LOVE THAT NEVER FADES
Chapter Twenty-Three

Jack and Jon were talking in the parlor while Rose was upstairs, playing with Amanda. Katherine had gone out of the house, mentioning something about going to the market to purchase a few items. Jonathan told Jack everything he had done during his two years of absence. Jack, too, told Jonathan everything about his adventure. From his parents dying in the fire up until the day he married Rose. He talked about some experiences on the Titanic, but left the sinking part out because it was too hard for him to share with Jonathan, for it was still fresh in his memory. Now, Jack and Jonathan were having a discussion about their married lives.

"I met Kat three years ago while I was walking on the beach. It was a beautiful summer day. It was June, I suppose, and as I was walking, I bumped into her, nearly knocking her over. Luckily, I caught her before she fell, and from that moment, I was in love with her. We started seeing each other more, became intimate with each other, one thing led to another--she got pregnant, we got married, and now, we’re just a happy family. And let me tell you, every time I look into her eyes, I fall in love again. It’s like I was eighteen again, falling in love with the most beautiful girl that I had ever met. She was only fifteen or so when we met," Jonathan said. "She’s eighteen now, but I’m deeply in love with her, something that I never felt in my entire life up until I met her. She’s my world. She’s my everything. If something happened to her, I don’t know what I’d do." Jonathan looked over at Jack, smiling. "We married on July 15, 1909, and had Amanda on February 17, 1910. Kat and I have been happily married for two years. Our third anniversary will be this July." Jonathan smiled over at Jack, who was smiling back. "How old is Rose, by the way?"

"Seventeen," Jack answered.

"Seventeen?" Jonathan asked. Jack nodded. "And you’re what--twenty?" Jack nodded again. Just as Jack was about to say something, Rose appeared at the top of the stairs. Jack looked at her and smiled. Jonathan looked over his shoulder, finding Rose descending the stairs with graceful, elegant steps, her hand holding onto the banister. Once she reached the bottom step, Rose walked over to the sofa and sat beside Jack.

"Amanda is fast asleep in her room," Rose said to Jonathan. Jonathan nodded.

"Yeah, at this time she always takes her naps," Jonathan replied. Rose smiled. "So, have you two thought about having children of your own someday?" Jonathan looked at Jack and Rose.

Jack was taken aback by the question. He had never thought about having children of his own, not even having the courage to discuss it with Rose herself. Someday, he would love to become a father, but he felt that they should wait for a few months. Just so they could enjoy being husband and wife before they became parents. He didn’t want to rush things at the moment, for they had just gotten married, and if they had children now, they wouldn’t be able to have time to themselves, and Jack wished to have some time to themselves before they became parents to their own child. Rose stared at him with an expressionless face. She just stared at him as if she was expecting him to say something to answer Jonathan’s question. Jack looked into Rose’s eyes and saw longing in them. As if she wanted to have children of her own...as if she would like to have one now. Jack ran his rough fingers through his tousled hair as he sighed uneasily.

"Well, I would like to wait for awhile before we have children of our own. If we have a child now, we won’t be able to experience just being a husband and a wife...having the ability to enjoy our marriage for a few months before we head on to another chapter of our lives," Jack said, looking over at Rose, hoping that she wasn’t too upset with his answer. He looked over at Jonathan, finding him nodding his head. "But I would love to become a father...it’s just that it’s a little too early now. I’m only twenty years old, and I want to be able to experience being a husband first. Then, when it’s the right time, I’ll be able to experience fatherhood. Just as I believe that Rose should first experience being a wife, then later on, a mother. A child can change a person’s life, and I’m just not ready yet...I’m not ready to be a father...although I want to be." Jack looked over at Rose, who gave him a small smile. "You’re not upset with me, are you?"

"No," Rose said. "Why would I be? I understand that you’re not ready, and I know I’m not, either, and I can wait if you want me to. There’s plenty of time for children, and I have to agree that we should first experience being a married couple before we become parents. We should just give it time, I guess. There’s no harm in that." Rose looked over at her husband. Jack smiled, pressing his lips against hers, bringing her into a gentle, loving kiss. Rose closed her eyes at the gentle brush of his lips against hers. Rose felt Jack’s tongue tease her lips, urging her to open them. Rose made a small gap between her lips, allowing Jack’s tongue to slip into her mouth, interlocking with her own. She felt Jack’s hand go up her arm, landing on top of her shoulder. Rose’s hand traveled up to his neck, where her fingers ran through Jack’s golden-blonde hair. Their kiss lasted for a minute when Jonathan’s cough broke them apart. Jack looked over his shoulder and smiled, his cheeks turning a pinkish color. Rose, too, blushed as Jonathan stared at them, a smile spread across his features. Just then, the front door opened, revealing Katherine holding two bagsful of groceries. Both Jack and Jonathan got up to assist her, taking both bags away from her. Jack carried one and Jonathan carried the other.

