Hey! I'm back, lol. I just want to thank everyone for the reviews. I'm so glad to know that I'm not completely messing it up, lol. I love this movie and wanted to do this for a long time now. I am trying to be accurate in expressing Rose's thoughts which is easier at times than others, mainlybecause of Kate Winslet's magnificent acting. She conveys Rose's reactions so convincingly it's not hard to know what Rose is thinking, it's just taking that and putting it down in words.

And, as delicately and nicely as I can put this... Lily's Lil Sis, the reason I am staying so close to the movie is because I'm writing the movie verbatim. I'm just putting Rose's thoughts behind it and filling in the little nooks and crannies of the unknown with what I think the unknown is. So, I hope that helps you.

Chapter Nine

Learning New Things

Jack and I spent the remainder of the afternoon together. I was never more relaxed than I was with him on the boat deck talking and getting to know the person who had rescued me. He was fascinating in so many ways and had experienced far more than I ever had in spite of the wealth that surrounded me. I lost track of time that afternoon, so involved were we in our conversation.

He told me of his life after leaving Chippewa Falls, of how he had hopped trains and rode the boxcars to get to where he was going most of the time. He was a free spirit, traveling where the road took him. I couldn't imagine such a life. To me, it sounded like a wonderful and uninhibited way to live.

"I guess I liked California better than any place I've been," Jack said as we stopped to lean against the railing. "I was up there in wine country for a while. It's really beautiful, just rows and rows of vineyards as far as the eye can see. That's the good thing about California, you can have it all. You go north and you get the mountains, you go south and you get the sun and the beaches. It's a win, win situation."

"Hmm, I like the sound of that," I told him.

"Yeah, but it can get pretty cold in the winter, so when it came around I headed south where it's warmer."

"What did you when you left there?"

"Once I got around San Francisco I tried my hand as a carpenter, but me and the end of a hammer didn't go together so I moved on further south. After that, I worked on a squid boat in Monterrey and then I went to Los Angeles to the pier in Santa Monica and started doing portraits there for ten cents a piece."

"Why can't I be like you, Jack?" I mused. "Just head out for the horizon whenever I feel like it?" I glanced over at him and saw him looking at me wonderingly. For just a moment I wanted to know what it felt like to be in his shoes, if only for a moment. "Say we'll go there sometime to that pier, even if we only ever talk about it," I said.

"No, we'll do it," he grinned at me. "We'll drink cheap beer. We'll ride on the roller coaster until we throw up."

I laughed at that. I had never even imagined doing something so carefree and spontaneous. But, Jack wasn't finished with his imaginary itinerary he was planning.

"Then we'll ride horses on the beach, right in the surf. Now, you'll have to do it like a real cowboy, none of that sidesaddle stuff."

"You mean one leg on each side?" I asked, startled by the image that brought up.

"Yeah," he answered firmly.

I had never sat a horse any other way but sidesaddle. It was considered vulgar for a woman to spread her legs in such a manner, even to ride a horse. But, since we were pretending, I decided to go along with him. "Can you show me?"

"Sure, if you'd like," he nodded.

I was caught up in the feel of our imaginings and so I stepped outside of myself for a little while and dropped the society girl act. "Teach me to ride like a man," I quipped.

"And chew tobacco like a man," Jack added.

"And spit like a man," I did in my best southern belle voice.

"What? They didn't teach you that in finishing school?"

"No," I laughed through my answer. Miss Finnegan, the principal of my finishing school, would be completely appalled at even the mention of such a thing.

"Well, come on, I'll show you. Let's do it." Jack moved from the railing and walked behind me.

"What?" I asked in shock. Certainly he wasn't suggesting that I actually stand here and spit.

"I'll show you how, come on." He took me by the hand, but I pulled back.

"Jack, no!" I nearly hissed as he continued to pull me forward. "Jack, no!" I tried to free myself from his grasp, but he wouldn't let go. He practically dragged me to the railing that overlooked the churning ocean below. "Wait, Jack!" I ordered, but he ignored me. "No, Jack, I couldn't possibly," I told him as I looked behind me to see if anyone was watching us.

"Watch closely," he said holding up his hand and then suddenly the most offensive sound I have ever heard came from him as he sucked air through his nose and sent a shower of spittle over the side.

