SURVIVING
Chapter Five
It had been three days since Jack and Rose’s
night out. It was the day of the funeral for Jack’s father to be held. Jack
stood in front of the hallway mirror, straightening up his tie. That’s where
Emma Jean found him as she came down to start the family car.
"Are you ready?" she asked,
concerned, as she stood behind him.
"I guess. How many are expected to be
there?"
"A lot. A lot of people loved and
respected your father, Jack."
Forcing a smile, Jack turned to his cousin.
Once again, he felt grateful to be surrounded by his father’s family. If it
hadn't been for them, he would be a mess right now. "We better get down
there, or they’ll leave without us."
"They wouldn’t do that. But you’re
right. We have to get out of here. We don’t want to hold anything up."
Emma took her cousin’s hand, and together, they joined the family and set out
for the funeral home.
*****
The funeral home was packed. Jack’s father’s
ashes now rested in a silver urn on top of a pedestal. Jack and Rose sat up in
front with the rest of Jack’s family, listening to the hymn being sung. All too
soon, the singing stopped. It was time for the family to share their memories
of the departed. Jack was the first to go up. Squeezing Rose’s hand one more
time, he got up and stood beside the urn.
"Hello." Jack cleared his throat
nervously. "I’m Jack Dawson…Lucas Dawson’s son. My father…he was a loving
father and husband. He was honorable and brave. I can only hope to be kind of
man he was. What exactly did he do, you may ask? Why did he leave his country?
His town? Well he…he wanted to see the world. To make each day count, because
you never know what cards you were going to be dealt. He believed in living
each and every day as if it were his last. He also believed in standing up for
what you believe in. Even if it cost you your life…it certainly cost him
his…" Jack’s voice cracked at that point. Looking out over the crowd, he
knew he couldn’t go on any longer.
Not even thinking of here he was going, Jack
ran off the stage and out of the building. He had to get out of there. Away
from his father’s ashes. Away from the curious and sympathetic stares. Leaning
against a nearby tree, Jack buried his face in his hands as hot tears filled
his eyes. At that moment, he would do anything to see his father again.
Anything at all.
"Jack?" Rose walked up to him,
placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Jack, talk to me. Let me help
you."
"I miss him." Jack allowed Rose to
pull him into her arm as the hot tears began to flow. They clung to each other
as his grief spilled forth. "I miss him so much, Rose. I wish he was here
to meet you. To see what kind of man I’ve become. I wish that he could be here
to see us marry."
"Oh, Jack." Rose rubbed his back,
her heart breaking for him. "He is here. And he will see us marry. He’s in
your heart, Jack, and that’s where he’ll stay."
"When will this aching go away, Rose?
When will I be free of this pain? It’s all so much…"
"Time, Jack. Give it time. It’ll lessen
until you barely notice it anymore."
He pulled away and stared into her concerned
emerald eyes. "Promise?"
"You have my word." She reached up
to wipe away some of his tears.
Smiling slightly, he lightly kissed her,
letting his lips linger on hers for a minute. "Ich liebe dich. I love you.
I’m so thankful to have found you, Rose."
"Jack…Rose," Emma asked, hating to
disturb a romantic moment. "We’re ready to go."
"Ready?" Jack looked at Rose.
"If you are."
"Jack…will you be okay?" Emma Jean
asked.
"Yeah. I’ll be fine. Let’s go
home." Jack took both of their hands and led them back to the car, where
the family was waiting.
*****
The Dawsons returned home without incident.
Jack and Rose went into the kitchen while the elder Dawsons checked the mail.
Rose was pouring a glass of orange juice when Myrtle and Henry returned with
two pieces of mail. Both of them were from Germany.
"There’s one for Jack and Rose, and one
for us." Henry frowned, opening up the letter for himself and his wife. He
frowned and looked at Jack. "It’s from Jack’s ma. She wants to know if
you’re here and if you are, she wants us to send you back."
"Oh, Grandpa, no!" Emma protested,
remembering the bruises on Jack’s face. "You can’t send Jack back! Not
after she let that Nazi boyfriend of hers beat him up like that."
"Listen, if you don’t want us here,
we’ll leave. But there is no way I’m going back there." Jack tightened his
hold on Rose’s hand.
"Jack, calm down." Rose rubbed his
back, wanting to calm his already frantic nerves.
