Hi everyone, thank you all so very much for the kind reviews. I am so sorry for the long wait! I was on a holiday with my girlfriend so I was rather busy! But here is a new chapter for you all and I hope you will enjoy it xoxo
The next morning, Jack walked up to the club, his heart pounding with anticipation. As he turned the corner, he saw Rose walking towards him from the other side. Despite the seriousness on her face, he couldn't help but smile a little. However, the smile faded quickly as he noticed how frail she looked, as if the past year had completely eaten her up. Her face was sunken in, with dark circles underneath her eyes. Her red curls had lost volume. Loose strands of hair hang lifelessly against her face.
"Hello, Jack." She greeted him formally.
"Hi." He breathed.
"I was thinking maybe we could walk towards the pier. I just saw that it's rather quiet now."
Jack agreed, and they started walking. They made small talk about the weather and other mundane things, but Jack felt a knot in his stomach. He sensed that Rose hadn't told him the whole truth.
"Rose," he called out gently.
She stopped, understanding that the moment had come. She led him to a nearby bench, and they sat down. For a while, she remained silent, gathering her thoughts.
"I couldn't stay," she finally began, her voice barely above a whisper. "When you announced your engagement, I was already two months pregnant."
Jack felt as if he was about to faint. "Pregnant?"
"Yes, Jack. Pregnant. With your child." Rose's eyes were filled with a mix of pain and vulnerability. "I wanted to get rid of it, but there would be too many risks. So, I took all my stuff and left without telling anyone."
Jack's heart ached at her words, and he listened intently as she continued.
"I managed to get myself a job as a lady's maid in Seattle. But when the husband found out about my condition, I had to leave. The lady gave me a ring to make it look like I was widowed. It did work, made people a lot more caring towards me. Along my train journey, I met a woman who was on her way to her sister who lived just outside Los Angeles. I came along and arranged that, when the baby was born, it would stay with that family. They had tried to conceive for years, but never succeeded."
She paused, tears welling up in her eyes. "Then came the day when the baby was born. Mentally, I had truly prepared myself to give it up immediately, yet I was curious what it looked like, so they let me hold the baby for a second. When I held him, Jack, so comfortably wrapped up in my arms, I felt a kind of love taking over my whole body which I had never felt before. Within seconds I had forgotten all the pain. I couldn't give him up and had to flee once again into a strange city."
Jack's eyes were glued to Rose, his heart breaking for her.
"Eventually, I found myself a job as a cleaning lady at the Golden Wall and stayed there with my baby. It wasn't a safe environment for a child though, but I didn't have another choice. Eventually, I was offered a job as a dancing girl and moved in with one of the other dancers, Betty. It pays much more than cleaning, and I can feed my baby, even if it means I have to sleep with other men."
He stood up, slowly headed to the opposite side of the pier and leaned against the railing. Rose could only watch how he rested his head in his hands and shook it heavily. Eventually, she stood up, slowly making her way towards him.
"I.." She began stuttering, "I thought… since you told me your truth, you deserved to know mine as well."
Jack finally managed to look at her, and she saw the tears in his eyes. The weight of her words, two months pregnant and he hadn't noticed a thing, crushed him.
"Was I truly that blind? Two months and I didn't see?"
"There was nothing to see. It was way too soon."
He shook his head again. "Not only physically, Rose. I didn't notice anything."
"I wanted to tell you, Jack. Truly," Rose's voice was still soft and trembling slightly, "But then the break-in happened and the engagement. There was no other option for me but to leave."
Jack couldn't help but hate himself for all the pain he had caused her, everything she had to go through. "So, I am a father?" His voice was barely a whisper.
"Yes, you are."
"And it's a boy?"
"Yes. His name is Timothy, after my grandfather."
Under his breath, Jack repeated the name, as if he could almost touch him. Rose then opened her purse and took out a small frame. It was a picture of Timothy, taken two months ago when he was five months old. Jack held it and stared at it for what felt like an eternity until he felt a tear running down his cheek. He handed it back to Rose and thanked her for showing him.
Suddenly, Rose placed a gentle hand on his arm, sensing his inner struggle not to ask to see Timothy. She took a deep breath and asked, "Jack, would you like to see him?"
Jack looked at her, his eyes wide with a mix of hope and fear. "More than anything," he said, his voice trembling.
Rose led Jack through her neighborhood, which was even worse than he had anticipated. It resembled Rose's place back in Philadelphia, with dilapidated buildings and an air of hopelessness hanging over the streets. They went through a door that creaked heavily and walked up a set of narrow stairs until they reached a small hallway with two doors. Rose led him to the door on the left.
Inside, it was dark. Rose called out softly, "Betty?" From the living room, a woman's voice responded.
"Rose? Is that you?" Betty appeared around the corner, her eyebrows raised in surprise when she saw Jack.
