AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY
Chapter Six

She was glad that she had arrived early; it gave her a chance to think about what it was that she needed to say. She sat down on a bench. A slight breeze blew the hair that was framing her face into her eyes. She bit her lip, trying to calm her nerves. She watched the people walk about as she waited for Jack.

She was so deep in thought that she hadn't even heard his approaching footsteps. "Great day, perfect for a walk, huh?" he asked, startling her out of her thoughts.

She looked up at him. His blue eyes were shining. She thought that he had the most beautiful eyes that she had ever seen. "What? Oh, yes, it is a wonderful day for a walk." She got up from the bench and they started to walk. "I'm sorry, I did not hear you come up. I was thinking," she explained, still sounding somewhat dazed.

He laughed. "Yeah, I could tell. You looked like you were discovering the secrets of the world," he joked.

She smiled. That’s what she liked about him. He made her smile every time she was near him. "But you're right about this being a great day. The weather has been very nice," she said.

He nodded. "Yeah, it’s been cold but nice," he agreed.

"So, tell me, Mr. Dawson, I presume that you are going home?" she asked, changing the subject. She wasn’t ready to get into other subjects just yet.

He nodded. "Yes, to Chippewa Falls, in Wisconsin," he explained.

She noticed that he had a sadness in his eyes as he spoke of his home. "You must be glad to be returning to your family," she said.

He didn’t say anything for a moment. "Yes, my little sister and my older brother. They moved back home recently. I haven’t seen them in ages; they left home after our mother died. I stayed to be with Dad," he said finally.

She looked at him sympathetically. "How awful. I'm sorry to hear that," she said.

"My father died a couple of years later. That’s when I left home. That was five years ago," he added.

How awful that must have been! To lose both parents, she thought sadly. She knew how he felt. She thought about her father every day. "I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Dawson," she repeated.

He smiled. "They had a good life. They knew how to live, and they taught us how precious life is," he said, a faraway look in his eyes.

She imagined that he was seeing their faces right then. "It must have been hard, leaving home at such a young age," she said.

"Yeah, it was, but with no brothers or sisters in that part of the country, I had no reason to stay behind. So I lit on out of there and haven’t been back since. I guess you can call me a tumbleweed blowing in the wind," he said with a smile.

"Well, Rose, I guess we’ve walked about a mile around this ship. We’ve talked about how good the weather has been and all about me. I reckon that’s not why you wanted to see me," he said, after a moment of silence.

She looked at him, and took a deep breath. "Mr. Dawson, I…"

"Please, call me Jack," he interrupted her.

She looked at him uncertainly. "Okay…Jack, I wanted to thank you for what you did, not only for pulling me back…but for your discretion," she said. She felt a little uncomfortable talking about the events of last night, but she knew that he deserved a thank you, if not an explanation.

"You’re welcome," he said.

"Look, I know what you must be thinking. Poor little rich girl. What does she know about misery?" She looked at Jack, waiting for him to confirm her words. After hearing about his life and the loss of his parents, she knew that he must have been thinking that.

He shook his head. "No, that’s not what I was thinking. I was thinking…what could have happened to this girl to make her feel that she had no way out?" he explained.

She looked at him, surprised by his words. How can I explain my life to a complete stranger? Would he even understand? But she had to try and explain. After all, this stranger had saved her life. "Oh, it was everything, my whole world, and all of the people in it. My life, plunging ahead, and me powerless to stop it," she said as she held out her left hand so he could see her gigantic engagement ring.

"My gosh! You would’ve gone straight to the bottom," he said, his eyes smiling. She smiled briefly at his lighthearted joke.

"Five hundred invitations have gone out. All of Philadelphia society will be there," she said in an anxious voice.

He looked at her seriously, his blue, intense eyes staring into hers. "Do you love him?"

