They've been in Santa Monica for two hours now and Rose couldn't stop staring at all the sights surrounding her. When they had first landed at the airport, she couldn't help but notice how the atmosphere felt in comparision to where they had come from. The atmosphere was lighter and warmer. The air smelled like salt water and sunshine. Rose had never felt more free. Then they had left the airport and Rose's senses were overcome by sunshine, warm ocean breezes, and a sense of not only freedom, but opportunity. All in all, she had fallen in love with Santa Monica just as quickly as she had fallen in love with Jack. The sky was the limit in the sunshine state and Rose wanted to explore it all.
Now they were finally in the motel room that Jack had effortlessly booked them in and Rose was ready to see all that she could see in the short amount of time that they were to be there.
"So we're here," Jack grinned, watching his new bride peek out the window at the towering palm trees. "What do you want to do first?"
Rose whirled around, her smile bright and happy. "The pier! I want ride that roller coaster until I throw up!"
Jack laughed, enjoying seeing Rose this happy, this carefree. It was indeed a sight and since he knew that their time together was limited and he probably won't see her this happy again for a while after his return to base, he was planning to enjoy it and make sure she smiled in such a manner as much as possible. "If that's what you like."
"It is. I want to do everything we had ever talked about, Jack. I want to remember our days here."
"You will. I promise, you will," Jack walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of wild flowers, committing it to memory, knowing that memories were what was going to get him through this war. "We both will."
"So what are we waiting for?" Rose pulled away and grabbed the purse she had sitting on the writing desk on the west wall. Her smile was bright and her eyes shone with excitement. "Let's go!"
"You don't want to take a nap first? Aren't you jet-lagged?"
"We can sleep later. Right now I want to ride a roller coaster!"
Jack linked hands with Rose and kissed the back of said hand, his blue eyes sparkling with mirth. "Let's go make some memories."
…..
It was a crowded day at the pier. More crowded than Jack remembered it being. He couldn't help but think about all of the cash he could have made with his drawings back in the days before the war, where he had spent his time drawing any and everyone that chose to spend the day at the pier and wanted a memory to take with them.
"What are you thinking about?" Rose asked, sensing how quiet he was as they walked amongst the other pedestrians.
"Just the good old days. About days spent in the sun, drawing anyone who wanted a drawing. Days before the war. Things were so much simpler then."
"Happier?" Rose asked, suddenly afraid. Why was he thinking about those days? Did he regret marrying her? Did he feel as if they had made a mistake? What if he did?
"No. Not happier. They couldn't be happier, because I hadn't known you then. To be honest,I am glad that I was drafted. It had brought me to you and I wouldn't trade loving you for a lifetime of wasting my days on the pier drawing strangers who meant nothing to me. Now I have someone that does mean my whole world and I wouldn't trade that for anything. Even if it means going to war."
Rose's heart leapt into her throat and she threw her arms around him, almost clinging to him. "Oh Jack, I am happy it brought you to me as well...it's just that I hate this war. It can take you away just as I've gotten you."
He held her just as tight, his heartbeat matching hers. He had never loved anyone as completely as he loved Rose. "I can't promise you that it won't, but I can promise that it won't without a fight, Rose. When I was drafted, I felt like I had nothing to look forward to. That I had lived the best of my life. But now I know, I hadn't even started the best part. The best part is you and I'm going to fight for you, Rose. I am going to fight for you and for us. For our future."
"That's all I ask of you, Jack," Rose smiled, blinking back her tears. "I love you so much and...I look forward to a future with you."
"You'll have that future, Rose. But for now, let's get you that roller coaster ride."
Rose laughed and leaned into a lingering, yet passionate kiss. She pulled away after a few minutes, breathless and exhilarated. "Let's do it. I'm ready."
Hand in hand, Jack and Rose headed for the roller coaster line and sighed to see just how long it was, but still happy just to be together in the here and now, they got into line and waited their turn.
Rose's palms became sweaty as they waited their turn, growing more and more nervous. She had never rode a roller coaster before, her fear of heights always stopping any notion of doing so, but she felt daringly brave now, with Jack holding her hand. Any fear she had dissipated every time she looked at him and he gave her hand an encouraging squeeze.
Finally it was their turn. With butterflies fighting it out in the pit of her stomach, Rose slid into the car right along with Jack. She gripped his hand tightly as they fastened them both in.
"Jack...I think I may have jumped the gun. Maybe we shouldn't ride this thing," Rose chewed on bottom lip just as the car began to move.
"It's a little too late to change your mind now, Rosie. Hey, don't worry, you'll be alright. We'll go just this one time. If you don't like it, we won't go again. Just hold my hand and scream real loud!" Jack's spoke as loud as he could as the wind began whistling in his ears.
