LOVE THAT NEVER FADES
Chapter Forty

Jack and Rose were now lying in their bed after having celebrated Jack’s twenty-first birthday. It was now 10:30 at night, and the two were rather exhausted. They had eaten their share of the cake that Rose had made—which Jack had said was the best cake he had ever had—and they had sat around, telling childhood stories and such. The guests had given Jack their gifts, and Jack had loved every one of them. Ruth and Patricia had bought him a new pair of trousers and a shirt, along with suspenders. He also had been given a new coat by Ruth, and Jack thanked them both. Jimmy had gotten him a new pair of shoes for work instead of the boots that Jack always wore. Jack could have gotten himself a pair of shoes if he had wanted to, but he never was the kind of man who shopped for clothing, so he had never bothered to purchase them. Jack was glad to have a new pair of shoes instead of having to wear those heavy boots that he had worn ever since they had moved to New York. Jack was kind of getting tired of wearing them and having to drag his feet as he walked. Fabrizio and Angelina had gotten him an Italian hat, inside which was written Jack e Fabrizio—fratelli per vita, which translated as Jack and Fabrizio—brothers for life. Jack had loved their gift and had given them hugs and thanked them lovingly. Michael had given him one hundred dollars, telling Jack that he didn’t know what to get for him, and had told him that he wouldn’t take the money back. After much thought, and much convincing by Michael, Jack had reluctantly thanked Michael and had given him a handshake. Lastly, Annie had given Jack her gift, and he had opened it and smiled, finding that it was a black and white photo of him, Rose, Annie, and Michael in the park. Jack had thanked Annie and said that he loved the photo and was glad to have her as a friend. Jack had given her a hug and a soft kiss on the cheek.

Now, Jack and Rose cuddled against each other, enjoying each other’s presence. Rose stroked her large middle and felt the baby kick. She gasped and turned to Jack, smiling. Jack looked at her, a worried look on his face. Rose smiled, took his hand, and placed it on her middle at the spot that the baby had kicked. Her eyes twinkled, looking into Jack’s eyes.

"It kicked," Rose said, her voice soft and thoughtful, her eyes glistening with tears.

Jack smiled, feeling the baby kick from within her abdomen. His fingers were spread over her stomach, brushing against her fingers while he looked into her eyes, his eyes shining and his smile brightening his face. The kick from his unborn child had given him proof that the baby existed and that he would become a father in two months. The baby seemed to have a strong kick when his hand was gently pressed over the spot. His eyes filled with tears, looking at his wife.

"It kicked…" Jack said, his voice soft. "Oh, Rose…that’s our baby in there…our baby."

"Yes, Jack," Rose said, smiling at him and holding his hand in hers. "It’s our baby." Jack took his other hand and put it on her cheek, his thumb caressing her smooth skin. He leaned in and pressed his lips firmly against hers, bringing her into a passionate kiss that grew in intensity and love as Jack brought Rose closer. He held her body close, feeling her middle press against his, feeling the baby kick again.

Rose suddenly remembered that she had to give Jack her gift, so she pulled away. She watched his eyes pleading for her to let him romance her. Rose smiled and got up from the bed with difficulty from her enlarged middle.

"You have opened everyone else’s gift," Rose said, lifting the wrapped box from the dresser. "But you seem to have forgotten to open mine." Rose waddled back towards the bed, sliding under the covers and holding out the small box.

Jack smiled, taking the gift in his hands and sitting up more comfortably. "What is it?" Jack asked, looking at Rose, his eyes shining.

"Open it and find out," Rose said, watching him smile at her, then rip the paper from the box.

Jack removed the wrapping paper from the white box that held his gift. He looked at Rose one more time before he removed the lid from the box. His smile grew, seeing his name engraved on the cover of the gold pocket watch. He looked at Rose and smiled. This had to be the most valuable thing he had ever been given in his life.

"Rose…" Jack said, his voice soft, looking at the watch. "It’s beautiful…"

"Open the cover," Rose said, smiling.

"There’s more?" Jack asked, doing what he was told, and felt tears well up in his eyes as he read the inscription. He looked at Rose, then scooted closer to her, his lips firmly pressed against hers, kissing her with the intensity and love that was inside him, and ran his fingers through her red curls, taking Rose’s breath away with their kiss. When they pulled apart, both tried to catch their breath. "Rose…I love it…it’s probably the best birthday present that I have ever received in my lifetime…and it’s special to me—especially since it comes from you, and I’ll cherish this gift with all my heart and soul…Rose, this has been, by far, the best birthday that I have ever had in my life, and I want to thank you for remembering this day."

Rose smiled and caressed his cheek. "I’ll never forget this day, Jack," Rose reassured him. "You’re my husband, and I love you with all my heart. Nothing and no one will ever come between us…I promise you. You’re special to me, Jack, and you have done everything for me…it’s my turn to do something for you." Rose’s eyes shone brightly as she smiled. "I love you, Jack. Remember that. My love for you will never die. I assure you. It will last forever."

Jack smiled and put the watch on the nightstand beside him, moving the box aside. He looked at her and smiled.

"I certainly hope so…" Jack said, closing the space between them with an intense kiss. As they kissed, Jack turned off the lamp beside Rose, and in that moment, Jack brought Rose into a world that only they could visit. He took her to the stars with all the love and passion that he had, expressing his love for her physically and intimately.

*****

At daybreak the next day, the two lovers were cuddled in each other’s arms, sound asleep. The comforter covered their bare bodies as the chirping of birds came from outside the window while Jack and Rose were sleeping. Rose’s head rested on Jack’s bare chest while his arm was wrapped around her shoulders. His chin was atop her head, his eyes closed and his hair tousled. The sunshine crept into their room, brightening everything, causing Rose to stir within Jack’s embrace. A hand went over her eyes, shielding them from the bright sunshine. Rose’s eyes slowly began to open, trying to get them focused in the bright room. She yawned and brought a hand to cover her mouth in the polite way that she had learned in finishing school. While she did that, she felt a firm kick inside her middle, and her hand pressed against it as she smiled.

