LOVE THAT NEVER FADES
Chapter Thirty-Six

Jack immediately got out from under Kristen and fixed his shirt. While Rose had been kidnapped, Kristen had done everything she could to make Jack kiss her, but he hadn’t enjoyed a bit of it. His mind hadn’t been clear when he had suddenly found himself lying on the couch, Kristen on top of him, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling her dress down. Jack had asked Kristen numerous times where Rose was, and all she had said was that she was with Jimmy somewhere, and Jack had begun to grow worried about her. Kristen, to Jack, was a female version of Cal, only she wasn’t engaged to anyone, nor had she framed anyone. The only real similarity that she had with Cal was that she wanted him to herself—just as Cal had wanted Rose to himself when they had been on the Titanic. But at least Cal had changed—or so he hoped.

Jack stepped away from Kristen, who had pulled her dress back up, and he looked past her to Jimmy. He saw the anger shining in Kristen’s eyes as she looked at Jimmy.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Kristen asked angrily, getting up from her position on the couch.

"Saving Jack and Rose’s marriage," Jimmy said, determination shining in his eyes.

"Oh, really?" Kristen asked, looking at him. "You’re on their side now, huh?"

"Yeah, I am," Jimmy said. "Besides, I don’t think Jack would want to sleep with a whore when he’s married to a beautiful woman like Rose."

"Whore?" Jack whispered, looking at Kristen.

"Yes, she’s a prostitute," Jimmy said. "She sells herself to get money."

"Kristen, why would you want to do that to yourself?" Jack asked, looking at her with a disgusted face.

Kristen looked at him, hugging herself. "That’s none of your concern, Jack," Kristen said. "I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again—it’s my body. I can do with it what I will—whether you like it or not." Kristen hugged herself, an expression on her face that showed that she was both hurt and embarrassed.

"And you thought that I—" Jack began, and looked at Kristen with disgust and anger. "What were you thinking? Kristen, you know I’m married! Why would you—" Jack stopped, looking over at her. "Kristen, I thought you were better than that. Why would you sell yourself?"

"Because I want to!" Kristen shouted. "Why do you care, anyway? You’re married to the prettiest girl in the world. Why would you give a shit what I do with my body?" Tears began to well up in her eyes. "It’s your fault, anyway. If you had stayed, maybe I wouldn’t have done it."

"So, it’s my fault that you’re a prostitute?" Jack asked, pointing to himself with both hands.

"Yes," Kristen answered, turning around, not wanting to face him.

"How is it my fault, Kristen?" Jack asked, a frustrated look on his face. "I only left because I wanted to see what the world had to offer. If we were in the relationship you thought we were in, you know that I would’ve stayed, but we weren’t, we never were, and never will be. Plus, you have no idea what Rose and I have gone through, so don’t you dare tell me that I ruined your life, because you almost ruined ours."

"And so what if I did?" Kristen asked, turning around, tears streaming down her face. "You knew I loved you—I even told you many times before you left, but you didn’t care. You never cared. All you cared about were your stupid drawings, and making each day count. You never even let it go through your head that I gave everything up for you. Everything. My father disowned me, as did my mother. They never wanted me to waste my life with a penniless artist like you. I was stupid to believe that you loved me—I was so fucking stupid!" Kristen covered her face, tears overflowing.

"Kristen, it’s your own fault, okay?" Jimmy interjected, growing more impatient with her behavior.

"You stay out of this!" Kristen exclaimed. "This has nothing to do with you, all right?"

"You know what, Kristen?" Jimmy asked. "I’m through with you. Don’t you go expecting me to help you with anything. I shouldn’t even have listened to you when you planned this whole mess…"

"What?" Jack asked. "You planned this, Kristen?"

Kristen looked at him with eyes that shone with pure hatred.

"So what if I did?" Kristen asked. "It wouldn’t matter anyway, seeing that you love that bitch that you call your wife."

Jack felt his face redden as he clenched his fists angrily. His eyes shone with anger and his heart pounded in his chest, his teeth clenching together.

"Don’t you ever call my wife names," Jack warned, looking at her. "Do you hear me? Leave her out of this mess—she has nothing to do with it."

"Oh, she has everything to do with it, Jack," Kristen said, looking at him, an angry smile on her face. "She stole you from me, when you were mine to begin with…"

"I’m not a possession, Kristen!" Jack shouted. "I don’t belong to anybody! I’m my own person. The only thing that Rose stole was my heart, and I’m happy that she did, because I love her more now than ever. I was never yours—how many times do I have to tell you that? We were just friends! Don’t you understand? We were never more than that!"

