1
April
15th , 1913
It’s been a whole year since the worst
night of her life. Rose stood at the
trainstation saying good-bye to Molly and her five month old son Robbie. After talking it over with Molly Rose had
decided to head to Chippewa Falls to find information on Jack. She wanted to know more about the man that
had stole her heart and given her a
beautiful son. But both
herself and Molly had decided that it was inappropriate to take her baby with
her. Robbie needed stability and life
on the road was as unstable as one could get.
So Molly had agreed to take care of Robbie until Rose returned from her
trip.
“Now Robbie…be good for Auntie
Molly. I’ll be back as soon as possible
with some information about your daddy,” Rose hugged her son closely, stroking
his blond curls. She couldn’t believe she was leaving him
behind. It was one of the hardest
things she had to do. She wanted more
than anything to take him with her, but she knew that Molly was right. It would be a bad idea.
Robbie only cooed and giggled in reply
as Rose handed him back to Molly. “You
do remember all his favorite songs and stories right?”
“Sure do darlin,” Molly smiled
symphetically. She remembered what it
was like being a young mother leaving her baby for the first time.
“Now he likes being rocked gently, not
too hard nor fast…”
“Rosie I know,” Molly laughed just as
the last boarding call sounded. “We’ll
see you when you return.”
“Ok. Bye Molly and thank you,” Rose
hugged her friend. “Good-bye Robbie,”
Releasing them, Rose dashed to the train, unaware of what was waiting for her
in Chippewa Falls.
The town of Chippewa Falls was small
and quaint. Everyone knew everyone and
a stranger was a curiousity for the small farming town. The talk of the day was the beautiful, elegant
red-head that had just arrived in town two hours ago. She was now settled in at the local bed and breakfast. Jack Dawson entered the post office to send
a telegram to a friend in New York while the talk of the stranger was going
on. He never really had much interest
in gossip…but then again, since Titanic and his loss of Rose, he never been
interested in much of anything anyway.
“Jack!” Nina, one of his best friends
waved. Nina Spencer was Jack’s best
friend since childhood, plus her mother own the bed and breakfast that was the
topic of conversation. She hoped that
Jack would be able to rescue her from all the inquiring minds.
“Hey Nina. What’s going on?”
“New arrival in town,” Nina sighed,
exasperated. “These folk refuse to
leave me alone about her.”
“Well Miss., it’s not every day such a
regal creature comes into town,” Mr. Nickerson snorted. “What a beauty. Red hair, green eyes, graceful…a real lady I tell ya. We don’t grow ‘em like that around here.”
Jack frowned. The woman sounded similar to Rose. He cursed himself again. It’s been a full year since Titanic and he
still couldn’t get Rose out of his mind nor heart and he really didn’t want
to. Mr. Nickerson was right when he
said that didn’t grow ‘em like that here in Chippewa Falls. They didn’t. Sure the girls tried to be regal and sophisticated, but they
really weren’t and never would be.
“Hey,”
Nina took a close look at her friend.
“Are you ok? I know it’s been a
year already and you’ve seemed to have gotten worse, despite everything.” Being Jack’s best friend in the whole world
at the moment, Nina knew about Titanic and Rose. She had practically dragged the story out of her heart-broken
friend. The story had touched and
saddened her. She was happy that Jack
had found love, but hated that he lost it so quickly and was now rushing into
something he really wasn’t ready for in her humble opinion. Jack had loved Rose with his whole being and
it seemed odd that he made the choice he had made so quickly.
“I’m perfectly fine. Why shouldn’t I be? My life so far is perfect?” Jack forced a
smiled, thinking to himself that the only thing not perfect is that he didn’t
have Rose and never would again.
“Jack…the girl…the description is
exactly like Rose’s.”
“Does she have long curly hair?” Jack
asked, his eyes taking on a far-away look.
“…I don’t know. She only arrived today. I haven’t seen her yet,” Nina
swallowed. “But Jack…what if it is
Rose? Huh? I mean you didn’t actually see a body and you two were separated
in the water…”
“No Nina. She’s gone. I checked the
lists while I was in the infirmary.
There was no Rose Dewitt Bukater listed.”
“Maybe she changed her name. She may have been hiding out from that
horrible mother and fiancee of hers,” Nina suggested.
“Then I would have found her in
steerage on the Carpathia,” Jack sighed, getting irritated. He didn’t like talking about that time in
his life. It brought back too many
memories and emotions that didn’t need to surface right now in his life. “Nina…listen, no more about Rose ok? She’s gone.
Not a part of my life anymore.
There’s no changing that. I will
always love her, but I have to go on living…for the both of us. So drop it.”
“Ok.
Fine. I was just trying to cheer
you up,” Nina shrugged, gathering up her purse. It was time to head back.
“I’ll talk to you later.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean to make you mad,”
Jack grabbed her arm, feeling bad about his outburst. His losing Rose wasn’t her fault. She was just trying to help.
“I’m not mad. I just need to get home. I promised I’d be home by five and it’s
twenty ‘til now. Hey you coming to
dinner tonight?”
“Are you kidding? I have way too much to do before Saturday,”
Jack laughed, his turmoil over Rose for now forgotten.
“oh yeah. I forgot, the blessed event,” Nina rolled her eyes.
“Hey come on. You know how much this means to me,” hurt
appeared in Jack’s eyes.
“Of course I know. That’s the only reason I’ve decided not to
boycott. I’m hoping that you’ll come
back to your senses before Saturday.”
“Ha ha. Very funny. Get out of
here before your ma forms a search party,” Jack playfully punched her
shoulder.
“Ta boys,” Nina waved exiting the post
office, leaving Jack to send his telegram.