LOVE THAT NEVER FADES
Chapter Thirty-One

The bar was dimly lit, the smell of smoke filling the air. The murmuring of the men filled the room, glasses banging on tables. Some were playing cards, while others were just talking with each other. The two men stepped inside and walked towards the bar, each taking a seat on a stool. A hand banged on the counter, Jack urging the bartender to bring him and Fabrizio glasses of beer.

"Two beers, please!" Jack spoke loudly so the bartender could hear him over the loud voices in the room.

"Two beers coming up!" the bartender answered, filling two glasses with beer. "Here you go, lads." The bartender handed Jack and Fabrizio their glasses and smiled towards them. He took a second look at Jack. "Wait a minute…you look oddly familiar…"

Jack looked up and just smiled. "Yeah," Jack said. "I was here a couple of years back. I’m Jack Dawson."

"Jack Dawson!" the bartender shouted, his eyes wide and shocked. "Well, I’ll be! I wouldn’t have thought that I’d ever see you again."

"Ah…that’s what everybody says," Jack said, taking a sip of the beer and setting the glass down on the counter.

"Well, what do you expect?" the bartender asked. "We haven’t seen you in two years, for crying out loud!"

Jack gave a heartwarming chuckle, looking at him. "Well, I’ve kind of changed now. I’m not traveling anymore."

"Well, why is that?" the bartender asked.

Jack was just about to answer when a woman’s voice rang in his ears.

"Jack Dawson!" a familiar voice said. "Jack…is that you?"

Jack turned, finding a woman with black hair that fell past her shoulders and bright green eyes. A confused look came over his face, eyeing the woman. She stood about two inches taller than Rose, and had an evergreen-colored dress on. She neared him, a bright smile on her face.

"My, Jack, I haven’t seen you in years!" the woman said.

"Kristen?" Jack asked, his eyes wide. He had never expected to see her again. He met her two years before, when he was in New York before he headed off to Europe. Kristen Jackson had been one of his girls that he had drawn. She was one of the first he had drawn in the nude. Although they had nearly gotten into an unwanted relationship, Jack had called it off and left to go to Europe. Now, as he looked at her, she had longer hair and had grown a bit taller since the last time he had seen her.

"Oh, so you do remember me," Kristen said, putting a hand on her hip.

"How could I forget you?" Jack asked, a crooked smile on his face.

Kristen smiled. "Well, who’s your friend?" she asked, nodding towards Fabrizio.

"Ah…Kristen, this is my best friend, Fabrizio di Rossi. Fabri, this is Kristen Jackson…my…um…my…" Jack said, struggling to find the correct word.

"Friend…his good friend," Kristen said, a mischievous smile on her face.

Jack just looked at her, his brow knitted, seeing her smile. When she had said good, he could have sworn he had heard a hint of possession and longing…as if she were expecting him to take her in his arms and just make love to her. But Jack knew that that would never happen, for he only shared his love with one woman…Rose. Rose, and only Rose. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what he would do without her.

"Um…yeah…her friend," Jack said, coughing uneasily, picking up his glass, and taking a long gulp of the beer before setting it back down on the table.

"Why do you sound so scared, Jack?" Kristen asked, leaning a bit closer to him. "The Jack Dawson I knew was never scared of anything." Kristen let her hand caress his forearm, feeling his muscular build. "Well, well, well…I see that you have certainly grown more muscular since the last time I’ve saw you, Jack." Kristen smiled flirtatiously and inching closer to him, her arm going around his waist.

Jack inched away from her, feeling uncomfortable around the woman when he was married. Married to the woman that he loved and always would love.

"Uh…Kristen?" Jack asked, taking her hands off of him and setting them aside. "This is not right. We’re not meant for each other."

"Oh, Jack, come on!" Kristen said, smiling, a girlish laugh escaping her lips. "Where’s your sense of fun? I mean, you’re the one who used to always do something unpredictable."

"Kristen," Jack said, sighing in frustration. "I’m not interested. Besides, I’m—"

"Of course you’re not," Kristen said, her eyes softening. "Oh, well. I’ve tried." Kristen stepped away from him. "Would you like to go to the park? Maybe we can catch up on old times."

"Sure," Jack said, taking one last gulp of his beer, slipping his hand into his pocket, pulling out a few coins, and dropping them onto the counter beside the drinks. "Let’s go." Jack led the way out of the bar alongside Fabrizio and Kristen.