"Okay, little one," Rose whispered. "Mommy’s going to go eat now…"

Rose carefully pulled away from Jack’s embrace, picking up her nightgown and covering her nude body. She waddled out of the room and into the kitchen, where she began preparing breakfast for herself and for Jack, who was still asleep. It was Friday, the fifth of November, and they would leave for work in two hours, for it was six o’clock in the morning and they had to be at the gallery by nine o’clock. Rose prepared a simple breakfast, consisting of scrambled eggs and sausages. After Rose had cooked the food, she set it on a plate and brought it to the table, going to the icebox and taking out a pitcher of orange juice, along with two empty glasses. After she made sure everything was on the table, she brought out two forks and set them beside their plates, taking a seat and waiting for Jack to wake up. Usually he would wake up right after she prepared breakfast, but this time, he didn’t come. Rose decided to wait for a few more minutes, and if he didn’t come, she would go and wake him up.

Minutes passed, and Jack didn’t emerge from the bedroom. Sighing, Rose got up and walked to the bedroom door, opening it to find Jack sprawled across the bed, sound asleep. Rose smiled and shook her head, slowly making her way towards the bed, and taking a seat, and shaking Jack. He still didn’t wake up, but he mumbled something in his sleep and turned to his side, his hand on her leg.

"Jack…" Rose said, shaking him again. He still hadn’t woken up. Suddenly, a thought came to her mind, and she smiled. "Oh, my God, Jack! The baby’s coming!" Rose tried to make her voice sound as nervous as possible, and in seconds, Jack sat up abruptly and looked at her.

"W-what?" Jack asked, his eyes wide.

Rose smiled and stroked her stomach. "I thought that would wake you up," Rose said, her eyes twinkling.

Jack sighed and gave her a small smile. "What time is it?" Jack asked, rubbing his eyes.

"It’s 6:30," Rose said.

"In the morning?" Jack asked, his voice hoarse.

"No, in the evening, Jack," Rose said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Jack chuckled and leaned over to her, giving her a morning kiss. "Hope you slept well," Jack said, smiling.

Rose smiled. "I slept well enough," Rose said. "Only this little one inside me kept on kicking, and wouldn’t let me get a good night’s sleep…" Her hand caressed her swollen middle.

Jack laughed, scooting over to her and dragging the sheets that covered him from the waist down, and put both of his hands over her stomach. He pressed his forehead to her middle, whispering to his unborn child.

"Listen," Jack whispered. "You have to let your mom sleep…or else she won’t have any energy to bring you to the world. Now, Daddy loves you, and so does Mommy, but you gotta let her relax…"

Rose smiled, watching Jack speak to their unborn child. She felt his fingers caress her middle as he looked at her. Rose felt him wrap his arms around her, kissing her with all the passion and love that was in him. No matter how many times they had shared these kisses, the next one was always as powerful as the first, and was always as intense and loving as the others. Rose remembered that their breakfast was sitting on the table, so she pulled away and gazed into his eyes.

"Oh, no, you don’t, Mr. Dawson," Rose said, putting a hand over his bare chest. "You are not about to distract me with your loving kisses. There’s breakfast sitting on the table, waiting to be eaten, and if we don’t eat it now, it’s going to get cold, and let me warn you, I’m not going to reheat it…"

Jack’s eyes pleaded as he pouted. "Please?" Jack begged.

Rose laughed and got up, pulling her robe tightly around her body. "Not this time, Jack," Rose said. "We had our fun last night, and if you want, we can have more fun tonight, but we have to eat our breakfast and get ready for work. We wouldn’t want to be late, now, would we?"

"Aw, but Rose!" Jack whined. "There’s still two hours left until we have to go, and…"

Rose laughed and held Jack back. "Now, Jack…be a good boy, and listen to Mommy‘s orders…" Rose said, holding back the giggle that was threatening to escape her lips.

Jack laughed, sitting back. "Okay, Mom!" Jack said, laughing.

Rose got up and walked towards the door. She stopped, then turned around, facing Jack.

"Now, go put something on, and let’s eat," Rose said. "I’m sure you’re not planning on eating breakfast in the nude…"

Jack’s eyes shone as he looked at Rose. "Well, what if I am?" Jack asked, his lopsided smile causing Rose’s knees to grow weak.

Rose clutched the doorway, taking a deep breath. "Well, then. Suit yourself…" Rose said, turning and walking towards the kitchen, leaving Jack alone on the bed.

"Rose!" Jack said, climbing out of bed and walking towards his pants in the nude. He slipped them on, hopping towards the door until he finally had gotten his pants buttoned. "Wait for me!" Jack called out, then stubbed his toe on the doorframe. "Ah…shit!" Jack lifted his foot and held onto his big toe, his face twisting in pain.

Rose heard Jack cry out in pain, so she hurried towards the parlor, where she saw Jack hopping around, holding his big toe. She saw his face scrunched up in pain, and couldn’t help but smile. He looked like a little five-year-old when he hopped around.

"Are you all right?" Rose asked, leaning against the wall and looking at Jack, a smile on her face.

Jack looked at her and put his foot down, feeling the pain subside. He smiled and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah, I’m fine," Jack said, walking towards her. "Just stubbed my toe on the doorframe…"

Rose smiled and shook her head. "Well, be careful next time," Rose said, stepping inside the kitchen, sitting down in a chair, and beginning to eat.

