WE’LL MEET TOMORROW
Chapter Five

The next morning dawned hot and humid, the sun beaming bright overhead. Mac and Anastasia stumbled out to the barn with Michael before dawn, not nearly as excited as the day before.

"Mac?"

The girls glanced up from scrubbing Ebony, and saw Jack coming towards them. He looked worried, and pulled his daughter into a hug once he reached her.

"It’s Rose, isn’t it?" Anastasia asked, wiping a hand across her sticky forehead.

"She just started getting sick this morning," he replied. "As soon as the sun comes up, I’m taking her to town."

Mac gulped, taking her father’s hand. "It’ll be all right," she said, and he gave her a faint smile.

"I wanted to make sure you both knew in case you came back and we weren’t home," Jack explained, watching as Michael came out of the barn covered in dust from mucking the stalls. He looked rather startled to see Jack standing there, and Mac could have sworn he turned rather pale under all the grime.

"Good morning, Mr. Dawson," he greeted timidly. "Didn’t expect to see you."

Mac frowned at her friend, and touched his shoulder. "Rose is sick," she explained, as Anastasia was bumped from behind with Ebony’s nose. She gasped with surprise as the horse attempted to nibble her hair, despite it being pulled back, and immediately stepped away a couple of inches.

Jack cleared his throat, keeping one arm around Mac. She leaned against him, smiling faintly when he massaged her temple.

"We hope not, but she has been throwing up since three this morning."

Mac wrinkled her nose; clearly Rose made it either to the outhouse very quickly, or was silently retching into a bucket, because she hadn’t heard a thing.

"Maybe it’s flu?" Mac suggested, as her father broke off to sneeze rather violently.

"Bless you," everyone told him at once.

"Well," Jack replied, once he managed to straighten up, "we’ll see what happens when I take her to the doctor. I’m going back in, honey." He kissed the top of her head, and made his way back to the front door. Anastasia glanced at Michael with a frown.

"You have a funny look on your face," she pointed out, and he turned to her. "Are you all right?"

Michael blinked, staring at her. "Yes, of course," he replied, disappearing quickly into the barn.

When the girls headed back into the house after hooking up the horse to the carriage, they saw Jack leading Rose carefully down the steps. She looked very pale and weary, keeping her arms around his waist.

"Slow and easy, sweetheart," Jack encouraged, and when they reached the landing, she nearly fainted.

"The horse is ready," Mac announced. "Should we come?"

Coddie Anna hurried to meet her mother, wide-eyed at how terrible she appeared.

"No, honey," Jack replied. "You have your chores around the house."

Coddie Anna wet her lips, fiddling with the end of her sleeve.

"But I must go," she insisted. "As she is my mother!"

Mac and Anastasia rolled their eyes at each other. Leave it to Coddie Anna to cause a scene.

"Oh, Jack," Rose whimpered, and he held her a bit more tightly for support.

"If she can go, why can’t we?" Mac demanded, and Jack held up a hand for silence.

"Neither of you are going," he answered firmly. "And that’s my final answer. Mac, there is a list of what needs to be done around the house on the kitchen table."

Mac immediately grabbed Rose’s hand, feeling her heart racing madly. She couldn’t imagine the agony her father was going through at this point, but he was trying very hard not to appear broken in any way.

"I’ll be okay, sweetie," Rose whispered, and turned to Coddie Anna, who wore an ugly scowl. Anastasia was very tempted to stomp on the older girl’s foot, but knew she’d be in big trouble if she did. "Darling, please try to behave," Rose added, glancing at her daughter, and Mac pulled Anastasia by the arm so the girls could head into the kitchen.

"Mind Michael," Jack called, and they froze in place, very slowly turning to stare.

"What?" Mac stared at her friend, and the two fought back giggles.

"He’s the oldest of the three of you," Jack explained. "We shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours."

Mac and Anastasia waved as they disappeared through the door, and Coddie Anna whipped around to face them. The younger girls didn’t move a muscle; they were used to her now.

"You stupid child," Coddie Anna spat at last. "If you hadn’t opened your big mouth, I would have been able to go!" She turned around again on her heel and stomped up the steps, slamming the door to her bedroom. Michael came in just at that moment, and stared.

"What was that all about?" he asked, and Anastasia looked at him.

"Oh, Coddie Anna being a pig as usual," she replied with a shrug. "Come on…Jack left us work to do." She bolted into the kitchen ahead of Mac, who grinned at Michael.

"She’s turning into a regular peasant," she whispered, and it was Michael’s turn to smirk.

"I’m not doing it all by myself!" Anastasia hollered after a minute or two, and Mac raised her hands in the air.

"Once a princess, always a princess." She sighed, and the two followed the other girl’s voice.

*****

Rose tried her best to sleep through the journey into town, but the rocky roads jostled her a bit more than she preferred. Her head spun with dizziness, though she was grateful the nausea itself had died down.