She looked at him, disturbed by his words. "Pardon me?" she asked, surprised at his question and completely unprepared to answer it. Do I love Cal? I'm not sure, but ,Mother said that love isn’t always the point. Survival is. But she didn’t want to tell Jack this. She didn’t think he’d understand her reasoning. She didn’t even understand her own reasoning. "You are being very rude. You shouldn’t be asking me this," she said instead.

But he wasn’t backing down. "It’s a simple question. Do you love the guy or not?" He made it sound so simple.

But it’s not! Instead of opening up to him, she let the proper upbringing in her take over. "You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, and we are not having this conversation at all!"

He smiled at her, slightly amused at her unwillingness to answer a simple question. From her reaction, he already knew the answer. "Why can’t you just answer the question?" he persisted.

"This is not a suitable conversation. You are being rude and uncouth and presumptuous and I am leaving now," she said as she moved away from him. She turned to look at him. "Jack…Mr. Dawson, I have sought you out to thank you and now I have thanked you…"

"And you’ve insulted me," he interrupted with a smile.

She could feel herself blushing in embarrassment. She looked down and realized that she was shaking his hand. She felt completely awkward. "Well…you deserved it," she replied. She couldn’t help but smile.

"Right," he said, his eyes teasing her. She stared at him, not knowing what to say. "I thought you were leaving," he said.

She laughed. "I am." She turned to leave. "You are so annoying!" she exclaimed with a smile, turning to him once again. She really didn’t want to leave; she hadn't felt this carefree in a long time.

"Well, well, well. Now look who’s being rude," he scolded playfully.

She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She noticed that he was carrying around a brown leather sketchbook. "What’s that stupid thing you’re carrying around? Are you an artist or something?" She grabbed the portfolio out of his hand and sat down on a lounge nearby. She would have done anything to distract him from her embarrassment.

"Jack, these are extraordinary!" she exclaimed in awe after she had taken a look at his drawings.

He shrugged. "They didn’t think too much of them in old Paree."

She looked at him, surprised that he had been to Paris. "Wow, you do get around for a poor…" There I go again, putting my foot in my mouth! "I mean, well…for a person of limited means," she finished, her face growing hot.

He laughed at her stammering. "Go on. You can say it. A poor guy."

She continued to look at the drawings. She was a little stunned when she came upon some nudes. "And these were drawn from life?"

He nodded. "That’s one thing about Paris, there's lots of girls willing to take off their clothes." He went on to tell her about all of the people in the portraits, telling her a short story of each person’s life.

She was amazed at how well he could draw. He didn’t just capture their image; he captured them as a person. "You have a gift, Jack. You do. You see people," she told him.

He looked at her seriously. "I see you," he said, looking deeply into her eyes.

She smiled, wondering what he saw in her. "And?" She awaited his answer.

"You wouldn’t have jumped," he replied.

She could feel the smile leaving her face. But you're wrong, Jack. I was going to, but you saved my life. More than you could ever know. "Let us continue our walk, Jack. You were right, it is a lovely day for a walk," she said as she got up. She wanted to change the subject as soon as possible.

He grabbed her arm gently, holding her back. "I'm sorry, Rose. I didn’t mean to upset you."

She waved his apologies away. "I am fine, Jack. Let's just forget about last night. Okay?"

He smiled, nodding in agreement.

They continued to walk down the boat deck. "So tell me, Jack. When did you start drawing?"

Before Jack could answer, Mr. Lovejoy interrupted them. "Miss, Mr. Hockley has been wondering when you will return."

Rose was angry. He’s sent his manservant after me again! "Tell Cal that I am feeling much better now. I felt like taking a walk and getting some air. I spotted Mr. Dawson on the forecastle deck and I felt it proper to thank him," she explained, hoping that Mr. Lovejoy would leave them alone.

"Miss, I think Mr. Hockley would like to have a word with you…now," Mr. Lovejoy said, glaring at Jack.

I’ll bet he would like to have a word with me! Well, I am not going to let him ruin this glorious day. "Mr. Lovejoy, please inform Cal that I will be back soon to dress for dinner. I will speak with him then. But now I would like to see more of Titanic."

