LOVE THAT NEVER FADES
Chapter Forty-One

November 25, 1912

Weeks came and went, and before anyone could believe it, it was already Thanksgiving. It was a chilly evening in New York City, and the colder it got outside, the chillier it got inside. The heater was working, but wasn’t warm enough to heat the room fully. Rose was bent over the oven, getting the basted turkey out. Her mother was by her side all the time, telling Rose to sit and that she would take care of it. Rose ignored her mother’s concerns and told her that it was her and Jack’s first Thanksgiving together, and that she wanted it to be perfect, and moreover, she wanted to cook everything. However, Patricia was cooking the rest of the food for the holiday, much to Rose’s dismay. As Rose pulled out the turkey, she set it on the stovetop and smiled, seeing that everything had gone as planned. Steam was coming out of the hot turkey, and it shone in the light. The aroma also filled the kitchen, causing her appetite to grow bigger. She felt her stomach growl. Rose stroked her stomach absentmindedly, turning to face her mother, who only looked at her, worry shining in her eyes. Rose sighed and rolled her eyes, brushing past her and getting out a platter to put the turkey on.

"Rose, I really think you should sit down," Ruth said, worry in her voice. "You shouldn’t be cooking in your condition."

"Mother!" Rose complained, lifting her head. "You really should stop worrying. I’m perfectly fine! I’m not even as tired as I should be…please, just let me do this, at least this once. This really means a lot to me."

"But there will always be Thanksgiving next year," Ruth said.

"I know, but there will never be another first Thanksgiving together," Rose pointed out.

"Rose, I really think you should sit down. I—" Ruth began, worried about her daughter’s condition.

"Mother, I’m fine. Really!" Rose said, trying to reassure her mother. She put both hands on her shoulders and looked into her mother’s eyes. "Listen. I promise that nothing will happen to me. I won’t let it, and neither will Jack. This really means a lot to me, Mother. Please, just let me make Thanksgiving memorable to Jack and I. Then, afterwards, I promise I’ll rest."

"Rose…" Ruth said, still worried.

Rose rolled her eyes and stood there. "Look, if I let you help me with the dinner, will you let me try to make Thanksgiving worthwhile?" Rose asked, realizing that her mother was beginning to be more and more protective of her. "Please, Mother…I really want this for Jack and I. I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t really mean it."

Ruth sighed and nodded reluctantly. "All right, but you must at least rest once you’re through eating," Ruth said. "Don’t even bother with the dishes. Just go straight to bed. You’re seven months pregnant. You really shouldn’t do any maneuvering whatsoever—at least, not in your condition. I’m just worried about you and that child of yours inside you. I don’t want anything to happen to either of you."

Rose smiled gently and caressed her mother’s shoulder. "It’s your job to worry, Mother, and I know that once this baby’s born, I’m going worry as well, but now, there’s nothing to be worried about. The baby isn’t due for another two months, and until then, we needn’t worry about anything," Rose said, trying to ease her mother’s worries. Rose looked at the clock, finding that it was ten minutes to eight—almost time for dinner to be served. "Look, the guests will arrive soon, and Jack will come back from his late shift at the art gallery. Why don’t you help me set the table? I’ll even let you carry the turkey if you want…"

Ruth smiled and nodded. "All right. All right," Ruth said, looking into her daughter’s eyes. She put a hand on her cheek, feeling her eyes fill with tears. "It seems like yesterday that I held you in my arms after you were born. Now, I see you married, expecting a child, and…" Ruth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I just don’t know where the time has gone…seventeen years have passed since I gave birth to you—my beautiful daughter. Seventeen years. In a month, you’ll turn eighteen, and the month after, you’ll be a mother. My, Rose, you’re growing up so fast. You’re making me feel old."

Rose held back a laugh, looking into her mother’s eyes. "No matter how old I get, Mother, just remember that I’ll always be your daughter. No matter what," Rose said. "You’ll always be my mother, and you’ll always be the grandmother of my children. Nothing’s going to change that…I promise."

