TOMORROW'S APRIL
Chapter Eight
Revelations
Unabashed laughter echoed down the corridor,
muffled by the sound of a service cart making its way down the very same hall.
The click of a door closing was followed by exuberant footsteps, and Jack and
Rose surfaced from around the corner, headed for the elevator. Holding hands,
they hurried to catch it, but missed the lift just as the doors were closing.
The attendant shrugged his shoulders and muttered a timid "Sorry."
Rose sighed, leaning against the wall, her face flushed and radiant. Jack took
both of her hands, pressing his forehead to hers. He started to laugh again, as
did she- their happiness mirrored so well on their faces.
Still smiling, Rose began to speak, tilting
her head to the side, "Not funny, Jack- I'm so hungry I could take the
stairs."
"Okay, Rose, you take the stairs. I'm
waiting right here for the next one down." His eyes danced playfully.
Rose smiled, throwing her head back in mock
arrogance. "Okay, Mr. Dawson. Let's see who gets there first." She
looked him right in the eye, pretending to head for the stairwell, but still
clutched his hand tightly.
"Oh, no you don't!" Jack pulled her
hand until she was against him, and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I
don't want to be apart for one second Rose."
"I know how you feel." Rose
snuggled to him, her eyes glazing over. "I just want this boat to hurry
up- I won't feel completely safe until we've docked."
Jack nodded solemnly, holding her
comfortingly as the elevator finally made it way back up to them. The same
young man opened the doors for them, glancing embarrassingly at the couple's
closeness as they stepped on. Jack motioned downwards. "C Deck, please,"
and could barely hold in his laughter. Rose giggled softly against his chest,
and the attendant headed for the corner, slightly relieved by the very short
trip.
"C Deck." And Jack and Rose walked
off briskly. He let go of her and swung her around by one hand, taking a look
down the empty hallways.
"You can always tell when it's
lunchtime."
"And how's that?" Rose looked at
him sideways.
"Nobody in the halls- they're all in the
dining rooms.....eating." Jack said in mock sarcasm, rolling his eyes.
"Jack Dawson, you are something
else."
"Tell me something I don't know
Rose." He smiled and leaned toward her, moving his lips to hers. "No,
you're the amazing one."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Let's just go in here and grab my
things, then leave." Rose bit her lip as they approached her cabin. She
hoped to God that the two sisters would not be there, yet she had an ominous
feeling that they were.
Jack looked down at her questioningly.
"Why the rush?.....let me guess? the dreaded roommate syndrome?"
This made Rose grin. "Yes, actually, it
is. And these two are enough to make anyone crazy. I was in here for five
minutes with them, and I thought I was going mad." Rose looked to the
floor as she finished her sentence, remembering the depressed state she had
been in just the day before.
Jack sensed this and gave her hand a
reassuring squeeze, reaching up to knock on the door. "Do you have your
key?"
Rose shook her head, "No, I left my
purse.....my purse, I don't even know where it is..."
"Don't worry, we'll find it." Jack
kissed her quickly, before sounding on the door. He heard several footsteps
racing to it, and it flew open, to reveal two very wide-eyed young women. Jack
looked them over- from the childish ribbons in their hair, to the conservative
dresses they wore-
The tallest one stepped forward and offered
her hand, not even noticing Rose yet. "May I help you, sir?"
Annabelle smiled boldly, while Katie hid behind her, her face as red as a beet.
Jack shook his head, glancing to see Rose's
expression. She nodded as to say "I told you so.", and it was then
that Annabelle acknowledged her presence.
"Oh, Rose." She appeared clearly
embarrassed. "We've been wondering where you were...." Her small eyes
traveled the length of Jack and Rose, stopping a moment at their entwined
hands.
"And who is this?"
Rose stepped forward, already tired of the
ceaseless questions she knew were coming.
"Annabelle, this is Jack Dawson. And
we've come to get my things."
Annabelle leaned against the doorframe,
pushing Katie behind her. "Oh, certainly. So you won't be staying here,
Rose?" Her tone was friendly, but Rose could detect a hint of sarcasm.
"Ah, no. And if you'll excuse us, we'll
hurry." Rose pulled Jack forward quickly through the doorway, as he tried
to fight the urge to burst out laughing. Rose was obviously uncomfortable, but
the entire scene was just a bit too comical. Annabelle smiled flirtatiously as
Jack stood near her, watching as Rose searched for all her belongings. She
moved toward him, studying his face.
To her, he was dangerously handsome- from the
mop of blond hair on his head, to the wrinkled sleeves of his white shirt. He
smiled unknowingly at her, attempting to be cordial.
