CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Rose sighs with contentment the next morning as she steps out onto the porch. She woke up early, even before Jack and decides to take a breath of fresh air and take time to think back on her life so far. Looking out at the few twinkling stars left in the sky, Rose thought back to that horrible night, when she had thought that both her and Jack were going to die. That whole experience had brought her closer to Jack, closer than she ever been to anyone. When she was with him, she was finally complete.
"Interesting what you read in the papers now a days," Richie clears his throat, startling Rose. She had thought she was alone.
"You’re up," Rose sighs in relief when she saw who it was.
"Yep. Since pa insists on waking me first, I decided to beat him to the punch. Good thing I did. I got first crack at this morning’s paper. I love reading. Especially the society pages. It’s amazing who you see," Richie turns a page, not looking at Rose, his face nonchalant.
There was nothing really threatening about him, but yet, she was on guard. Jack’s older brother was definitely up to something.
"Debutantes, old crushes. Mysterious sister in laws," Richie holds up the page, her picture plastered on the front. In italics it read rest in peace our lovely Rose. "I must say the resemblance is amazing. Just think, a girl here in wisconsin spliting image of a dead debutante drowned on Titanic, of which she was on also. Except the debutante was the beloved fiancee of a steel mill giant. Don’t you find that intriguing Mrs. Dawson? Or shall I say Miss Dewitt Bukater?"
Rose’s face turns pale. She knew this was too good to be true. Sooner or later someone was going to bring up her past once again. "What do you want?"
"I want to know who you really are. I knew there was something different about you the moment I came home. You looked familiar. I know you met my brother on the Titanic, what I want to know is why a first class dame, engaged to one of the richest men in the country decides to fake her death and wed my brother, who by the way is poorer than dirt?"
"Has it ever occurred to you that I love him?"
"Love him?" Richie laughs. "Love! Oh the minds of young people! Let me clue you in on reality dear. I was once young like you and my brother and believed that love made the world go round. I too fell in love with a rich chick when I was a tender age of twenty. Yes, the same age as Jack. I was young, wide-eyed and naive. I fell in love with Gloria Hiesenburg. You may know her, she was of Philadelphian society. I thought she loved me and would give up everything for me. But I was wrong. It was the night I was going to propose when she got married to Duke Sheffield…you know him?"
Rose only nods. She knew both Gloria and Duke, both unbelievable snobs, despite her mother’s encouragement for her to befriend them, Rose advoided them as much as possible.
"Well anyway, I met her again one last time and begged her to come away with me. Secretly divorice the man and be my wife instead. She laughed at me. Told me I was a fool to believe that she would give up all that wealth to live in squalor and filth with me. I was heartbroken, and bitter. It left me broken, hardened against love."
"Richie…I’m sorry for your bad experience, but Jack and I…we’re different. A lot different. Where Gloria refused to give up her riches for you, I already have for Jack. Plus, not to mention we risked it all for each other. You know how many times I had a chance to get on a lifeboat? Two. Twice, but I didn’t. The first time, Jack was locked down below by Cal and his Valet. I had to go save him. The second time, Jack talked me into getting on one, but…I couldn’t go without him. I jumped back onto the ship. I looked up and saw the tears and the fear of dying in his eyes and I made up my mind there and then that life was not worth living without him. That even if we ended up dying, at least I would have had those extra moments with Jack.
"When we were on Carpathia, and Jack was suffering from hypothermia, I was by his bedside the minute the doctors allowed me to be and never left his side since. We saved each other sort to speak. And I’ll be forever thankful to God for bringing Jack to me."
Richie laughed. "How poetic. Too bad I don’t believe you."
"Well whether you believe me or not is not relevant. I love Jack and he loves me and that’s all that matters. You can chop it up as being young and niave if you want. I really don’t care."
"What would you say if I called poor Mrs. Dewitt Bukater and Mr. Hockley and told them that their dearly departed Rose was down here slumming it sort to speak.
Rose looks at him, her eyes wide in disbelief. "You wouldn’t. You wouldn’t invite the man who tried to kill your brother on a sinking ship down here would you? Not after Jack stood up for you and everything."
"I’m not saying I’d call the people, I’m just asking what would you do?" Richie laughed. "Honestly Rose, I do like you. You’re a good person and I believe that you believe that you love my brother. But I’m thinking that this time next year, if not sooner, you’re going to come to your senses and break my brother’s heart. I just want him prepared when you do. You see, all you rich dames are alike. I’d die before seeing my brother a broken man like I am."
Rose sighed. "Richie, I’m sorry for your bad experience ok. But despite what you think, I’m nothing like Gloria. We’re night and day. I love Jack and will never leave him. No matter what you, my mother or my ex-fiancee has to say about it. So if you want to call Caledon Hockley go ahead. I handled him before and I’ll handle again."
"There you are Richie!" Charles comes out and glares at his son. "Time to go to work. Oh morning Rose. It’s a surprise to see you up this early."
"Good morning. I just
thought I’d come out and get some air. I better get in.
Jack’s probably wondering where I got off to," Rose
smiled. "See you at breakfast Richie."
"Later Rose," Richie nods before following his father
off the porch.
Rose sighs and gasps in surprise when she feels two strong arms wrap around her from behind.
"Morning my beautiful Rosebud," Jack kissed her cheek affectionately.
"Jack," She sighs in relief.
Jack laughs amused. "What? Did I scare you? I’m sorry."