"Why, thank you, gentlemen." Katherine smiled. "I really appreciate your kindness."

"Anything for my wife," Jonathan said, planting a kiss on her lips. Rose smiled from where she was sitting and watched as Jack went into the kitchen to put the bag on the table. Rose just sat there, playing with her fingers. Jonathan and Katherine went into the kitchen to put the groceries away. Rose sat on the sofa, completely oblivious to the fact that Jack had entered the parlor, or that he was making his way towards her. She jumped when she felt a pair of arms go around her.

"Oh...it’s only you," Rose said, smiling at him.

"Of course it’s me," Jack said. "Who did you think it would be?"

"Nobody..." Rose said. She looked over at him, finding his blue eyes shining with love and concern. "I’m just tired."

"Well, then, why don’t you go to our room and take a nice long nap?" Jack asked. "I’ll be outside if you need me. Okay?" Rose nodded and felt Jack’s lips brush against her cheek. "I love you...have a nice rest."

"I will," Rose said, getting up. She found Jack smiling at her. Rose smiled back, heading towards their room, which was on the second floor. Rose opened the door to the guest room and stepped inside. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, closing her eyes. Sighing, Rose walked towards the bed and fell upon it, closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep, her exhaustion taking over her.

Jack watched Rose walk up the stairs and heard her close the door of the guest room. Jack pursued her just to make sure she was okay, because she was acting strange. He gently knocked on the door, hearing no response. He turned the doorknob and poked his head in, finding Rose lying on the bed. Opening the door a little further, he stepped into the room and headed towards her, finding her eyes closed. She lay on her stomach, her head resting on the pillow. Smiling, Jack took a blanket from the chair beside the bed and put it over her, placing a gentle kiss on her delicate cheek. He saw her smile, her eyes still shut.

"I love you..." Rose said, her voice soft.

"I love you, too, Rose. Have a nice rest," Jack said before leaving the room, closing the door behind him and leaving Rose in peace. Jack passed Amanda’s room, finding it open. He peeked inside, finding Amanda sleeping peacefully on her bed. Jack walked inside quietly and went towards her, covering her with a comforter. He gently pressed his lips on her cheek, moving her hair away from her face and smiling. Jack left her room, leaving the door open a crack. He went down the stairs, putting his hand in his pocket, taking out his pack of cigarettes, and hitting the end of the pack with the palm of his hand. Taking one cigarette out of the pack, he put the end in his mouth, slipping his hand into his pocket, putting the pack back, and taking out his matches. Heading out the front door, he lit the cigarette and took a long drag. Blowing out the flame from the match, he dropped it on the ground, blowing out the smoke from his nose.

Jack’s eyes skimmed over the houses that were across the street. He saw the mailman opening the gate, climbing up the steps, and heading towards him. The mailman slipped his hand into his bag and took out a pile of mail, handing it to Jack. Jack took the mail and nodded to the mailman, who smiled at him and climbed down the stone steps, closing the gate and heading towards the next house to give the people their mail. Jack looked down at the pile of mail he had in his hands and looked through it. Most of it was bills, while other items were letters or advertisements. Jack heard the front door open. He looked over his shoulder, finding Jonathan standing behind him.

"The mail usually comes at this time--" Jonathan said, finding Jack holding up the mail that was in his hands. "Oh, thanks." Jonathan retrieved the mail.

"No problem," Jack said, swinging his hair away from his face and taking another drag from his cigarette.

"Got another cigarette?" Jonathan asked. Jack nodded, taking the pack from his pocket, taking out a cigarette, and handing it to Jon. He put the pack back in his pocket and took out his matches, lighting the cigarette for Jon. "Thank you..." Jonathan took a long drag from the cigarette and blew the smoke out through his nose. Jack blew the flame out and dropped the match onto the pavement. "I haven’t smoked in awhile, you know. I think my last cigarette was before Amanda was born."

"That’s a long time," Jack said, holding the cigarette between his forefinger and middle finger and blowing out the smoke from his mouth.

