AFTER TITANIC
Chapter Three
Rose sat herself down on the bed
in the bedroom of her new apartment. She looked around her. It was a fairly
nice place. Modest and not much, but it had that cozy sense to it and it made
her feel at home. Though she hadn’t wanted to for pride’s sake, she sold her
engagement ring to help pay for her flat and furniture and other necessities.
She didn’t want to sleep on the streets. She wanted to be comfortable. Rose
didn’t think that made her a bad person. The dwelling held one main room that
served as a sitting/dining room, a small kitchen, two bedrooms, and a little
bathroom. Despite the fact that it was so tiny, she liked her place. It felt
very quaint. The apartment building was small, four floors with three
apartments per floor. Her neighbors were very kind. One was an old lady named
Madge Lee. She lived alone but often had her son come and visit. The other was
a sweet woman about five years older than Rose. Her name was Meg. She was
widowed and had two fatherless children, a four-year-old daughter named Elin
and a two-year-old boy named Klaus.
Rose met Meg when she knocked on
her door asking for directions to the nearest bookstore. Meg told her where to
go, but invited her in for coffee. "So," said Meg in a light Irish
accent, "where are you from?"
"Philadelphia," replied
Rose. "But I came here to get away from it all. You know, my parents and
such. They were…not too great."
"Oh, I know what that’s
like," said Meg. "My parents forced me into an arranged marriage with
Klaus and Elin’s father. He was a terrible man, and I know it’s cruel for me to
say this, but I’m glad he’s gone. He didn’t deserve to be their dad."
"My mother tried to force me
into one. That’s why I came here."
Rose and Meg were quickly
becoming close. They had a lot in common, they were close in age, and Rose felt
like she could tell her things. Plus, Rose just adored Meg’s children. They
were so very sweet.
As Rose went to the bookstore
later to stock up on her favorites--Jude the Obscure, Moby Dick, The
Scarlet Letter, The Odyssey, and some poetry--she decided that even
though it was a long shot, she should try.
She said, "I’m sorry, but I
was wondering…are you hiring?" The lady at the desk just shook her head.
Rose was about to walk away when she stopped. "I need a job," she
said. "My husband just died. I really need a job."
"My husband died three
months ago," said the woman, whose nametag read Amelia. "I know how
it feels. Tell you what--I’ll give you a job. I work here too much. I could use
the help. Besides, you’re persistent, and I like that."
Rose smiled and thanked the woman
several times. She couldn’t believe her good luck. And she would be working
around books, her favorite things in the world. She was going to start tomorrow
at eleven o‘clock.
When Rose got home that night,
she felt pretty good. But she still couldn’t help but feel empty inside. The
knot in her heart was still thick and tight. Rose missed Jack so much. It
seemed like every time she thought of him, it was a struggle not to cry.
"Why?" asked Rose. "Why?"
Rose’s job, though a little dull
at times, was like heaven. She would spend her day reading, with a few breaks
for helping customers. Amelia worked two shifts in the morning and evening and
Rose worked the afternoon one from eleven to three. Her pay wasn’t much, but it
paid the rent and let her eat. Even though she wasn’t rich, Rose had the one
thing she had always wanted--freedom. It was all thanks to Jack. And every
night, when Rose went to sleep, she thanked him silently.