JACK AND ROSE: TOGETHER FOREVER
Chapter Twenty-Eight

Rose and Jack stepped into the apartment and a wonderful aroma hit them.

"Mmm, that smells good." Jack remarked as he closed the door. They had just gotten back from their walk on the beach before dinner. Rose had left the pan of manicotti in to cook and now the aroma filled the apartment.

"Yeah, it does." Rose agreed. She through her shawl into the bedroom and walked back into the kitchen. The table was set with their fanciest plates, wineglasses, and silverware and in the middle was a single candle. Rose smiled to herself; this was going to be an amazing night. She smiled and walked over to Jack and started kissing his neck.

Jack laughed, "Rose, you are going to make me drop this." He said gesturing to the pan of manicotti.

Rose rolled her eyes, "Baby."

"Rose, you know that's not nice." Jack said setting the pan on the table.

"I know. But it's fun." Rose said kissing him on the check.

Jack laughed again, "Come on, help me finish getting the table set. There will be enough time for that later."

"Okay Jack." Rose said and started putting the rest of the food out. French bread, vegetable soup, wine. It all looked so good; Rose had to stop her mouth from watering. When they finally sat down, Rose and Jack smiled at each other from the across the table and talked quietly.

"Mmm, Rose this is so good." Jack said taking another forkful of manicotti and shoving it into his mouth.

"Yeah, considering a year ago I couldn't make a sandwich till you showed me, I guess it's pretty good." Rose replied smiling at Jack. Jack smiled at Rose when suddenly she snorted and started laughing hysterically.

"What is so funny?" Jack questioned smiling at Rose laughing so hard.

"Oh god Jack. I was just thinking about what Dianna would say if she were here." Rose got out. Jack, too, started laughing and put his head in his face.

"Are you sure we can handle the Fosters living down here?" Jack asked. Rose, who had calmed down, nodded.

"Yeah, I think we can, hopefully. When are they are coming down here again?" Rose asked. A few weeks ago, they had gotten a letter from the Fosters saying that they were coming down to look at houses.

"Ah, June. I think." Jack said. Rose nodded and took another bite of the manicotti.

"It's going to be so nice with them moving down here." She remarked.

"Yeah, hopefully they and the Langstons will get along." Jack said taking a sip of his wine.

"I wish Brittany could come down here too. But I guess she is pretty busy up in New York." Rose said a slightly sad expression on her face. Jack smiled sympathetically at Rose.

"Hay, I know you miss Brittany honey. But let's not talk about that now. It's our first anniversary. It's only going to come once." Rose looked at Jack. He was right, as usual.

"Alright Jack. I'll stop thinking about that now." She said smiling across the table.

"That's my girl." Rose blushed, Jack was always calling her, 'his girl' and Rose thought it was funny. It sounded like they were eighth graders going out, not married adults. Well one of them was an adult anyway. Jack had recently turned twenty-one, Rose was only eighteen. But Jack was absolutely right. Their first anniversary only came once.

After the dinner dishes where all put away and the kitchen cleaned up, Rose and Jack decided to build a fire and exchange gifts there. Jack went and got his followed a minute later by Rose.

"Now go on out of here. I haven't wrapped it completely yet." Rose said after Jack had grabbed his box and was standing in front of her.

"Okay Rose." Jack said just like he had done when he was a little kid and his parents had shooed him out of their room. Rose rolled her eyes as the door closed. She took out Jack's present, which was a gift certificate to a furniture store. She figured that sense they were in the middle of fixing up the spare bedroom as an art studio; he could get himself a new desk or whatever. She slipped the certificate into an envelope and sealed it. When she emerged, she found Jack lying on the floor with a blanket over him and two pillows at his head. Rose walked over, slipped under the blanket and snuggled up to Jack. Than, with out saying anything she handed him the envelope. Jack handed her a rectangle box with roses drawn on the top. Rose smiled at him and sat up against the couch.