Jack smiled and followed her, pulling out a chair and sitting next to her.

"Well, it’s your fault!" Jack said, smiling at her as he began forking up the scrambled eggs.

Rose looked at him and set her fork down, smiling. "My fault?" Rose asked, pointing to herself.

"Yeah," Jack said, the smile still on his face. "If you had just stayed, I wouldn’t have stubbed my toe…"

"Well, if you had woken up earlier, maybe you wouldn’t have stubbed your precious toe!" Rose pointed out, her face brightening with a smile.

Jack laughed and looked at his food, putting some eggs in his mouth.

"You just keep on smiling, Mrs. Dawson," Jack said, his mouth full. "You’re gonna get it tonight!"

Rose laughed. "Oh, I can’t wait!" Rose said. "And don’t talk with your mouth full! That’s disgusting!"

"What’s so disgusting about it?" Jack asked innocently, looking at her.

"I don’t want to see what you’re eating!" Rose added, looking at her food.

"Okay, Mom!" Jack said, smiling and continuing to eat, this time obeying Rose’s orders.

Rose laughed and just continued eating her breakfast, satisfying her appetite, and took a sip of the orange juice that was in her glass. Minutes later, Jack had finished as well and pushed his plate aside, leaning back in the chair.

"That was delicious!" Jack admitted, rubbing his stomach.

Rose smiled. "Thank you," Rose said, getting up and gathering up the dishes. She was stopped by Jack.

"No," Jack said, putting a hand over hers. "I’ve got it…you did enough already, and besides, I don’t want you to do all the work…" Jack took the dishes from her hands and put them in the sink, turning on the faucet.

Rose smiled, walking towards him. "You know, any wife would kill to have a husband like you," Rose said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Jack smiled, looking at her. "Well, I was always taught to help and not sit and be lazy…my mom made sure that I knew how to be responsible," Jack said, putting a plate in the drying rack. "Besides, I couldn’t just watch you do all the work…I’m not that kind of guy. I like to help, and besides, you’ve done everything for me…and you’re carrying our child, so I think I can help you do some chores…" Jack scrubbed another plate until it was clean.

Rose smiled and put a kiss on his cheek. "That’s one of the things I love most about you," Rose said, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Well, I’ll go take a bath and get dressed for work…I’ll see you in a short while."

"I’ll be waiting!" Jack said, watching Rose walk out of the kitchen and towards the bathroom to take a bath. Jack smiled and continued washing the dishes.

Rose walked towards the bathroom, filling the tub with warm water and adding the bubble powder until she saw bubbles forming in the tub. Once she had that done, she set the bottle down and removed her robe, carefully getting into the warm water and leaning back. She shut off the running water and relaxed in the warmth, the bubbles cleaning her. As she lay there, she felt the baby kick. She smiled and stroked her middle gently, scrubbing herself with soap. As she was taking her bath, she heard a gentle knock on the door. Rose looked up and smiled.

"Yes?" Rose called out, setting the soap aside.

"Mind if I join you?" Jack asked through the door.

Rose smiled. "Not at all," Rose said, moving forward.

Jack opened the door and smiled as he saw Rose sitting in the tub, smiling at him. Jack shut the door behind himself and removed his pants, getting into the tub behind Rose and wrapping his arms around her middle.

"Mmm," Jack said, pressing his cheek against hers. "This feels good…bathing with you…"

Rose smiled and leaned her head back, allowing Jack to caress her middle.

"Why, of course…" Rose said. "As it has always been."

Jack chuckled and pressed his lips against her cheek. "Well, what do you expect, when I’m helping the woman I love clean herself up?"

Rose’s smile grew. "Well, I’d be honored to be bathed by the man I love," Rose said, craning her neck back at him and smiling.

Jack leaned in and pressed his lips firmly onto hers, sharing a tender kiss. Once they pulled apart, Jack took hold of the soap and rubbed it onto her back, his hands brushing against her smooth skin. He gave her back a firm but gentle massage, hearing Rose moan lightly, leaning her head back. Jack smiled and continued to rub Rose’s back, soothing her tense muscles.

"Your touch always seems to relax my body," Rose whispered, feeling Jack’s hands firmly press against her back, her body relaxing under his touch. "It’s as if your hands were magical…"

Jack smiled, continuing to massage her back. "Well, I’ll do anything for the woman I love…just to see her happy," Jack said, rinsing the soap from her body.

"I’m glad to have been able to fall in love with you," Rose said, twisting her neck to look at him, seeing his smile growing and his blue eyes gazing at her.

"Me, too," Jack said, giving her a tender kiss on the lips.

*****

The two washed each other, and in minutes, they had finished bathing. After they had finished, they dried themselves off and got dressed in their day clothes. It was 8:30 when they completely finished getting ready and Rose, with Jack’s help, made the bed. Jack and Rose took their coats from the coat rack and slipped them on. Jack took his portfolio, which was on the side table, finally realizing that he hadn’t finished the drawing that he had promised himself he’d finish. Sighing, he tucked the portfolio under his arm, opening the door and waiting for Rose to go ahead of him. Once they were out of the apartment, Jack shut the door and locked it, slipping the key into his pocket and following Rose downstairs and out of the apartment building. As they reached the sidewalk, Jack felt Rose’s hand slip into his, and he smiled at her. The two took their time walking, savoring each other’s touch while they headed towards the art gallery.

When they were halfway there, Jack stopped and held onto Rose’s wrist, causing her to turn around and face him. Rose walked towards him, feeling Jack’s hands brushing against her waist. She smiled and felt the world around her vanish as she gazed into the depths of his piercing blue eyes. She felt her heart flutter, warmth enveloping her body. Jack’s lips pressed against her forehead as he pulled her into a hug. Rose smiled, returned the embrace, and held him as close as her bulging stomach would allow. When they pulled apart, they gazed into each other’s eyes and smiled.

