HEARTS ARE BROKEN, LIVES ARE SHATTERED
Chapter Nine
"Mother, these are your grandchildren—Zoë,
Lucas, Michael, and the newest addition to the family, Nicholas Andrew
Dawson," Rose said.
"Well, then, who are they?" Ruth asked,
referring to Felicity and Clarissa.
"This is Felicity and Clarissa
Calvert," Jack replied.
"Long story," Rose whispered in her
mother's ear.
"Can we call you Grandma?" Felicity
asked Ruth.
"Yes, you can, and who is this fine
young man?" Ruth asked, referring to Lance.
"This is Lance Jacob, and these are our
babies, Devin and Catherine," Clarissa said.
"Another long story," Rose
whispered in her mother's ear.
"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Lance
said, and shook her hand.
Ruth laughed at how polite Lance was, but she
couldn't believe what she saw.
After Clarissa, Felicity, Lance, Zoë,
Michael, and Lucas left, Ruth got a chance to talk to Jack. "I am sorry
for what I did to you, Mr. Dawson."
"It's okay. Call me Jack. I can't
believe you came here to see us. How did you find us?" Jack asked.
"I tracked you down from the Titanic. I
found it pretty amazing to find a Jack Dawson and a Rose Dawson on board,"
Ruth said, and laughed.
"Why didn't you come then?" Rose
asked.
"Mr. Hockley had threatened that if he
didn't find you, he would kill me, so he held me there for a few months,"
Ruth said.
"I'm sorry for doing that, Mother,"
Rose said.
"Don't worry. Mrs. Brown found me, and
she practically raised me to courage. After that, I forgot about finding the
name Dawson, and then I met Patrick and his girls, Emma and Penny," Ruth
said.
"I have stepsisters, then?" Rose
asked.
"Yes. Emma is a year younger than you,
Rose, thirty, and Penny is your age, Jack, thirty-four," Ruth said.
Rose and Jack looked at each other. Ruth had
changed in the past fourteen years, not just on the outside, but on the inside,
too.
Ruth's once fiery red hair was now turning
gray, and she was aging, too.
*****
At the house, Lance and Clarissa were
talking.
"Listen. I can't just go to school and
say you’re my girlfriend. I can't even go to school, either," Lance said.
"If you drop out, then you might as well
call me a housewife," Clarissa said.
Lance took Clarissa's face and cupped it in
his hands. "Never say that. You are beautiful and intelligent, and I don't
know why you say you're not."
Clarissa took his hands and kissed him, and
he kissed her back. When they pulled apart, they finally got everything
settled.
"Marry me. We can run away
together," Lance said.
"What about the babies?" Clarissa
asked.
"We can take them with us," Lance
replied.
"How?" Clarissa asked.
"We can carry them, and at night, one of
us sleeps while the other feeds them, and then the next night, the other one
sleeps and the other feeds them," Lance said.
"What do I need to pack? Let's go,"
Clarissa said.
*****
At seven o'clock that night, Zoë found a note
to the family from Clarissa.
Dear Family,
I can't find any other way to say this,
but I have run away with Lance. Devin and Cathy are fine and we hope that one day
we can see you again. Don't worry about us, because Lance has an uncle in New
York who will help us. It's not you or what you have done, but we can't stay
and be made fun of for being parents at thirteen and fourteen. If you ever see
us again, it will be in New York or California. Daddy, I really love your
hometown, and Momma, I love you. Filly, I hope one day you find true love, just
as I have. Grandma Ruth, good luck and tell everybody I love them. As for you
Zoë, Lucas, and Michael, keep up your spirits. Never lose your dad's sense of
adventure or your mother's faith.
I love you all,
Clarissa Nicole Jacob
*****
Clarissa looked at Lance. They were ready for
anything that came their way and couldn't wait for a new life, wherever it was.