Ruth smiled and pulled her daughter into a hug before pressing her lips against her cheek.

"You’re the best daughter any mother could ever have," Ruth said. "I’m just glad you made me realize that before it was too late."

Rose smiled and caressed her mother’s cheek as she moved over to the counter, picking up the bowl of mashed potatoes and green salad. She walked into the small dining room and set the bowls on the table, leaving room for the turkey, which would be placed in the center. When she was ready to walk back, she saw her mother carefully carrying the turkey and setting it in the middle of the table, a satisfied smile on her face. Two small vases were at opposite ends of the turkey, roses in them. There were also candles on the table, waiting to be lit. Rose stroked her abdomen, nodding, a satisfied smile on her face.

"This dinner is going to be perfect," Rose said to herself. "I can tell."

Just then, the grandfather clock chimed, warning everyone that it was ten minutes to eight o’clock and almost time for dinner. Just then, there were knocks on the door. Rose smiled and made her way towards the door, pulling it open to greet Michael, Annie, and Jimmy, who were standing in the doorway, smiles on their faces.

"Why, hello!" Rose said, moving aside to allow them to enter the apartment. "It’s so good of you to be able to come."

"It’s good of you to invite us," Jimmy said, smiling at her. He held a pie in his hands. "Oh, my mom made this for me, so I decided to bring it over to share with everybody. This is my mom’s best apple pie. You’re gonna love it!"

"Thanks for bringing it over, Jimmy," Rose said, smiling sweetly at him. "Just put it on the table, along with the other food. I’m sure we’ll eat everything that’s on the table."

"I sure hope so, ‘cause I’m starving!" Jimmy said, walking over to the table and setting the pie in an empty space.

Rose smiled and turned to her other guests. "Well, come on in," Rose said. "Make yourself at home and have a seat. Jack will be back from work in a few minutes, so we can start eating then."

"All right," Michael said, nodding and walking inside alongside Annie.

Rose smiled at the two, watching them sit beside each other at the table. Rose turned, about to shut the door, when she saw Jack appear out of nowhere. Rose’s eyes twinkled, her smile growing.

"Miss me?" Jack asked, smiling at her.

"Probably more than I should have, Jack," Rose said, moving closer to him.

Jack put his hands on her waist, leaning in closer and giving her a kiss that only the two could share.

"I missed you so much, Rose, that I drew five portraits of you on my break," Jack said, gazing at her, love shining in his piercing blue eyes.

"That’s good to know," Rose said, clutching Jack’s arm. She looked over his shoulder, and as she did, she spotted Benjamin with a girl about her age or older, a blonde-haired man alongside her. "Why, hello, Ben…" Rose smiled, letting Jack go to greet her boss. "It’s so good of you to come by."

"I’m glad to be invited," Benjamin said, smiling. "Oh, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Lucy Wilson, and her fiancé, Jason Calvert."

"It’s nice to meet you, Lucy." Rose smiled, extending her hand to her.

"It’s nice to meet you, too, Rose," Lucy said, shaking her hand, a smile on her face. "My father has told me so much about you."

"Well, I hope that he has said good things about me," Rose said, smiling at Benjamin.

"Oh, he has," Lucy said, smiling.

Rose looked at Jason and realized that he looked similar to Michael. "You’re Jason Calvert? Are you any relation to Michael Calvert?" Rose asked, extending her hand to shake his in greeting.

"Why, yes," Jason said, shaking her hand. "I’m his older brother. We haven’t seen each other in three years."

"Well, I guess it’s going to be a family reunion as well as a Thanksgiving dinner, because Michael is sitting over there by the table," Rose said, pointing towards Michael, who was caught up in a conversation with Annie.

"He is?" Jason asked, looking in the direction she pointed. Suddenly, a small smile came onto his face. He turned to Lucy and smiled. "I’ll be right back…"

"Okay," Lucy said, smiling. She let his hand go and watched as he walked over to the table.

