LOVERS LOST AND CHILDREN FOUND
Chapter Five

Jack finally found Rose on the beach, letting the waves wash over her feet. Rose couldn’t believe that Jack had a child. Suddenly awakened from her thoughts, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see those eyes. They were so blue.

"Rose, I am so sorry. When I thought you had died, I was miserable. I met this woman named Nicole Lilly. She fell in love with me. When I told her I wasn’t ready to get married, she got very upset. So I did it, knowing I’d never love her the same way I did you. I really married her out of pity. I felt bad. What can I say? Then she left, and I love my daughter and have taken care of her."

"Jack, how old is your daughter?" Rose asked, not knowing what else to say.

"She is six years old, and her name is Summer Rose Dawson." Jack wanted Rose to know he had remembered her.

"Thank you, Jack, but one more question…"

"Yes, Rose?"

"How did you survive the Titanic?" Rose couldn’t believe what she was saying.

"When you dropped me, or something, I was so cold I couldn’t feel it until the water went up my nose, and I swam up and a lifeboat brought me to the Carpathia," Jack finally got out.

"Jack, you know only one lifeboat came back, so we were in the same lifeboat and on the Carpathia. How we missed each other is beyond me." Rose, still embracing Jack, started crying. Jack couldn’t help but cry, too.

"Rose?"

"Yes, Jack?"

"Why don’t I take you to meet my daughter?"

Rose, who was still letting Jack hold her, had butterflies in her stomach. "All right, Jack. Let’s go."

Jack took Rose’s hand and led her to Mrs. Winslet’s house.

*****

"Daddy! Daddy!" yelled Summer, running towards Jack.

Jack motioned to Rose. "Summer, this is Daddy’s old friend, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater."

"No, Jack. It’s not DeWitt Bukater…it’s Dawson!" Jack smiled widely.

"Dawson? That’s my last name!" the little girl cried.

"Honey, we need to go to Mrs. Dawson’s house. Okay?" Jack asked his daughter.

"Sure, Daddy."

Jack, Rose, and Summer headed for Rose’s house.

*****

Eva, who was on the porch, saw a little family coming. She stood on the porch and put a hand over her eyes to see if it was her father and mother…and what she guessed was Jack’s little girl, her half-sister. Eva ran up to them.

"Hello, everyone!"

"Hello!" the family said.

As Rose let go of Summer’s hand, she asked Jack, "Would you and Summer like to come to dinner?" Rose didn’t really know what Jack might say.

"Sure, Rose." Jack smiled.

*****

Everyone except Rose, who was in the kitchen making dinner, were in the parlor, acting as if they had been a family for years.

"Jack! I can’t believe it! You threw rotten eggs at the police chief of your town?"

"Yeah. It was pretty hilarious! Eva, you can now call me Dad." Jack knew he would love having two daughters.

"All right…Dad!" She felt strange saying that.

Just then, Rose walked into the parlor. "Dinner’s ready!" Everyone sat at the table, Rose across from Jack and Eva across from Summer.

"Rose, you’ll never guess who I saw at my job at the pier."

"Who? Who?" Rose asked anxiously.

"Mr. Caledon Hockley." Jack grinned.

Rose was most definitely taken aback "Whoa…well, what did he say?"

Eva and Summer were lost as the adults talked.

"He has two daughters and a wife. They seemed pretty happy. He asked me where you were. Considering that I thought you were dead, I said that you were. Oh, and he said that he was sorry for my loss!"

Rose was smiling. "I guess people do change."

"I guess they do!" Jack smiled.

After that, they chatted about the little things. They also finished their dinner.

"Children, go to Eva’s room."

"All right, Mother," Eva said.

"Jack, please, sit down." She motioned Jack towards the couch.

"Okay…so, Rose, we have no kids here, and you sound serious," he said, holding Rose’s hand.

"Well, Jack, now that you’re here…I don’t ever want you to leave!" Jack went to her lips, and they kissed in a way they had never kissed before.

"Jack…" Rose said. "I need you to take me to the stars all over again!"

Jack kissed her one more time, then said, "The kids?"

They both laughed. "Oh, how awful of us to forget. What shall we do?" Rose asked, Jack lying on top of her and his face inches away from her face. "Jack, get off," Rose said reluctantly.

Jack got off her, thoughts running through his mind. "I know. We will tell the kids that we are having a sleepover so you and I can talk more," he said, winking at her.

*****

Eva was playing dolls with Summer. Just then, Jack and Rose walked in, holding hands.

"Eva and Summer, we are going to have a sleepover so we can catch up, especially on old times!" Rose said.

Jack walked over to Summer and whispered in her ear. "This woman will be your new mommy, and believe me, she will love you," Jack said. Summer giggled.

Rose and Eva just watched, wondering what Jack had said.

"Eva, may Summer join you in your room to sleep tonight?"

"Sure, Mother." Eva was excited. She finally had a sister.

"Okay. You two have fun," Jack said, smiling.

"All right. You two also." Eva couldn’t help but grin as Jack and Rose looked at each other and laughed.

*****

Rose led Jack into her bedroom down the hall. When she shut the door behind them, Jack gestured to the lock.

"Oh, I forgot!" Rose said, locking the door.

"You are very forgetful these days, aren’t you?" Jack asked.

"I always am…especially around you!"

Jack pulled her into his arms, and they kissed. Jack said, smiling, "Welcome to the stars, Rose Dawson."

Rose loved Jack saying her name…his last name. Jack turned off the light.

Chapter Six
Stories