The rest of the school week went by without event. Cal's group had left Annabelle alone, mainly because there was always a friend of Derrick's around to make sure they didn't get near her again. Rose and Jack became even closer, sometimes even forgetting that their relationship was supposed to be a secret. For a couple who were supposed to be on the down low, they were doing a very poor job of hiding it. Their hands would automatically find each other. Sometimes they'd still kisses in places where Julie could see, but somehow she didn't, probably thanks to Tommy, Fabrizio, and Helga, all three now knowing that Jack and Rose were more than friends, but were supposedly keeping it a secret. Even though in Tommy's opinion, it was a miracle that Julie hadn't caught on yet, with how lovey dovey Jack and Rose always were around one another. At this point everyone wanted Julie to get over it, so Jack and Rose could finally stop hiding and be like everyone else who were dating in high school.
Rose became even more comfortable at her new home, inviting Jack over for homework sessions, that would turn into at least an hour of kissing, but they always stopped before it could go any further. Rose just wasn't ready, much to her frustration, but Jack was the very picture of patience. He was just happy to be Rose's boyfriend.
Finally, Sunday arrived. Jack was a nervous wreck. He went all over the house making sure that everything was mopped, vacuumed, and dusted. He didn't want a speck of dirt anywhere. He wanted Rose to have a good impression of his home, and of his family despite Julie's bad attitude.
"You're acting like the queen of England is going to be dining with us," Julia walked past Jack as he was finishing up setting the table.
"I just want to make a good impression on Rose," Jack shrugged.
"Like anything can impress a girl like her," Juliet snorted, receiving a glare from Jack.
"Why must you always do that? Rose is not as bad as you want to make her out to be!"
"The girl lives in a huge mansion, she's used to the best of everything, what in the world makes you think she'd be impressed by anything us middle class people can put together?"
"Because she's a sweet down to earth girl, that's why. God, do you even know how lucky you are compared to how Rose grew up? Rose may have grown up financially rich, but when it come to having a loving mother, you're the rich one Julie. Count your blessings instead of constantly picking on Rose," Jack slammed down a fork and angrily stormed out of the room, wishing that he hadn't said all that he did, but she had made him so unbelievably angry. Why couldn't Julie see how much he liked Rose, how much her downing Rose hurt him. It was like she didn't care. All she saw was money. In a way, she was just like those girls that follow Hockley around. Like them, Julie didn't care what kind of person Rose was. She just cared that she was part of the one percent and in Julie's eyes, that made her a bad person.
"Hey, Jackie boy. What are you doing out here brooding? I would think you'd be in the house getting it all spruced up for your lady love, heh." Tommy grinned.
Jack frowned, arching his eyebrows, wondering what his friend meant by that. "Lady love?"
Tommy rolled his eyes. "God, Jack. All of us but Julie know that you and Rose are seeing each other. I saw you kissing in the hall. Helga caught you two kissing behind the bleachers. No, she did not buy the excuse that Rose had something in her eye. I don't know how Fabrizio knows, but he does. Not to mention, anyone looking at the two of you together knows. Julie is the only one wearing blinders."
Jack sighed. "Great. Which means it'll only be a matter of time before Julie finds out."
"If you two don't cool it down with the lovey dovey stuff she will. Frankly, I think you two should just admit it. Julie be damned. She's never going to accept Rose, if that's what you're waiting for. You're just torturing yourselves and the rest of us by keeping it a secret."
Jack nodded, getting what Tommy was saying. It was indeed torture, pretending that Rose was nothing more than a friend when they were so much more than that. "She just makes me mad. All she sees is Rose's money. She doesn't see Rose the person...she refuses to see."
"Jules...she has her issues, mate. She's not going to see the girl as you see her until she realizes how happy the girl makes you. The only way to do that is by showing her. That may be the only way she'll accept your girl. It's up to you though. I won't out you. Neither will the others. But it's just a suggestion."
Jack nodded. "You may be right, Tommy. We were hoping to wait until October...but...maybe it's best to come out before then."
"Just think about it, Jack. Now let me get in there before your cousin sends out the Calvary. You know how she gets when I'm even a second late," Tommy chuckled.
Jack just smiled and watched his friend disappear into the house. He sat there for quite a while, thinking, going over the pros and cons of coming out before they had planned to. No more hiding. Behaving like an actual couple whenever they felt like it. Julie's tantrums...a tantrum she couldn't throw if they came out with his Aunt and Uncle present. Maybe...maybe it would be best to just stop pretending tonight. Introduce Rose to his Aunt and Uncle as his girlfriend. What could Julie do but pout?
