LET’S LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND
Chapter Eighteen

Rose sighed with contentment the next morning as she stepped out onto the porch. She had woken up early, even before Jack, and had decided to get a breath of fresh air and take the time to think back on her life so far. Looking out at the few twinkling stars left in the sky, Rose thought back to that horrible night, when she had thought that both her and Jack were going to die. That whole experience had brought her closer to Jack, closer than she ever been to anyone. When she was with him, she was finally complete.

"Interesting what you read in the papers now'a days." Richie cleared his throat, startling Rose. She had thought she was alone.

"You’re up." Rose sighed in relief when she saw who it was.

"Yep. Since Pa insists on waking me first, I decided to beat him to the punch. Good thing I did. I got first crack at this morning’s paper. I love reading. Especially the society page. It’s amazing who you see." Richie turned a page, not looking at Rose, his face nonchalant.

There was nothing really threatening about him, but she was on guard. Jack’s older brother was definitely up to something.

"Debutantes, old flames. Mysterious sisters-in-law." Richie held up the page, her picture plastered on the front. In italics it read, 'Rest in Peace, Our Lovely Rose'. "I must say the resemblance is amazing. Just think, a girl here in Wisconsin is the spitting image of a dead debutante drowned on the Titanic, which she was on also. Except the debutante was the beloved fiancée of a steel mill giant. Don’t you find that intriguing, Mrs. Dawson? Or shall I say Miss DeWitt Bukater?"

Rose’s face turned pale. She had known this was too good to be true. Eventually, someone was going to bring up her past once again. "What do you want?"

"I want to know who you really are. I knew there was something different about you the moment I came home. You looked familiar. I know you met my brother on the Titanic. What I want to know is why a first class dame, engaged to one of the richest men in the country, decided to fake her death and wed my brother, who, by the way, is poorer than dirt?"

"Has it ever occurred to you that I love him?"

"Love him?" Richie laughed. "Love! Oh, the minds of young people! Let me clue you in on reality, dear. I was once young like you and my brother, and believed that love made the world go round. I, too, fell in love with a rich girl when I was the tender age of twenty. Yes, the same age as Jack. I was young, wide-eyed, and naive. I fell in love with Gloria Hiesenburg. You may know her. She was of Philadelphia society. I thought she loved me and would give up everything for me. But I was wrong. It was the night I was going to propose that she got married to Duke Sheffield…do you know him?"

Rose only nodded. She knew both Gloria and Duke, both unbelievable snobs. Despite her mother’s encouragement to her to befriend them, Rose had avoided them as much as possible.

"Well anyway, I met her again one last time and begged her to come away with me. Secretly divorce the man and be my wife instead. She laughed at me. Told me I was a fool to believe that she would give up all that wealth to live in squalor and filth with me. I was heartbroken and bitter. It left me broken, hardened against love."

"Richie…I’m sorry for your bad experience, but Jack and I…we’re different. A lot different. Where Gloria refused to give up her riches for you, I already have for Jack. Moreover, we risked it all for each other. You know how many times I had a chance to get in a lifeboat? Two. Twice, but I didn’t. The first time, Cal and his valet locked Jack down below. I had to go save him. The second time, Jack talked me into getting into one, but…I couldn’t go without him. I jumped back on the ship. I looked up and saw the tears and the fear of dying in his eyes, and I made up my mind there and then that life was not worth living without him. That even if we ended up dying, at least I would have had those extra moments with Jack."

"When we were on the Carpathia, and Jack was suffering from hypothermia, I was by his bedside the minute the doctor allowed me to be, and have never left his side since. We saved each other sort to speak. And I’ll be forever thankful to God for bringing Jack to me."

Richie laughed. "How poetic. Too bad I don’t believe you."

"Well, whether you believe me or not is not relevant. I love Jack, he loves me, and that’s all that matters. You can chalk it up to being young and naive if you want. I really don’t care."

"What would you say if I called poor Mrs. DeWitt Bukater and Mr. Hockley and told them that their dearly departed Rose was out here, slumming it, so to speak?"

Rose looked at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You wouldn’t. You wouldn’t invite the man who tried to kill your brother on a sinking ship out here, would you? Not after Jack stood up for you and everything."

"I’m not saying I’d call the people, I’m just asking what would you do?" Richie laughed. "Honestly Rose, I do like you. You’re a good person and I believe that you believe that you love my brother. Nevertheless, I’m thinking that this time next year, if not sooner, you’re going to come to your senses and break my brother’s heart. I just want him prepared when you do. You see, all you rich dames are alike. I’d die before seeing my brother a broken man like I am."

Rose sighed. "Richie, I’m sorry for your bad experience all right. But despite what you think, I’m nothing like Gloria. We are night and day. I love Jack and will never leave him. No matter what you, my mother, or my ex-fiancé have to say about it. So, if you want to call Caledon Hockley, go ahead. I handled him before and I’ll handle again."

"There you are Richie!" Charles came out and glared at his son. "Time to go to work. Oh, morning Rose. It’s a surprise to see you up this early."

"Good morning. I just thought I’d come out and get some air. I'd better go in. Jack’s probably wondering where I went off to." Rose smiled. "See you at breakfast Richie."

"Later Rose." Richie nodded before following his father off the porch.

Rose sighed and gasped in surprise when she felt two strong arms wrap around her from behind.

"Morning my beautiful Rosebud." Jack kissed her cheek affectionately.

"Jack." She sighed in relief.

Jack laughed amused. "What? Did I scare you? I’m sorry."

