Chapter 24

I am so sorry it took me so long to update! I've been in somewhat of a writing slump and I kind of feel the chapters aren't as good as how they used to be... I

still tried to make something of it so I hope you'll enjoy xoxo

"Do you have the slightest idea of what you are saying, Rose?" Anna could feel the tears burning behind her own eyes. For a second, she was unable to recognise the girl in front of her. What was left was slightly a glimpse of what she was those weeks prior. The first time Rose entered her pub, she radiated a form of energy that was nothing but contagious. Her gracious manner of walking and her gracious speech. Yet, she beheld a form of power that most women could only envy. Anna had called her a citizen of the world, a young woman ready to conquer it all. And even within her power, she beheld such a softness and sentiment. She was also just a girl on the run for her saddened heart. And now, that heart that was already covered with cracks had completely shattered in front of Anna's eyes.

Rose nodded her head. "Yes." She whispered. It even took her too much energy to talk. "But there is no way to convince me that it isn't true. Everywhere I go, I am not wanted. Everyone wants me gone. Maybe that was my way out and now I am here."

"Yes, you are here," Anna's voice sounded firm. Angry almost. "You are here because you are meant to be here. There is a man out there who has traveled halfway around the world to you because you are wanted."

Rose squinted her eyes and leaned her head back onto her pillow. Right in this moment she hoped that sleep would take over her body. Perhaps the fact that her truest desire had become reality felt thus unreal that it was almost impossible to feel happy. Rose was scared that it was all a dream, that if she opened her eyes any moment, it would all turn into dust. It was like forming an attachment to a ghost.

That ghost had finally managed to walk outside of the house. Having listened to the doctor's words from behind the door he had to distance himself from her pain before it would take the better of him. Jack had forgotten how many cigarettes he had smoked within fifteen minutes. The burning sensation calmed his nerves. Turning his head he could see a show appear from behind the trees. He squinted his eyes and was relieved to see Lucille's delicate appearance head towards him. Her cheeks had turned bright red and Jack could not comprehend if it was because of the cold or her state of emotions.

"I hope you hadn't started to become worried. I tried to walk as fast as possible." She said underneath her breath. In reality, Jack had almost completely forgotten about her. It was only Rose who was on his mind. Biting his lip, he shook his head.

"She is awake." He simply said.

"She is!"

"She is." A small smile appeared on Jack's face followed by a loud sigh, "She is awake." He repeated to put himself at ease, "The doctor is with her now."

"Oh thank goodness."

"Can we go to her?"

"She is asleep now." A voice called behind them. Anna was standing in the doorway with her arms folded over one another. Jack could see her somber expression, making him almost break down in fear once more. Yet, as if she was was able to read his mind, Anna reassured him that all was well. "The wounds are healing nicely and the doctor has given her medicine." Then she stepped outside and pulled out her hand, "Can I have one of those things of yours, Jack?"

"Of course." He agreed, pulled out his cigarettes, placed one between her lips and lightened it. The way she inhaled the smoke in such a casual manner gave away this scandalous ritual was not new to her. Jack turned to Lucille and offered her one as well. But, of course, she declined gently.

"I totally forgot to ask how it went." Anna blew out her smoke. And watched how the two youngsters stared at each other. Lucille eventually found the courage to speak out loud.

"The house was empty when we arrived." Her voice was trembling, "They've taken everything and left."

"Apart from her jewellery they left Rose's room untouched," Jack filled in, "we brought her belonging with us. They are still in the car."

Lucille then looked up and Anna and Jack could see panic form in her eyes. "Les enfants!" She gasped, "all the chaos just made me forget about those poor children!" Both outsiders tried their best to comfort her. It was of no use.

The rest of the week passed by like a blur. There was a continuous mix of positive and negative energy. On one hand Rose's physical recovery went smoothly, yet her mind was still taking it all in. Then there was his presence. His energy being around her was too overwhelming to comprehend. Yes, she ignored him against her better judgement. There were the simple excuses of feeling tired or pretending to be asleep. And one evening as Jack had managed to make some sort of contact, she brushed him off with an excuse of an excruciating headache. Despite his urge to scream in frustration, Jack nodded and left.

On his way out he found Lucille, who was slowly putting on her outerwear.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked.

"I am going for a walk. The weather is beautiful for this time a year."

"Do you mind if I join you?"

"Of course not, Jack."

Lucille was right, the crimson red of the trees and the soft breeze of the cool wind was nothing but breathtaking. Leaves cracked underneath their shoes and the house slowly disappeared behind them.