"Oh, I forgot my manners," Rose said, putting a hand to her forehead. "Please, do come in!" Rose moved aside to allow the two to enter the apartment. "Sit down and get comfortable. Dinner will start in another five minutes."

Rose watched the two head towards the table, taking their seats with the other guests. Rose smiled and turned to face her husband. The only guests that were left were Fabrizio and Angelina. As if on cue, the two appeared in the doorway, bright smiles on their faces.

"Buona sera, mio famiglia!" Fabrizio said, his smile brightening his face. "Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!" Fabrizio’s accent was noticeable, but he was getting better at English.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Fabrizio," Rose said, a warm smile on her face. "It’s so good of you to come…"

"No…it’s ‘a good of you to ‘a invite me," Fabrizio said, a gentle smile on his face. "This is mio primo Thanksgiving, and I would ‘a love to spend it with ‘a you and Jack. You two are ‘a like my family. Nobody except ‘a for mio madre e mio padre, Angelina, and you two have ‘a treated me with love and ‘a care. I’m ‘a glad to have met you, la bella Rosa, and to have met Jack two years ago…" Fabrizio paused, running his fingers through his dark hair. "Mio madre always said to me, in Italian, if you ever feel lonely, look for the ones you love…if they are ‘a not there, close your eyes and think of them. That’s ‘a what I have been doing to get me through l’America. I was ‘a thinking of my mother, and my father, you two, and my Angelina. That gives me hope that someday I will live up to my dream."

Fabrizio’s accent sent a warm sensation through Rose’s body, bringing into his voice a musical tone, and every time she heard it, she felt comfortable.

"Well, I’m glad that we have given you that support," Rose said, slipping her arm through Jack’s. Just then, the clock chimed once more, signaling that the hour had come. "Well, it’s time for dinner, so why don’t you two have a seat? Jack and I will be there in a minute."

"Sì," Fabrizio said, smiling and leading Angelina towards the table.

Rose smiled and carefully shut the door, looking at her husband, who was now smiling at her.

"Jack…" Rose said, her eyes shining. She held Jack close, while he held her close, as well. "I…I just want to let you know just how much I’m in love with you. It seems that my love for you grows and gets stronger with every day that passes, and no matter what, I still feel the same way as I did the first time we kissed and the first time we…well, you know…" Rose said, blushing and looking into his eyes. "It’s like I’m falling in love with you all over again, and I love that feeling. You have changed my life, Jack. You made it more worthwhile and more free than it ever was before I met you. You made me feel loved and cared for, and you made me feel free. You freed me from my trap, and I…I want to thank you again. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here right now, and I—" Rose was cut off when Jack kissed her lips. A kiss that sent loving shivers up her spine, making her feel weak in the knees. She clutched his shirt, responding to his kiss, making it deeper than it was before.

Jack transferred all his love and affection to Rose in the kiss that they shared. The words that Rose had uttered to him made him feel proud to have boarded the Titanic, as well as proud to have talked some sense into Rose the night she had tried to jump off the ship—even though he knew she wasn’t going to. That she wasn’t going to end her life at a young age, and so soon. Jack’s hands rested over her enlarged stomach, feeling the soft kicks from the baby within her flesh. He gently caressed her middle, as if that would relax the baby, and made their kiss more and more intense, leaning in closer to her. A few moments later, their kiss was interrupted when Ruth coughed.

"Well, come on, you two!" Ruth said. "It’s Thanksgiving, and dinner’s about ready. You have time to show your love for each other later. Go sit down, and let’s have a Thanksgiving we won’t ever forget."

"We’re coming, Mother," Rose said, smiling and feeling her cheeks turn a deep shade of pink as she held Jack’s hand in hers, leading him towards their seats, which were at the end of the table.

