(Rose)
It seemed forever had come and gone before the door opened once more. The girl appeared and I found my breath stalled until the man accompanying her revealed himself.
"Mr. Calvert, this is DeWitt Bukater to see you."
He was young. His hair was a mild pale shade, trimmed short. I could feel the denial and disappointment begin to wash over.
"Mr. Calvert?" I questioned with a skeptical tone. "Mr. John Calvert?"
"Yeah, that'd be me." He had a toothy smile. His eyes were too pale. In all, he looked nothing like Jack.
"I…I saw this picture." My voice was detached. "You gave it to Mrs…"
"Miss Abby, yes." He smiled widely and I suddenly found myself angry. "Oh dear, looks like I'll have to get it fixed. Is that why you came to see me? Sweet of you."
I couldn't believe it when he reached out to take it from me. I stepped back.
"No…it's just….I was expecting…" I looked over to the young woman. Her attention was directed into retrieving a book. Had she been reading it when I first arrived? I think the man was talking again. I couldn't tell as my mind was racing. It wasn't right. The drawing was too similar.
He reached out once more and I found myself catching a glance at his hands. The short digits looked stiff. Calluses rested on the inside of his thumbs. I knew he couldn't possibly have had the skill to create that image. A quick glance at the woman again revealed a slight smirk to herself. It was enough.
I took off for the doorway before either of them knew what I was attempting. I quickly passed through until I was in the busy atmosphere in the back. Crates were being passed from the carts to the designated locations.
"Jack!" I found myself calling out desperately. I began to maneuver my way down a small stairway. "Please…please don't do this to me anymore."
My heart ached as I skimmed the nearby workers. I don't know when the tears began. I only noticed when one of the men handed me a tissue.
"Are you supposed to be in here, miss?"
"Jack? We have a Jack MacDonald. Jackie Boy! Get over 'ere!"
The voices started to swirl together. I didn't think my heart could race any faster. A red-head was pushed in front of me. Jackie Boy, apparently. Despite his nickname he looked to be in his 30's. No…no. It wasn't right.
"No…," I tried to calm myself. "John…John Calvert." I looked back to the entrance that suddenly seemed a lot farther. The pair had come into sight. It didn't take long for them to spot me too. I turned to the man who had given me the tissue.
"Is that man John Calvert?" I asked, pointing quite obviously. The man practically snickered.
"Of course not. That's Bobby. He's part of the stablehand." The anger towards the imposter suddenly flamed into an inferno.
"Please…where can I find John Calvert?"
"It's near 3 o'clock," he commented checking the large clock. "He's prolly back in his office."
I nodded a quick thanks, wasting no time in moving towards where he had directed me. My skirt snagged on a nail, or something along the way. I only briefly paused to tear it free. It wasn't important. I think I heard the woman yell out. My hand found the door and I didn't bother to knock.
The man jerked his head up from an otherwise clutter-free desk. I think he had been asleep. I looked over his features, familiar in every sense. His blue eyes held my own. They were such beautiful eyes. I couldn't move beyond the doorway. My hand still on the knob.
"Jack…" I could barely hear myself utter the name. I hardly think he could have.
I had always thought of myself as strong. The not-so-distant events proved it to me. Yet I stood there, the man my soul wept over, the image of one who haunted my every dream. The one I found myself living every second of the day for was here, sitting in front of me, very much alive. So many emotions flooded me at once I hardly knew what to think. I didn't realize I had stopped breathing until blackness swarmed into my awareness. I don't know if I hit the floor.