Chapter 15

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By Cecelia Dowdy - titanicfanfiction dotcom

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Chapter 15

"Daddy!" Dropping his sketch pencil, Jack scooped up the chubby red-haired toddler, bringing his lips to her soft cheek.

Hugging the child, he closed his eyes. "I love you," he breathed. Opening his eyes, he suddenly realized his arms were empty. Upset, he ransacked the small apartment, searching for the child. Where was his little girl?

"Jack!" Rose appeared in front of his face, halting his search. Her skeletal arms flailed, tears coursing down her sunken cheeks. "Where's the baby?" She caressed her swollen stomach with bony fingers…another baby was on the way! They had to find the missing child before the next baby was born! Rose limped, following him into their bedroom, searching for their child.

While looking beneath piles of tattered clothes, thinking their baby was hiding beneath the garments, Jack spoke. "What happened to you? You need to eat more food to take care of the baby."

"Jack, you haven't gotten paid in weeks! I'm starving! We have no food!"

Jack stopped, spotting his daughter amidst the clothes. No longer chubby, her skeletal body hovered under the garments, her green eyes laced with sadness, her full lips now blue. "Daddy, I'm cold! Help me!"

Screaming, Jack awakened, struggling to open his eyes. His skull exploded with tortuous pain. He groaned, fisting his hair. Why wouldn't this pain go away? Lord, please make this pain stop.

Pastor Michael's voice echoed in the room. "Jack, it's about time you woke up."

"Pastor, you think I should make him some tea?" asked Thelma.

"Thelma, I think in a case like this, coffee would be better. Make it black and strong."

"Okay, I'll be back with the coffee in a few minutes."

Groaning again, Jack rolled over in the bed, forcing his eyes open, staring at the familiar walls in the spare bedroom at the pastor's home. "Oh, Pastor Michael, what's wrong with me?"

"You don't remember?"

Bright sunlight spilled into the room and Jack glanced at Pastor Michael, realizing the clergyman was dressed in his day clothes. "What time is it?" His voice croaked, his throat feeling like a dry desert.

"It's noon. Me, Thelma and Paul were about to eat lunch when you woke up."

As if on cue, Paul popped his head into the doorway. "Hey, Jack, I see you're awake."

Jack nodded toward the tall lumberjack, recalling what Thelma had told him about her relationship with Paul. How Paul would react if Thelma got pregnant before they got married? "I wish I could go back to sleep, my head hurts."

"You really don't remember what happened yesterday?" asked Pastor Michael again.

Sighing, Jack struggled to think. He recalled sitting in the restaurant with Rose, eating their meal, then she'd told him her news. He'd been too upset to comfort her. The vision of Rose, bawling in the restaurant, sliced through him like a knife. He had to go back to her! "I've gotta talk to Rose." He pushed the blanket off the bed, but the room swayed when he stood. He dropped back onto the bed, groaning again. "What am I going to do?"

Paul dropped into the empty chair beside the pastor, observing Jack. "Why'd you get so drunk?"

Jack frowned, looking at Paul as if he were crazy. "Drunk? Did I drink that much?" He remembered being upset and ordering some brandy, but, his memories turned fuzzy after that.

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