AFTER TITANIC
BOOK ONE
Chapter Forty-Four
Rose stretches as she awakens
to the pounding of the door. Taking one look at the sleeping
little girl stretched out on a cot Rose gets up and opens the
door to reveal Molly, a look of determination on her face.
"Molly?" Rose asked surprised. "What are you doing
here?"
"Jack needs ya Rose," Molly places a hand on her hip.
"What?What happened to Jack? Is he well? He isn't sick is
he?"
"No darlin. But his grandpa died two days ago. That boy's
trying to be strong for Kathy and the twins but he's hurtin to.
He needs his wife at his side Rose...and he needs her now before
he leaves for Boston tomorrow morning."
"Jack's leaving California?" Rose asked, her eyes
widening in shock.
"He has no choice Rose. He has to be there for the execution
of the will," Molly softens some. "That's why I'm here.
To collect you and take you home to him. He needs ya Rose. He
won't say it and he won't write and tell you to come home. But he
does. I can see it in his eyes."
Jack. Her Jack in pain. Rose held back tears. He was always there
for her. But where was she when he needed her most? "Let me
get our things together and Lindsey ready for travel," Rose
nods, heading back into her room.
"Lindsey?" Molly is confused.
"Yes. Didn't Jack tell you? I wrote him all about her,"
Rose turns to Molly.
"all Jack told me was that a little girl was left in your
care," Molly said. He lived for your letters Rose. He really
did. He'd rush out to the mailbox everyday looking for a letter
from you."
"Oh Molly, I missed him so much. Being away from him was
like not breathing. He really is my lifeline Molly," Rose
sighed, taking two suitcases out of her closet.
"Then why did you leave him Rose? I'm telling ya, it's
amazing how understanding he is. Not many husbands would stick
around after the second time the wife leaves them," Molly
shakes her head.
"Don't you think I know that Molly? But it was like I told
Jack. I wasn't living up to my duty as a wife and mother. They
didn't need me moping around neglecting my duties to them...they
deserved better and I left to be better...for them...without
being a burden to Jack," Rose sighed. "Do you
understand?"
Molly slowly nods. "I understand what ya saying Rose. But
are you over Ruth's dying now?"
"No. Not really. But being forced to take care of that
little girl put things in perspective for me Molly. It made me
stop crying and start thinking...start really pulling it together
for a child who lost her mother too...who needed me to take her
place...for a little while anyway," Rose smiled. "Oh
Molly she's adorable and Jack's going to love her...I know he
will."
"He always had a place in his heart for children,"
Molly agreed. "That boy has more love inside of him than
anyone I know."
"That's why I'm lucky," Rose smiled.
"Listen, just get your stuff together. I'll get that child
packed up and ready to leave," Molly grinned. "Jack
will be surprised to see you darling. He really will."
"Rose?" A little voice asked, emerging from a bedroom.
"What's going on?"
"Oh Lindsey darling, you're up," Rose rushed to the
little girl's side. "We're going on a little trip darling.
We're going to go to my home and see my husband Jack. You'll like
h im Lindsey. He's real nice."
"Will he like me?"
"He'll love ya darlin," Molly grinned, her heart
melting at the small girl. Who wouldn't love such a darling
child.
"We're leaving now?" Lindsey asked, sticking her thumb
in her mouth.
"Mmmhmmm," Rose nods. "Why don't you help Mrs.
Molly over there get your things together while I pack mine and
we'll be on our way."
"Ok," Lindsey nods, disappearing back into the dark
room.
"Such an adorable child," Molly nods. "You did
good taking her in Rose. She'll need all the love and caring you
and Jack can give her after the loss of her mother."
"We have a lot in common," Rose quietly replied.
"I just want to give her the love and support Jack gives me.
That's all."
"Well you're doing a fine job of it. Now go get packed. We
have a long drive ahead of us if we're going to get you back to
Jack before daybreak."
Jack sighed forlornly as he locked the door to the beach house
for the last time. Looking up at the top floor window he bites
his lip. He hated leaving another house full of memories. He
didn't want to leave Santa Monica. He had no idea when he'd be
able to return and most of all he hated leaving Rose here in
California by herself, but there was no way of getting in touch
with her in time, and besides, she had asked him to leave her
alone and that's what he was going to do.
