Chapter 13:

Another day. Another dollar. That was what they say isn't it?

Jack balanced a quarter on the top of his pencil which was laid on the counter. The ridges caused it to fall onto the counter and so he tried again to get the balance right...failed. He sighed, his concentration out of the window. There was nothing else to think of. It felt endless. He could have found a million things to occupy his mind and yet none of them seemed to be able to keep his attention from waning away to thoughts of her. Rose. It was as though she completely consumed him in a way that no other ever had. She lived inside his veins, somehow.

He had been working four hours. Another four left. The clock dragged. The lunchtime rush was over and now he sat facing Cara as she perched in the booth opposite his workspace. Her red lips curled into a grin as her fresh manicured hand ran up his leg; Caledon Hockley. Jack felt nothing but he knew her actions was to provoke something inside Jack, jealousy or anger. He narrowed his eyes as he watched her desperation. He took his eyes away to look at something else just so he didn't have to be constantly reminded of the night which he had spent with her. Guilt pulled at his stomach but he supposed then, there was no reason to feel a damned thing because he and Rose were meant to be nothing to each other and now she was engaged to the man again.

All he could think of was Rose. This man was supposed to be engaged to her, in love with her and yet here he was allowing Cara to touch him as though he was a single man. Jack ripped his eyes away feeling his anger grow. He needed to keep himself in check. His eyes were sunken more than usual, he was tired and he ached. He knew he and Cara had made love more than once, perhaps countless. He placed his head in his hands. He was a mess. What had he been thinking? Why had he drunk so much that night when he hadn't even wanted to go to the party. It now felt as though it had been a cruel ploy from Cara to expose him as some sort of person who he wasn't.

It was hard to even imagine himself as that person, as any other aside from the one who he was when he stood beside Rose, with her hand in his, sharing their entire thoughts and feelings with each other. Despite the handful of other girls he had been with, the times with Rose felt personal, somehow. It was as though, as beautiful he thought she was, making love had never really been on the cards. Jac had been happy to sit with her; share food, share thoughts and just look at her.

Back at the present time, Jack watched as Cal grasped Cara's hand, kissing it before placing it back on her own stocking leg. Her smile faded as he stood to approach the counter, his shades removed for once. Jack prepared himself for some form of attitude but there was none. Perhaps it was because he was alone, not with his entire circle of idiots. There was something different about him, even in his appearance. A calm, perhaps. It was as though he was a different man; faded and lost somewhere.

''Can I get a Coca Cola?'' He asked, politely.

Jack waited a second and even during their brief second of eye contact, Cal didn't seem to place Jack, or the fact that the week before he had wanted to hit him. He was regular. Just like the average customer.

''Sure.'' He nodded, apprehensively, almost too afraid to turn his back but still there was nothing.

Jack went to the fridge and pulled out a glass bottle and grabbed a tall glass before putting it on the counter in front of Cal. He handed him five dollars.

''Keep the change.''

With no further eye contact he went back to the table where Cara was sipping on her ice tea. Their interactions were familiar, flirtatious and it seemed Cara enjoyed his attention, especially in front of Jack. He bit his lip, nothing about this seemed to add up whatsoever. He checked that there was nobody else about who would need serving before going to the telephone which was hung on the wall above the jukebox. He dialled his home number and waited for Tommy to answer. After two rings it did, knowing that he would be at home.

''Hello?'' Tommy answered, groggily, telling Jack he had been asleep, or dozing off.

''Hey Tommy, I got something weird down here at the Grill?''

''What?'' He perked up.

''Cara is here, she is all over Cal and he is alone with her. None of those cronies.''

Tommy was silent for a moment and Jack wondered if he was processing any of it.

''Hey, you there?''

''Yeah, man, sorry just thinking.''

''Could it mean something or nothing? i mean, its almost as though theyre damned happy and in love and Hockley isnt about to be married in a week and half time.''

As Jack watched them, he noticed Cara side glance at Jack. She pulled her skirt away from her knees so that it was nearer her thighs. Jack didn't even move his eyes as she did so. He had no interest. He couldn't even recall seeing the most intimate parts of her and nothing about her seemed to make him blush.

