THE EDUCATION OF ROSE DAWSON: PART II
Chapter One

Association

"Amsterdam?" asked Rose in bewilderment. "As in the capital of the Netherlands?"

"Right."

"That is a most interesting name, Mr. Vallon."

"Just call me Amsterdam. I ain’t gentleman enough to be called mister." Everyone smiled at the remark.

"Oh, I understand. I suppose you also do not want to be regarded as too old," said Rose, winking at Jenny as she said this.

"Not too old to take on a tough who’s young enough to be my grandson," answered Amsterdam proudly. "But if he was really my grandson, I’d throw him out the window for hurting a woman like that."

Rose looked back at Jenny, who now clutched her abdomen area, which was noticeably giving her more discomfort than the bruise on her cheek, so she switched her ice pack to her torso and tried her best to keep the pain down. "Your wife would probably not have been hurt had you arrived at the park with us," she told Amsterdam with a slight tinge of accusation. "Why did you trail behind?"

"I thought she could handle the trickster by herself," Amsterdam explained. "She’s done it so many times before. If she had pulled it off, we wouldn’t be in this ambulance right now. But I was wrong this time, and it’s my fault." He gave Jenny a contrite look, but Jenny only had forgiveness in her eyes. He then kissed her forehead.

Rose was touched by and envied the love Amsterdam and Jenny had for each other, especially because of where Amsterdam planted his kiss. Jack’s last kiss was on the same spot.

The ambulance hit a bump on the road all of a sudden, jolting everyone aboard. Being a rather large man in a cramped vehicle, Amsterdam got the worst of it by hitting his head on its ceiling, which added to his injuries. Jenny and Rose immediately went to examine Amsterdam’s head to see if he was seriously hurt. He was not, but that did not stop Jenny from admonishing the ambulance driver.

"So sorry, madam," apologized the driver. "There was a pothole in the middle of the street and I couldn’t avoid it in time. Are all of you all right?"

"Maybe not. Just drive a little more carefully," Jenny advised sternly. "It’s only Sunday. We’re not in a hurry." She took a piece of ice from her ice pack and gave it to her husband, who rubbed it on his head.

"Yes, ma’am," said the driver, "and sorry again."

"It’s all right, dear," said Amsterdam, placing his hand on Jenny’s lap to get her to calm down. "Better me than you taking that bump."

"You have been hurt, too, Amsterdam," reminded Rose.

"More times than I could count," said Amsterdam. "And a lot worse than what you saw today."

Amsterdam must have led a rough life. "That is hard for me to imagine."

"There’re many things you haven’t imagined yet in yer young life, Rose," informed Amsterdam with a wink and a smile. "But you’ll learn." He checked his nose, which had been punished by the swindler, and found that only some rapidly drying blood remained. "I hope it’s not broken again," he said rather cheerfully.

Again? Rose grimaced at the thought. Once is already too much.

Jenny felt Amsterdam’s nose and let out a sigh of relief. "I don’t think it is," she reassured her husband before turning to Rose. "Do you need some ice, Rose? Maybe the trickster hurt you, too, but you haven’t noticed it yet."

"I am all right, Jenny. Just keep it for yourself." I have seen all the ice I will ever need to see in this life already!

*****

The ambulance pulled up to a four-story building on the corner of Second Avenue and East 11th Street. This was St. Mark’s Hospital. Rose, Jenny, and Amsterdam alighted and were quickly escorted inside for treatment. Being the least injured, Rose was given a quick exam and advised to return home and rest. Amsterdam and Jenny, both having tasted the swindler’s wrath and, in Amsterdam’s case, that of the ambulance ceiling as well, received more attention. Rose waited patiently outside in the hallway for them to come out.

St. Mark’s Hospital in the 1920s

Jenny emerged from one of the examination rooms first. "Nothing was broken," she announced happily to Rose as she held a new pack of ice the hospital had given her. "But it will take a week for the bruise on my cheek to disappear."

"And your stomach?"

The question made Jenny somewhat uncomfortable, but knowing that Rose was concerned about her welfare, she tried to allay Rose’s unease as best as she could. "I’ve injured this area several times already. When I hit the ground after the trickster slapped me, I injured it again. It’s a good thing I’m not pregnant. Not at my age." She smiled to reassure Rose, who finally noticed that one of Jenny’s molars was missing, while many of her front teeth were worn out. They were not the normal wear and tear that would be expected for a person of her age, but the result of something more physical.