"We’ll get to the bottom of this, Rose," Jack promised, squeezing her hand and smiling.

"I don’t see why we have to make all this fuss anyway," Rose grumbled. "I probably would have been fine with another day of bed rest." She grimaced at another bump in the road, and Jack sighed.

"I don’t want to risk it," he said. "If it is nothing, at least we’ll know for sure."

Rose grimaced in pain; her back was aching dreadfully, as well as her abdomen. Sighing weakly, she gazed towards the window, trying to take in the scenery of the Wisconsin countryside.

"When do you think your family will visit?" she asked, after they were silent for quite some time. Jack focused intently on Ebony’s steps, always on the lookout for a stray animal that might get in the path and startle the horse.

"Mac said soon," Jack answered. "I’m sorry, Rose…I’m a bit distracted." He leaned over to kiss her on the cheek, grateful when the town came into view. Rose closed her eyes when she saw the dress shop, and couldn’t imagine how furious Lucy was with her for not coming the past couple of days. When she told Jack this, he shook his head.

"She wasn’t angry," he replied. "Just concerned. Don’t worry, all right?" He eventually pulled Ebony to a stop, and the horse gave a low whicker, bobbing its great head up and down. Rose waited as patiently as she could for Jack to assist her out of the carriage, taking his hands very tightly.

"Thank God for your position in Russia, Jack," she whispered, "or we would never have been able to afford this visit."

He kept his support around her waist as before, and the two of them made their way into the doctor’s office. It wasn’t crowded, much to their relief, though there were a few people ahead of them. Rose leaned her head against Jack’s shoulder, grateful when he wrapped an arm around her comfortingly.

"I hate to imagine what Cal would have done in this situation," she whispered, and he kissed her temple.

When the doctor finally called them in, it was a bit of a struggle to get Rose to her feet again.

"I do believe I recognize you, young man," the old physician chuckled as he began sterilizing his equipment for Rose’s check-up. Jack raised his eyes once Rose was laying down on the cot, and he blinked. "Your last name…what is it?"

Jack sat down in one of the seats by the door. "Dawson," he answered, and the doctor held out his hand.

"Remember me?" he asked. "Dr. Owen? I took care of you when you were a boy."

Jack stared. "You’re still here?" he asked, and Dr. Owen laughed heartily.

"I wasn’t that old, Mr. Dawson. But word has it you left without a trace for several years, and now look at you. Fully grown and with a wife, no less!"

Jack blushed, looking at Rose, who was gritting her teeth to avoid crying out.

"Actually, she’s not my first," he explained. "I was married at twenty-one, but my previous wife died after giving birth to my daughter. Rose and I married this past spring."

Dr. Owen nodded in understanding.

"Thanks for passing me off, Jack," Rose whispered, and he merely squeezed her hand.

"It’s the truth," he answered, and Dr. Owen chuckled.

"I’m sure he meant no offense, Mrs. Dawson. It is good to see you again, sir. I’m sorry to hear you lost your guardian, however. Fairly recently, wasn’t it?"

Jack shook his head. "Actually, about four years ago," he said. "Esther died from heart failure."

Dr. Owen gave another nod.

"If you two are quite finished, would you please?" Rose whispered, and Jack smoothed her feverish forehead.

"Sorry," he apologized, and she sighed.

"No, Jack…" Rose struggled to sit up. "I want to know what’s wrong with me before I go crazy."

Dr. Owen encouraged her to lay down and relax, which was certainly an easier said than done process. "What are your current symptoms, Mrs. Dawson?" he asked, pulling out a chart, and preparing to fill it out.

"Well, I’ve been sick in bed for the past two days with a headache, fever, and nausea. Since last night, my lower back and abdomen have been sore, and it’s difficult to move without the pain increasing." She didn’t want to look at Jack’s expression, but when she eventually turned, she saw him watching her intently, his blue eyes filled with worry.

"I see. Have your periods been regular?"

Rose looked at him. "Come to think about it, no," she answered. "Mine is actually quite late."

Jack cleared his throat and sat straighter as he watched Dr. Owen jot down the information on the sheet of paper.

"When does your nausea occur, Mrs. Dawson? Does it happen to be in the mornings more frequently than any other time of day?"

Jack and Rose stared at each other. "Yes…" Rose answered slowly. "Doctor, do you think…"

Jack turned very pale, and Rose reached for his hand.

"Do I think you may be pregnant?" Dr. Owen asked, smiling at last. "Yes, I have a good suspicion."

Rose was beaming, and she felt her heart leap. "Oh, Jack…" She looked at him, startled at the expression of disbelief on his face. "Jack?"

"Mmm?" He turned, and she rubbed his arm.

"Did you hear him? We might be having a baby," she whispered, and he closed his eyes, nodding.