"Hmm," Rose said, closing her eyes. "What was that for?"

"No reason…" Jack said. "Just to let you know that I will always love you."

Rose smiled. "Jack, I’ll always know that you love me. There’s nothing more for you to do to prove it to me," Rose said, sliding her hand into his. "Now, let’s get going before we’re late!"

Jack chuckled and let Rose lead him towards the art gallery, where they found Benjamin putting some new drawings on the shelves. Jack pushed open the door, letting Rose go ahead of him and following behind her, hearing the bell jingle as they entered the gallery. They saw Benjamin turn to them, smiling.

"Well, I see everything’s better than it was yesterday," Benjamin said, setting a drawing on a shelf.

"Yeah," Jack said, looking at Rose. "Seems that Rose knew all along. She just wanted to surprise me."

Benjamin smiled. "See? You were worried about nothing…seriously, Jack, you should know that Rose won’t forget your birthday," Benjamin said, patting him on the shoulder.

Jack smiled and nodded. "I should’ve known that Rose wouldn’t forget," Jack said. "I guess I thought of myself more than I should’ve."

"Ah…don’t worry about it too much," Benjamin said. "Seems to me that Rose loves ya just the same."

"I do," Rose said, leaning against Jack’s arm and holding his hand. "Probably more than I ever did before. My love grows for him every day that I’m with him."

"There ya go, Jack," Benjamin said, setting the box on the floor. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Rose loves you, and that’s all that matters. Now, why don’t you go on and work on your drawings as you usually do? I’m sure Rose will be glad to put these drawings in their places."

Rose smiled and nodded. "Sure would," Rose said, letting go of Jack. She pressing her lips against his forehead. "See you on our break, Jack."

"Okay…" Jack said, heading towards the drawing studio. He turned and looked back at Rose, winking at her.

Rose smiled, her eyes twinkling. She waved to him and watched as he disappeared into the room. Rose shook her head, picked up one of the drawings that was in the box, and placed it on a shelf, feeling Benjamin’s eyes burning into her skin. She turned to him and smiled.

"I have to say that you remind me of Ellen, and Jack reminds me of myself," Benjamin said, a faraway look in his eyes. "I loved Ellen with all my heart—probably loved her more than I should have…"

"What happened to her?" Rose asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"She died…" Benjamin said, his voice sounding as if he were about to shed tears. "She died giving birth to my daughter, Lucy, who has returned from Cedar Rapids with her new fiancé. She’s the only daughter I have, and after Ellen, I didn’t bother to remarry."

"Oh…" Rose said, feeling guilty about reminding him of his loss. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked…I do apologize." Rose turned, lifting a drawing from the box and looking at it, her eyes filling with tears.

"No, no," Benjamin said, his voice composed and calm. "It’s all right, really. There’s no need for you to feel guilty over anything. She passed away twenty-five years ago, so I’m kind of used to it…but I still miss her as if she passed on yesterday…" Benjamin’s eyes held a longing that Rose had never seen before. "Well, I’ll leave you alone to do your job…I’ll be in my office if you need me." With that, Benjamin opened the door to his office and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

Rose looked at the door with guilty eyes. She sighed and turned around, continuing to shelve the drawings.

How can you remind the man of what he lost? How can you be so cruel and just rub it in his face? Rose, you can be so selfish sometimes, letting your curiosity get the better of you. How can you ask about something that isn’t your business and let the man get hurt? Don’t you care about other people, or do you only care about yourself? How would you like it if someone reminded you of someone you lost? What if your precious Jack hadn’t lived? Would you have been able to live with the painful memories? How can you have been so dimwitted? Rose’s mind yelled at her, which caused her tears to overflow. Rose put a hand over her chest, letting out a short cry while she closed her eyes. She felt her tears slide down her cheeks, landing on the fabric of her dress. Looking up, she noticed that some customers were heading towards the gallery, so she quickly wiped away her tears, kept herself composed, and decided to use her high society ability to hide her feelings from those around her. Once she heard the door open, Rose picked up one last drawing from the box and set it on the shelf, turning around to face a girl about her age with brown curls and deep green eyes. She looked to be about an inch taller than Rose and had a bright smile on her face. Rose pressed her lips together, swallowing back the lump that had formed in her throat. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, keeping her composure. She put on a forced smile, walking towards the customer, her hands resting on her bulging middle.

"May I help you?" Rose asked, her voice a bit hoarse. Rose cleared her throat and sighed. "Is there anything you need?" Rose’s voice was more clear than before.

"Why, yes," the brunette said. "I would like to purchase a painting or two…it’s a gift for my boyfriend…"

"Oh, well," Rose said, turning her head towards the paintings that sat on the shelves. "We have plenty of paintings over there that you might like…" Rose pointed towards the paintings. "You may go over there and look them over. When you’re finished choosing, let me know."

"Okay," she said, smiling and heading in the direction Rose had pointed, examining the many paintings that were displayed.

Rose sighed, continuing to unpack the drawings from the box and neatly putting them on the shelves where they belonged. Once she had completed her task, she uncomfortably bent down and lifted the empty box, waddling towards the counter and setting the box beside the office door. She pulled over a chair and took a seat, gently stroking her middle and watching the brunette look over some of the painting that were displayed. She watched as she picked one up off the shelf and examined it closely before shaking her head and putting it back in the spot she had picked it up from. She had been doing that for five minutes, and Rose decided to help her. Rose got up with a bit of a difficulty and waddled towards the girl.

"Do you need help?" Rose asked.

