Chapter 68: Prepare for the Future

The two women embrace tightly, despite the latter's growing baby bump. Rose has tears in her eyes, finally being reunited with her friend.

"How are you?" the redhead asks, so happy.

"I am fine thank you, Rose. Might I extend congratulations to you?" Wendy lifts her friend's left hand, which reveals the beautiful diamond ring. It looked so amazing that the potential writer was envious of its beauty.

"Oh thank you, Wendy. You're so sweet and I'm so very happy that you will be able to come!"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"You're the sweetest person. Please come in and tell me what you've been doing since we parted ways so long ago."

Rose leads Wendy into the living room where Sybil is happily playing on the floor. The blonde child only glances up once to view the stranger in the room before going back to playing. Wendy's eyes go wide for a moment. She glances at Rose's growing stomach. Has that much time passed? Could they have two children already?

"W-Who is this?" the former maid asks.

"This is Sybil. She is my best friend, Emma's sister."

"So, this isn't your house?"

"No, Jack and I live with Peter, Emma, and Sybil. Just until we save up enough money to buy our own."

"Oh."

"They also provided safety from Cal."

"I see."

"Would you like some hot cider Wendy? Emma made it fresh this morning."

"If you don't mind."

The potential writer sits on one of the couches and takes in her surroundings. She likes the house a lot, it's quaint and very well decorated. It's nowhere near as extravagant as the DeWitt Bukater mansion, but also not as dilapidated and small has her family farm house used to be. It was the perfect suburban house. The young woman watches the small child on the floor, building with wooden blocks, or rather stacking them and then taking the top block to put in her mouth. The place is a mess, as should be expected of a house with an infant, but there are piles and piles of papers on the kitchen and coffee table. Wendy watches her former employer mill about the kitchen expertly. She had changed quite a lot since the maid had last seen her. She felt comfortable in the environment and very capable. When Wendy had first let Rose into the kitchen, she felt very out of place and didn't know what a whisk and ladle were. She was no longer the spoiled heiress, but an efficient and competent woman.

Rose brings two mugs of hot cider and hands it to her friend before they both sit down.

"This baby does not want me to be on my feet for long periods of time anymore."

"How far along are you?"

"Six months, almost seven."

"Wow."

"The date is approaching fast."

"Do you feel prepared?"

"I'm still very nervous, which I've been told is normal, but I have spent a lot of my time caring for this one," Rose indicates the small girl on the floor. "I know how to boil milk properly, change a diaper and even take temperatures."

"Things certainly have changed for you," Wendy says, with a smile before sipping the warm cider.

"Yes, and it will keep changing. Jack has a job as a police sketch artist and he's saving money so we can buy a house of our own. Hopefully, we can start looking after the honeymoon."

"What about your dream to be a moving picture actress?"

"It'll just have to stay a dream for now. Until the baby is old enough to be cared for."

"You mean like a governess or nanny?"

"Maybe, but Jack and I will most definitely be doing most of the raising. I will be an actress Wendy, one day you will see my name on a poster."

"I have much faith in you, you are a woman who can achieve anything she sets her mind to."

"You're sweet to say that. Oh, my goodness, I'm being so selfish by talking about myself so much. What about you Wendy? Have you published anything yet?"

The former maid turns red. She felt as if Rose had transformed her life completely, while she had not. Her friend had so much going for her. She was getting married to a man she loved, she was about to have a family of her own, she still had her eyes on a career, she had a place to live and loving friends. "N-Not yet. I am writing in my spare time."

"What are you doing for a living? Not service again I hope."

"No, I'm a secretary."

"Really?"

"Yes, I work for Molly Brown's Women's Rights Group."

"Really?!" Rose's eyes go wide with fascination and excitement. "I'm so happy for you. That must be so amazing to work with Molly."

"It's a good job. Doesn't pay a lot, but at least it was better than waitressing. I got no respect at that job and Tommy often had to jump in to protect me. He took many beatings trying to defend my pride."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Rose says sympathetically. She had yet to experience the disrespect and mistreatment of women in the working world. She was still blissfully unaware being at home all the time, but the red-head heard about it often from Emma. Her friend had failed several of her courses she took to become a respected lawyer because of her gender, but she wasn't giving up and wanted to be taken seriously as the managing partner of her father's law firm and valued as a capable lawyer. Rose knew deep down that this was a losing battle, the world was not progressing the way Emma needed it to in order to honour her father's wishes and be as successful as possible. She knew that Emma was as stubborn and hot-headed as herself, which was one of the many traits that Jack loved about her, and wouldn't go down without a fight.

"It's all right, at least at this job I am respected, even though not a lot happens."

"Hopefully, things will change in the future," Rose says optimistically.

"Yes."

"So you said you were writing in your spare time? Are you writing poetry?"

"No, I'm composing a novel about the common man."

"What do you mean?" Rose asks, not fully understanding.

"Well, most books today focus on the elite and very high-class people. It's always their perspective on society. They are the people who always win and always achieve success. They give a sort of false hope of achieving the American Dream. They talk about their fancy trips and the truth is, they live in this bubble that is not interesting in the least…"

Rose nods in great agreement. She was so happy to be free of that world, no longer trapped in a gilded cage, meant to just sit there and look pretty. She always wanted to make something of herself and have adventures, the type Jack always told her about. She knew a lot of this would have to wait, but it would happen if she had anything to say about it.

"So, I want to write something that's much different, about the people who are like you or me. Those who work and make the world go around. Those with most interesting stories to tell, about overcoming hardships and raising the next generation. Those who have helped build the Brooklyn bridge or watched Lady Liberty be erected. Those who have seen changes and make seemingly meaningless differences, but make their lives all the more fascinating."

