DUST IN THE WIND
Chapter Eight
The next morning turned out to be
a wonderful day for a wedding. Rose stood in front of the mirror, dressed in a
white chenille dress Samantha had loaned her. It fit her perfectly, hiding her
swollen stomach. It looked as if she had her old figure again. Samantha stood
behind Rose, putting the finishing touches on Rose’s hair, a French braid with
white lilies from the garden outside intertwined. Rose looked like a lovely
maiden from medieval times, awaiting her prince from the royal castle, the kind
she had read about in fairy tales.
"You look absolutely
gorgeous, Rose," Samantha gushed, smoothing down the fabric of her own
dress of lavender satin. Violets were laced in her own braid.
"You look beautiful, too,
Samantha." Rose smiled. "You somehow managed to even outshine the
bride, I think."
Samantha laughed. "Not in
Jack’s opinion, I’m sure."
"Are you gals ready in here?
The men are downstairs waiting." Molly boisterously entered the room and
stopped in midstride when she saw Rose. "God almighty, Rose. Aren’t you a
pretty sight? Jack is going to thank his lucky stars when he lays eyes on
you."
"You think so, Molly?"
Rose nervously asked.
"I know so, darlin‘. Now,
let’s get you downstairs so we can get you to Eau Claire and married!"
Molly grabbed Rose’s hand and dragged her out the door, Samantha quickly
following them.
Jack’s eyes widened in admiration
as Rose descended the stairs, a nervous smile on her face.
"You’re beautiful."
Jack took her hand once she reached him.
"You don’t look half bad
yourself." Rose smiled at her soon-to-be husband.
"Come on. Let’s roll."
George smiled at Samantha, remembering their wedding day and how she had looked
beautiful in the very lavender dress she was wearing.
"Ready to become a married
woman at last, Rose?" Molly chuckled.
"For the first time in my
life, I can truthfully say yes." Rose smiled. "I’m definitely
ready."
"Come on. Let’s get out of
here." George held the door open.
The ceremony was short but sweet.
Jack and Rose were lost in each other as they recited their vows, taking to
heart each and every word. Applause rang out over the small office as the justice
of the peace pronounced them man and wife and Jack and Rose enveloped each
other in a long, passionate kiss that even George and Sam admitted they
probably couldn’t top. A kiss of being joined after such a long separation.
Molly smiled and glanced over at
the other couple. She was mildly surprised to spy tears in Samantha’s eyes.
"Why, darling, whatever is wrong?"
"Oh, she always cries at
weddings." George grinned. "She really blubbered at ours."
"George," Sam hissed at
her husband.
"Well, you did."
"Well, we’ve gotten you
children married." Molly turned to Jack and Rose, who had just separated,
still gazing into each other’s eyes. "I’m starved. What do you say to a
wedding breakfast?"
Jack looked away from Rose and
happily nodded. "That’s a great idea. I know just the place. It’s not too
far from here. It’s called Breakfast at Abby’s. They cook nothing but breakfast
foods. Their eggs benedict is wonderful. It’s been so long since I’ve had
it…"
"Well, then, Breakfast at
Abby’s is on me!" Molly announced. "We don’t only have a wedding to
celebrate. A homecoming, as well."
Hand-in-hand, Jack and Rose led
the way out of the justice of the peace’s office and to the tiny restaurant
right down the way.
Everyone had just finished their
breakfast and now leaned back in their chairs, full to satisfaction.
"I haven’t eaten this good
since the first class dinner on…" Jack stopped in mid-sentence, realizing
what he was referring to.
"It’s okay, Jack." Rose
touched her husband’s hand. "It’s all right to talk about the Titanic. It
was where we met…where we fell in love. It’s a part of us and always will be,
and we did have some good memories there. Don’t feel like you have to stop
whenever you find yourself talking about something that happened there."
Jack gently smiled and tucked a
red curl behind Rose’s ear. "You are so insightful and wise. Did you know
that?"
Rose smiled and shook her head.
