FALLING STARS
Chapter Eleven
Jack and Rose saw Cal for the first time
since the Titanic sank that night. He arrived at the Hockley’s mansion promptly
at six o’clock, with a beautiful blonde-haired woman at his side.
Rose was startled when the maid first
escorted Cal and the woman into the parlor, but soon regained her composure.
She bounced Gregory up and down in her arms, and moved closer to Jack, eyeing
Cal nervously. He appeared not to notice.
Cal spoke first. "Jack, Rose...may I
introduce my wife, Laura."
His wife? Jack and Rose looked at each other,
half-relieved, half-surprised.
"Pleased to meet you," Laura
chirped, holding out one gloved hand. They each shook her hand, still
surprised.
Rose found her voice first. "Pleased to
meet you, Laura."
"Charmed," Laura replied. Her voice
was gratingly high-pitched. "You must be Rose. Cal has told me all about
you."
Rose looked at her, wondering just what Cal
had said.
"And you must be Jack," Laura went
on. "Cal told me all about how you stole his fiancée. But that’s all
right, because now he has me, and he likes me better than Rose."
The maid came in with some tea and coffee.
Cal looked relieved as Laura poured herself a cup of tea and set about drinking
it, temporarily silent.
"So, Rose..." Cal turned to her.
"How have things been with you since the Titanic sank?"
"Very well, actually. Jack and I are
married now, and, as you can see, we have a son. His name is Gregory Peter
Dawson."
"He’s cute!" Laura exclaimed,
setting down her cup of tea. "Can I hold him?"
"Um...all right," Rose told her,
lifting the baby and setting him in Laura’s arms. She took him, holding him a
little awkwardly.
Gregory whimpered at the strange arms holding
him. Laura put him on her shoulder, rocking him. Gregory wailed louder. She
thumped him on the back, trying to quiet him.
As Rose reached to take the baby back,
Gregory stopped crying for a moment--just long enough to spit up on Laura’s
elegant gown. She squealed in disgust, thrusting him back at his mother.
Rose took Gregory, who promptly stopped
crying. Laura looked at her dress in disgust.
"Ah...Laura, love," Cal said.
"Why don’t you go up to the powder room and get cleaned up? I’m sure one
of the maids will help you."
"Oh, right. Thank you, darling."
She gave Cal a kiss on the forehead and hurried out of the room.
Cal looked at Jack and Rose, trying to
conceal how much his wife embarrassed him. "I apologize. She’s very enthusiastic
sometimes."
"She’s...ah...she’s very...sweet,"
Rose replied diplomatically, handing Gregory to Jack. "Ah...where did you
meet her?"
"At a polo match last summer. She was
very enthusiastic then, too."
"When were you married?"
"Last month."
Rose raised an eyebrow. "I thought that
most debutantes wanted June weddings."
"Well, we...uh..."
Laura came back into the room, her dress
slightly damp, but clean. She sat down next to Cal again.
"I declare, babies are so
disgusting," she said, eyeing Gregory, who stared back at her. She patted
her middle. "I hope our baby is better behaved."
"You’re expecting?" Rose asked her.
"Yes, in October."
"Congratulations." Rose looked at
Cal, smirking. "October, eh? I can see why a June wedding wouldn’t work
out."
Cal looked like he wished the floor would
swallow him. Laura spoke up.
"We were married in February. It was a
beautiful wedding. I had six bridesmaids, and a ten-foot train on my
gown."
"Congratulations," Rose told them
again. "I’m sure you’re very happy."
"Oh, yes," Laura chirped.
"We’re happy. And Cal is so much better off with me than if he’d married
you."
Cal was saved from having to comment when the
maid appeared and announced that dinner was ready. As they headed toward the
dining room, Jack leaned down close to Rose.
"At least we don’t need to worry about
him chasing you anymore."
Rose nodded. "That’s true, but that wife
of his..." She looked toward where Laura was hanging on Cal’s arm,
chattering away in her high-pitched voice.
"I think they deserve each other."
Rose giggled. "I do, too. And their
baby...can you imagine a child with those two for parents?"
"A beautiful child--"
"--with the voice of a poodle."
"And an ego to match."
They laughed, and Rose took Gregory from
Jack’s arms. A bassinet had been set up in the dining room so that Gregory
could accompany them to dinner. Rose laid her now-sleeping son in the bassinet,
and sat down, nodding politely to Cal and Laura, giving no hint of the fun she
and Jack had had at their expense.
Dinner went smoothly, with Cal and his father
discussing business, and Laura interjecting "cute" comments from time
to time. Jack and Rose relaxed and enjoyed the food, ignoring the conversation
from the Hockleys.
As dessert was served, Rose relaxed,
realizing that she was no longer worried about Cal coming after her. He had a
wife of his own now, even if he often seemed to be embarrassed by her. Coming
to Philadelphia had been a good choice, and Rose hoped that Jack would want to
stay there, too.