"I know, and I’ve been missing it, but I wouldn’t wanna smoke in front of Amanda, you know. She’s only two, and I wouldn’t want to see her get anything serious from my smoking. That’s why I stopped when she was born," Jonathan said, taking another drag from the cigarette.

"I haven’t smoked since before it happened, you know. I couldn’t find the time to buy some, and besides, I was enjoying my time with Rose so much that a cigarette didn’t even cross mind," Jack said. "I just had time to buy some yesterday, and this sort of helps me relieve my stress from all the shit I’ve been through for the past week...besides Rose. From the time the ship hit the iceberg, everything changed...from the time when I had the chance to love Rose...to actually fall in love with her, the iceberg had to hit."

"It’s nature, Jack," Jonathan said. "You can’t go against nature."

"I know, but it wasn’t nature’s fault," Jack stated.

"Then whose was it?" Jonathan asked.

"Who knows?" Jack asked. "All I know is that they received six iceberg warnings, but they ignored each and every one of them...only asking for help when it was too late. Before we knew it, the ship had gone down...taking more than fifteen hundred people with her...mostly third class passengers." Jonathan just shook his head.

"How can those people judge others without really knowing who they are?" Jonathan asked. "Can’t they see that they have feelings as well? They don’t have to have all the money in the world to show others that they’re actually worth something, that they’re actually real human beings, just as much as the first class passengers?"

"I have to agree with you, but they can’t see it. The only person I know who really understands is Rose," Jack said, looking over at Jonathan. "She was a first class passenger with elegant clothing and fancy hairstyles...but within all that, I saw a woman who wanted to be set free...and she was looking to me to set her free. To let her be the woman that she wants to be, instead of being miserable and trapped, as she was in first class."

"I still don’t understand how she could be miserable with that kind of life," Jonathan said, taking a drag from the cigarette.

"She was miserable, Jon!" Jack said. "Her mother controlled her life. Her mother chose her fiancé, her mother chose the clothes she should wear, her mother never gave her a chance to have the ability to live life to the fullest. All her mother did was make her life miserable and not worth living. She attempted to end her life on the Titanic by jumping off the back of the ship, and I couldn’t let her do that. She’s worth more than that. She deserves more than what her high society life had to offer. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew that she was miserable--that she needed someone to set her free from the gilded cage that she was forced to live in, and I did everything I could to set her free, and I did. I did. I made her the woman that she is now, allowing her to do whatever she wants with her life. I’m not going to stop her. I love her too much to destroy her life--to control her life. I will never control anybody’s life, no matter who they are. They are capable of living their life on their own, and as I always say, making each day count." Jack put the end of the cigarette back in his mouth, taking his last drag from the cigarette before dropping it onto the pavement. He blew out the smoke as he continued. "I would do absolutely anything to make her life worthwhile. It would kill me if I saw that she was living a miserable life." Jack put his hands in his pockets, looking over at Jonathan, who had just finished his cigarette. "Now you know why Rose didn’t want to live her life in high society." Jonathan nodded.

"I guess she’s one of a kind," Jonathan said.

"She is, Jon. She’s a unique woman, and I love her for that. I love that fire that she has inside her. The one ounce of hope that she would be free. That’s what made me fall in love with her. Her will to be set free from her cage...to be a free butterfly who was flying in the wind, able to do whatever she pleased without anybody objecting to her wishes. I know she still has that spirit inside her. That spirit allowed me to set her free, more or less, allowed me to fall in love with her. To see the true Rose that was being held by the beauty of the woman that walked as elegantly as a princess and wore garments that had a silky touch to them," Jack said. "She’s the world to me. She’s my life...without her, I’m not living." Jonathan nodded.

"That’s exactly how I feel about Katherine," Jonathan said, dropping his cigarette onto the pavement after blowing out the smoke from his nose. Jack smiled. Jonathan looked at his watch, whistling. "It’s already three o’clock. I should be heading for work. I have to work a double shift today. I’ll see ya later, Jack. Okay?" Jack nodded, watching Jonathan go through the gate. After closing the gate, he walked up the block before waving to Jack, who waved back. Jack went inside, closing the front door. He went into the kitchen, where he found Katherine preparing a pot of coffee. She looked up at the sound of his footsteps.

"Hi, Jack." Katherine smiled.

"Uh…Jon left for work," Jack said.

"He did?" Katherine asked, looking at him.

"Yeah," Jack said. "He said something about working a double shift today." Katherine smiled, shaking her head.