''Just keep an eye out for something. Anything. They'll be planning something. I know it.''

With that, Tommy hung up.

Jack should have felt threatened, scared or anything but he didn't. He went back to the counter where Cal had returned the empty bottle of Coca Cola. Jack tidied it away swiftly and even received a polite enough smile from Cal as he cleared the table.

''Oh, must you go.'' He heard Cara, seeing her pout as she pulled at the lapels on Cal's shirt. He removed her grasp, as though she was a clinging child.

''Yes, I must. Just for two days. Then I will see you on Friday night, one final time.''

Cara rubbed her hands up and down his shoulders. ''Must you go to New York?''

''Yes, my work takes me there.''

''No, you mean the wife does.''

Cal removed her hands from his body. ''I have to go.'' He said, sternly and she must have took it as a warning because she pulled her hands into her chest as though she had been scalded.

Cal nodded to Jack, a sign of a goodbye. One gentleman to another. Jack smirked. Cal was leaving town for two days? He left the Grill, silently and on foot, leaving just a trail of smoke behind as he went. Jack got out his sweeping brush and made a mental note to empty the trash. He could sense Cara watching as he began to sweep the area where they had been sat. She was silent for a moment, pondering a lot, by the looks of it.

''What are your plans for this Thursday?''

Jack swept silently. Not giving her an answer. She went to put her hands on him but he backed away quickly.

''I don't think so.''

Cara pouted. The one which she had given Cal just minutes before, the one which probably worked on thousands of other men but never would on him, never. ''But Jack you and I last night-''

''It didn't happen.'' Jack snapped. ''You knew full well that I was not interested in you.''

Jack's eyes glazed. Something about him had changed. Cara narrowed her eyes at him, her exhale of frustration bothered him.

''You got a girl or something?'' She smirked.

''Something like that.''

Her smiled faded. ''No, not you too.''

Jack said nothing more as he finished up sweeping, placing the brush back behind the counter. Her hands fell on her slender hips.

''You better go.''

''What if I don't want to?''

''You have to.''

''But I want to stay with you.'' Cara insisted, pulling the charm out, her smile lovely, her fingers snaking about his wrist. Jack removed her hands as he would a crawling spider and almost threw it back at her.

''For God's sakes, I said no. What is wrong with you? I said go.'

Cara was rooted to the spot for a second. She was angry. She had never been told to leave anywhere in her life. Her heels clacked on the floor as she went to the door before opening it and slamming it closed leaving an array of surprised faces in the Grill. Jack turned and smiled at the mostly baffled senior citizens.

''Sorry about her, folks.''

They soon went back to their chatter.

The Dewitt Bukater mansion

A leather suitcase sat at by the door, Ruth stood nearby as Rose finished her wine from dinner. Cal wore a brand-new designer grey suit, his hair gelled back masterfully and then he smiled to Rose. It was genuine. She hid her face behind her glass. Her curls extended down her back, a lovely floral braid twisted down the right side of her head. Her dress was a golden colour, it had matched the sun this afternoon but it was her luminous face which he would miss the most.

''It will be lonely out there.'' Cal told her. His voice held no emotion.

''It is just two days,'' she smiled, ''then we shall be reunited.'' Rose told him, as though, they would be separated by wars and oceans and not just a two night business trip.

''Yes, we will.''

There was something about him which she couldn't quite put her finger on that had changed. In her left hand she held a portfolio, it was of the house which she selected for them to live in New York. The house which she would live in, turn into a home. Ruth had not liked the swimming pool, the garden or several pieces in the bedrooms but Rose had selected it herself. Purely because her Mother had complained. She handed it to Cal, almost proud of her developments for what else would there be to imput her emotions into. What else could she channel her thoughts into? Perhaps interior design would be the magical answer. Rose almost wanted to laugh at herself but didn't.

''This is the house.''

Cal scanned over the pictures and the text. ''Very well.'' He smiled, tucking it into his pocket. ''Anything you want, you may have.''

''Thank you.''

Rose felt the wine burn her stomach as she emptied the glass but felt the dying need for another.