*****

Rose sat on the bench and just sighed, a hand gently caressing her lower abdomen. For the past hour, she had been sitting there, thinking of her unborn child and her life with Jack. She looked down at her purse laying on her lap and just clutched it, hearing the children running around and playing in the afternoon sun. Looking at the afternoon sky, she sighed and got up, ready to go home and prepare lunch. She was walking towards the exit of the park when her steps suddenly stopped. There, about twenty yards away from her, stood Jack and Fabrizio. But they weren’t alone. Beside Jack stood a stunningly beautiful woman with raven hair and a slim body, an evergreen-colored dress showing off her curves. She had a bright smile on her face, as did Jack. Fabrizio just walked alongside them, listening in on their conversation and sharing a few words with them.

Rose saw that Jack’s hands were in his pocket as always, and saw that his steps were slow yet anxious, as if he wanted to get away from the woman. To be far away from the woman. Rose was glued to the spot, clutching her purse. She could feel her shawl flowing behind her, the strength of the early summer breeze causing it to do so. Her red curls fluttered in the wind, her eyes holding curiosity and a hint of jealousy towards the raven-haired beauty that stood beside Jack. What was she to her husband? Did she have anything to do with his past? Was she his girlfriend before he met her? Was she his first? His first in bed? As these thoughts played through her mind, she closed her eyes and took a calming breath. When she opened her eyes, she saw the woman in front of Jack, caressing his chest lovingly. Her hands clutched her purse tightly, feeling jealousy and anger creep onto her face. Just as she was about to head over to them, she saw something that she had never expected to see. Something that caused her heart to ache and tears to well up in her eyes. There, about ten yards away, Jack and the woman were sharing a passionate kiss. Her feet were glued to the spot she stood in, in shock at what she saw. She didn’t see Jack make any effort to push her away. Instead, he put his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him, as if he were enjoying the kiss. She saw his hand caressing her ebony hair, his own hair falling over his eyes. Rose just stood there, heartbroken and hurt.

Never had she thought that Jack would do this to her. Never before had she thought that Jack would betray her after what they’d been through. She put a hand on her lower abdomen, where her unborn child was developing inside of her. Her unborn child, which Jack had fathered. Which Jack had created with his lovemaking. She gave a loud sob, turning around and running away from the park, her hand still on her lower abdomen. Tears ran down her delicate cheeks, feeling her heart break in two. The love that she had once felt for Jack suddenly broke into a million pieces, replaced by hatred and hurt. Never before had she thought that Jack would cause her so much pain and so much hurt. She had thought that their love would last for all eternity. Well, she had been wrong.

*****

Jack stood between Kristen and Fabrizio, walking through Central Park. The sun beamed down on them, the gentle breeze causing their hair to flutter. Jack stopped when Kristen got in front of him, a smile on her face. She moved a bit closer to him, feeling her hands caress his chest. Jack removed his hand from his pocket and put it on her forearm, shaking his head and pushing her away from him.

"Kristen, I—" Jack was cut off when he felt her lips brush against his. He was about to protest, but Kristen held him close to her, and within moments, he responded. His hand went to the small of her back, his other going to her cheek, where he felt her hair brush against his. He began to imagine that he was kissing Rose, so he pulled her close to him, intensifying their kiss. His hand began to caress her hair, expecting to feel Rose’s fiery red curls against his fingertips, but instead, he felt soft, flat hair, and seconds later, he pulled away, his eyes wide. He looked over her shoulder, seeing Rose running away, hearing her sob. He looked over to Fabrizio, who just looked at him in shock. He looked over at Kristen, finding a satisfied smile upon her face.

"Well, well, well," Kristen said, the pleased smile still upon her face. "I have to admit, you are an excellent kisser."

"Oh, God," Jack whispered, putting a hand over his face. "Rose…"

"Rose?" Kristen asked, chuckling. "My name is Kristen, Jack. Not Rose."

"I know that!" Jack exclaimed, his eyes shining with anger and moistened by tears.

"Why are you so upset?" Kristen asked. "It was just a kiss, Jack. Nothing serious."

"Just a kiss?" Jack shouted. "Kristen, my wife just saw us kissing, and you think it’s not serious?"

"Wife?" Kristen asked.

"Yes, my wife!" Jack said. "Rose is my wife!"

Kristen just laughed. "Oh, please, Jack. How can you be married? You don’t seem the type to marry."

Jack just looked at her, his blue eyes throwing daggers at her.

"I am married. I have been for the past two and a half months!" Jack exclaimed, his voice shaking with anger.

"What do you mean, for the past two and a half months?" Kristen asked.

"I mean that I have a wife who is pregnant with our first child and who just ran away because she saw us kissing!" Jack said, furious, pointing behind her.

"Pregnant, huh?" Kristen asked. "So, married for two and a half months, and you already got her pregnant. Jack, you sure do work fast. And I thought that you said you said you didn’t wanna get settled."

"Kristen, just stop, okay?" Jack asked. "You ruined everything enough as it is!"

