A NEW BEGINNING AND NEW LOVE

"10 years have passed since the tragedy…of the TITANIC", thought Rose.

8 ½ year old Jackie asked her mom, "What is the TITANIC?"

Rose sat her daughter down and told the story of her parents brief courtship and "marriage" prior to the sinking of the ship. "I loved your father, and he would have spoiled you rotten."

Jackie said, "Don't you have a picture of him?"

Rose said, "No, I don't. He exists now only in my memory. He was a loving man who cared for me when no one else would."

Jackie said, "That's good enough for me."

**********

Rose was shopping 1 day in the city when a young man asked her a question, "Do you know where to find a good place to eat here?"

She said, "Follow me."

The young man said, "My name is John Calvert, and you are?"

Rose said, "Rose Dawson, pleased to meet you."

John said, "Pleased to meet you, Rose"

They walked into a restaurant called, "San Pablo." The waiter seated them. John offered to pay, but initially Rose resisted. She eventually gave in. They shared a platter of burritos and beer.

During the meal, John asked Rose, "Tell me about yourself, like where are you from?"

Rose hesitated then she began to speak. She stated, "You must not share this with anyone"

John said, "I have your word as a gentleman."

Rose said, "I was born in Philadelphia to wealthy parents. I went to school in New York, London, and Paris until I was 15. My father died when I was nearly 16. He left us in debt, which was a guarded secret until a few months ago. I went to a finishing school for a year. I was engaged to a steel magnate heir but I didn't love him at all. I was in Europe with my widowed mother and my fiancé for several months. We returned home on a grand ship. While on board, I met a young man, and fell in love with him but was unable to talk long periods with him. I lost track of him and don't remember what happened to him. When the ship docked in New York, I ran away and been here ever since."

Rose never mentioned the fact the ship was the Titanic, and also that she fell in love with Jack. She never wanted to hear about the Titanic again.

John asked, "Why did you run away?"

Rose said with sadness in her voice, "I was not happy with the arranged marriage. My fiancé was controlling and much older than I, and also he was not very nice to me."

John said, "Let me tell you about myself."

As Rose sipped her beer, John talked about his life as a Horse trainer and farmer in the hills of California. He was very happy with his life and never had left the States. He was originally from Iowa but his family moved west when he was a teenager. As he was talking, Rose riveted him even though he knew her for a few hours.

John took the bill from the waiter and told him, "to keep the change."

They went for a walk along the beach, and continued to talk. She was enthralled with John's stories of his life because he was so similar to Jack. She held back her tears as memories were coming back but she never let John see that she was ready to cry.

He walked Rose to her rooming house. He asked her, "Do you go to Sacred Heart Church near here?"

Rose said, "Yes, I do."

John said, "There is a social and gathering after Mass, will you be my guest?"

Rose replied, "Yes."

John said, "See you on Sunday at 10:00 am"

As John walked down the street, Rose felt good. She walked down the street, then went to a women's shop and got a new blue sailor style hat so she would look her best for Sunday.

On Saturday night, Rose was dreaming. She was remembering Jack and the good times that they had together like the 3rd class party and the moment on the bow.

"Jack I'm flying" she was saying in the dream, and she was smiling.

Also in the dream, she heard the song that he was singing to her, "Come Josephine in my flying machine, going up she goes, up she goes."

Then another memory, "I believe you are blushing Mister Artiste"

Then another memory came back when they are were separated for a short time when she was placed in a boat, then she had left the boat to be with him.

For a moment, she felt torn between the memories of a dead man and a man who was courting her. Then the alarm clock rang for 6:00 am, and she woke up. She splashed her face with water, then went to get a bite for breakfast downstairs.

After breakfast, Rose put on a blue Empire-style dress and her new sailor hat. She fastened a set of pearls around her neck. She grabbed her purse, prayer book, and parasol. She bid farewell to the woman at the boarding house. The bells were summoning people to Mass. She took Jackie by the hand and led her into church.

Walking down the street, she was among many heading to church. Rose and Jackie went into the church was beautiful in the inside for Mass. John was in the back with his parents and motioned to Rose and Jackie to sit next to him. She graciously accepted and sat down.

During the Prayers of the Faithful, Rose prayed to herself, "God, watch over Jack who is in the North Atlantic. Also keep watch of mother and Cal, they need it, Amen."

After Mass was over, John introduced Rose and Jackie to his parents. "Mother, Father, this is Rose Dawson, originally from the East, but she lives nearby at Mrs. Roberts' boarding house. Rose's husband died before Jackie was born. Rose has been a widow ever since."

