AFTER TITANIC
BOOK TWO
Chapter Two
Santa Monica California
Five days later...
Rose is upstairs packing the rest of her and Jack's
belongings when Eliza appears in the doorway.
"So it's true. You really are leaving," Eliza sniffed.
"When Jack stopped by to announce he was moving his family
to Boston...I couldn't believe it. If we didn't love it here so
much, we'd take up and follow you."
Rose laughed and gets up and hugs her friend. "You won't
believe how much I'm going to miss you and so will the
twins."
"Now don't forget to write everyday and keep us informed
about everything that goes on with your life and don't be afraid
to pick up the phone neither. Talk with me whenever you need
to," Eliza pulls away from the hug. "Good luck
Rose."
"You too. And take care of that baby when it arrives. And
don't worry. Motherhood is an instinct that kicks in when the
baby arrives. Trust me."
"I do," Eliza smiled. "I'm going to miss you Rose.
I really am. Thank you for everything. If it wasn't for you I'd
be married to Lee instead of Maxwell right now."
"Speaking of Lee Conway...did they ever arrest him?"
Rose asked.
"Well the Chippewa Falls authorities weren't going to do
anything, but this steel tychoon from Philadelphia came to town
and demanded that justice be served and had him departed here to
Santa Monica where he got a sentence of twenty years with no
parole. Can you believe it? No one knows who this fella was and
what business it was of his."
"Eliza...what was this tychoon's name? Did anybody get
it?"
"Oh yes. Caledon Hockley...oh my...he's your ex-fiancee
wasn't he?"
"Yes and I think a guilty conscious of what he tried to do
to me and Jack had gotten to him. But I'm not going to forgive
him...I can't. It wasn't only what he did on Titanic...it was
what he did to me before Titanic as well. He was awful."
"I'm sure he was." Eliza nods.
Rose jumps as the honk of a car horn sounds outside.
"Well I guess that's Jack. It's time to be going."
"Oh Rose," Eliza begins to cry. "I'm going to miss
you terribly. I was looking forward to raising our children
together and everything."
"Oh eliza don't cry. Jack and I will come back every now and
then to visit and we'll bring the children. And you three will
come visit us in Boston. You'll love it Eliza. You really
would," Rose hugs her sobbing friend. "Take care of
yourself."
"I will. Good-bye Rose," Eliza sniffed, walking her
friend outside and waves as they drive down the dirt path. She'll
never forget how Jack and Rose had changed her life and will
always be grateful to them for that. Once the car has disappeared
into the horizon, Eliza sighed sadly and headed for home where
her husband was waiting.