Chapter 52
February 10, 1915
Jack sat back and looked at his work. He was making a flyer for the Santa Monica Art Gallery’s annual spring art show. The art show was coming up in March, and Mr. Adams down at the gallery had asked Jack to make the flyer by the fifteenth of February just so people could have enough notice. Jack sighed when he looked at his work. Some thing just wasn’t right. He looked again and then decided to erase some of his lettering.
While he was doing this, Rose pushed open the studio door and walked in. She held in front of her a tray with two mugs full of something. “Hi,” she chirped setting the tray down on a nearby table.
“Hay,” Jack said re-doing the lettering and then pulling her toward him.
“I brought hot chocolate,” Rose whispered reaching over and handing him a mug of the hot liquid.
Jack took a sip, “Thanks, I needed that.”
Rose smiled and pulled over a chair to sit next to Jack. She grabbed her own hot chocolate and sat down. “How’s the drawing coming along?” she asked leaning over and looking at Jack’s work.
Jack sighed and put the mug down. “Its not,” he said.
“It looks good to me,” Rose said. For a picture, Jack had drawn an easel with an art piece set up on it. Across the top were the words ‘The Santa Monica Gallery’s Sixth Annual Art Show’ with the date and time bellow that in smaller lettering. Around the edges were alternating paintbrushes and tubes of paint. At the bottom of the page, before the boarder design, were the names of some of artists whose pieces were to be shown. Jack’s name was included in this list along with four other artists that the gallery felt would catch people’s attention.
Jack groaned, “I just think I need more.”
Rose shook her head. “No, Jack, its wonderful the way it is. Besides, if you have to much, it will be over crowded and won’t look as good.”
Jack looked at his drawing again. Rose was right. If he added any more, it would be over crowded. He smiled up at her. “I guess you are right Rosie.”
Rose smiled, “Thank you.”
Jack laughed and got up. “I am going to run this over to the gallery in a few minutes,” he said placing the drawing in this sketchbook. “Wanna come with me?”
Rose got up and placed the mugs of hot chocolate back on the tray. “Sure, I’ll go with you,” she said. “Just let me talk this stuff upstairs and get some shoes on.”
Jack watched as Rose left the room caring the tray. He grabbed his light work coat and shrugged into it. Picking his sketchbook up, he left the studio and ran up the stairs. He found Rose sitting at the kitchen table, putting on some shoes. Jack waited patiently while she tied the laces and then stood up, grabbing a shawl off the table. “Ready?” he asked. Rose nodded and walked over to him. Jack took her hand and kissed her on the check. “Feeling okay?” he asked. Rose had been unusually quiet today.
“I am fine Jack. I am just tired.”
Jack nodded as they walked out the front door. Once outside, Rose leaned against Jack and closed her eyes. Jack draped his arm across Rose’s shoulders and pulled her closer to him. They walked in silence for a while, just enjoying being together. The February weather was unusually warm, even for Santa Monica and Rose was glad. She didn’t like cold weather.
They were about half way to the Gallery when Rose suddenly spoke. “Only about two and a half months now,” she said smiling up at Jack.
Jack smiled, he knew what Rose meant. Only about two and a half months until the baby was born. “Yeah,” he whispered happily.
“Do you think we’re going to be good parents?” Rose asked Jack.
Jack thought for a minute. “Yeah, hopefully. I know you will.”
Rose blushed and shook her head. “You’re going to be such a good father Jack. You know all these things you can tell them. You have all these stories. They’re gunna love you Jack.”
Jack laughed. “What about you?” he asked. “You have all these wonderful and creative ideas. You’re fun and energetic, who wouldn’t love you Rose.”
Rose blushed again and squeezed Jacks hand.
They walked in silence until they reached the art gallery. Jack held the door open for Rose and then bowed as she walked in.
Rose laughed at him as she entered the gallery. Once inside, she smiled at the site. Hung around the walls were different artists with a big desk at the front of the room. On either side of the desk were two hallways. One hallway contained offices and meeting rooms and the other hallway contained more artwork.
“C’mon,” Jack said taking her hand and leading her down the office hall to one of the back rooms with the name Bill Adams inscribed on the door. He knocked once on the door before pushing it open and walking inside, Rose at his side.
“Well, hello Jack!” Mr. Adams exclaimed once he saw who his visitors were.
“Hay Bill,” Jack said sitting down in front of Mr. Adams desk.
“How are you doing Jack?” Mr. Adams asked once Jack and Rose were seated.
“Oh just fine,” Jack answered.
Mr. Adams smiled, “Good, good. So, Rose, decided to join Jack today huh?”
Rose nodded, “Yes sir. I figured if I came he couldn’t get in to much trouble.”
Mr. Adams laughed, “I guess not. So how are you feeling?”
Rose smiled, “I’m feeling okay. Nothing to bad.”
“Good, that’s good. So Jack, Rose, why are you guys here?” Mr. Adams asked looking from Jack to Rose.
Jack pulled his drawing out of his sketchbook and handed it to Mr. Adams. “I finished this flier,” he said.
Mr. Adams looked surprised. “Already! Wow, that’s great!” He winked at Rose, “You sure do get to work don’t ya Jack.” Rose laughed while Jack blushed. “This looks wonderful!” Mr. Adams exclaimed after a minute. “Very well done! I like it a lot.”
Jack smiled, "Really?"
"Really Jack, this is great!" Mr. Adams said nodding. "I am going to send it off to be copied right away."
