DUST IN THE WIND
Chapter Nineteen
Rose stepped up onto the porch,
her bag in one hand and Josephine in the other. She couldn’t believe that she’d
been gone for two weeks. She looked around the deserted porch, wondering if she
was making the right decision in coming back. What if Jack decided to be with
Maria instead of with her? What would she do then? Return to Philadelphia and
listen to her mother rant about how right she was?
"Rose?" His voice
disrupted her thoughts. She looked up at him, wishing that she could just get
lost in his eyes…just like she used to do.
"Jack."
"Are you coming home?"
His voice was full of love, regret, and hope. Rose smiled, realizing that he
did love her. That hadn’t changed after all.
"Yes, Jack. I thought about
it and decided that we have to work this out. We can’t do that if I’m not here.
So I came back."
"I--I missed you,
Rose."
She wiped away her tears. She had
missed him, too. So many times she had started to go back, but only today,
after that talk with Molly, did she get the courage. "I missed you, too, Jack.
The past couple of weeks have been so hard…even harder than after I got off the
Carpathia, thinking you were dead."
"I’m sorry, Rose! I’m sorry
about all the pain I’ve caused you! It’s you I want to be with, Rose! You and
Josephine!" Jack hugged her close, burying his tear-stained face in her
red curls. "I love you so much."
Maria watched the reunion from
inside, her heart breaking. Molly was right. Rose owned Jack’s heart, and
regardless of what he might feel for Maria, she always would. Maria didn’t
stand a chance…she never had, in fact. Bowing her head, she wondered what she
was going to do now. She couldn’t stay here with Jack and Rose. It would be too
painful to see them together. Her heart would break again, and again, and
again.
"I see Rose came home."
Molly joined the somber girl. "Can’t say I’m surprised. After all they’ve
been through, it was obvious that they’d get back together."
Maria sighed, and to her
surprise, was quite honest. "I’m glad. For Jack. He’s happy again."
Surprised, Molly looked at Maria.
"You really do love him, don’t you?"
Maria tearfully nodded. "I
want him to be happy. Rose does that for him."
Molly smiled, squeezing the young
woman’s shoulder. The girl wasn’t that bad after all. She just had a crush on a
very married man. She knew when to give up, and that was what she was doing.
"Well, you’re doing the right thing, letting him go like this."
"I never had him to let go
of." Maria sighed. Deep inside, she wondered what was to become of her
now. Alone and in a strange country.
*****
Night had fallen over the Dawson
residence. After hours of talking, kissing, and hugging, Jack and Rose entered
with a sleeping Josephine in their arms.
"Rose! You’re back!"
Samantha got up to embrace her friend. "We’ve missed you so much."
"I missed you two,
too." Rose laughed. "Jack and I decided to sort things out, and we
have."
"So that’s where you’ve been
all this time." George crossed his arms, a wide grin on his face. He
wasn’t surprised at all that Rose came back. She loved Jack with her whole
heart, plus she had a fire that meant that whoever tried to get in the way of
her and Jack had a fight on their hands.
"We had a lot to talk
over." Jack wrapped an arm around Rose’s shoulders, feeling an
overwhelming love for the woman he called wife. Yes, he knew for sure now. Rose
was who he really wanted to be with.
"Ahem." A clearing of a
throat came from the top of the stairs. There stood Maria, with Molly at her
side. Samantha groaned, and Rose had to force herself to look at the other
woman.
"Go ahead, darlin‘,"
Molly urged, knowing how hard this was for the young woman.
"Jack…Rose. I…I’d like to
apologize for all the pain and heartache I’ve put you through. Hurting either
one of you was not my intention. Please accept my apology." A tear left
her eye. She truly regretted that she had hurt Jack the way she had. That she
had almost cost him his marriage. Despite her love for him, she had never
wanted to see him in pain.
"It’s your call, Rose."
Samantha looked at her friend, hoping that she gave Maria a piece of her mind.
Looking at Maria, Rose strangely
felt no anger. Only pity for a girl who loved someone she could never have.
There was no need for a grudge. "There’s nothing to forgive. I don’t blame
you for kissing Jack. I know just how irresistible he can be. But you’re
forgiven."
"So, where are you going to
stay from now on?" Sam asked, wanting to make it clear that Maria wasn’t
going to stay with them any longer. Rose might have forgiven her, but she could
not.
"Mrs. Brown is taking me on
as her personal maid." Maria grinned. "I’m a working girl now."
"I needed new help, and I
knew that it’d be too uncomfortable for her to remain here, and she’s new to
the country. So I offered." Molly grinned.
"It’s appreciated, Molly.
Both Fabrizio and I thank you for looking out for her." Jack smiled, happy
that Maria had both a place to go and a job.
*****
The next day, Jack, Rose, Molly,
and Maria were at the train station saying good-bye. Rose hated to see Molly go
so soon. But Molly had decided it was for the best. Best for Rose, and best for
Maria. The sooner she was away from Jack, the sooner she could work on getting
over him.
Jack loaded the last of the
luggage onto the train as Maria approached. A sad smile stretched her lips.
"Take care, Jack." She
bit her lip, looking away from him. She wanted to kiss him so badly just then.
But she didn’t dare. Especially after all the trouble the earlier kiss had
caused. "I’m going to miss you."
"I’ll miss you, too. You
take care of yourself. Write and let me know how you’re settling in."
"I don’t think Rose would
like that."
"She’ll be okay." Jack
looked over at his wife, who was hugging Molly good-bye. He was truly thankful
that Rose had come back to him. He couldn’t live without her. "You’re
going to like Molly. She’s a good person. She’ll take good care of you."
"Good-bye, Jack!" Maria
suddenly hugged him, knowing that this would be her last time being this close
to him. Tears came to her eyes as she realized that her love would never be
returned to her in the way she had hoped just a few weeks ago.
"Ready to go?" Molly
approached, Rose a little way behind her.
"Yes." Maria stepped
away from Jack. "Good-bye, Jack."
He just waved, watching her and
Molly disappear onto the train.
"Do you regret your choice,
Jack?" Rose again asked, still a bit insecure. "Do you wish you had
chosen to be with Maria now?"
Jack looked at Rose, his mind and
heart free of the confusion that had plagued him for the past three weeks.
"No, Rose. No, I don’t regret my decision. You’re the one I want to be
with. Now and forever."
Rose tearfully smiled, believing
him. He did want her, and no one else. That was all Rose needed to know.