My goodness. Even Jenny has had a rough life.

A policeman who had arrived at the hospital walked over to them to get a description of the swindler’s female accomplice from Jenny. She had just finished making her statement when her husband walked out with an ice pack of his own.

"My nose is in one piece, but I should be more careful with it," Amsterdam announced wittily as he gave it a tap.

"You must be made of some very durable material, Amsterdam," said Rose admiringly.

"It’s nothing, really," said Amsterdam. "The trickster punched like a sissy. Doesn’t even rank among the fifty worst blows I’ve taken."

Amsterdam has been hit that many times? How tragic.

"Now don’t get cocky, dear," warned Jenny. "If we weren’t there to distract him, you could be staying here overnight." She gently ran her fingers over his face. "Or worse."

"Really, it was nothing," said Amsterdam with a mixture of defiance and humor. He hugged Jenny and Rose at the same time. "Come on, let’s get out of here and back home," he told Rose as they made for the door.

"Men are hard to understand sometimes," whispered Jenny to Rose as they followed Amsterdam.

Rose beamed. So why do we continue to believe them? she wondered, remembering what her mother said on board Titanic right after Jack was framed and arrested for allegedly stealing the Heart of the Ocean. It was the last meaningful thing her mother said before she turned back into her usual upper crusted self.

*****

The three exited the hospital. Night had fallen, and the streetlights had come on. That was when Rose realized that she had lost track of time. "Do you know what time it is?" she asked almost inquisitively.

Amsterdam was carrying a pocket watch, which he took out and checked. "It’s almost eight. I’m surprised my watch is still in one piece after what happened," he said with a grin. Rose’s disappointed reaction to this information made him curious. "Is something wrong?"

"I think I missed supper at the shelter."

"Oh, so you live in a shelter," said Jenny, whose interest in Rose heightened even more. "I thought perhaps you were visiting New York and staying at a hotel or a friend’s place."

Should I tell them how I ended up there? Maybe I will refrain for now. On second thought… "No," answered Rose. "I had a husband, too. After he died, I had no place to go, so the shelter took me in." Stay strong, Rose. You can do it.

Jenny was touched by Rose’s plight. "Rose, you didn’t have to tell us this," she said as she gently placed a hand on Rose’s shoulder to comfort her.

"No, I did not, but I trust the two of you." And I hope I made the right choice. She gave Amsterdam and Jenny a hopeful look.

"And we’re certainly glad you do," said Jenny. "Let’s walk Rose back to her shelter," she told her husband.

"Of course. Where is it?" asked Amsterdam.

"Only a few blocks north of here and one block to the east. Are you sure you want to escort me? I think I can go back myself."

"We insist," said Jenny almost imperatively. "Now lead the way."

*****

The three walked slowly to the shelter because Amsterdam and Jenny were still smarting from their wounds, while Rose was exhausted by the day’s events. When they reached it some fifteen minutes later, a familiar face greeted them at the door.

"Miss Dawson!" cried Cadet MacTavish. "It’s great to see you again." Seeing that Rose had company, she invited all three of them into the shelter lobby. Amsterdam seemed somewhat reluctant to enter at first, but was coaxed into doing so by Jenny.

Cadet Hill greeted them in the lobby and sat them down. "Miss Dawson, we’re so glad to see you again. We were becoming concerned about your safety when you didn’t report for supper. I see you brought guests. How are you folks tonight?" she asked Amsterdam and Jenny.

"Not too swell," Amsterdam replied apathetically.

Jenny slapped him lightly to reprimand him. "We’re fine, but tired. And Rose is very hungry. She’s had a long day after being robbed."

"Oh, no, Miss Dawson!" gasped Cadet Hill, as she sat down next to Rose and held her hand. "What happened?"

"My pocket was picked at Washington Square Park. Jen—actually, Mr. and Mrs. Vallon here helped me recover my money and ensured my safety," recounted Rose as she introduced Amsterdam and Jenny to Cadet Hill.

"Just call me Jenny…and my husband Amsterdam," suggested Jenny.

"Thank you, Jenny. Thank you, Amsterdam. We at the Salvation Army are very grateful for the assistance you’ve extended to Miss Dawson," said Cadet Hill, as Amsterdam rolled his eyes. She noticed the ice packs Jenny and Amsterdam carried and the bruise on Jenny’s face. "I hope it…wasn’t too difficult to extricate Miss Dawson from her ordeal."