"He never tells me these things, you know," Katherine said.

"Ah…maybe he forgot to tell you," Jack said.

"Maybe," Katherine said. "Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Sure," Jack said. "Why not?" Jack took a seat in one of the chairs, watching Katherine pour him his coffee.

"How much sugar?" Katherine asked, looking at him over her shoulder.

"Three teaspoons," Jack said, tapping his fingers on the table. Katherine set his cup in front of him, sitting beside him and taking a sip from her cup.

"Where’s Rose?" Katherine asked.

"She’s resting," Jack said, taking a sip from his cup. "She said that she was tired."

"She must be exhausted from all the strain she’s been through. I don’t blame her," Katherine said. "Besides, it’s best that she gets her rest now instead of being exhausted all day long." Jack nodded, taking another sip from his cup of coffee. Jack glanced over at the clock that hung on the wall in the kitchen, finding that it was fifteen minutes past three. Cal had invited them to dinner tonight, and it was only five hours away. Jack ran his fingers through his hair, sighing.

Silence hung in the kitchen for minutes. Jack just stared down at his cup of coffee, which was half full, his mouth forming a thin line. Strands of his blonde hair fell into his face, his eyes holding a mysterious glow. Jack lifted the cup and brought it towards his mouth, taking a sip of the hot liquid. Setting the cup down, Jack ran his fingers through his hair, moving the strands away from his face and closing his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened them, he looked over at Katherine, who was drinking her coffee. Jack finished his coffee, getting up. He mumbled that he was tired and left the kitchen, climbing the stairs and heading towards the guest room, where he opened the door, entering the room quietly. After closing the door behind him, Jack turned, finding Rose still fast asleep on the bed. Smiling, Jack took off his boots and set them aside. He walked over to the bed and lay upon it, putting his hands behind his head and staring up at the ceiling.

As Jack stared up at the ceiling, thoughts began to linger in his mind. He wondered if going to dinner with Cal tonight would be a good idea. He still had that one ounce of hatred towards the man, but his heart also told him that he was a friend. It was awkward for him to be friends with Cal when they had been enemies aboard the Titanic. Caledon Hockley had despised him because he had stolen Rose away from him. But now, Cal had learned to accept the fact that he was married to Rose, that he was no longer capable of winning her. As these thoughts played in his head, Jack’s eyes grew heavier, and as they did, they began to close, bringing Jack into a dreamless slumber. Turning to his side, Jack fell asleep, letting his exhaustion take over his body. There, in the room, Jack and Rose were sound asleep, their souls drifting into another world.

*****

It was close to five o’clock in the Michaels’ house, and Jack and Rose were still sound asleep in the guestroom. The first to awake was Rose, who was on her back. Her eyes fluttered open, staring up at the ceiling. Rose rubbed her eyes to awaken them from their slumber. After moments of awakening herself, she finally sat up, yawning quietly. She looked over her shoulder, finding that Jack, too, had taken an afternoon’s rest, as she had. Smiling, she got up and left the room to grab something to drink, for her mouth was dry. When she reached the bottom steps, she found Amanda playing in the parlor. Rose smiled at her, making her way towards the kitchen. There, she found Katherine preparing a meal. Rose walked over to the icebox.

"You don’t mind if I grab something to drink, do you?" Rose asked, taking out a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice.

"No, not at all. Go right ahead," Katherine said, smiling at her. Rose smiled, going over to the cabinet and retrieving a glass. Closing the cabinet door, Rose set the glass on the counter, pouring the liquid into the glass until it was full. Heading back towards the icebox, Rose put the pitcher back in its place and took the glass from the counter, where she began quenching her thirst. The glass was empty when she finished drinking the last drop of the juice. Rose walked over to the sink, where she washed the glass and put it in the dishrack. Rose found Jack’s portfolio by the counter. She picked up the portfolio and opened it, finding a portrait of herself and Katherine talking that morning. Smiling, Rose looked down at the initials that Jack had written, along with the date. Rose closed her eyes, reminiscing about the time that Jack had drawn her in the nude.

*****

"It’s quite proper, I assure you," Rose said, laughing and opening the door to the sitting room. Both entered the room, Rose closing the door. "This is the sitting room." Rose looked at Jack. "Will this light do?" Jack turned, confusion written on his face. "Don’t artists need good light?" Jack smiled.

"Zat is true, but I’m not used to working in such...’orreeble conditions," Jack said in a bad French accent. His eyes fell upon a painting that he recognized. He gasped. "Monet!" Jack headed towards the painting, crouching down, his artist’s fingers gliding over the rough texture of the painting.

