THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HEAVEN
Chapter Eight
Going Home
After Rose’s incident, they decided to go on
to Chippewa Falls. Rose was quiet through most of the ride, but that was to be
expected. Jack sat there, occasionally looking out the window. He didn’t know
what to say. He could remember the times without her. Time would stand still,
and he’d wait an eternity for her. Although, the sweet rewards of her coming to
him from her eternity without him pretty much evened out. He had felt her, and
sometimes, if he listened closely, he could hear her say to herself, "Help
me to survive, Jack. Give me the strength to go on living without you."
Then she’d cry herself to sleep. Jack often
thought that was a dream. Whether it was or wasn’t he didn’t know. She was here
now with him, and he would take care of her just like he would have if he had
survived Titanic. He was still looking out the window when he felt her hand on
his leg. He turned his head and saw that beautiful smile he loved so much.
"Jack, you never really told me what it
looks like."
"What looks like, Rose?" He was
puzzled.
"Chippewa Falls."
"Well, it's a nice, quiet town, it snows
there, and in the spring flowers bloom like wild flowers. Just like you, Rose.
Only you're one flower I can’t replace."
"Oh, Jack, you're so romantic." She
blushed.
"It’s because you bring out the best in
me. You always have." He meant every word.
"Jack, do you remember on the Titanic
when I told you to put your hands on me?"
"Yes." He turned pink.
"Well, there was no one I would rather
give myself to than you. Cal constantly made comments about it, but in the end
you're the one who won, Jack. You won the love of my heart. That’s why, even
though I was embarrassed about the drawing, I kind of enjoyed it, and the look
on your face when I took off that robe was priceless. Jack, when we get to
Chippewa Falls, I want another portrait. Until then, put your hands on me,
Jack. Here. Now. Yes, Jack."
He picked her up from the seat, and proceeded
to the small room at the back of the plane. It had a bed, and Jack assumed he
used it for when he was really tired on business trips to faraway places. Jack
had never owned anything quite as expensive as his own jet plane. Hell, he
never even had food to survive on, much less his own plane. All this luxurious
stuff was nothing to him. Rose was his everything. If she were taken away from
him, he would likely not want to survive. How she did it without him was a
mystery to him.