"If I was never more than that, then why did you draw me in the nude?" Kristen asked, looking at him as she challenged him. "I’m sure you wouldn’t draw women in the nude if you didn’t love them…would you?"

Jack looked at her, hearing her emphasis on the word love. Jack knew what she meant. She thought that he would sleep with women in order to be able to draw them in the nude, but that was not true. True, he had drawn Kristen in the nude—two years ago—but never had he put a hand on her that would make her believe that he wanted her in that aspect. He hadn’t slept with her, and hadn’t slept with any other woman besides Rose.

"I only drew you in the nude because you asked me to," Jack said, defending himself. He shook his head. "I would never put a hand on you in that way. I don’t give myself to a woman unless I love her—and when I met Rose, I knew she was the right one for me. I’m sorry, Kristen, but nothing will ever break my love for Rose. Nothing and no one will ever come between us—not even you."

"You drew her, didn’t you?" Kristen asked, looking into his eyes. "You drew her in the nude, then slept with her, didn’t you, Jack?"

Jack looked at her. "That’s none of your concern," Jack said firmly.

"Oh, it isn’t?" Kristen asked. A smile came over her face, her eyes shining with envy. "You did—I know you did. Why else wouldn’t you say it? Admit it, Jack. You drew Rose in the nude, then slept with her—don’t deny it, Jack…"

"And if I did?" Jack asked, growing more and more aggravated at Kristen. "It wouldn’t matter to you, because I’m married to Rose, and I forever will be."

"My, my, Jack," Kristen said. "And just how many women did you draw in the nude?"

Jack just stood there, feeling mixed emotions he had never known he had. He closed his eyes, knowing what Kristen was trying to do. Yes, he had drawn many women in the nude, and that had been well before he met Rose—and she had been the last woman he had drawn in the nude. Jack knew that from that moment on, Rose would be the only woman he would ever draw nude, for she was his wife and his love. The only person Jack ever drew at this point was Rose. He remembered the drawing he had done of the elderly couple in the park several days ago. Other than that, he hadn’t drawn anything or anyone else besides Rose. He looked over at Kristen and Jimmy, not quite knowing what to say, nor did he know how to say it, for he knew if he told her the actual number, she would accuse him of sleeping with each one of them, when in all reality, he hadn’t. Jack sighed in frustration, running his fingers through his hair and turning around.

"Oh, I see," Kristen said. "You probably had a lot of loving over the past two years—probably well before you met Rose."

"That’s not true, and you know it," Jack said. "Drawing is one thing, but loving is another. The only person I’ve loved, and always will love, is Rose. Now, stay out of my life, Kristen. I’ve had enough of you, and I don’t want to have to do anything that I’m going to regret. So the best thing you can do for me now is leave."

"I’m not leaving just yet," Kristen said. "Not until I straighten this out."

"Straighten what out, Kristen?" Jack asked. "All you’ve been doing since I reunited with you is make my life miserable. Look, Kristen, I don’t want to see you again, nor do I want anything to do with you." Jack had a stern expression on his face. He pointed a finger towards the door. "Leave, Kristen. Leave, and don’t you ever come back. The smartest thing you can do now is just go without causing trouble. I’ve had enough of you, and I don’t want anything to do with you anymore. Leave." His finger still pointed and the stern look was still on his face.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Fine," Kristen said, her voice shaky and choked, looking at him. "Have it your way. But let me just tell you this—I will always love you. No matter that you’re married to Rose."

Jack gave her a look that showed no affection or love. Just a stern, angry look, and his finger still pointed to the door, waiting for her to leave. In moments, Kristen gave up and turned, stopping in the doorway.

"Just remember, Jack," Kristen said. "Someday I’ll come back, and you’ll be begging to come back to me."

"And that someday will never happen," Jack said. "Now, leave!"

With that, Kristen went through the doorway, disappearing into the hallway—out of Jack’s life, hopefully for good.

*****

Rose stood in the hallway, waiting, hearing the argument going on in the apartment. She wanted to go in and end the verbal fray, but knew that Jack had to settle this on his own, and if she went in, she would made it even worse than it was. Rose was growing hungry as the time passed, and put a hand on her abdomen, as if that would reduce her hunger. She sighed, leaning her head against the wall. She figured that it was eleven o’clock at night or close to it, since the sky was pitch black from the window that was in the hallway. Growing tired of waiting out in the hallway, she was about to go inside when Kristen emerged from the doorway, tears shining in her eyes, along with hatred and anger when she looked into Rose’s eyes. Rose watched as Kristen brushed past her and stormed out of the hallway and towards the staircase, not bothering looking back, and descended the stairs until she was out of sight. Rose took a breath, turning towards the open doorway and made her way inside. There, she found Jack and Jimmy standing in the middle of the room, neither moving or saying a word. Jack, however, lifted his head when she entered, and she saw a smile on his face, his eyes shining with love and excitement. He walked towards her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Oh, Rose," Jack whispered, breathing in her scent. "I’m so glad that you’re all right…"