"That's disgusting!" I cried as he laughed at my reaction.

"Now, your turn," he said to me. I couldn't possibly do this, I thought to myself, but neither could I let Jack know that I wouldn't do it. I had spent the afternoon trying to convince him I was not the prim and proper girl I projected so I gave a quick look around and let out a tiny bit of spit.

"That was pitiful," Jack declared. "Come on, you really gotta hock it back, you know, get some leverage to it, use your arms, arc your neck," he said as he instructed me in the art of spitting and let out another one. "Did you see the range on that thing?" he pointed.

I followed his lead, clearing my throat in the most unladylike of ways and tried to build it up to really show him. "Mmm, hmmm," I muttered as I prepared to send my spittle sailing over the side.

"Okay, go," Jack watched closely as I arced by head back and sent it flying. "Aw, that was better, but you really gotta work on it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you really gotta get some body to it. You gotta-"

From the corner of my eye I saw my mother walk up with the Countess of Rothes and Margaret Brown. I don't which was worse, the look on her face or the look on mine. I was stunned into silence for a moment, wondering how in the world I was going to explain this to her. Jack quickly turned to see what I was looking at and that's when I heard him swallow the spittle in his mouth as the shock of what was happening became clear.

"Mother!" I managed to squeak out as I stepped forward to stand close to her. "May I introduce Jack Dawson," I tried to grasp onto propriety as the awkwardness of the situation grew. My mother would never understand this and from the look on her face, it was evident I would be hearing about it from her. She turned her cool eyes onto him and looked at him as if he had crawled out from beneath a rock.

"Charmed, I'm sure," she cooed icily and then turned to me again, catching me with a disappointed glare.

I maintained my composure and explained who he was to Mrs. Brown and the Countess, doing my best to keep my eyes away from my mother's. "Mr. Dawson was there to assist me last night when I had my accident. He was very helpful and kind in giving me aid. I am very appreciative and have a lot to thank him for. I'm sure the situation would have been dire if not for his quick thinking."

"Well, Jack, sounds like you're a good man to have around in a sticky spot," Mrs. Brown smiled approvingly. I was grateful for her generosity towards Jack considering how my mother was looking at him. I have no doubt that if Jack were an insect my mother wouldn't have hesitated to step on him and dispose of him as quickly as possible. At that moment, the trumpet announcing dinner blared around us.

"Why do they always insist on announcing dinner like a damn cavalry charge?" Mrs. Brown stated coarsely.

I laughed to try and mask the tension my mother was creating with her attitude. "Shall we go dress, Mother?" I smiled brightly and took her by the arm. "See you at dinner, Jack." I nodded as I propelled my mother down the deck. Thank goodness the Countess was still with us, otherwise I'm sure she would have lectured me sternly for my actions.

When we returned to our rooms, I quickly headed for my suite. "I have to dress now, Mother. I don't want to keep Cal waiting."

"Rose," she stopped me with her commanding voice. I turned to her, pausing at my door. "I don't want to see that behavior from you again, is that understood? I will not be humiliated by my daughter and her obvious lack of good sense. What I witnessed from you will never be repeated."

"Yes, Mother," I responded quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Just see to it that we don't have this conversation again. Mr. Hockley need not be made aware of your actions. I'm sure he would not appreciate his fiancée consorting in such a way with that kind of rabble."

"I said I was sorry. May I dress now?" I questioned her tautly.

"Yes," she nodded dismissively and headed for her own suite of rooms. As I entered my room, I threw my reticule aside and sat on the bed. I drew a breath and wondered about Jack again, knowing I was going to see him at dinner. The thought pleased me tremendously. I enjoyed myself with him that afternoon as no other day I had in my life. He was so honest and real and I very much wanted to see him again.

Trudy tapped on my door and entered the room in a flutter. "I don't know what happened, but your mother is coiled tighter than a spool of thread. She sent me over to get you dressed."

I stood and let her begin the routine of undressing me, smiling as my thoughts drifted to Jack and our spitting lesson. Stifling a giggle, I stepped out of my dress. Yes, I thought to myself, I was very much looking forward to seeing Jack Dawson again, very forward indeed.