The brunette looked into Rose’s eyes and smiled sheepishly. "I guess I do," she said. "It’s hard for me to choose the perfect one for him, and none of these seem to satisfy me…"

"Well, what does he like?" Rose asked.

"The outdoors," she said. "He loves the ocean, and the sky…I was looking for something that would look realistic, as if it were taken by a camera instead of painted, but none of these seem to be that way…"

"I might be able to help you," Rose said, remember a painting Jack had painted a few weeks ago. "Come this way…" Rose led her towards the back of the art gallery, where most of Jack’s paintings were displayed. Jack’s use of color in his paintings was as good as Monet’s, and Rose could see the realism that lay within the picture. Rose lifted a painting from the shelf of waves crashing on the shore as the sun was rising, making the sky glow with shades of red, orange, and pink. Rose’s eyes roamed down to the bottom right hand corner, where she saw the familiar initials on the canvas. She turned to the brunette and showed her the painting. "How does this look?" Rose looked at her, wanting to see her reaction.

"Wow…" she said, gazing at the painting. "This is amazing! Who’s the artist?" She looked at the bottom right hand corner. "Hmm…JD…wonder who that is…"

"Well, his name is Jack Dawson," Rose said, not able to hide the smile that had suddenly spread across her face. "He’s a very fine artist, I should tell you."

"You know him?" the brunette asked, looking at Rose.

"I should say I do," Rose said. "We’re very close friends."

"That’s amazing!" she said. "I wish I knew a real life artist!"

Rose smiled, gazing at the drawing studio and seeing Jack emerge, looking towards the counter as if he were expecting her to be there. Rose smiled and just stayed quiet, watching the teenage girl examining the painting.

"What’s your name?" Rose asked. "If you don’t mind my asking."

"Oh, not at all," the brunette said. "My name is Grace Richards…what’s yours?" Grace looked at Rose and smiled sweetly.

"Rose…" Rose said, smiling.

"That’s a nice name," Grace said, smiling at her.

"So is yours," Rose said, looking over her shoulder and finding Jack looking her way, smiling. Rose smiled back and motioned for him to come. He nodded, then made his way towards her. "Well, Grace…you’re about to meet an artist…" Rose said, smiling at Jack.

"I am?" Grace asked, looking at Rose, perplexed. She turned, following Rose’s gaze, and saw a very handsome man walking towards them. She smiled and saw him gaze towards her.

"Why, hello," Jack said, standing beside Rose, smiling. "I see you have met my beautiful wife…" Jack looked at Rose and smiled.

Rose looked at him and smiled brightly, her eyes twinkling. She looked at Grace.

"Well, Grace," Rose said, putting her hands on his arms. "This is my husband, Jack Dawson—the artist of that painting you’re holding."

"Oh," Grace said, feeling her cheeks grow pink. "It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Dawson. I’ve always wanted to meet an artist…"

Jack smiled and nodded. "Nice to meet you, too…what’s your name again?" Jack asked, as he hadn’t quite heard what her name was.

"Grace," Grace said, rather quickly. "My name is Grace Richards…" Grace smiled sheepishly, blushing.

Jack smiled and put an arm around Rose’s shoulder. Many teenagers that had stopped by had stared at him and smiled, for to them, he was an artist who was tall and good-looking, with blonde hair and deep blue eyes that any girl would kill to gaze into. But no matter how many girls admired him for his looks, he knew that he belonged to no one but Rose. He looked at Grace, who was now looking at the painting she held in her hands.

"Well, I was just gonna see if my wife needed me, but it seems like she’s doing fine," Jack said, looking at Rose, who smiled at him. "So, I’ll leave her to do her job…I’m gonna go back to the drawing studio and finish up that drawing that I was supposed to finish last night…" Jack pressed his lips against Rose’s head and looked at Grace. "It was nice meeting you…" With that, Jack waved and smiled, heading back towards the drawing studio and closing the door behind him.

"You’re lucky," Grace said, smiling. "You’re married to a very handsome artist. You have good taste…"

Rose looked at Grace and shook her head. "I’m not married to him because of his looks…it’s much more than that. Grace, you should know that looks aren’t everything. It’s what’s inside that counts, and I’m sure that you love your boyfriend, else you wouldn’t be here buying him a painting. Grace, let me just tell you something. Don’t go by looks…look deep inside that person, and then you’ll know that that person is made for you. Never go by looks… if you do, your relationship won’t last long," Rose said, looking at Grace. "You’re a very beautiful girl…I’m sure you know better than to like a person for their looks."

Grace smiled and looked at the painting. "You’re right," Grace said. "I never told this to anyone, but for the two years that I’ve been dating James, we have been discriminated against. You see, he’s not as handsome as everyone wants him to be, but deep down, I know I love him, and that he loves me. He was there for me when my mother passed, and he’s been there for me through the tough times…I just couldn’t imagine life without him."

Rose smiled and put her hand on Grace’s forearm. "I’m sure you two are madly in love with each other…just as Jack and I are. Don’t let anyone get between you, no matter what. Jack and I have been through some ups and downs, and we were in a tragic accident, where our love could’ve vanished, but I’m glad that he’s here with me. I’m sure James is the perfect one for you," Rose said, her smile growing.

Grace smiled. "Thank you," Grace said. "Thank you for the advice, and thank you for letting me know that there’s something more than just looks…now I could go up to James and not have to worry about what other people think…"

"You should never have to worry about what other people think," Rose added. "They’re probably just jealous that you have someone to love and cherish, while they don’t have someone of that value. I knew someone who had been forced into an engagement where she didn’t feel any affection towards her alleged fiancé, and trust me, she was miserable."

"What happened to her, then?" Grace asked.

"Well, she met the love of her life, who saved her from her misery…and we should say that she’s very happy and thrilled to be by his side," Rose said, a small smile on her lips.

