LOVE THAT NEVER FADES
Chapter Thirty-Eight

Jack emerged from Benjamin’s office, his eyebrows raised. Rose turned in her seat and stood up, wondering what was wrong. She looked into his blue eyes and found that they were content and shone with love. Rose felt his arms wrap around her as she put both hands on his chest, looking into his eyes.

"Well, is everything all right?" Rose asked.

Jack smiled and chuckled. "Everything’s perfectly fine," Jack said, a smile on his face.

"What did Ben want?" Rose asked. "If you don’t mind my asking."

"Of course not," Jack said, tucking a red curl behind her ear. "Ben raised my salary, and he said that he was glad that you’re working here and that you’re a pleasure to have around at the gallery."

"Well," Rose said, smiling. "I’m happy to be here. And as for your raise in your salary, I’m happy for you. I really am. You’re making your dream come true, little by little."

Jack smiled and leaned in, bringing her into a kiss that lasted for less than a minute.

"If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here right now," Jack said, pressing his forehead against hers.

"What have I done to cause you to be here?" Rose asked, looking at him.

"You encouraged me," Jack said. "No one, besides my parents, ever encouraged me to hold onto my dream, and that means so much to me that you care, and…" Jack couldn’t find anything else to say, so he pulled her into another kiss, pressing her body as close as her pregnant stomach would allow. When he pulled away moments later, Jack looked into her eyes. "What’s your dream?"

Rose smiled, her eyes twinkling. "I’ve always wanted to be an actress," Rose said. "To be up on stage and perform in front of people that I don’t know, and to explore the world and see where my dream would take me, but—"

"But what?" Jack asked, looking at her.

Rose sighed. "But," Rose began. She looked into his eyes, a small, gentle smile on her face. "I have this baby growing inside me, and I don’t want anything—" Rose stopped as Jack put two fingers upon her kiss-bruised lips.

"Rose," Jack said, his voice soft and encouraging. "I know you want to act. I can see it in your eyes, and if you think that that baby inside you will stop you from following your dream, you’re wrong."

"Jack, I highly doubt that a director would hire a woman who is expecting," Rose said, looking at him. "Especially now that I’m starting to show. Maybe if I had begun to look in my earlier months, maybe then a director would have hired me, but I waited too long, and now it’s too late."

"Rose, it’s never too late to follow your dreams," Jack said. "If you want to be an actress, then go on and be an actress. I’m sure some director will hire you, and if they don’t, then they don’t know what they’re missing."

Rose smiled at him and cuddled closer into his arms. "What would they be missing, Jack?" Rose asked, looking at him from her position.

"Well, they won’t be able to meet the most beautiful woman alive, nor will they ever get to have the chance to see your free-spirited personality, or see how talented you really are," Jack said. Jack looked at her and smiled. "I remember that afternoon when we were out on the deck of the Titanic, and you noticed a man carrying a camera. I saw the light shining in your eyes. I saw the longing and the adventurous spirit inside you. When you performed in front of the man, you made me realize your talent, and how wonderful you would appear up on stage." Jack looked into her eyes with deep love and passion. "Rose, if you believe that being an actress will make you happy, then go for it. Make your dream come true. Maybe we can make our dreams come true together. I want to be a professional artist, while you want to be a talented actress. If we work on our dreams, then maybe they will come true."

"You really think so, Jack?" Rose asked.

"I know so," Jack said, kissing her nose.

Rose smiled brightly, wrapped her arms around Jack’s neck, and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Thank you," Rose whispered in his ear.

Jack smiled and returned the loving hug. "You’re welcome," Jack whispered back. He looked into her eyes and pressed his lips against her forehead, putting his chin atop her head and holding her close. "I love you, Rose. I love you so much."

Rose smiled and clutched at him. "I love you, too, Jack," Rose said. "More than anything in the world."

*****

Two hours passed, and it was close to one o’clock in the afternoon. Jack and Rose were on their forty minute break, so they walked up the block from the art gallery, holding hands, and headed towards a small café that was a few stores away from them. Rose put a hand on her swollen stomach, looking at the afternoon sky. A small smile came over her lips as she walked beside her husband, her hand in his. She had never realized that her life could be as wonderful as it was now. They walked across the street, stopping in front of the café.

"So, are you hungry?" Jack asked, looking at Rose.