"Who's this?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Jack stepped forward and extended his hand. "I'm Jack Dawson. Nice to meet you."
Betty hesitated, glancing back at Rose for confirmation. Rose nodded. "He's... Timothy's father."
Betty's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly composed herself before saying something she might regret. "Well, he's been fussy all day," she informed Rose, her tone softening a bit. "Barely slept, but I managed to put him down an hour ago."
"It's alright, Betty. You can go now. I'll take over from here," Rose reassured her.
Betty gave Rose a concerned look but nodded. "I won't be back before dinner I guess, but I will sleep at home."
Once Betty left, they were alone again. Rose opened the door to her bedroom. It was small, the bed barely fitting in the room, with a small crib next to it. In the crib was Timothy, fast asleep. Jack and Rose simply stared at his sleeping body, the resemblance to Jack so striking it was almost eerie. Jack felt his heart pounding, overwhelmed by the sight of his son.
"He's... he's beautiful," Jack whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
"He is your spitting image, Jack. It scares me sometimes how much he looks like you. Your eyes and nose. He even smiles the same way as you." Rose whispered, "Usually, he is such a good sleeper. You put him down and he is gone." She then looks at him, how he is almost drowning at the sight of their baby. She quietly left the room and snuck towards the kitchen to put on the kettle.
Jack could feel the tears in his eyes as he stared at his son. Timothy's tiny chest rose and fell with each breath, and Jack gently touched his stomach, whispering, "You are perfect, little one. I will make things right to you and to Rose. I promise you that."
A while later, Jack stood in the dimly lit kitchen, still feeling the tears in his eyes after whispering soft words to his son. He moved towards Rose, who was setting down two cups on the table.
"You still have sugar in your tea?" she asked.
He nodded. "Yes, please."
Jack took the cup, looking around the room. The kitchen was dark and cold, showing clear signs of hardship. Rose noticed the look on his face, and her stomach turned.
"I know it's not much of an improvement," she said quietly, avoiding his gaze.
"And I know you're working very hard, Rose. Like you've always done," Jack replied.
Rose scoffed, a bitter edge in her voice. "Working hard? I've become a prostitute. It's not hard work, Jack. It's an embarrassment." She sighed deeply, regaining her composure. "But it brings food to the table." She opened a cabinet, took out a cookie tin, and placed it in front of Jack.
He noticed the warmth within her was gone. She was cool and barely showed any emotion. She sat down in front of him, and before he could say anything, she asked, "So, you didn't marry her?"
"No," Jack answered, taken aback by her directness.
"Why not? I was gone anyway, and you were a good match."
"I didn't marry her because I don't love her. She married Caledon Hockley now."
Rose raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flickering across her face. "And other debutantes?"
Jack shook his head. "There were none. None that mattered."
Rose took a sip of her tea, the heat burning her tongue but she didn't flinch. "I see."
"Oliver misses you." Jack then changed the subject.
Rose's heart stopped, a wave of nausea washing over her. The guilt and regret that had been simmering within her surged to the surface. She gripped her cup tightly, her knuckles whitening. "How do you know that?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper, trembling.
Jack's gaze softened. "I keep in touch with him. I visit him as often as I can, and he comes to Boston whenever he can, too."
Rose's eyes filled with tears. She had left Oliver behind, something that haunted her every day. "I wanted to take him with me," she said, her voice breaking. "I wanted to get him out of that school, away from everything. But they refused. They wanted him to stay, to continue his studies for he was so determined."
"The school contacted me, told me you had contacted them, but they needed my approval for I fund his education. I told them to make him stay."
"You did?"
Jack nodded, his eyes reflecting understanding. "Oliver is doing incredibly well. He's grown into a remarkable young man. Smart, polite, and now truly looks like a gentleman."
As Jack spoke, Rose listened, each word adding to the weight of her remorse. She could picture her little brother, growing up without her. The vision of him excelling in school, while she struggled to survive, was almost too much to bear.
"He's so different from when you left," Jack continued, his tone filled with admiration. "He's become someone you would be very proud of. He talks about you often, wondering how you are, hoping you're alright."
Rose took a shuddering breath, trying to steady herself. "I miss him so much. I just wish I could have done more for him."
Jack's eyes softened with sympathy. "You can still make things right, Rose. You can reach out to him, let him know you're thinking of him."
"I called the school once, when I was in Seattle. I wanted to speak to him and tell him that I was all right, but he refused to speak to me. He hates me."
"Oliver doesn't hate you, Rose," Jack said softly, his voice filled with compassion. "When you meet him again, he'll be overjoyed to see you. He'll understand everything you've been through and will be ready to embrace you with open arms."
Rose's eyes filled with tears again, but this time, it was not just from guilt or regret—it was also from the pain of knowing that she might never get the chance to see Oliver soon. She shook her head slowly. "I wish that were possible, Jack. But I can't leave this place. I'm stuck here."