Grace smiled and nodded. She looked at the painting. "This is the one I want to buy," Grace said, looking at Rose. "James will love this painting."

"Very well, then," Rose said, waddling towards the counter, Grace right behind her. Rose walked behind the counter. She took the painting from her hand and turned it over, finding that it was six dollars. "It’s six dollars total."

"Okay," Grace said, pulling out a few wrinkled bills from her pocket, finding that she had four dollars. "Oh, darn!" Grace searched her other pocket, finding only seventy-five cents. She sighed, feeling her heart break. She looked at Rose, her eyes filling with tears. "Seems that I don’t have enough money…I only have four dollars and seventy-five cents…guess I should’ve known it was too good to be true…well, thanks anyway." Grace gave Rose a small smile before turning around, heading towards the front entrance.

Rose watched Grace walk away. She saw the sadness in her eyes and knew just how much this meant to her. Rose looked at the painting, then at Grace, who had just opened the door.

"Grace, wait!" Rose called.

Grace stopped and bowed her head. She closed the door, then looked at Rose.

"If you bring in the rest of the money tomorrow," Rose said, her eyes on Grace, "I will let you take this with you."

Grace’s eyes shone with happiness as she smiled. "You’d let me do that?" Grace asked, a smile immediately appearing on her face.

Rose smiled and nodded. "I trust that you will bring the rest of the money, and besides," Rose added, "I know what it feels like to be in love with a person when it reaches the point that you want to let that special someone know that you care."

Grace smiled and headed towards the counter, putting the bills and change on it.

"Oh, you don’t know how much this means to me!" Grace said. "Thank you so much! And I promise to bring you the rest tomorrow!"

Rose smiled and picked up the change from the counter. "No problem. Now go!" Rose said, putting the change in the cash register and putting the dollar bills in with the others. She looked up and watched Grace smile and leave the art gallery, clutching the painting with happiness shining in her eyes. Rose looked around the art gallery, taking a deep, relaxing breath. Rose closed her eyes for a brief moment, envisioning her life without the man she loved.

Would she have been able to live without him? Would she have been able to support herself and her unborn child? No matter how many times she told herself that she should look away from the past and what had happened, Rose still felt the pain that lingered in her heart at the painful reality that she could’ve lost Jack to the freezing waters if the boat hadn’t arrived when it had. Even though the tragedy had occurred almost eight months ago, it was still fresh to her, and she still had nightmares about that fateful night. The nightmares she had would often end in Jack’s death, while she had to move on with life, supporting herself and her unborn child, while others consisted of her having never met Jack and marrying Cal, who, at that point, was abusive and possessive, something she hadn’t been looking for in a husband. When she opened her eyes, they glistened with tears as she pressed her lips firmly together. She sat down in the chair, absentmindedly stroking her middle and waiting for more customers to arrive.

*****

Ruth slipped on her coat and put a hat atop her head. Her hair was pulled back in a bun and she had a touch of makeup on. She had been inside the apartment all morning and had decided to go for a walk. She took her small purse and headed for the door.

"Patricia, I’m going out for awhile," Ruth called, opening the door.

"Okay," Patricia said.

With that, Ruth stepped out of the apartment and closed the door behind her. She went towards the staircase and began descending the steps as gracefully as she had learned when she had attended finishing school twenty-six years earlier. When Ruth reached the last step, she walked towards the front entrance of the building, pulling the door open, stepping outside, and descending the stone steps. She clutched her purse, walking up the block towards Central Park. Minutes later, she reached the park and entered the gates, finding a bench and sitting on it, her purse in her lap. She felt the chill wind blow the strands of hair that had fallen from the bun that was holding the rest of her curls. Her emerald eyes gazed around the park, seeing children tossing coins into the fountain as they had made their wishes. She sighed, comparing her old life to her new life, and easily found that her new life was much happier and more worth living than her old high society life.

Seven and a half months ago—when the Titanic sank—Ruth had come to realize how Rose meant more to her than money ever did. As she had witnessed the ship plummeting into the depths of the North Atlantic and heard the screams of the fifteen hundred people that had been in the water—Rose and Jack among them—Ruth had finally realized that money wasn’t everything. Material things were of less value than her daughter’s life. Ruth hadn’t worried about her daughter’s life before, for she had known that she was in safe hands—or so she thought. When she, along with the other survivors, had boarded the rescue ship Carpathia, she had gone up to first class with Cal, grieving over the loss of her daughter. Cal had had a grim expression on his face as he had gulped down the glass of brandy that he had ordered. Ruth had asked Cal to go search for her, just in case she had survived and had been rescued. Cal, having agreed to her suggestion, had gone out to search for her daughter. He hadn’t returned until an hour later, when he had told her that she had lived but was with the gutter rat, and that she had wanted nothing to do with him. Then he had informed Ruth that he wasn’t the man she thought him to be, and that was when Ruth had known that Rose had been right all along. Ruth had gone down to steerage—something that the old Ruth would never have done—and had gone to seek her daughter’s forgiveness.

The moment Ruth had seen Rose alive and well, she had felt as if her whole world had come back to life. But when she had seen Rose’s eyes lock with hers, she had sensed fear shining in them. Ruth had gone to her daughter and embraced her for the first time in years, for she had rarely shown any affection towards her daughter in that respect. Ruth had explained that she was sorry for what she had done, and that she shouldn’t have forced her into a loveless engagement. But when she had heard Rose say that she loved Jack, she knew she did. However, he was unconscious and was suffering from a bad case of hypothermia, which he had developed in the freezing water. Ruth couldn’t help but sympathize with him, for at that point, she had felt that it had been her fault that Jack was in that situation. That Jack was fighting for his life, when if it hadn’t been for her carelessness, Jack would’ve been fully awake and alive. But the moment Jack had opened his eyes, Ruth had felt relief flow through her body—she was glad that Jack had lived—which had surprised her for the most part, for she remembered how much she had despised him. Ruth had asked for his forgiveness, and when he had forgiven her, she had felt the burden lift from her shoulders as she embraced her future son-in-law.

