Eternal Destiny
Part 2


Michael Calvert cautiously stepped out and onto the back porch to where his wife sat huddled on the steps. He didn't quite understand what had just happened, but he still felt the need to comfort her. "Rose? Do you think we can at least talk?" She looked up at him briefly with saddened eyes and immediately he knew that there would be more to the story than she would ever tell him.

"I used to have nightmares about things like this happening and then just as everything became right, it was gone just as easily as it had come."

Mike was confused. "Rose, what are you talking about? Is this about Jack? I'm getting the impression that you two know each other already."

"Michael, there's a lot of my life that you don't know about and I'm sure that you'll learn all about it in good time. For now, I just need some time to straighten things out. Yes, I know Jack- I haven't seen him for many, many years but I am indeed acquainted with him. Would you mind very much if we could just…talk for a little while, to catch up on things?" She looked up at him with pleading eyes. Mike just nodded his head, not knowing quite what else to do.

"Of course. Boy, this sure is one small world…with you knowing Jack and all."

Rose just got up and as she walked past him, she quietly mumbled to herself, "It's a whole lot smaller than you think."

Leaving Mike out on the back porch, Rose quietly went through the kitchen. She was about to walk through the door adjoining the rooms, but as she heard the familiar little voice coming from her daughter talking to what she knew would be Jack, her heart broke into a thousand pieces. Thinking back on all these years…these 7 painful years, Rose felt like her world was coming to an end. But she had to go in there and face the people that had changed her life forever. Trying to regain her composure as best she could, Rose quietly pushed through the door. She tried to force a smile on her face, but it was no use. As she glanced from her daughter back up to Jack, she couldn't help but think what if…

"Jack, I think we need to talk." Rose watched extremely tense as Jack's face lightened in color dramatically as he took a deep and shuddering breath. Jack slowly nodded his head. She could sense his extreme nervousness as he stood there, not knowing what to say or do next. She knew that she would have to be strong here. Regaining all of her strength, Rose slowly walked up to Jack and placed her hand on his arm. Just to feel him under her skin made her whole body fill with that all too familiar warmth that she had always treasured whenever she was in Jack's presence. "There's probably a million things running through your head right now and all of them are with good cause. I know I have a lot of explaining to do." Rose began to lead Jack towards the front door. "And I think I know the perfect place to do so."

***


The sun was just setting over the high maple trees as Jack and Rose quietly walked down the little dirt path that would eventually lead to the heart of Cedar Rapids. The area in which Mike and Rose lived was nothing but farmland for about 10 or so miles to the town of Cedar Rapids. The road was completely empty and on both sides, was nothing but corn fields as far as the eye could see.

"Look Rose, will you please just say something? I don't think I can take this silence much longer. We haven't said a word to each other since we left the house and-"

Rose stopped in the road and turned to face Jack. "Jack I'm sorry. I'm sorry that life had to work out like this. I'm sorry that no matter what we do, things will never be the way we thought they'd be. I mean, here we are seven years later, all the while thinking that the other one was dead. At least I thought you were dead." Jack just nodded his head in agreement. "And now here we are, face to face with what seems to be a ghost. Jack, there's a lot that has happened to me in the past seven years, one of which involves you very much. I'm not quite sure how to say this, but you deserve to know the truth. A lot happened between you and me during those few short days that we spent together. What can I say…we were in love. We weren't thinking of the consequences of our actions. We were doing what felt right at the time and to me, it still feels like we did the right thing. Life just took an unfortunate turn for the worst…for both of us. I have a feeling that you already know what I'm about to say, but I'm going to say it anyway. Jack Dawson, you're a…father. You've been a father for the past six years. Sarah…she's yours." Rose awaited anxiously as she tried to gauge his reaction.

Jack was completely speechless. He had known that his was probably coming, but just to hear the words spoken aloud…

Jack turned around, his back facing Rose. She looked on completely frightened at not knowing what he was going to say or do. "Jack? Jack?" Her voice was quiet and concerned. She gently put a comforting hand on Jack's shoulder and seeing that he did not jump or push her away, she slowly came around to face him. What she saw would be forever etched in her memory. He was silently crying. His hand was covering his mouth and his eyes were pinched tight shut. "Jack, it's ok. Will you please tell me why you're crying?"

Jack slowly opened his eyes, releasing a new batch of hot tears. He brushed them away without a second thought and looked up into the somewhat darkened sky. "I'm sorry Rose." He looked back down at her. "I'm so sorry. Six years…"

Rose gripped Jack's arm firmly yet gently. "Don't be sorry Jack. No more sorrys and no more what ifs. What's done is done. We can't change the past." Rose paused for a second as she took a deep breath and turned slightly around so she didn't have to face Jack directly. Her head hung low to the ground and her arms were folded over her chest. "I'm married now Jack."

Jack's eyes took a quick glance at Rose's wedding ring. He turned around to face her again. He could tell that she felt almost guilty for it. He gently lifted her chin back up to face him. "I know… but it's nothing to be ashamed of Rose. About seven years ago you made a promise to me…a very important promise. Remember? I'm glad to see that you kept it. Going on with your life was all a part of it Rose. Mike's a great guy Rose. I've known him for nearly my whole life and I know that if I had had to pick someone, that I would have most definitely picked him." Rose looked at him with great admiration in her eyes. Jack looked down at the ground briefly, almost afraid to ask. "Just tell me one thing Rose- does he know? Does he know about us and about Sarah?"

Rose just shook her head sadly. "No Jack, he doesn't. You were something that I had locked up in my heart so nobody could take it away.




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