ONLY HALF THE MAN I USED TO BE
Chapter Four
Rose and Jack slept soundly
side-by-side that night, happy to be in each other’s arms after the horrors of
the night before.
The next morning, Jack awoke as
the sunlight streamed in through the windows. He looked across at Rose, who was
still sleeping, her delicate figure so peaceful on his working arm. He was
captivated by her beauty and allowed himself to just sit and watch her. Her
eyes began to flutter open softly. She smiled up at Jack when she saw him over
her.
"Hey, Rose," he said
softly as she wriggled beside him.
"Are you all right today,
Jack?" she asked him. He seemed better, but she was still worried. She
couldn’t bear to lose him.
"Arm’s a little funny,"
he said. This was true, but only half. Actually, he couldn’t feel anything in
his arm at all. "You?"
"Just tired." She
smiled at him.
"You should go and find
something to eat," he said, overwhelmed by a strong urge to care for her.
"I’m all right, Jack,"
she assured him. "I’m all right as long as I stay with you."
"Hello," the doctor
said, walking in. "Oh, good, Mr. Dawson. You’re awake. I’m going to need
to examine you. Miss Dawson, you can stay if you like, if it’s all right with
Mr. Dawson."
"I’m okay now, Rose. The
doctor’s here," Jack said, taking her hand. "Go and take care of
yourself."
"If you’re sure, Jack,"
Rose said.
Jack kissed her hand just like he
had when he had had dinner in first class with her. Rose’s heart tingled with
happiness at the memory. She headed out of the hospital ward and up to the
deck.
"Excuse me, miss," a
voice said from behind her.
"Yes?" she replied.
"Can I ask what class you’re
in, please?"
"Steerage," she
replied, because that was where she felt she belonged. She had never belonged
in first class. She had never fit in, and she felt much more at home with Jack
and his friends.
"Well, could I please ask
you to stay on the lower deck, miss?" he asked. "Sorry. It’s just the
rules."
"It’s all right. I was just
coming from the hospital ward," she replied, although she didn’t think it
was all right at all. Jack and his friends were ten times better than any of
the people in first class. They were the kindest, funniest, most caring people
she had ever met. They did anything for her. They welcomed her into their place
and didn’t judge her on her class. The first class people judged entirely on
class and didn’t do anything for anyone unless it would benefit themselves.
The man walked away, and Rose had
just started down some steps to find anyone she recognized from steerage when a
voice called from behind her.
"Rose! Rose, darling!"
It was Cal. Rose quickly started down the stairs to the steerage deck. She got
to the bottom, but he caught up with her.
"Rose," he said,
stepping in front of her.
"Go away, Cal," she
said sharply, dodging him.
"You will stay when I’m
talking to you!" he snapped, grabbing her arm.
"Get away from me, Cal. I
don’t want to speak to you," she said, struggling to get away.
"You may have tried to leave
me, but you are still my fiancée. You are mine, Rose," he warned,
threatening her.
Suddenly, a fist came from
nowhere, knocking Cal to the ground. Rose jumped back in shock as another fist
came at Cal, then another and another.
"Bastardo!" the voice
said. "No treat Rosa like that."
"Fabrizio!" Rose said
in shock.
"Hello, Rosa," he said.
"How great to see you!"
she said, giving him a hug. "I thought…you were…"
"Dead?" Fabrizio
finished for her. "Have you seen Helga?" he asked, deep sadness in
his voice.
"No. I'm sorry," she
said. "But I’ve only just been down here. I was up in the hospital ward
with Jack."
"Jack is alive?"
Fabrizio asked in happiness.
"Yes," Rose said,
smiling. "It was close, but he’s going to be all right now."
"Can we go and see
him?" he asked.
"Yes. I think he will be
happy to see you." Rose smiled, and they headed back up the steps, just as
Cal was waking up.