Marriage for One

by Ella Maise

After all, I was Rose, and he was Jack. We were doomed from the very beginning with those names. You know… the Titanic and all that.

That’s how the universe works: it gives you the one thing you said you’d never want.

“I want to be that person to you, Rose. I want to be the person you lean on. You and I, we’re the same. We have no one but each other. You’ll lean on me and I’ll do the same. We’ll learn how. We’re in this together.”

“You’re not alone in this. I’m right here, Rose. We’ll figure it out together. We have each other now.”

“I might not be what you wanted or needed, but you got me anyway. I’m right here.”

“That just happened, right? You want to…you want us to date? As in be boyfriend and girlfriend?” He gave me a long look. “More like husband and wife, don’t you think?”

“I’ll be right there when you wake up, Rose. I’ll be waiting for you right here, so you come back to me, okay? Make sure you come back to me.”

“You have me, Rose. You’ve had me the entire time.”

“You’re the only woman I want to go to sleep holding on to and wake up next to, Rose Hawthorne. I will never leave you. I will never forget you.”

I’d never change any second of what we had together.

I didn’t know it then, but it was just you that I wanted.

but somewhere along the way, I fell for you, and because of that, I’m not sorry. I’d do it again. I wouldn’t take back a single moment I had with you.”

“I don’t have a home to go back to anymore, Rose.” I stopped, but didn’t look at him. “You’re my home,” he finished.

“Somewhere in between all the pretending, I completely fell for you, and I can’t even think of my life without you in it.”

“And yours will always have a home with me. Certain people are meant for each other and you were meant for me, Jack. And I was meant for you.”