"Do you know his work?" Rose asked, standing behind him.

"Of course...look at his use of color. Isn’t he great?" Jack asked.

"I know...it’s extraordinary," Rose said, heading towards the closet. "Cal insists on carrying this thing everywhere." Rose chuckled.

"Should we be expecting him anytime soon?" Jack asked, looking over at the other rooms.

"Not as long as the cigars and brandy hold out," Rose said, taking the necklace out of the velvet box and walking toward him. She handed him the necklace, Jack taking it in his hands and examining it.

"What is it? A sapphire?" Jack asked, staring down at the jewel, which shone in the light in the room.

"A diamond. A very rare diamond," Rose said, looking over at Jack. She took a deep breath. "Jack, I want you to draw me like one of your French girls...wearing this." Rose looked at him. Jack nodded.

"All right," Jack whispered, still examining the diamond.

"Wearing only this," Rose finished, a smile spreading across her face, Jack’s shocked face looking at her.

"A-all right," Jack said, taking a shaky breath. Rose smiled.

"Good...I’ll go get ready," Rose said, taking the necklace from Jack. "I’ll be back in a few minutes." Jack nodded, watching Rose disappear into her stateroom.

Rose walked over to her closet, removing a silk kimono. She threw the kimono atop her bed, taking off the velvet dress that she was wearing. After a few minutes of struggling with the buttons, she managed to strip out of her dress. Putting her dress on a chair, she took off her shoes and stockings and set them aside before she began unhooking her corset. She had trouble at first, but she managed. Taking the corset off, she slipped on the kimono, tying the sash around her. Rose walked over to the bureau and took off the earrings that hung on her ears. She took off the necklace that was wrapped around her neck and placed them in the jewelry box. She looked down at her left hand and saw the engagement ring that lay upon her finger. The ring which symbolized the ownership of Caledon Hockley. The ring that proved to the rest of the world that she belonged to him and nobody else. Without hesitation, she removed the ring, as if she was ending the commitment Cal had offered a short year ago. As if she was breaking free from the possessed life she had lived for the past year. Dropping the ring onto the bureau, not giving a care to the world if she lost it, for she had never wanted it on her finger in the first place. Her fingers landed on the butterfly comb, which held her curls away from her face. Removing the comb, she shook her curls free, her hair falling past her shoulders and around her face. She put the comb on the bureau and took a deep breath. Her hand rested on the doorknob before opening the door that separated her stateroom from the sitting room, where Jack was waiting for her. Finally, she opened the door and stepped into the sitting room, where she found Jack sharpening a piece of charcoal.

Jack looked up, hearing the door open. There, he found Rose standing in the doorway, a sly smile on her face, swinging the sash of the silk kimono she was wearing. A smile appeared on Jack’s face, straightening from his sitting position. Rose took a few steps until she stood in front of him. She smiled at him, his shining eyes staring at her.

"The last thing I need is another picture of me looking like a porcelain doll," Rose said. She held out a dime, which held between her fingers, was exposed to Jack. "As a paying customer..." Rose tossed the dime toward his chest, Jack catching it. He smiled at her. "I expect to get what I want." Rose stepped backwards, her hands going at the opening of her kimono. She slowly removed the kimono, exposing her bare skin to the man who was first witnessing her in the nude. She put her hands in front of her, taking a deep breath. She just stood there, waiting for him to say something, for he only sat there, his eyes wide, his face showing off a pinkish color, and she saw him shift nervously in his seat.

"Over on the bed--I mean, couch," Jack said, mentally kicking himself for the mistake that he had made. He could feel the blood rush to his cheeks as he watched Rose make her way towards the couch. He watched as she lay gracefully on the couch, resting her head on one of the pillows and putting her left arm over her head, then moving it to another position.

"Tell me when it looks right--" Rose began, trying to find the right pose.

"P-put your arm back the way it was," Jack said. Rose put her arm over her head, her hand holding the edge of the fancy pillow. "Right...now, put your other hand right by your face there." Jack demonstrated the way he wanted her posed. "All right. Head down, eyes to me--keep them on me, and try to...stay still." Jack brought his right foot over his knee, positioning his portfolio. He took a deep breath, beginning to draw the beauty that lay before him. His mouth was a thin line and his hair fell in his face, his eyes concentrating on his work--drawing every line, every curve, and every shadow perfectly, his eyes staring down at the paper and up at Rose, capturing her soul--capturing her beauty and putting it all onto the piece of paper.

