FOR BETTER OR WORSE
Chapter Five
That night, after dinner, Jack
and Rose sat outside on the porch, enjoying the quiet of the country. Jack had
his arm around Rose, and Rose leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Betsy knows, Jack."
Rose sighed tiredly.
"Knows about what?"
Jack looked at her quizzically, not having a clue as to what she was talking
about.
"Titanic. Not all of it, but
enough. She arrived with a copy of the New York Times. There was a picture of
Cal and me at last year’s gala announcing our engagement. Below was an article
describing my death and how he grieved for his lost fiancée." Rose rolled
her eyes. "I’m sorry. I know I should have waited, but she wanted answers,
Jack, and I just couldn’t lie to her."
"I understand, Rose. Don’t
worry about it. Besides, Betsy is trustworthy. She won’t contact Cal or your
mother unless you say otherwise."
"I wouldn’t care if she did.
I’m your wife now, and nothing they say or do can change that." Rose
smiled up at her husband.
"But he would want back that
necklace. Would you be able to part with it?"
Rose was quiet for a couple of
minutes. The Heart of the Ocean held a lot of memories for both her and Jack.
If Jack had died out there that night ,she knew for a fact she wouldn’t be able
to part with the diamond. But he hadn't died. He was right there with her, and
they could make a lot more memories, with or without the necklace.
"Yes, I would, Jack. Even
though that necklace reminds me of our first night together as lovers, I’d be
able to give it back. Because we can make a lot more and better memories."
Jack smiled. "I’m glad to
hear you say that, Rose." He kissed her tenderly.
"How about you, Jack? Would
you be able to part with it?"
Jack laughed and looked into her
eyes. "Of course. Besides, I have my most precious jewels right here in
those green eyes of yours."
Rose blushed and pulled him in
for a deeper kiss. Shouts and angry voices from within disturbed their
interlude.
"If I catch you near my girl
again, I’ll skin ya!" Butch Dawson came running out of the house, a
shotgun in hand. He began shooting at the young man who had arrived earlier as
he darted down the road.
"Daddy, stop!" Lisa
screamed.
"What did I tell you about
men in the house?" Butch turned on his daughter.
Lisa swallowed. "I’m sorry,
Daddy."
"How long has he been
here?"
"Daddy…"
"How long?" Butch
angrily grabbed his daughter’s shoulders and shook her.
"Uncle Butch, stop!"
Jack pulled him away from Lisa. "Hurting her isn’t going to make things
better!"
"Jack, you don’t understand.
You’ve been away for far too long. This little hussy has ruined the Dawson name
by taking every man in town to bed! What did you think, girl? That he’d marry
you? No one marries his whore!"
Rose gasped at the outburst. No
one deserved to be treated the way Butch was treating his daughter. She had to
speak up for poor Lisa.
"Stop! Don’t talk to her
like that." Rose stepped forward.
Butch turned his glare on Rose.
"Didn’t anyone tell you not to talk unless spoken to?"
"Don’t yell at Rose."
Jack angrily stepped in front of his wife. "No one tells her when or what
to say. If you’re angry at Lisa, fine, but you keep your voice at a reasonable
level when you talk to Rose, and you approach her with respect."
"Jack…it’s okay." Rose
laid a calming hand on his shoulder. "He’s upset. He didn’t mean to be so
harsh."
"I’m sorry, Rose. I just
don’t want my daughter to be a bad influence on a real lady like you."
Butch glared at his daughter. "One more time I catch a man in here with
you, Lisa, and you’re out of here! Do I make myself clear?"
Lisa hurriedly nodded. "Yes,
Daddy. I understand."
"Good. Now, get in there and
mop the kitchen. Since Rose did the cooking, you can do the cleaning."
"Yes, Daddy." Lisa
disappeared back into the house, followed by her father.
"I’m sorry you had to see
that, Rose," Jack apologized. "I’m sure high society doesn’t have
people as…uncouth as my family seems to be."
"I’m sure it does. But
they’re just not as vocal." Rose smiled lovingly at her husband.
"Vocal or not…it’s still
unsettling." Jack shrugged. "I guess I have been away too long."
"Jack…don’t worry about it.
Sure, your uncles are a little rough around the edges…all right, they’re a lot
rough around the edges. And your cousin, she’s nice but promiscuous. But I
married you, Jack, because of who you are, not for what your family may or may
not be. That was my problem with Cal and Mother. Remember? Hey, look at it this
way. We survived the worse. My angry fiancé, a sinking ship, and below freezing
waters. That was the hard part. Compared to that, your family is a piece of
cake."
Jack laughed. "You have a
point there, love. Okay. I won’t let them upset me so much."