From that point on, the old Ruth had perished with the Titanic, and a new Ruth was born. She was no longer Ruth DeWitt Bukater, the high society woman who had wanted to marry her daughter off to a rich man, but she was Ruth DeWitt Bukater, a woman who loved her daughter and shared her love with Jack as well, who—by this time—was her son-in-law. As Ruth looked back at the moment that she had thought she had lost her daughter, she came to love her daughter more than she ever had before. Ruth knew that her life in the working class was better than her life in high society. She knew that Jack and Rose had a large amount of money deposited in their new bank account. However, she didn’t know that Cal had given them a large amount of cash to add to it. After learning that she was going to be a grandmother, she had been overjoyed that she would soon have a granddaughter or a grandson. She looked at an elderly couple who held the hands of a little boy with light brown hair and matching eyes. Ruth smiled, envisioning herself with her own grandson or granddaughter playing in the park. However, the child wouldn’t have a grandfather to look up to, for she was widowed and hadn’t remarried. Ruth sighed, missing William with all her heart and wishing that he was by her side to comfort her. She longed to have a man in her life, but she highly doubted that anyone would be interested in a woman like her. A forty-six-year-old woman who had once been selfish and self-centered and had almost sold her daughter off to a man who had been possessive and bad-tempered.

Ruth sighed sadly, feeling tears well up in her emerald eyes. Closing her eyes to hold back the tears, Ruth clutched her purse and controlled her emotions, relaxing and becoming composed. Opening her eyes, she saw that a girl was clutching a painting, love shining in her eyes. Ruth remembered that Jack and Rose worked at an art gallery that was only two blocks away, so she got up, deciding to pay them a visit and probably purchase a drawing or two. Ruth had recently gotten a job at the restaurant that Fabrizio worked for, and was now a waitress there. Ruth actually enjoyed the job, for she got good tips and had been complimented by many men her age. However, she took no particular interest in them, for they seemed to be going by her looks, and not for who she was. At forty-six, she still had the beauty that she had developed when she was young—just as Rose held a beauty that had been inherited from herself. Many times passersby had remarked on how much Ruth and Rose appeared to be alike, as they had the same fiery red hair and emerald eyes. Rose was a unique girl, and Ruth knew that. She had a free-spirited personality that never seemed to die, for it had stayed with her ever since she was a little girl, and Ruth had been afraid that she would eventually learn to explore the world, leaving Ruth forever, and often Ruth had cried, for Rose was no longer a young child. She was seventeen, married, and a mother-to-be. Ruth had even signed the papers that would allow Rose to marry Jack, for she was underage.

Rose’s wedding had been something that had brought tears to Ruth’s eyes. She had seen Rose’s eyes twinkling with happiness, her smile brightening her face while she walked down the aisle towards her husband-to-be. Ruth had realized then just how much Jack and Rose were in love and shared a strong bond—something that she had never seen in her life. Their love was stronger than the iceberg that had struck the Titanic, and was strong enough to last and survive the freezing depths of the North Atlantic. The minute Jack had held out his hand and Rose slipped her hand into his, she had known that their love would last forever. Jack had made a commitment after knowing Rose for less than a week and wanted to live the rest of his life with her. Ruth had known at that moment that nothing would separate them. Not the iceberg. Not Cal. Not even her. Their love was too strong to be broken. As they had made their vows and had shared their first kiss as husband and wife, Ruth had known that now Rose was a married woman, and that she was grown up and in love. Tears had fallen from her eyes as she had applauded among the other guests and watched as they had held hands and walked down the aisle and out of the church, a married couple deeply in love with each other.

Ruth remembered her wedding, as well. Her marriage had been arranged, and from the moment she had become a Bukater, Ruth had thought that she would be miserable for the rest of her life. However, after two years had gone by, Ruth had grown to love William, and William returned her affection, and within time, Ruth had become pregnant with her first and only child—Rose. As Rose had grown, she had become attached to her father, and Ruth had often become jealous, for Rose had never spent time with her. Her father had had the same free spirit as her, and had often taken her horseback riding around the lake and spoiled her rotten. When Rose had turned sixteen, William had died from leukemia, and that was when Ruth had decided to marry her off to the richest bachelor in Philadelphia, but her plans hadn’t worked out, and Rose had become Mrs. Jack Dawson instead of Mrs. Caledon Hockley. However, Ruth was glad that she hadn’t married Cal, and that she had married the man she loved—Jack Dawson.

Ruth walked up the block, reaching Wilson’s Art Gallery. She pushed open the front door, hearing the bell ring and making her presence known to others. Ruth looked around, finding all kinds of art everywhere. There were sculptures in one area, drawings in another, and paintings at the back. Ruth gazed at the counter, seeing Rose looking at her with a smile. Ruth returned the smile and walked towards the counter, looking around and seeing a few personal drawings hanging on the wall. Ruth turned her attention to her daughter and smiled.

*****

Rose saw her mother enter the gallery, smiling at her. Ruth walked towards the counter, gently putting her hand on top of the counter and looking at the wall behind her after gazing into her eyes. Ruth had never been the type to go into art galleries, and it certainly surprised Rose to see her mother in one. Then again, Ruth had changed a lot since the tragic event that they had both experienced.

"Hello, Mother," Rose said, smiling. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, nothing, really," Ruth replied casually. "I just wanted to stop by. I have absolutely nothing to do, and I’m bored out of my mind. I’m off work today, so that adds to my boredom."

