Chapter eleven:
Two beers had turned into six or seven. The dancing had started to grow on Jack, once he had found his rhythm. The music was different to what he usually heard; a bit of Bill Haley and His Comets were currently playing. The music was 'modern' or so he had been told. He remembered when he was a kid and these sorts of dances would be filled with Irish Bands, people from the town just playing any instruments which they owned; those were the real times he had felt a buzz from dancing. Truth be told, he was a good dancer. His Mother and Father had taught him everything which they had known, from starting out their teenage years in the dance halls to going to the barn dance on Saturday night, each week since Jack was just a little boy. Those were the times he hoped to pass onto his own family. Just the simpler things in life which cost nothing. The time seeing his parents swaying together in a dance which seemed to last forever when in actual fact, it was just a couple of minutes. Thinking of them, made him wish for Rose; to hold her the way that he had although never having the chance to dance with her was painful. There was a language in dance and how two bodies moved together, wordlessly and expressing everything with just the moulding of bodies and the contact of eyes.
From behind his seventh beer, Jack watched Ethan Hockley. His exterior was smooth and suave, his suit very fashionable, his fingers clicking and the drinks would turn up within seconds. He took another sip. Outwardly, he bore a resemblance to Cal, but there was something tamer about him, almost like he was trying to keep up with his brother. To be the more feared member of the family. Jack shook his head as he kept his eyes on them, the other friends would dart over and then leave but none of them appeared to be Cal. Jack narrowed his eyes, he knew just where he would be; at home with Rose. He sighed, feeling his stomach sink. He wondered why he had even bothered coming out here tonight when he knew just how he felt; a part of him wanted to approach those Hockley's, to tell them to fetch Cal here tonight but he knew it was no use and that fighting with them wouldn't end well. He knew just how powerful they were, they had contacts God knows where and Tommy was his only hope of ever getting on the bad side of Cal, which he knew he would need to do in order to even see Rose again. His head was a mixture of everything which combined with his desire to drink had driven him to the point of confusion. He could feel her presence, that beautiful aura which had started out as a full on icy exterior but it had been broken down to show a vulnerable yet fiery girl.
Jack glanced about. Cara was nowhere to be seen here, he wondered if they had even found the right party or why he had even bothered to come out, even for Tommy. For his friend. Tommy had also disappeared off somewhere, with a girl, no doubt. He was here, alone and that being exactly how he felt at that moment in time. Jack took a seat in a booth somewhere, all he knew it that it was empty. Empty and comfortable.
That was where Tommy found him. Asleep.
''For God's sake,'' he shook his head, laughing. He pulled at his friend's leg. ''Jack, I leave you for one hour!''
Jack didn't budge. Tommy shouted his name several times but realised with the music blaring, he wouldn't hear, either that or he was too far into his drunken snooze. Tommy slid his arms under Jack's shoulder before shoving him over his own shoulder in one strong swoop. People dodged out of their way as Tommy wobbled his way to the exit and out into the now dark street. The arcades had long since closed leaving a silent strip save for the ballroom. It was eerie in the dark but Tommy didn't care as he made his way down the promenade, squinting his eyes in order to see something. It was made even harder by the fact that he had drank more than what he had thought, combined with the fact he had felt worse once the fresh air had hit him.
''Where did you park that bloody car?'' Tommy asked aloud, having consumed far too much whisky of his homeland whilst out.
He wobbled his way down the dim lit promenade where he spied a lone parked car. He knew it was Jack's Dodge. He headed for it, carefully putting one foot in front of the other. When he reached the car, he pulled the door open before gently manoeuvring Jack's head inside before lowering the rest of his body onto the seat. He quickly opened the window in case Jack felt sick and needed some air. Tommy wiped the sweat from his brow, after underestimating how heavy his friend was.
''Don't you dare even think about driving.'' He warned as he closed the car door. He spoke as though Jack would even hear him, or take notice, before heading back to the dance. The night was still young for him, even though he was now alone. Fun was still there to be had.
It didn't take him long to reach the entrance. He had left his drink at the side of the bar and he intended to finish it. As he approached, a hand grasped his chest refraining him from entering. Tommy put his hand over the offending limb and clasped his fingers around it, ripping it away. A screech followed. Tommy elbowed the person out of the way. He was security of some sort, one would assume until he met a dark pair of shades. Ethan Hockley.
''Tommy Ryan?''
''The hell you want to know for?''
''I've been told some information which is disturbing. You have been hitting on my girl this evening?''
Tommy laughed in Ethan's face. ''Your girl? Which fuckin' one? I have seen you with about six.''
Ethan removed his glasses, revealing an already darkened eye. Tommy laughed, he must have been picking fights tonight already but he was going to pick on the wrong one.
''Cara O'Donnell.''
Tommy frowned, although the smile didn't leave his face. Even with Roy stood there beside him, the great Ethan Hockley wasn't threatening at all.
''I haven't touched your girl. In fact, she was the one who was more than interested in someone else I know.''
''I suspected as much.'' Ethan nodded. ''Can you give name?''
''Like Hell I can.''
Ethan turned to Roy. He nodded, one swift nod which gave out a certain, secret order. They grasped Tommy by the scruff of his neck and he was dragged off into the back of their black car, they threw him inside as though he was a black bag of garbage.