Rose smiled and returned the embrace. "Me, too," Rose said, smiling. She pressed her cheek against his. "I love you, Jack. I always have and always will…"

Jack smiled, his arms wrapping around her waist. He pulled back just enough to gaze into her eyes and leaned his head forward, pressing his lips against hers and bringing her into a kiss, with the love and intensity needed to prove that Rose was the only one for him, and the only one who he would ever love. Rose’s hands went to his face, her fingers brushing through his golden hair, urging him to kiss her more intensely and lovingly. Not until they heard a cough did they break their kiss. Both turned to find Jimmy standing there, cheeks growing a shade of pink. The two blushed, smiling and holding hands.

"Thank you, Jimmy," Rose said, smiling. "For helping me get back to Jack—even though you were the one who took me in the first place."

"It was all Kristen’s idea to begin with," Jimmy said. "I never should’ve listened to her. But I’m sure glad that you and Jack are still together."

Rose smiled and looked at Jack. "Me, too," Rose said.

"Well, it was nice meeting you," Jimmy said. "But I have to head off now. It’s quite late, and I need to get my rest."

Jack walked towards him. "We never were properly introduced," Jack said, extending his hand. "The name’s Jack Dawson."

"Jimmy Anderson," Jimmy said, shaking Jack’s hand. "Nice to meet you."

Jack smiled and nodded. "Same here," Jack said. "Well, have a nice night. And hopefully we’ll see you around."

Jimmy smiled and nodded his head. "Good night," Jimmy said. He stopped as he went through the doorway. "Oh, and sorry for the door—it was locked, so I had no other way to open it."

"It’s okay," Jack said. "I’ll get it fixed somehow."

"All right, then," Jimmy said. "I’ll go now. Good night…" Jimmy disappeared into the hallway after closing the partially broken door. Jack and Rose looked at each other, Jack putting a loving arm around Rose’s shoulders.

Rose looked over at the grandfather clock, finding that it was five minutes past eleven. She looked at Jack and couldn’t help but smile brightly, happy to be in his arms once more.

"I’m so lucky to have you," Rose said, putting a tender hand on his cheek and letting her fingers brush against his rough skin. "I can’t see myself with anybody else…"

"Well, you mustn’t, then," Jack said, pulling her into his arms. "For I will always be yours—like I told Kristen."

Rose smiled brightly and buried her face in his chest, feeling her fingers clutch his thin shirt.

"My life isn’t worth living without you, Jack," Rose whispered. "I’m so glad that we’re together—once more. I never want this to happen again."

"I won’t let it," Jack said, lifting her chin with his finger. A smile spread across his face, seeing Rose’s eyes twinkling. "I love you, Rose."

"And I love you, Jack." Rose smiled, giving Jack a kiss—a loving, intense kiss. She felt Jack tighten his embrace, her feet suddenly leaving the floor. The next thing she knew, Jack was spinning her around while they were sharing their kiss. Rose tightened her grip on Jack, giggling into their kiss. Once they broke apart, Jack set her down and looked at her. "I must be in heaven…"

"Well, if you are, then I am as well," Jack said, slipping his hand into hers.

Rose smiled, gripping his hand lovingly. Just then, her stomach growled. She couldn’t help but laugh as her stomach cried out loud.

"Hmm," Jack said. "I suppose someone’s hungry."

"I’m famished!" Rose admitted.

"Then let’s go eat!" Jack said, leading her towards the kitchen.

Rose laughed heart-warmingly as she was pulled into the kitchen, where Jack took some items from the icebox and began preparing a meal, surprising Rose.

"You cook?" Rose asked, bewildered and surprised, watching Jack slicing up some tomatoes.

"Yeah," Jack said. "I used to cook for my mom when she was sick. My mom taught me how to cook when I was ten, and this was the meal she first taught me. I certainly hope you like it, ‘cause it’s the good old Dawson family recipe, and I hope that you will be preparing this meal on occasion, ‘cause it’s my favorite." Jack grabbed a pot from the cabinet and set it on the stove.

"What are you making, anyway?" Rose asked, watching him put the sliced tomatoes into the pot, along with some seasonings and other ingredients.