Jack smiled and pulled out a chair for Rose, allowing her to sit down and gently pushing her chair in before he sat down beside her. He looked at her and smiled, squeezing her hand with love and devotion. He turned to their guests and smiled.

"Well, I’m sure glad to have all of you here for our first Thanksgiving," Jack said, smiling towards them. "I’m sure you all know just how much this means to both me and Rose, and how we have suffered to be together." Jack cleared his throat and went on, holding Rose’s hand through his small speech. "Well, as a good man once told me, life is a gift, and you shouldn’t waste it. You never know what hand you’re gonna be dealt next, so you gotta learn to live life as it comes at ya. Don’t let someone tell you what you should do with your life, for you’re the only one to choose that option. You are in control of your life, and no one else. You shouldn’t feel trapped or controlled. You should be able to live life to the fullest—the way you feel is right to live." He looked at Rose and smiled. His thumb was caressing the back of her hand lovingly as he continued his speech. "I remember someone who was trapped, and their life was controlled and planned for them without their consent. Luckily, someone saved them, and prevented that person from making a big mistake." Jack’s finger’s tightened around Rose’s hand, for he was talking about her situation before he had met her. "What I’m trying to get at is that you should make each day count, for you never know when your last day will come. It could be tomorrow, it could be next week, next month, next year, or many years from now, but you never know. I’m telling you guys not to waste your life. Not to watch it slip by as if it were a motion picture. Having life is a gift, and you shouldn’t waste it. Not when you have a whole life to live. My father told me that, and I followed his directions. I made each day count, and I still am. I have a beautiful wife by my side who’s carrying our first child—the first out of many children, I know for sure--and I have a job that might help me live up to my dream, and probably make it come true, and I have you. There’s nothing more I can ever ask for. I’m a lucky man to have a wife like Rose, and to have a mother-in-law like Ruth, and to have all of you as my friends. I have everything I need right here in front of me, and there’s nothing in the world that can ever replace that. You mean so much to me—as does Rose—and I can’t imagine having you taken out of my life." Jack’s voice was gentle and serious. "I just wanna let you know how thankful I am to have you in my life, and how thankful I am to be married to the woman I love." Jack looked at Rose, a loving smile on his face. "My life is perfect when you’re by my side…I love you, Rose."

Rose smiled, her eyes filling with joyful tears. "I love you, too, Jack." Rose smiled. "More than words could ever describe."

Jack leaned over and kissed her, right in front of their guests. Their love was as strong as it had been the first time they had met, and felt as if it never would die—and they knew it wouldn’t. It would take more than an iceberg to separate them from their love for each other, and much more than the freezing depths of the North Atlantic to take away their love. Jack knew that nothing in the world would ever break their strong bond, and that no one would ever be able to keep them from loving each other as they did now. Their love was just too strong and too powerful to be broken apart and taken away. The applause from the guests was what caused the two to pull away from their kiss, and as they did so, their faces turned a deep, loving shade of pink as sheepish grins came over their faces.

"Well…" Jack said, clearing his throat and raising his eyebrows. "Let’s just enjoy our Thanksgiving dinner, and after, we’ll all share what we’re thankful for."

Jack got up, brought the turkey towards the end of the table where he was sitting, and took out a long knife. He looked at his guests and smiled. His eyes gazed at Rose, winking at her and finally turning his attention to the turkey that was waiting to be eaten. Jack sank the blade of the knife into the turkey, made the first cut from the breast section, and set it on his plate. Next, he cut a piece of the wing and set it on Rose’s plate, who smiled brightly at him. Jack smiled back and continued serving everyone pieces of turkey until there were only scraps left of the bird. After everyone had gotten their share of the turkey, they began serving themselves the other delicious foods made by Rose, Ruth, and Patricia. Jack sat down and served himself some of the potatoes, salad, and other food that was on the table. He also filled Rose’s plate before setting it in front of her. Jack smiled and pressed his lips against her forehead before he officially began to eat his Thanksgiving meal.

