Chapter 19

Betty took a swig of brandy from the bottle and leaned back in the rocking chair. "Why are you decorating the room and painting it yourselves, when you could hire someone to do it for you?" She asked.

Rose was in an old painting smock, and Jack was in an old outfit of his that was already ruined. They were getting the nursery ready, since she was already six months pregnant, and Rose was already more tired lately. "Because it's more special this way," Rose answered, continuing to paint the wall she was working on. They were going with a cream color, since they didn't know if they were having a boy or a girl. "And it's fun."

Jack smiled at her, then looked over at his sister. "I agree," he nodded. "And while we're on the topic, I can't say I'm particularly pleased that you're here, getting drunk on brandy, right out of the bottle, in our future child's nursery."

"It's actually fitting, if you think about it," Betty smiled, taking another sip of the brandy. "I'll be the one teaching them how to drink a few years down the line, so it's only fitting I'm breaking in the room by getting drunk in it."

Rose looked back at Jack concernedly, worried about her sister-in-law. "That's a great idea," she said finally, looking back at Betty. "This way, when the baby throws up all over us, they won't be the first one."

Betty laughed, putting down the bottle. "Touche." She leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling.

Jack turned to look at Rose, noticing that she was exhausted, but that she was still working. "Hey," he touched her arm, and she stopped painting and turned to him. "I can finish that. Why don't you take a break?"

Rose smiled and kissed him, then handed him the paintbrush as she sat down on the floor and began folding the baby clothes she bought. "Betty, all jokes aside, I'm worried about you, and I think Jack is too." She looked up at Betty concernedly. "I know your breakup with Liza was difficult-"

"You can't have a breakup if you can't ever be together," Betty said quietly.

Hearing her say that in such a sad voice broke both Jack and Rose's hearts. "You were together, Betty. Even if it was a secret," she told her. "And I know you're heartbroken. But things will get better. You found someone that made you happy, and I know it seems impossible, but you 'll find someone else who makes you happy."

Betty's eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to be alone anymore," she said quietly. "I'm tired of being lonely, and I'm tired of pretending that I'm too strong to need or want a relationship. Because I do." She wiped a tear from her eye. "I want to fall in love, I want to be able to get married, and I want to have a future with someone I love."

"I know you do," Rose said sadly. She stood and walked over to Betty, hugging her tightly. "You'll have that one day, Betty, I promise. You'll meet someone and fall in love, and you'll have the same dreams for the future. You and Liza didn't have that, but that doesn't mean you'll never have it at all."

Betty smiled, but her smile faded as she looked at her hands. "Have you spoken to Liza?" She asked, waiting for Rose's reaction. "How is she?"

Rose struggled to decide how to answer that question, unsure of which answer would make Betty feel the best. "She misses you," she said finally, deciding that was the safect answer. "But she's hanging in there."

Betty nodded, looking down at her hands. "I'm glad she's okay," she said quietly, avoiding both Jack and Rose's gaze. Finally she stood up, grabbing the bottle from next to the chair. "I'm going to bed."

Both their hearts ached as they watched Betty leave, then looked at each other sadly. After a moment, Jack stood up, wrapping his arms around Rose. "We're setting up our baby's nursery," he whispered, placing his hands on Rose's stomach. "We're getting ready for them."

Rose smiled, kissing Jack lovingly. "Look around, Jack," she whispered, and they both looked around. The walls were done, the crib was set up, the changing table was put together, the rocking chair was in its spot, and the clothes and toys were away. "Everything is done. Everything's set up."

Jack smiled. "You're right, it is," he whispered. They looked around for another moment, but a knock on the door interrupted them. "Come in!"

Anna and William walked in, their hands linked. "Oh wow," Anna gasped, looking around. "It looks amazing in here! You've made so much progress, I can't believe it."

"I agree," William said. "You've made the nursery beautiful. I'm so impressed." Jack smiled at his father, who placed his hands on his son's shoulders, squeezing gently. "I'm so proud of everything you've accomplished, son. From finding Rose and vowing to take care of her, to preparing for your child and taking care of them even before they're born, and taking care of your sister throughout this melancholia. I'm very proud of you, Jack."

Jack smiled at his father. "Thanks, Pa."

Anna kissed her son's cheek, touching his cheek. "I think we're going to go to bed, but we just wanted to see how everything was coming along," she took her husband's hand, holding it in hers. "Goodnight, we'll see you both tomorrow."

"Goodnight," Jack and Rose said together, watching as Anna and William left.

"Come on," Rose smiled, taking Jack's hand. "Let's go to bed." She kissed him, then walked with him to their bedroom.

xXx

Rose awakened to pure darkness. The only thing keeping her grounded was Jack's arm slung over her waist, and the mattress below her. She was in pain, she knew that, and her stomach felt like it was tightening.

She had to wake Jack, she realized. He needed to take her to the hospital, to make sure everything was alright. Nothing's alright, a voice in her head said. You're having a miscarriage.

Finally, she shook Jack, waking him up. "Jack," she said, her voice shaking. "Jack, wake up." She had one hand on her stomach, the other one shaking Jack, trying to wake him. "Jack, wake up. Please."

Jack slowly woke up. "Huh? Rose?" he said drowsily, his words slurred. Realizing that she was upset, that something was wrong, he finally woke up fully. "What's wrong?"

Rose was sitting up, both hands on her stomach. "Something's wrong," she said nervously, her voice quivering. "Something hurts. Something's happening."