"That’s okay. I was just deep in thought."
"About what?" Jack asked curiously, frowning when he saw how serious Rose looked.
Rose looks down away from his questioning gaze. She wondered if she should tell Jack about the conversation with Richie. But then again she better not. After all, Jack and Richie were getting their relationship started again and she didn’t want to give Jack’s father a reason to kick Richie out.
"Oh I don’t know. Our life. How much I’ve changed since Titanic."
Jack softly touches her cheek and looks meaningfully into her eyes. "Remember when I called you a spoiled brat?"
Rose scrowls and nods.
"Well let’s just say you’re not that spoiled brat anymore. You’ve grown up a lot Rose and I’m proud of you," Jack kisses her tenderly.
"We both have," Rose smiles, kissing him back, longer and deeper.
"Jack! Are you coming or not!" Richie called.
"Leave the boy alone!" Charles glares at his oldest son.
"I better go before Richie
gets really mad," Jack laughed. "See you at breakfast
Rose."
"Ok," Rose smiles, letting him go. She stands on the
porch and watches Jack join his brother and father and sighs
thoughtfully. Her life here at Chippewa Falls was perfect. Well
nearly perfect. Her past was always finding a way to remind her
that it wasn’t going to disappear. Well maybe it was time to
do something about that. Maybe it was time to make peace with her
past and lay it to rest for good.
*
That evening, after dinner, Rose sets at the desk her mother in law uses to write out bills and letters and stares down at a blank page of stationary. She had decided it was time to write her mother and confront her with the truth. Let her know that her daughter Mrs. Rose Dawson was alive and well and there was no need for her to put on the act of grieveing mother anymore. She wasn’t going to beg and plead to her mother for forgiveness or not to tell Cal. She would just let Ruth know that she was alive and happily married and let that be it.
Dear Ruth,
You may be wondering who you may know from a little nowhere town suchas Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. But you do know one person, me. Your daughter Rose. Mrs. Rose Dawson actually. Jack and I are now happily married and very much in love. We’re living with his parents for right now until we head out for the horizon again or get a house of our own. Whichever comes first.
I know you think me horrible for allowing you to think me dead for all this time, but believe me, I had my reasons. Reason number one, I was not about to allow you to force me to marry that barbarian Caledon Hockley. The things he’s done to Jack and myself are abominable. I know you think he’s the perfect gentleman and stuff, but he’s not mother. He’s tried to kill both me and Jack and from the looks from the money in his coat pocket, tried to buy his way off the ship. He’s a coward and doesn’t deserve the second chance at life that he has. Jack has more class and respect in his little finger than Cal does. Reason 2, I was and still am very angry with you for trying to force me into marrying him. Even after you knew I didn’t love him. How could you mother? Selling your daughter off like she was a piece of property! Do you know how that makes me feel? To know that my own mother thought so little of me? But my anger has faded a little, namely thanks to Jack. I think his kindness and forgiving nature has rubbed off on me. He is the most loving man I’ve ever known, next to daddy that is. I think daddy would have liked Jack. They’re a lot alike.
Mother, despite everything, I do still love you, even though I’m still angry I don’t have that sense of vengence anymore. I used to feel happy that you were suffering. Paying for what you did to me. But now…I feel guilty. I shouldn’t have let you think me dead, not for this long anyway. So I’m appeasing my concious and writing you. I hope someday we can come to some sort of truce and be able to at least be friends. But right now, I don’t know if that’s possible, because I’m still angry with you, and I’m sure you’re going to be quite angry at me. Mother, I’m not going to ask for your forgiveness because I have done nothing to be forgiving for. I just stood up for myself and for the man I love. This is the end of this letter mother. Whether this is good-bye is totally up to you. Whether you go running to Cal about this is also up to you. I’m not going to beg you not to tell him. Because you would anyway if you want to. Besides I can handle Cal. I’m no longer afraid of him. I’m stronger woman than I used to be. Now I’m doing things my way. I have a loving family now. A wonderful husband, a great sister-in-law and two loving parents in law and they’re all the strength I need.
Good-bye mother,
Rose Dawson
"Whatcha doing?" Jack asks, placing his hands on her shoulders and look down at the letter.
"Doing something I should have done a long time ago," Rose sighed, leaning back. "Writing my mother."
Jack smiles slightly. "I knew you would eventually. All you needed was time."
"I’m still angry with her Jack, but I was being overly cruel letting her believe me dead this long," Rose sighed. "What if she and Cal come here?"
"We handle them, like we did before," Jack smiles. "Together."
Rose lays her hand over his and sighs happily. "Together. You know Jack, as long as I have you, I can do anything. You’re my strength."
"No you’re your own strength. Your courage is just greater now than it was before. I guess Titanic gave us all a lot more courage," Jack kissed the top of her head.
"Jack," Nancy comes in and stands behind her son. Your did your father neglect to tell you that Richie needs help out back?"
"I guess he did. I’ll be right there," Jack turns back to Rose. "Hey don’t worry too much ok. Whatever happens, we have each other."
Rose smiles and nods as Jack kisses her and goes out to join his brother.
"You bring out the best in that boy Rose. I don’t know how you do it," Nancy grins. Remembering a time when Jack wasn’t as quick to help his brother.
"Really it’s Jack that brings out the best in me. I don’t know where I would have ended up without him," Rose sighs happily. "I better go get this ready to mail tomorrow morning. The sooner this gets out the better."