(A/N: This chapter is dedicated to the talented James Horner who gave us the beautiful score to Titanic and other movies we loved. His music really grabbed you by the heartstrings and made the movies even more memorable, especially Titanic. May he rest in peace)
The reception was fully underway. The bar was filled to the brim with wedding guests and food, music, and alcohol were flowing freely. Right now, the bride and groom were enjoying their first dance as husband and wife, leaving their guests to watch.
Rose watched with a dreamy expression in her eyes. She remembered when it had been her and Jack on the dance floor. He had held her close so tightly, she just knew that he'd never let her go.
"What are you thinking about?" Jack smiled, watching his wife watch the newly married couple with a dreamy expression on her face. He somehow knew what she was thinking though. She had the look she always wore when she was remembering something romantic that they had done together.
"Oh just about the reception of our wedding renewal and our first dance. How it had made me feel. I had felt so safe and loved then. That we were going to love each other forever."
"Do you still feel that way?"
"Of course. We may be older and have three kids under our belts, but I still feel that way just as much now as I did back then," Rose smiled, gently touching his hand.
Finally the song came to an end. Rose and Jack tore their attention away from each other and focused on the happy couple headed in their direction.
"You guys were great out there," Jack smiled, wrapping an arm around his wife.
"Well we both are expecting to see you two up there cutting a rug," Micheal chuckled, kissing his wife's cheek.
"Set down, you two. You look exhausted," Rose nodded to the two empty seats across from herself and Jack.
"To be honest, I could use a sit down for a few minutes," Alice laughed, taking the chair across from Rose. She was immediately joined by her husband, who took her hand and kissed it. "So when are you two going to get up there and dance instead of sitting here making googly eyes at each other?"
"We're not making googly eyes at each other," Jack laughed. "We're just enjoying the party and being happy for our friends who have finally taken the big step. So how does it feel? Not living in sin anymore?"
Alice rolled her eyes as Micheal laughed.
"Like that was our fault," Micheal chuckled. "To be honest, it feels great. Finally, we can have what you and Rose enjoy. A lifetime as a unified whole."
"And babies. Lots and lots of babies who will carry their daddy's name," Alice giggled.
"You're going to make a great mom, Alice. You're so great with Jake and the twins," Rose giggled happily. She could just picture it. Alice and Micheal in their apartment with two caramel colored children running about. Both of them will love their Uncle Jack, who will draw them different pictures of animals and places and they'll love their Aunt Rose who will read with them, along with her own children.
"Babies will be a long ways away, though. We can barely afford the two of us," Micheal laughed, then gave an apologetic pout when Alice huffed in dissatisfaction.
"No one waits until they can afford babies, darling. They just happen. Right Rose?"
"Right. Jack and I didn't even have a home of our own when I first got pregnant and we're still struggling to make ends meet," Rose shrugged, picking up her champagne flute and taking a sip. "But when it happens, you won't think about how much money it'll take. You'll start imagining what the baby will look like. Whose eyes they'll have. Who they'll like best. Then you'll just be happy, because you'll have something that's just yours and Micheal's. Tangible proof of your love that no one can ever take away from you...not ever..."
Alice smiled and took her friend's hand, touched by her little speech. "That was beautiful, Rose. It really was."
"Babies are beautiful and yours is going to be among the most beautiful. You can mark my words on that," Rose smiled, feeling happy for her friend.
"Enough talk about babies," Jack got to his feet and took Rose's hand. "Micheal is right. We should take to the dance floor. I've never stayed seated for long at these receptions and this one should not be any different."
"They're playing ragtime," Rose gasped, reluctant to get up there.
"So. We'll do what we always do. Don't think," Jack grinned, pulling his wife up into his arms and out onto the dance floor, with her protesting yet laughing at the same time.
"Those two are the very model of a couple in love," Alice sat back and watched her friends attempt to dance to the fast moving ragtime. So far they looked to be having a great time learning the dance steps.
"Oh I don't know. I think we've gone through a lot of things that Jack and Rose could never dream of going through. Not that I'd want them to. I think Titanic was enough of an obstacle for those two, not to mention Jack's stupid Uncle."
"You were great, being there for Rose when Jack couldn't be. Kind of made me love you even more," Alice confessed. She remembered how impressed she had felt, watching Micheal stand toe to toe with Carl Dawson, defending Rose and making sure that she wasn't kept away from Jack.
"They would have done the same for us, I do believe," Micheal blushed. "I would do it again, too."
"My man. You're a good friend and an even better lover. Just thinking about it..."
"Hush...save it for our honeymoon," Micheal smiled, leaning over to claim his bride's lips in a deep kiss.
…...
Two Hours Later...
Everyone was seated after a few hours of dancing. Looking at the clock, Jack, knew that it was time for the best man's speech. He looked over at Rose, who just gave him a big encouraging smile and a squeeze of her hand. It was obvious that she was proud of him. Swallowing down his nervousness, he got to his feet, with his glass in his hand. He tapped his fork on the glass, gaining everyone's attention.
"I guess it's time for the toast, and as best man it's my place to give a speech about the groom. What can I say about Micheal?" Jack asked, glancing at the smiling groom who held his bride's hand tightly in his own. Jack couldn't help but smile, happy to see the glow of love in another couple's eyes, not just in his and Rose's for once. "Well...to be honest, I don't know him for as long as I've known Alice. Alice is like another sister to me. I grew up with her. Pulled her hair, helped James tease her, and other annoying little brother things. But Micheal, I only met him when Rose and I auditioned for a job in a theater back in Chippewa Falls. At first, I had thought that he had carried a torch for Rose and was prepared to be the jealous husband. But then I watched as he fell in love with Alice and knew that those two were soulmates. Despite their differences, despite the obstacles, fate had destined them to be together.