"It’s homemade sauce," Jack said, pouring the juice from the tomatoes into the pot, filling it. He also added some water, along with a few leaves of parsley and some pepper. "It goes with anything—pasta, lasagna, macaroni. It can also be eaten without anything. All you need is some bread and you’ll be full enough for the night. I remember, as a kid, my mother would have some of this sauce left over, and I would always ask her for a plateful. I would grab a piece of bread, dip it into this sauce, and be satisfied. My mother used to always complain about how I ate the sauce more than I ate the meat and everything else." Jack chuckled, stirring the thick mixture with a wooden spoon, steam already coming out of the pot.

"Smells good," Rose said, smiling.

Jack lifted the wooden spoon and brought it to his lips, tasting the sauce. A satisfied smile coming over his face, he brought the spoon towards her lips, allowing her to taste it. Rose smiled at him and took a sip of the sauce.

"Mmm," Rose said, licking her lips. "It’s delectable, and most certainly tastes better than my sauces."

"Ah…you’ll learn," Jack said. "Besides, I eat your food, don’t I? To tell you the truth, I’d rather eat your food than buy it from a restaurant."

Rose smiled. "It’s good to see a man at the stove," Rose said, leaning closer to him and caressing his forearms. "It’s not every day that a man would ever get the courage to do what a woman does."

Jack set the wooden spoon beside the pot, turning towards her.

"I’m not the type of man that will sit around and do absolutely nothing," Jack said. "Besides, I don’t think domestic work is just for women. If a man chooses to do the work a woman does, then he’s capable of doing so. But if he chooses to be lazy, then he won’t even bother."

Rose smiled. "You’re one of a kind, Jack," Rose said. "I’m glad I found you."

"I’m glad I saved you," Jack said, his eyes shining with love.

Rose pressed her lips against his, her hands going to the back of his neck and deepening the kiss. Jack’s hands went to the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. Their lips brushed against each other‘s, their tongues making love in their own way. Jack’s hands traveled up her waist, stopping at her bust line, causing Rose to giggle in their kiss. Jack’s thumbs gently went over her soft breasts. He chuckled, feeling her hands go over his, which were on her breasts. Moments later, they broke from their kiss, standing in the same position, looking into each other’s eyes.

"I am, too," Rose said, in response to his statement.

Jack smiled and kissed her forehead. He pulled away and turned off the gas, the kitchen filled with the aroma of the sauce. He removed the pot from the stove and poured himself a plateful, then poured Rose a plateful. Handing Rose her plate, he nodded his head towards the kitchen table, where he and Rose took seats beside each other, taking a few slices of bread to dip in the sauce. After Jack lit a candle that was in the middle of the table, the two began eating their light dinner, enjoying being in each other’s presence.

*****

Later that night, Jack and Rose were getting ready for bed. Rose had washed the dishes and Jack had dried them. Now they were in their bedroom, Rose dressing in her nightgown while Jack just removed his outer clothes and crawled under the covers, waiting for Rose to join him. This would be the first night in four days, that they would make love. To the two lovers, it felt as if they had been separated for four years instead of just four days.

Rose ran a brush through her hair, catching a glimpse of Jack looking at her seductively. Rose smiled and bit her bottom lip, setting her brush down. Taking a deep, relaxing breath, Rose got up from her seat and walked over to the bed, slipping under the covers and cuddling in Jack’s welcoming arms. She intertwined Jack’s hand with her own and looked at their wedding bands. She brought his fingers towards her lips and tenderly gave each one a gentle, loving kiss—just as she had done in the back of the Renault. She felt her heart beating rapidly, as if this was her first time making love with the love of her life. She felt his fingers brush against her lips, sending a tingling feeling over them. Rose’s eyes looked up, and a warm smile appeared on her face, seeing him looking into her eyes, love and passion in his eyes.

"Nervous?" Jack managed to ask, his heartbeat causing a lump to form in his throat, as if this were the first time he was going to make love to her.

Rose had a smile on her face, shaking her head. "No," Rose simply answered. "And how could I be? We’ve done this many times before…" Rose leaned in closer to him.

Jack felt a blush come over his face, looking at her. It was as if he were holding an angel in his arms instead of his beautiful wife. Her eyes glittered with happiness and love, her beauty as bright and alive as the sun. Her crimson hair fell over his arm, her cleavage revealed in the thin gown’s low-cut front. Jack felt a smile come over his face, pulling her closer to him, his hand resting on her hip. He immediately felt his body warm, her body pressing against his. Jack took a relaxing breath, Rose’s hand going up his chest and sending a warm sensation throughout his body, causing his breath to quiver at her touch, but not in a way that he didn’t want her to touch him in this way. His temptation was growing, Rose’s fingers going over his chest. He watched her looking at him, her hand now gripping his hand.

