STARTING ANEW
Chapter Ten

Jack hurried down the steps of the hotel. He was hoping that he could finish all of his errands in an hour. His first stop was at Macy's where he went right to the jewelry department. He stood looking at the clerks for a moment before he approached the counter. Jack felt a bit out of place here. Even though he was dressed better than he had been on Titanic, he still could not get used to being in such fine establishments as Macy's. He wanted to be sure that the clerk he chose to help him wouldn't look down on him. At last Jack saw the person he was looking for. A young neatly dressed man about his age was straightening some merchandise. Jack somehow sensed that this man was just starting out in life himself and would not make any judgments on him.

Jack quietly walked up to the man.

"May I be of some assistance sir?" he asked Jack.

"Yes, I am bringing my girlfriend, that is fiancée here in a little while. I was wondering if you could have a few wedding bands ready for her to look over?"

The clerk studied Jack for a moment before asking, "Do you have a certain price range?"

Jack looked him straight in the eye and named the amount. He knew that most people who shopped at Macy's could afford much more, but Jack at least wanted Rose's ring to come from a nice place. The clerk nodded and brought out several velvet trays of shining rings. There was a nice variety of narrow bands, wide bands and one that had a dainty filigree design.

"That will be fine," said Jack.

"Will you be here in an hour?"

"Yes, of course, I will wait for you to come back."

"Whatever ring she picks out, I would like this engraved inside. I'll need it by noon on Saturday."

Jack handed him a small piece of paper. The clerk looked at the writing on the paper and then at Jack, but did not ask any questions.

"Yes, of course, it will be ready when you need it."

"Great, I'll be back in an hour then."

The clerk shook his head and looked at the paper again, as Jack hurried off.

Jack rushed out of Macy's, relieved that the first thing on his list has been so easily accomplished. He walked past the hotel and halfway down the block where the Marble Collegiate Church stood. It was a lovely old gothic building that had a beautiful garden. During Rose's illness, Jack had often sought refuge there. Sometimes he had needed to get away from the noise and confusion of the city. On several of the occasions, the elderly reverend had sat quietly with Jack, his arm around his shoulder. Now Jack felt that perhaps this kind man could help him for a different reason.

Jack knocked on the door of the church office. Just by luck, the reverend himself opened the door. When he saw who it was he smiled and said, "My good friend Jack, come in. I was wondering what happened to you. I have not seen you in a few days."

Jack grinned and said, "She got well."

Reverend Johnson smiled knowingly, "I knew there must be a woman involved. So Jack, what can I do for you?"

"Well, we want to get married. On Saturday."

"Saturday," Reverend Johnson mused. "You don't have to get married now do you?"

"Oh nothing like that," said Jack, "but Rose has been sick and we really love each other and it seems like the proper thing to do."

"And I suppose that you want me to marry you?"

"Yeah, that's the general idea."

"I think I can manage that Jack, but I would like to meet the young lady first. Can you bring her by, say around 9 tomorrow morning?"

"That'll be fine," said Jack. "Wait until you meet her."

Reverend Johnson took a long look at this outgoing, gentle individual. Jack had some story in his life. Of that he was sure. Perhaps even something that bespoke a great tragedy. He was certainly polite and well spoken, but very much alone. Jack reminded him so much of his older brother who had been killed at Gettysburg. His brother Albert, with the golden hair and the lopsided smile. He would have given anything to get to know Jack better.

"Alright Jack, I'll see you both in the morning. I usually charge a small fee, but perhaps you could make a small donation to the church? And you do need to get a marriage license."

Jack shook his head up and down.

"One more thing Jack, have you got anyone to come with as a witness?"

"I'm not really sure."

"Well then, I'll have my wife on hand, she might even play the piano for us."

"That's great sir, see you tomorrow."

Jack blinked in the bright sunlight as he stood on the steps of the church. One more thing to do. He turned and headed back to the hotel. There he stopped at the barber shop.

"A haircut?" the barber replied in answer to Jack's question.

"Yeah, I have time to give you a hair cut. Sit down here."

"Not too much," said Jack. "I'm just sick of it hanging right in my face." And so the barber snipped here and there and golden threads of Jack's hair fell to the floor. He looked in the mirror when it was all finished, and Jack could not believe what he saw. No longer looking like a kid, the hair cut had added about 5 years to Jack's age.

"Well, I guess I should look a little older, after all I am going to be a husband," thought Jack. He paid the barber and headed for the elevator.

When he reached the door of Molly's suite, he felt a moment of panic. He heard Rose talking to someone else. Had Rose's mother somehow found her? But then he heard a hysterical peal of laughter from Rose and a hearty chuckle that could only belong to Molly. Jack knocked before he put his key in the door and stepped into the room.

The way Rose said his name when he walked in the room, was a question and a confirmation.

"Well, I'll be," said Molly, as she took a look at Jack's new look.

His new haircut not only added to his look of maturity and responsibility, but also changed the way he carried himself.

"Jack, you look wonderful," said Rose. "I really like it," as she ran her hand over his smooth blond head.

