They soon arrived at the Waldorf hotel. Molly rented three rooms for three nights.
Molly thought that Jack and Rose wanted time alone, and so she asked Ruth if she could take care of Cora for them. Ruth was delighted, of course, and she got a room with two beds.
That night, while in their room, Jack and Rose were talking about where they would stay once they got to Chippewa Falls.
"Well, Jack, maybe you could get some of your old friends to help you fix the house up. I would've loved to have met your parents!"
"Well, um...you might be able to..."
"What? I...I thought..."
"No, Rose. I'm sorry I told you that they were dead, but they aren't...I ran away. My twin sisters died of smallpox when I was fifteen, and my parents ignored me...so I thought that I should leave. So I did. I regret it now, because you are carrying my child. And I'm sorry, Rose. Please forgive me."
Rose sat there, stunned. She couldn't believe what was coming out of his mouth.
"Why did you lie about that?"
"Well, when I was first on the streets, people would ask me where my parents were, and I told them they were dead. I guess I was just used to it."
"Well, I would love to meet them. I bet they think you are dead. I know they must miss you, because I have only known you five days, and I can barely go on an hour without you."
Jack blushed at that remark.
"You are so cute when you blush, Jack."
That, of course, made him blush even more.
"Well, dear," he said, trying to change the subject. "They don't live at the house. They still own the property, though. I am sure they will let us have it. Oh, we should get some sleep. We have a long day ahead. I love you, Rose."
"I love you, too, Jack."
*****
The next morning, Jack woke up with the sun.
He sat up in bed for about an hour, just looking at Rose, wanting to know what she was dreaming about.
His stare stopped when he told himself he needed to get ready before she woke up.
He quickly got ready, and headed for the hotel cafe to get some coffee and some food for Rose.
On his way to the cafe, he saw Cal.
"I didn't know Cal was staying here! That bastard probably followed us! Wait until I get my hands on him!"
Cal didn't see Jack, luckily, or the police would have been involved.
When Jack got back, Rose was already ready.
"Hey, handsome. Where did you go?"
"Hi, beautiful. I went to get you something to eat."
"Thank you. I am so hungry!"
"Me, too."
When Jack was done eating, he said, "Rose, I am going to get three train tickets to Chippewa Falls. I will be back in about thirty minutes."
"All right. I love you."
"I love you, too. Bye!"
Rose decided to go to Molly's room and see if she would go get clothes for her and Cora.
"Oh, of course I will. Want me to ask your mother, too?"
"If you would. I have to get Cora ready."
"All right, dear. We'll meet you at your room."
"Okay," Rose said, while walking out the door.
Rose left Jack a note saying:
Jack,
Molly, Mother, Cora, and I went to get clothes. There is money in the coat for you. I love you, and I will miss you.
Love,
Rose
He got back about twenty minutes later, and found the letter on the desk.
"Now, why does she keep doing that?" he asked himself.
Two Hours Later
Rose, Cora, Molly, and Ruth burst in the door, laughing.
"Hey, Rose. I missed you," Jack said, as he went over to kiss her.
"Hello, Jack. I'm sorry I left like that."
"Don't worry about it," he said, as he picked Cora up.
"Well, Cora, did you have fun?"
"Yeah! Molly, Rosie, and Ruthie are so funny!"
"Oh, I know that!" Jack said.
"So, Jack, did you go shopping while we were gone?" Rose asked.
Molly and Ruth had left by this point.
"No. While I went to get some breakfast, I ran into Molly and she said that she has some clothes that are my size, that I can wear until we get to Wisconsin."
"Oh, okay. Well, when are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow at nine o'clock AM," Jack replied.
"Well, it's almost eleven o'clock AM right now. Wanna go do something?" Rose asked.
"I don't care. What about you, Cora?"
"Um..." she began, just to be interrupted by Jack.
"Wanna have an early lunch?"
"Yeah, sure. I am getting a little bit hungry," Cora said.
"Me, too," said Rose.
"Then let's go!"
They stopped at a place called Blake's Burgers.
"Well, I know it's not that fancy, but they have the best burgers in town!" Jack declared.
They ate, and forty-five minutes later they left.
Jack, Rose, and Cora went to Central Park, where Jack drew a picture of Cora and Rose playing patty cake.
But, in the middle of his drawing, he saw Fabrizio and Helga sitting on a bench.
"Fabrizio!" Jack yelled.
"Jack! I couldn't find you when the ship docked! Where have you been?"
"Well, Fabri...I've been with Rose, and we sort of adopted Cora."
"Oh...well, when are you leaving New York?" Fabrizio asked.
"Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. We are moving to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin."
"Really? Helga and I are moving to Delaware."
"That's great, Fabri!" Jack exclaimed. "Well, do you wanna talk before we leave the park?"
"Sure, but we only have fifteen minutes..." Helga said.
"Okay. We have to leave, and go pack for the train ride tomorrow, also," Rose said.
"Let me finish this portrait, and then we can talk."
Jack and Fabrizio had a long and sincere good-bye. They exchanged addresses so they could mail each other the latest news in their lives, or just to drop by and visit.
Jack and Rose went back to the hotel, and had peaceful dreams of their lives ahead of them, though they weren't going to be as good as the dreams made them seem.
The Next Morning
"Come on, Rose! We are gonna miss the train!" Jack said. Rose loved his improper English.
"I am just checking the room just in case we forgot something. Hold your horses!"
It had been a very rainy day outside, and it rained even harder once on the way to the train station.
Rose, Molly, Ruth, Cora, and Jack had a long good-bye.
Ruth didn't want Rose to leave so soon.
We just made up, and she has to leave already, Ruth thought, as she gave her daughter a hug.
"Good-bye, Molly and Ruthie! I'll miss you!" Cora exclaimed.
Molly paid for a second class berth on the train for them.
Rose was very tired. And for some reason she had a feeling she wasn't pregnant.
Well, maybe I'm not. I mean, I didn't know for sure if I was or not, she thought. But Jack might be disappointed. Oh, well. I think we should get our lives started first, anyway.