ALMOST TOO LATE
Chapter Four
Jack looked at himself in the mirror, and was
happy with what he saw. He sure hadn’t thought that he’d look good in these
snobby clothes, but he did. He was still nervous. But at least he’d look like
he fitted in. Trudy had left to go help Rose’s mother with her final
preparations, so he was all alone. He went back into the sitting room, and sat
on the settee. Doubts started to occur to him, and he realized what he was
doing. He was engaged to Jolie, and here he was going to dinner with Rose. It
really wasn’t fair to Jolie. She would be worried about him when he didn’t show
up for dinner. I have to change and go back, he thought.
Just as he stood up, Rose walked in. He found
himself staring at her. She had been beautiful before, but now, she was simply
gorgeous. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Could this really be the same
woman he had met crying at the stern of the ship? Even though she had been
crying that night, she had an inner strength that drew him to her. She was
dressed in a very becoming gown, and it seemed like it was a second skin. The
jewels on it sparkled in the light.
"Well, Mr. Dawson, are you ready to go
eat?"
Rose had snapped his attention back, and he
blushed because he had been staring at her. "Yes," he said, still
trying to hide his embarrassment about staring. He offered Rose his arm, and
they walked out and towards the dining room. They came to the top of the grand
staircase, and Jack began to look around with wonder. The glass dome at the
top, the hand-carved staircase, the beautiful clock…all were reminders to Jack
that he held a third class ticket. If Rose hadn’t been on his arm, he would
have run back to his room. But with Rose on his arm, it seemed like nothing
could go wrong, like he was where he was supposed to be. As they descended to
the first class dining room, Rose was pointing people out to him, and telling
him about each one. Gossip, really. It seemed like she knew everyone, and what
they were trying to hide. He only half-listened, and smiled at some of her
remarks. He felt like he was caught in a dream, one which he hoped he’d never
wake up from. It wasn’t the money, of course. He had never had money. It was
the feel of Rose on his arm. He wanted her to always be there. You’re
falling in love with her, he thought. He turned and took a better look at
her. She was leading him up to introduce him to a couple she had pointed out
earlier. Who were they? Oh, yes. The Astors and Mrs. Brown. As he was being
introduced, a thought came to Jack. You’re not falling in love with her. You
already have. He smiled at something she said, and then it was on to their
table.
*****
Jolie sat at the table, waiting for Jack. She
hadn’t seen him since she had left him out on deck earlier. She had expected
him to find her and apologize for his rude behavior. When it got close to
dinnertime, she had thought that maybe he hadn’t found her because he was
preparing a surprise dinner to apologize. He’d done that before they left
Paris. They’d had a small tiff, and he had disappeared for hours. And then he’d
shown up with a picnic dinner. Jolie had decided that he would show up, either
with a dinner to eat in her cabin or one to take out on deck. She had gotten up
off the bed and started to get ready, so that she would look nice when he came.
But dinnertime was almost over, and he hadn’t shown up. So, Jolie had gone down
to the dining room and found a table. She had ordered her own dinner, still
waiting for Jack to show up. She could think of several reasons why Jack had
not shown up. A first class family had asked for a drawing, and in order to
make sure they paid, Jack was taking his time, making them all miss dinner. Or
they had invited him to eat in their suite with them. Or Jack was out on the
decks sulking, too afraid of losing her to try to apologize too soon. Yes,
Jolie thought. That’s why he hasn’t come down yet. The poor dear wants to
make sure that I’ve calmed down. That’s all. He knows not to try to apologize
too soon. Besides, if he waits long enough, we’ll have a cabin all to
ourselves, so he can really apologize! Jolie smiled. She had forgotten that
Jack had never laid a hand on her in love or anger. In fact, she never even
realized that he went out of the way to make sure that he never had to touch
her at all.