose stared the woman straight in the eye. "In
fact, Jack and I have just gotten married. I'm now Rose Dawson. Rose DeWitt
Bukater died along with the Titanic."
"I understand, Rose, and I respect your
wishes. Your mother and Cal won't find out from me that you're alive."
Molly nodded, clear understanding shining in her friendly brown eyes. "And
congratulations to you two. I knew the moment I saw you two together that you
were made for each other. Is there anything else I can do for you, other than
keeping your secret?"
"Well, actually, Molly...there is
something else you can do," Jack said, determination on his face. He gave
it some thought and came to the conclusion that the important thing was to get
Rose and the necklace somewhere safe. Somewhere warm and dry. In the meantime,
he'd look for somewhere permanent. "Can you please let Rose stay with you
until I can find a place for us to stay?"
"Sure, doll. Just let me call the hotel
and let them know I'm going to have two guests and we'll be on our way."
"No, Molly. Only Rose. I'm staying out
here and look for a permanent place to live." Jack stopped Molly from
going for a phone.
"What?" Rose felt her heart
sinking. He wanted to spend the night apart? But why? Couldn't he see that she
wanted to be with him more than anything? She didn't care if it was wet and
cold out. Nothing mattered as long as she was with Jack. "No, Jack. I'm
not going anywhere without you."
"Rose, please. Don't fight me on
this." Jack looked into her tear-filled eyes. He hated to make her cry,
but she had to understand why he had to do this.
"Jack, Rose is right. You two have just
been married. It's not right that you two should be separated. Please, let me
put both of you up until you find a place of your own. I don't mind, really.
You let me help you once. Let me help both of you now." Molly sided with
Rose, squeezing the girl's hand, trying to reassure her that she'd get Jack to
agree.
"Molly...I can't...I can only accept so
much charity. Any more and we'd be taking advantage of you."
"My dear boy, nobody takes advantage of
Molly Brown. Plus, I don't mind helping out two young newlyweds. So, please,
for this dear girl's sake, stay with her at the hotel. That way you both will
be warm and dry, and most importantly, together," Molly said, staring into
Jack's eyes, making it clear that she'd accept nothing less than that.
"Well...since you're going to be
insistent about it...fine, then. I'll stay, too." Jack bit his lip. He
hated accepting charity from anyone, but for Rose's sake, he'd accept again,
this one time.
"Oh, thank goodness." Rose breathed
a sigh of relief. If she had to spend a night away from Jack...she'd die. She
just knew she would. "Thank you, Molly."
"No need to thank me. Like I said, I
don't mind helping out two newlyweds. You shouldn't be separated so soon after
your wedding and this terrible tragedy." Molly shrugged off the thanks.
"Anyway, forget about calling the hotel. Let's just hotfoot it on over
there. The sooner we get out of this rain, the better." Molly grabbed
their hands and headed away from the crowd that was surrounding the Carpathia.
*****
The room was big and luxurious. Rose knew
this was the perfect way to spend a honeymoon. She just wished Jack would
agree. Ever since they'd settled in their room, he'd been gloomy, not even
muttering a word to her.
"Jack...say something...please. I know
you're not happy about accepting Molly's offer, but this is for the best."
Rose walked up behind her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist. She
couldn’t help but savor the feel of his shirt against her cheek. It made him
seem so real, not just a dream to wake up from.
"But, Rose...I don't know. I don't even
know what I was thinking when we married. I'm sure Cal could take better care
of you...better than I can. The guy's filthy rich...while I don't even have ten
dollars in my pocket. I have nothing to offer you." Jack sighed forlornly.
"Oh, Jack, you have plenty to offer me.
You can offer me something Cal never could. Freedom to be myself, and love.
That's something Cal wanted to take away from me." Rose squeezed Jack
harder. "Believe me when I say that I'm more happy now, dirt poor, than I
ever was when I was filthy rich."
"Oh, Rose, I love you. I just don't want
you to regret marrying me." Jack stroked her hair. "And believe me,
we'll find somewhere to stay. Even if we have to go back to Chippewa
Falls."
"Hey, that's an idea." Rose's eyes
lit up. "Do you still have that house you used to live in?"
"I guess. I mean, I haven't been there
for five years. But we can go check it out. But I don't know, Rose. I mean,
it's been a long time since I been to Chippewa Falls." Jack’s blue eyes
suddenly grew dark with some kind of memory. "I don't even know if I'd fit
in there anymore."
"I'll love you forever, Jack. I'll
wait for you. Don't forget me."
"Jack? Are you okay?" Rose asked,
coming over to face him, noticing how quiet he'd grown.
"Yes, Rose. I'm fine. I'll tell you
what; I'll keep Chippewa Falls in mind. It may be the only place we have to go
to," Jack said, now serious. Jack was a person who believed in destiny.
Just as he knew it was destiny that he found Rose and made her his wife, he
knew it was his destiny to return to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and face his
demons. Maybe the time was now...after Titanic.
"Jack?" Rose was concerned. She had
never seen Jack look so grim, not even when they thought they were going to die
on the Titanic.
"It's okay, Rose. Everything will be
okay. I promise. It's time for bed now. I suggest we turn in." Jack
squeezed his wife's hand, trying to reassure her that everything was fine with
him.
"Jack, wait." Rose stopped him from
moving any closer to the bed. "I'm your wife. I just want you to know that
whatever it is that's bothering you...you can talk to me about it. You can
always talk to me."
"Oh, Rose...I love you so much."
Jack hugged her tightly, burying his face in her red tresses. "Remember
that. No matter what."
"I will, Jack. I promise." Rose
hugged him twice as hard. Whatever was bothering her husband, she was going to
make him feel better. No matter how long it would take them to work it out,
they would do so together and then she'd have her optimistic Jack back.