MY JACK IS GONE, AND I'M FOREVER LONELY
Chapter Two
One Single Rose
Three Months After the Sinking
Rose awoke that morning in Molly's new house
in New York. Molly had bought the house and insisted that Rose stay with her.
As she awoke she felt unusually happy. Like nothing had happened at all with
Jack, or Titanic. She looked around the small room and knew where she was. She
even realized why she had been there in the first place. But something told her
her luck would change today.
She got out of bed and got dressed. She went
down to the corner restaurant where she had been working for the past two
months. It paid good enough for the time being and Rose liked it there. She had
met a girl named Violet the first day and they instantly became friends, so
Rose was never bored. She opened the door to the restaurant, walked over to the
counter and put on her apron, then got to work.
"Hi, Rose. How are you this morning?
Well, I hope," came a happy voice that could only belong to Violet.
"I'm fine, Violet. I hope you are
well."
"Oh, I'm just fine," rang Violet.
Rose had yet to see Violet in an unhappy mood.
"That's good," chimed Rose as a
customer walked in.
"Hello, sir. May I help you?" asked
Violet.
"Yes, I have to speak to a Rose Dawson.
Tell her it's Dr. Harrison," said the man.
Rose had previously had an appointment with
him and asked him to come to the restaurant to tell her what he came up with.
She had been ill for the past three months. Dizziness and nausea, but still
went to work. After all, she still had money to make.
Rose came up to the counter and asked,
"Yes, doctor? What is wrong with me?" her voice trembling. She wasn't
sure if it had to do with the hypothermia she had for a day or two after, well
you know.
"Well, young Rose, it seems that you
have a severe case of..." and he stopped.
"Of what? What?" she asked getting
annoyed.
"Well...of motherhood. You're pregnant,
Rose," he said with a smile.
"Oh, my God! That's wonderful! Hey,
Violet! Guess what? I'm pregnant!" she said with hope and joy.
"Oh, Rose, that's wonderful! I'm so
happy for you!" said Violet as she hugged Rose.
"Well Rose, I've got to get back to my
office now. Congratulations. Bye!" said the doctor and headed out the
door.
"Bye!" Rose yelled after him. But
Rose still felt unusually happy, but what other things could possibly be
better than having Jack's baby? she thought. She got back to work in the
kitchen, and shut the door so as not to be interrupted. Then another customer
came in the door.
"Hello, sir. May I get you
anything?" asked Violet.
The man only looked up at her with tears in
his eyes. "What's wrong, sir? Anything I can do to help?" asked
Violet caringly.
"Not unless ya know how to find a
missing person. But, oh, what the hell. I'll tell ya who. Hey, maybe you know
her?" he asked with a kind, gentle voice.
"Well, sir, I'd love to help, but I
can't unless you give me her name," Violet said with a little giggle.
"Oh, right. Sorry. Her name is Rose.
Rose DeWitt Bukater. Do ya know her?" He looked up with his words and into
her eyes.
She immediately trusted him. "Yes, I do,
but where did you get that DeWitt Bukater part? It's Dawson now, Rose
Dawson," said Violet.
The man's eyes widened at the sound of the
name. "Please, where is she, Ma'am? I have to find her. You don't know how
long I've been looking," said the man with hope.
"Wait here. I'll get her," said
Violet as she headed into the kitchen.
"HEY, ROSE!" Violet yelled across
the noisy room. Rose came over to her.
"What?" she asked.
"There's a man out here claims to know
you. Said your name was DeWitt Bukater or something."
"OK. I'll go see who it is. Stay here
and tend to my duties while I tend to yours," said Rose.
She went out into the main part of the
restaurant and saw a lonely man. Sitting there on the stool, with his back
towards her. He vaguely looked familiar to her, from the back, anyway.
"Excuse me, sir?" said Rose. And
the man turned around. Rose felt like fainting. She grabbed hold of the
counter. It was all she could do to keep herself from collapsing. "Oh,
my...my God...how did you, oh God, how did you get here?" she asked, looking
into the man's eyes. Then all of the sudden she became fearless and strong. She
stood up and stood her ground.
"Listen, Rose, I love you. I never told
you cause I didn't have the chance, but I do. I love you, Rose. I love
you," said the man.
"You never loved me
you...you...bastard!" she yelled as she realized who the man really was.
It was the man she loved to hate. It was Cal.
"Listen, Rose, I didn't come here to
fight, so I'll put it this way. I know how much Jack meant to you and he gave
me something to give to you in hopes you understand. The part where I said I
love you, well I was reading this," he said as he handed her a letter with
familiar handwriting. Jack's handwriting. "And he told me to give you
this." And he handed her a single rose.
Rose just stood there, speechless. As Cal
left she finally uttered, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," he said, and
left. She had nothing to do but read the letter. And it said:
Rose,
I understand how much I mean to you. And I love you, Rose. I truly love you!
I've asked Cal to find you and give you this letter from me. I want to see you,
Rose. I want to hold you and tell you it'll be OK now that we can be together.
I LOVE you Rose, I love, love, love you. And if you still love me, meet me at
398 East Pennsburrow Street at the little restaurant. Good-bye my love...until
tomorrow.
Love always and forever,
Your Jack Dawson------{-@
Rose could hardly believe it. She worked
there. By the time she was done reading it was time to go home, so she cleaned
up and went home. She worked until 8:30 so she got right to bed. She lay down
and shut her eyes thinking of Jack. How much she loved him and how much she
wanted to be in his arms. And as she drifted off to sleep she was overwhelmed
by a wonderful scent...the scent of love, freedom, motherhood, Jack, and the
most wonderful scent of all, the scent of one...single...rose...------{-@