A SIMPLE SOLUTION
Chapter Sixteen

Soft music was playing in the quiet apartment. The victrola Molly had given them was Rose's favorite possession, and right now, it was playing a melodic, slow song about smiles and roses.

It was evening, and the calm October night was slowly coming. Rose lay on the bed, her eyes on the window and a serene smile on her lips. Jack was working late in the harbor and Fabrizio was out for the night, with Helga. He had taken her to a party, hosted by a friend of theirs, Angela. A party with dancing, Rose thought, the smile on her face deepening.

Dancing…how wonderful it would be to go dancing again. But Jack worked almost every evening, and when he didn't, he was too tired to go out. She sighed lightly, moving her hand across her abdomen. It was because of the baby that he had to work so much.

A few weeks earlier, she had had to quit her job, working as a waitress in a shabby coffee shop. Doctor's orders. She sighed again, pulling up her legs closer to her stomach. When Rose hadn't been able to sleep another few nights, had complained about headaches, and they got even worse if she was up during the daytime, when the apartment was filled with light, Jack had insisted that she go to a doctor and she had.

She could still remember how Jack had waited nervously in the waiting room. How the doctor had called him in after examining her, telling them both that even though she had been feeling great the first months of the pregnancy, it was a dangerous and difficult one and that she had to quit her job and get as much rest as she could. If she didn't, her life could be in danger and she could lose the baby. Rose was a strong woman, both physically and mentally, the doctor had realized, but the pregnancy was taking a lot out of her and since it was her first, it was better to be safe.

If Jack minded working the long hours, it wasn't something he would tell her. She felt bad anyway, and talked about getting a part-time job, despite the doctor's orders.

Helga worked, Fabrizio worked, so she was alone all day, mostly sleeping and reading something.

She closed her eyes, willing time to pass. She longed for January, when the baby was born and she could stop feeling like an invalid constantly.

Soon enough, she had fallen asleep. She was shaken out of her pleasant dream by Helga's laughter. Drowsily, she looked up, and smiled when she saw Fabrizio holding Helga in his arms. They were laughing quietly, and would have remained oblivious to her if Helga hadn't cast a glance in the bedroom.

"Rose! We didn't wake you, did we?" she exclaimed, her blue eyes worried.

Rose shook her head, pushing herself into a standing position.

"Did you have fun?" she asked, rubbing her eyes to wake up as she leaned on the doorframe.

"The best," Helga replied, smiling at Fabrizio as she wrapped her arm around his waist. "Fabri asked me to marry him and I said yes."

Fabrizio blushed softly as he looked at Rose, who just grinned happily.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you. I knew it was only a question of time." She hugged Helga tightly and then reached over for Fabrizio, giving him a soft hug. "I'm so glad happiness found you again, Fabri," she whispered and he let her go gently, watching her with a mixture of gratitude and worry.

"Thank you. I…I promised Jack I'd make sure you stayed in bed," he said, feeling too embarrassed to let the attention stay on him. Rose shrugged, walking over to the window.

"I'm fine. I'm just sleepy. What time is it?" she asked, looking up at Helga. The other woman smiled softly. "About ten in the evening. We wanted to be longer at the party, but Angela's daughter wasn't feeling good, so we left early."

She looked into Fabrizio's eyes dreamily. "The best part of the evening had already gone by anyway," she whispered.

Rose watched them, feeling a twinge of jealousy in her heart. Not long ago, she and Jack had been standing like that and now…he was never there, always working, making money…for the baby. With a sigh, she moved her hand over her bulging middle, loving the baby, but at the same time feeling helpless. She wanted to give to the household in some way and Jack went up the wall every time she tried to do something. He worried about her, she knew that. She detested that, because it made him solemn and not happy, not carefree, the Jack she wanted him to be.

