JACK AND ROSE: TOGETHER FOREVER
Chapter Twenty-Five
Rose sighed and sat down the magazine she was
reading. It was too hard to concentrate when she had something else on her
mind. Today was the day Jack was meeting with Mr. Adams and she was almost as
nervous as she was. If everything went well, Jack would soon be on his way to
being a famous artist. Or at least a well known one. Rose glanced at the clock
next to the couch for about the hundredth time sense five. Jack had said he
would probably be home around five, and it was about five-fifteen now. 'Jack Dawson,
where are you?' Rose thought to herself. Sighing once again she when back to
her magazine. Or rather tried to read it. Her mind just kept returning again
and again to Jack. He just had to sell some of those drawings. If not, he would
be devastated. Rose knew that much. And just in case something bad did happen,
she had prepared a chicken that was now in the oven and mashed potatoes. She
knew Jack deserved a good meal today. This morning, he had been so nervous that
he almost forgot his lesson plans for the day. And Jack had said that if he
ate, he would throw up. The door opening and quickly closing suddenly
interrupted Rose's thoughts.
"Rose! Rose! Rose!" She heard as
Jack ran into the living room. Rose jumped off the couch and ran to meet Jack.
"Rose! Rose! Rose!" Jack repeated.
"What, what, what?" Rose asked.
Jack had a huge smile on his face and eyes were shinning. She doubted if things
went bad with Mr. Adams.
"Rose we are going to be rich!"
Jack yelled picking Rose up and spinning her around.
Rose laughed, "I guess things went well
with Mr. Adams than."
"Things went better then well Rose. They
went great." Jack yelled again and spun Rose around once again.
"Jack put me down." Rose said,
laughing. Jack smiled at Rose and sat her on the couch. "Now what exactly
happened?" Rose asked as soon as Jack sat down.
"OK well, I arrived at the gallery and
meet Mr. Adams. He's really nice, by the way. Mr. Adams introduced me to Mr.
Langston who is a really big art dealer. We talked for a while and Mr. Adams
told me that he showed Langston some of my art." Jack started.
"Well…" Rose urged him to go on.
"Well, Mr. Langston loved my art! I mean
he was like obsessed with it. Rose he offered to buy ten at $750 each!"
Rose brought her hand up to her mouth.
"Jack, that's $7500." Rose
whispered slowly. Jack smiled and nodded. Rose screamed and jumped up.
"This is unbelievable! Wow Jack! Oh,
honey I knew you could do it." Rose said pulling Jack up and giving him a
big hug. Jack hugged her back and whispered.
"Rose I haven't told you the best part.
Mr. Langston wants to see more of my art. He said he was interested in buying
more too. And he is going to sell my art to the biggest art dealers in New
York, Chicago, and maybe even France!" Rose pulled away and looked at
Jack, tears coming to her eyes.
"Jack, I am so proud of you. This is
better than either of us ever imagined last April. I am so happy for you."
"Thank you Rose." Jack whispered
giving her a kiss on the check.
"Jack!"
"What?"
"Now you can quite teaching! Well I mean
at the end of the year, but still." Rose said excitedly.
Jack smiled, "I know. This is going to
be so nice. Getting to sketch for a living. This is what I have always wanted
to do. Ever since I was young."
"Boy what am I going to do with you here
all day?" Rose asked jokingly.
"Well, I think we both know the answer
to that, don't we Rose." Jack said with a serious look on his face, but a
hint of teasing in his eyes. Rose laughed and gave Jack a kiss on his check.
Suddenly Jack jerked his head up.
"Is that chicken and potatoes I
smell?" Rose threw her head back and laughed.
"Yes, it is. I made a special dinner for
us." Jack smiled at Rose and than cut out for the kitchen. Rose ran into
the kitchen behind Jack. Laughing, smiling, and shedding a few tears as she
went. She found Jack in the kitchen, pulling the chicken out of the oven and
setting it on the top of the stove. Rose got out the potatoes out of their
warming spot in the kitchen and set it on the already set table. Than she got
out the butter, salt, and pepper and also set those down. Jack brought over
some chicken on a plate and he too set something on the table. When everything
was done and ready, the two sat down for dinner.
