LET’S LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND
Chapter Twenty
Again, Rose found herself up at
the break of dawn and on the porch, staring out at the sunrise. Her emotions
were swirling out of control. All through the night, she had thought about the
fact that her mother was in Chippewa Falls and things were in danger of going
back to the way they had been, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"Rose?" Nancy stepped
out onto the porch. She had gotten up to start breakfast and had spotted Rose
standing out on the porch. "Dear why are you up so early? Not even the men
wake up this early."
"I couldn’t sleep. My mind
kept wandering back to yesterday afternoon. I keep wondering what the real
reason is that my mother came here. I know she wants me to go back to
Cal."
"Do you want to?"
Rose vehemently shook her head.
"No way. I never want to see that snake again. Besides, I’m legally
married to Jack now. Going back to Cal is not an option. But my mother knows
how to make my life miserable when she doesn’t get what she wants. All her
guilt trips…they’re endless."
"Rose…I don’t know your
mother very well…and I’m sure you’re speaking from experience here. But…the
woman seemed to be genuinely remorseful yesterday. Even when you and Jack went
inside, she was still crying. Maybe the sinking has changed her. Maybe she’s
not the same woman anymore."
"Ruth DeWitt Bukater doesn’t
know the meaning of the word change."
"Rose, dear…aren’t you being
a bit hard on the woman? It wouldn’t hurt to give her a chance."
"I don’t know." Rose
stared at the ground. "She is so strong-willed."
"Honey, Jack and the rest of
us are your family now. We’ll stand right by your side through all of it…as a
family. We’ll face your mother together. Whatever your mother does, she can’t
get away with it, not with the rest of us standing with you."
Rose turned and smiled weakly at
her mother in law. "How was I so blessed to be accepted into this family?
You’re everything I wish my mother could be and more."
"Oh, how sweet." Nancy
took the young woman into her arms. "It’ll be all right, Rose. Just
remember that Jack and the rest of us love you. Okay."
Rose nodded, wiping the tears
from her eyes. Jack wasn’t the only gift from God, it seemed. He had given her
a loving mother-in-law, too.
"Rose!" Jack called,
coming through the door, desperation shining in his eyes. He had awakened to
find Rose’s place empty. With her mother in town, he had automatically assumed
the worst. Ruth had come and somehow forced Rose to leave him. "Rose!"
"I’m right here
darling." Rose went to her husband.
His eyes softened with relief. He
pulled her into a warm embrace. "Oh, good. I woke up and found you gone. I
thought your mother had somehow changed your mind and you were gone."
"Oh, Jack no. I’d never
change my mind about us. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and
I’m never going to give that up." Rose glanced behind Jack to see Richie
frowning. He would think she was lying. She stared right at him. "No one
can convince me otherwise."
Jack pulled away from Rose and
forced a smiled. "I knew that, Rose…it’s just that…with your mother in
town…I don’t know. I guess I lost confidence for a second there. I forgot just
how stubborn you can be."
Rose smiled. "Well, next
time, don’t forget. All right? I’m sorry I scared you. If it makes you feel
better, I’ll wake you and let you know if I step outside. All right?"
"That’ll work." Jack
nodded, kissing her again.
"Come on, boys. The fields
aren’t going to plow themselves." Charles headed out for the morning work.
"Yeah Jack. You have all
night to fool around with Rose." Richie snorted.
Jack rolled his eyes and kissed
Rose again. "I’ll see you later sweetie."
"I’ll be waiting." She
kissed him again before letting him go join his father and brother.
Nancy just laughed and shook her
head. "My son sure does love you, Rose. I’ve never seen him so gentle with
anyone before. And the way he keeps kissing you…it reminds me of Charles and I
when we got married."
"I hope we’re just as happy
as you two fifty years down the line." Rose sighed.
"Oh, you will be. Believe
me, you will be."
*****
Rose and Jacquelyn were sitting
on the porch, sewing, when Ruth arrived in the Smiths' car. After tipping the
driver, she stepped onto the porch.
"Rose? What are you
doing?" Ruth stared at her daughter.
"What does it look like,
Mother? I’m sewing. You may want to join us. You’re going to need the
practice." Rose snorted, not looking up.
"Rose we have a lot to talk
about…alone."
"Jacquelyn is family,
Mother. Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of her, or don’t
bother saying it at all."
"All right. The house in
Philadelphia is ready. You can even bring Jack along too if you want. Just
please come home."
Rose laughed. "Mother, I am
home. Don’t you understand? I don’t belong in Philadelphia anymore. I never
did. All the galas and cotillions…that’s not me. Small town picnics and simple
parties--that’s who I am. No, Mother, I cannot and will not go back to that superficial
life, ever again. I know that hurts you, but that’s the way it has to be."