Jack smiled again. "Thanks Bill, it means a lot," he said sinceraly.
Mr. Adams rolled his eyes. "Now, Jack none of that. You're the best artitist I've seen in a long time."
Jack, once again, turned red. Out of site of Mr. Adams, Rose squeezed Jack's hand before turning to smile at him. She gave him one of those 'see, I told you' looks. Jack rolled his eyes and went back to talking with Mr. Adams.
"Now, Jack, we need to discuss a price," Mr. Adams said after putting the flier in his own foler. "I want to pay you for what you did."
Jack waved his hand, "Oh Bill, thats not nessesary."
Mr. Adams nodded, "Yes it is Jack. You did a wonderful job on this and you diserve something. Now, does twenty dollers sound right?"
Jack's face lit up in shock. "Twently dollers! Bill, I wouldn't let you pay me half of that!"
Mr. Adams laughed, "Yes you would and you're gunna let me pay you all of it. Jack, you've got a kid on the way, you diserve a little extra money now and then. Besisdes, you've been down here more often then nessessary helping me with things. You diserve something."
Jack shook his head, "Really, Bill, you don't need to do that."
"Yes, I do Jack," Mr. Adams contridicted getting a check out of his desk drawer. He filled it out then handed it to Jack, who reluctently took it. "Thank you," Mr. Adams said before laughing. Rose started laughing along with him and finally Jack joined in.
Jack and Rose chatted with Mr. Adams for a few minutes longer before deciting to leave. They said goodbye, Mr. Adams thanked Jack again, and then Jack and Rose were on their way. Once they were outside the gallery, Jack took Rose's hand in his and she gently leaned her head on his sholder.
"He's so nice," Rose remarked as they started home.
"Hmmm, yeah, he is. He shouldn't have paid me though," Jack answered as he looked up at the sky. The sun was just setting, and surprisingly, large black clouds had started forming. Jack could feel a slight wind ruffel his hair and he wondered if they were in for a storm.
As if she could read his mind, Rose said, "Maybe we're going to get a storm tonight."
Jack laughed, "I was just thinking the exact thing. Looks like it, dosn't it. Maybe if it does we can light a fire in the parlor and sit and watch it."
Rose nodded and patted her stomach, "Sitting is good."
Jack smiled and kissed the top of her head. They walked the rest of the way in silence and watched the storm that had started to brew. By the time Jack and Rose were home, clouds filled the sky and from far off came rumbiling noises. Quickly, they hurried inside and made sure all the windows were closed tight. Then, Rose brought Addy in and made hot chocolate while Jack started a fire in the parlor fireplace. Next, Jack brought blankets from downstairs and turned off all the lights. Rose, with Addy right behind her, had just come in with hot chocolate when the first of the rain began to fall. She set the drinks down on the coffee table and curled up under a blanket next to Jack on the couch.
"This is kinda nice, we hardly ever get any kind of storms out here," Jack remarked as he pulled the blancket closer around himself and Rose. Rose nodded and planced Jack's hand over her own on her stomcah. Addy curled up next to the couch and within minutes was asleep. Rose and Jack watched as the rain became heavyer and the ocean waves started to churn. Before long, there was a clap of thunder that sounded like it was close by. Rose jumped and gasped at the unexpected sound.
"Gosh," she laughed snuggling closer to Jack. Jack chuckled along with her and listened as another rumbiling filled the sky. This time Rose didn't jump, but Addy lifted her head and tilted it to one side as if she was confused about something.
"Its okay girl," Jack sothed the dog and within minuts she was fast asleep again.
Just as Jack and Rose saw the first flash of lighting they had actually seen stike over the water, Rose felt something kick in her stomach. She gasped and pressed her hand down harder on her swollen belly. Tears filled her eyes as she felt the baby kick again.
"Rose? Are you okay, whats wrong?" Jack asked looking down at his wife.
"The baby just kicked," she whispered excitedly.
Jack's eyes lit up. "Really?" he asked in a tone that matched Rose's.
Rose nodded before she took her own hand off and placed Jack's hand on her stomach. Jack gasped as he felt a small kick through Rose's dress. This was the first time they had ever felt the baby kick.
"The baby kicked!" he reapeted.
Rose nodded excitedly again. Jack laughed wildly and kissed Rose on the forhead. Rose grinned along with Jack and leanded her head agaist him.
"Our baby kicked," she whispered before placing her hand over Jack's, who's was still resting on her stomach.
Jack nodded and pulled Rose closer with his free arm."Rose?"
"Hmmm?" Rose answered dreamaly.
"I love you," Jack whispered in her ear.
Rose turned and smiled up at her husband. "Hay Jack?"
"Yeah?" Jack asked leaning closer to Rose.
"I love you too," she whispered.
Jack grinned and leaned even closer to Rose. "Hay Rose, did ya notice?" he asked.
A confused look came over Rose's face. "Notice what?" she asked.
"The storm has almost stopped."
Rose glanced outside. The huge black threating clouds had almost moved away and now the moon was shinning over the water with just a few stringy black clouds around it. She laughed and turned her attetion back to Jack.
"Yeah, I guess it has," she whispered putting her hand on Jack's check. Rose looked at Jack for a moment before leaning in to kiss him. Jack groaned and passionaly kissed her back, both of them all the while thinking about their baby. And how specil it was that they could share the baby's first kick, together.
Chapter Fifty-Three