*****

Jack took the last bite of turkey that was on his plate before he sat back and put his hands over his stomach. He hadn’t been this full since before his parents had died, for he remembered that on Thanksgiving his mother used to fill him up with the old Dawson recipes for different dishes. This Thanksgiving had got to be the most unforgettable one he had ever had in the years he had lived on earth, for he was spending it with the love of his life, his mother-in-law, and his close friends. He had never imagined a better Thanksgiving holiday than the one he was spending at the moment. He turned to Rose, who was still eating the turkey wings that were on her plate, and there were still scraps of potatoes and salad left for her to eat. Jack smiled, looking at her abdomen and realizing that in two months, he would officially become a father. A father. He would have a new title. He wouldn’t be just Jack Dawson, the artist, but he would become Jack Dawson, the artist who was husband to Rose Dawson and father to their first child. Just the thought of becoming a father gave him the knowledge that he would have a family to care for and wouldn’t have to run away as he had when he was fifteen. It seemed so long ago that Jack had fled Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Since his house had caught on fire—with his parents in it, as well as his dog, Shadow. It felt as if it had happened twenty years ago, when in all reality, it had happened only five years ago. Five years since Jack had become independent and had begun exploring the world. Had seen what the world had to offer. He had been through rough times during his exploring, and he had been to the slums of New York City before, but he had never expected to settle down with a wife and a child on the way. That was something new to him, and he was ready to learn to become a father, and learn to hold the responsibility of caring for a child.

Jack also realized that their child had been conceived out of wedlock. The child that was developing in Rose’s abdomen had been conceived on the night of the fourteenth of April, 1912, in the back of the Renault before the Titanic had struck the iceberg, and before Jack and Rose had had to fight for their lives. Jack was amazed at how strong that baby was, for it had survived the freezing waters of the North Atlantic, as well as survived the rough times they had had with Kristen. Jack absentmindedly put his hand over Rose’s stomach, allowing his fingers to caress the soft fabric of Rose’s dress and feeling the firm kick of their unborn child. A smile crossed his face as he looked into Rose’s eyes. He felt her put her hands over his, smiling brightly at him. It was as if she knew what he was thinking, for her eyes glistened with tears, mirroring his, for tears shone in his eyes as well. Having this baby alive, inside her body, was a miracle. A miracle that Jack was thankful for. He leaned in closer to Rose, pressing his lips against her cheek and feeling the smooth texture of her skin under his rough but tender lips.

Rose felt her body warm against Jack’s as his lips pressed against her face. She felt Jack’s fingers spread out under her grip, brushing against her stomach. Rose knew that Jack was just as happy as she was about becoming parents in two months. Sometimes she found herself wanting the baby out of her so she could see what it would look like and so she could see how good a mother she would become. Most of the time, she didn’t want to give birth to her child, for, as her mother had said, once it came out, it wouldn’t stop growing and time would flash by so quickly, they wouldn’t even know where it had gone. Rose looked at the many guests that had arrived, finding that they were caught up in their own conversations, leaving Jack and Rose a small amount of privacy. Rose turned to Jack and couldn’t help but widen her smile as she brushed her thumb against his jaw. She saw the smile that she loved appear on Jack’s face, causing his face to brighten and his blue eyes to shine with happiness and love. Rose smiled back and felt Jack pull her closer. Rose smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes as she wished that the night would never end.