"Annabelle, I....."
"Shh." Annabelle hushed her sister,
pushing her even further away. "That's Katie, Mr. Dawson. Please excuse
her."
"So, Mr. Dawson- how do you like the
Saxonia? Are you having a nice trip?"
"Oh...yeah, yes."
Jack nodded, very much amused, and turned his
attentions toward Rose, who seemed more than ready to leave. He could feel
Annabelle closing in on him, and he stepped forward subtly, shaking his head in
disbelief-
"Got everything, Rose?" He went to
help her with her suitcase, taking it and kissing her lightly on the cheek,
trying to rid her face of the annoyance-
Annabelle watched this shockingly. Her eyes
widened considerably when she noticed the kiss, and she backed away slightly.
"Rose...Dawson isn't it? Is this you
husband then?" She asked this innocently, her naivety shining through her
southern drawl. Katie stood speechless on the other side of the room, scared to
utter another word.
Jack froze in midair, nearly losing his
balance as he reached for the coat Rose had laid out on her bed. He smiled
weakly, his eyes searching Rose's face nervously.
But Rose only smirked, leaning down to grab a
pair of her shoes from under the bunk. This was when she would hit them hard-
"No, actually...no." She said this
much, then took one last look around her bed, and reached for Jack's hand. He
was catching on to her little game, relieved that she had not seen his own
reaction, and offered his free hand to Annabelle, nodding towards Katie.
"Ladies, have a wonderful trip...we're off. It was a pleasure," he
stated, laying his natural charm on thick.
Annabelle seemed frozen in place, but nodded,
swallowing. "Yes, of course Mr. Dawson. Nice to meet you. So I suppose you
and Rose here are related then?"
Jack lowered his eyes, a devilish grin on his
lips. "No, we're not." he pulled an impressed Rose along with him,
heading for the door. He waved over his shoulder as they left. "Have a
good day ladies!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Oh, Jack....the look on their faces....."
Rose was near hysterics, stopping to lean against the wall for support. Jack
put his arm around her waist, her things still in his other hand.
"Well, I figured you'd enjoy that...and
besides, it was fun." He began walking again. "We certainly gave them
something to ponder, eh?"
Rose nodded, still unable to control her
giggles. "I'd say, Jack. But to tell the truth, I was ready to leave. I
saw how that Annabelle was looking you over...."
Jack opened his mouth, letting out a laugh
and looked down at her, flabbergasted. "Do I sense a hint of jealousy
there, Rose Dawson?"
"No, I just.....oh, stop it!" She
punched him playfully in the arm, turning the corner towards Jack's room. She
waited as he fished the key from his pocket, and as he opened the door, Rose
placed her hand on his arm, her face suddenly serious.
"Jack, thank you."
He dropped the bags he held, and turned
toward her, swallowing as he gazed down at her, and pulled her into a tight
embrace. She smiled at him, and he whispered as his mouth came to rest on hers.
"No, thank you Rose." He kissed her deeply- in an attempt to transfer
all the emotion, that he felt right then, to the woman who he had loved for so
long-
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Whew." Jack propped the door open
with his foot, dropping all of Rose's hastily packed belongings in the corner,
near his own suitcase.
"Well, that's done...." Jack's eyes
darted from the floor to Rose, who was already ruffling through her clothes for
something to change into. His thoughts drifted to just moments before, and the
mind boggling words of that horribly obnoxious girl-
She'd asked if they were married......if he
was Rose's husband. And it didn't seemed to have affected Rose in the least.
His mouth went dry as he watched her stand in front of the mirror, combing her
hair with a silver brush, that caught the light coming in from the porthole.
Jack couldn't decide- whether this was something to bring up now, or to wait
for. But he did know, that for eight years, it had been all that he wanted, all
that he dreamed about. Being with Rose forever, always. As if in reassurance,
Rose smiled at him through the mirror, her eyes still gleaming from the scene
one deck below.
He must have been gazing into space for some
time, because before he knew it, Rose had changed clothes, and was standing
before him, shaking his shoulder.
"Jack....are you alright?"
"Oh....yeah, yeah, I'm sorry......"
He made his way across the room, reaching for his coat that sat on one of the
chairs.
"Rose, you look beautiful." He
smiled at the lavender dress she had donned, as he slid into his coat.
Rose smiled, the laughter still in her eyes.
"Jack, where are you going?"
"Here," Jack took her coat and
motioned for her to turn, so he could help her into it, "let's go up on
deck and take a walk- it's so nice outside, but a little cool I think."
