Chapter Eleven
Rose and Annie have been talking for three hours now, while Jack and Mike were still out at the restaurant. Annie grew tired as the time passed and wanted to go home to take a rest. Rose smiled and saw her out. Once Annie left, Rose was alone in the apartment, with nothing to do so she left her apartment, taking the key with her and went downstairs to the lobby. She then walked out of the apartment building and went to walk in the park, hoping to clear her mind off of what had happened for the past four days. It was still hard for Rose to believe that the Titanic had actually sank, and that she took more than fifteen hundred innocent people with her.
When Rose reached the park, she sat on a nearby bench and just watched couples walking by and children running past their parents. Rose smiled as she imagined one of her children running around in front of her. She wondered if Jack even wanted to have any children. She knew that she would. She always have loved children. A smile played upon her lips as she imagined her holding their first child after it was born. Rose hoped that she would have a baby with Jack. Her mind then drifted off to the eventful nights she had with Jack.
First came her attempt at committing suicide, which failed when Jack had came to her rescue. Then came the dance at the third class party below decks and the kiss at the bow. Rose cherished that memory, for it was her first kiss with the man she ever loved. She never kissed Cal, for he thought it was not gentlemanly to kiss a lady like that. Rose thought differently. Then the drawing came to her mind. Rose closed her eyes as Jack’s image played in her mind. She smiled as she remembered how shocked he looked when she dropped her kimono off of her body. She had to admit that she was nervous as well. Her heart was beating quite rapidly that night--especially later on, when they made love in the Renault.
Then the worst played in her mind. She could still feel the ship shake under her as she hit the iceberg. At that time, nobody thought it would damage her. But now, she was under the freezing North Atlantic, left to rot for hundreds of years to come. She could still see Jack’s hurt face when the Master-at-arms had taken the necklace out of his pocket--or A.L. Ryerson’s as it was written on the label of the coat. She could still hear his pleading voice telling her that he didn’t do it and that they put it in his pocket. Rose should’ve believed him them. If she did, she would’ve saved all the trouble that was caused later on. From the moment Cal had said that it was a pity that he hadn’t kept the drawing when she was to board a lifeboat with her mother, she knew that he had set Jack up for stealing the necklace. Right then and there, she knew she had to save him. She couldn’t let him drown below decks when he had nothing to do with what Cal had set up.
After that, tears already started flowing down her cheeks. All the people that were screaming when the ship was sinking, and Jack’s tears when she was being lowered onto a lifeboat, and Jack hugging and kissing her, telling her that she was stupid. Rose covered her face in her hands and just cried. She couldn’t hide it anymore. All the pain and hurt had now gone out of her. She had held it in for four days and if she held it in any longer, she would explode. Rose didn’t care if she was crying out in public. They didn’t know what she has been through, so she could careless. She just sat there and cried, careless to the world around her.
As she sat there, she felt a pair of strong arms around her. Not really caring who it was, she leaned against him and cried on her shoulders. Just by the scent of him, she knew it was Jack. She held onto him and clung onto his shirt as tears began pouring down her cheeks. He just held her close and kissed the top of her head, whispering comforting words into her ear, in hopes of calming her down.
Mike had suggested that they walk home from the park, telling Jack that it was a shorter way. Jack agreed and just put his hands in his pockets as he walked along beside his new friend. They saw a couple pass by, with children beside them. Just then, Jack noticed a woman crying on a bench, with her face covered in her hands. She had fiery curly red hair and she had the same dress Rose wore earlier. Jack froze, realizing that it was Rose--crying. Jack excused himself from Mike and went towards Rose, wrapping his arms around her. She didn’t even jump. She just pulled him close to her and cried on his shoulder, clinging onto his shirt.
“Shhh.” Jack whispered, rocking back and forth, to calm her down. “It’s okay, Rose. I’m here. Everything will be okay.” Rose then buried her face in his shirt and cried.
“I just keep hearing their screams for help.” Rose cried beneath his shirt. “And I always remember how I almost lost you on that night. Jack, I can’t bear it anymore. I’m always afraid that I’m going to lose you.” Jack pulled away and lifted her chin with his forefinger.
“Listen, Rose.” Jack said, calmly. “You’re not going to lose me. I promise.” Rose looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.
“Oh, Jack. I love you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Rose cried as she held him close to her.
“Would it make you feel better if we set up our wedding date?” Jack asked, looking down at Rose. Rose looked up at him and nodded. “Okay, then. When would you like for us to get married?”
“How about tomorrow?” Rose asked. Jack smiled and nodded.
“All right.” Jack said. “Let’s make the preparations now.” Rose smiled and got up, interlocking arms with Jack. They then went towards Mike and smiled.
“Hey, Mike, uh I should’ve asked you earlier, but would you like to be my best man?” Jack asked.
“Why, of course I would!” Mike said, smiling. Jack smiled and hugged Mike in a manly way.
“We’re getting married tomorrow, so get ready.” Jack said.
“I will, Jack. Don’t you worry about it!” Mike said. With that, Jack and Rose left to go to a nearest church, to get a priest. Once they reached the church that was closer to their apartment, they went inside. There, they saw a priest walking down the isle with his hands folded, and a smile on his face.
“Why, hello. How may I help you?” The priest asked politely.
“Well, my fiancée and I would like to get married tomorrow, if it’s possible.” Rose said, leaning against Jack’s arm.
“Well, I don’t know, miss. We usually get a six months notice before someone gets married.” The priest said.
“Please.” Rose begged. “It’s not really going to be a big wedding. Just myself, my fiancée, my mother, and two friends, whom will be my maid of honor and my fiancée’s best man. We’ll also pay you all the money you need, just, please marry us tomorrow.” The Priest sighed.