Taking one last look at the house, he begins for the car to start
for the train station when he notices another car coming up the
path....Molly's car? He had wondered where she had gotten off to
the night before, but she had never returned. He had asked Kathy
to come take the twins while he packed up and closed the house.
"Jack wait!" Molly hollered out the window. "I
have a surprise for ya!"
Jack looked confused. A surprise? What could that be? His eyes
grow big with surprise and happiness when he sees Rose come out
of the car, running towards him.
"Jack!" She throws her arms around him and hugs him
tightly.
"Rose," Jack hugs her twice as hard. "I'm so happy
you're here!"
"Oh Jack, I've missed you so much," Rose cried in
happiness in being in his arms again.
"I missed you too Rose," Jack strokes her now
shoulder-length straight hair. "Oh my goodness, you changed
so much. What happened to your hair?"
"You like it? I decided it was time for a change. I still
looked like I was seventeen years old, not nineteen," Rose
smiled.
"You look fantastic Rose. You always do."
"Oh Jack, Molly told me about your grandfather," Rose
hugs him again. "Oh Jack, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't
here for you. I should have been. I really should've been."
"Shhh Rose. It's okay. You're here now and that's all that
matters," Jack strokes her hair. "Here, I'll write down
the address so you can write," Jack begins searching for a
pen and paper when Rose takes his hand.
"I'm coming with you Jack," Rose quietly replied,
looking him directly in the eye.
"Rose...you don't have to. I know you need time and..."
"Jack I've had my time and benefitted from it. Now it's time
to come back where I belong. With you," Rose places a finger
on his mouth to silence him. "Where you go I go. Whether
that's to Boston or the moon."
"Oh Rose, you truly are wonderful. You know that?" Jakc
smiled. "I love you so much."
"I love you too Jack. And there's someone I'd like you to
meet." Rose turns to Molly and nods her head. Molly goes to
the back seat and picks up a little girl with light brown hair
and hazel eyes. She couldn't have been more than five years
old...the same age as little Cora aboard Titanic. "This is
Lindsey. The little girl I told you about in the letter."
Molly places the little girl on the ground and gently nudges
towards Jack and Rose. She shyly walks up and immediately hides
behind Rose.
Rose kneels down to the same level of the little girl.
"Lindsey, this is my husband Jack, the one I was telling you
about. Jack, this is Lindsey."
"Hi ya Lindsey," Jack kneels down like Rose and holds
out a hand. "I'm very pleased to meet ya."
"Hello," Lindsey shyly smiled, placing her tiny hand in
Jack's.
"Do you like candy Lindsey?" Jack asked, digging in his
pocket for one of the candy canes he let the twins chew on to
help with their teething.
The little girl shyly nods.
With a trick of the hand Jack had picked up during his travels
before Titanic, he brings a candy cane
"Wow," the little
girl grins, her big hazel eyes wide in awe. It's obvious that
Jack had charmed her. "How did you do that?"
"It's magic," Jack grinned. "I'll show you how
someday. Would you like that?"
Lindsey nods eagerly.
"Well I guess you three are all ready to go. Which means my
work here is done," Molly smiles.
"Molly...are you joining us?" Rose asked.
"Not this time darling. I'm heading back to my mansion in
Denver. My children are there and it's high time I start nosing
in their business. You take care of those children of yours and
drop me a line if you're ever in Colorado," Molly grinned.
"We sure will Molly," Jack smiled sadly, hating to see
the great Molly Brown leave, but he knew it was inevitable. She
couldn't remain a big part of their lives forever. She had her
own family to look after.
"Bye Molly," Rose waved as she watched her get in the
car and turn on the engine.
"See ya kids later!" Molly waves before driving on down
the dirt path.
"Bye Molly!" Both Jack and Rose waves as the car
disappears into the horizon.
"Come on Rose. Let's go pick up the twins and Kathy and head
on out for Boston," Jack smiled at his lovely wife and down
at the little girl. "Ready Lindsey?"
Lindsey just nods her head and they're on their way to start a
new life starting in Boston.