Jack's expression softened with concern. "Stuck here? What do you mean?"
Rose took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "The club won't let me go. I'm tied to this place. The contracts and the debts... I'm bound to this job. It's not just about the money. It's also about the commitments and the arrangements I've made. If I try to leave, it's not just about walking out the door. There are consequences I can't afford to face."
Jack's face fell as he listened, his heart aching for her. "I didn't realize it was that serious. I thought maybe... I don't know. I thought you might have some freedom or a way out."
Rose's voice was tinged with sadness. "I'm afraid not. Leaving is not an option for me right now. I'm trapped in this cycle, and every time I think about escaping, it's like the walls close in tighter."
He suddenly took her hands in his and to his surprise, Rose didn't pull away. "I want you to know that I am here now, Rose and I am willing to help you in every way."
"Those are kind words, Jack." She smiled sadly.
Looking at the small clock behind Rose, Jack bit his lip. He had to go, but he did not want to. Rose walked him towards the door and whilst he was putting on his outerwear their eyes met. "I am really grateful, Rose, for letting me see him."
"You're his father. You have the right to see your son."
"I… I was wondering if you were free tomorrow."
"Only in the morning."
"Will you meet me at my hotel tomorrow?"
Rose leaned against the doorframe. "Where are you staying?"
"The Beverly Hills."
For the first time, she let out a small chuckle, "Of course you are. But fine, I'll see you tomorrow."
The evening was settling into a tranquil lull, with the soft hum of the city filtering through the thin walls of the apartment. The faint clatter of dishes being washed echoed in the small kitchen, and Rose stood at the sink, scrubbing plates with a distracted rhythm. Her mind was still tangled in the earlier emotional meeting with Jack, the weight of their shared history heavy on her shoulders.
Betty entered the apartment, her tired eyes scanning the room before landing on Rose. She looked visibly exhausted, yet there was a sharpness to her demeanor, an urgency that couldn't be ignored. As soon as she spotted Rose at the sink, Betty's impatience became apparent. Her feet tapped restlessly on the wooden floor.
Rose glanced over her shoulder, sensing the tension in the air. "Betty," she said, her voice soft but weary, "You're back. I didn't hear you come in."
Betty's eyes narrowed as she stepped closer, crossing her arms. "Rose, we need to talk. I didn't expect you to come home and then there is a wel…, a man I don't know in our house. And now you're saying he's Timothy's father?"
Rose sighed, setting the dish she was washing into the drying rack. "Yes, Betty. I need to explain."
She took a deep breath and began to recount the story, starting from the beginning. "His name is Jack Dawson. He's Timothy's father. I... I left Boston because I was pregnant and couldn't stay once he announced his engagement to someone else. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't want to cause any more trouble, so I left without telling anyone."
Betty's eyes widened as she listened, the pieces of the story falling into place. "So, you left everything behind, and now this man shows up here, claiming to be Timothy's father. We all believed you to be a widow."
Rose shook her head, her expression a mix of regret and sorrow. "It wasn't that simple. I was scared, Betty. I thought I could handle it on my own, but when Timothy was born, I couldn't give him up. To be a widow is an acceptable story, but I found myself in a situation where I had no choice but to take on the job at the Golden Wall to support us. I was trying to protect Timothy and make sure he was cared for."
Betty was silent for a moment, processing the information. She seemed to accept the truth of Rose's story but couldn't entirely shake her skepticism. "So, you're telling me that this Jack Dawson, who looked like a one of them penguins, is actually involved in all of this?"
Rose nodded, her hands gripping the edge of the sink. "Yes, and I know it's hard to believe. But he is truly Timothy's father. I loved him."
"And you still love him now? After he threw you away to marry another woman."
"It was a mistake. He also didn't have another choice but to marry her."
"But do you still love him?"
Rose sighed deeply. "I don't know, Betty. It's as confusing to me as it is to you. I thought I had it all together and then, whilst I am on the stage, he is there right in front of me."
Betty's skepticism was still evident. "And you trust him? How do you know he's not just here to make things more complicated?"
Rose nodded solemnly. "I understand your concern. I was hesitant, too, but Jack seemed sincere. He looked at Timothy and was clearly moved. He I don't think he just come here to make trouble; he might believe he came because he cares. It looks like he wants to be involved in Timothy's life."
Betty took a deep breath, her eyes searching Rose's face for any sign of deceit. "And what's going to happen now? Are you going to let him into Timothy's life? What if he decides he doesn't want to be involved after all? Or worse, what if he want to take him away from you."
Rose's shoulders slumped, the weight of her decision clear on her face. "I don't know yet. I need to think about what's best for Timothy. I don't want him to get hurt. But I also don't want to deny him the chance to know his father if Jack is willing to be a part of his life."
"I just want you to be careful, Rose. Those types of men believe they can have everything they want whenever they want. I mean it, truly; be careful."