Softly, she moved the drapes to the side, watching the empty, dark street. Where was he? Shouldn't he have been home by now? Sure, he had come home at midnight sometimes, never waking her up, but she had been awake anyway. Somehow, she couldn't fall asleep. She felt too nauseous, too wound up to sleep. The only way she fell asleep was in the day, when she was alone.

Where was he? She sighed and wondered if he had gone to have a beer somewhere, maybe see some woman…maybe Tina. She swallowed hard. She couldn't think such thoughts, she reminded herself. Jack loves you. Nothing will ever change that.

"Rose?"

She looked up into Fabrizio's worried face.

"I kind of did promise Jack I'd take care of you. We met him in the harbor and he said he'd have to stay a while longer."

Rose drew a sigh of relief, relief that he was working, not that she had really doubted that, but it was good to know anyway.

"I'm fine. I'm just a bit worried about him. He's working way too much." She turned back to the window, knowing that they would leave her alone now. Helga said good night softly and then she heard the door closing. Rose looked back at where they had been standing, her beautiful face wrinkled with anxiety.

The baby tumbled about and she bit her lip determinedly, willing the nausea and discomfort to pass. I can't worry like this. It's not good for the baby. But…I just wish he were here. I hate it when he's away working like this. It's late, dark…what if something happens to him? She pictured him walking alone along the street, not seeing the men behind him, not seeing as they fired a gun at him…

A pang of pain seized her stomach and she grabbed the window frame quickly, her hands shaky with fear. Slowly, she sank down on the chair behind her and breathed in a few times, deeply as the pain subsided.

"It's not time, yet, sweetheart. Wait a few months and we'll meet then. I promise you that."

Her whispering voice was breathless and she still sensed fractions of pain drifting through her body. Sweat beads were breaking out on her forehead and she brought a tired hand up to her face to wipe them away. "Not yet. Your daddy has to be here and you have to be bigger. Forget about what I wished, that you're born already. Forget it."

She looked up in a startled frenzy when the front door opened, wiping away more pearls of sweat and the small tears the pain had caused her.

"Hey," she whispered.

Jack had just tossed his coat to the floor and was leaning down to the floor, his face in his hands as he sighed, his figure shining with exhaustion and at her tiny voice, he looked up, surprise clear in his eyes.

"What are you doing up?" he asked slowly, walking over to her. His blue eyes showed concern when he felt her sweaty forehead and his arm snaked around her waist, as if to wrap her up in a safe cloud, where nothing could harm her.

"I…was waiting for you," she whispered, getting up from the chair awkwardly, grimacing as she lost contact with the window frame and nearly lost her balance. "I was worried…it's getting darker and colder and you're out there…"

A soft hand was pressed to her mouth and she smiled. "Shh…none of that. I'm fine, Rose and I would feel a lot better if I knew you were sleeping instead of waiting for me like this." He looked at her in contemplation for a while. "Maybe it would be best if the doctor came to see you tomorrow. You look a bit pale…" He ran a hand over her slightly damp hair and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "They didn't wake you when they came home, did they?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"They did…sort of. They didn't mean to, but…"

"They did." He sighed, pulling her closer into his arms. "Rose…you know what the doctor said, you have to relax, you can't worry like this. I'm fine. I've been on my own since I was fifteen and I've managed to survive a few gang fights already." She smiled slightly, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I know. But I…I just wish I had a job, that I had something to do. I sleep all day and then I can't sleep at night and I…I get these pains, I can't…I just wish it were January already so that I feel like myself again."

Jack's grip around her tightened and he kissed her forehead, fear shining in his eyes.

"It's gonna be okay, Rose. I know it will. Now, come on, let's go to bed. If you can't sleep, you can read me a story or something, because I'm pooped."

Rose giggled, leaning her body on his as he led her to the bedroom, helping her to sit down gently.

She leaned back, moving her hands over her stomach as she watched him take his pants off, then the shirt. He turned, looking at her with a grin.

"Like what you see?"

"Love it," she replied in a soft tone.

