NOW & FOREVER
Chapter Fourteen
Rose strode up the sidewalk, her high heels
clicking as she moved. She felt better than she had in several days.
She didn’t know why talking to Jack and calling
a truce with him had made her so happy, but it had. Maybe it was because she
hated being in conflict with anyone—or maybe it was because she liked him more
than she would admit to anyone, even herself.
Smiling and humming to herself, she started
up the long, circular driveway that led to her house. Halfway there, she
stopped abruptly, her smile fading, as she saw her mother approaching her.
Ruth’s mouth was set angrily, her arms crossed stiffly over her chest.
Rose approached her mother tentatively,
wondering what she was so upset about. She thought quickly about what she might
have done—it was too early for report cards, and she usually got good grades
anyway, she hadn’t gotten into trouble at school, she hadn’t done anything
else…what could possibly make her mother that angry?
"Rose." Ruth’s voice was cool.
"Come into the house now."
"What is it, Mother? What’s going
on?"
"You know very well what’s going on,
Rose. Now come inside!"
"Mother…"
"Rose…do what I told you!"
Once they were in the house, Ruth turned
angrily to Rose. "Don’t lie to me, Rose! You know exactly what you
did!"
Rose still shook her head, giving her mother
a confused look. "No…is this about my inviting Jack to sail with Jessica
and me the other day?"
"You took him sailing?" Ruth’s face
reddened angrily. "Rose, what have I told you about associating with the
lower classes?"
"Mother…"
"Your friend Amanda called about half an
hour ago. It seems that she was at the park when she saw you sitting on a swing
and talking to that low-class trash."
"His name is Jack, Mother, and he isn’t
trash!"
"Do not contradict me, Rose. Amanda told
me that you’d been chasing him for several days, and that you came to his
defense when he was caught vandalizing school property."
"Everyone thought it was funny, not just
me! And it was just a worn-out cord holding up the backboard on the basketball
court. It probably would have broken soon anyway, and no one got hurt this
way."
"Rose, you know that’s
unacceptable."
"I know, Mother. And Jack knows that,
too. He’s been suspended for a week, and I don’t think he’ll do it again."
"That is not the issue here. You were
openly associating with a low, common criminal—"
"He’s not a criminal!"
"He vandalized school property. That
tells you everything you need to know."
"You don’t even know him!"
"And I don’t wish to. He isn’t one of
us, Rose. People like him are outsiders. They don’t belong in our circle—not
even on the fringes. He isn’t even Canadian—he’s a foreigner, an
American."
"There’s nothing wrong with Americans,
Mother. Some members of our society are Americans. We used to be
Americans! You just don’t like him because he’s poor!"
"People like him are poor for a reason.
If he was meant to be one of us, his family would have earned it. They would have
worked hard, made plenty of money, and associated with the right people. He
comes from lazy, useless stock, Rose, and he isn’t worth associating
with."
"I think he is!" Rose faced her
mother, chin thrust up defiantly.
"Rose, I don’t ever want to hear something
like that out of you again. He is nothing. People like him aren’t fit to look
at us, much less associate with someone like you."
"Mother!"
"Don’t argue with me, Rose. I forbid you
to see him again."
"But we go to the same school and share
some classes. We don’t have a choice!"
"You can still avoid him, avoid speaking
to him. Your teachers will understand. They know that members of our society
don’t associate with people like him."
"I can’t believe you’re so
narrow-minded!"
"There’s nothing narrow-minded about
protecting one’s child from dangerous influences."
"Mother…"
"You’ll do as I say, Rose. It’s not too
late to send you to that boarding school I was considering. Their school year
doesn’t start for another week, yet. There’s plenty of time to send you
there—if you don’t do as I say."
"No!"
"Yes, Rose. I’m not going to let you
ruin your life and your future by associating with riffraff. Either you stay
away from Jack, or you go away to boarding school. It’s your
choice."
"You promised me that I wouldn’t have to
go away after Daddy died."
"You won’t—if you do what I tell
you."
Rose set her jaw, unwilling to let her mother
see how close to tears she was. "It’s not fair."
"Of course it’s unfair, Rose. We’re
women. Our choices are never easy." Ruth almost looked sympathetic.
"Especially when we aren’t given any
choices," Rose mumbled, fixing her eyes on the gleaming marble floor.
Ruth’s face hardened. "You do have a
choice, Rose. But either way, you won’t be associating with him anymore. Is
that understood?"
Rose glared at her mother, her face set
angrily. "I understand."
"Good. Now go upstairs and start your
homework. Dinner will be in an hour. Make sure you dress properly."
Rose stomped up the stairs, turning and
sticking her tongue out when Ruth turned her back. The small act of defiance
didn’t make her feel any better, though.
She flung herself face down on her bed,
struggling not to cry. Ruth would know if she’d been crying.
It wasn’t fair. She’d finally worked things
out with Jack, called a truce—and now she was forbidden to speak to him. Word
would no doubt get back to her mother if she defied her.
She plucked a tissue from the box on her
bedside table, quickly wiping her eyes as they overflowed. She liked Jack, and
wanted to be with him—as friends, if nothing else—but her mother wouldn’t even
give him a chance. He wasn’t one of them, and was therefore not worth
considering, so far as her mother was concerned.
Why do I have to follow these stupid
rules? Rose wondered. Why can’t I
decide who I’ll speak to and be friends with, regardless of how much money they
have? I’m almost an adult. Shouldn’t that be my decision?
Not in this society, he mind chided her. You’re a girl born to wealth
and privilege. You have a responsibility to maintain the status quo…no matter
what the cost. What would our society be like if just anyone could be a part?
It would be a better place, she decided. Better for everyone except the
snobs. But things aren’t likely to change anytime soon, and if I want to be
accepted, I have to follow the rules. This is the only world I know, and I have
to do what I’m told in order to be a part of it.
I don’t have a choice.