Rose opened her mouth to say something else, but what came out was a scream as the
car reached the top of the track and plunged downward as it raced along the track, twisting and turning as it's passengers screamed with delighted horror.
It didn't take long for the ride to end. Her legs feeling like jelly, Rose stumbled out of the car along with Jack and emptied the breakfast she had eaten earlier in the nearest trash receptacle.
"Ugh, that was….that was...awesome," Rose gasped as the world became steady again.
"It was," Jack grinned, happy that the hesitation she had felt was now nowhere in sight. "Okay, that's two things we can check off our list. Riding the roller coaster and throwing up."
"And now I'm starving again, unfortunately," Rose giggled, taking Jack's hand once more. "So what do we do now?"
"Fill up on some real hot dogs and cheap beer. That should solve your starvation problem right there," Jack winked, pulling Rose along until they reached the food stands.
Rose felt her stomach rumble as the scent of food assaulted her senses. She closed her eyes and breathed in deep. She wanted to try everything that the food stands had to offer. Not just the hot dogs, but the hamburgers, the popcorn, the funnel cakes, and anything else on the menu.
"Everything smells delicious. Can we get more than hot dogs?"
"Sure, if you like," Jack chuckle. "In fact, why don't we get two of everything and head on down to the beach? Have a romantic picnic near the ocean?"
"That'd be fabulous," Rose agreed, again leaning in for another kiss.
It didn't take them long to go from stand to stand, ordering their food, including the cheap beer and making their way down to the beach. Jack looked down at the sand, beginning to regret their decision.
"We have no blanket. You're going to get sand all over your clothes.
Rose just laughed and shrugged at Jack's concern. "Sand will wash off, darling. I'm not bothered in the least. I just want to get food back into my stomach and this time, let it stay there."
Jack simply laughed. "So that's a no to another roller coaster ride?"
"For today. I may want to go again tomorrow. There's something else I rather ride at some point today," realizing what she had just said, Rose's face grew bright red. "Oh my god, did I just say that out loud?"
Jack couldn't help but laugh. He had never known a girl like Rose before. A lady in every sense of the word, but there was a wild side to her that peeked out every now and then. "Yes you did, but it's okay. We're married. Just don't go saying that to any other guy out here," He winked, showing that he was teasing. Rose was far too mortified to have said that to him, her husband. He rather doubted she'd say something so risque to anyone else.
"I don't know what's gotten into me. Mother always scolded me about being inappropriate. She'd have a stroke if she knew what I had just said. I'm sorry, Jack..."
"Hey," He gently took her hand and had her meet his eyes. "Don't ever feel like you need to apologize for just being yourself, especially to me. I love every part of you Rose. Your elegant, lady side and especially your wild side. Which ever one shows up is fine with me."
"You may regret that stance, Jack. Say we're meeting your boss, or someone important and I open my big mouth and say something rude?"
Jack shook his head with a chuckle. "I doubt very much that you're that bad. Even so, I won't be that mad about it. Embarrassed, only a little, but not mad. Anyway, this is our honeymoon! Riding is definitely one of the activities we should be doing plenty of," Jack snorted, showing that Rose wasn't alone in her wild ideas and behaviors. "In fact...I wish we were in a more private part of the beach now. I'd love to make love to you right here in the sand, with the waves crashing over us..."
Rose picked up her cup of beer and watched Jack look out at the ocean, a dreamy expression on his handsome face. Another memory for her to hold on to during their coming separation. She felt her insides ache at the thought of not only being away from Jack, but of the war itself. There was a chance that these handful of days were all that she'll ever have with her new husband. It broke her heart to even think about it. How did this happen anyway? How had she fallen so hard so fast for this man?
Taking a sip of the beer, Rose couldn't help but grimace. This was the worst beer she had ever tasted in her life! "Ugh! This is aweful!"
Jack laughed. "That's because it's cheap!"
"Ick, I can't even finish this it's so nasty," Rose placed the cup of beer to the side
"Okay, that's another think off the list. Cheap beer. Want me to go get you a better brand? It won't be long."
"If you don't mind," Rose smiled.
Jack simply winked at her before jogging off in the direction of the concession stands. Rose sighed as she sat and watched the small waves come in. Her life has changed so much in such a short amount of time, it all felt surreal to her right now. Cal as no longer a part of her life. Her mother was not in charge anymore, and she felt that her life was really going somewhere. The only thing uncertain was her future with Jack, but that was going to be okay. Looking at the ocean, so endless and calm, she somehow knew it would be. Jack will come back to her and they will live happily ever after. Everything before they knew each other would be the past.
"Okay, here you go. Some decent beer," Jack returned, this two time with two ice cold bottles in hand.
Settling onto the sand together and enjoying their picnic, cuddled together and making plans for the future, Jack and Rose were the very definition of making it count.