From afar, at the side of the darkened arcades, Cara watched as Tommy was loaded into the car. She pushed her hair behind her ears and smiled. That was the annoying one down. Her dress was hidden by a dark overcoat, her brown perm tucked away as her heels clacked on the concrete as she crossed the street to Jack's car. She peered inside. He was asleep. Her lips curved into a smile. Quickly, she ran around to the passenger side before climbing in. She wasn't quiet. Inside, she removed the jacket quickly revealing a low cut white dress lined with lace. Virginal, perhaps in a way, leaving not much room for the imagination, or class for that matter.
''Hello, Jack,'' she stroked his hair down to his sleepy face, ''come around, baby.''
''Mm,'' He muttered, ''is that you?'' He tried to move his arm, to reach it out but it was numb from laying on it for so long.
''Yes.'' She told him softly. His breathe told her that he was drunk but she wasn't repulsed by it one bit. It was an easier state to catch him in. Calm and off guard.
''Get up.''
''I missed you,'' Jack reached out for her hand and she took it, surprised. She brought it to her lips where she kissed it softly. She stirred something within him. Something which he hadn't felt in such a long time. Slowly, he lifted his heavy and aching body from the seat and opened his eyes. He rubbed his face before focusing his blurred eyes.
''Cara?''
''Yes.''
Jack didn't have the opportunity to say anything else for her red lips were on his. He didn't stop her, he couldn't. Her force on his weakened body was enough for him to succumb to her. Her lips were sweet, he could taste the lemonade which she had consumed. Her tongue roamed his mouth and somehow that was enough to weaken him even more. What was happening to him? It wasn't arousal, was it? Jack was hardly hit by such emotions after just a single kiss, at least, not by the one who wasn't his type. The one who he didn't even like.
''God's sake, Cara! No!''
''Yes,'' she soothed, crooning like a child would a baby to calm him down. ''Don't fight what we have, Jack. You know how much I love you.''
That seemed to silence him enough to continue their kiss.
From the exact same spot where Cara had watched Tommy taken by the Hockley's, Rose grasped onto the corner bricking of the building, watching Jack Dawson passionately kiss the girl who he had sworn so badly to have never touched. The same girl who sat at the Grill. Rose glanced at her shoes, they sparkled in the dim light, they grew blurrier as tears came to her eyes. She shook them away quickly. It was too late, wasn't it? He had moved on. Moved on from her. With the girl Cal had taken to bed just months earlier. What rights had she ever had over him anyway? Sometimes she thought that she had existed to him but now, it felt as though he had only ever existed to her. How could she have expected him to stay so faithful to her though, when they hadn't even defined what they were to each other. What did they mean? Rose had thought that promises had been made, but perhaps they hadn't. It was hard to recall past the night when Cal had tucked her away in her house for a week. Past the nights when she had watched him drive to her house and wait for her. He waited...
She exhaled quickly, there was a sharp pain in her chest. The truth was she had waited for those damned cuts to heal, for everything to settle before she even attempted to leave the house again. She thought Jack would keep coming for her, that he wouldn't ever stop but he had. Perhaps that was what had pained her the most.
She turned back to look down the promenade, to the ballroom where the party was being held. The party was a birthday celebration for her fiancé. Cal. All evening he had stood beside her, clawing at her, holding her and she had played the beautiful, dutiful fiancée in return. Then he had vanished someplace and truth be told, she didn't care where for it had given her a great opportunity to leave for just a little while.
Her red heels clattered on the concrete as she headed back to the party; what else could she do? As she reached the entrance she smiled as security allowed her inside. She met Lovejoy in the corridor which led to the ballroom area. She gasped, startled by his presence as she always was. He was like an undertaker. One had to imagine what joy he had from life aside from extracting it from others.
''Miss?''
''Yes, sorry I was just getting some air.'' Rose feigned, a smile as she gathered her wits about her to just shake off the anxiety of witnessing the man who she believed herself to be in love with, take another into his arms. The ones which had held her with and then promised the entire world. Promised a future. instead, she pulled out an excuse. ''The champagne does go to your head, then the dancing...''
Lovejoy said nothing. He seemed to buy the fact that she was simply outside taking the air. She glanced about. ''Has my fiancé returned?''
Lovejoy shook his head as he folded his arms over his chest. ''No, ma'am. He is expected to be gone for some time. Some business arose that he had to take care of quickly.''
Rose felt her jaw tighten. In someone else's bed she felt like adding, for she knew the presumption was correct. Finding she was glad of his absence; all she could do was revel in the freedom which she temporarily had to herself to think of how much her life was crashing about her feet.
''Then, please may I be escorted back home. I am feeling tired.''
''Yes Miss, right this way.''
Lovejoy stepped ahead of her out of the door. He nodded a goodnight at the security before leading her to the darkened limousine which had brought her to the venue a couple of hours before. How time had passed so slowly even outside of her own bedroom, she had almost wished to retreat to a cloud of her own melancholy and thoughts.
She stopped just outside the ballroom and turned to see if she could see Jack about, any sign of anything but there wasn't. In fact, she took note that his car had gone. She bit her lip, wanting to simply be at home, knowing she could sob into her pillow. Alone. He would probably be in a bed now, with a woman who she detested. Maybe Cal was right…Rose was frigid, or at least less capable of landing in bed with every man who glanced her way.
''Miss?'' Lovejoy broke her concentration. He ushered her forward like a child who had become distracted.
''Yes, sorry.'' Her heels clacked as she walked on forward. Lovejoy held the door open for her, she settled herself on the back seat and glanced out of the window as she heard the chauffeur and Lovejoy exchanging words before the chauffeur got back in the car before proceeding to drive on.
A deep breathe did nothing to settle Rose's racing heart, nor did watching the scenery out of the car windows. Everything was a complete blur, like her head.