AFTER TITANIC
Chapter Forty-Six
Santa Monica, California
Five Days Later
Rose was upstairs packing the rest of her and
Jack's belongings when Eliza appeared in the doorway.
"So, it's true. You really are
leaving." Eliza sniffed. "When Jack stopped by to announce he was
moving his family to Boston...I couldn't believe it. If we didn't love it here
so much, we'd take up and follow you."
Rose laughed, got up, and hugged her friend.
"You won't believe how much I'm going to miss you, and so will the
twins."
"Now, don't forget to write every day
and keep us informed about everything that goes on with your life, and don't be
afraid to pick up the phone, either. Talk with me whenever you need to."
Eliza pulled away from the hug. "Good luck, Rose."
"You, too. And take care of that baby
when it arrives. And don't worry. Motherhood is an instinct that kicks in when
the baby arrives. Trust me."
"I do." Eliza smiled. "I'm
going to miss you, Rose. I really am. Thank you for everything. If it wasn't
for you, I'd be married to Lee instead of Maxwell right now."
"Speaking of Lee Conway...did they ever
arrest him?" Rose asked.
"Well, the Chippewa Falls authorities
weren't going to do anything, but this steel tycoon from Philadelphia came to
town, demanded that justice be served, and had him sent here to Santa Monica,
where he got a sentence of twenty years with no parole. Can you believe it? No
one knows who this fellow was and what business it was of his."
"Eliza...what was this tycoon’s name?
Did anybody get it?"
"Oh, yes. Caledon Hockley...oh,
my...he's your ex-fiancé, isn't he?"
"Yes, and I think a guilty conscience
about what he tried to do to me and Jack had gotten to him. But I'm not going to
forgive him...I can't. It wasn't only what he did on Titanic...it was what he
did to me before Titanic, as well. He was awful."
"I'm sure he was." Eliza nodded.
Rose jumped as the honk of a car horn sounded
outside. "Well, I guess that's Jack. It's time to be going."
"Oh, Rose." Eliza began to cry.
"I'm going to miss you terribly. I was looking forward to raising our
children together and everything."
"Oh, Eliza, don't cry. Jack and I will
come back every now and then to visit, and we'll bring the children. And you
three will come visit us in Boston. You'll love it, Eliza. You really
will." Rose hugged her sobbing friend. "Take care of yourself."
"I will. Good-bye, Rose." Eliza
sniffed, walking her friend outside and waving as they drove down the dirt road.
She'd never forget how Jack and Rose had changed her life, and would always be
grateful to them for that. Once the car had disappeared into the horizon, Eliza
sighed sadly and headed for home, where her husband was waiting.