A FIRE IN THE WIND
Chapter Fifteen
Rose looked up at the clock in dread. 5:57.
Three minutes until Cal came home. He wouldn't be late. He was never late.
Rose's fingers tapped on her vanity nervously. She had to check a dozen times
to see if her appearance was acceptable enough for him.
Rose looked across her room and moaned. She
hadn't gotten much sleep last night, and wouldn't get much tonight. Cal was
back from Pittsburgh and would want an heir as soon as possible.
Rose ran across the room, retrieving a few books
and magazines that Cal would find inappropriate for her. Rose put them in their
usual hiding place, under a loose floorboard under a rug. Cal knew that Rose
read things that he didn't approve of at all. He was frequently commanding Rose
to put an end to her reading.
Cal was not aware however, of the dozens of
books, magazines, and newspaper articles that lay under Rose's floor. If he did
know, Cal would have a fit, Rose was sure.
A finishing school education was probably the
best type of education a young woman could get, apart from attending a
university. Rose had always thought her education had lacked a lot of vital
information.
Growing up, Rose had been fine in literature,
history, arithmetic, language arts, French, and science. She was actually quite
fascinated with learning, and was a great student. It was the other classes
that had bothered her. For half of the school day Rose was forced into taking
relentless manners classes. She hated them! There were so many rules! Rules
about everything from which fork to use and when, to the proper conversations
to have during a social event. Some of the rules were so ridiculous Rose found
them funny.
Rose's father was the first to notice this
problem. He saw Rose's eagerness to learn everything. Every once in a while he
would slip her a National Geographic or two.
It was a secret. Rose was only six, but had a
very high reading level and an eye for knowledge. A lot of articles were
inappropriate for someone Rose's age, but Jon Bukater didn't care.
Rose's reading level kept expanding. It was
rare but superb occasion for Rose to get a book or a magazine after her
father's death. Every once in a while Rose would sneak by a local store after
school and would pick up some magazines, and sometimes even a few dime romance
novels.
Ruth didn't approve of her daughter's habit
at all, and was completely enraged whenever she found a book or a magazine
lying around her daughter's room. All of a sudden there was a knock on the
door. Rose gasped. She was so lost in thought that she couldn't get back to
reality right away.
"Miss Rose?" came Agatha's voice
from the hallway. "Mr. Hockley's here. Your mother wishes you down for
dinner now."
Rose yawned and headed downstairs. Cal and
her mother were already downstairs, discussing the wedding plans, low. Rose
walked in, silently.
"Oh, there you are, sweetpea! I'm so
happy to see you. You're looking well," Cal uttered, blissful.
Rose sat down, and was a little relieved that
Cal was in a good mood. "Good evening, Cal. Welcome back."
The rest of dinner was routine. Cal spoke of
his father, and Ruth talked the "perfect" wedding gown she had
ordered. Rose was fidgety and picked at her food. She didn't know if she could
stand another formal dinner, but she remained composed, and somehow managed to
keep herself from screaming.
After noticing that her mother and Cal were
not going to let her join into the conversation, Rose's mind started to wander.
She thought, 'Just like Mother to spend hours making sure that the flowers are
arranged properly. Why do I have to have such a big wedding, anyway? It will
mainly be mother and Cal's friends. If--I mean when, Jack and I get married,
I'm going to make sure it's small. Maybe a few close friends…I wish Daddy were
here. He didn't want me to have a big wedding either. He was so like Jack…'
"Rose?"
Rose quickly returned to the present at the
sound of her mother's voice. "Yes?" Rose replied, looking up from her
barely touched plate, a little startled.
Ruth shook her head, upset at Rose's attention
span. "I wanted to remind you that the Connors are having a lawn party
tomorrow at twelve. You are to wear your light green dress with those ruby
earrings Cal bought you."
Rose nodded, obediently. Another
preoccupation. Allison's family was friends with the Connors, so at least Rose
could find out the Jack situation, but Rose hated the thought of attending
another social event.
Rose was much beyond tired of constantly
discussing the wedding with everyone. It was such a dreary subject, and Rose
loathed pretending to be excited about it, because she wasn't. The questions
were all cliché, and Rose wished that some of the time she could have a normal
conversation that didn't involve the wedding. That was what Allison was for.
Rose had always told Allison her deepest
secrets, but this wasn't the same. Rose couldn't believe she had trusted her
best friend with the secret of a lifetime, but Rose knew that Allison was good
for it. Allison was a good enough friend to take a bullet before telling anyone
one of Rose's secrets. Jack and Allison seemed to get along just fine and would
think of a plan without Rose.