Mr. Calvert shook Rose's gloved hand and Mrs. Calvert embraced Rose to greet her. "Pleased to meet you.", they said in unison.

Then Father James came up and introduced himself to Rose. "Pleased to have you here, Miss Dawson, hopefully you will join us every Sunday", replied the priest.

Rose said, "I shall do that, I am here in town indefinitely."

Rose and John walked across the street to the park where the social was already going on. She and John sat under a tree and sipped lemonade. They began to talk more and share more about their lives. But Rose never spoke of Jack to John. She did not feel comfortable telling him about him.

Jackie went to play with the other children in the park but kept an eye on her mom.

John whispered to Rose, "I really like you a lot. Can I meet your mother?"

Rose said, "That would be impossible, she no longer speaks to me because I ran away."

Rose added, "I never have regretted my decision one bit."

John responded, "I am glad that you have not regretted it."

John said, "Can I see you again? Every Sunday after church?"

Rose said, "Yes, you can."

After the social, John walked Rose to the boarding house and went towards the pier to meet his parents for supper.

Rose went to her bedroom, and changed to a blue dress that was not as formal. She wrote in her journal: "Today is the 4th Sunday of May, it has been over 10 years since Jack went to heaven. I believe that I fallen in love with John Calvert. He resembles Jack in so many ways. I am able to confide in him unlike Cal or Mother. I attended Mass today with him and Jackie. I met his parents also. If that step isn't closer to a marriage proposal, what is? Today was the church social, and I was John's guest. I met many people that I would have never gotten the opportunity to do so. John is caring and thoughtful and also a gentleman, all things that Cal was never."

"DO YOU TAKE THIS MAN?"

2 months of courtship passed quickly. Before Rose realized it, she had fallen in love with John. John called on her at the rooming house on a Saturday. Rose though to herself, "He never comes on Saturday, something is up."

"Jackie, I am going out, stay her with Mrs. Smith."

"Yes mother, I will, kissy, kissy."

"Okay, enough of that!" said Rose in a happy voice.

John and Rose went to the beach. John was very quiet. Rose said, "Why are we here?"

John said, "Sit down, Rose."

John pulled out a pearl and diamond ring. He got down on 1 knee and said, "Rose Dawson, will you marry me?"

Rose answered, "Yes, I will!" in a voice that was really happy.

John placed the diamond and pearl ring on Rose's finger. They walked to his parents' house. Mr . and Mrs. Calvert already knew about John's plans. They raised a glass of champagne and said, "To the happy couple."

Rose realized that there was a lot to be done. John wanted to go to Iowa in time to be settled in for harvest on his grandparents' farm. Rose wasn't too happy to go to Iowa, but she realized that she loved him more than she knew. Jackie helped her mom with the hasty wedding plans.

A baker Rose knew from her days working in the boarding house offered to make the wedding cake for $5 which was half price. He liked Rose as another daughter he never had. His own daughter would never get married because she was confined to a wheelchair after a devastating illness. It was like he was doing it for his own.

The priest agreed to marry them for the cost of $50 which included the rental of the church, an organist and a soloist.

With the help of a local seamstress, Miss Walter, Rose designed her wedding dress. It would be very beautiful.

Miss Walter said, "As a gift, here is a lace veil my mother wore on her wedding day and a dress for your daughter."

Rose responded with tears in her voice, "Thank you."

A few nights later, in a lavender lace and satin dress, a color her mother despised, Rose and John were married in the chapel of the church by Father James with Jackie as flower girl. It was a beautiful day and Rose was happy for the 1st time since that night in April. The celebration went long into the night with plenty of people stopped by to wish the newlyweds well.

The next day, Rose and John headed to Iowa to live the remainder of her days with him and her daughter, Jackie. She became a farmer and later on, a businessman's wife since John stopped farming a few years after they were married.

Postscript:

She and John were married for 65 long and happy years. John adopted Jackie as his own daughter. Rose and John had 2 children together: John Jr., and James Christopher. All of them blessed them with 3 grandchildren from Jackie, 3 grandchildren from J.J. and 4 grandchildren from James. John died 2 months after their 65th anniversary. Her granddaughter Lizzie Calvert (youngest daughter of Jackie) took her to Ojai, California to live with her near the place that she met John Calvert. Although, she never spoke of Jack and the TITANIC until the day of the phone call prompted by a news cast. That is a new story altogether…..