DO YOU ONLY WANNA DANCE?
Chapter One
It was in the spring of 1959, on
a warm day in February, that the Dawson family set off for Cuba. Havana, Cuba.
It was supposed to be a second honeymoon for his parents, but thanks to Jack
Dawson, they had taken a flight a few days before they were suppose to be
there. Martha Dawson, Jack's mother, was rich and married to an upper class
jerk who was his stepfather, since his real father had passed away before he
was even born. Jack was raised to be a proper gentleman. He was taught all the
ways to be respectable to people, especially women. Just a few days before,
Jack had gotten bored with his proper, well-fit life, and got crazy for just
one day. He smoked, drank, and ended up coming home late after school, vomiting
on his mother's expensive Persian rug. His parents thought he was out of
control and needed some time to think about his actions.
Because of his sassy attitude
that day, his mother had searched for an upper class school for Jack in Havana,
Cuba. Why Havana? Martha and her husband had met each other there and fallen in
love. It was their second honeymoon, and they weren't about to leave their only
son home alone without supervision after the stunt he had pulled.
"How much longer?" Jack
asked.
"We are almost at the hotel.
Quiet down. You’re going to love it here." Martha breathed in the air,
remembering the last time she had been there.
Jack hated to be taken away from
his friends. He missed them already. He wasn't going to have any fun. He knew
that already.
"Okay. We are here."
Martha got out of the car.
"Is Tyrone here yet?"
He always made fun of his stepfather's name.
"His name is Ty, and no,
he's at a meeting with his boss. He said to meet him at the hotel." Martha
let the valets get her bags while she looked up at the hotel she had met her
husband at when he was working there.
"Fine," he said
sarcastically.
"Jack, do not act this way.
Your father and I are on our second honeymoon. I do not want any lip from
you." Martha's anger rose.
"Okay. Sorry." Jack put
up his hands, as if saying he surrendered.
"Much better." Martha
smiled.
Jack entered the high class
hotel. He wasn't really looking at where he was going. He just wandered off.
*****
Rosa rushed to her job that day.
She was a few minutes late and they wanted her to work overtime. She was holding
a tray full of drinks to be delivered to the pool area. She saw a man in a suit
blocking her way. When she tried to go the other way, he tripped her.
"Oh, my gosh. I am so
sorry." Jack felt guilty for accidentally tripping this young girl.
"It's all right, sir. It was
my fault," Rosa apologized.
He put out his hand to help her
up. She took it. "Thank you."
"Here. Let me help you pick
those up." Jack bent down, putting the glasses back on the tray.
"No. It's my job. Don't
worry about it." Rosa pushed his hand away and got a cloth from her apron,
wiping up the mess.
"At least let me pay for
those drinks." Jack stood there and took out his wallet.
"You Americans are all the
same. You think by paying your way through life, that you can buy a person off.
No, thank you." Rosa had been frustrated all day. She took her anger out
on him.
"Look, all I wanted to say
was I am sorry." Jack stepped back.
"Apology accepted,
mister." She cleaned up the mess and picked up her tray.
"Jack. Jack Dawson," he
said, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Rosa Delgado. People call
me Rose in English most of the time," Rosa introduced herself.
"Nice to meet you,
Rose." He smiled, wanting to shake her hand, but knowing he couldn't
because of the tray she was holding.
"Likewise. Well I must get
back to work. It's my last hour," Rosa said, not wanting to be rude.
"I don't know my way around
here. Would you mind being my guide after you get off?" Jack liked this
girl, and he hardly knew her.
"Sorry, I can't. I have
another job after this," Rosa said. She worked hard to support her younger
sister and her family.
"Not a problem. Thanks,
anyway." Jack had just found the woman of his dreams.
"Jack!" Martha called
him.
Rosa went to get a reorder of all
the drinks that Jack had spilled. She knew they would take this out of her
check, but she couldn't think about that now. She had to get back to work.
"Jack!" Martha called
again.
"Coming, Mother." He
smiled in Rosa's direction.
He walked towards his mother, who
was talking to another girl. "Jack, I would like you to meet Victoria
White."
"Hello." He put out his
hand to shake hers.
"Your mother told me so much
about you. You’re going to Yale?" Victoria was impressed. Not only was he
handsome, he was smart, too.
"Yep. Dr. Jack Dawson at
your service. I just finished my med school training," he said proudly.
"Spectacular." Victoria
smiled.
"Thanks." He smiled
back.
"Well, I will leave you two
alone so you can get acquainted. Jack, here's your key for our hotel suite,"
Martha said. She gave him the you behave or else look.
"Thank you, Mother." He
calmly smiled at his mother and winked.
Martha smiled at him, too,
getting the message that he would be on his best behavior, and left him with
her husband's boss’ daughter.
"Well, Victoria, it seems
that you know about me. Can I get to know more about you?" he asked in a
serious tone.
"Sure. Come on." She
took his hand and led him to the elevator. She punched in the number of her
hotel room. "I thought maybe we could be alone and talk."
"No problem." He stood
back in the elevator, taking in Victoria's beauty. Yes, she was beautiful, but
the redhead downstairs was far more intriguing.
"Well, here we are. My
parents aren't here, and I believe they are going to be out for the rest of the
evening, so that means we will have the place to ourselves." Victoria
wanted him. She knew she had to have this man. It was destiny.
"All right." He didn't
think anything of it, still trying to get his mind off Rose or Rosa--whoever
she wanted to be.
She put her key into the door and
twisted it. She walked in, and Jack followed behind her. As soon as they
stepped inside, Victoria surprised Jack and kissed him. He was astonished when
she pulled away.
"I don't know what to
say." He was speechless.
"Say yes and we'll go to the
bedroom." She waited for his answer.
"Victoria, we just met. I
can't do this." He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"Not even if it's being
offered to you?" She removed her jacket, exposing her low-cut neckline.
"No. I am not that sort of
man." What he said sounded different from to the way he was going to say
it.
"You’re gay?" Victoria
asked.
"No. I am not." He
turned away, feeling upset that she thought he was gay.
"Then what's the problem? Is
it me?" Victoria sat down. She knew there was no way they would be
together in that way. At least, not this soon.
"No. You’re perfect."
He liked her, but not enough to sleep with her.
"Then?" Victoria took
out a cigarette and lit up.
"I am not looking just to
score, Victoria." He didn't know what else to say.
"Oh, my God. You’re a
virgin." She laughed, coughing on the cigarette smoke.
"No, I am far from
that," he lied, and she probably knew it.
"Liar! Any man would jump at
the chance to sleep with me." Victoria stood up proudly.
"They probably would, but I
am different." He rolled his eyes.
"Gay or a virgin is my
guess, or do you go both ways?" She made fun of him.
"I am not even going to
reply to that with an answer. Good-bye, Victoria." Jack walked out of the
room, not saying another word. He had never been so insulted in his life. Had
he been so transparent that his virginity had shown? He wasn't a prude or
frigid. He just wanted to be loved. He wanted love, respect, and above all
else, to be cherished by the woman he loved, whoever that might be.