LET’S LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND
Chapter Eight

The gala was in full swing when the Dawsons arrived. Everyone was there except the guests of honor. They didn't arrive until an hour after the party had started.

"I can't help but wonder how much this cost Linda," Nancy commented, looking at their surroundings. "A pretty penny, I'll bet."

"One thousand dollars. I've seen more expensive," Rose whispered to Jack, who only smiled half-heartedly in return, worried about what would happen when he finally came face-to-face with Kimberly. "Are you all right?" Rose asked, noticing his mood.

"I'm fine." Jack smiled. "I just feel a little chilly. Must be an aftereffect of the hypothermia."

Rose's eyes widened in alarm. "Should I go get a doctor?"

"No. I'll be fine." Jack smiled, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

"What are you two whispering about over here?" Jacquelyn smiled, coming over to join the couple.

"Nothing that's of immediate interest." Jack smiled, placing his arm around Rose and pulling her close. "Just newlywed stuff."

Jacquelyn just shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I should warn Ma that a baby Dawson can be expected soon."

"Do that and you're gonna wish you hadn't." Jack glared at his sister.

"Do you two always fight like this?" Rose asked.

"Pretty much." Jacquelyn laughed. "But it's all in fun. Jack knows I love him."

"I don't know. Do I?" Jack smiled mischievously.

Jacquelyn threw him a playful punch in the arm. Rose smiled, wishing that she had a brother or sister to have such easy rapport with. But it was just as well that she didn't. She would have had to leave them behind, too, to believe that she was dead.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Can I have your attention?" Mr. Lakesworth tapped a champagne glass with his fork. "May I announce the arrival of my future daughter-in-law and her attendants? Kimberly Smith and company!"

Applause thundered through the hall as a blonde girl about Rose's height and Jack's age came strolling in, followed by the group of girls Rose had seen in the dress shop earlier that day.

"Miss Smith looked quite lovely tonight. Doesn't she, Jack?" Jacquelyn looked at her brother, who was watching the procession. Jack looked over at Rose, reminding himself that she was still there. "Not as lovely as Rose." Jack smiled, kissing his wife's gloved hand. Rose bit her lip as she was once again reminded of the Titanic.

"Jack Dawson!" a male voice exclaimed. Jack looked over to see his old friend, Adam McFee, rushing towards him. "Well, I'll be! You're back! We never thought we'd see you in these parts again!"

"Neither did I. But circumstances brought me back." Jack smiled. "So, how's everything going for ya, Adam?"

"Great! Got married two months ago and we're expecting a baby now. I'm hoping it'll be a boy. Carry on the McFee name."

Jack laughed. "Of course." Jack remembered how his friend could be.

"And who is this lovely creature?" Adam noticed Rose, who was clinging to Jack's hand.

"Adam, meet the love of my life. Rose Dawson. She's my wife." Jack grinned, loving the envious look on Adam's face.

"How do you do, ma'am?" Adam smiled and turned to Jack. "Quite a dish, if I do say so myself, Jack."

"Can you be any more chauvinistic, Adam?" Jacquelyn glared at her brother's friend. Honestly, she didn't know why Jack had kept the bum around for so long.

"Stow it, Jacquelyn. We don't want any of your feminist crap polluting our women tonight. Right, Jack?"

"You're on your own, Adam." Jack shook his head, taking Rose's hand to lead her out onto the dance floor.

"Jack, what are we doing?" Rose looked around as he took her in his arms and they began to sway to the music.

"Dancing, of course." Jack grinned. "You have to forgive Adam. He's one of the few unenlightened people in this town."

Rose giggled. "That's all right. I'm used to it. I used to be engaged to the biggest chauvinist, remember?"

"Oh, yes. And how is Mr. Hockley these days?"

"I don't know. And you know what? I don't care." Rose laughed, stepping closer to Jack. "I've found someone a lot better."

Jack stroked her cheek. "I love you, Rose."

Rose smiled and was about to reply when she was interrupted by a female voice calling for Jack. Jack turned to notice Kimberly Smith pushing her way through the crowd. "Jack! You're back!" She immediately hugged him, not yet noticing Rose.

"I hear congratulations are in order." Jack forced a smile.

"So, you heard about Brendan and I. No need to tell you that Mother is ecstatic. She got her way once again."

"Well, she'll be rich forever now." Jack smiled. "Does this marriage make you happy, Kimberly?"