Rose arrived with Fabrizio and Helga, who had agreed to pick her up so she wouldn't feel weird showing up on her own. She was wearing a silk red blouse with black slacks. She wore a pair of sandals on her feet. Jack, who wore a casual blue jacket over a white shirt with gray slacks got up immediately and greeted her with a kiss, ignoring Helga and Fabrizio who were both grinning from ear to ear.
"Hello to you to," Rose laughed. "But you had just kissed me in front of Helga."
"She already knows according to Tommy. He said that everyone except Julie knows that we're together, so I figure, why bother hiding it anymor?. Why not introduce you as who you are? My girlfriend?" Jack quickly explained, doubts beginning to enter his mind. What if she didn't want to? What if she wasn't ready?
"Are you sure? What about Julie? She's not going to be happy..."
"She's never going to be happy. At least this way, she can't cause a scene with my Aunt and Uncle present. She wouldn't dare. So how about it? I mean...we don't have to if you don't want to...but it'd be a lot easier now than later and we can finally stop pretending to be just friends. We suck at it anyway, according to Tommy."
Rose smiled. "Tommy's right. We do suck at it. Ok. Ok, I'm ready whenever you are."
Helga squealed happily. "It's about time! Now we can double date!"
Jack just rolled his eyes, gaining a playful punch from Rose. "That sounds like fun, Helga."
"Hey! You four, get on in here! It'll be time to eat in a minute and Jack still has to introduce Rose!" Tommy stuck his head out the door.
"We're coming, we're coming," Jack laughed.
When they came in, they found everything ready for the dinner party to commence. The food was in middle of a long table, that had just enough seats for everyone. Julie and Tommy were already seated. Fabrizio took Helga's hand led her to their seats after happily greeting Jack's Aunt and Uncle, who stood at the head of the table. Finally, Jack and Rose approached. Jack wrapped his arm around Rose's waist, and smiled at her then back at his Aunt and Uncle.
"Aunt Beth, Uncle Phil. This is my girlfriend, Rose. I told you about her earlier."
The adults looked a bit shocked, because Jack had said that Rose was just a friend, but the shock soon faded and Aunt Beth enveloped Rose in a warm hug. "Welcome to our home Rose. I am so pleased that you could make it. I've been waiting to meet the girl who has put such a smile on my nephew's face."
"Yes, welcome Rose," Uncle Phil took the girl's hand with a warm smile of his own.
Jack didn't bother looking at Julie as he pulled a seat out for Rose before taking his own next to her. He was too happy at that moment to give much thought to her bad mood.
"So Rose, when did you and Jack start dating?" His aunt asked, taking her own seat.
"Well, we were friends first. We met at that getting to know you dance they had at the beginning of the year," Rose explained, "But we didn't start dating until Tommy's party, where we discovered that our feelings went beyond friendship."
"I thought you two had decided to just stay friends," Julie finally spoke, her voice not revealing the anger that her eyes were radiating. She wanted to really tell Jack off for lying to her, but knew that she had to be on her best behavior or be in trouble with her parents.
"We told you that because you would have a problem with it," Jack's own eyes were radiating anger at his cousin, tired of her over protectiveness and her insistence on disliking Rose for no good reason.
"Rose, tell us about yourself. Who are your parents? I swear your last name sounds familiar," Uncle Phil replied, dipping some potatoes out onto his plate.
"My parents are Ruth and William Dewitt Bukater, but they're divorced. I'm living with my father and his new wife now," Rose explained, passing along the carrots to Tommy.
"William Dewitt Bukater, I know him! He helped my friend Lana get custody of her son. He was expensive, but she used the insurance money from a car accident to pay his fees. He was really good," Aunt Beth nodded, placing a pork chop on her plate.
"So how does your daddy feel about you dating my poorer than dirt cousin?" Julie asked, her voice on the edge of being unfriendly, yet not enough to get her in trouble.
"He likes Jack well enough. In fact, he probably thinks of Jack as the son he never had," Rose chuckled.
"He's a nice enough fella and he sure came through for you enough times," Jack grinned.
Rose nodded. "He has."
All throughout dinner and much to Jack's happiness and Julie's rage, Rose charmed Beth and Phil. By the time dessert was served, they thought that she was a lovely girl and very good for Jack.