Mr. Lovejoy nodded before walking off. She could tell that he was very displeased with her. She, personally, didn’t like Mr. Lovejoy. She thought he was mean and unfeeling. He treated Rose like Mr. Hockley’s property. But Cal treated her that way himself.

"Does he always send his manservant after you?" Jack asked bluntly.

Rose sighed. "Let’s not talk about that. You never answered my question, Jack."

They continued to walk farther down the boat deck, toward the stern.

"I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. I've always loved art. It doesn’t matter what kind. Paintings, drawings, or sculptures…I love it all," he explained.

"I know what you mean. I own several different paintings. Sometimes I’ll just stare at them in wonder," she said passionately.

He stared at her. He had never met anyone so beautiful, or so full of life. But her eyes were always full of sadness.

"Have you ever made any money from your talent?" she asked.

He nodded his head; a lock of his golden blonde hair fell into his eyes. "Yeah, a little. I was doing portraits on the Santa Monica pier in California for a dime apiece."

Rose sighed. "Why can’t I be like you, Jack? Just head out for the horizon whenever I feel like it." She stared at him, a smile slowly forming on her lips. "Say we go to that pier, only if we ever talk about it," Rose said, wishing with all her heart that she could go. She longed to go anywhere, as long as it was far away from her mother and Cal.

"No, we’ll go, and we’ll drink cheap beer, ride the roller coaster until we throw up, and go horseback riding right in the surf. But you’ll have to do it like a real cowboy. None of that sidesaddle stuff," he said.

Her eyes bulged in disbelief. "You mean, one foot on each side? Can you show me?"

He nodded. "Sure, if you like."

She thought for a moment, tossing the idea around in her head. "So…teach me to ride like a man." She couldn’t believe that they were actually talking about something so silly. Of course they would never see that pier together. But that’s what she found interesting about Jack. He was so carefree. He made her laugh.

"And teach you to chew tobacco like a man," he went on. His whole face was lit up with a smile.

She laughed. "And spit like a man!" she exclaimed.

"What, they didn’t teach you that in finishing school?" he joked.

"No!" she cried.

She could just imagine it. She and all of her stuffy friends, learning how to spit! Was there actually a proper way to do that? She almost laughed at the thought.

"Well, come on. I’ll show you," he said as he dragged her over to the railing nearby.

She couldn’t believe that he was serious. "No, Jack! I couldn’t possibly, Jack!"

But he would not take no for an answer. Oh, why not! I'm tired of being so refined. He proceeded to show her how to spit. She felt silly spitting over the rail of Titanic, but at the same time it was so unlike her. That’s what appealed to her.

Her heart almost stopped when she saw her mother approach them. Her first class friends were with her. Jack was in the middle of spitting when Rose nudged him with her elbow. She turned to her mother and the other women, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"May I introduce Jack Dawson?"

Ruth glared at him. "Charmed, I’m sure," she said icily.

Rose swallowed nervously. Of all the times for Mother to show up! Rose turned to the other women that were with her mother. Molly Brown smiled at her sympathetically.

"Mr. Dawson saved my life last night. I had been leaning over the railing to see the propeller blades when I slipped. I would have gone overboard if it had not been for the assistance of Jack. He will be joining us for dinner tonight," Rose explained.

"Well, Jack, you seem like a good man to have around in a sticky spot," Molly said to Jack, referring to his earlier display of spitting. She smiled, finding this young man amusing and interesting.

Rose turned to her mother. "Mother, shall we dress for dinner?" Rose turned to Jack. "I’ll see you at dinner, Jack."

He watched as Rose and her mother left. Molly said something to Jack, but he didn’t hear her. His attention was entirely on Rose’s retreating back. Finally, Molly got his attention.

"What do you plan on wearing to dinner tonight, son?" she asked. He gestured to the clothes that he had on. She laughed. "That’s what I thought. Come on. I’ll help you out." He followed her to her suite.

Chapter Seven
Stories