Rose and Jack met up with Sarah Jane and Jason the next morning. They spent the day riding rides based on famous movies and American television shows and watching stage shows. As the afternoon wore on, the relentless heat began to take its toll on Rose. Although she'd eaten well at the buffet dinner the night before, she hadn't eaten anything else since, saving her funds for Jack and the possibility of other meals with their new friends. She also hadn't been drinking enough fluids and as they stood in line for yet another ride, the world began to spin and Rose lost her balance, nearly collapsing to the ground if Jason hadn't noticed the sudden change in her color and the focus of her eyes. Jason caught Rose in his arms and laid her gently on the ground, moving two fingers to her neck to check her pulse. Jack looked panicked to see his mother in this state.
"It's okay, Jack," Jason assured him. "It's a hot day today and I think your mum just needs a break, some water, and a snack."
Sarah Jane sprang into action. "Let's go get her something to eat and drink from that snack cart we passed on the way here!" She tugged Jack along with her and Jason made a mental note to applaud her later for her quick thinking.
Jason moved to cradle Rose's head into his lap and brushed her hair from her face. The change in position allowed the blood to flow back to Rose's head. She looked around a bit bewildered at how she ended up where she was. When she saw Jason's concerned face over hers, she tried to sit up, but Jason held her steady, "Easy there, Rose, just lay back for a bit until you can eat and drink something, yeah? Doctor's orders," giving Rose a cheeky grin that she tried but failed to return.
By now, a member of the staff arrived to offer assistance. "I'm a doctor," Jason explained. "I think she's suffering from a bit of exhaustion and dehydration, that's all."
"I've got a cart on the way here that can take your party to the first aid station," the friendly female staff person explained.
"Thank you…" Jason paused to squint and read her name tag "….Lynda. That'll be perfect."
Sarah Jane and Jack returned with a Rickey-shaped pretzel and a large bottle of ice-cold water. Jason opened the bottle and helped Rose take small drinks. He also poured some of the water on a handkerchief from his pocket and rested the cold compress on Rose's forehead. Then he began tearing off small pieces of pretzel for Rose to eat. The color was already returning to face. Jack stood close by and whispered, "Is she going to be okay?"
"Oh yes," Jason replied, smiling. "But, we might want to take a break for the rest of the day." Jack's face fell as he warred internally between taking care of his mum and staying to play in Studio World. Sensing this, Jason offered, "Once Rose is feeling well enough, why don't we all go back to our hotel and go swimming? I hear there's a huge water slide…"
The children jumped up and down, but Rose managed to whisper, "we don't have any bathing suits."
"That's okay. The little shop in our hotel sells them for both kids and adults," Jason winked at her. "Love a little shop, me."
The Wonder World cart arrived and whisked the group to the first aid station where Rose finished her water, plus another one and the rest of the Rickey pretzel and a banana. The medical staff distracted the kids with Rickey and Romana sticker activity books and playsets.
Once Jason was happy with Rose's improved vitals and condition, they headed back to the hotel to swim. Jason held Rose's hand nearly the entire ride on the Rickey Railroad, claiming he could monitor her heartrate that way, but really he just wanted reassurance that she was close by in case she fainted again. He had insisted that he buy them all bathing suits, claiming it was his fault that they had been going non-stop at Studio World and neglected to make sure everyone was properly hydrated.
As Rose and the kids changed into their suits and reapplied their sunscreen, Jason secretly called down to the front desk to reserve a pool-side cabana for the rest of the day, complete with a mini-fridge filled with cold beverages, a large fruit and cheese tray, and a cold-water misting system to keep them all cool in the Florida heat. He simply couldn't resist the internal urges that compelled him to take care of Rose and Jack.
On the way down to the pool they passed what looked like an arcade. "Oh Mummy, Jason, look! That looks like so much fun! Can we go there after swimming?"
Looking back at the area, Jason remembered seeing mention of a drop-off child care area for hotel guests. "Well, if it's okay with your mum, I don't see why not. It's actually a kids-only area, so you two can go play there while I take Rose to dinner tonight," he suggested with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
Rose tried to decline, not because she didn't want to have dinner alone with Jason. After everything they'd been through the last 24 hours, she desperately wanted some one-on-one time with him, but she also didn't want to continue relying on Jason's generosity. "Oh, can I, Mum? Can I?" Jack begged. Rose knew she couldn't turn him down.
