TITANIC CONTINUED
Chapter Fifteen
Jack wanted to see Rose right
then. But he had to find something else to do until tomorrow morning. After
they'd finished their lunch, Fabrizio had gone to give Rose the message, and
he'd joined Jack and the other guys in a game of five-card stud poker in the
third class common room.
Jack enjoyed being with the guys,
just relaxing, but even while bluffing during a hand he found himself thinking
of her.
He didn't know exactly what he'd
say, but he didn't care. He didn't need to have it planned out. Last night,
which seemed like long ago, he'd thought out everything exactly as he'd say it
to her.
The feeling of guilt came over
him once more. I hurt her…but now, I'm gonna make it up to her.
As he thought about it, the other
players folded--his bluff had worked. He picked up his small winnings and told
the other men he had something to do. Tipping their hats to him, the men went
on with the next game.
Fabrizio looked at Jack as if to
ask if everything was okay. Jack understood and nodded.
"I'll see you later, then!"
Fabrizio yelled after him.
Jack headed out into the hallway,
took a left, jogged down some stairs, and made it back to his room. He took out
his journal once there, and found something to write with. He had two things to
do.
*****
"Where is she?" Cal
asked, approaching Ruth in the first class dining room. "Is she not coming
to dinner?"
As Cal raised Ruth's hand and
kissed it with common courtesy, she answered his question. "Sleeping
again. I didn't feel like battling, so I didn't make her come to dinner."
They began to walk towards an
empty table. Cal motioned to a waiter.
"And you told her?" he
asked.
Ruth paused as the waiter pulled
her chair out so she could sit.
"Yes, I told her."
"Did she seem happy?"
Ruth hesitated. "Well, she got
upset, but I think that was only because she had no say in the change of
schedule."
Cal narrowed his eyes. "You
mean she's unhappy about marrying me sooner?"
Ruth didn't like telling Cal
this. She didn't fear him, but she feared his abandonment. Her well-being
depended on this man. Well, on this man's money. She was afraid that he would
grow tired of Rose's childishness and dump them, and she'd be left with nothing
again. And no matter how much energy and effort it would take, and no matter
how unhappy Rose would be, she would make this work.
"Not upset, Cal, more like
annoyed, I think." Ruth settled down and placed her napkin in her lap.
Cal obviously wasn't satisfied
with this response. Ruth shifted her attention to the waiter, ready to take her
order.
"But, Ruth, I just don't
understand it. Earlier today, she seemed to have gone through a complete
change. She seemed to have changed her feelings about that Mr.…that one pest
from steerage…but more importantly, her feelings about me seemed to have changed."
Ruth pretended to look
thoughtful. "It's strange," she said. "One of her little
friends--he was Italian, I believe, but a piece of steerage filth,
nonetheless--came by today. He and Rose had a lengthy conversation before she
lay down again."
The waiter was still standing by
to take Cal's order. Cal dismissed him.
"What?" Cal asked, his
voice rising, "What was this meeting about?"
"I'll admit," Ruth
said, taking a sip of her water, "I tried to eavesdrop on the
conversation. I put my ear to the door, but they spoke in low voices the whole
time. I did hear a name mentioned quite frequently though…it was Jack. Yes,
they both--especially the gentleman--used his name often. I managed to hear
something about tomorrow, at the bow of the ship…obviously a rendezvous of some
sort. I didn't hear the time."
Cal didn't respond.
"Say," Ruth continued,
"isn't Jack that boy who Rose brought to dinner?" She said it as if
to remind Cal. As if he could forget.
Cal felt his face redden. Was
Rose planning on going against his strict orders not to see this Mr. Jack
Dawson?
The waiter returned with Ruth's
food.
"I'm sorry to leave so
suddenly, Ruth, but I have some business. Excuse me. Good evening."
Before Ruth could question or
protest, Cal was gone.