"It was a snap," was Amsterdam’s reply, which invited another light slap from Jenny. He responded with a devilish grin, as if he enjoyed his wife’s reaction to his slick responses.

"We took care of the problem," Jenny said as convincingly as possible, so as not to worry Cadet Hill." But we could use more ice, if you can spare some."

"We certainly can," said Cadet Hill, who asked Cadet MacTavish to fetch some ice from the pantry’s icebox. "All of you must be hungry," she said to Rose and her new friends. "We can ask the kitchen to prepare something simple for you and your companions."

"That would be perfect," said Rose. "Please have something to eat before you leave," she said to Amsterdam and Jenny. "In fact, I insist," she said with a touch of humor.

*****

After a quick supper, Amsterdam and Jenny saw that it was late, as the other residents had tuned out for the night. They, too, had to go back home, and were escorted to the door by Rose and Cadet Hill.

"I will see them off myself, Miss Hill. You do not have to stay out with me," advised Rose.

"Certainly, Miss Dawson. But please don’t stay out too long. It’s getting quite cold." Cadet Hill went back inside first.

Once the three were alone, Rose had some final words for Amsterdam and Jenny. "Thank you so much again. I hope I can repay the two of you in some way."

“Is Dawson yer married name or maiden name?” asked Amsterdam.

Rose had unwittingly set herself up when she told Amsterdam and Jenny she had a husband. But then, she had unhesitatingly changed her surname to Dawson as a tribute to Jack, whom she would have married had he survived the sinking. It would dishonor him if she claimed it as her maiden name. “It’s my married name. And I intend to keep it that way.” Please do not press me on this matter, Amsterdam. Not now.

“Good,” said Amsterdam, satisfied with Rose’s brief explanation.

Rose quietly let out a sigh of relief. “However, I did not tell the Army that I lost my husband. I only said I had lost my family.”

Amsterdam and Jenny both nodded in sympathy. "Rose, we’ll see you again," said Jenny. "We both know how it feels to lose your family, and we don’t want you to feel alone in this city."

"Thank you, Jenny. I really appreciate that. And I am sorry if my question about your stomach made you uneasy."

"Don’t be. Maybe I’ll explain it to you sometime. Now go get some rest. It’s been a long day for you."

*****

Rose bade Amsterdam and Jenny farewell and returned to the shelter. Then she showered and was about to go to bed when Brigadier Bown came to see her in her room.

"Miss Dawson, Cadet Hill told me about your unfortunate experience today. One of the other guests had a problem that I had to deal with, so I wasn’t able to welcome you back. How are you feeling right now?" Brigadier Bown held Rose’s hand tightly, but reassuringly.

"I think I am all right, Madam Bown. Thank you."

"New York can be so unforgiving, especially for a young woman who has gone through so much over the past week."

"Yes, it can be, but I have survived them all, and I will be stronger next time."

Brigadier Bown smiled. "I was right about you, Miss Dawson. You are a resilient one." She gently stroked Rose’s hair. "Is there anything I can do for you right now?"

"I think I am fine. All I need is some rest."

"Of course you do. I’ll leave you now, but if there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask me or any of the other staff." Brigadier Bown hugged Rose and left the room.

Alone once again, Rose reflected on her eventful day. The thrill of taking the train to visit Wave Hill and admire the Palisades, the memories conjured up by the visits to Mark Twain’s old homes, the chance and very eerie, but pedagogical, encounter with Mrs. Dearborn, the confrontation with the swindler, and the reunion with Amsterdam and Jenny–all these things taught or reminded her of lessons she could never have learned in any classroom. For all of them to have occurred in just one day only served to accelerate her instruction in the journey of life. I have learned more in these last ten days than in the previous ten years, not counting what I learned from reading Mr. Clemens.

Rose turned off the light and tucked herself into bed. A week ago, around that very moment, she and Jack were having fun running from Lovejoy and the crew members sent to find them on board Titanic.

A week ago, around that very moment, she and Jack had finished making love and continued to trade kisses with each other.

A week ago, around that very moment, she had decided to cast her lot with Jack once Titanic docked in New York.

A week ago, around that very moment, all on board Titanic were unaware of the danger that lay ahead.

What surprises lie ahead for me in the coming week?

Chapter Two
Stories