A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Sixty-Nine
When Jack came out the bathroom Rose was fast
asleep. He ran another bath for her before waking her up.
"The bath is ready for you," he
explained. "I’m going downstairs to see if I can get a newspaper and to
see if we can get anything to eat here."
"See you soon Jack, lock the door
please," Rose asked.
Taking some toiletries out of her bag, she
dragged herself into the bathroom and climbed into the bath. It felt wonderful
and Rose felt more relaxed than she had done all day. As she lay under the warm
water she began to feel more in control, that Cal was behind her. There was just
one more problem to tackle. It had to be tackled now and it would be difficult
to do for both of them. But she had no choice. She knew Jack had feelings for
her. She had feelings for him. But it could not be. And as much as it hurt, she
had to explain to Jack now.
Jack found a newspaper stand not far from the
hotel. He bought two different papers and stood scanning them for any mention
of a missing woman. There was nothing on the first couple of pages, so he
shoved them under his arm and went back to the hotel to see if they did any
room service.
Rose was dressed when Jack returned.
"I ordered room service," he told
her. "Just some cold things, but I didn’t think you’d want to go far
tonight."
"That will be fine."
"You look nice." Jack smiled.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"A little. Jack there is something I
have to say to you."
"What?" Jack was puzzled.
"This isn’t easy," began Rose.
"You know you kissed me that day?"
"Yes."
"Well, I am Mrs. Hockley. Mrs. Caledon
Hockley. I may have left him, but I will always be his wife. Do you understand
Jack? There can never be anything else between us."
"Rose…" Jack interrupted.
"No I must say this Jack. I asked you to
help me as a friend. If you have any other feelings for me or if you are here
because you think that…" Rose closed her eyes struggling to say what she
wanted with out hurting Jack. "I will always be his Jack. I cannot get rid
of him and I cannot divorce him. I don’t want you here on false pretenses."
She knew from the look on Jack's face that
she had hurt him deeply.
"Rose," he lied. "You are my
friend and I care about you. You asked me to help and that’s why I’m
here." He face flushed slightly and his eyes avoided hers. She knew he
wasn’t telling the truth. Changing the subject rapidly, he pointed to the
papers.
"I had a quick glance, but I didn’t see
anything about you. Do you want to look at one while I look at the other?"
*****
Fabri lay in bed, unable to sleep. Maria lay
beside him, her back turned. She hadn’t spoken to him since she came up from
the restaurant. He knew she was very angry with him and he felt both anger and
sadness about that and the position his friend had put him in. All night,
alone, he had wrestled over and over again with his feelings. Jack was his best
friend. He was also a fool. How could he have been so stupid? Yet he chose to
leave with her. Now, who knew where they were?
He climbed out of bed and went over to the
window. The street outside was brightly lit from street lamps and the moon. He
looked up at shining silver disc in the sky. The nights they had slept under
the moon…Fabri reminisced. The nights they had spent together, laughing,
eating, and traveling. Just getting on with their lives. Their friendship had
been their only constant companion. Fabri felt very sad indeed. How had it come
to this? Since when did he try to tell Jack what to do? He never had before.
Maybe that was the old Fabri. The new Fabri had a home, a wife, and a job. And
morals. Taking another man's wife was wrong. Jack was wrong this time.
He stared at the moon. Since when did Jack
ever do anything really wrong? He was always trying to do the right thing. That
was half his problem. He’d help anyone no matter what. Maybe Jack really was
helping. Would even the new Fabri see a woman beaten by her husband? He thought
of own wife, his Maria. Would he have stood by if some man were beating on her?
You cannot choose who you fall in love with, he thought. As you fell for Maria,
just maybe Jack could not help falling in love with Rose.
Fabri wrestled with these thoughts.
Maria was not asleep either and had felt
Fabri get out of bed. Peering from under the covers she watched him for a
while, just standing at the window. She could sense his sadness. If only there
was a solution.