Chapter four:

The hands seemed to have crawled around the clock all afternoon. The sun was beaming through the windows, there was no air except when a customer came in and a breeze wafted through the door. The greasy smell filled the air and Jack clock watched each second until quarter to 5 when his shift was almost over. Could time go any slower?

He ignored the stares from the girls who watched him sit, serve and generally tidy the area which he had done all day since 9am.. They had ordered one juice between three of them and then sat daintily sipping from it for a few hours. He wiped his hands down his apron as he let his eyes wonder to the back booth where Rose had been sat the evening before. He sighed. The time they had spent together the night before had been the most fun he had had in a long time. She was a bright and beautiful girl, but she seemed to be trapped someplace and he didn't know why. He placed his face in his hands and leant on the counter. He had taken her to a posh neighbourhood quite out of the centre of town, away from the prying eyes on a private estate. He had lingered outside the house for a few minutes when she had gone inside. That was her home.

The doorbell rang and disturbed his thoughts indicating that a customer had entered the Grill. He grabbed his notepad and pencil from behind his ear as he always did. As he looked up he came face to face with a pair of black sunglasses.

''You seen her busboy?'' He was asked, in a 'he guessed was supposed to be threatening' tone of voice. It wasn't.

Jack smirked. He was one of those James Dean wannabes who rode around with Rose's ex.

''Seen who?''

''Rose Dewitt Bukater?''

Jack frowned. He knew they were talking about Rose. He kept his cool and the vague quality which he possessed so well. ''Why? Can you not see her with how dark those glasses are?''

The girls behind started giggling and the guy turned to face them, he wasn't impressed. His lips were thin and white. Pissed off didn't cover it.

''I asked you the other day, to keep an eye out, you told me that you would.''

Jack narrowed his eyes at the jerk. ''I am afraid that you are mistaken for you never asked me a damn thing.''

The guy glanced at the name tag on Jack's collar. He was right. He sighed through his own frustration.

''Well I asked one of you guys. You all look the same.'' He grinned.

''So, do you. Those leather jackets, the shades, the black denim...it's like you've played a damn funeral.'' The guy stayed silent. ''Now, my shifts about over so if you're not ordering a raspberry ripple then please get out of my way.''

The guy was about the open his mouth to speak when he saw that the rest of them had pulled up outside in the revving car. The same noise which sounded like the exhaust was about to fall off. It reminded Jack of his father's old Ford Model T which had died in the garage most days but still managed to get fixed up and then the next day it would die again. He hid his amusement.

''Oh, and for the record, I don't know that girl.''

The guy turned to leave as he flung his guitar over his shoulder, huffing. Jack was surprised he hadn't said another word.

The girls in the corner sat in silence for a moment, gasping and giggling.

''Hey, Jack, that guys trouble. I heard he carries that guitar because there's a gun in it.'' Cara told him. Her blue eyes sparkled beneath the layers of black kohl and mascara.

Jack removed his apron and threw it on the counter. ''Well I sure as hell know he wouldn't have brains to play the damn thing.''

''He goes around with the Hockley guy.''

Jack narrowed his eyes at Cara. He knew that actually interacting with her would give her the wrong idea but he wanted information about the guys. She seemed to know them pretty well. She knew everybody's business pretty well. That was what Cara did. ''Hockley?''

''Yeah, he's the main guy. He drives the truck, smokes the most ciggies.''

Jack laughed. He was the ex. ''Hey, do you know his first name?''

''Caledon. His family moved out here a couple months ago with his fiancée. Pretty girl from what people say. She went a little crazy and broke off their engagement but rumour has it he was cheating with other girls.'' Cara blinked several times at him, her eyes playful.

Jack smirked. ''Rumour had it or you know from experience?''

Cara sipped the last of her juice from her straw. ''A girl never kisses and tells.'' She smiled sweetly.

Jack had gotten his answer there and then. She must have been one of the girls.

''Oh, really. That how you know so much about them, huh?''

Her face fell serious. ''Look, seriously, they're all trouble. Caledon is just the jealous type. That is all I can really say.''

''I bet he is.'' He watched as the car pulled away from the front of the Grill. ''What do you know about the girl? The ex?''