"Yes, I did," he replied quietly. "Rose, excuse me for a few moments." He stood and left the room, and she turned to the doctor with a frown, and then realized why Jack’s attitude had changed so abruptly.

"He…lost his first wife during childbirth," she explained, sighing softly.

"Yes, he did mention that," he answered. "In the past, it was unfortunately common, but these days it is a rarity."

Rose blew out her breath, wishing she could get up to go and comfort her husband. She was quite certain he was worried sick, but she wasn’t about to let this get the better of them.

"I mean, is it possible it might be the flu?" Rose asked, and Dr. Owen chuckled.

"When was the last time you and your husband had sexual intercourse?"

Rose cringed at the phrase, and she wet her lips. "In late April," she replied. "We were on the Titanic."

Dr. Owen dropped the chart at once, and Rose looked at him. "Good God!" he gasped. "You were on that ship?"

Rose nodded. "Yes. That’s how we met, actually. It’s a long story, but basically…" She glanced towards the door. "April twelfth was when we first had it, in the backseat of a Renault."

Dr. Owen cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I see. You are both lucky to be alive!"

Rose had to agree; Jack especially, due to the fact that he had initially been traveling as a steerage passenger. Speaking of which, when he returned, he placed a kiss on top of Rose’s head, looking flushed.

"Mr. Dawson, I have no doubts your wife will be just fine during this pregnancy," Dr. Owen insisted, and Jack raised his eyes.

"So you’re certain that’s what the matter is?" he asked weakly, and Dr. Owen nodded. "I see." Jack cleared his throat. "Th-thank you."

Rose struggled to sit again, gripping Jack’s arm with all her strength. "Soon I’ll have a stomach the size of a watermelon." She chuckled, rubbing it gently. "Imagine…our own baby!"

Jack found it difficult to be as cheerful as Rose, immediately transporting his mind back to Alyiah’s extremely painful labor, which eventually killed her. "Is there anything she can take for the morning sickness, Doctor Owen?" Jack asked once they were both standing, and he nodded.

"Water and lemon juice helps ease nausea, along with ginger," he replied. "However, make sure you get plenty of rest, and keep your diet as healthy as possible. After all, you’re eating for two now."

Rose nodded, shaking Dr. Owen’s hand. "How much do we owe you?" Jack asked, and Dr. Owen shook his head.

"For an old friend of mine? Nothing," he replied, and when Jack started to protest, he held up his hand. "I insist; this visit is on me. Good luck to you both, and congratulations," he said, and Rose smiled, waving as they left the building. When they were heading towards the carriage, she reached up to kiss Jack softly.

"I’m going to be just fine," she whispered. "I’m not Alyiah. I’ve had a baby before, remember?" She smiled, and Jack gazed into her eyes, taking her cheeks in his hands. "And I’m still standing here in front of you."

He closed his eyes, stroking the ends of her red curls.

"Rose, if anything happens to you…" He wrapped his arms around her, breaking down in tears at last.

*****

Anastasia and Mac, meanwhile, were in the midst of scrubbing the kitchen floors when Jack and Rose returned home an hour later. They immediately stood when the front door opened, and gaped at one another.

Both girls were covered from head to toe in soap suds, and banging could be heard outside where Michael was doing more repairs on the barn. Coddie Anna was still sulking in her room, and hadn’t come down since her initial tantrum.

"Are you okay?" Anastasia asked, noticing the weary expression on Jack’s face, and he encouraged the girls to follow him outside for a moment. Rose made her way back upstairs to bed, and once on the porch, Jack took Mac’s wet hand and squeezed it.

"Your stepmother is pregnant," he said quietly, and Anastasia squealed with excitement, leaping up and down.

"Oh, that’s wonderful!" she breathed. "I’m glad!" She paused when Mac stared at her. "Isn’t it?" she asked, and Mac turned to her father.

"How are you?" she asked, and he sighed softly.

"I can’t deny I’m thrilled," he answered, "but, oh, Mac, I’m so scared."

Anastasia sat down, moving closer to him.

"Well, we’ll take good care of her," Mac insisted. "Rose isn’t Mom, so she’ll be okay."

Anastasia bit her lip, and understood the situation at once. "I forgot," she said in an apologetic voice, and Jack gave her a gentle pat on the head.

"There are going to be some great changes around here," he said, "preparing for the baby and all. We’ll need every bit of help we can get." He looked at each of them. "I hope I’ll be able to count on both of you."

Mac and Anastasia nodded eagerly, and he gave each of them a kiss. "Sorry," Mac giggled, when her father made a face at the taste of soap he accidentally received. When he stood up to go back in and check on Rose, Mac turned to Anastasia.

"Oh, boy," she breathed, and Anastasia lowered her eyes.

"Oh, dear," she agreed.

Chapter Six
Stories