"Theirs is a love that Rose and I could relate to. As you all know, Rose is a first class girl that fell in love with a third class guy. We had a lot of obstacles to overcome to just be able to be together. But none of that compares to what Micheal and Alice had and still do have to go through just to be together. It's been a true pleasure to watch them fall in love...to watch their relationship solidify into something that beats all obstacles. I admire them so much and they've reaffirmed my belief that true love overcomes all.
"But not only are they an example of true love, they are examples of wonderful friends. It was Micheal's friendship that had gotten Rose through a rough patch in our marriage. There are no words for me to express how much it means to me that he was there for my Rose when I couldn't be. There is no way I could ever repay him for that. And it was Alice's support that kept Rose going until we were reunited again. So I like to raise my glass in a toast to two wonderful people that I see as more than friends. That I see as family. Micheal and Alice, may you live a long, happy life together."
"Here here!" Alice's father raised his glass, along with the rest of the room, toasting the happy couple.
"That was beautiful, Jack," Micheal smiled, looking down at the table, trying to hide the tears he felt in his eyes, he was so touched.
"Every word of it was true. Especially about how you stood up for Rose when I had that amnesia episode. You didn't have to stay with her like you had, but you did. It meant a lot to me that she didn't have to go through that alone. Especially with my Uncle there, ready to blame her for everything."
"That horrible little man deserved more than a good talking to," Alice shuddered, remembering Carl Dawson and how horrible he was to Rose. She generally liked the Dawson family, but that man was one Dawson that she definitely didn't like. "I hope that he's far away somewhere, poor and alone."
"He's with Richie and Jolene at the moment," Jack shrugged. "They're the only ones that'll have him. Janie hates his guts, no one else have any room or wants to be bothered...and he don't dare ask to stay with us. Not after what he did."
"I for one hope we'll never have to see that man again," Rose added. She'll never forgive Carl for keeping the amnesiac Jack away from her or for making their first holidays together as a married couple tense ones. Like Alice, Carl was the only Dawson that she absolutely detested.
"Well let's hope that he never needs anything from you two," Micheal chuckled. "The man will be shit out of luck."
"You got that right," Jack mumbled, taking a gulp of champagne, not seeing the frown on Rose's face. Jack was usually the most forgiving person alive. It troubled her to see that he had finally reached his limit, or so it seemed. Then again she was happy that it seemed that way. Most likely, she'll never have to see Carl Dawson again.
…..
Alice stood on the small podium that was set up near the door of the bar and looked over at the small crowd of single young women and women who had suitors in mind. All of them were clamoring for one thing. Her bouquet.
"This is kind of scary, baby. Do I just toss it? Or do I choose someone?" She turned to her groom, who also appeared to be a bit nervous. "I don't know. Maybe you should pick someone...like my cousin Lucy over there. She's definitely in danger of becoming an old maid..."
"Or how about James girl Barbie? Another wedding in the family can't be bad..."
Micheal shrugged. He really didn't know. It was Alice's decision anyway. Too bad that Rose wasn't among the girls. Being happily married to Jack disqualified her as a contestant in the catch the bouquet contest. That would have decided it right then. There was no way that Alice wouldn't throw her bouquet to her best friend. "Just toss it, I guess...let fate decide..."
"You're right, you're right. I love you, baby," Alice gave him a quick kiss.
"Why are you kissing me?" He asked once the kiss was over.
"Oh just in case they stampede us and we get trampled to death. You'll know..."
Micheal just nervously chuckled. He didn't think that would happen, but then again it could. "I love you too...now throw the damn thing so we can get out of here. Jack and Rose are waiting in the car."
With a big smile, Alice tossed the bouquet into the crowd of girls and cheered when Barbie caught it.
"Looks like there's going to be another wedding in the family!" Alice laughed.
James looked like a deer caught in the headlights when all attention was turned on him. Alice almost felt sorry for him.
"Well, it's time for us to be off," Micheal announced, catching everyone's attention. "We thank you for coming and we urge you to keep partying for as long as the alcohol holds out! We love you all!"
"Bye!" Alice waved as Micheal grabbed her hand and they raced out of the pub and entered the small car that they had rented to make their escape.
"Where to?" Jack asked in a posh British accent, causing Rose to giggle.
"The train station. We're going to Florida," Micheal grinned, wrapping his arms around his new bride. Everything was already packed and stuffed into the trunk of the car. The train tickets had already been purchased. Now all they had to do was make the train before it pulled out of the station.
"You guys aren't planning to remain there for good, are you?" Rose frowned.
"Of course not. We'll be there for only a few days, then it's back to good old Santa Monica," Alice smirked, leaning against her husband. "I wish that you two could come with us."
"Jack has to work unfortunately, plus we don't want to leave the children for too long. Besides, this is your honeymoon. It's supposed to be just the two of you," Rose grinned happily, turning around in her seat to talk. "I am so happy for you guys. Today has been so romantic!"
"It has...and there's more to come," Alice smiled, staring up into Micheal's eyes. To be honest she couldn't wait to get him to herself. Tonight was her first night as Micheal Calvert and she wanted to make it count...maybe even get started on that baby Calvert that they had all been talking about earlier.
Watching the newlyweds, Rose was once again reminded of herself and Jack when they had just gotten started out. Was there anything in that past that she would change? Something that she would do differently? She glanced at Jack, who was happily driving the car to the train station and had to smile. Of course there wasn't. Jack was her happily ever after and that was something that she was never going to forget.