CALIFORNIA PARADISE
Chapter Four
The old clock outside the church struck
midnight. Rose’s eyes snapped open. She smiled. She was going to meet Jack, to
discuss how to tell Rich that they were meant to be together. To discuss their
lives.
She got out of bed and tiptoed out of the
apartment building.
*****
Rich wasn’t stupid. He had seen something
between Rose and Jack. Something he couldn’t understand. He wanted to call it
love, but it was stronger than that. Love couldn’t begin to describe the fire
between the two.
He sighed as he heard the front door creak
open and shut. He didn’t want to follow her. It wasn’t so much as to where she
was going, but what might happen to her along the way. The streets of New York
City at night were no place for someone like Rose. He put on a coat and
proceeded to make sure that nothing bad happened to his darling Rose.
*****
She was walking all alone; her arms wrapped
around herself to keep warm. She stopped at a streetlight, looking around.
Waiting. For him.
Rich’s eyes clouded as he saw Jack come up
behind her and kiss her neck. But then he saw how happy it made Rose feel. Her
face glowed. She had been happy with him, sure, but nothing like this. Jack
Dawson made Rose more beautiful than she had ever looked before in her life.
She gave him a smile, took his hand, and they slowly began to walk away. Rich
started to walk back to the apartment.
*****
Rose opened the front door as quietly as she
could. She gasped when she saw Rich standing right in front of her.
"Oh, Rich. It’s you. I just went out for
a walk to get some air and--"
He cut her off. "Don’t. I followed you
out..."
"You did what?"
"Come on. You know the streets aren’t
safe. Anyway, I saw you two together, and I don’t know what happened between
you two before, but I know that right now you two look beautiful together.
Cupid must have definitely made the right prediction for you guys."
"So you aren’t mad?"
He put his arms around her. "No. How can
I be mad about something that pure and good? I wish you both a lifetime of
happiness."