AFTER TITANIC
Chapter Thirty
It was the day to leave for California. Rose
was at the cemetery, kneeling over the grave of Emma Dawson, Jack's mother.
"Hello, Mrs. Dawson. I know it's been a
while since we've been in contact, but I feel it necessary to come by and
assure you that I will take care of your son and grandchildren. They really
miss you, and will miss you even more now that we're leaving Chippewa Falls and
don't know when we'll come back here again. I'd like to thank you for what you
did for Jack. He's even happier now than when we first met. I love him so
much...I really do. I just wanted to tell you that before we left. Good-bye,
Mrs. Dawson." Rose stood up and headed back up the path leading to the
house.
"Where have you been?" Jack asked,
handing the twins to her mother. "We've been looking for you."
"I just had to say good-bye to your
mother...let her know that her son is in good hands." Rose walked up to him
and gave him a kiss. "I think she heard me."
"She did hear you, Rose, but it was
unnecessary to do that. She already knew that I was in good hands." Jack
smiled, pulling her into his arms.
Rose looked up at the house she had called
home for the past year. She'd miss it terribly. All their memories were
here...this was home to her. A tear slipped from her eyes as she remembered her
first night with Jack in this house, and the birth of her babies. Of last
October when Mrs. Dawson had decided to pay a visit to both her son and
daughter-in-law, scaring Rose half to death.
"I'll miss it, too," Jack whispered
to his wife, as he saw the look in his wife's eyes. He was finding it harder to
leave this house now than he did when he first left six years ago. Now there
were happy memories here...memories he'd carry with him always. "Come on,
Rose. The train leaves Eau Claire in two hours, and we have to meet Eliza and
Maxwell."
Taking one last look at the house, the Dawson
family piled into the carriage and headed for Eau Claire, where their friends
were waiting for them.
Eau Claire
The Train Station
Tears of sadness streamed from both Ruth's
and Molly's eyes as they gave the twins one last hug.
"I'm going to miss them so much,"
Ruth cried.
Rose went up and gave her mother a tight hug.
"You will come to Santa Monica, won't you? You and Molly?"
"Of course we will, darling. Wild horses
couldn't keep us away." Molly laughed. "You take care of them, Jack.
I mean it. Or you'll have to answer to me."
"I'll guard them with my life."
Jack smiled, giving Molly a tight hug. "And thank you, Molly. For
everything."
"It was my pleasure, Jack. You are a
remarkable young man. Don't let anyone tell you different."
"The train's here," Maxwell
announced hesitantly, hating to interrupt the good-byes.
"Take care of yourself, Rose, and
remember to write." Ruth waved as she watched her daughter and
grandchildren board the train to Santa Monica, California. Both she and Molly
watched the train until it was too far away to be seen, leaving Ruth with an
empty feeling.
"Don't you worry, Ruth. They'll write
us. And then we'll go up there and stay a couple of weeks. Maybe you'll decide
to stay in California and I can head back to Denver." Molly comforted her
friend, who was now openly in tears.
"Oh, Rose," was all Ruth could say
between her sobs as Molly led her out to the carriage that would take them back
to the house.
*****
The train ride was well underway. Rose and
Jack and the twins had their own compartment, while Eliza and Maxwell were
right behind them. The twins were asleep, and Jack and Rose were enjoying the
sights.
"Jack." Rose sighed, snuggling up
closer to her husband, who had his arm around her shoulders.
"Hmm?" Jack asked.
"Where are we going to live once we get
there? I know this is a fine time to think about that, but it just occurred to
me that we have nowhere to live."
Jack cleared his throat and looked straight
into Rose's eyes, his blue eyes filling her world. "There was something I
didn't tell you on Titanic, Rose. Remember when John Jacob Astor asked me if I
was of the Boston Dawsons, and I said I was of the Chippewa Falls
Dawsons?"
Rose just nodded her head in confusion. What
did this have to do with where they were going to stay?
"Well, actually, my father was of the
Boston Dawsons, but he ran away to marry my mother, who was their maid back
then. He, of course, was disowned for a while. But when my mother got pregnant,
they decided to take my father back into the family fold for the baby Dawson's
sake. My father, of course, refused any of the money. We fell out of touch with
them. But when I went to Santa Monica, I ran into a cousin, who then wrote my
grandfather, and he sent me this deed to a beach house. I stayed there for a
while. Then, I got restless and moved on. I didn't even say good-bye to her. I
wonder if she's still in Santa Monica. I'll have to look her up."
"So what you're telling me is that you
really do come from a well-off family." Rose's eyes widened in shock. She
couldn't believe that Jack didn't tell her this before. "Why didn't you
tell me all this before?"
"Because it never came up, and quite
frankly, I forgot about it when Titanic sank," Jack said. "I'm sorry
I didn't tell you, Rose. I really should have."
"That's okay, Jack. In fact, I'm glad
you didn't tell me. It might have taken away all the surprises you had in store
for me." Rose smiled up at her husband. "So we'll be staying at this
beach house of yours?"
"Yeah. If it's still standing."
Jack grinned. "But, of course, it's been a couple of years since I've been
there. It can be in any condition now. But we'll check it out and we will get
in touch with my cousin. I want her to meet you and the twins. I think she'll
adore you myself."
Rose just smiled up at him, and leaned her
head against his shoulder. Her earlier worries were gone.
*****
In the car behind them, Eliza and Maxwell
were in each other's arms, thinking about the start of their new lives.
"Are you happy, Eliza?" Maxwell
asked.
"Yes, I'm happy, even though I’m a
little worried. What if Lee comes after us?"
"How can he? He doesn't know where we're
heading. I doubt he'd want to spend all that time looking all over the United
States for us. Besides, I'll protect you if he does find us." Maxwell
tightened his grip on her.
"I love you, Maxwell, and I want to be
married as soon as possible." Eliza lay her head on his shoulder.
"Me too, Eliza. Me, too." Maxwell
sighed, staring out at the passing trees, hoping for the best.