"Put your hands on me, Jack," Rose said, her voice soft.

This time, without hesitation, Jack did as he was told, pressing his lips firmly but lovingly on her lips, hovering over her, their lips still connected with each other‘s, engulfed in a passionate kiss. In moments, Rose’s nightgown was off, and the two lovers were making love, both were taken to the stars—a world of their own—while their intimate love was expressed in the night.

*****

Rose felt the brightness of the sun creeping through their bedroom window, awakening her from her deep, relaxing slumber in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Blinking her eyes, she looked around, catching a glimpse of the clock that hung on the wall across from the room, seeing that it was ten minutes past nine. She groaned and stretched in Jack’s loving embrace. A yawn escaped her lips, and she put a hand over her mouth. When attending finishing school, she had always been taught to be polite and was accustomed to the manners that she had grown to learn. Feeling the thin sheet covering her naked body, she carefully got out of Jack’s embrace, picked up the robe that was lying on the chair, and wrapped it around herself, tying the sash. She turned around and heard Jack muttering sleepily to himself before he turned over, falling back asleep. Rose smiled, shaking her head and walking out of the bedroom, going towards the kitchen.

As Rose pulled the door closed, she was startled to find Fabrizio standing in the middle of the room, crisp and clean, a bright smile on his face. Rose put a hand on her chest, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to relax her nerves.

"Buon giorno, la bella Rosa!" Fabrizio greeted happily, his arms spread out before him, his eyes shining joyfully.

"Good morning, Fabrizio," Rose said, a calm smile on her face.

"Did I frighten you, bella?" Fabrizio asked, his eyes shining with concern.

"A little bit," Rose said, smiling. "I just didn’t see you there—that’s all."

"I’m ‘a sorry, la bella Rosa," Fabrizio said apologetically. "I did not mean to ‘a scare you like that."

Rose smiled. "It’s all right," Rose said, walking towards him. "I hope you came back here all right. You were gone all night."

"Sì," Fabrizio said. "I was ‘a walking around the park when I bump into someone."

Rose noticed the twinkle in his eye. "Someone?" Rose asked, teasing him. "Is this someone special?"

"Forse," Fabrizio said, looking at her innocently. "Maybe…" he translated for her, seeing her perplexed expression.

Rose smiled and headed towards the kitchen. "Well, I’m going to make breakfast," Rose said, walking through the door. "I’m sure you’re hungry."

"Sì," Fabrizio said. "Io ho fame." Fabrizio put a hand over his stomach.

"Well, then," Rose said. "I assume that you are." Rose disappeared into the kitchen, Fabrizio right behind her.

Rose began preparing their breakfast. She took out a few eggs and cracked them into a bowl, adding some salt and whisking them together. She pulled out a pan from the cabinet under the sink and set it atop the stove, turning on the gas and waiting for the pan to heat up. Once it was heated, Rose poured the eggs into the pan and immediately began stirring them with a fork, making scrambled eggs. Rose held her breath, beginning to feel nauseous at the aroma of the cooked eggs. Rose scraped the eggs into a bowl, setting it on the table to cool. Next, she went to the icebox and pulled out a few sausages from a package, setting them in the pan as well. Moments later, the room was filled with the aroma of the freshly cooked sausages. Rose shut off the gas and put the sausages on a separate plate, which she set on the table along with some plates and silverware. She went to the icebox, where she pulled out a pitcher of orange juice and set it on the table with three empty glasses. In that moment, Rose continued to feel nauseous and clapped a hand over her mouth, running out of the kitchen and into the bathroom, hunching over the toilet and vomiting.

After a few minutes of sitting there to calm herself, she flushed the toilet and got up to rinse her mouth out. After she had done so, she put a hand on her forehead and closed her eyes, hoping that the morning sickness would come to an end soon, for she didn’t enjoy throwing up every morning. She took a few relaxing breaths before leaving the bathroom to go through the parlor. Once there, she sat down on the couch and waited, feeling the nausea slowly fade away. Rose pulled the robe closer around her, putting a hand on her lower abdomen. A relaxed smile came over her face, thinking of what her unborn child would look like when it was born. Closing her eyes, she envisioned her child running around happily, Jack and herself standing behind him or her, herself cuddled in his arms, which were wrapped around her waist. She hoped that her son or daughter would be healthy and happy, for she knew that her child would be welcomed warmly into the world by its two loving parents and by the one grandmother it had. She also knew that Annie and Michael would welcome her child. Rose sat there and just thought of how her life had changed in two months, and how glad she was to be Jack’s wife.

Chapter Thirty-Seven
Stories