35
Christmas Eve…
The Dawson house was again full of activity. The tree was now fully decorated and Jolene, Richie, and Jacklyn were singing carols while Jack sat on the stairs sketching the scene. Rose and Ruth were in the kitchen helping Nancy with dinner. The light knock on the door was almost unheard. Luckily Weaver had excellent hearing. He opened the door to a heavyset-lady who was obviously upper-class.
"May I help you?" Weaver asked.
"I’m looking for Jack and Rose Dawson honey," Molly Brown sat down the suitcases she was carrying.
"Excuse me?" Weaver frowned. His nephew sure was coming in contact with a lot of upper-crust people. He wondered what secret the young couple were keeping.
"Jack and Rose Dawson. I believe this is their house sonny," Molly placed her hands on her hips.
"Molly!" Rose came out of the kitchen and immediately went to embrace her friend. "you came!"
"Of course I did. I did promise you that I’d come on christmas and with Jack being alive after all, I had to come. So where is our young artist anyway," Molly pushed pass Weaver to see Jack heavily concentrating on his drawing.
"Jack look who’s here!" Rose grabbed his attention.
Jack looked up and his eyes immediately lit up with surprise. "Molly!" He stood up to hug the older woman. "It sure is great to see you! What brings you here?"
"I promised Rose I’d return on Christmas and here I am. Bearing gifts mind you," Molly laughed, then looked sternly at the young man. "And that was a scare you gave us all young man, disappearing like that. But you’re back now and it’s great to see the light in Rose’s eyes has returned."
"Molly you didn’t have to bring us any gifts," Rose laughed.
"Oh nonsense. I see you two as my adopted kids, and since I brought gifts for my own, that entitles you two as well."
"So Molly, where are you staying?" Rose asked, leaning against Jack as he came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
"The Chippewa Inn. A real quaint place," Molly grinned. "So, tell me who this fella is," Molly turned to Weaver.
"My uncle Weaver. Uncle Weaver, this is Molly Brown from Denver Colorado. She’s a close friend to Rose and I," Jack introduced.
"Have we met?" Weaver stared at Molly, sure that he’s seen her before.
"Nope. Sorry to say we haven’t. But any uncle of Jack’s is a friend of mine," Molly shook Weaver’s hand enthusiastically.
"Rose!" Ruth came out of the kitchen and stopped in her tracks when she saw Molly. "Molly…what are you doing here?"
"To spend Christmas with Jack and Rose of course!" Molly laughed. "It’s good to see ya Ruth. It really is!"
"Rose, we need you in the kitchen," Ruth turned her attention back to her daughter.
"Yes mother," Rose sighed, following Ruth into the kitchen, knowing that Jack would take good care of Molly.
"Well that’s something I never thought I’d live to see," Molly shook her head, staring after the two women that had gone into the kitchen.
"What Molly?" Jack asked confused.
"Ruth Dewitt Bukater in the kitchen," Molly burst into laughter. "Wonders never cease!"
Jack had to laugh to. "No they don’t."
Weaver sighed as there was another knock on the door. He opened it to Bill, who held a wrapped gift in his hand.
"Jack?" Bill peered behind Weaver to see Jack talking to a heavy-set woman, who immediately recognized as the Unsinkable Molly Brown.
"Bill!" Jack greeted his friend. "Merry Christmas! What brings you by?"
"I brought a gift for you and your lovely wife. I didn’t know you had company."
"Oh that’s quite alright. I’d like to introduce you both since you both saved my life in one way or another. Molly, this is Bill. Bill this is Molly Brown."
"Ah yes, I heard of you. You were that lady who took charge of that lifeboat when that ship sank. Plus you’re married to that fella who struck oil out west."
"Ex-husband actually," Molly grinned, shaking the man’s hand. "And you’re the man that took Jack in after that horrible accident. Well I say it’s a real honor to meet ya."
"Jack your mother wants…" Ruth stopped in midstride when she sat eyes on Bill, her face went ten shades of pale. "Oh my lord."
Bill’s eyes widen in instant recognition. He couldn’t believe she was here at the Dawsons. Ruth Dewitt was one woman he had never planned to see ever again…not after her folks made her marry that rich fella in Philadelphia. After all the pleading he did for her to just run off with him, she had refused. She didn’t want to be ousted from her world of riches and luxery. So she broke his heart and married Albert Bukater and Bill had left Philadelphia and made his way to Chippewa Falls where he lived alone with his misery. He had never expected to see her again, especially not here in the Dawson’s foyer. "Hello Ruth. Long time no see."
