A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Seventy-Six

"You seem very happy these days," commented Maria, as she watched Rose getting ready to go out. "Are you sure there isn’t something you want to tell me?"

"Oh, Maria!" laughed Rose. "There isn’t anything to tell."

"Hmm, I’m not so sure of that. Since the night my charming little sister came, there has been something going on between you and Jack."

Rose’s green eyes glittered.

"I don’t know what you mean!" She protested her innocence with a big smile on her face. "Anyway, how do I look?" She was dressed in a simple green dress trimmed with lace. She had bought it on a shopping trip with Maria. It was not as elaborate as the tailor made gowns she was used to, but it was practical and more in line with the life she was leading. Anything too grand would have drawn attention.

"Well, you look just fine, to say you are meeting just Jack for lunch." Maria emphasized ‘just’ quite strongly.

"This is important to Jack. His work is almost finished and he wants me to see it." Rose saddened a little. "As we can’t go to the opening night party."

"I’m sure you could, if it meant that much to you," replied Maria softly.

Rose shook her head.

"No, no. I cannot risk it. You just don’t know who will be there. Jack has heard Joe has some very influential friends. I do not want to be seen out by the wrong person. I cannot do it."

"OK, I understand." Maria smiled. "Anyway, go, you will be late for your ‘date’."

Tidying her hair under the hat in the mirror, Rose stopped for a moment to view the drawing given pride of place on the wall. It was Jack's portrait, now completed with a new enthusiasm. She looked at the signature at the bottom, smiled, and bounced down the stairs. She held the written instructions to Joe’s place in her hand in case she forgot the directions Jack gave her. This was the furthest she had ventured alone and was quite excited. In the last few days, since the walk in the park, she felt like a young carefree girl again. They had taken a few more walks together, careful they did not display too much attention to each other in the apartment in front of Fabri and Maria. Whilst Rose knew Maria might be pleased for them, she dare not test Fabri’s approval and Jack was in agreement with that. "It wouldn’t be fair to Fabri," Jack had agreed.

She stopped at the deli not far from Joe’s to collect lunch. Clutching the brown paper bags she walked out of the door, not looking where she was going and collided with a man in a rough, brown suit.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry," she apologized, looking up. The man studied her with his gray eyes. Rose couldn’t help but catch his gaze for a moment, noticing his crooked nose. Feeling very unnerved, she put her head down and hurried away.

"Calm down, Rose, don’t be silly," she told herself as her heart thumped on her chest. It was the first time she had felt afraid in two weeks. "He is just a man getting his lunch."

She glanced behind her, but the man was presumably still in the deli. It wasn’t far to Joe’s now. Rose checked the instructions. No, she was very close.

"Pull yourself together!" she told herself sharply. "You don’t want to spoil Jack’s lunch by turning up a nervous wreck."

With a couple of deep breaths, she approached Joe’s restaurant. The blinds were drawn at the window, but she knocked at the door. She stood back to view the freshly painted building. It was going to be a really nice restaurant.

The door opened and Rose was relieved to see Jack poke his head out.

"Hi, Rose, come on in!" He smiled at her, his blue eyes shining. He looked so happy, Rose thought.

She stepped through the door into the large room.

"Come this way," led Jack. Rose laughed at him, forgetting her nervousness. His face, hair, and clothes were splattered with paint.

"What’s so funny?" he demanded with fake hurt.

"You didn’t keep the paint on the wall," pointed out Rose.

Jack laughed and grabbed her hand.

"This is my work," he told her proudly.

In the main part of the room, the walls were decorated with friezes and murals depicting scenes of gods and goddesses and also views of a faraway land.

Rose gasped. "Jack, this is exquisite work."

"You like it, huh?" he grinned, wiping his hands on a rag.

"It’s...it’s beautiful." Rose stood before the walls, trying to take in Jack’s use of color and shade.

He was immensely proud of his work. He was also immensely proud of Rose. Knowing that she thought so much of his work made him beam with pride.

"It wasn’t easy," he enthused, coming over. "I made a fair few mistakes, but I think I covered them. The lighting angle here," he waved his hand "was really tricky. But come and look at this, this is what I was working from." He rushed Rose over to the table where some books lay open. Jack tore through the pages, taking Rose through a whirlwind of pictures that he had used.