"This is my Aunt's famous apple pie," Jack cut Rose a piece and slid it on her plate.
"Why don't you let her get her own slice Jack," Julie glared at him. Jack just angrily glared back and kicked her under the table. "Ow!"
"Jack and Julie. Behave," Aunt Beth looked between the two teens, wondering what had gotten into them. Julie's attitude was a lot to be desired tonight and Jack, while still more pleasant than her daughter had been shooting angry glares at her as well.
"Sorry Aunt Beth," Jack mumbled, chastised.
Julie just shrugged and looked away, not saying anything else.
"Dinner was delicious Mrs. Dawson," Fabrizio spoke up, wanting to take attention away from the tension between Jack and Julie. "This is probably the best dinner ever."
"Thank you, Fabrizio. This is an extra special dinner. Not only because Rose has joined us this year, but also because all of you are seniors. This will be your last year together, at this table, as high school students. I have watched most of you grow into amazing young men and women and it has been a pleasure, opening my house to you all. I want you to know that you are all welcomed here. That extends to you, as well Rose," Beth nodded, bringing a smile to Jack face.
Julie just rolled her eyes and concentrated on her pie.
Once the pie was finished, everyone gathered into the living room, where a nice sized TV was waiting. Jack pulled Rose over to the loveseat by the window, where they sat together. Fabrizio and Helga sat on the floor at the foot of said loveseat. Tommy found himself sitting on the couch opposite the loveseat with Aunt Beth and Uncle Phil, while Julie sat in the living room chair near the entrance of the room.
"We have a treat for you kids tonight," Uncle Phil got up and turned on the TV and DVD player. "Throughout the past four years, since Jack came to us, I've been recording moments all of your lives, and this is the result, saved up for this moment, the year before you guys set off on your own. Watch. Enjoy."
"Oh no," Julie moaned and everyone else laughed as they watched the recording. The first scene was of Jack and Julie. Jack looked morose as Julie was excitedly telling him about school.
"How about a smile for the camera, Jack sweetie," Aunt Beth's voice came from off screen. The Jack on the screen tried but failed.
"I want to go home," Was all Jack said before walking off camera.
"That was when Jack first came to us. He was so depressed. I didn't know what would make that boy smile," Aunt Beth sighed.
"Aww, Jack. You were so young back then," Rose looked at the screen. "And sad."
"Yeah. I had just lost everything. My parents, my sister. Wasn't really in the mood to be recorded," Jack's smile was sad and wistful. "I'm sorry Aunt Beth and Uncle Phil. I could have tried harder there."
"No need to apologize Jack. We all understood. And that mood didn't last for long. He went to school and came back fully integrated into Julie's group of friends. Fabrizio and Jack became inseparable," Aunt Beth smiled at the memory.
"Jack was always getting him into trouble," Helga laughed.
Onscreen, there was a worried looking Fabrizio talking to a grinning Jack.
"But Jack! We will get into trouble! How will picking the Dahl's flowers impress Helga? Huh? Her papa no like me! He will hate me after that!" Fabrizio frowned.
"Her papa may hate you, but she will love you. Who is it that you want to date anyway Fabri? Helga or her papa?" Jack asked, folding his arms.
"Her papa?" Fabrizio asked, not sure if Jack was serious with that question. The room erupted into laughter.
"Is there something I don't know about, Fabrizio?" Helga teased.
Fabrizio just laughed. "I was new to this country and didn't know the culture too well. I was depending on Jack's instruction."
"And it worked. Fabrizio gave Helga those flowers and despite her father threatening to throw us both into jail, he scored a date with her," Jack laughed.
"I don't know, Jack does a good impression of Helga's dad when he wants. Remember when I was asking if it was okay to ask Julie for a date? You wouldn't let up with the questions," Tommy laughed.
The next scene showed Tommy looking through Jack's portfolio. "Jack, this is amazing. Have you ever thought of doing nudes?"
"What?" Jack asked.
"Tommy!" Julie stared at him
.
"I was curious," Tommy shrugged, unapologetic.
"You know. Naked people."
"What? Are you wanting to pose for me, Tommy? A present for Julie?" Jack laughed.
The next scene flipped to Jack sitting in a chair in a bedroom, talking to someone who was laying on the bed.
"Ok, Tommy. Put that hand under your head, supporting it and the other hand on your hip there...keep your eyes on me and don't move..."
"Oh my god, really?" Rose looked at a silently laughing Jack.
"We were being recorded?" Tommy looked alarmed.