Rose watched Jack concentrating on his drawing. Rose hadn’t moved a muscle, watching Jack’s eyes look at her and at the paper, hearing the scratching of the charcoal, and seeing the strokes of his fingers on the paper, drawing the real Rose he saw. Rose looked into Jack’s eyes, finding him concentrating on his work, as if nothing in the world could ever disturb him. A small smile came across Rose’s face as she scrunched up her nose.

"So serious..." Rose said, seeing Jack smile. Rose continued to stay still, laying as motionless as possible so she would make it easier for Jack to draw her. As she watched Jack draw, she noticed a pinkish color appearing on his cheeks. Rose smiled, her heart fluttering inside her chest. "I believe you are blushing, Mr. Big Artiste." Rose smiled at him. "I can’t imagine Monsieur Monet blushing." Jack looked at her, smiling.

"He does landscapes," Jack pointed out. "Now, relax your face."

"Sorry," Rose said, taking a deep breath.

"No laughing," Jack said, continuing to draw. His eyes narrowed, making every stroke and every shadow on the portrait perfect. His attention went to her eyes, capturing her soul--the way her eyes twinkled at him, and drew them onto the piece of paper. After two hours had passed, Jack had finally completed the drawing. Smiling, he looked down at his work, satisfied. He heard Rose get up from the couch, pick up the kimono that was on the floor, and slip it on.

"Date it, Jack," Rose said, looking at him. "I want to remember this day for the rest of my life." Rose smiled at him, watching him scribble something in the bottom right hand corner. She went over to him and stood behind him, looking over his shoulder. Her hand was on his shoulder, her chin laying upon it. Jack blew the dust off the portrait and closed the portfolio, handing it to her. "Thank you." Rose pressed her lips against his, her hand holding the portfolio and trying to take it, but Jack was preventing her from doing so. They laughed as they shared their kiss.

*****

Rose was still caught in her trance, gazing down at the drawing Jack had done of herself and Katherine that morning. She was so transfixed by the portrait that she hadn’t heard Katherine’s question, nor had she heard Jack appear in the kitchen yawning.

"Rose?" Katherine asked, watching Rose stare down at the drawing. She saw Rose blink a few times before looking up.

"I’m sorry. What is it?" Rose asked, looking at Katherine.

"I asked you if you were hungry and if you wanted me to serve you some mashed potatoes and fried chicken," Katherine said, worry shining in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine," Rose said. "I was just reminiscing." Rose looked at the portrait and closed the portfolio, setting it aside.

"It wasn’t a bad one this time, was it?" Jack interrupted, walking towards her. Rose looked up at the sound of his voice and turned. A smile spread across her face, looking at him.

"No," Rose said. "It wasn’t." Rose looked at him, smiling and planting a loving kiss on his lips, which automatically brushed against hers. She felt Jack’s arms go around her back as she put her hand on the back of his neck. A few moments later, their lips broke apart, inches apart. "It was much more appealing than the others." Rose looked at him with a sly smile.

"Well, what could possibly be appealing at this time of day?" Jack asked, taking a plate from the cabinet and serving himself a big spoonful of mashed potatoes and a piece of fried chicken, and pouring hot gravy onto his mashed potatoes. He went to another pot and served himself a spoonful of white rice. He grabbed a fork, a knife, and walked towards the kitchen table.

"I don’t know," Rose said. "Besides, I’m sure you’ll know. You were blushing most of the time." Rose smiled, accepting the plateful of food that Katherine had served for her after Jack had served himself. "Thank you." Rose went to sit across from her husband.

"I wonder what this appealing moment is," Katherine said, taking a seat on one of the available chairs. Rose smiled, putting a forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth, gracefully chewing the delicious food.

"Well, this was a moment way before the Titanic struck the iceberg. Probably four or five hours before," Rose said. "This was one of the moments when I enjoyed being on the ship--other than the sinking." Katherine nodded, her eyes fixed on Rose. "Well, it was the fourteenth of this month. Jack and I had shared our first kiss moments before. I took him to the sitting room, which was on B Deck--the richest part of the ship. As we entered the sitting room, Jack was amazed at the beauty of the magnificent first class sitting room. Of course, I had paintings, for art is one of my major interests. And one of those paintings in particular caught Jack’s interest. It was a painting by Monet. As he was occupied with the painting, I went to the safe and took out an expensive necklace. It was heart-shaped, with a very rare blue diamond surrounded by tiny diamonds. In French, they call it Le Coeur de la Mer--in English, it’s known as the Heart of the Ocean."