"That’s all right. I was just deep in thought."

"About what?" Jack asked curiously, frowning when he saw how serious Rose looked.

Rose looked down, away from his questioning gaze. She wondered if she should tell Jack about the conversation with Richie. Then again, she'd better not. After all, Jack and Richie were getting their relationship started again, and she didn’t want to give Jack’s father a reason to kick Richie out.

"Oh, I don’t know. Our life. How much I’ve changed since Titanic."

Jack softly touched her cheek and looked meaningfully into her eyes. "Remember when I called you a spoiled brat?"

Rose scowled and nodded.

"Well, let’s just say that you’re not that spoiled brat anymore. You’ve grown up a lot Rose and I’m proud of you." Jack kissed her tenderly.

"We both have." Rose smiled, kissing him back, longer and deeper.

"Jack! Are you coming or not?" Richie called.

"Leave the boy alone!" Charles glared at his oldest son.

"I'd better go before Richie gets really mad." Jack laughed. "See you at breakfast Rose."

"All right." Rose smiled, letting him go. She stood on the porch, watched Jack join his brother and father, and sighed thoughtfully. Her life here in Chippewa Falls was perfect. Well, nearly perfect. Her past was always finding a way to remind her that it wasn’t going to disappear. Well, maybe it was time to do something about that. Maybe it was time to make peace with her past and lay it to rest for good.

*****

That evening, after dinner, Rose sat at the desk her mother-in-law used to write out bills and letters and stared down at a blank page of stationery. She had decided it was time to write to her mother and confront her with the truth. Let her know that her daughter, Mrs. Rose Dawson, was alive and well and there was no need for her to put on the act of grieving mother anymore. She wasn’t going to beg and plead to her mother for forgiveness or not to tell Cal. She would just let Ruth know that she was alive and happily married and let that be it.

Dear Ruth,

You may be wondering who you know from a little nowhere town such as Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. However, you do know one person. Me. Your daughter, Rose. Mrs. Rose Dawson, actually. Jack and I are now happily married and very much in love. We’re living with his parents right now until we head out for the horizon again or get a house of our own. Whichever comes first.

I know you think me horrible for allowing you to think me dead for all this time, but believe me, I had my reasons. Reason number one, I was not about to allow you to force me to marry that barbarian, Caledon Hockley. The things he did to Jack and me were abominable. I know you think he’s the perfect gentleman and such, but he’s not, Mother. He tried to kill both Jack and me, and from the look of the money in his coat pocket, he tried to buy his way off the ship. He’s a coward and doesn’t deserve the second chance at life that he has. Jack has more class and respect in his little finger than Cal does. Reason number two, I was and still am very angry with you for trying to force me into marrying him. Even after you knew I didn’t love him. How could you mother? Selling your daughter off as if she was a piece of property! Do you know how that makes me feel? To know that my own mother thought so little of me? However, my anger has faded a little, mostly thanks to Jack. I think his kindness and forgiving nature have rubbed off on me. He is the most loving man I have ever known, next to Daddy, that is. I think Daddy would have liked Jack. They’re a lot alike.

Mother, despite everything, I do still love you. Even though I’m still angry, I don’t have that need for vengeance anymore. I used to feel happy that you were suffering. Paying for what you did to me. Now…I feel guilty. I shouldn’t have let you think me dead, not for this long, anyway. So, I’m appeasing my conscience and writing to you. I hope that someday we can come to some sort of truce and be able to at least be friends. But right now, I don’t know if that’s possible, because I’m still angry with you, and I’m sure you’re going to be quite angry with me. Mother, I’m not going to ask for your forgiveness, because I have done nothing to be forgiven for. I just stood up for myself and for the man I love. This is the end of this letter, Mother. Whether this is good-bye is totally up to you. Whether you go running to Cal about this is also up to you. I’m not going to beg you not to tell him. Because you will anyway if you want to. Besides, I can handle Cal. I’m no longer afraid of him. I’m a stronger woman than I used to be. Now I’m doing things my way. I have a loving family now. A wonderful husband, a great sister-in-law, and two loving parents-in-law, and they’re all the strength I need.

Good-bye mother,

Rose Dawson

"What are you doing?" Jack asked, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking down at the letter.

"Doing something I should have done a long time ago." Rose sighed, leaning back. "Writing to my mother."

Jack smiled slightly. "I knew you would eventually. All you needed was time."

"I’m still angry with her, Jack, but I was being overly cruel in letting her believe me dead this long." Rose sighed. "What if she and Cal come here?"

"We handle them, like we did before." Jack smiled. "Together."

Rose laid her hand over his and sighed happily. "Together. You know, Jack, as long as I have you, I can do anything. You’re my strength."

"No you’re your own strength. Your courage is just greater now than it was before. I guess Titanic gave us all a lot more courage." Jack kissed the top of her head.

"Jack." Nancy came in and stood behind her son. "Did your father neglect to tell you that Richie needs help out back?"

"I guess he did. I’ll be right there." Jack turned back to Rose. "Hey don’t worry too much okay. Whatever happens, we have each other."

Rose smiled and nodded as Jack kissed her and went out to join his brother.

"You bring out the best in that boy Rose. I don’t know how you do it." Nancy grinned. Remembering a time when Jack wasn’t as quick to help his brother.

"Really, it’s Jack that brings out the best in me. I don’t know where I would have ended up without him." Rose sighed happily. "I'd better go get this ready to mail tomorrow morning. The sooner this gets out, the better."

Chapter Nineteen
Stories