STARTING ANEW
Chapter Eight
Rose and Jack walked the two blocks from the
elevated to the place he had chosen for dinner. It was in the Italian section
of New York, and was a place he had found when Rose was ill. Whenever Molly had
watched Rose, she sent Jack out to get some fresh air. On one of his walks
around the city he had found himself in front of Trattoria Rosa at dinnertime.
Seeing the name, he went in. The couple who owned it, recent immigrants, had
been so kind to Jack. He had felt comfortable enough with them to share the
story of what had happened to Rose and himself. When he had stopped by
yesterday to tell them he would be bringing Rose for a special dinner, they
were honored and promised a special menu and table just for the two of them.
As they approached the little cafe, Rose
looked up at the sign and smiled at Jack. He certainly put a great deal of
thought into everything he did, she mused to herself. As they went in, she
noticed that it was just a little neighborhood place with plaid tablecloths and
a single candle on each table. Vito, the young owner, introduced himself to
Rose and greeted Jack in his warm, welcoming way. He led Rose and Jack to a
table for two in a darkened corner of the restaurant. A vase with a single red
rose stood on the table, along with a bottle of red wine and two sparkling
glasses. Rose was impressed. Jack really knew how to do things properly. To
her, this simply set table looked as elegant as anything she had ever seen in
any Philadelphia mansion. Jack looked at her expectantly. He was waiting for
some reaction from her, any reaction. He did so want to please her. He pulled
out her chair to seat her and then sat down across from Rose. As he sat, Rose
put his mind at ease. She laid her hand over his and gave him her most
dazzlingly smile. The expression on her face told him everything he needed to
know, how special she felt. Jack smiled back at her and visibly relaxed. Things
were going to be fine.
Vito began carrying out dish after dish of
tempting food. One thing that Jack knew about was Italian food. Before he and
Fabrizio started on their long journey to America, he had stayed with his
friend and learned to enjoy this type of cooking. For a moment Jack felt a
sharp pang of grief thinking about his dead friend. Jack would always remember
him. Tonight, however, he would focus on happier things, like a life with Rose.
She seemed to be enjoying everything on her plate. Rosa, Vito's wife, stood and
watched excitedly from the kitchen doorway as Rose and Jack ate her carefully
prepared food. She had a feeling that something special was going to happen
tonight.
Rose and Jack had talked about everything over
dinner. They had finished the wine and the wonderful food. Jack, who was hardly
knew the meaning of the word nervous, started to feel his hands grow cold. For
what he was about to say in a few minutes would change his life forever. While
he had no control over what had happened in that poker game in Southampton,
tonight, he was fully in charge of his destiny. Provided of course, Rose agreed
to become his wife.
The restaurant was becoming quieter as the
last few diners finished their meals. Vito had stopped coming to their table.
They were alone in their little corner. "This is it," thought Jack.
And so he decided to plunge ahead in his usual straightforward manner.
Rose was just finishing her last bite of food
and had her head down. Jack took her free hand and she looked up at him. He was
gazing at her with that penetrating look of his. She could feel the electricity
between them.
"Rose," he began and then stopped.
This was not going to be so easy after all.
"What is it, Jack?" she asked.
He took a deep breath and thought how
unbelievable this was. That Jack from everywhere and nowhere, was asking Miss
Rose DeWitt Bukater, formerly of Philadelphia society to be his wife.
"Okay, Jack, stop thinking and get on with it," he told himself. Rose
still had her hand in his and was waiting for him to speak again.
"Rose...I think we should get married, that is, I want you to marry
me." "There, I got it out," said Jack to himself.
Rose put her hand on her chest and closed her
eyes. The mood seemed heavy now and Jack was worried, as Rose gave no response.
She dropped his hand and leaned back in her chair. Then she opened her eyes and
with a sort of sideways mischievous grin she quietly said, "Why Mr.
Dawson, I thought you would never ask."
It was a good thing that the restaurant was
almost empty because Jack in his usual exuberance, slammed one hand on the
table and let out a loud yahoo. Rose no longer trying to be demure sat with her
whole body shaking with laughter.
Vito and Rosa heard all this from the kitchen.
They grabbed another bottle of wine and quietly approached Jack and Rose's
table. By now Jack and Rose were holding each other's hands and their love was
mirrored on their faces.
"May we join you?" asked Vito.
"Please do," said Rose.
Vito introduced the two Rose's to each other.
Rosa looked at Jack, "So this is the beautiful Rose you worry about. Now
you have a good life with her."
Rose was blushing furiously as Vito poured
more wine and proposed a toast to Jack and Rose. Rosa continued relating her story
to Rose, "Poor Jack, he comes here so worried about his Rosie. We feed him
and try to cheer him up and he tells us the sad story of what you have been
through."
Rose looked at Jack and realized how
desperate he must have been during her illness to have confided in people who
were strangers to him. They all talked awhile longer and Jack noticed Rose
yawning. He had forgotten that this was her first day out of the hospital.
"Rosa, Vito, thank you so much for
everything," said Jack.
"Oh yes," said Rose. "It was a
perfect evening."
Amid much hugging and good-byes Rosa gave one
last call to them as they left. "Next time, you bring bambinos."
Rose and Jack waved and looked at each other
in wonder.
Rose fell asleep in the taxi on the way back
to the hotel. She vaguely remembered walking through the lobby and Jack
unlocking the door to what he told her was Molly's suite. Rose went into the
bathroom and splashed cool water on her face. She was so tired that she could
hardly think. But she did know for certain that she couldn't be happier. Jack
had promised that the next few days would be busy ones, for they had much to do
to prepare for a wedding.
Rose walked into the beautiful bedroom that
was to be hers for the next few nights. Her thoughts were jarred for a moment
by the vision of Cal entering her room on Titanic to present her with that
necklace. "What happened to it," she wondered. Well, she knew she was
happier without it. She only wanted Jack. She donned the nightgown that was on
the bed. She was just getting under the covers, when Jack knocked.
"Oh, Jack, come in," she said. He
approached the bed and pulled the blanket up gently around her shoulders. She
looked at him questioningly with her sapphire eyes.
He answered her unspoken words, "Not
tonight Rose. We're both too tired. We've got a lifetime ahead of us."
"Oh Jack," she sighed. "I
don't know how I can be so lucky."
He bent down and kissed her with a promise of
what was to come.
"I'll wake you up around 8, all
right?" he asked.
"Mmmhmm," murmured Rose almost
asleep. Jack turned off the lamp and shut the door. Life had been good to him.
Right now it seemed a bit unreal, but certainly wonderful.