"How much did this necklace cost?" Katherine asked. "If you don’t mind my asking."

"No. Of course not," Rose said. "Well, according to Caledon Hockley, it cost two million dollars." Katherine’s eyes went wide as she heard the price.

"T-two million dollars?" Katherine asked, her eyes still wide. Rose nodded.

"I know. Cal used to smother me with this expensive jewelry," Rose said. "It was something he did to try to get me to love him. But sure enough, it didn’t work." Katherine smiled.

"Do you still have the necklace?" Katherine asked.

"Yes. It’s in safe-keeping," Rose said.

"That’s one expensive piece of jewelry to have," Katherine said, chuckling.

"I have to agree. Only Cal didn’t understand," Rose said. "To him, money was everything. Material things meant more to him than me. Well, at least at that time. I’m not sure if he’s the same now."

"Well, people have their moments," Katherine said.

"True," Rose said. "I have to agree with you on that one."

"Well, you were saying…" Katherine said, urging Rose to continue with her story. Rose smiled.

"Well, when I showed him the necklace, I asked him something," Rose said. "I asked him if he would draw me like one of his French girls, wearing the necklace." Rose noticed that Jack’s face was growing pink, though he continued to eat his meal. "When I meant the necklace...I meant only the necklace." Katherine’s mouth went wide.

"You mean...you..." Katherine couldn’t get the words out.

"Posed in the nude for him?" Rose finished for her. "Yes, I did." Rose smiled.

"I could never imagine someone like you doing such a thing!" Katherine said, a smile on her face.

"Well, don’t judge people before you know them," Rose said, smiling. Rose looked over at Jack, finding his face beet red. "Why are you blushing? You had it easy. All you had to do was draw me. Do you think it was easy for me to pose in the nude in front of a man?" Jack chuckled.

"Do you think it was easy to stare at a naked woman for two whole hours?" Jack asked, chuckling. Rose joined in the laughter.

"Mommy?" The sound of Amanda’s voice was heard from the parlor.

"Yes, sweetie?" Katherine called, her head turning in the direction of the door.

"I have to go potty!" Amanda said.

"Coming, sweetheart!" Katherine said, getting up and heading in the direction of the parlor door, leaving Jack and Rose in privacy.

"She’s one lucky woman," Rose commented, continuing to eat her food.

"Why is that?" Jack asked, after he swallowed his bite of chicken, mashed potatoes, and rice.

"She has a husband who loves her," Rose said. "And she has a beautiful little girl."

"Don’t you think you’re lucky enough to be married to me?" Jack asked, a smile threatening to cross his face.

"Well, doesn’t someone believe he’s special?" Rose asked, a smile across her face. "And to think that you were lucky enough to end up with me!" Jack laughed.

"Things happen. And we ended up being married," Jack said. "Why? Do you want to change that?"

"Absolutely not!" Rose said. "I love the way my life is going, and I wouldn’t change anything. You being my husband is perfectly fine with me."

"Just as you being my wife makes my life worth living," Jack said, taking a sip of the white wine that was before him. Rose blushed, continuing to eat her meal.

"What time do you suppose we should prepare for the dinner we’re going to attend to tonight?" Rose asked, putting a forkful of her meal in her mouth.

"I believe in an hour or so," Jack said. "It’s only 5:40, so I suppose we can be ready by seven and leave the house at 7:30 at the latest."

"That doesn’t sound too bad," Rose said, agreeing to his plan. Rose finished up her meal until all that was left was the gravy. Taking a slice of bread from the basket on the table, Rose ripped a piece off and cleaned the gravy from the plate, then placed it in her mouth, where she chewed the bread gracefully. A few minutes later, Jack finished his meal and did the same as Rose until their plates were cleared of the food. Rose got up, gathered the dirty dishes, including Jack’s plate, and placed them in the sink, where she began washing them. She was accustomed now to doing her own chores, instead of other people doing them for her. Her whole life had been about money and fancy dresses. Her mother had always believed that Rose should marry the richest bachelor in town and live her life that way. But Rose had thought otherwise. She hadn’t wanted her mother to choose her husband, nor had she ever wanted her to choose her life. Rose wanted to be independent, but her mother had never allowed it. But now she had all the freedom she had ever wanted, without anyone objecting to her wishes, and without anyone to stop her.

