12
"Would you like me to stay Rose? Make sure you’re ok?" Jack asked, holding her hand as they stood in front of her house.
"That won’t be necessary Jack. I’ve handled my mother before. I can handle her now. Jack…I’d like to thank you for all you’ve done for me . If it wasn’t for you, I could be heading for a camp right now."
Jack smiled, squeezing her
hand. "I’d never let that happen to you Rosie. Not in a
billion years."
"I better go," Rose sighed, looking at the lit window
at the side of the door. "Mother must be waiting."
"Well…good night Rose," Jack gently kissed her again before stepping away and disappearing into the night.
"Night Jack," Rose sighed before heading inside where Ruth stood tapping her foot. "Mother."
"I thought we had a agreement Rose. You were to stay away from that boy," Ruth coldly stared at Rose.
"No mother, you had an agreement. I never said I’d stay away from Jack. Besides, our agreement seems to be null and void. The authorities already know about my…condition."
Ruth laughed. "Oh no darling. Only Cal knows. I thought he had the right to know who he was taking as a bride. Fortunately he’s decided that you’ll be a suitable enough bride as long as no one else know of your bloodline. Now I suggest that you cut off ties with that boy before I have a talk with Mr. Hockley." Glaring one more time at her daughter, Ruth disappeared up the stairs.
"I’ll never marry Caledon Hockley mother," Rose rubbed her shoulders. "Never. I would rather end up in a camp than married to him."
As she said those words, a sense of comfort came over her, knowing that Jack wouldn’t let that happen to her. She didn’t know how she got so lucky to have met Jack, who accepted her no matter what she was. Sighing, she headed up the stairs to her room, ready to drift off into dreams of Jack and their future together.