She smiled as he sat down next to her, wearing only a pair of softer pants. His chest was bare, and her hands were automatically drawn to it.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you happy with me…like this…?" she whispered softly, her heart pounding hard.

"Are you kidding me? I couldn't be happier if I tried. I mean…sure it's hard work and I'm worried about you constantly and you can't be having fun, all day alone, but…I love you, Rose, and I know things will get better for us."

She smiled, relief surging through her. "Thank you."

"For what?" he asked, touching her hair softly as he looked at her with wonder.

"For being here. For loving me. Even though I look like a pale…huge…ugly…"

She couldn't go on, his lips had stopped her words, and he kissed her deeply, but in a tender way, knowing that she was tired.

"You're not. You're beautiful."

She sighed happily and seconds later, they fell asleep, her head on his chest and his hands over her stomach protectively.

*****

Thinking back, Jack realized that it had all started when Fabrizio got sick. The path that had led to destruction, death and pain, it had all started with Fabrizio's horrible cold.

One day, after work, he staggered in to see Rose sitting by the window, writing something in a book.

"Hey, I'm not feeling good, so I'm gonna lie down for a while."

Rose got up and started collecting things that could help him feel better. She made him some hot tea and found three blankets to help him stay warm.

"How long have you had this fever?" she asked softly, touching his forehead lightly. He shrugged, closing his eyes.

"Since…noon…I don't know. Rose, please, go rest. I'm fine. Jack…he'd kill me if he knew you were working like this."

His voice was determined, but Rose just smiled at him. "I'm fine. The only thing that's really dangerous for me and the baby is if I worry too much and that's precisely what I'll do if I don't help you. Now come on, drink this."

When Helga got back from her job, she practically ordered Rose to leave, that she could handle things now. Rose sank down on her own bed, feeling the unease spread through her. She had a vague feeling that this cold was no cold and it was making her scared.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Smiling a bit, she pushed herself off the bed and hurried to the living room.

"Hey," Jack grinned at her, but his smile faded when he saw how tired she was and heard the low murmurs from Fabrizio's room.

"What's wrong?" he asked, walking over to the room.

She followed him, but stopped in the doorway.

"Fabri's sick, Jack," Helga whispered, getting up from the bed. "It could be a cold or the beginning of the influenza, but I don't…I think it's something else. I worked sometimes as a nurse back in Norway, so I know. I think we need a doctor."

Jack looked at Fabrizio's closed eyes worriedly. "Is he gonna be okay?" he asked.

"Sure," Helga smiled, but Rose saw the undertone in it and swallowed hard. Jack would be devastated if his friend died.

But instead of moving closer to his friend, Jack whirled around, pushing Rose out the door. He looked at her wildly, holding his hands on her shoulders.

"Did you take care of him before Helga came?" he asked desperately, wishing that she would say that Helga and Fabrizio had come together.

Rose nodded slowly, tears forming in her eyes as the meaning of his words rang through.

"Oh God," he whispered. "I…think I know what it is. Angela's little girl…I met Angela today and she told me…that the girl has measles. It's not too bad, but when a grown-up gets it…it can be fatal."

Rose swallowed again, wishing she could turn back time. She stepped back a bit, not wanting him to see her upset. This on top of everything. She could lose the baby any day even without this. What had she been thinking? That I wanted to help him…help him feel better.

"It…I'm sure it'll be okay, Jack," she whispered, starting for the kitchen, mumbling something about making dinner.

"I'll do that, Rose. You…sit down and rest." He hugged her gently, feeling nervousness seep into his soul when he felt her wince. He shouldn't have told her about it. She shouldn't be upset. "Are you okay?"

She nodded painfully, pressing one hand to her stomach. "It's just…the usual pain. I'm fine. Go…make dinner and…we'll talk later."

She sank down on the couch, listening to Fabrizio coughing and Helga whispering softly to him. What Rose didn't know was what they were talking about. And…the secret that Helga was carrying.

Chapter Seventeen
Stories