While she was washing the dishes, she felt a pair of strong arms go around her waist. Rose stopped what she was doing and smiled, leaning her head against Jack’s chest and feeling his chin atop her head. She placed her hand over his, closing her eyes for a brief moment to enjoy being in her husband’s arms, to enjoy being loved as she was with Jack. She felt Jack turn her around, pressing his lips against hers, giving her a loving kiss. Rose was immediately lost in his kiss, bringing her hands towards his face, their lips brushing against each other‘s and giving the kiss more tender, loving intimacy to it. Rose heard the running water playing in her ears as they kissed, and she pulled away, looking at him with a bright smile.

"You always do that to me," Rose said. "Kiss me, then make me forget what I was doing before." Rose turned around and continued washing the dishes, a smile still lingering on her face.

"Well, you’re my wife," Jack said, wrapping his arms around her once more. "What do you expect me to do?"

"Love me," Rose answered, placing the last of the dishes in the dishrack. She turned off the water and dried her hands with the kitchen towel.

"But I do," Jack said, slowly turning her around to look at her. "I always will." Rose smiled, looking at him. Just as they were about to kiss, they were interrupted by Katherine, who had entered the kitchen. Both looked at her.

"I-I’m sorry...am I interrupting something?" Katherine asked, her cheeks developing a pinkish color.

"No," Jack said, letting Rose go. "We were just...uh...talking." Rose laughed.

"You don’t have to hide it from me," Katherine said. "I was once a newlywed." Jack and Rose smiled. "Well, Mandy is over at Sarah’s, so she won’t be bothering you. Why don’t you two go on up to your room and spend some quality time together?"

"Don’t we do that enough?" Rose asked, chuckling.

"Well, a little more wouldn’t hurt, would it?" Jack asked, looking at her.

"I suppose it wouldn’t," Rose said, slipping her hand into his as they left the kitchen and went up to their room. They closed the door and went over to the bed. Jack kissed Rose, gently hovering over her, her head resting upon the pillow. Jack’s hand rested upon her shoulder, while Rose’s hand was on his chest. Rose shook her head and pulled away.

"What?" Jack asked, looking at her.

"Jack, as much as I would love to do this, not right now," Rose said, looking at him.

"But--" Jack began.

"No buts," Rose said. "We have made love every day for the past three days in a row, and every time we do make love, we end up exhausted and sleep for more than three hours. Also, we have a dinner to attend, and we have no time whatsoever to make love." Jack pouted. "Don’t give me that look. It’s hard enough to say no to you. I don’t need a little puppy pout with it. Now, let’s just talk."

"Please?" Jack begged.

"Now, Jack, be a good little boy and listen to your little wife," Rose teased him. "We have plenty of time to make love, but right now is not the time." Jack sighed, slowly getting off of her. Rose sat up straighter and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Don’t worry...I still love you. Besides, you’re the only man I’ll ever make love with. No man will ever take your place. I promise. I love you, Jack. You’re the only man I’ll ever love." Jack turned and smiled at her, gently pressing his lips against hers, bringing her into a gentle, loving kiss. As they were kissing, Jack tickled her, causing her to laugh. "Ah!" Rose laughed, trying to stop Jack from tickling her, but he was too strong. She managed to escape from him, running towards the balcony door. Quickly opening the door, Rose went outside, hearing Jack walking towards her. Rose laughed when Jack lifted her up. She swung her legs as her arms went around his neck, laughing. Jack’s strong arms held onto her, swinging her around, causing Rose to shriek in happiness. Jack laughed, pressing his lips against hers, kissing her with all the love and passion that was inside his heart.

Jack slowed his spinning until they weren’t spinning at all and slowly brought her down, their lips still connected. The gentle breeze blew around them, causing Rose’s hair to flutter in the wind and her dress to flutter in the spring’s gentle breeze. The sun was still up in the sky as the two lovers kissed. Birds flew across the horizon as the crashing of the shore was heard two blocks away. Moments later, their kiss broke, and Jack wrapped his arms around her, bringing her into a warm, tight hug and burying his face in her crimson curls. Rose’s arms went around his neck, her chin resting on his shoulder with her eyes closed and a small smile upon her face, the two hugging with the gentle breeze playing with their hair, and their love growing with every moment of their lives together. Their love would grow as strong as the iceberg that had sunk the Titanic on the morning of April 15, 1912. They knew that nothing would come between their love for each other--or so they hoped.

Chapter Twenty-Four
Stories