IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES
Chapter Seven
"Be merciful! Say death!" Jack
yelled.
Father Andrews crossed the room, bringing
with him a bandage.
Jack had been listening in the shadows to Mr.
Carr when he had announced that Jack was banished. He had run to St. Peter's,
seeking help from Father Andrews. Now he was sitting in Father Andrew's
lounging room, shirt off, while Father Andrews patched him up. "Rose is
going to hate me when she finds out about Trevor. She is going to never want to
talk to me again, and that's worse than death!"
Father Andrews sighed and looked at Jack.
"Jack, you should be happy you are alive," Father Andrews said.
"I am not saying I approve of what you did, but at least you aren't being
sentenced to death yet. We'll find a way to have you and Rose be together. I
won't let you down, Jack. You two belong together."
Jack started sobbing louder. "What if
she doesn't want me anymore?" he choked out through his tears.
"She will. If she loves you enough, she
will forgive you. I know Rose. She has a big heart, Jack, and she loves you
very much. I can see how much you to love each other in your eyes. Jack, you
and Rose are soulmates, cut from the same cloth. She'll still love you. Trust
me."
Jack raised his head and looked at Father
Andrews. "You really believe that?" he asked.
Father Andrews nodded. "I do,
Jack."
Jack sighed and looked down again. Will
Rose still love me? Will she forgive me? he wondered. Suddenly, there was a
knock on the door. Jack looked up, startled.
"Go hide behind the couch," Father
Andrews directed as he walked to the door.
Jack scrambled and was hidden behind the
couch right as Father Andrews opened the door.
"Oh, good Father," Jack heard
someone say. He peeked from behind the couch and saw Trudy standing in the
doorway.
"Trudy, hello. Come in," Father
Andrews said, ushering her in and closing the door.
"I have come for Jack. Is he here?"
Trudy asked.
"Yes," Father Andrews said. He
gestured for Jack to come out.
Jack crawled out from behind the couch and
stood up next to Trudy. "Oh, Trudy, I am glad you have come. Tell me, what
does Rose say about our canceled love?"
Trudy sighed. "She says nothing, Jack.
Just cries and then calls out your name before starting to cry again."
Jack's eyes filled with tears again. "Oh,
God, I have ruined everything!" he said.
Father Andrews crossed the room and got
Jack's simple, dark blue shirt. He handed it to Jack.
Jack shrugged into it; it still hurt from
where Trevor had kicked him.
"Go. Be gone, Jack. Make sure you leave
early next morning, or you will be caught," Father Andrews said, looking
Jack in the eye.
Jack nodded. "I know. Thank you,
Father."
Father Andrews nodded. "I will send you
letters in Los Angeles—until I can come and visit you, that is. And I will
figure something out with Rose."
Jack nodded again before moving to hug Father
Andrews. "Thank you," he mumbled before opening the door.
Father Andrews nodded and ushered Trudy and
Jack out into the night. He watched as they started to disappear down the
darkened street. "Good-bye!" he called.
Jack turned and gave one final wave before
turning into an alley.
*****
Rose sat in her room, tears running down her
face. She had only a half-hour before gotten word of Trevor, and of who had
killed him. She had wanted to die when she found out it was Jack who killed her
cousin. Everything was a big mess now, and Rose had no idea what to do. Jack
had to leave town, her family would forever hate Jack now, and nothing was
going right. Her stomach was on a roller coaster ride and her head was
spinning. How would she face Jack tonight? Oh, God, did Jack really kill
Trevor? she thought, her eyes filling with tears again. Why me? Why now?
Should I speak ill of Jack? He is my husband, after all, and I still love him
so much. But he did kill my cousin. And I loved Trevor also. God, I am so
utterly confused. Rose glanced up to the cross that was on her wall. Oh,
dear God, why me? Why did you have to have Jack, my love, kill my cousin? Life
is so unfair, she asked of the cross, half-expecting an answer. Oh, but how
can I be mad at Jack? I love him more than life itself. Life has no meaning
without him. Suddenly, a gust of wind came into the room. Rose turned and
saw Jack, soaking wet from the sudden rainstorm, with his shirt half off,
standing in her balcony doorway. The instant she saw him, all her worries went
away. Rose loved Jack, and nothing could come between them. "Jack,"
she whispered, getting up and walking to him.
