CHAPTER TWELVE
The next day was brought on by the sound of a baby’s crying. Seeing that the crying wasn’t about to stop, Leah got up and went into Rose’s room, where Jake was in his baby bed, crying and Rose’s bed layed empty, a envelope laid on the pillow. Furrowing her brow, Leah picked it up and read:
Dear Leah and Jack,
By time you read this, I will hopefully be far from Chippewa Falls. After giving it much thought, and spying you two together on the porch earlier, I knew what I had to do. Both You Jack and our son are better off with Leah. She loves you Jack . Knowing this, I feel right about this decision and know that she will extend that love to Jake as well. He is much better off with the both of you…a mother and a father instead of just a mother off on her own. Believe me, this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do….to walk away from the only man I’ve ever loved and our precious son, who has been my only reason for living this past year. I will truly be lost with out the both of you, but know this is for the best. Please tell Jake his mother loved him very much and is sorry, but she had to do what was best for him and his father, and that was to leave. I love you Jack, now and forever and will never forget our all too short time together. I want to thank you Jack. You saved me from a loveless marriage to Cal and gave me so much more than Cal had ever given me. I wish both you and Leah the best in the future. Give Jake a kiss and hug for me and tell him I’m so sorry.
Love Rose Dawson.
Leah looks over the letter again and again, not believing what she’s reading. Rose was gone, and she had left her infant son with her and Jack….Jack’s son. He will be so happy to get this chance. She picks up the baby, comforting him with soft words, reassuring him that everything will be fine. After dressing herself and the baby, Leah and Jake head out for the Dawson house. Jack is standing on the porch staring off into the horizon. He doesn’t notice his visitors until they’re on the porch.
"Jack," Leah announced her presence.
"Leah, what are you doing here? And with Jake?" Jack asked, turning and taking his son.
"Rose is gone and she left this," Leah hands the letter over to Jack. He reads the letter and the look that appears in his eyes makes her heart want to break. He was devastated.
"How long has she been gone?"
"I don’t know," Leah shruggs. "Jake was crying and I found it on the bed. She was already gone."
"She left Jake…but she adored him…she wouldn’t leave him…"
"She knew he was better off here with us," Leah nods, a new found respect for Rose evident in her voice. "It takes a strong woman to do this."
"Yeah," Jack looks at his son, his eyes betraying his true emotions.
"Jack," Leah lays a hand on his shoulder. "Don’t be so sad. Jake will get used to us. He’ll forget Rose."
Jack shakes his head. "I don’t think that’s even possible."
"Of course it will be," Leah placed a gentle hand on Jack’s shoulder. "He’s only nine months old."
"Leah don’t you get it? I don’t want Jake to forget his mother! I don’t want to be separated, I never wanted that! I wanted…" Jack sighs in frustration and glares up at the sky. "I wanted a family…not this."
Leah’s heart came crashing to the ground. She knew instantly what Jack meant by this. It wasn’t that he wanted just a family…he wanted a family with Rose. He wanted Rose…not her. She should have known. Jack was a honorable man. He had promised to marry her and he was honoring that, no matter what it costed him…even the woman he truly loved. And Rose…she was just as noble…giving not only Jack up but her son as well. Getting nothing but heartache in return.
"We are a family," Leah tests her theory. She nods knowingly when Jack just shrugs his shoulders.
"I guess you can call this that."
Leah bites her lips. She was about to show both Jack and Rose that they weren’t the only ones that can be noble. That she too could love enough to do what was right. Besides, Jack never loved her the way a man loves the woman he was about to marry. She could tell that from the beginning. It was just that she had loved him forever and wanted to be with him so badly. She had convinced herself that she could make him love her the way a man loves a wife. That as soon as they were married he’d put the whole Titanic thing behind him. But she had been wrong to think that. She should never had started dating Jack. She should have remained just friends. Wringing her hands she prepared herself to lose the man she loved.
"Jack…you’re still in love with her aren’t you?" Leah asked.
Jack looked at her as if he was about to deny it, then a sort of resignation appeared in his eyes. He couldn’t lie to Leah. He never could. "I’m sorry."
"No Jack. Don’t be sorry. Don’t ever be sorry for loving her like you do. It’s obvious that it’s the real thing. Look at what you two were about to give up…that’s true love Jack. And I can’t stand in the way of that. I won’t. Go to her Jack. Take your son and go find your soulmate. I’m sorry to have been the cause of this separation."
"Leah…I don’t know what to say…thank you," Jack smiled warmly, hugging her. "I really am sorry that things never worked out between us Leah. If things were different…"
"I know but they aren’t. Obviously we’re only meant to be best friends, nothing more. I see that now. There’s someone out there for me Jack, I know there is."
"There is Leah and you’ll know him when you see him," Jack smiled knowingly at her.
"Well you better go if you’re going to catch up with her. I have a feeling she may still be at the train depot. Good-bye Jack. Write me and let me know how everything turned out."
"I will Leah. Thank you…and I love you."
"I know. Goodbye Jack."
Jack sadly smiled as his best friend turned and disappeared down the path, grateful that she loved him enough to let him go. He truly did wish her the best and hoped that she would find someone to love her like she deserved."
"Mama!" Jake declared.
Jack laughed. "Don’t worry Jake. We’re on our way right now to get your mama."