"I hope you've been able to let it all sink in." Jack said to her.

Lucille nodded her head, "I have had a good conversation with Anna about it. I wanted to try everything to find the children, Jack, but Anna told me that if I did, I would put myself in danger again."

"There lies some truth in it. I may not know you that well, Lucille, but I do know is that you need to keep yourself safe. Therefore accepting the way it is, might be the best think to do."

She nodded her head. "I can stay with Anna for as long as I want."

"I am happy to hear that." He tried his hardest to sound excited.

Lucille turned towards him. "You are not happy, are you, Jack?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yes."

He suddenly stopped in his tracks. "I don't know why, but I have this feeling as if I've ruined it all."

"You mean with Rose? Why on earth would you say that?"

"Because I should have been honest about my feelings from the beginning instead of leading everyone on. Ever since my brother passed away, I have been everything but myself. I've been living in a lie until she came along. The feelings I have for her are so real that I tricked myself into thinking they weren't. I confused truth with falsehood and falsehood with the truth."

Jack could suddenly feel her hand resting on her shoulder and it was the first time he properly took in the contours of her face. Lucille still looked like a child herself, but beheld such a wisdom.

"Sometimes, Jack. Life puts us in situations we cannot control and still it forms us into believing it is our fault. What you did of Rose is something beyond the ordinary. With every word you speak, all of your actions, I can see you really love her."

"Yet she doesn't love me." He closed the top button of his coat, "and to think I had so much hope when I read that letter…" Jack mumbled.

"I wish I could convince you never to lose that hope, Jack."

"You are a very wise young woman." Was all he could say.

"Well, I am not as unintelligent as people think I am," she chuckled, "I always wanted to become a doctor myself." She turned around and started walking back, "I believe I can already smell dinner."

The next morning, the feeling of the water touching her recovering skin felt soothing. For the first time in a while Rose was able to relax. Leaning her head back, Anna gently took hold of her hair, drained it with the remaining water and massaged it with her own concoction of herbs and flowers. The smell of lavender filled the bathroom and Rose closed her eyes. She thought about the times when Trudy would bathe her, the songs they would sing together and how she felt so much at ease in her delicate state. Rose came to the realisation that, despite all of the pain, she somehow missed her home. Yet, despite her longing for a sense of nostalgia, she could never imagine herself going back. The past week she couldn't even think she'd one day move further than the couch. Therefore, as Anna had awakened her at dawn, the trip to the bathroom felt like a whole journey.

"Just tell me if it hurts all right?" Anna spoke softly. In the background, Rose was able to hear the tone of his delicate voice. She could even recognise the way his footsteps sounded on the wooden floor. She had learned to recognise them a long time ago and they would always provoke the fluttering sensation of her heart. Anna saw and knew. She could reason the smile now plastered on her face.

"Jack deserves some clarification, Rose. You cannot ignore him forever."

"I am not ignoring him." She sighed, "I just don't know what to say to him." Despite saying that, Rose knew she was partly lying. Her mind was going crazy if he even came near her. And for what? He was a free man now, no longer tied to the confusing ways of her family.

"He is not going to leave unless you tell him what you want from him, Cherie."

"I don't know if I can give him what he wants from me. I haven't seen him in weeks, months even. And now here he is, no longer engaged to my sister and for what cost…" She buried her face in her hands.

"Behind that whole facade of your social class, you two are still just children. Jack is simply a boy who wants to be loved and you are simply a girl who wants to be loved. Yet, if you have decided not to pursue him you must tell him at once. He must know the truth." Rose lifted herself up and draped a towel over her naked body. Her legs were trembling and still she could remain standing. Anna dressed her in one of her recovered dresses. The dark green velvet elevated a somewhat healthy complexion to her skin. Her hair was tied up in a loose braid to prevent the still wet strands from clinging to her face. Rose was finally able to look at herself in the mirror. She finally looked somewhat like herself again.

"Lucille and I are going to the market. We'll be back in an hour or so." Anna told her and waited for a response before heading leaving her in her own state of mind. It took her a while before she managed to get herself out of the door. The house sounded so quiet, with only the crackling sound of the fire that was burning in the living room. But, as she turned her head around the corner she could see him. His back was facing her, his eyes gazing at the burning wood in front of him. What Rose noticed within an instant was that he was doing nothing. Jack Dawson, the man who was always occupied by some sort of task had his body totally still.