"Wendy that sounds wonderful," Rose says. "I guarantee that I will be the first one to buy that book. You should really talk to Jack, he's had some amazing adventures that could help your story."

"Actually, I was hoping to write about both of you."

"Why both?"

"Because you, Rose are one of the rare few people who want to be a part of society. Who hates the high-class life. Molly Brown has provided some of that contrast, but she went from poor to rich, while you've gone from rich to…" Wendy stops, realizing that she may have overstepped.

"Modesty," Rose finishes for her.

"Y-yes,"

"I am now a commoner, far from the kings of the past," Rose smiles.

"Your story would be fantastic. I could even write a section on you and Jack falling in love. I'm sure it would make a fantastic story and who knows, it might make an amazing moving picture."

Rose smiles at first but then her lips form into a frown. None of the four survivors felt entirely comfortable talking about the ship sinking. It was horrifying, to say the least. Rose envied anyone who doesn't know the sickening sound of people freezing and dying in the water, the splashing in the icy waters and cries of desperation for help that would never come. The hopelessness, the thought of never coming out alive and losing the ones you loved. She still had horrendous nightmares and could only be soothed by Jack being there to hold her.

"I-I'm not so sure about that Wendy, but whenever you'd like to talk to us, just let us know."

"Oh, thank you," the former maid says.

"Perhaps after the wedding though," the pregnant woman stares at the piles of papers on the coffee and kitchen table. "Planning a double wedding has been an absolute nightmare of its own. There's the seating arrangements, menu options, writing our vows, organizing the church choir, finding the hall, picking flowers, adjusting the dresses, decorating the church, picking the prayers to be said, the music, what sort of drinks to serve… It was nicer when my mother was taking care of the details."

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Wendy offers.

"Wendy, you came here to visit, not to be pulled into the fray of planning a wedding."

"I want to help," she insists earnestly. She wanted to be included, she wanted to be a part of this important moment in her friend's life. "I want to be there for my friend. Put her mind at ease and help protect the baby inside from too much stress. My mama always said that an unhealthy mother means an unhealthy baby."

Rose smiles and grabs her friend's hand. She cannot believe how much her life has changed for the better. She had the man of her dreams, she made peace with her mother, she was expecting a child, she had amazing friends and above all, she had her freedom.

"Thank you, Wendy, that means a lot."

"So, what's the first problem?"

"I need to select a list of songs for the ceremony and for the reception."

"If only Eric were here," the writer, now co-wedding planner says. "He is amazing with music."

"Oh yes, I'd forgotten that you were living with several young men."

"I only have eyes for Tommy."

"I don't doubt that," Rose says with a wink, knowing what it was like to be in love with only one man, no matter how many others were vying for her attention.

The next few hours are spent going over a check list of things to do. The two make decisions on the music, types of flowers, seating arrangements, decorations and a few other things that only needed approval from Jack and the other couple getting married. Wendy gets to see Rose in her wedding dress, veil and all and she ends up crying happy tears, pleased to see that her friend truly was free and living an ideal dream. A dream that she hopes to one day have as well.

When the working people come home, Rose introduces them to her friend and she is greeted warmly by them. Even Sybil takes a liking to Wendy, especially when she secretly feeds the ten-month old baby a sugar cube during dinner.

By the end of the night, Rose feels slightly more at ease and hugs her friend tightly, asking her to come and help again, which Wendy happily agrees to. The potential writer leaves with a large smile on her face and her heart beating in excitement and anticipation. For the first time in a long time, she felt happy. Her life had a good direction and there was much potential for growth and more thrilling changes. Her life was truly an adventure of its own and she hoped that as long as she had friends and Tommy to lean on, she could do no wrong.

She took the bus to her tiny apartment and wraps her arms around her coal covered boyfriend. She felt content and couldn't wait for the next hurdle, which was trying to convince Tommy to wear a tuxedo for the wedding.

…

The activity in the Carson/Whitman/Dawson/DeWitt Bukater home increased into a frenzy. The wedding(s) were less than two weeks away and none of them felt any less stressed or prepared. Even with Wendy's help, no one rested until almost midnight every night. Emma was making last minute alterations to her, Sybil's and Rose's dresses, selecting the flowers and balancing the finances. Holly was baking the wedding cake and having all her neighbours help in decorating the church. Peter was working with Carl to secure the hall for the reception, making sure all their guests, including his parents and family, had accommodations in the big city and ensuring that all the food was going to be prepared on time. Jack oversaw the music, making sure that Father Bill was prepared, and ensuring that all the suits and wardrobe were in order for the male participants. Ruth was in the middle of the fray too, but her suggestions mostly made everyone else annoyed, even if her intentions were honourable. It was a team effort that may have seemed scattered and messy, but they all hoped it would all come together in the end.

The night before the wedding, both brides and grooms slept in separate rooms per tradition, but Jack sneaked down to Rose's room and brought his sketchbook with him. In dim light and quiet circumstances, he drew his beautiful bride-to-be as she slept, her arms cradling their future child. He had to fight back tears of his own, he couldn't believe how amazing his life was now and he could not wait to finally marry the woman of his dreams. He felt as if fate had come to pull the two together, then push them a part to test to see how genuine their love was and then pull them together again. He knew he would never love anyone as much as Rose and he thanked his lucky stars that fate had chosen her to be his soulmate.

However, unbeknownst to anyone, fate had several more pushes to test the once star-crossed couple.

The first one started tomorrow.

Stay tuned, the wedding is coming. FINALLY. Please read and review.