MAKING IT COUNT
Chapter Five
Reunion
December 18, 1913
"Rosie!" Lynn flew into Rose’s
arms.
"Oh, I’ve missed you so much! How are
you doing?" Rose was ecstatic now. She hadn’t seen Lynn for five months,
and now they were finally able to be in each other’s company once again.
Lynn pulled back, and they both sat down on
the fluffy couch in Lynn and Jack’s living room. "I’m doing all right, I
suppose. Gets lonely sometimes without you around here, but I’m doing good.
Now, what about you? Tell me everything about your life in New York."
Lynn’s face lit up.
Rose smiled back at her sadly. "Well, I
don’t think I’ll be staying there much longer, but I’ll tell you about it if
you like. As of right now, I have a cozy little apartment of my own. There’s a living
room, kitchen, and two bedrooms. I turned the smaller bedroom into a nursery
for Hope. It’s connected to my bedroom, so when she needs me, I can always hear
her. My job at the restaurant I’m really starting to like. The other waiters
and waitresses are very kind to me. I have a few friends there, but none that
are really close. And no, I don’t have a beau," Rose said with a smile.
"Not in New York, anyway," she said secretively.
"Let me guess. You and John have
something going again."
"Again? What on earth do you mean?"
Rose asked, genuinely confused.
"Don’t play stupid with me, Rose. I know
you and John had something before he left. You can’t hide anything from me,
Rose." Rose tilted her head down, remembering the unpleasant circumstances
in which John had left. Lynn lifted her chin up with her hand.
"Why did John leave like that, Rose? You
know you can tell me whatever it is."
"I...I basically told him that--that I
couldn’t see him anymore. I had already made plans to travel elsewhere, and
things were getting too complicated. I never planned on falling in love with
him...I just--"
"Wait, wait, wait, wait." Lynn
spoke quickly. "Backtrack there for a second. Did you say you love
him?"
Rose just nodded her head. Lynn continued to
speak. "So you gave up John, whom you love dearly, I can tell...for a life
in New York, which you are now saying you don’t want?"
"Well, if you put it that way..."
"Rose Dawson, where are your
senses?" Lynn teased. But she was halfway scolding, Rose could tell.
"Would you like to hear what I have to say?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"Well, I think you should forget about
this New York nonsense and go with John. Or even have him travel out to New
York with you. I’m not saying you two have to get married or anything...he can
get his own place."
"At the time, that wasn’t the
issue," Rose explained. "He had suggested that about San
Francisco...he even...he asked me to marry him. Though I think it was just
from--"
"Rose! You never told me this
before!" Lynn was almost hurt.
"Well, excuse me," Rose yelled
back. "I didn’t exactly feel like pouring my broken little heart out to
anyone at the time. I’m telling you now. Isn’t that good enough?"
"I...I’m sorry, Rose. I didn’t
realize." Lynn’s voice was now back down to normal. "Rose...did you
two ever...um…you know...?"
"Now, that is too personal," she
said with a sturdy voice. She thought for a moment, then spoke again.
"When I set foot in that house again yesterday, it just brought back a lot
of memories. I put Hope down for a nap, then I walked into John’s bedroom. I
just started to cry and cry, and I couldn’t stop myself. Then I heard this
knock at the door. And who else but John himself walks in the door. I had no
idea he was going to be here this Christmas. We talked for most the day...it
seems that a lot of things got solved, but there’s just something he’s not
telling me. I can see it in his behavior."
"Well, I can’t help you there. Maybe you
should just ask him straight out?"
"Perhaps. But if he wants to tell me, he
will." Rose paused and looked around the house. "Where’s Jack
today?"
"Oh, he’s out visiting his sister again.
Poor dear. She came down with influenza."
"Oh, my. I hope she’ll be all
right."
"Yes, it doesn’t seem bad. She should be
all right."
"Well," Rose started. "You two
will just have to come over to Molly’s house one day. I hardly got a chance to
really talk to Jack. He seems sweet, though."
"Molly has invited us over for Christmas
Eve and Christmas Day…for the dinner and presents and all. That’ll be the
perfect time, I think." Lynn picked up her tea and took a small sip.
"Oh, my," Rose exclaimed,
remembering something.
"What?" Lynn asked.
"Well, I didn’t get John a gift. I
didn’t know he’d be here...let alone that we’d be on speaking terms. What did
you get Jack? I have no idea what to get for a man..."
"Yeah, that’s a tough one," Lynn
stated. "I bought Jack a Kodak camera. He’s always complaining that he
wants one, but I know he’ll never buy it himself."
Rose bit her lower lip. "What should I
get for John? I don’t know what he likes or doesn’t."
"Well, I don’t know--"
"You two were involved a while back,
right?"
"Yes, but--"
"Well, what does he like?"
"If you’d give me a chance, I’ll tell
you what to do," Lynn said, slightly annoyed.
"Sorry," Rose apologized.
"Okay. Now, if I were you, I’d go
downtown to some department store, and ask a clerk there. They’re usually
helpful with things like that. Just tell them you have a gentleman friend, and
you’re not sure what to buy him."
"All right. I suppose I could do that
tomorrow. I’m supposed to have dinner with John tonight," Rose looked at
her watch…the same one Lynn had given her for her eighteenth birthday.
"Speaking of which…" Rose looked up. "I should really be heading
back to go get ready. Would you like to come shopping with me tomorrow?"
"Sure. I’ll clear it with Jack and let you
know."
"Okay," Rose said as she stood.
"I’ll stop by here at around one tomorrow, whether you can come or not.
I’ll see you tomorrow." Rose gave Lynn a quick hug before leaving.
"Wait ‘til she finds out what John got
her," Lynn whispered under her breath.