"Hello, Jack." She said clear as day. Her voice somewhat startled him. He shot up and turned around. Her presence was mesmerising, "I hope I am not disturbing you."

"No. No, not at all."

Rose slowly walked towards him and sat down onto the other chair. "I am sorry, Jack." Was all she could say, "I am sorry for everything. And for this past week, I… I just don't know what to think anymore."

"Hey," Jack turned towards her, "You don't have to apologise for anything."

Then there was a short silence. "How did you find me?" Rose eventually asked.

"It's all thanks to miss Jones."

"Wendy?"

"Yes." Jack nodded his head, "She showed me the last letter you sent to her. It had your address written on the envelope. Miss Jones is engaged."

Rose's eyes winded as Jack broke the news to her. Wendy had always wanted to marry as soon as possible, a concept which Rose had never been able to wrap her head around, but she had never expected it to be this soon.

"I didn't know she was courting anyone." She finally dared to look him in the eye. With the golden light hitting his face, he almost looked like an ancient God.

"His name is Wallace Solomon. Head of the law department at our office."

Another silence. The ticking sound of the clock sounded harder than usual.

"Rose." Jack then said in all seriousness, "I might be asking a lot from you right now, I can understand that. But I simply must know. I won't be angry if you want me to leave, but after reading that letter I had hoped there might still be something to fight for. I just need to know, Rose, to be able to put my mind and heart at ease."

There were no words needed to respond to him. Her hand moved up slowly and she intertwined her fingers with his. They felt warm and gentle. His skin was so soft and also felt rough like a real artist.

"It is always good to have something to fight for, Jack because, yes, what I wrote in that letter was nothing but the truth. I thought that by physically removing myself from home would solve everything, but in a way it made me long for you even more." She took a deep breath, "I believe I was just too overwhelmed to comprehend you are really here. I was afraid you thought I had changed and wanted to leave."

"And I am not leaving, Rose. Never." The way he spoke those words so confidently, Rose knew it was true. Her reality had shifted from one opposite to the other. Was life finally falling into place for her?

"Does… Does anyone from home know you are here?" She asked.

Again, Jack nodded his head. "Yes," He whispered, "I've told everyone, including your family. And to be fair, everyone was quite shocked."

Rose chuckled slightly and straightened the fabric of her skirt, "I am glad."

"I am done hiding my feelings anymore. I am done pretending someone I am not. I've sold my part of the company to an investor who surprisingly is willing to take the risk of solving our financial dilemma. And now, for the first time in what feels like forever, I am…"

"You're a free man now, Jack." She finished his sentence, "Free to do whatever you like, just as you always wanted."

"And to love whomever I like." Jack stroked the palm of his hand with his finger and he finally felt as if he was able to breathe again. There was a weight being lifted off his chest and he couldn't help but smile. In fact, he wasn't able to stop smiling. Then, as if it was his second nature, he stood up and lifted Rose with him. There they were. Alone. With only the fireplace as their only source of light.

"Are you going to kiss me, Jack?" As she spoke the words out loud he was immediately taken back to the night in the library. How they were both bursting with passionate heat, craving one another in a way that was almost impossible. Now their desire was more subtle, calming and innocent.

"Do you want me to kiss you, Rose?"

She nodded her head. And before she could respond in words, his lips were already on hers. It was gentle as well as passionate. The softness of his touch relieved all of her pain. They had both come home. Jack pulled away for a minute, a loose strand of hair fell in front of his eyes and Rose carefully tucked it behind his ear. It was the first she allowed herself to submerge into her feelings of joy. Her hand moved down and her thumb caressed his lips before she touched them again with her own. Rose had dreamed about this from the moment she stepped onto the ship to this foreign country. It had all sounded too good to be true. But now, as he held her in his arms, still so careful not to hurt her, she felt her heart burst with love.

"When will they get back?" Jack asked.

Rose shrugged her shoulders, having completely forgotten about the time. "Anna said they'd be back within an hour." And in the blink of an eye, that hour had was now over. As the two ladies entered the home their French accents sounded like a happy song. Everything about that day looked perfect. The weather almost felt as if they had jumped back into spring. As Anna and Lucille proceeded further to the kitchen, their baskets full of fresh produce, Jack and Rose looked up from behind the dinner table.

"Mon Dieu," Anna sniggered, "have we stepped into a new dimension?"

"Shall I make us all some tea?" Jack stood up from his chair, "Rose and I would like to tell you something."