JACK'S ROSE
Chapter Thirty
William dashed down the road.
So much had changed since Rose had left. He
had withdrawn into himself for almost a year, as Ralph had, but he had never
made an effort to find out where she was, even though he knew that she sent
Nathan money for his birthday and every holiday.
He rarely visited the Dawsons anymore. Julia
had grown bitter and Henry was never there. He was either at his factory job a
couple towns away or at the tavern by the train station. Cora, at sixteen, and
Lilly, at fifteen, stayed away as much as possible. They often skipped their
visiting weeks from the girls' school they attended. Nathan, on the other hand,
seemed to be a happy child. He was never found without a pencil and paper and
smudges of ink or charcoal on his face and hands. When his parents fought or
Cora and Lilly argued with Julia and Henry, Nathan would simply slip out of the
house. He often came to the store where William or Ralph would give him candy
and often some extra paper and pencils.
William knocked on the door. Nathan opened
it. The boy's face lit up when he saw who was standing there.
"Will!" Nathan exclaimed loudly.
William smiled, bent, and hugged the fair-headed boy.
"Hey there, little man! What's up,
huh?"
"I was drawing a picture!" he
announced happily.
"Well, why don't you go up there and
work on it some more while I talk to Cora and Lilly?" William asked,
standing and looking over at Cora, who had entered the room.
"Okay!" Nathan smiled and dashed up
the stairs.
"Is something wrong, Will?" Cora
asked when they heard Nathan's bedroom door shut.
"No. I got a letter from Rose
today."
Cora smiled brightly and reached for the
envelope he was holding out. She quickly read over it. "She sounds like
she's in bad shape. You should really go, Will. I mean—"
"I know. I am. We are. If it kills me,
I'll get the money. She sent money for two tickets. That only leaves two more. I've
got the money for one more," he said quickly.
"And I've got money stashed for
another," came Lilly's voice. Cora turned and smiled at her
"sister."
"Well, then! When shall we leave?"
Cora asked, looking back to William.
"As soon as possible. I'll go down to
the station and get the tickets today." He smiled. "But what about
your schoolwork?"
"We can get the assignments
tomorrow," Lilly said, glancing at Cora. "So don't get tickets for a
train that leaves tomorrow."
"I won't."
"Then what of Julia?" Cora asked
suddenly, realizing getting away might not be so easy.
"I'll take care of that," Lilly
answered. She turned to look at Nathan, who was coming down the stairs,
carrying a picture in his hand. "She's deprived him of enough. She won't
deprive him of this," Lilly whispered harshly, but quietly enough so that
Nathan did not hear.