"You are the first person to tell me that."
"Well, you are." Jack
kissed her forehead. Smiling, Jack leaned his forehead against Rose’s, and they
once again got lost in each other’s eyes.
"My cousin definitely has it
bad." George laughed.
"Like you didn’t act the
same way when we first married." Sam knowingly smiled, getting lost in
memories of her first few days as a married woman. She knew Rose was in pure
heaven right now.
"I’d like to propose a
toast." Molly stood, holding up her glass of orange juice. Rose and Jack
pulled each other out of their world and back into reality. They each took
their respective glasses. "When I first met Rose, she was the crème de la
crème of high society. Not only was she beautiful, she was poised and elegant.
Yet even at the first meeting, I knew she was a pistol. She even dared to ask
the owner of the White Star Line if he had heard of Dr. Freud. Something about
an obsession with size, I believe."
Rose blushed at the memory, and
Jack laughed. "Why, darling, I didn’t know you had that in you."
Rose only shrugged and turned
back to Molly.
"And Jack…he was the brash
yet courageous young man who had gotten himself invited to dinner in the first
class saloon and was teaching a certain young woman how to spit over the
railing of the ship. The more I got to know both Jack and Rose, the more I liked
them, and I knew immediately that those two were meant for each other. And the
fact that they’re married now, despite Rose’s uptight mother and fiancé and the
sinking, proves me right. To Jack and Rose! The free spirit and the hellfire.
May you be forever happy and in love!"
"Jack and Rose!" George
and Samantha raised their glasses.
"Thank you, Molly."
Rose got up to hug her friend. "Thank you for all you’ve done for me in
the past months. If it wasn’t for you, I might never have found out that Jack
was alive. Thank you."
"Hey, that’s what friends
are for, sugar." Molly hugged Rose tightly. "If you ever need me for
anything, just give me a call. Okay?"
Rose nodded. "Thank
you."
Two hours later, they arrived
back at the Dawson house. Samantha and George headed for the kitchen, Samantha
wanting to make a special dinner and George wanting to keep an eye on her since
she was so far along in her pregnancy. The baby was due to arrive any day now,
and he didn’t want to chance being somewhere else when it happened. Molly
decided to go to her room and read a book, and Jack and Rose decided to head
upstairs to spend the next hours alone, basking in the glow of newlyweds.
Rose sighed contently, resting
her face against his chest, inhaling his scent of charcoal and cologne.
"I’ve never been so happy in
my life. This feels like a dream." Rose sighed.
"Well, it’s real, baby.
We’re husband and wife and we’ll be together forever." Jack rubbed her
back in a circular motion. "We’re going to be a happy family. You, me, and
the baby."
"Jack!" Rose sat up,
excitement sparkling in her green eyes. "We have to think of names!"
"Names?"
"For the baby. Uh…what do
you think of Margaret Rosalind Dawson if it’s a girl?"
"Hey, I like that. I think
it’ll work. Now, what about the boy’s name? Uh…Fabrizio di Rossi Dawson?"
"Jack, no! No way."
Rose shook her head. "You can make Fabrizio a middle name, but not a
first. How about John?"
"That’s a boring name. It
has no zip to it." Jack shrugged.
"Hmm. How
about…Wilson?"
"No." Jack laughed.
"Wait a minute…how about…Jason?"
"Jason Fabrizio Dawson…I
like that." Rose nodded. "I think we’ve got our names."
"Really? I thought our names
were Jack and Rose." Jack chuckled.
"Why, you…" Rose
laughed, beginning to tickle her husband.
"Rose, stop!" Jack laughed,
falling back down onto the bed, pulling Rose down with him.
All laughter faded away as they
stared into each other’s eyes. Desire was building up inside them.
"Take me to the stars again,
Jack," Rose whispered, her face so close to his that she felt his hot
breath on her face.
"Okay." Jack smiled,
kissing her passionately.
Soon the newlyweds were up among
the stars, the rest of the world forgotten.