6
Rose laid in the dark room, staring up at the ceiling. Sadness and regret filled her as she thought about her mother in the concentration camp. Being worked to death…or worse. She’s heard horror stories about Auschwitz. Sure they were only fairy tales, or so she’s been told. But still, all fairy tales come from a place of truth. She sighed, and looked away from the ceiling. It was her fault. She knew that. If she had just gone ahead and married Cal, everything would be fine. Her mother would be free and she would have been…miserable. Rose wondered why she couldn’t have a happy life without all the nasty consequences like everyone else? Why did she have to suffer? Why must someone have to pay for her happiness?
"Rose?" Emma Jean knocked on the door, her voice full of concern. "Can I come in?"
"Ok," Rose sighed. She really didn’t want any company, but she didn’t want to seem rude either. The Dawson’s have been so kind to her. Accepting her into their lives with open arms. Accepting her love for Jack. They were good people.
"Honey, do you want to talk about it? It may help," Emma Jean sat next to Rose, her eyes full of sympathy. "It helped Jack."
"I’m not Jack Emma. He could never have done what I did to my mother."
Emma frowned. What did Rose have to do with her mother being sent to one of those awful camps she’s heard so much about? "Rose…I don’t understand."
Rose sighed. "Well…you already know that my father was Jewish…right? Well my mother didn’t. She was furious when she found out. She then arranged an engagement between Caledon Hockley and myself…a soon to be Nazi soldier. I didn’t want to marry him and I told her so. But you see…my mother is a cold, hard woman. She ruled that house with an iron fist. She wasn’t above using threats to get what she wanted. So she threatened me. Told me to marry Cal or she would send me to Auschwitz.."
"She sounds like a pretty horrible woman to me."
"She was. But she was my mother. All I ever wanted was for her to love me. But nothing I did was ever good enough. After everything she’s done to me…I still love her and I’m sorry that she’s in that camp while I’m here in America. As free as a bird."
"But Rose, you shouldn’t be sorry. Ruth was a horrible woman. She was a bully. She had already tried to send you to that exact same camp she’s in now. If hadn’t saved you when he did…it would be you in there right now."
"I know. I know all of this. But she’s my mother!" Rose burst into tears.
"Rose?" Jack entered the room with a bouquet of red roses. He’s dismayed to find Rose crying like this. He wished he could do something to make her feel happy again. "Rose, what’s wrong? Hey look. I’ve brought you some roses. They’re freshly picked from Mrs. Meyer’s garden. She thought these beautiful roses would be perfect for my beautiful Rose."
He held the flowers out to her, hoping that they would stop her tears and bring her smile back. "Hey, I have a plan. Why don’t we go out tonight? Take our mind off of everything."
Rose looked at jack, her misery spilling out in tears. She wondered when he was going to open his eyes and see the horrible girl she really was. When was he going to leave her? Soon probably. He deserved someone wonderful. Not someone responsible for their own mother being put away. "Not tonight, Jack. I’m not up to it. Maybe some other time. Rose got up and headed for the door. "I’ll be back. I’m going to take a walk to the lake."
When she was gone, Jack sank down to the bed, burying his head in his hands, his worry for Rose consuming him. He was at a loss on how to cheer her up. How to clear away the dark clouds that had suddenly crowded in on her.
"What’s wrong?" Emma Jean asked, touching Jack’s shoulder. She didn’t like seeing Jack like this. So…so hopeless. "
"I’m worried about her Emmy. She’s taking this so hard. She’s been through so much already. She really didn’t need this. Why? Why can’t they just let her be happy?"
"Shhh Jack. She is happy. She’s just in shock right now. Her mother was just sent to a camp. It’s quite a blow."
"Damn Ruth Dewitt Bukater. She doesn’t deserve any of Rose’s tears. Not even a drop."
Emma Jean sighed, getting to her feet. Only one thing was going to make her cousin feel better, and obviously, she was going to have to point it out to him. "Go after her Jack. She needs you right now. Go be with her."
Jack looked at his cousin, remembering how wise he had though she was when he had once visited with his father. "You’re right. Uh…thank you for the advice."
Emma Jean just smiled, watching him rush out the door, on his way to the lake to meet and talk to Rose. Ah. To be young and in love.
~*~
Jack found Rose setting on the banks of Lake Wissota, totally involved in her own world as she stared off into the depths of the lake before her.
"Ruth would have hated it here," Rose began talking, sensing Jack’s presence behind her. She knew he would come after her. He wouldn’t have been her Jack if he hadn’t.
Jack sat beside her, not really knowing what to say. What could he say? He was sorry that Ruth got her just desserts after what she had tried to do to Rose? Well he couldn’t say that. It’d be like asking Rose to forgive his mother for allowing her boyfriend to beat him. "Do you want to tell me about her? What she was like before the Nazi’s?"
Rose looked at him curiously, the tears drying from her eyes. "Do you really want to hear this?"
Jack nodded. "I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t."
Rose smiled sheepishly before going into her story. Jack was truly a wonderful man. She fell more and more in love with him each and every day. "Ruth Dewitt Bukater was never a warm person. She was cold to both my father and me. She ruled over the both of us with an iron fist. She made my father work constantly to keep us in the lap of luxury and as for me…I was never allowed to go out and play with the other kids. She was to busy trying to make me into miniature version of herself…which didn’t work. She hated me for that. When it became obvious that I couldn’t be the person she wanted me to be, she started the name-calling and snide remarks. She was never going to love me. That was painfully clear. Nothing I did was ever good enough for her. Even agreeing to marry Cal wasn’t good enough."
Jack wrapped a secure arm around Rose. He was thankful that he had gotten Rose away from that horrible woman when he did. Ruth was a monster and deserved what she had gotten.
"Jack…why do I feel so guilty? She treated me horribly. I should hate her. I should be glad that she’s suffering the very fate she had in mind for me. But I’m not. Jack, I feel so bad about what I’ve done! She’s my mother…I shouldn’t have been so selfish," Rose buried her head in her trembling hands, her sobs shaking her body.
"Rose, you weren’t selfish. It’s her. She was the selfish one. She wanted you to marry Cal for her own gain. But her plan backfired and now she is paying the price for her greed. But you Rose. You are kind and giving. You deserve all the happiness that our life here in America has to offer."
"But Jack…I have no idea if my decision was the right one. I feel…so mixed up inside."
"Oh Rose," Jack pulled her close in a warm embrace. "This was the right decision. It saved both of our lives."
"Both of ours?" Rose looked at him confused. Jack had been set. He would have gotten out no matter what. He hadn’t needed Rose. In fact, she was extra baggage.
Jack smiled sheepishly. "You don’t really think I would have left Germany with out you do you? Why the thought of that…it’s inconceivable."
"Jack…I…" She wanted to tell him that he was the best thing that had ever happened to her. But she couldn’t seem to form the words.
Smiling Jack pressed a finger against her lips. "Our life Rose…it’s going to get better from here on out. We’ll soon be married and we’ll have a beautiful life here in America."
Looking into his eyes, Rose knew that every word Jack had said was true. Sure, they were both sad when they fist arrived in this strange country, but now the dark clouds were clearing and she could see the bright future in store for them both. Wiping away her remaining tears, Rose leaned against Jack, wanting to start their future as soon as possible.