"Okay…" she agreed. Jason's eyes lit up as brightly as the children's. He had been expecting some resistance, but was happy to see that her resolve was thinning when it came to spending time with them.
As soon as they were inside the pool's fenced area, Jack and Sarah Jane took off for the water slide. Jason ushered Rose over to their private cabana. Again, Rose looked around in shock. She never thought in all her wildest dreams that she'd come to Wonder World and end up feeling like a princess herself.
"Jason," she spoke, "this is too much! You're making me feel guilty."
"What for?" Jason asked. "As much as I love spending time with Sarah Jane, we can get on each other's nerves. And you've rescued me from endless princess shows and sing-alongs. Least I can do, this is."
"I don't know how I'll ever repay you for all this," she said as she motioned to her new Romana Rodent bathing suit and the posh cabana.
"Just seeing you smile and hearing you laugh is payment enough," Jason answered sincerely, taking Rose by the hand and pulling her over to a padded chaise lounge close to the snacks. Rose sat down and picked up a strawberry to eat while Jason pulled two bottles of water from the fridge.
Jason and Rose sat in the cabana for a bit, watching the children play in the pool. At one point, Jason disappeared to talk to their cabana hostess. A short time later, the waitress returned, "You're all set for dinner tonight, Dr. Tempest. I've secured reservations for two at the Observatory at 7pm this evening. And child-care has been arranged as well."
"Great! Hear that, Rose? We've got dinner reservations for tonight!" Jason announced proudly. Rose smiled until she realized that she would have to go to dinner in her sweaty clothes from their day at Studio World. Even if she went back to her hotel to change, she didn't bring anything suitable for a fancy dinner out. Rose tried not to let that bother her while they enjoyed an afternoon by the pool.
By 5:30, Jason ordered the kids out of the pool to come dry off and eat some pizza he had delivered to the cabana. By 6:30, everyone headed back up to the suite to change into dry clothes. Jason peaked into the wash room off the entryway and smiled. Just as he had requested, the staff had picked out and delivered a sundress in Rose's size with a subtle Rickey Rodent pattern on it. Jason walked back out to Rose and spoke softly to her "Have one more surprise, me. It's waiting in the washroom for you."
Rose looked surprised and confused back at him. She walked cautiously into the room and spied a garment bag with her name on it. She opened the bag and gasped at the sundress inside and the delicate pair of sandals sitting on the ground under the bag. Jason had thought of everything! Rose tried not to feel guilty. She hadn't told Jason yet, but this was his last chance to spend his money on her and Jack. Tomorrow was their flight home to London and back to the reality of the estate.
Rose quickly changed her clothes and used the complimentary toiletries to wash the sweat and chlorine from her face and apply some fresh deodorant and lightly scented lotion. Her makeup had long since disappeared and she tried not to feel to subconscious about that. She heard Jason call to her through the door, "The kids are anxious to get to the arcade, so I'll just run them downstairs and then come back to escort you to dinner." Rose could picture his waggling eyebrows as he spoke. She couldn't contain her giddy giggle.
"Okay," Rose called out. She opened the door a crack for Jack to give her a hug and kiss and tell her she looked pretty and then he ran out the door to meet Sarah Jane.
When she heard the suite door click shut, she walked out into the empty suite and wandered over to the floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooking Wonder World. She watched the endless traffic of buses, trains, and boats shuffling people back and forth as the sun inched toward the horizon. She heard the door lock deactivate and turned just as Jason walked back into the room. He paused when he saw Rose standing by the window, her silhouette aglow from the late afternoon sun. She looked almost ethereal like that and his heart skipped a beat or two.
"Blimey!" Jason exclaimed. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you," Rose blushed. "And not just for the compliment. Thank you for the dress and the shoes. I was worried about looking out of place at dinner tonight."
"Nonsense," Jason said. "You'd make a potato sack look beautiful!" He approached Rose and offered her his elbow. "Miss Tyler, may I take you to dinner?" He grinned.
"Why, yes, Dr. Tempest. You may," Rose grinned back.