“The money’s not necessary, miss. Okay, I’ll marry you two tomorrow. Would you like it in the morning or in the evening?” The Priest asked. Rose smiled and looked up at Jack. Jack smiled and answered.
“We would like to have it in the evening at six o’clock.” Jack said.
“Okay. Be here a half hour earlier, then you two will soon be married.” The priest said.
“Thank you.” Rose said, tears glistening in her eyes. “Thank you so much.” Rose hugged the priest. Hesitantly, he hugged her back.
“No problem, miss. I’ll be glad to marry you two.” The priest smiled. With that, Jack and Rose exited the small church and headed home.
It was now five o’clock in the evening, and both of them had reached their apartment building. They then walked up the stairs and stood in front of their apartment. Rose opened to door with her key and both of them went inside, closing the door behind them. Jack went over to the couch and sat down. Soon, Rose joined him, leaning on his shoulder. Both intertwined their fingers as they just stood there, both trying to erase the tragic events that had happened four days earlier. But both knew that it was impossible. The Titanic will be with them for as long as they’re alive.
Just then, Jack covered his face in his hands and cried. To Rose, that was the first time she had ever seen him cry like that. The first time, was when she was being lowered into the boat, but it wasn’t as hard as he was crying now. All Rose could do was hold him close to her, like he did at the park. Jack just hugged her and cried on her shoulder. Rose cried with him, knowing his pain. They both had witnessed more than fifteen hundred people perish on the night of April fifteenth, and it was only four days later, that both were engaged to be married the next day. It was all too soon, but they both knew it was for the best.
If they got married sooner, maybe Cal would just back off and leave them alone. Rose had fell in love with Jack ever since she first laid eyes on him when she was out on deck. She never would’ve thought that she would’ve ended up becoming his fiancée seven days later. Rose was just glad that she was going to marry the man she loved, instead of marrying the man she hated. Rose kissed the top of Jack’s shaggy blonde hair and held him close to her as she calmed him down, all the while, trying to calm herself down. Jack pulled away and wiped the tears away with the back of his hand.
“I’m sorry.” Jack said, his voice shaky. “I didn’t mean for you to see me like this, it’s just that--” Jack was cut off by Rose, who placed her finger onto Jack’s lips.
“Jack, I know how you feel. I’ve been through the same pain you did. And I know you lost two dearest friends. I hate to say this, but it’s all because of me.” Rose cried. Jack looked up and shook his head, lifting her head up.
“Rose, it’s not your fault. Nothing’s your fault.” Jack said. “The only thing we could blame is that bloody iceberg. It wasn’t your fault that Fabri and Tommy died. Rose, I love you, and I would never, in my entire life, blame you for anything. I promise you. And never, will I ever lay a hand on you. At least not in a violent way, I won’t. Rose, you’re too precious to me to be hurt, okay? So, please don’t cry. Don’t blame yourself for what has happened. If you do, I’m gonna end up blaming myself for making you feel hurt.” Jack said, looking into Rose’s wet eyes.
“But Jack, if it weren’t for me, they would’ve been alive right now.” Rose cried, more tears flowing down her cheeks. “I just hope I could turn back time and change everything that has happened.” Rose said, looking down.
“Everything?” Jack asked, a small smile playing across his face. Rose suddenly looked up and smiled as well.
“Well, not everything. Just the bad parts. Like the sinking. And the iceberg. And Cal.” Rose said, smiling.
“I have to agree.” Jack said, holding her close. “The world is definitely a cruel place with a Caledon Hockley.” Rose nodded and smiled. She looked up at him and kissed him on his lips. She then looked into his eyes and smiled. “Just imagine, we’ll be a married couple tomorrow.” Rose smiled. Jack smile back and held her close.
“Yep.” Jack said. “And we’ll be a happy couple.” Rose smiled and leaned her head on his chest, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt his heartbeat and smiled. He hugged him tighter as she kept on listening to the steady rhythm of Jack’s heartbeat. Rose then heard Jack’s stomach rumble. Rose laughed.
“I believe someone is hungry.” Rose said, lifting her head up. Jack smiled and nodded. “Well, then I’ll go make you something.” Rose got up and went to the kitchen, where she began to get things out to prepare their dinner.
“Need help?” Jack asked, entering the kitchen. Rose glanced over at him and smiled.
“If you want to.” Rose said, as she took out the spaghetti from the box. Jack smiled and went over to her. He began to cut the tomatoes. Rose looked up at him and kissed his cheek. It took them at least ten minutes to prepare the meal, and they began cooking it. When fifteen minutes passed, the food was cooked and ready to eat. Rose took two plates from the cupboard and began filling their plates with the spaghetti with the sauce on top. Once she got their plates filled, she placed them on the table and began pouring their drinks. She then took napkins and sat beside Jack as they began eating.
“This is not that bad.” Jack said, as he finished chewing the spaghetti.
“Thank you.” Rose said, smiling. Jack smiled and continued eating.
Rose watched as Jack was eating his dinner. She never would’ve thought that she would soon become his wife. Before she met him, she didn’t even want to live anymore. Rose was glad that she hadn’t ended up married to Cal, because if she did, she would be miserable and would be used, and Rose didn’t want that. She continued eating until she finished everything that was on the plate. Jack, too, had finished his dinner and smiled. Rose smiled back and began gathering up the dirty dishes and bringing them to the sink, to wash. Jack was beside her, helping her dry the dishes. Rose smiled up at him, and finished washing the dishes. Once they were finished, they went to their bedroom to get ready for bed. Jack and Rose then got under the covers and fell fast asleep, both cuddled up against each other.