Ruth looked at her daughter, finding that she was leaning against Jack’s shoulder. No matter how much time Jack and Rose spent with each other, love still shone in both of their eyes, giving proof to the world that their love would never die. Ruth sighed, a small smile on her lips as she continued to eat her meal, which had only the potatoes and bits of salad left. While she was eating, however, she felt a pair of eyes boring into her skin, making her look in the direction of Benjamin, who immediately looked at his now-empty plate, playing with the scraps that were left over from the turkey. Ruth smiled and ate her meal before taking a sip of the wine that was in her glass. Benjamin and Ruth had spent more time with each other over the past three weeks, and in those weeks, Ruth had found herself wanting to spend more and more time with him—something she had never expected herself to feel—especially since she was the widow of a husband that she had dearly loved. Ruth looked at him once more, this time finding a smile on his face. Ruth smiled back and picked up her wineglass, taking a sip of the white wine. Setting her glass back down, she looked at her plate, picked up the last bits of potatoes and salad with her fork, and put them into her mouth, chewing and finishing her meal.

"Well, it looks like everyone’s finished to me," Jack said, looking at the guests, who had just finished their meals. "Okay! So, who should go first?"

"You should, Jack," Rose said, looking at him. "You’re the man of the house, you know."

"I think I already said what I’m thankful for," Jack said, looking at her. "Well, I’ll say it again, then. I’m thankful to have been able to marry the woman that I’m deeply in love with, and to have such great friends like you. Also, I’m thankful to have a woman who I can look to as my mother, and most of all, I’m thankful to have made each day count. I’m still making each day count, and I’m not gonna stop until I take my last breath. I’m also thankful to have fathered the child that my wife is carrying at the moment, and I’m just thankful to be alive. If it weren’t for Rose, I wouldn’t be here right now…" His eyes gazed into Rose’s eyes, a warm smile on his lips. His hand was over Rose’s on top of the table, and he gave it a gentle squeeze.

Rose smiled and felt her eyes glisten with joyful tears. She turned to the guests and smiled.

"Well, I’m thankful for many things," Rose began, looking at her mother and smiling. "But I am most thankful to be free. Or, should I say, rescued by my knight in shining armor…" Rose looked at Jack. "If it weren’t for him, I would not be here right now, so I should say we saved each other. In more ways than one. And I should say that I’m thankful to have met him and fallen in love with him, and to have had the opportunity to love him. To show just the way I feel about him. To make it short, I’m thankful for Jack Dawson. I’m thankful for my husband. I’m thankful for our unborn child, and I’m thankful for my mother. She has indeed changed throughout the months that we’ve spent with each other, and there’s nothing else I could ask for. I’m thankful to have you in my life, and I’m thankful to be in love."

The guests applauded what Jack and Rose said, and spent the next twenty minutes telling what they were thankful for. In an hour and a half, everyone had finished with dinner and began gathering up the dishes, bringing them to the sink. Since Rose had promised her mother that she would relax after dinner, she led Jack towards the parlor, where they would have peace and quiet for a bit before they would return to the group. Rose put her hands on Jack’s chest, looking at him. Every day, her love for him grew more and more. It was as if she were on the ship again—meeting the love of her life. She felt a smile come across her face as Jack’s breath blew against her smooth skin while he pressed his cheek against hers. His arms went around her, enveloping her in their warmth, though her pregnant stomach made a limit to how close they held each other.

"Rose, what you said back there…" Jack said, nodding his head towards the dining room. "…it brought warmth into my heart to know that I have changed your life the way I did, and…" Jack paused, finding it hard to put what he wanted to say into words. "What I feel about you at the moment is hard to put into words. I guess I’m just gonna have to show you the only way our lips will understand…" Jack inched closer and closer to Rose’s face until their lips met and pressed against each other, the two lovers sharing yet another kiss.