After a moment, Jack jumped out of bed, pulling his pants on, followed by his shirt. "Everything's alright," he said quietly as he got dressed. "We're just going to go to the hospital, since the doctor isn't doing house calls this early." He went into her closet, taking out a simple dress he knew would be comfortable. "Here," he lifted Rose's nightgown over her head, then replaced it with the dress he picked out. "Come, let's go."

Still sitting on the edge of the bed, Rose breathed heavily. "Jack," she said quietly. "I'm scared."

"I know," Jack said quietly. Touching her cheek and kissing her forehead. "Everything will be okay. But we won't know for sure until we get you checked out, so we have to go."

She stood, and they rushed down the stairs, into the car, and they pulled out of the driveway quickly. They drove straight to the hospital, arriving there only a few minutes later. Someone came outside with a wheelchair, and Rose sat, still holding onto her stomach protectively. "Sir, you can wait for her in the waiting room."

Jack shook his head. "I'd like to come with her," he told the nurse. "She's my wife, and she's the most important person in the whole world to me. I need to stay with her. Please."

The nurse nodded, and Jack followed into a room. "The doctor will be in in a moment." She left Rose's chart, then closed the door behind her, leaving Jack and Rose alone.

Rose cried into her hands, and Jack wrapped his arms around her. "It'll be okay, Rose," he whispered. "You'll be okay, the baby will be okay, and after this, we'll be back to our regular lives."

Before Rose could disagree and say that life never seemed to end up that way for them, the doctor knocked on the door, then opened it. "Mrs. Dawson," he said, shaking Rose's hand, then Jack's. "It says here you woke up to severe pain." Rose nodded. "Okay, let's take a look."

The doctor did a full examination, looking at all the possible causes of the pain to ensure that Rose was alright. "Mrs. Dawson, you're totally fine, and so is your baby," he smiled, and Rose threw her head back, relieved. "That pain you felt was just the baby moving, and your uterus growing to make more space. I guarantee, you're fine, and that everything you're experiencing is perfectly normal."

Rose smiled, and Jack kissed the top of her head. "Didn't I tell you?" Jack asked, kissing her forehead, placing one hand on her belly, and the other on her cheek. "Everything's okay, Rose, I promise. And it always will be."

After a moment, Rose wrapped her arms around her husband, grateful that everything was okay, and that they were all safe. "Mr. Dawson, you can go to the nurse's station and fill out paperwork to check your wife out, and then you're free to go."

With that, the doctor left, and Jack threw his arms around Rose, kissing the top of her head. "See? Everything's fine," he whispered. He released Rose, then knelt down to kiss her stomach, causing her to smile. "I'm gonna go fill out the paperwork, I'll be right back."

Rose sat up, then grabbed her clothing and got dressed. She looked at herself in the mirror, nearly gasping when she saw how awful she looked. What had she expected? She had jumped out of the bed and ran to the hospital. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to smoothen it, but something just outside the door caught her attention. She turned and looked through the window of the hospital room, seeing Anna standing there, shaking.

Quickly, Rose grabbed her things, leaving the room and going over to her. "Anna?" Hearing her voice, Anna looked up at her, her eyes wide and her hands shaking. "What's wrong? What are you doing here?"

"It's William," she said shakily, barely able to stand without leaning against the wall. "H-He had a stroke." Rose's hand rushed to her mouth, preventing any sobs or gasps from escaping. "The doctors did everything they could, but… He's gone." She put her head in her hands and sobbed, and Rose did what she could to comfort her, though she was in shock herself. This whole morning had been an absolute mess, and just as one problem was solved, another appeared.

"Oh my god, Anna," Rose said quietly, wrapping her arm around her sobbing mother-in-law. "I'm so sorry," she said quietly, trying to console her. After only a moment, she realized that Jack had no idea about any of this, and she would have to tell him.

Anna gathered herself after a moment, wiping her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. "Why are you here?" She asked.

Rose wasn't sure how she had switched so quickly, but she decided to just accept it, rather than ask. "I woke up and didn't feel right," she answered. "Jack brought me here to get examined by the doctor."

"Jack's here?" Anna asked, and Rose nodded. "Oh. He doesn't know about any of this. You have to be the one to tell him." Rose's eyes widened nervously, and Anna continued. "This will be devastating for him, and if I'm the one to tell him, I won't be able to get through it. And if there's anyone Jack would want to get bad news from, it's you."

Rose nodded. "Okay," she said quietly. She walked over to the nurse's station, feeling tears roll down her cheeks. She wished that they could have a moment where everything was okay, where nothing bad was happening, but she couldn't focus on that right now. Now, she had to find Jack, and she had to tell him what had happened.

There he was. Rose spotted him after only a moment. She slowly walked over to him, watching as he smiled while he filled out the paperwork. Finally, he spotted her, turning to look at her. "Hey!" He smiled. "All done here. And one of the nurses gave me this little bear." He showed her the stuffed animal, then noticed that she was crying. "Rose, what is it? What's wrong? Are you hurt? Is it the baby?"

Rose took Jack's hand, holding it in hers. "I'm fine, Jack, and so is the baby," she told him, and relief washed over him. "Jack, your father had a stroke. The doctors did everything they could, but… he didn't make it."

He stared back at her, his eyes wide. "My father's dead?" he said quietly, slowly registering the horrible news. The small stuffed animal dropped from his hand onto the floor. "He's gone?"

Rose wrapped her arms around him, and his arms wrapped around her as well, holding onto her as if she would disappear. Quiet sobs echoed in Rose's ears, as she resisted against her own, trying to be there for Jack. They stayed in each other's embrace, holding each other while the aftermath of the tragedy washed over them both.