Cara shrugged. ''Just that she went crazy, had a breakdown and now hasn't been seen out since. Her Mother keeps her locked away in a tower someplace and nobody knows where. She is said to be beyond embarrassed at her daughters behaviour so she doesn't let her out. Or if she does go out that guy keeps looking for her. He must want her back.''

Jack felt his stomach twist as he tried to take in the information. Sure, all of this was idle gossip and chit chat but he wondered just how much truth was in it. One thing was sure, she wasn't crazy. She had confided that he had been abusive. Jack tried to knit things together in his brain. It didn't quite add up.

''Sure.''

Cara raised her eyebrows. ''Do not get involved.''

Jack raised his hands up and laughed. ''Hey, you know me, I keep away from the gossips.'' He told her, ''I just don't want no trouble around here that's all.''

She smiled. ''That's nice.'' Although she felt there was other reasons for his questions.

The doorbell rang once more, and Carlo the twenty-four-year-old Spanish dancer came in ready to start his shift. Jack felt the relief. He was free. They high fived as Jack made his way out of the door with a nod of a hello. He looked over the street to locate where he had parked his Dodge. He looked both ways as he crossed and realised that his mind was clouded with thoughts of Rose and this Caledon guy. What if what Cara said was true? He shook his head. His stomach rumbling reminded him that he hadn't eaten since breakfast but as he sat in his car he placed both hands on the wheel and tried to clear his mind. Perhaps a cigarette would help but then he soon realised he had left his tobacco at work and he didn't intend to return for it. He knew in his head what he wanted to do but the truth was that it wouldn't do any good for any of them but as he turned the key and started his car, he knew where he was going.

Rose listened as her Mother clattered about downstairs with something before she left the Dewitt Bukater mansion in a taxi which would take her to the country clubs. Rose had no idea why it was called a country club but it was where Ruth Dewitt Bukater would gather on Friday and Saturday nights with her group of friends and together they would speak of the week's events, sip sherry and listen to other idle chatter, gossip and God-awful music. Her Mother never missed an event for fear of missing the gossip. On the odd occasion Rose had attended, she had been paraded around in expensive dresses like some prized cattle and now she had feigned tiredness and retreated to her room to read although her Mother believed her to be asleep. She wasn't alone in the house, for there was the hired help; a cook, a cleaner, two maids and a butler who had left for the evening just before her Mother did after he was dismissed.

The Butler was a new hire. One she feared the Hockley's had connections with to report on her whereabouts. The truth was Ruth was glad to have someone report on her daughter's shenanigans when she was out of the house. Since her daughter had ended the engagement with the oldest Hockley brother, Ruth wasn't too impressed. Insisting that she buck up her ideas or her Mother would wind up working as a seamstress, all of their fine things would be sold and she would be made to work. The truth was, Rose didn't mind such things. But then the doctors had arrived, ensuring she was certified insane after the death of her father the summer before and insisted that marriage would be the answer to all of her questions. She would have stability, children and money for the rest of her life. Wealth. That is what everything boiled down to. The truth was her father had left some debts, which the Hockley's had quickly paid off to save the Dewitt Bukater family name in exchange for Rose's hand to Caledon. But Ruth had made out that he was interested, that he was in love with her and that marriage would be not only ensuring their survival but she would be looked after, treat like a human. Of course, that wasn't true. Her Mother believed none of the truth.

Rose wished with all of her heart that the window of her bedroom overlooked the ocean where she had been just the night before. She wanted to feel the breeze in her hair. She sighed, she was trapped.

A car exhaust echoed around the quiet street and Rose ran to the side window to see who it was. A green Dodge pulled up across the street. A smile fell across her face before she could even stop it. Jack Dawson.

She ran to the mirror quick to check her hair. It was curled and half pinned up. The colour in her cheeks had remained from the blusher she had applied that morning and her baby pink summer dress hadn't wrinkled from laying down for an afternoon nap. She ran back to the side window and opened it quickly. Jack remained in the car, not moving just sat facing forward. She watched him and after several seconds he got out, checked his shirt was tucked in and pushed his hair from his eyes.

She knew that she couldn't allow him to approach her door.

''Psst,'' she called from her window, hoping he would hear and that no one else would. He stopped mid step across the road and glanced around, ''psst.'' She called once more. He glanced up to see her face out of the window. He smiled.

''Go back to your car, wait for me at the corner. I will be fifteen minutes.''

He nodded. Sensing that her having visitors would be an issue, so he did as he was told.