The name suddenly ringed a bell for Rose. She remembered Molly mentioning that Jack had been calling for a Kimberly in his sleep after they had been rescued. She wondered what the story was there. Maybe Jack will tell her when they get home.

"You know the answer to that, Jack. Only one thing can make me happy, and according to rumors, that's impossible now." Kimberly smiled sadly, then looked at Rose. "And is this the lucky woman who's won Jack's heart?"

"Hello." Rose smiled politely.

"Kimberly Smith. Soon to be Lakesworth." Kimberly shook Rose's hand.

"Rose De--Dawson." Rose stopped herself from saying DeWitt Bukater.

"Have we met? You look familiar." Kimberly looked closely at Rose.

Before Rose could answer, there was another clink on a glass. Everyone looked up at Brendan’s father. "Mrs. Smith on the arm of my son, Brendan!"

Applause thundered through the room as a handsome young man escorted an older woman who looked similar to Kimberly into the room. Rose looked over at Kimberly as she groaned.

"Are you all right?" Rose asked, lightly touching the girl's arm.

"My mother is going to have a fit when she sees Jack here." Kimberly sighed.

"Kimberly!" Mrs. Smith rushed over and grabbed her daughter's hand. "So, Mr. Dawson, I see you have returned to our quiet town. May I ask why? It's not for Kimberly, is it?"

Jack's face grew beet red as Rose looked up at him, a question in her eyes. "I came back to introduce my wife to my family and friends, Mrs. Smith." Jack kept his temper in check. He wanted to strangle the woman for bringing that up in front of his wife.

"Wife?" For the first time, Mrs. Smith noticed Rose standing next to Jack.

"Mother, why must you cause conflict wherever you go?" Kimberly glared at her mother.

"No matter. Kimberly, your fiancé awaits." Linda Smith roughly grabbed her daughter's hand and led her up to the first table, where Brendan and his father were sitting.

"What a rude woman." Rose shook her head.

Jack was about reply when Mr. Lakesworth again signaled for silence. "With the recent disaster of the luxury liner Titanic, a donation is going out to all the widows. We'd like a few moments of silence as the collection plate goes around for donations. Afterwards, our band will play the hymn that was said to be the last thing the band played aboard the doomed liner. Everyone, bow your heads now, please."

Swallowing hard, Jack and Rose tightly linked hands and bowed their heads, praying for the friends they had lost aboard the liner. Rose wiped at a tear that had run from her eye and squeezed Jack's hand for moral support. They each dropped a ten dollar bill into the collection plate as it came around.

Soon afterwards, the band played the hymn Nearer My God to Thee. That was when it all came back to Rose. They were no longer in the safe dance hall. They were back aboard the sinking Titanic. Rose can hear the screamed and the people jostling past her. She can hear the roar of the water and the groaned of the ship. Then she heard the unmistakable boom of the ship breaking in two and the motion of the ship going down deeper and deeper into the freezing waters. She was almost to the surface of the water when she heard Jack calling her name.

"What?" Rose snapped back to the present.

"Are you okay? You went quite pale there for a second." Jack looked closely at her.

"I'm fine. I just…I just had a flashback for a second, but I'm fine now." Rose forced a smile and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Such a tragic loss," one of the guests was heard saying as they passed by Jack and Rose. "All those poor souls."

"Well, at least they were all third class who perished. Less filthy people to litter our country." Another guest nodded.

Anger built up in Rose at their statements. How dare those women say such a thing? Those were real people with real family, lives, and dreamed that were lost in the sinking! And they weren't all third class, either! She couldn't help but think of the dejected expression on Mr. Andrew's face as his wonderful creation sank into the sea. Of the first class man saying good-bye to his sobbing family as they were put into the lifeboat, promising that it was good-bye for a little while, only a little while. She shivered at the memory of the cries for the lifeboats to return, but only one had, and it had been too late for most of them. Her and Jack were lucky to have escaped with their lives.

"Ignore them, Rose," Jack whispered in her ear, noticing the burning anger in his wife's eyes and how tense she had become. "They don't know. They can't help their ignorance."

"They could at least have respect for the dead, though." Rose looked at Jack.

"I know. I know." Jack placed a comforting arm around her trembling shoulders. "But just let it go for now. This is supposed to be a happy occasion."