Rose smiled as he animatedly waved his hands around as he explained what he had done and how. He seemed more alive when discussing his art and these few days…was she imagining it or did Jack seem different?

"It is really amazing work. Your boss Joe must be well pleased."

"He seems so. He made a few suggestions as to what he wanted, but likes this. He says no other restaurant in New York is done out like this and that is what he wanted, something different, something up market."

Rose looked at the fittings that were already in place. They were quality items, she could tell. Maria had told her Joe had a lot of money and Rose recognized this from the crystal and other things that were there.

The swing doors from the kitchen suddenly opened and a large man appeared.

"Joe, this is my, er, my friend Rose." Jack faltered momentarily. Rose wasn’t expecting to see anyone, for some reason. She was taken a little by surprise and didn’t even notice Jack struggle to describe her. Joe smiled, he seemed a happy sort of person, she thought.

"Ah, Rose. Jack has mentioned you." He took Rose’s hand and kissed it. She smiled and blushed a little, trying to get herself together.

"Pleased to meet you Mr., er," Rose now struggled, for she did not know Joe’s last name and was far too polite to use his first name.

"Just call me Joe. That will do fine." Rose noticed that Joe hadn’t taken his eyes off her and blushed even more from the attention. If someone had done that in front of Cal, she would have felt very uncomfortable indeed, as she never knew how Cal was going to react. If he thought it was improper, he could exploded and behave very rude. If it were to his advantage, he would display her like some prize farm animal. But now she just blushed whilst Jack looked a little flustered.

"So what do you think of Jack’s work, Joe?" Rose asked delicately.

"It will make me the talk of the town!" he declared grandly. "I owe your friend Fabrizio for finding you for me."

"Well, if it’s OK with you, we are just heading out for some lunch," Jack replied.

"Yes, yes, I will see you soon. See you later, Jack. Good-bye, Miss Rose."

"Good-bye," Rose replied courteously and as soon as they were out of the door, she had a fit of the giggles.

"What’s up with you?" Jack asked.

"Didn’t you see him?" giggled Rose.

"I heard he was a bit of a ladies man. According to Fabri anyway." Jack laughed. "You’d better not come here again," he joked. "He might take you away."

"So shall we go and sit in the square?" Jack asked.

Rose smiled back and took his arm. Her earlier scare was almost forgotten and she was looking forward to lunch.

There was a small square with some seats and a few plants nearby. Others had come here to eat their lunch and Jack sometimes escaped here for a break.

They sat down and opened the bags. Rose had bought some freshly baked bread, some ham and cheese and some cake.

"You know Rose, we ought to start thinking about where we are going next. We spent the last few days just getting to know each other better, but we’ll soon have to move on."

They had begun to eat and Rose looked around. Across from them, eating a sandwich and watching them, was the man in the brown suit. Rose stopped chewing and thought the bread would stick in her throat and choke her. A cold feeling of panic swept over her. She swallowed hard and coughed as it stuck.

"Jack," she whispered urgently. "That man over there is watching us."

"He’s just having his lunch Rose, relax."

"No, Jack," she thought her voice would turn into a squeak. "I saw him in the deli this morning."

"He was probably getting his lunch."

"Jack, he looked at me, really looked at me and he scared me. He is watching us, Jack. I feel afraid."

Jack put his arm round her. "It’s OK, Rose. You just feel a little jumpy. You know Cal isn't gonna find us here. You know that."

"Jack, he scares me."

"OK, OK. If it makes you feel better, we’ll move somewhere else. Look at me Rose." She looked deep into his blue eyes. "Cal isn’t going to find us here. I promise you, you are safe with me. OK?"

"Yes Jack, I know."

"Maybe we haven’t been paying much attention to things. But we haven’t done anything stupid in public. If it makes you feel better, we’ll go elsewhere."

"Thanks Jack, I would feel better."

They gathered their things up. Both of them stole furtive glances at the man. He seemed to be enjoying his lunch and hardly gave them a second glance. Jack was certain he was harmless, but for Rose’s sake, they moved somewhere else.

Chapter Seventy-Seven
Stories