Rose smiled and looked at her stomach. "I suppose I am," Rose said.

"Well, let’s go and eat, then," Jack said, pulling open the door for Rose.

Rose smiled and walked ahead of him, stepping into the small café, followed by Jack, who now stood beside her.

"C’mon," Jack said, leading her towards a table that had two seats, and pulled out a chair for Rose, who sat down with a smile. He went to the opposite side and took a seat himself, picking up the menu. "What would you like?" Jack looked at her.

Rose picked up the menu and opened it, looking through the delicacies that were listed.

"Um…I would like a cup of tea and a slice of cheesecake," Rose said, reading her choices from the menu.

"Okay," Jack said, nodding his head and making his own decision when the waitress walked towards them.

"May I take your orders?" the waitress asked, getting ready to take their orders.

"Yeah…uh…I would like the slice of apple pie with whipped cream," Jack said, reading from the menu. "With a glass of milk…"

"Okay," the waitress said, scribbling down the order. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, a slice of cheesecake and a cup of tea for her, please," Jack said, smiling at the waitress, who smiled back at him.

"Your order will be ready in a few minutes," the waitress said, heading towards the kitchen.

Jack looked at Rose and smiled, reaching across the table and taking her hand in his.

"So, are you gonna go audition for some parts?" Jack asked, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

Rose looked at him. She looked at their hands and gripped them a bit tighter. "Well, I’m not sure yet, but I would like to. I still don’t think directors would be hiring pregnant woman," Rose said, her eyes locked with his.

"Well, it couldn’t hurt to try," Jack said.

Rose smiled, looking down. No one had ever encouraged her to follow her dream, besides her father. Her mother usually told her that people who wanted to join the entertainment world were poor and were prostitutes, but her father had always told her to follow her heart, no matter what other people said, and to become a famous actress if she wanted to be. Rose looked at Jack and felt her smile grow, finding his eyes shining with love and determination.

"Rose, I know you can do it," Jack said. "I believe in you. You would make an amazing actress. I know it."

"Thank you, Jack," Rose said, her voice soft and calm.

"You’re welcome," Jack said. "So, are you gonna go for auditions?" Jack looked at her.

Rose looked at their hands and sighed. "I’ll see, Jack. I’m still doubtful that any director will hire a pregnant woman, and I feel pretty comfortable with working in the art gallery with you…I just don’t want anything bad to happen to this baby," Rose said, looking at him. "You really want me to be an actress, don’t you?" Rose gazed into his blue eyes.

"Of course," Jack said. "It’s your dream. You’re living here to do what you want with life. As much as I don‘t want anything to happen to you, or the baby, I want you to fulfill your dream, and become an actress if you want to. Remember what I said, Rose. Life’s a gift, so don’t waste it. You never know what hand you’re gonna be dealt next. You gotta learn to take life as it comes at ya, and make each day count. And Rose, you’re gonna be an actress. I know you are."

Rose just sat there, listening to his words. He was right. Just because she was pregnant didn’t mean that she couldn’t follow her dream of becoming an actress. Sure, when she was in her later months, she’d have to take some time off, but she was still in her early months, and it wouldn’t hurt to take small roles in plays. And she would be making each day count—just as Jack had before he met her. He was still making each day count while he was married to her—making his dream come true, and helping Rose’s dream come true, as well. Rose looked at Jack and broadened her smile.

"I guess I’ll check on some parts by the theaters. Maybe they have some part for me," Rose said, her hand holding his in a firm, loving grip.

Jack smiled and leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. "That’s the Rose I know," Jack said, sitting back down, a smile on his face. Just as he sat down, the waitress came towards their table with a tray filled with their orders.

"Enjoy," the waitress said after she set their orders in front of them, and left to help another customer, leaving Jack and Rose some privacy.

Jack forked the apple pie and brought it to his lips, chewing. He looked over at Rose, who was nibbling on the piece of cheesecake that she had on her fork. He smiled at her, drinking some of the milk in the glass.

"Want some?" Jack asked, pointing his fork at the apple pie and looking at Rose.

"Only if you take some of mine," Rose said, smiling.

"Sounds like a fair deal," Jack said, digging his fork into the slice of apple pie, pulling a big chunk of the pie onto the fork, putting some of the whipped cream on it, and bringing it to Rose, holding his hand under the fork. He got up and leaned closer to her, urging Rose to open her mouth.