*****

It was close to ten o’clock at night when the guests began to head home. The first to leave was Jimmy, saying something about having to go to his sister’s house the next day, and that he needed a good rest to be awake. Fabrizio and Angelina were the next to leave, for Fabrizio said that he had to work at the restaurant early the next morning, while Angelina had to wake up early the next day to head over her parents’ house. Benjamin, Lucy, Jason, Michael, Ruth, and Patricia were the only ones left in the apartment after Jimmy, Fabrizio, and Angelina had left. Jack and Rose stood by each other, watching the guests standing in the parlor, none knowing what to say to each other, for everything had been said during the Thanksgiving meal. Jack and Rose looked at Jason and Michael. They had never known that Michael had an older brother. Jason was three inches taller than Michael, and was more muscular and tanned. However, they could pick out the similarities between the two, for they both had light brown hair—which looked blonde on some occasions—and blue eyes. They both seemed to have the same smile. However, the shape of their jaws was much different. Rose assumed that Michael looked more like his father, while Jason looked more like his mother. She had seen pictures of them, which Michael had shown to them several weeks ago, and Rose had immediately seen the resemblance between Michael and his father.

Rose stroked her abdomen, beginning to grow more and more impatient with the awkward silence.

"Well, Michael, I didn’t know that you had a brother," Rose said, looking at Jason and Michael. "You hardly mentioned that you had other relatives besides your parents."

"Oh…" Michael said, looking at Rose and suddenly becoming interested in the floor beneath him. "Well, Jason and I didn’t get along well on occasion, so sometimes when we were near each other, we would quarrel. I remember when I was a kid, I used to follow Jason around everywhere, and he would get pretty annoyed, so he would often yell at me and tell me to leave him alone. I was five, and he was ten. He hated when I would do all the things he did. That went on until I was nineteen and he was twenty-four. But I should say that we get along pretty well at the moment. It’s just sibling rivalry that gets in our way at times."

"Eh…probably so," Jason said. He looked at Lucy and smiled. "But all siblings fight, you know. Not all siblings get along. At least we don’t chop each other’s heads off or fistfight. We just fight verbally, which is good, since we have the same temper as our father."

Michael chuckled and nodded. "Yeah…we may have our father’s temper, but we do seem to know how to control it. Thanks to our mother’s way of controlling things…" Michael said, his smile brightening.

"Jason, I think we should go," Lucy said, looking at the clock. "It’s getting pretty late, and I’m tired."

Jason looked at her and smiled. "Okay…" Jason said, gently caressing her cheek and gazing into her deep blue eyes. Her light brown hair had fallen over her shoulders, framing her face beautifully. He looked at Jack and Rose. "Well, I guess we’d better go. Lucy here is tired, and so am I. The dinner was delicious, Rose. You should become a cook."

Rose smiled, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink. "Why, thank you. I’m glad you liked it. It was actually the first time I prepared a Thanksgiving meal," Rose admitted, looking at Jack, then back at Jason.

"Really?" Jason asked, raising his eyebrows. "Wow…Jack, you’ve got yourself a good wife there…"

Jack chuckled and held Rose close. "Thanks, but I didn’t just marry her to be my cook, you know…I married her because I love her, and she’s my best friend—or, should I say, my soulmate," Jack said, gazing into Rose’s emerald-blue eyes and smiling. Jack turned his attention to Lucy. "I’m sure Lucy will be a perfect wife for you…"

"She sure will be," Jason said, smiling at his fiancée. "Why else to you think I proposed to her? I love her, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Aw, Jason, that’s so sweet," Lucy said, smiling. "But I’m really tired. I’ll fall asleep on the floor if we don’t leave now."

Jason chuckled and nodded. "Okay, okay, we’re going," Jason said. He turned to his brother and offered his hand to him. Michael smiled and shook his hand.

"So, a handshake is all I get from my older brother, whom I haven’t seen for three years?" Michael teased, smiling.

Jason smiled and pulled Michael into a tight hug. "It’s good that we get along now, buddy," Jason said, ruffling his younger brother’s hair. "Let’s just hope it stays that way."

Michael smiled and nodded. "Hopefully it will, Jason," Michael said.

Jason looked over at Annie, who was standing two feet away from Michael, and smiled, leaning closer and whispering into his brother’s ear.

"I see the way you look at that girl, Mike," Jason whispered. "Maybe you should take another step with her…" Jason pulled away, gazing into his brother’s eyes. "Think about it, Mike. Maybe you two will work out fine…"

"We’ll see, Jason," Michael said, smiling.