"I had no idea, really," Jack managed to say through his laughter. "Just wait...this isn't the good part..."
"Are you blushing Jack? I can't imagine Monet blushing," Tommy teased.
"He draws landscapes," Jack shrugged, his attention fully on what he was doing.
"Jack have you seen my...," Julie came into the room and stopped at the sight. "Oh my god, Tommy what are you doing?! Jack are you drawing him?!"
Tommy was up and covering himself trying to explain and Jack laughter was heard clearly.
"And that was the end of that love affair," Jack laughed.
"Shut up Jack!" Tommy threw a decorative pillow at his laughing friend. "Do you know how embarrassing that was? Julie spent a week thinking that we were both gay!"
"I never did get that drawing," Julie grumbled.
"Uncle Phil made me throw it away," Jack chuckled. "A shame, it was one of my best drawings."
One hour later, the home video had come to an end and everyone was up and heading for the door, ready to return home for the evening.
"Thank you for the awesome evening, Beth and Phil," Tommy hugged the two adults. "The video was embarrassing, but fun."
"Oh you're welcome," Aunt Beth smiled happily.
"Aunt Beth, I'm going to take Rose home," Jack got his coat, wanting to put off any confrontation with Julie.
"Of course. Thank you for coming Rose. I hope that we'll see you again soon," Beth took the girl's hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "It is good to know why Jack has been in such a happy mood lately."
Both Jack and Rose blushed at this. "Thank you for having me," Rose smiled.
"And Jack, don't stay gone for too long. You still have school tomorrow," His Uncle reminded him.
"Yes sir," Jack nodded, escorting Rose out of the house and to his car. "Well that went well."
Rose stared at Jack. "You call that well? You and Julie were silently arguing with each other the entire time."
"That is her problem, not mine. I'm not going to let her make me feel guilty for dating you and that's what she was trying to do," Jack held the car door open for Rose.
Rose got in and waited for Jack to slide into the driver's seat and pull off into traffic before talking again. "I don't want to cause trouble between you two."
"You're not causing trouble. She is. She is just going to have to accept that you are a part of my life and that you're going to stay that way. She does not get a vote on who I date," Jack kept his left hand on the wheel and took Rose's hand with his right. "I care about you and I want us to be together openly for now on. She will just have to accept it."
Rose just smiled, hoping that Jack would always feel that way and that their relationship won't cause too much trouble for him with Julie. She knew how important family can be. Her mother's disapproval had almost broken her. She didn't want Jack to suffer the same from his cousin.
…..
When Jack returned home, he went into the kitchen to get a glass of warm milk. It had been a tradition since he had come to stay with his Aunt and Uncle, when he had trouble sleeping at first. The technique had worked so well, it was now a part of his his night time routine. He wasn't aware of Julie until she was standing in the doorway of the kitchen.
"You didn't have to lie to me, Jack. About you and Rose."
Jack sighed. He had been in a good mood and didn't really want to do this with Julie right now, but obviously, there was no choice. "Yes I did. You are so intent on hating her...you were trash talking her whenever you had the chance. You don't even know her, you don't want to know her. You just want to stick to your little prejudice there about the White Star kids. Getting to know Rose, you would have to admit that you were wrong and we both know how much you hate to do that Julie."
"So you just lie to me? Without a second thought?"
"I really had no choice," Jack turned to face her. "You didn't give me a choice, just like you were refusing to give her a chance!"
"Well excuse me for not wanting you to get your heart broken again!"
"Rose had nothing to do with what happened with Megan in Chippewa Falls! The fact that I've finally moved on with someone new should make you more than happy, but instead, you're fighting me every step of the way. If Rose was such a bad person, why does everyone except for you like her, huh? Answer me that?"
"She's going to break your heart Jack, just like..."
"No she won't. And she's not Megan. She's far from it. Look. Rose and I are together. As in a couple. We're going to stay that way, no matter what you have to say on it. Now, I would love if you just accepted her as a part of my life and move on. I really would. I don't like fighting with you like this. But I'm not going to let you make me feel guilty for wanting to be with her and I'm not going to let you pick on her just because she's with me and just because she comes from money."
"Jack..."
"There are no choices here, Julie. You either accept Rose, or you keep your mouth shut and keep it civil. There's nothing else to it," Jack's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
"Fine. Suit yourself. But when she breaks your heart, just remember who told you so," Julie stormed out and up to her room, shutting the door hard behind her.