AFTER TITANIC
BOOK ONE
Chapter Forty-Two
Two Weeks Later...
Molly opens the door to Rose and Jack's room to find Rose
still in bed, staring into space. Her red curls lay limply
against the pillow. Jack had tried everything he could in the
past couple of weeks to get her out of bed, but she wouldn't
budge. The only reason she ate anything was because Jack wouldn't
leave her alone if she didn't. Molly shakes her head sadly at the
pathetic creature that had used to be a head strong woman with a
fire burning deep inside her. Molly hardly recognized her.
"Rose darlin you have to get up. It's time you return to the
land of the living and take care of your family," Molly
places her hands on her hips.
Rose doesn't answer. She just keeps staring blankly in space, not
even acknowledging Molly's presence. Jack was right. Rose was bad
off. Molly had to get her to snap out of it.
"You know it's a good thing that Jack didn't marry you
because of your looks because right now...you're not much a
looker," Molly smirked.
Rose just looked at her blankly for a minute than looked away.
"He's going to leave me anyway Molly. So why bother?"
Molly's in shock. Jack had never mentioned anything about leaving
Rose. In fact, everytime he talked about Rose, his eyes lit up
with so much love..."Now Rose that's ridiculous. Jack loves
you more than life itself. He'd die a thousand deaths before
willing leaving you."
Rose didn't answer. She just continued staring at the walls.
"I'm telling you right now Rose. This house is a mess. The
twins are fine, but they still need their mommy. Something you're
not being right now. And there's your husband. He needs you too
Rose. So I say get out of this depression now before you have no
more family left. Jack loves you to death, and he'd never leave
you, but everyone has their limit and if you don't straighten up
soon, Jack may see where it's better for those babies if he did
take them and leave."
"You're right Molly. Jack and the children deserve a good
wife and mother," Rose sets up.
"I'm glad you're opening your eyes there Rose. Now get
washed up and surprise Jack when he comes home. I'll be
downstairs cleaning up a bit."
Rose nods, not saying another word as Molly leaves.
Five hours later...
Jack returns home and lays his portfolio on the chair and
heads into the kitchen to see Molly fixing dinner.
"That smells good," Jack enters the kitchen to see
Molly stirring the beef stew she had prepared.
"My famous beef stew. Something to warm you kids up on such
a cool day," Molly smiled.
"Where's Rose?"
"Still upstairs I suppose. The last time I saw her it looked
as if she was going to get dressed and come downstairs, but she
never did. In fact...she's been really quiet," Molly stops
stirring and turns to Jack. "You think she's okay?"
"I'll go check on her," Jack said, heading for the
stairs.
Before entering his closed bedroom, Jack stops and checks on the
twins and smiles when he sees them soundly sleeping, unaware of
the turmoil the house had been in for the past couple of weeks.
Closing the nursery door, Jack enters his room to find it empty.
All of Rose's things are gone. Only a note was left on her
pillow.
Dear Jack,
By time you read this letter I will be gone. I've done a lot of
thinking about this and figured that this was the only thing I
could do for the good of our family. Right now I know I'm not a
good wife nor mother to you and the twins, I can't be the one
thing the three of you need most and I know that. So that's why
I'm leaving. I'm going away to try to fix things so I can return
to you and the children and be the wife and mother you deserve.
Jack, please don't try to come after me. This is one thing I need
to do by myself. I'll write every day and I promise that once I
have sorted through my grief and get out of this depression, I
will return. I love you and always will.
Love,
Rose.
P.S. Tell Molly thank-you for everything...including taking care
of my mother and of my family when I couldn't.
Jack sinks down onto
the bed, the shock sinking in. She had left him again...not
leaving word to anyone this time of where she had gone. What was
he going to do? How was he going to handle this and what about
the twins? He had to work...who was going to take care of them?
"Jack darlin! Dinner's ready!" Molly enters the room to
see Jack setting by himself, the letter clenched in his hand, his
face as white as a sheet. "Jack? What's happened? Where's
Rose?"
Jack looked up at Molly. "She's gone Molly. She left me and
the children. She said she had to do this by herself...so she
could come back and be the mother and wife me and the children
deserve."
"Oh Jack," MOlly gasped, remembering her last
conversation with Rose. She had said that Molly was right. That
Jack and the children did deserve a good wife and mother. But
Molly thought Rose was going to pull herself together right then
and there. She never thought Rose would pack up her things and
leave her family like this. Poor Jack must be devastated.
"Did she say where she was going?"
"No. She said she would write and asked me not to come after
her. But how can I not Molly? She's my wife and she needs me.
Doesn't she know that?"
"Jack...only Rose knows what she needs and obviously she
knows she needs to get through this on her own...to get herself
together and if you love her as much as you say you do...you have
to honor her wishes. It's not like it was last time. She's going
to write to you and she does plan to come back...but only when
she's strong enough to be what you three need. But in the mean
time Jack, I'll remain on to help you out with the children and
the house. I think she'd want that," Molly squeezes his
shoulder reassuringly.
"Thank-you Molly," Jack forces a smile. "I really
do appreciate this."
"Think nothing of it Jack. It's the best I can do,"
Molly smiles. "Now dinner's ready and it's time to put
something in ya. Let's go before it gets cold."
"Just a minute Molly. I'm just going to go check on the
children," Jack smiled, leaving the room.
He enters the nursery and looks down at his children and wonder
how Rose could just leave them behind like this. She must have
come in to say good-bye to them. "Don't worry guys. She'll
be back. I know she will," Jack smiled down at the children
before heading downstairs for dinner.