AFTER TITANIC
Chapter Thirteen
Three Weeks Later in New York City
Molly was strolling through Central Park when
she spotted Jack drawing Tommy and Anne horse-playing with each other. He was so
deep in concentration that he didn't hear her approach.
"Hi, Jack," Molly cheerfully
greeted him, causing him to practically jump out of his skin.
"Molly! Hi!" he greeted, his face
growing bright red in embarrassment. "I didn't hear you come up."
"I figured that when I saw you so deep
in concentration drawing that young couple." Molly sat next to Jack.
"Kind of reminds me of you and Rose."
Jack didn't say anything. He just continued
sketching the scene before him. It was obvious that Rose was the last thing he
wanted to talk about.
"Have you heard anything from her in the
past five months?" Molly asked, examining Jack's blank expression.
"Not even a letter. I guess she's with
Cal, living the good life." Jack shrugged, trying but failing to hide the
pain in his eyes. It was clear that he was still very much in love with her and
wanted her back.
Molly laughed at the idea of Rose going back
to Cal. Rose would rather eat rancid meat than go back to that pompous jerk.
"Well, actually, I saw her a couple of weeks ago in your hometown, and she
wasn't with Mr. Caledon Hockley."
Jack looked up immediately, his eyes full of
surprise. Rose in Chippewa Falls? Why would she be there? What was she doing
there? How much of his past did she find out?
"Yep. Working as a maid for Mrs. Marge
Hathaway. Do you know them, Jack?"
"Yeah. Mrs. Hathaway and my mother used
to be rivals, you could say. But I was best friends with her daughter, Eliza.
Why is Rose working for them? Is she staying with them?"
"I don't think she's staying with them.
She didn't go into details with me. But I think she's working there to support
herself and the baby."
Now Jack was confused. "Baby? What
baby?"
"She's pregnant, Jack. Five months
along. That's why I'm telling you this. I told her that if she didn't tell you
the reason for leaving, that I would. It's not just you two anymore. An
innocent baby is involved now."
"Did she tell you the reason for leaving
me, Molly? The real reason? It can't be because it's a hard life. I mean, it
must be very hard now that she's by herself."
"She told me the reason when she first
left, Jack. I tried to tell you, but you ran off before I could. In fact, I
tried getting her to talk to you first, but I guess she thought it'd be easier
for you if she just left."
"Well, then, why did she leave? I
mean...I thought she was happy with me."
"Oh, she was happy with you, Jack. It
wasn't because of you that she left. It was because of that landlady you have.
That Mrs. Hitcherman."
"Mrs. Hitcherman? What did she have to
do with Rose leaving? I mean, I know she scared Rose a little, but not enough
to make her want to run away."
"Obviously Mrs. Hitcherman showed her
true colors to Rose while you were out working. The old lady had discovered the
Heart of the Ocean necklace that Cal had left in that coat of his. She
threatened poor Rose. She told her that if she didn't leave you within five
days, she'd find Cal and let him know where the two of you were. You, of all
people, know how scared of Cal Rose was."
"Yeah. He tried to kill us aboard the
ship. He chased us right into the heart of Titanic while it was sinking."
"Right. And Rose thought that if Cal
ever caught up with you, that he'd do something awful, especially to you, Jack.
So, she thought it better if she just did what the old woman wanted and left.
But she didn't want to be too far away from you, so she went to Chippewa
Falls...your hometown."
"How did she avoid being asked about her
last name?" Jack asked, his mind in shock at this revelation. Rose didn't
leave because she was weak, she left because she was scared away by some
strange old woman.
"She went by the name Hockley. That way
no one would ask about you and Cal would never suspect her to go by his name.
So that would throw him off as well."
"Poor Rose. All alone and pregnant. How
could I allow this to happen?"
"Oh, Jack, it's not your fault."
"But why didn't she tell me about what
Mrs. Hitcherman was doing? I would have put that old woman in her place. We
would have returned to the hotel if we had to. Why didn't she tell me?"
"She thought you were under enough
stress. She said you were feeling guilty about the others’ deaths. She didn't
want to load you down."
"Poor Rose. She should have known she
could come to me. No matter what."
Suddenly, Anne and Tommy came running up to
them. Anne had noticed that Jack had stopped sketching them and was talking to
the strange upper class woman. Curious, she decided to go over to see if
everything was all right.
"Jack?" Anne asked. "Is
everything okay?"
"Fine. Everything's fine. I just got
some news on Rose."
"Really?" Anne asked.
Jack nodded and got up. He had decided to
pack up his belongings and head back to Chippewa Falls, where Rose was waiting
for him. But he couldn't leave without telling the one person who'd been his
friend for the past five months the one thing she needed to know. "Anne, I
have to tell you something. Something important. Your mother was the reason why
Rose left. She threatened her, and I know why. Your mother doesn't like Tommy,
does she?"
"No, she doesn't. But what does that
have to do with Rose?" Anne asked.
"I'm guessing that your mother had plans
for me and you to get together, but she had to get rid of my wife somehow. And
she did just that until Molly here came and cleared things up. I know where
Rose is and I'm going to get her back. But I just wanted to warn you to watch
out for your mother. She obviously hates Tommy enough to break up a stranger's
marriage. There's no telling what she would do to get her way."
"I should have known," Tommy
growled angrily. That was it. Hagatha Hitcherman was not done with trying to
get him out of Anne's life.
"I just thought I should let you know
what happened. You two have been such good friends to me during all of
this...you deserve to know what she was up to." Jack packed up his
supplies. "But don't worry. I know what it's like for the mother of the
woman you love to despise you. Rose's mother hated me, but we're married and
would be together right now if it wasn't for Mrs. Hitcherman."
"Thank you, Jack. And I'm sorry for all
my mother put you two through. Tell Rose that for me." Anne stepped closer
to Tommy.
"I will. And don't be sorry. It's not
your fault." Then Jack remembered the drawing he was working on when Molly
approached him. "Oh, I almost forgot. Here's your picture." He handed
them the picture of Tommy tickling Anne in the grass.
"Oh, Jack, this is beautiful. Thank
you." Anne wiped away the tears that suddenly came to her eyes.
"Come on, Jack. We have to get your
stuff together and catch that train back to Chippewa Falls. We want to get you
back to Rose as soon as possible." Molly tapped his shoulder.
"Good luck, you two." Jack waved to
his two friends as he followed Molly back to the apartment building.
"Bye, Jack!" Anne waved after him.
She hoped this wasn't the last she saw of Jack Dawson. He'd become such a good
friend and listener for the past five months. But Tommy was full of relief. He
liked Jack and all, but he couldn't get rid of the feeling that Jack was after
Anne, which of course was absurd. The guy was on his way to Wisconsin to
retrieve his wife. And he had nothing but good wishes for Jack Dawson.