As the days passed, being pregnant became more probable in her mind and eventually by the third week in February and a second missed period, Rose decided it was a sure thing. During that time of uncertainty, she began readjusting her priorities and moving herself from the familiar and pleasant path she had been traveling with Jack onto a much more complicated road twisting with mysterious bends, around which she couldn’t see until she turned onto them. She was looking down a road full of ruts and potholes that she feared she might fall into somewhere along the way. Still, the notion of having Jack’s baby thrilled her when she let herself think about it. After all, a baby was the visible sign of their love for one another and the flesh and blood result of their coming together in their love. In the end of her contemplation on the subject Rose decided that a baby was the most blessed gift God could have given her to fulfill her love and the best gift she could ever offer Jack. After that, the thought of telling him started to make her tingle all over with excitement.
A whole new world was opening before them. Money was not a problem anymore. Jack’s wages were more than fair. He could pay the bills and keep his pantry full and was even talking about a house and furniture. He had already started to spend money on clothes because he needed to dress well on his job and every time he came home he brought something special for her. They even went out now and then to see a movie or to eat at a restaurant, and whenever his boss let him bring the car home, they’d go for a drive out into the country past farmhouses and through little towns that reminded her of Dobbin. Even in her childhood, before the hard times came, Rose had never enjoyed such good and carefree times, and certainly never had such a free attitude about spending money.
And Jack was so happy! He loved doing whatever it was he did and wearing one of his perfectly ironed white shirts and a suit to work. He loved buying her things, especially extravagant little trinkets and jewelry she didn’t really need; he loved having a car to drive her around in and showing her off when they went out. And most of all he loved being able to hand Mary Jean the rent money on the first of every month and still keep a big roll of bills in his pocket.
Oh yes indeed! God was good to them! Rose felt like throwing open the window and shouting “Hallelujah!” Even the dreary gray skies of winter couldn’t bring her down!
There was going to be a baby! A little boy, maybe … she hoped … who would look just like his Daddy. Another Jack Nash for her to love and cherish! The joy in her heart just had to find an outlet and pretty soon she’d be dancing around the room praising God and thanking him for all her blessings. Now that the baby had become real to her she couldn’t wait to tell Jack about him. To see the look of wonder on his face. And then the happiness and pride that would fill his beautiful eyes. She could hardly imagine how proud he would be. Jack Nash, a daddy! Finally!
But he didn’t come home.
As she lay alone in their bed that night the tears began again and she let them flow for a time. It felt good to give in to self-pity and be sad for a change; giving Jack “the what for,” blaming him and yelling at him in her imagination. But that didn’t last long—as she hollered at him, in her mind’s eye he repented and embraced her and before she knew it he was making love to her. She opened her eyes in wonder. “Rose Sharon,” she admonished herself, “you are really hopeless.” And so she lay there, her cheeks still wet with tears, smiling to herself and marveling at the depth of her love for her husband and at the happiness that swelled her heart with just a thought of him.
How had she ever won him? What had she ever done to deserve such happiness? It was always a wonder to her that she had won the love of the one and only man she ever wanted. Her earliest memories were of him. And God had given him to her! To honor and obey … to have and to hold … to love forever! For Rose knew even death would not part them. And now they had truly become one and made a baby together and that bound them even stronger.
“O my sweet Jack!” she turned toward his side and hugged his pillow against her body. “Come home, Jack. Please hurry home.”
While she caressed his pillow her mind wandered backward again to the first time she saw him after that disaster on the field road, while his leg was still encased in plaster...