AFTER TITANIC
Chapter Forty-Two
Two Weeks Later
Molly opened the door to Rose and Jack's room
to find Rose still in bed, staring into space. Her red curls lay limply against
the pillow. Jack had tried everything he could in the past couple of weeks to
get her out of bed, but she wouldn't budge. The only reason she ate anything
was because Jack wouldn't leave her alone if she didn't. Molly shook her head
sadly at the pathetic creature that used to be a headstrong woman with a fire
burning deep inside her. Molly hardly recognized her.
"Rose, darling, you have to get up. It's
time you returned to the land of the living and took care of your family."
Molly placed her hands on her hips.
Rose didn't answer. She just kept staring
blankly into space, not even acknowledging Molly's presence. Jack was right.
Rose was bad off. Molly had to get her to snap out of it.
"You know, it's a good thing that Jack
didn't marry you because of your looks, because right now...you're not much of
a looker." Molly smirked.
Rose just looked at her blankly for a minute,
then looked away. "He's going to leave me anyway, Molly. So why
bother?"
Molly was in shock. Jack had never mentioned
anything about leaving Rose. In fact, every time he talked about Rose, his eyes
lit up with so much love. "Now, Rose, that's ridiculous. Jack loves you
more than life itself. He'd die a thousand deaths before willingly leaving
you."
Rose didn't answer. She just continued
staring at the walls.
"I'm telling you right now, Rose. This
house is a mess. The twins are fine, but they still need their mommy. Something
you're not being right now. And there's your husband. He needs you, too, Rose.
So I say, get out of this depression now before you have no more family left.
Jack loves you to death, and he'd never leave you, but everyone has their
limit, and if you don't straighten up soon, Jack may see where it's better for
those babies if he did take them and leave."
"You're right, Molly. Jack and the
children deserve a good wife and mother." Rose sat up.
"I'm glad you're opening your eyes
there, Rose. Now, get washed up and surprise Jack when he comes home. I'll be
downstairs cleaning up a bit."
Rose nodded, not saying another word as Molly
left.
Five Hours Later
Jack returned home, laid his portfolio on the
chair, and headed into the kitchen to see Molly fixing dinner.
"That smells good." Jack entered
the kitchen to see Molly stirring the beef stew she had prepared.
"My famous beef stew. Something to warm
you kids up on such a cool day." Molly smiled.
"Where's Rose?"
"Still upstairs, I suppose. The last
time I saw her, it looked as if she was going to get dressed and come
downstairs, but she never did. In fact...she's been really quiet." Molly
stopped stirring and turned to Jack. "You think she's okay?"
"I'll go check on her," Jack said,
heading for the stairs.
Before entering his closed bedroom, Jack
stopped, checked on the twins, and smiled when he saw them soundly sleeping,
unaware of the turmoil the house had been in for the past couple of weeks.
Closing the nursery door, Jack entered his room to find it empty. All of Rose's
things were gone. Only a note was left on her pillow.
Dear Jack,
By time you read this letter, I will be
gone. I've done a lot of thinking about this and figured that this was the only
thing I could do for the good of our family. Right now, I know I'm not a good
wife or mother to you and the twins. I can't be the one thing the three of you
need most, and I know that. So that's why I'm leaving. I'm going away to try to
fix things so I can return to you and the children, and be the wife and mother
you deserve. Jack, please don't try to come after me. This is one thing I need
to do by myself. I'll write every day and I promise that once I have sorted
through my grief and get out of this depression, I will return. I love you and
always will.
Love,
Rose.
P.S. Tell Molly thank you for
everything...including taking care of my mother and my family when I couldn't.
Jack sank down onto the bed, the shock
sinking in. She had left him again...not leaving word to anyone this time of
where she had gone. What was he going to do? How was he going to handle this,
and what about the twins? He had to work...who was going to take care of them?
"Jack, darling! Dinner's ready!"
Molly entered the room to see Jack sitting by himself, the letter clenched in
his hand, his face as white as a sheet. "Jack? What's happened? Where's
Rose?"
Jack looked up at Molly. "She's gone,
Molly. She left me and the children. She said she had to do this by
herself...so she could come back and be the mother and wife the children and I
deserve."
"Oh, Jack." Molly gasped,
remembering her last conversation with Rose. She had said that Molly was right.
That Jack and the children did deserve a good wife and mother. But Molly
thought Rose was going to pull herself together right then and there. She never
thought Rose would pack up her things and leave her family like this. Poor Jack
must be devastated. "Did she say where she was going?"
"No. She said she would write and asked
me not to come after her. But how can I not, Molly? She's my wife, and she
needs me. Doesn't she know that?"
"Jack...only Rose knows what she needs,
and obviously she knows she needs to get through this on her own...to get
herself together, and if you love her as much as you say you do...you have to
honor her wishes. It's not like it was last time. She's going to write to you
and she does plan to come back...but only when she's strong enough to be what
you three need. But in the meantime, Jack, I'll remain on to help you out with
the children and the house. I think she'd want that." Molly squeezed his
shoulder reassuringly.
"Thank you, Molly." Jack forced a
smile. "I really do appreciate this."
"Think nothing of it, Jack. It's the
best I can do." Molly smiled. "Now, dinner's ready, and it's time to
put something in you. Let's go before it gets cold."
"Just a minute, Molly. I'm just going to
go check on the children." Jack smiled, leaving the room.
He entered the nursery, looked down at his
children, and wondered how Rose could just leave them behind like this. She
must have come in to say good-bye to them. "Don't worry, guys. She'll be
back. I know she will." Jack smiled down at the children before heading
downstairs for dinner.