"Jack! Rose! Over here!" Jacquelyn waved to her brother and his wife. "You must see this newspaper! It's about the inquisition into the sinking!"

Against their better judgment, Jack and Rose went over to the small group and looked at the newspaper.

"It says here that the ship sank in one piece. That's amazing!" one of the girls gasped.

"One piece?" Rose looked at Jack. She remembered it quite differently. Jack shook his head, indicating for her not to say anything.

"Oh, and look! It says here that a Mr. Caledon Hockley saved a child from certain death! How heroic!" another girl gasped. "I'd do anything to be on the arm of that one!"

"Jacquelyn, Rose and I are going to go outside to get some air." Jack touched his sister's arm, noticing how pale Rose had become.

"Are you okay, Rose?" Jacquelyn looked at her sister-in-law in concern.

"I'm fine. I'm just getting a little claustrophobic. It happens every now and then." Rose forced a smile and tightly gripped Jack's hand. "Jack…"

"Later." Jack waved as he led Rose outside.

"Can you believe that, Jack?" Rose exploded once they were outside and out of earshot. "Can you believe the lies they've printed?"

"Rose…"

"How can they say that ship sank in one piece? We were on that damn thing when it broke in two! It was a struggle just to hang on!"

"I know, Rose."

"And Cal! He was too busy chasing and shooting at us to save anyone! If that girl wants him, she can have him!"

"I know, Rose." Jack gently massaged her shoulders. "We both know what the truth is."

"And then what those women said earlier…how can they be so callous and cruel?"

"Because they weren't there, Rose. They didn't see the things we saw. They didn't know the people who died on that ship…they were never friends with them…they never saw the dreams of their friends go up in smoke like we saw."

"Oh, Jack." Rose collapsed into his arms. For the first time since the sinking, she cried for all those lost. For all the people who had perished. For all the dreams unfulfilled. All the cries for help unanswered. "Why, Jack, why? Why did they all have to die? Why weren't there enough boats? Why didn't the others come back for us except for that measly one? Why?"

"Selfishness and greed. And foolhardiness. They flew in the face of God and they crashed…we all did." Jack held her tighter, not noticing Kimberly and her fiancé approaching.

"Is everything all right out here?" Brendan Lakesworth asked, recognizing Jack Dawson, Kimberly's ex-boyfriend. He pushed back the spear of jealousy as he realized that Jack was with another woman and didn't show that much interest in his fiancée now.

"Everything's fine." Jack forced a smile. "All the talk about that ship got to her."

"I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure." Brendan glanced at Rose as she wiped away her tears.

"Rose. Rose Dawson." Rose forced a smile, still tightly holding Jack's hand.

"I'm Brendan Lakesworth, the groom, and this is my soon-to-be bride, Kimberly Smith."

"We've met." Rose smiled.

"I hope you're enjoying our town, Rose. And I do apologize for all this depressing stuff. It's just that the sinking of the Titanic is the biggest news to hit a small town like Chippewa Falls in quite a while," Kimberly apologized.

Rose only nodded half-heartedly.

"Brendan…why don't you go show Rose the grounds? I'm sure she'll find your gardens fascinating." Kimberly looked at her fiancé.

"Would you like that, Rose?" Brendan asked, offering his arm.

"Jack?" Rose looked at her husband, who was looking rather uncomfortable.

"If that's what you want to do." Jack shrugged.

"All right." Rose smiled, accepting the offer.

"Don't worry, Jack. I'll bring her back in one piece."

"You'd better." Jack smiled. "Have fun, Rose."

"I'll try." Rose looked longingly at Jack for a second, then left with Brendan.

"She's lovely, Jack. You have good taste." Kimberly watched as Rose and Brendan disappeared behind the mansion.

"She's great." Jack smiled wistfully. "Everything I could ever ask for."

"But do you love her? I mean truly love her, Jack…like die for her?"

Jack looked at Kimberly, his eyes warm and sincere. "I almost did. But she wouldn't let me."

"What?"

"Long story. Maybe I'll tell it to you sometime."

"I'd love to hear it." Kimberly smiled and bowed her head. She looked back up and had tears in her eyes. "That should be me, Jack. I should be the one married to you. Not Rose. We both know it's true."

"But that's not the way it is, Kimberly. I love Rose now. With everything I am and will ever be."

"But you still love me…don't you, Jack?" Kimberly's eyes shone with unshed tears, pleading with him to say yes.