"Rose." Jack started as soon as she
was ready to take a bite.
"Hmm, what?"
"I invited Mr. Langston over for dinner
in about a week." Jack said slowly.
"You did what!?" Rose exploded.
"Well, he was asking when he could pick
up my sketches and well I just invited him and his wife, Jennifer, over for
dinner and coffee." Rose sighed blowing the loose hair out of her face.
"Oh Jack. What I am I going to do about
dinner. And I don't even know these people."
"Well Mr. Langston is really nice and I
wanted you to meet him. Plus, I mean I think I should have a good relationship
with him. He is only about my age or a year older. And maybe you could make
friends with Jennifer." Rose looked at Jack. His eyes seemed to be asking
her to understand.
"Alright Jack. But what am I going to make
for dinner? I am not the most famous cook in the world."
"Maybe you could make your world famous
five minute pasta." Jack teased.
"That's not funny Jack. Now really, what
am I going to do?"
"I don't know Rose. Let's worry about
this next Thursday. Come on we have a whole week. And remember, we are supposed
to be celebrating, not fighting over a dinner."
Rose smiled, "You're right Jack. I
shouldn't be worrying now."
"That's my girl. Now come on let's
finish this dinner." Jack told Rose. Rose smiled and dug into her dinner.
Later That Night
The dinner dishes were done and the kitchen
had been cleaned up. Rose and Jack had built a fire and were now sitting on the
coach, reading. The fire and the lights off made the room very cozy. Rose was
almost ready to fall asleep. She was in the middle of 'Sense and Sensibility'
one of her favorite books of all time. And Jack was reading the paper. Rose
gave a yawn and than put her book down.
"I am getting some water, you want
some?" She asked in a tired voice.
"No, thanks." Came Jack's reply.
Rose scampered off into the kitchen and got her glass of water.
Walking back into the living room she asked,
"So what if going on in Santa Monica today?"
"Nothing that's going to kill us. But
get this, some wacko keeps sending all these 'complaints' to city hall. About
stupid stuff, like people on the beach too much. Good lord." Jack said
shaking his head. Rose laughed and sat back down.
"I say put him in the mental
hospital." She suggested. Jack nodded and put down the paper. Rose
immediately snuggled over to Jack and laid against him.
"Wow, it's really been one of those mind
boggling days huh." Rose stated.
"Hell yes. Man I never thought this
would actually happen. It's almost like a dream." Rose nodded, she knew
what Jack was talking about. Jack started running his fingers though Rose's
hair and Rose closed her eyes.
"You are really tired huh?" Jack
asked.
"Yes. You keep me up last night because
you were tossing and turning so much. Did you get any sleep at all?" Rose
asked.
"Actually, no. But it was worth it. Why
don't you go to bed? I'll come in once I finish this." Jack suggested.
Rose nodded and pulled herself away from Jack. She slowly walked into the
bedroom. Jack just shook his head and silently laughed. He heard her use the
bathroom and get her nightdress on. Finally he saw the light go out and could
hear Rose getting situated. And then everything was quiet. Jack finished the
last page of the paper and then decided that he too was tired. Yawing he got up
and made sure the door was looked, stove was off, lights off, etc. Finally he
tugged into the room, closing the door behind him. Rose stirred and rolled over
as he turned his nightstand light on. Throwing his shirt off, he climbed in
next to Rose. Jack switched off the light and snuggled down under the covers.
He lay there for a few minutes, thinking
about the day when Rose asked faintly, "Jack, are you a wake?"
"Hmm."
"Oh well I just wanted to say goodnight
dear." Rose whispered rolling over to face Jack. Jack wrapped his arms
around her and she snuggled next to him.
"Goodnight Rose. I love you honey."
Jack whispered as he started to fall into a sleep.
"I love you too. And I am proud of you,
I want you to know that. Goodnight Jack." Rose whispered back before
slipping into sleep.