He gave her a shy smile, "Yeah, I needed it."

"You ladies look like you have been having fun."

"Yes, Molly was just telling me about her visit to Long Island. She is going to help me find something to wear on Saturday, that is if you don't mind us taking off alone?"

"Rose, you don't need to ask me that, but I do need you now for a few minutes. We need to go pick out a ring."

"Oh yes, of course Jack. Let's go."

Molly stood watching all this and at last spoke. "Well now that you two have straightened this all out, I just want to say how happy I am for both of you. So are you two gonna come live out in Denver?"

"Yes ma'am, we plan on giving it a try."

"Molly," said Rose, "thank you for being so generous with us."

"I like helping worthy causes and you two are the most worthwhile I have ever seen. That's for sure."

Jack came over to Rose and took her hand. To Molly he nodded and said, "Maybe you could meet Rose in the dress department in an hour?"

"I'll be there."

Jack's clerk was waiting for them when they got to the counter. He had seen them approaching and was amazed at the style and elegance of the young woman. He wondered why this man was not lavishing her with diamonds and other precious stones. Why only a plain gold band with a strange inscription? "None of my business, I guess."

He greeted them with a smile and asked, "Are you ready to make your selection now?"

"Yes, we are," smiled Jack. The clerk brought the trays of rings out and Jack and Rose had a wonderful time making their selection.

After looking several times at a ring with a finely etched design, she chose an 18 karat rounded gold band, which she pronounced perfect.

"I'll be back to get it on Saturday."

"Don't worry, it will be ready sir."

Jack was still rather astonished that people were now calling him sir, he supposed that he would get used to it. As they left the counter, Jack whispered to Rose, "I'm sorry that I couldn't get you a diamond."

"Jack, I've already had the biggest one in the world and it didn't make me happy. Only you can do that."

Jack stopped and held her hand and looked at her, thinking of how truly lucky he was. "Rose, I think it's time for you to go meet Molly. I've got something I want to do now. How about if I meet you at the hotel around 4?"

"Why so mysterious Jack?"

"Oh, it's nothing, just something I've been wanting to do for awhile. Don't worry, you have no competition." He gave her a quick kiss.

"Go on now, have fun. I'll see you a little later."

He watched as she headed off to meet Molly.

Rose went upstairs to the dress department. The thought of buying something to wear for her wedding was both exciting and troubling. All her life she had dreamt of wearing a flowing gown with a train as long as the church aisle. She never imagined that a wedding like that would lead her to a man that was a monster. Now she had the groom of her dreams, but a wedding so small that there would be almost no one there except for her and Jack. But of course Jack and herself were the important ones and she wanted to look ravishing for him no matter what.

Molly was waiting for her. "Hey darling, here I am," called Molly. Rose headed in her direction. "You have any ideas of what you want to wear?"

Rose replied, "Something white, I suppose, and simple and not too expensive."

Molly knew that Jack was insistent on paying her back for everything they spent getting ready for the wedding, so she knew she had to be careful what she helped Rose choose. The saleswoman was not as helpful. She had seen the infamous and wealthy Mrs. Brown before. Therefore when Molly kept rejecting all the expensive dresses, she could not understand. Finally Molly put a stop to this. She could see that Rose was becoming embarrassed and frustrated.

"Look sister," said Molly, "We want something simple, inexpensive, in white or ivory."

Resigned to the fact that she was not going to get a big commission, the woman finally began to bring the appropriate items into the dressing room.

Something finally caught Rose's eye. It was an ivory taffeta skirt that had a small bunch of pink roses at the waist and an ivory organza blouse with a high neck, decorated with tiny inserts of lace. To both Molly and Rose, it was both elegant and affordable.

"Wrap it up, please," said Molly. "Now Rose, we need some fancy underthings and shoes."

And so they spent the rest of the morning outfitting Rose as a bride. Just as they were leaving the store, Rose turned to Molly.

"I have nothing to give Jack as a wedding gift. I don't even know what to get him or what he'd like."

"We have to take care of that," said Molly.

She knew that Rose would not want to spend much. But Jack would love anything Rose got him.

"What about a pocket watch? He'll be dressing up no for work and such. What do you think?"

Rose pondered this for a moment. "Yes, yes, he would like that." The watch department was on their way out and there Rose chose a gold Elgin pocket watch. The face had Roman numerals and there were few swirls on the gold cover.

"Would you like anything engraved on it, miss?"

Rose didn't have to think long before she said yes. She took a piece of paper and wrote, "Make it Count 5/4/12."

"Then could you also intertwine a R and a J?"

"Yes, of course," said the clerk somewhat hesitantly.

"I am sure that will look lovely."

Molly smiled. She knew of the note that Jack had written to Rose that night at dinner, so she knew the significance of the engraved message on the watch.

As they left the store, Rose was distracted wondering about Jack and his mysterious errand. Then Molly startled her by saying, "I don't know about you, but I'm starving. How about lunch?"

"You know Molly, I was just thinking the same thing myself. Lead the way!"

Chapter Eleven
Stories