Rose laughed calmly. "Well, you’re always free to stop by here, Mother," Rose said, wiping off the counter with a towel.

Ruth smiled. "How’s the baby?" Ruth asked, her eyes gazing at Rose’s enlarged middle.

"Fine," Rose said, stroking her middle thoughtfully. "It’s been kicking a lot, though. Sometimes I can’t wait to get this baby out of me."

Ruth laughed. "I’m sure you can wait, Rose," Ruth said. "Because once they come out, they grow so fast that you’ll have no idea where the time has gone."

Rose smiled softly, gazing downward. She felt the baby give her another swift kick and gasped, smiling brightly and pressing her hands gently against her middle.

"It sure kicks hard," Rose said, laughing, her fingers spread across her middle.

Ruth laughed and slid the strap of her purse over her wrist. "Would you mind if I look around?" Ruth asked, pointing to the drawings. "I want to see if there’s anything I’d be interested in purchasing."

"Not at all, Mother," Rose said, smiling. "Go right ahead."

Ruth smiled and headed towards the drawings section, looking over some of Jack’s drawings and some drawn by other artists.

Rose smiled softly, heading towards the drawing studio. She put her hand on the door, giving it a gentle knock.

"Jack?" Rose called, her voice soft and clear.

"Yeah?" Jack asked, shuffling through some papers.

"May I come in?" Rose asked.

"Sure…" Jack said, sounding as if he had put the papers on a desk. He got up and opened the door, smiling. "Hey…"

Rose smiled, looking at him. "Hi," Rose said, caressing his chest seductively, her eyes twinkling.

Jack looked at her, putting his hand at her waist and pressing his body to hers, as close as her pregnant state would allow.

"You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?" Jack asked, stroking her cheek with his thumb, his eyes looking at her, love shining in them.

"Maybe…maybe not," Rose said, a teasing smile on her face.

"Oh, my, you’re gonna get it tonight," Jack said, firmly pressing his lips against her forehead. "You’re gonna get it so bad tonight."

Rose smiled and clutched his shirt. "I can’t wait," Rose said, looking into his eyes.

Jack returned the smile and couldn’t help but press his lips against hers, holding her close, giving her a loving kiss. Their kiss ended a few moments later, and as they pulled apart, they gazed into each other’s eyes, locked together for a few minutes, neither realizing that they had been staring at each other for a full five minutes.

Reality struck them when they heard the door open, a couple of customers stepping into the gallery. Jack and Rose pulled away from each other, looking at the customers. Rose waddled to the counter alongside Jack as the customers reached them.

"Hi. I would like to have my daughter’s portrait done," the middle-aged woman said, looking at her teenage daughter.

"Uh…sure," Jack said, extending his arm. "Come this way…" Jack led the teenager towards the drawing studio, turning and facing Rose, winking at her with his famous smile when he saw her smile back. With that, Jack entered the room and closed the door behind him, getting ready to do his job.

*****

Rose gave her mother her change after she purchased a drawing. She took a few dollars off of the price, since she was her mother and didn’t want her to spend all of her money, and that was the only reasonable thing she could do at the moment, for she knew that she couldn’t give her the drawing for free. Handing her mother the drawing, she stepped back and sat down in the chair, stroking her stomach. That was her routine every time she completed something. She would stop and stroke her middle. She had started that routine when she had begun to show, and that was the way Rose would relax. The door to Benjamin’s office opened and he stepped out of the room, gazing at her and smiling.

"How’s everything going, Rose?" Benjamin asked, shutting the door quietly.

"Good," Rose said, smiling, her hands caressing her bulging middle.

Benjamin smiled and nodded his head. He turned and faced her mother. He stood in place and gazed into her mother’s eyes.

"Why, hello," Benjamin said, a smile spreading across his face. "How may I help you?"

Ruth smiled and looked down. "Oh, I’m fine," Ruth said. "My daughter, there, has already taken care of me."

"Daughter?" Benjamin asked, turning around and meeting Rose’s eyes. "She’s your mother?"

Rose nodded. "Yes," Rose said. "She has been for seventeen years now."

Benjamin chuckled and turned to face Ruth. "Why, it seems as if you’re her older sister," Benjamin said.

Ruth blushed, holding onto the drawing. She looked up and smiled.

"I’m Ruth DeWitt Bukater," Ruth said, extending her hand.

"I’m Benjamin Wilson," Benjamin said, taking her hand in his and pressing his lips on the back of it. "But you may call me Ben."

Ruth smiled. "Well, Ben…" Ruth said, suddenly feeling butterflies in her stomach. "It’s nice to meet you."

"It’s nice meeting you, too, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater," Benjamin said, smiling.

"Oh, please, call me Ruth," Ruth insisted.

"Very well, then…Ruth," Benjamin said. "Uh…I’m on my break now. Would you mind joining me at a little café for some coffee?"

"I wouldn’t mind at all," Ruth said. She turned to her daughter. "I’ll see you later, Rose."

"All right, Mother," Rose said. "Have a nice time."

Ruth smiled and walked towards the door, Benjamin holding it open for her. She took a second look at Rose and smiled. Then she left the gallery, Benjamin leading her towards a café that was a block away.

Rose couldn’t help but smile, watching her mother walk beside Benjamin. Her mother had never laid interested eyes on any man besides her father. After her father had died, her mother hadn’t remarried, nor had she wanted to. She believed that William was the only one for her, and now that he was gone, Ruth felt that she should live the rest of her life widowed, with a daughter to care for. Rose sighed, looking at the clock that hung on the wall across the room. Finding that it was already half past one, she made a mental note in her mind that there was only an hour left until they would have a forty minute break.

Chapter Forty-One
Stories