Rose smiled and opened her mouth wide enough for Jack to put the piece of pie in it. She felt Jack slide the fork out of her mouth and sit back down, smiling at her and watching her chew the pie. Rose smiled and nodded.

"Mmm…this is delicious, I have to say," Rose said after she swallowed. She looked at her cheesecake, forked a big piece of it, and got up, going around the table and standing beside him. "Open wide, baby boy." Rose smiled, holding out the forkful of cheesecake in front of him.

Jack smiled and did as he was told, tasting the cake in his mouth as Rose slid the fork out of his mouth. He chewed and nodded his head.

"Not bad," Jack said, swallowing. He picked up the glass of milk and took a sip.

Rose smiled and took her seat across from him, continuing eating the cheesecake, while Jack finished his apple pie.

When they had finished their meal, although it was more of a dessert, Jack called the waitress and paid their bill. Afterwards, Jack and Rose left the café and headed back towards the art gallery, where they already had a few customers waiting for them. Rose went behind the counter, Jack standing behind her. One of the customers walked towards them and smiled.

"May I have a portrait done of my two little girls?" The woman with ebony black hair that was pulled back into a bun said. She turned, revealing identical twins with ebony-colored hair and pure green eyes.

Jack smiled and nodded. "Sure," Jack said. "Come this way." Jack led the three towards the drawing room and looked at Rose. He smiled and mouthed I love you before he disappeared into the room to do a portrait of the twin girls.

Rose smiled and turned to take care of the other customers.

"How may I help you?" Rose asked as a teenage boy who looked to be about her age came towards her. He had blonde hair and crystal clear blue eyes—like Jack--and stood about two inches taller than Rose.

"Do you have any portfolios?" the boy asked.

"Yes, we do," Rose said, smiling and crouching down to take out several portfolios, and lay them out on the top of the counter.

The boy examined each portfolio until he finally made a decision. He chose the dark brown leather portfolio that had a slot for a charcoal pencil.

"How much will that be?" the boy asked, reaching into his pocket for some change.

"Five dollars," Rose said. "This is the most expensive one in the gallery."

"Okay," the boys said, pulling out a five dollar bill from his pocket. "Here." He extended his hand.

Rose took the bill and put it in the cash drawer, sliding it closed.

"Would you like a bag with that?" Rose asked.

"No. Thank you, though," the boy said.

"All right, then," Rose said. "Hope you come back again."

"I will," the boy said, smiling. "Bye." With that, the teenage boy pulled open the door and disappeared up the block.

*****

Jack held the door open for Rose. They had just gotten home from work. The day had gone by pretty fast for the two lovers, as plenty of customers had come to have their portraits done as well as purchase a few paintings or drawings either made by Jack or some other artist. Now, at five minutes past four in the afternoon, the two were ready to relax on the couch and cuddle in each other’s arms. Rose stepped into the apartment, followed by Jack, who closed and locked the door behind him.

Rose made her way towards the couch, sitting down and looking at Jack, a smile on her face. She patted the space beside her, urging him to sit, her eyes twinkling with seduction and love. She watched Jack smile and make his way towards her, falling onto the couch, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, and looking into her eyes.

"So," Rose said, intertwining her hand with Jack’s. "What should we do now?" Rose looked into his deep blue eyes and smiled.

Jack returned the smile and pulled Rose closer to him, feeling his fingers brush against hers and gazing into her eyes with deep love and passion.

"Just sit here," Jack said. "And enjoy being in each other’s arms…unless you have something else planned for the afternoon…"

"Well, I did have something else planned…probably something that involves much love and a man like you," Rose said, caressing his fingers lovingly. "But if you would rather sit here, then that will be acceptable."

Jack smiled and held her in a piercing gaze that made Rose feel a warm sensation flow through her body.

"I’ll take you up on your offer instead," Jack said, smiling mischievously, leaning in, and bringing her into a long, passionate kiss.

Rose responded to his kiss and pulled herself into a comfortable position, clutching his shirt, while Jack hovered over her, both undressing themselves. Within minutes, the two were making love, becoming one and heading towards the stars, a world where only they could visit. A world where only their love mattered and where their pleasures were fulfilled. They were in a world of love.

Chapter Thirty-Nine
Stories