"Always." Jack wistfully smiled. "You were the first girl I ever loved…there will always be a place in my heart for you."

"As there will always be for you. But mine is a lot bigger than yours, I'm afraid. It's impossible for me to ever love anyone else." Kimberly suddenly hugged Jack tightly, wishing that they could go back in time to being the two innocent children so much in love that it hurt.

"Jack?" Rose and Brendan suddenly returned. Jack quickly released Kimberly and immediately joined Rose.

"I was just wishing Kimberly well on her marriage. I hope you both live long and happily together." Jack looked at Brendan, who just glared at his fiancée.

"I'm sure we will." Brendan nodded. "Come, Kimberly. It's time for pictures." He roughly grabbed his fiancée’s arm and led her outside.

"I guess we had better go in as well." Jack gently took Rose's hand, avoiding her curious gaze. He prayed that she'd forget what she had walked in on. It, of course, meant little to Jack, but he didn't want it to hurt Rose.

Rose, on the other hand, was more than curious. She was outright jealous at finding her handsome husband in the arms of a very beautiful girl. Wasn't she enough for Jack anymore? Or was it that Jack could only love what he couldn't have? He hadn't been able to have Rose, but now that he had her, was he ready to toss her aside? Was Jack going to leave her for Kimberly? Tears threatened to spring to her eyes at the thought of this.

"Rose?" Jack was concerned when he noticed how somber she looked.

Rose didn't have a chance to answer. Jacquelyn suddenly grabbed her hand and led her over to the band.

"Quick, Rose. Tell them your favorite song so they can play it."

Rose opened her mouth in shock. Her favorite song? How could she think of her favorite song when she was in danger of losing the only man she had ever loved…that she had given everything up for? "'Tis the Last Rose of Summer." Rose said the first song that came to her mind.

"Good song." The bandleader nodded and went into the song. Rose looked over at Jack and noticed how he was about to walk over to her when a pretty brunette grabbed his arm and led him out onto the dance floor.

"Not to worry, Rose. My brother only has eyes for one girl in this room. A beautiful redhead that he brought home last night." Jacquelyn giggled.

Rose forced a smile and stared at Jack, who was politely keeping his distance from the brunette, and every once in a while glanced over at Rose.

"Jacquelyn…what's with Jack and Kimberly? I know there's history there. What is it? Were they together before he left?"

Jacquelyn was shocked at Rose's question. What would make her ask such a thing? This wasn't something Jacquelyn should answer. Only Jack should tell Rose about him and Kimberly. "Uh…they were friends."

"Just how friendly were they?" Rose asked.

"Oh, look! There's Mother and Father! It's been a long time since they danced like that!" Jacquelyn exclaimed, just as the band went into a more fast-paced dance.

Rose smiled wistfully, reminded of the steerage party aboard the Titanic, where Jack had swung her around against her halfhearted protests. How he had only had eyes for her.

"Rose, are you okay?" Jacquelyn asked, noticing how she was staring at Jack, who was now talking to Adam. Rose looked almost sad, as if her heart was about to break. Did Kimberly have anything to do with that look? What did Jack do to make Rose so sad?

"Your brother…he's so handsome. I bet all the girls were vying for his heart."

"Jack had his fair share of female admirers, but he never took them seriously." Jacquelyn shrugged. "In fact, a lot of girls are envious of you, Rose. You're proper, elegant, gorgeous as all get out, and you have Jack's heart. That's all they could ever ask for."

But did she have Jack's heart? Or was his heart still with Kimberly Smith? If so, then why was Rose here at all? She might as well go back to Cal.

"You're taking good care of Rose, aren't you, Jacquelyn?" Jack came up and placed a warm arm around Rose's shoulders.

"Of course." Jacquelyn smiled at her brother. "You just make sure you do the same."

"Always." Jack smiled, pulling Rose closer.

"Well, this party's dying down." Charles and Nancy joined their children. "Ready to head for home?"

"I reckon we'd better. Jack has to get up early tomorrow to help you with the farming." Nancy smiled at her son. "Did you have fun, Rose?"

Rose only smiled and nodded, her thoughts still on Kimberly and Jack, remembering once again the night that Molly had said that Jack had called out for a Kimberly when he was unconscious aboard the Carpathia.

"Well, let's go home, then." Charles led his family out into the night air, the party forgotten.

Chapter Nine
Stories