Rose nodded, disregarding the distant look in
his eye. Obviously, he was still tired from being up so late-
Once they were up on deck, Rose took Jack's
arm, swinging almost joyously as they strolled, glancing at his strangely quiet
and reserved face. But her spirits were still so high from all of the
activities of the morning, that she didn't even notice when he slowed down and
closed his eyes.
"Rose, let's stop here." He sighed,
taking both of her hands in his, and leaned against the railing, taking one
look across the glorious water, as if for strength. A million thoughts were
running around in his head, and as he watched the visible light in Rose's eyes,
nothing could keep him from what he was about to say-
"Rose, look at me." His eyes
focused in on her as she turned toward him, gazing in wonder. As she saw the
deep, almost demanding look in his eye, she quickly sobered, realizing finally
that something was on his mind-
"Jack what is it?" He only smiled
weakly, reaching to push a strand of her hair behind her ear.
The wind blew his straight hair over his
forehead, revealing the thoughtful creases there. Rose stared into his blue
eyes for a moment, lulled by the vividness in which she could recall the first
time she'd ever seen them. In some ways, that seemed lifetimes ago, but in
others- merely minutes. She lowered her eyes, and smiled gently, waiting for him
to speak. One thing she knew about Jack Dawson- was that sometimes it took him
a while, but anything he said came directly from his heart-
"Rose, that was interesting, what
Annabelle said, don't you think? When she asked if I was your husband?"
His lips curved upwards, and he swallowed, as if trying to think of what to say
next.
Rose's giddiness prevented anything from
registering quickly, and she stared lovingly at him, a question on her face.
"Yes, I guess it was...."
Jack couldn't do anything but blurt out,
exactly what he meant. Any other method would fail him, he knew-
The gray collar of his coat fluttered in the
wind, beating the same rhythm his heart was.
"Rose," he tightened his grip on
her hands as she watched his mouth intently, "maybe that's what I should
be...your husband I mean. Would you like that Rose, to be my wife?"
Jack's heart seemed to stop inside his own
chest, with one final thump, after his words hit the air. Like a set of drums
that had just finished an upbeat song, the silence seemed very loud. Rose
stared at him wide-eyed, her face a light pink from the cold. Her hand pulled
from his, and she placed it on her lips, taking one deep breath. Jack could
only watch her reaction play out in front of him, shocked himself by his sudden
words. For the concept, yes- the concept had inhabited his head for a long
time, but the actual proposal- that had been so not-planned, it almost seemed a
surprise to him too-
"Rose, say something." Jack looked
at her worriedly, scared immediately that this wasn't what she wanted at all.
Because this was what he wanted more than anything, Jack realized-
Tears sprung up in the corners of Rose's
eyes, and she turned away from him, away from the ocean, grasping the railing
from behind. The sound of the waves hit her so brashly, and Jack's words echoed
in her ears over and over, all he had ever said to her. The soothing memories
caressed her mind, her heart, all at once-
We're gonna make it Rose. We're gonna make
it.
Do you trust me? .... I trust you-
Yes, they were going to make it. Rose gasped,
turning back to Jack's anxious face, and opened her eyes. She stepped toward
him, drinking in all the emotion that he had displayed on his own face, and
brought her hand to his cheek. To follow up with mere words, the wonderful
question he had just asked, seemed impossible, yet she tried-
"I would like that more than anything,
Jack Dawson." Her voice cracked on the last part of her sentence, and the
tears in her eyes began to run down her face. But these were tears of
happiness, of joy.
Jack grinned, taking her into his arms and
swinging her around softly several times, until he could hear her laugh. He
bent down, kissing her face again and again, pulling her close against the
harsh afternoon wind. He whispered softly in her ear, filled with an
indescribable jolt of delight and revival. "Me too, Rose....me too."
And with that, it was said. Jack held her
face in his hands, awed by the absence of any change- since that day eight
years before, when he'd promised her so much. Now he would be able to keep
those promises, live them out.
"Jack, I love you..." She buried
her face in his chest. "I was thinking about Titanic Jack- about all that
you said, all that you taught me. I can remember everything- every word, every touch
Jack, every kiss. And I never want to forget. Not that voyage, not this
one-"
"Rose, we won't, I promise we won't. And
now we can remember them together." He lifted her head and studied her
face with a triumphant smile.
Rose could not stand it any longer, and stood
on her toes, leaning upwards toward him. She brought her lips to his strongly,
savoring the taste of his mouth. And at that moment, she realized that no
matter how much they had or hadn't changed since that fateful trip, one thing
could never falter, never be altered. How it felt to kiss him, how it felt just
to be in the same room with him, and know, that they were for each other. That
Jack was hers-