Jason nodded and smiled. "Well, I’ll be seeing you," Jason said. "Bye!" Jason led Lucy out the door and down the staircase, where they stepped into his car that he had purchased in Cedar Rapids.

Michael and Annie left, saying their good-byes to Jack and Rose, and went to their apartments, getting ready for the night. Benjamin, Ruth, and Patricia were the only guests left, and they stood in the parlor, looking at each other, then at Jack and Rose.

"Well, my dear," Ruth said, walking towards Rose and putting her hands on her cheeks. "The food was delicious, and tonight was certainly unforgettable."

Rose smiled. "Thank you, Mother," Rose said. "I’m glad you liked it."

"I loved it, Rose…" Ruth corrected. "Well, I must be off. I’m exhausted, and I should get my rest for work tomorrow."

"All right, Mother," Rose said, pulling her mother into a hug. "I hope you have a good night’s rest."

"The same goes for you, Rose," Ruth said. "That baby inside you is counting on you to be healthy and safe. I do suggest that you relax. Don’t overwork yourself. You have Jack beside you, and I’m sure he’ll help you, and if he doesn’t, I’m always here."

Rose smiled and stifled a giggle. "I’m sure Jack will help," Rose said. "He’s just as worried as you, Mother, if not more. And believe me, Mother, he will hardly let me pick up an empty box because of my condition, so you need not worry so much. Jack is just as protective as you are." Rose felt Jack’s hand slip into hers.

"Well, he should be," Ruth said. "He’s the father, after all."

Rose smiled and tightened her grip on Jack’s hand. "Well, good night, Mother. I’ll see you tomorrow, or if not, I’ll see you around," Rose said.

"All right, Rose," Ruth said, kissing Rose’s cheek. "Take care of yourself, and be careful."

Rose rolled her eyes and sighed, smiling. "I will, Mother," Rose reassured her. "I promise."

"Very well, then," Ruth said. "Good night, and see you around…"

With that, Ruth left the apartment, followed by Benjamin, then Patricia. Finally, there were no more guests in the house, allowing Jack to lock the door and gaze at his wife.

"Finally…we’re alone," Jack said, smiling.

"Oh, no. I smell trouble," Rose teased, welcoming Jack into her arms.

"Hmm…" Jack said, wrapping his arms around her. "You should, because there’s going to be lots of mischief going on in the bedroom."

"Oh, really?" Rose asked, smiling at him. "And I wonder why my Jack Dawson became so naughty all of a sudden?"

"Well, you’d be surprised at how much I have changed from the day that I met you," Jack said, breathing in the scent of Rose’s curls.

Rose giggled. "I’m sure I will be," Rose said, smiling. She looked deeply into Jack’s blue eyes and saw that they shone with love, happiness, and want. "Well, if you want mischief to go on, then we should start now…"

Jack chuckled. "I guess you have gotten naughty over the months, too," Jack said as he was being dragged into the bedroom, where he kicked the door closed behind them.

Even in the dark room, Jack could see the smile on Rose’s face and saw her eyes twinkling. Jack smiled and leaned in closer, pressing his lips against hers with a seductive touch. His kiss gave warmth throughout his body as he felt Rose unbutton his shirt, revealing his muscles. While they were sharing their kiss, Rose slid Jack’s shirt off, her arms went around his bare skin, feeling the rough outline of the muscles in his arms. Jack’s hands went around her, unbuttoning her dress and letting it fall to the floor, revealing her body. He pulled away from the kiss and looked at her, smiling. He removed his trousers, his fingers brushing against her middle. Jack smiled and leaned forward, letting his lips press against her enlarged stomach, feeling the baby squirm within Rose’s flesh. With one final look, Jack led Rose to the bed, throwing the covers over their bodies as he began to bring her to the stars once again.

Chapter Forty-Two
Stories