"Well, I’m sorry I did," Kristen said, not showing that she meant it. "But if she doesn’t forgive you, you know where to find me…"

"Kristen, I’m never going to sleep with you, so don’t even try," Jack said. "I love Rose more than I ever loved you. We were never in a relationship…you were nothing to me!"

"Nothing?" Kristen asked, putting a hand on her hip. "So I am nothing, huh, Jack?"

"Look, Kristen," Jack said. "I never loved you, nor did I have any feelings towards you. I only love one person, and one person only. And that’s Rose. She’s everything to me. And now, you may have ruined our marriage."

"Good," Kristen said. "I’m glad I ruined your stupid marriage. She’s probably a whore anyway."

Jack raised a hand and slapped her across her face. "Never, ever, call Rose a whore again! Do you hear me?" Jack shouted, angrily pointing at her.

Kristen held the spot that he had slapped and closed her eyes, feeling her cheek burn. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she fought them back. She looked at Jack, her eyes moistened by her tears.

"Well, I gotta go," Kristen said, her voice choked from holding back her tears. "Just to let you know, Jack, I loved you. For the past two years, I never spent a day without thinking of you." A single tear slid down her cheek. "Well…it was nice knowing you, Jack Dawson. I hope you have a nice life."

Jack watched Kristen walk away, and he could’ve sworn that he heard her sob. Sighing, Jack put his hand over his eyes, feeling tears welling up in them.

"I’m sorry, Rose…" Jack whispered, his voice hoarse and choked. "I’m so sorry…" Jack felt his tears overflow, and once he did, he wiped them away with the back of his hand. He looked over at Fabrizio, who looked at him, eyes shining with concern.

"Jack," Fabrizio said, moving towards Jack. "Everything will ‘a be okay. Why don’t ‘a we go back to the apartment and ‘a see if la bella Rosa is okay?" Fabrizio put a brotherly arm over Jack’s shoulder and led him out of the park.

"What have I done?" Jack cried, tears furiously falling down his cheeks.

*****

Rose lay on her side of the bed, tears pouring down her cheeks as she looked up at the ceiling. She had been in the bedroom crying for the past twenty minutes. Her heart broke more with every minute that passed. She sat up and looked at her rings. As she looked at the rings, images of their wedding day came to her mind. The day when they had become husband and wife. The day when their love for each other grew and grew, up until now, when she had found Jack kissing another woman. Rose covered the rings with one hand and brought it to her chest, bowing her head and letting her tears overflow.

"Why, Jack?" Rose cried. "Why did you kiss her? Why?" Rose looked up, her eyes red from crying. "I thought you loved me…I thought we had everything together…" Rose looked around the room and fell upon Jack’s side of the bed. More tears fell down her cheeks as she placed a hand on his side, caressing the quilt. "Oh, Jack…what’s happening to us?"

She fell upon the bed and curled up in a fetal position, tears continuing to spill out of her eyes, making her heart ache more and more as she thought about the kiss shared by Jack and the woman he had been with. A kiss that she had thought he’d only share with her, and nobody else. Her body shook with heart-wrenching sobs, her heart pouring out, making Rose more and more vulnerable and hurt with every second that passed by without being able to love the man who had saved her. Her heart ached, longing to be in Jack’s arms once again, feeling his lips brushing against hers, and taking her to the stars. She ached for them to love again.

*****

Jack and Fabrizio entered the apartment. Fabrizio closed the door behind him and watched as Jack cautiously walked towards his bedroom. He looked over at Fabrizio, his face asking if he should go inside.

"Go," Fabrizio said. "Make her happy again."

Sighing, Jack nodded and raised a fist in the air, gently knocking on the door a few times.

"Rose?" Jack called, his voice hoarse. "Are you in there?"

"Go away!" he heard Rose cry out, her voice shaking.

"Please…I can explain," Jack began.

"Leave me alone!" he heard Rose cry, and with that, he leaned his forehead against the door. Tears began falling down his cheeks.

"Oh, Rose!" Jack cried. "I’m sorry! I’m so sorry." Jack banged on the wall. "I love you, Rose…please…I love you…I love you…" Jack slid down the door and buried his face in his arms, crying.

Fabrizio just stood there, watching Jack cry. He had never seen Jack cry. He never witnessed Jack being in this kind of state, nor had he ever heard him cry. Throughout the journey that they had been on for the past two years--before the Titanic—Jack had been a happy, carefree man. Never had he shed a tear, even if there had been something to cry about. Jack had been known to be strong and brave, but now, when he saw him sitting on the floor outside his bedroom door, Fabrizio found a new Jack. A Jack who was in love and who was heartbroken.

Chapter Thirty-Two
Stories