LOVERS LOST AND CHILDREN FOUND
Chapter Ten

Jack Dawson walked into a local shopping area. He was looking at gifts to buy his soon-to-be baby when he saw heard a familiar voice down the aisle.

"Well, Mrs. Johnson, I think your baby will not like violet, but maybe pink, considering it’s a girl," Ruth, Rose’s mother, said.

"I believe you may be right," Christine Johnson agreed.

"Oh, shit…" Jack whispered to himself. He tried to walk out the door, but was stopped by the sound of Ruth’s voice.

"Mr. Dawson?"

Jack cringed and turned to flash a fake smile at Ruth. "Why, hello, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater," Jack said, walking towards Ruth.

"How have you been? Oh, by the way, this is Christine Johnson. My friend’s daughter."

Jack shook Christine’s hand, and she blushed. "Why, hello, Mr. Dawson." Christine smiled.

Ruth noticed and shook her head. Christine had forgotten for a moment that she was married, with a newborn at home. "So, Mr. Dawson--"

"Please, call me Jack."

"Very well, Jack…how are you doing?"

"I am fine."

"All right, Jack…I-I am going to get to the point. I am wondering if you know where Rose is."

Jack was wondering how he should answer. Ruth eyes were full of tears. "Well, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater…I believe I do…" Jack didn’t know if he had made a huge mistake. Cal was married, so Ruth couldn’t possibly push her into anything.

"Where is she?"

"At our house, with our children."

"C-can I see her? I have missed her so much!"

"Yes, you may. Come by for dinner at six o’clock tonight, okay?"

"Yes. I will see you then."

Jack walked out, hoping Rose wouldn’t be too angry with him.

*****

Rose was planning her wedding to Jack while dinner cooked and the children were outside, playing tag. Suddenly, Jack walked in. Rose got up, ran towards Jack, and kissed him many times.

"Wow, Rose. Pregnancy has got you a little crazy!" Jack smirked and hugged Rose.

"Why, yes, it has, or maybe it was the planning I have done all day that has been making me miss you."

"Well, Rose, I am happy you’re happy, because I’ve got some potentially upsetting news."

Rose sat down at the kitchen table. "Well, what is it?" Rose asked, suddenly worried.

"I ran into an old friend," Jack said, sitting across from her.

"Well, who, because you are making me nervous, Jack."

"Okay. Well, I was starting to shop for our child, and…I ran into your mother…"

Rose’s mouth dropped open, wondering what could possibly have happened. She knew Cal was now married, so no one could push her into any sort of marriage. She was marrying Jack, for heaven’s sake.

"What else?" Rose asked, suddenly very serious.

"Well, I figured since nothing could happen, and she look like she had changed, I thought it’d be okay for her to come for dinner around six o’clock." Jack squinted his eyes shut. He was afraid of how Rose was going to react.

Rose got up and went into the kitchen to tend to dinner. She walked towards Jack, who was now standing. "Well, Jack, I am not upset with you. There is nothing she can do, anyway. It will also be good for her to meet our children."

Rose hugged Jack, and he kissed her, thanking God that Rose was not furious, especially since she was pregnant.

An hour passed. The children knew Ruth was coming, and that she was Rose’s mother, especially Eva, who knew her mother’s past. Suddenly, the silence everyone was broken by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

Chapter Eleven
Stories