Jack watched as Rose approached him. She had on
a simple white nightgown, and with her red hair all out and free, she looked
like an angel in his eyes. He closed the door and then pulled Rose into his
arms. "I am so sorry, Rose," he whispered in her ear. Rose looked
into his eyes and put a finger to his lips.
"Shh…don't worry about that, Jack. I
still love you more than ever."
Jack smiled at her before kissing her softly
on the lips.
Rose pulled away, smiled at Jack, and crossed
the room. She locked the door, turned off the lights, and then went back over
to Jack. "There," she whispered before kissing him harder than
before.
Jack eagerly kissed her back, slowly starting
to lose himself to her.
When the kiss broke, Rose looked at Jack with
her sapphire blue eyes. She slowly started to take off his shirt, being careful
of Jack's bruises and wounds. Rose stood back and studied him. He looked too
handsome and wonderful to be real in her eyes. "Are you all right?"
Rose asked, putting her hand on Jack's cheek.
Jack nodded. "I'll be fine, Rose. Don't
worry about me."
Rose smiled and kissed Jack again. This time,
Jack started pushing Rose backward and onto her bed. Rose looked up at Jack and
smiled at him. She took his hand and started lacing her fingers around his,
over and over like the bodies of two lovers.
Jack looked down at her, love in his eyes.
"You nervous?" he asked.
Rose shook her head. "No."
Jack smiled and watched as she brought his
hand up to her mouth and tenderly kissed his fingers, one by one. "I love
you," he whispered.
Rose stopped kissing him and looked into his
eyes. "I love you, too," she whispered before starting to search his
eyes with her own, almost as if she was searching his soul. Finally, she spoke.
"Put your hands on me, Jack. Take me to the stars," she whispered,
leading Jack's hand to her breast.
Jack looked into her eyes and saw that this was
what she really wanted. He leaned down and kissed her hard and passionately. A
soft moan escaped from Rose's mouth as she deepened the kiss. The world around
them started to disappear, along with everyone and everything they had ever
known. They forgot about their families, about what had happened only hours
before, and even about getting caught. Nothing else mattered to them but each
other. And for a whole blissful night, Jack and Rose were lost in the stars, in
their own little world only they could visit.
*****
Cal Hockley knocked on the door to Mr. Bukater’s
study.
"Come in!" Mr. Bukater yelled.
Cal pushed open the door and walked in.
"Ah…Cal, my boy. Shut the door and come.
Sit down. I have something I wish to speak to you about."
Cal nodded and shut the door. He crossed
across the room and sat across from Mr. Bukater. "Yes, sir?" Cal
asked.
Mr. Bukater smiled. "Cal, I like you,
son. And I was thinking, if you wish, you may marry Rose."
Cal's face filled with happiness. "Oh,
thank you, sir!" he shouted, jumping up and shaking Mr. Bukater’s hand.
"You won't regret this. I promise."
Mr. Bukater smiled and laughed. "I know,
Cal. I know. I will tell Rose tomorrow. She is still sick with sadness over
Trevor."
"I am sorry to hear about that, Mr. Bukater,"
Cal said.
"If I could just get my hands on that
Dawson!" Mr. Bukater held up his hand. "I don't wish to talk about this
now."
Cal nodded. "So, when shall the wedding
be?"
Mr. Bukater thought for a moment. "I
don't see why we should wait. How about this Thursday? That's the day after tomorrow."
Cal smiled. "That's wonderful, sir. I'll
look forward to it."
Bukater smiled at him. "I will tell Rose
in the morning. I am sure she'll be very pleased."