Jack followed her example and then asked, "Do you want to go first? Or can I? I really think your present should be last Rose."

"Go ahead Jack." Rose replied leaning her head against Jack's. Jack tore open this envelope and pulled out the certificate.

He looked it over for a minute and than said, "Oh Rose this is perfect. This is just what I need. Thank you." Jack told her giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Mmm, you're welcome. I figured you could get a new desk or something for the studio."

"Yeah, this will be great."

Rose smiled, "Happy anniversary Jack."

"Happy anniversary." Jack replied kissing her again.

"Open yours Rose." Jack suggested moving in front of her.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked.

"I want to see your face."

"Okay Jack." Rose said slowly and began to open the box. Rose was confused as she pulled out a piece of paper. What was this? She studied it for a moment. Then her eyes opened wide as she realized what it was.

"Jack...you...you bought a house?" Rose asked in a wide-eyed disbelief. Jack nodded excitedly.

"Rose, you know that big white house by the Langstons?" Jack started, standing up and pretending to think.

"You bought that Jack?" Rose asked in a whisper.

"Yes ma'am I did." Rose screamed, jumped up and threw her arms around Jack's neck. Jack put his hands on her waist and spun her around. Rose laughed and put her arms out. That made Jack lose his balance and he fell back onto the couch with Rose on top of him. Rose laughed again and kissed Jack.

"Oh Jack this is a dream come true. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Now it was Jack's turn to laugh.

"You're welcome Rose." Jack said simply.

"Tomorrow afternoon I thought we would go look at it. Is that okay?"

"Of course it is Jack." Rose said sitting up and pulling Jack with her. She rested her head against Jack's until he reached down and picked up the blanket. Jack threw the blanket over the two of them and wrapped his arms around Rose. She cuddled closer to Jack.

They sat there for a minute when suddenly Rose blurted out, "Jack, I need to tell you something." Jack looked at Rose with a concerned look.

"Oh, don't worry, it's not bad or anything. Just something I need to get off my mind."

"Go ahead Rose." Jack urged.

Rose took a deep breath, "I never told you why I chose today for are wedding day. See today was my father's birthday. And I just wanted to mix something sad with something happy so I would think of this day as a happy day instead of a sad one." Rose buried her face in Jacks chest.

"Oh Rose, don't cry dear. We must remember that he is in heaven now." Rose pulled her face away and looked at Jack.

"I guess you're right Jack."

"Now come on Rose, don't be sad. It's our anniversary. We should be happy. Your father was a nice and great person. And I know that he and my parents are looking down on us saying, 'Rose don't be sad. Be happy smile.'" Jack told her stroking her hair.

"Thank you for telling me though."

"You're welcome Jack." Rose said kissing him.

"Now come on let's lay down on the floor." Jack suggested moving onto the floor and motioning for Rose to follow. She did and snuggled up to Jack. He one again wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

"I love you Rose." He whispered into her ear.

"Oh, I love you too." Rose whispered back.

"Rose, we shouldn't do this here." Jack said. Rose pulled away and looked into his eyes.

"No, we shouldn't." Rose agreed. And with that Jack picked Rose up and carried her into the bedroom.

Later

Rose laid her head on Jack's chest.

"I can hear your heart beating." She whispered closing her eyes.

"I can feel yours." Jack whispered back.

"They are beating in unison." Rose said.

"I read somewhere that when two hearts touch or can feel the vibrations from another, they beat in unison." Jack whispered lovingly to Rose. Rose lifted her head and smiled at Jack.

"That's what happened." She said laying back down.

"Goodnight Jack. I love you." She whispered as she slipped into sleep.

"I love you too, night Rose." Jack said wrapping his arms around her. Jack watched her drift into sleep and before long she was breathing steadily and snoring very lightly.

"Goodnight my darling Rosebud." Jack whispered as he closed his eyes and slipping into sleeps welcoming arms.

Chapter Twenty-Nine
Stories