"You two know each other?" Jack asked, his eyes full of curiousity. He had a feeling that the next couple of days were going to be very interesting.
"What a small world this is," Molly shook her head with amusement. Bill and Ruth were now looking at each other the way Jack and Rose look at each other. Could this be a romantic pairing?
"Yes…we met…a long time ago," Ruth cleared her throat. "It’s good to see you again Bill, but this is a family gathering and…"
"Bill is family Ruth," Jack interrupted. "After saving my life, he’s a honorary Dawson."
"Oh…you’re the one who saved Jack’s life?"
"Yeah. But I didn’t know he was related to you."
"Is that supposed to mean something Mr. Davenport?"
"No. Not at all. I’m
just saying that I didn’t know he was related to you."
"He’s my son in law. Married to my daughter Rose."
Bill’s eyes widen with disbelief. No matter what he thought Rose looked a bit familiar. "So you’re Rose’s mother?"
"Mother…oh Bill you’ve come by!" Rose smiled as she saw her guest and then frowned when she noticed the slight tension in the room. "Mother? What’s going on here? What did you say to Bill?"
Jack laughed. "Rose, they know each other. From where I don’t know, but something’s obviously going on between them at the moment."
Having enough, Weaver sighed. "Are you coming in or staying out there?"
"Coming in," Bill frowned at Weaver. He definitely didn’t like Weaver Dawson.
"Come on in
everyone," Jack beckoned. "This is Christmas. No one
should be gloomy for the next couple of days!"
The day wore on and finally it’s the evening. Dinner was eaten and now the group were in the living room. Rose had her head on Jack’s shoulder and was stroking her extended abdomen. She looked up into his eyes, lost in the world that only contained them. Bill on the other hand was in turmoil. All through the night he had observed both Rose and Ruth and noticed that Rose had some of his mother’s looks and mannerisms, something he hasn’t noticed until now.
He had done the math in his head and came up with a startling theory…a theory he had to run past Ruth. He wondered if she’ll even be honest with him, but he had to at least confront her if he was ever going to find peace again.
"Ruth…can we talk? Out on the porch?" He whispered in her ear.
Ruth took a deep breath. Talking to Bill Davenport alone was the last thing she wanted to do. He was a insect. A dangerous insect that must be squashed immediately if she was ever going to have a relationship with Rose. But it was obvious he wasn’t going to take no for a answer.
"Very well," She sighed. Looking at the room full of people that weren’t paying neither of them any mind, she followed Bill out onto the porch. "What is this about?"
"I did the math Ruth and I want the truth. You and I were together once…six weeks before your wedding to Albert Bukater. I want to know…is Rose my daughter?"
"You are being absurd!" Ruth’s voice was as cold as ice. "I’m going back inside!"
Bill grabbed her arm, holding her tight so she couldn’t get away. Everything was slowly making sense now. His patermal feelings towards Rose…the eyes that were identical to his mother’s…her smile too belonged to his mother. "I want the truth now Ruth. Both Rose and myself deserve to know the truth…I think I already know the truth, but I want to hear it from you."
Ruth’s head bowed in defeat, then her icy stanced returned. "She’ll never accept you. Albert was her father and she loved him dearly…"
"But did Albert father
her, or were you sleeping with him at the time too?"
Ruth’s slap stung his face, but he had to be brutal with her
to get her to fess up.
"You were the only one I was sleeping with Mr. Davenport. I had to pass Rose off as Alberts or we both would have been out on the streets! I’m sure you wouldn’t have wanted that for your daughter."
"I would have liked to know I had a daughter Ruth. You could have at least told me you were expecting!"
"That wasn’t possible. So what do we do now?"
"….I don’t know. We’re going to have to tell her Ruth. She has the right to know."
"No! No Bill! Rose already dislikes me now! She’ll absolutely hate me if you tell her I lied about who her father was!"
"That’s something you’ll just have to risk," Bill sighed, turning to go back into the house.
"Bill wait! Please wait
until the holidays are over! Why ruin her first Christmas with
Jack? What’s the rush?"
Bill sighed. Ruth was right. Rose could wait to learn that he was
her real father. But she was going to know as soon as Christmas
was over. That was one thing he swore to himself.