''I must go.''

Rose placed her wine glass back onto the table. ''Will the journey be long?''

Cal didn't answer. Instead he placed his arms at her waist, pulling her towards him and his lips landed on hers. It was the first time he had kissed her since they had become engaged again. She gasped, and not from the tenderness. His lips weren't soft and he wasn't loving. She tried to follow his lead but she couldn't quite manage it. Jack came into her mind; the few times they had kissed he had been so tender and so loving. She hadn't realised until this moment just how much she longed for him. She had heard things, things about him and that Cara. She had seen them together that night and then, heard that they had been seen together once or twice afterward. The cold stabs of jealousy had no place within her warm heart and so, she pushed them away. Why should she cradle them?

She felt tears prick at her eyes and in that second, he pulled away leaving her breathless.

''Long enough,'' he whispered, ''the whole damned journey is too long away from you. I need you to be my wife.'' Cal whispered against her cheek. She felt a tear fall as his grasp on her hand tightened. If that had been his tenderness then his eagerness had returned. This time it felt more ravenous than it had done before. Perhaps, she feared that much.

''Soon.'' She managed in a hoarse whisper. But the truth was, he meant nothing to her and he never would. Going along with his wicked ways was something she had done to protect herself but the truth was she was slowly suffering, suffocating and now she was here gasping for air. These would be her last breaths. There was only so much more left to take, surely. Everybody around her was happy, but her.

Cal pulled away, wiping the tear with his thumb and mistaking her emotion for love. ''Oh, my love, how you will miss me.''

''Yes,'' she smiled, and it turned into a laugh at the ridiculous situation. ''How I will miss you. Enough to cry.''

''Don't think of it. We shall we married soon enough.''

Lovejoy entered the room in a silent footstep or two. His suit matched Cal's except for a few alterations. Cal swiftly pulled away from Rose, as though been seen in an intimate embrace with his supposed loved one was unthought of. ''Until I see you again.'' He nodded, sternly and polite. As though he was saying goodbye to a business colleague.

Ruth came into the reception room, leading towards the hallway, standing next to Rose, her arm came up around her waist. It was as though they were at a funeral, saying goodbye to a person. Rose took a deep breath.

''How will Ethan manage without his big brother at hand?'' Ruth smiled.

''Ethan is currently indisposed. If you need anything whilst we are gone then my Father is the person to go to.''

''That is well to know.'' Ruth was grateful. ''But I think for two days we shall weather just fine. give my love to your brother though, I do hope he is well soon.''

''One never knows.'' Lovejoy smirked to Rose. ''Do they?''

''I guess not.'' Rose responded quietly, it was as though he was trying to tell her something. His presence in her house, in her life was uncomfortable. For these next few days, she would ensure that her freedom was counted. It was almost unbelievable that she would be left unattended with only her mother to keep tabs on her.

Lovejoy took the suitcase and he nodded a farewell. How could one keep such composure at all times?

''Goodbye. Have a safe journey.'' Ruth smiled. She stepped away from Rose as Cal left at the door.

''We shall.''

The door was closed on Cal and Lovejoy. Rose stood numbly watching the front door. She was free. She had no ties to him for the next few days and yet she felt rooted to the spot. There would be no hiding away, no need to lie, to sit in her room and read alone would be allowed. She was lost...lost with her own freedom, even though it was temporary. It felt liberating and yet, very wrong.

''Shall I fetch Trudy, we could take a glass of wine or two in the parlour.''

Rose nodded. ''Yes, I need that.''

Ruth placed a sympathetic hand over her daughters. She felt that Cal's leaving was the reason for her sudden mood change but in actual fact it was the opposite. The fact that he had left to purchase their marital home, to spend however much money on this life which she didn't want nor did she feel she deserved. She couldn't spend her life with Cal, yet here she was engaged to him and she had no strength to get out. Her Mother was currently her strength for she had no one else. A world of further loneliness awaited her once he returned. Forever.

A glass of wine was what she needed, to end this painful and endless longing for a person she knew that she would never have nor would she ever see again for soon enough, she would be another man's wife.