December 31, 1919
The New Year’s celebration was in full swing at Mark’s house. It was half past eleven and soon the new year of 1920 would be rung in.
Weeks after leaving Chippewa Falls in July of 1919, Rose and Jack had decided to return to the place that they had grown fond of. Jack had finally forgiven himself for his father’s death. In September of 1919, they had found a nice place to live. William had settled unusually well into Chippewa Falls and had announced that he liked his new school better than his old one.
Life felt good now, after the war, and the party at Mark’s for New Year’s was the beginning of a new life for Jack and Rose in Wisconsin.
Jack searched the upstairs hallway for his son, but still found nothing. He hadn’t seen him since he and Chelsea had headed upstairs together, but they were nowhere to be found until Jack came to Mark and Abigail’s room. Carefully, he pushed the door open. The room was pitch black except for the faint light from the hallway, illuminating the sleeping forms of two children on the bed. Taking a few steps into the room, Jack realized that it was Will and Chelsea, fast asleep.
Smiling, he exited the room quietly, closing the door behind him. The voices of the other guests could be heard downstairs, but as he was about to rejoin them, he saw Rose coming up the stairs. She was dressed in a knee-length silver dress. Apparently it was the fashion now. Her hair was in a bun with a silver clip and her eyes sparkled with happiness.
“I was just coming to find you, darling.” Rose grinned. Coming to him, she touched the shirt he was wearing.
“I was looking for Will. He’s asleep in Mark’s room with Chelsea.” Jack cocked his head towards the door.
Rose smiled warmly. “Good. The countdown is soon and I want us to go down the lake before midnight. I have something to show you.”
Jack frowned, but followed Rose down the stairs nonetheless. He wondered what she had in mind. “What’s the rush, Rose?” he asked. She handed him his coat as they reached the front door. The cheers from the parlor were loud. Rose simply smiled as she fastened the buttons on her coat.
“You’ll see. Come on,” she told him.
The walk to the lake almost silent. The moon and stars shone above, endlessly casting a slight glow over the town. The light bounced off the river.
Jack hadn’t known just how beautiful the river looked at night. He wished he could draw it.
Rose slipped her arm through Jack’s, feeling the chill of the December evening. To the left of them, the river stretched almost as far as their eyes could see. To the right of them were trees and bushes, which led into the woods.
The small narrow path they walked along led from one side of town to the other. When they reached about halfway down the path, Rose stopped in her tracks to look out at the river.
“You know, even after the Titanic, I still love the sound of running water,” Rose told him.
He sensed something was different. “Rose…what’s wrong?” he asked, seeing tears sparkle in her eyes as she turned to him.
She took a deep breath, looking out at the river again, hugging her body against the chill. “It’s been ten years this month since my father died.”
Jack put his hand on her shoulder. “I know, darling. I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Rose turned to him. “I don’t want apologies. I just miss him to this day.” Rose sighed, relaxing against Jack. Her eyes drifted up the stars.
“I miss my parents, too, Rose.” Jack still couldn’t believe he was looking out at the same lake that had claimed his father’s life, but somehow, within the last few months, he had come to terms with his parents’ deaths. “Do you know it’s nine years since we met in February?”
“I do. Nine years since I almost threw myself from that bridge in Paris.” She laughed at her own stupidity. She turned to him, her face serious. “I want you to know how much I love you, Jack. I haven’t felt this happy in a long time, especially after the war and with having you home safe.”
Jack touched her face gently. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She shivered again and he put his other arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him so that their faces were a few inches apart. Everything else in the world seemed to disappear as he kissed her tenderly, just once.
“I love you, too, darling.”
Pulling away from him, she turned back around to look at the lake. “I brought you here because I want to create a good memory for us. After everything that you had to come to terms with…I wanted to bring you here to tell you this.”
Jack frowned, wondering what she was talking about. “To tell me what?”
Rose remained silent for a moment. She leaned against Jack and undid her coat buttons one by one. She grabbed his hands, putting them on her middle.
He rested his chin on her shoulder, feeling her hair tickle him a little. Rose held his hands on her stomach and waited for him to say something, but he didn’t. “Do you know what I wanted to tell you?” she asked with a smile on her face.
Jack shook his head and frowned, not understanding her at all.
“Do you remember the night we moved here? When Mark and Abigail were looking after Will and we came down here for a walk, right to this very spot, and we made love by the lake?” Rose asked him, her voice soft.
“Yeah. How can I forget that?” he asked with a grin on his face.
Rose squeezed his hands and moved them to her lower abdomen. For a moment, Jack didn’t understand her meaning, but then an idea came into his head. One he hadn’t thought of before. Was Rose pregnant? Pulling away from her, he turned her around to see a huge smile on her face.
“Are you…?” he asked, unable to get the words out. He pointed to her stomach. She smiled more. Slowly, things seemed to sink into his brain, but he still felt as though he couldn’t talk. “You’re…?”
Rose burst out giggling. “Yes. I am pregnant.”
Jack covered his mouth, speechless. He’d had no idea. She wasn’t exactly showing and he hadn’t known that she had been to a doctor.
“How long have you known?”
“Only since yesterday, but I wanted to tell you tonight so that we could start off the new year happy,” she told him. He hugged her tightly. “I have suspected for weeks. I missed my monthly flow for two months and then, last week, I felt ill, but kept that hidden.”
“You should have told me,” Jack whispered to her, tears welling in his eyes. “But I am so happy.”
“So am I. I know that the baby wasn’t planned or anything, but I think we’re ready for another child now that Will is in school.” Rose took Jack’s hands in hers, feeling the tears in her eyes.
“We are. William will be happy to have a little brother or sister in a few months’ time.”
“Well, actually in around six months.” Rose smiled, touching her stomach, which was still flat. She had loved being pregnant with Will and had wanted a child so badly that it hurt, so actually knowing a child was inside her made her happy.
“I can’t believe this.” Jack grinned.
Just then, the church clock could be heard striking midnight. All was silent between the two of them as they came closer. Just the clock’s chimes could be heard. On the final chime, Jack leaned forward to kiss Rose, knowing that another year had come, a year that would be filled with joy.
“Well, here we are. Happy new year, 1920.” He grinned at her, but she said nothing and simply kissed him again. He stroked her hair and pulled his jacket around both of them to shield them from the wind.
*****
Harry Dawson was born in July of 1920.
Mother,
Jack and I settled in his hometown of Chippewa Falls in September of last year. I am so sorry for the delay in writing, but we have been so busy settling into the house, and also, three weeks ago, our second son, Harry, was born weighing eight pounds. He is a noisy little boy with blond hair just like his father’s. We hope you can visit soon to meet him.
Jack has opened a gallery here, which is doing really well. I am so proud of him.
How are things with you? Give my love to Nathan.
Love,
Rose