"Sweetie, there’s nothing to worry
about. We would never send you back to that horrible woman." Myrtle pulled
Jack into a tight and protective embrace. "You’re all we have left of our
Lucas, and you belong with us."
Jack smiled, his panic at the idea of
returning to his mother fading. "I’m so glad that you’re my grandparents.
I couldn’t ask for better."
"And we couldn’t ask for a better
grandson." Henry joined the hug.
"I love you guys." Jack wiped his
tears away, knowing that, somehow, his father was still looking out for him.
*****
Jack, Rose, Nathan, and Emma Jean sat on the
porch, just staring out at the setting sun. Emma Jean glanced at Rose and Jack,
wondering when the wedding was going to take place. Did Jack and Rose even
know?
"So, what are you two going to do about
the wedding?" she asked.
Jack looked at Rose, a bit embarrassed. He’d
been so busy with the arrangement of his father’s funeral, their wedding had
completely slipped his mind. "Well…we really haven’t done anything yet.
Things have been sort of crazy with the funeral and immigration."
"I don’t even know where to start."
Rose sighed. "How do you plan a wedding, anyway?"
"Well…I guess you can start with who’s
going to stand up for you. You know, the best man and maid of honor. Who are
they going to be?" Emma Jean asked.
"Well…all of our friends are back in
Germany, probably fighting for their lives." Jack sighed.
"Not really." Rose grinned, an idea
taking form. "Emma Jean…how would you like to be my maid of honor?"
"Are you serious?" Emma Jean’s eyes
lit up.
"Well, you are my very first friend I’ve
made in America."
"Well…since you’ve put it that way…I’d
love to!"
"And Nathan can be my best man."
Jack grinned, happy that things were falling into place. Soon he and Rose would
be married, and they would be starting a family, maybe.
"Fine by me." Nathan nodded.
"Problem solved there."
"Rose…what do you think is in this
envelope?" Jack looked at the package that had come all the way from
Germany.
"We should open it and find out,"
Rose answered, looking curiously at the envelope.
"I’m opening it." Jack tore open
the flap and began to read aloud.
Dear Jack and Rose,
How are you in America? I heard about the
Hindenburg disaster. I just knew that you two had survived. You survived the
Nazis, so you’d survive a burning airship. Mr. Heimlich has given me your
address, if you are wondering how I knew where to write. Everyone here is fine,
for right now. All of the Gypsies are leaving, though. We’ll be leaving soon,
too. I’m trying to talk Helga into coming with us, but she’s so scared. I’m
hoping I can get her to come before it’s time for us to leave. The swing halls
aren’t as fun without you, Jack. So I really don’t go anymore, not to mention
the increase of raids. We’ve been blaming Tommy for this. Yes, he did help you
with Rose, but he’s still a part of the HJ.
Speaking of raids…there was one at the
DeWitt Bukater residence the other night. Rose’s mother was arrested and set to
Auschwitz. I don‘t know what the charges were. I’m sorry for this news, because
she was Rose’s mother. I’ll leave you now, Jack.
Good luck.
Fabrizio
Jack folded the letter back up and looked at
his fiancée, who was shaking, pale, and had tears in her eyes.
"Rose?"
"It’s all my fault, Jack. I wouldn’t
marry Cal, so they took her and are probably going to kill her, if they haven’t
already. It’s all my fault." She buried her face in her hands.
"No, Rose. No." He pulled her
close, wanting to take the pain away from her. "This isn’t your fault at
all. It’s the Nazis. You heard Fabrizio. They’re taking everybody. We knew that
they were doing this. That’s why we fled."
"But…"
"Rose, Jack’s right. Don’t blame
yourself. What happened to your mother is in no way your doing." Emma Jean
rubbed Rose’s back, trying to calm her sobs.
"Who knows, maybe she’ll survive,"
Nathan replied. "Aren’t there cases of people surviving those
places?"
Jack grimly shook his head. "People
who’ve gone in there…they have yet to come out…or even be heard from again. No
one really knows what goes on in those places, or what happens to the
prisoners."
"Jack…if you don’t mind, I’m going
upstairs to bed." Rose got up and disappeared into the house. Jack watched
her go, worry deepening in his eyes. Rose was taking this hard. He hoped that
he could get her through this.
"Jack." Emma Jean touched his hand
gently, her eyes shining in confidence. "She’ll be okay. She’s strong.
She’ll pull through."
"I hope you’re right, Emmy. I hope
you’re right."