"But, Rose, you weren’t
raised for this type of lifestyle. You feel that you are, but you’re not. What
are you going to do when you need new clothes, huh? Make them yourself? What
about medical supplies…"
"We may be a small town,
Mrs. DeWitt Bukater, but we do have doctors and stores. Anything else we need
that’s not in town, we order," Jacquelyn answered for Rose.
"And you expect my daughter
to order from those useless catalogs when she’s used to shopping at stores like
Bloomingdale's and Macy’s?"
"That’s what I’ll do if I
have to, Mother. This may not be your idea of a good life, but it’s the life I
want! Not a life as some high society trophy wife who gets punched senseless
whenever she opens her mouth to state an opinion!"
"Rose, Cal never raised a
hand to you!" Ruth gasped.
"Oh, Mother, how unseeing
can you be? Cal raised his hand to me whenever I opened my mouth. If it wasn’t
that, he’d put down my opinions in front of strangers and make it look as if I
was stupid. Remember that time at dinner when I told the group about Jack’s
art, and Cal just had to make it look as if I didn’t know what I was talking
about? How he’d call me stupid or just a woman…"
"Rose, you mostly spoke out
of line and did things that were improper for an engaged woman." Ruth
shook her head.
"That’s no excuse for
hitting her and emotionally abusing her." Jacquelyn crossed her arms.
"Pa always says to treat ladies with respect, no matter what they may do
to annoy men. In Pa’s words, of course."
"It looks like Cal and his
father could take a couple of lessons from Mr. Dawson, Mother. So can
you."
"Rose…I’m not here to argue
with you about Cal. I’m here to beg and plead with you to come home."
"Is my husband welcome to
come with me?" Rose asked.
"Why, of course," Ruth
stammered. "I’d never ask you to leave your husband, Rose."
"You might want to talk this
over with Jack. I mean…you two haven’t been back very long. Plus, Jack’s been
gone for five years…" Jacquelyn whispered to her sister-in-law, who just
nodded.
"Mother, I’d prefer to talk
this over with Jack. He’s been away from home for five years, and now would
probably be too soon to pick up and leave again." Rose stared at her
mother straight on, making it clear that it was she who was in charge this
time. Ruth was not going to bully her way back into her life. If Ruth was going
to be a part of her life at all, it would be on her terms.
"If you must." Ruth
nodded. "But Rose…I do hope you join me back in Philadelphia in the near
future. With what happened on Titanic…it’s put a lot of things into perspective
for me."
Rose didn’t answer. She just
stared down at her sewing, determined not to let her mother get to her this
time.
"Rose, Jacquelyn, will you
go out and tell the men that dinner is ready?" Nancy stuck her head out
the door. "Oh, hello, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater. Will you be joining us for
dinner?"
"She was just…" Rose
began.
"I’d love too. Thank
you." Ruth smiled, realizing that this was a chance to show Rose that she
really had changed.
"We’ll go get Jack."
Rose got to her feet and started out for the fields.
"I’ll come too." Jacquelyn
followed her sister-in-law.
"Come, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater.
I’ll get you all settled." Nancy smiled, reaching out a hand to the woman.
"Oh, thank you. And please,
call me Ruth."
*****
Jack, Charles, and Richie had
just finished that section of the fields when Rose and Jacquelyn found them.
"Dinner's ready!"
Jacquelyn called.
"Coming!" Richie
called, running to lift his sister off her feet and twirl her around.
"Hello Rosie." Jack
kissed her tenderly. "I’m surprised to see you out here."
"Let’s just say I couldn’t
wait to see you. My darling husband." Rose smiled, kissing his nose.
"Newlyweds," Charles
groaned playfully. "Come on. I’m sure your ma has dinner piping hot on the
table."
"Oh, Jack…my mother’s
joining us. Your mother invited her," Rose said flatly. "And of
course my mother accepted."
"The polite thing,
huh?" Jack smiled and laughed at the look of dread in Rose’s eyes.
"Oh, come on, Rose. It won’t be very bad. For what it’s worth, I think she
was sincere when she apologized. I think she’s really sorry."
"Maybe you’re right. But I
still don't trust her. Not completely, anyway. After all she’s done to me…I
can’t."
"That’s understandable. Just
remember, you’re not alone anymore. You have me now and I’ll stand by you all
the way."
"How did I get so lucky to
have found you, Jack?"
"It’s me who got lucky,
Rose. I can’t picture my life without you in it, and I don’t want to. You’re
the love of my life and the mother of my future children." Jack kissed
her. "Don’t worry. Everything will be all right."
"Why is it that when you say
that…I believe you and it’s true? On the Titanic, you said it would be all
right, and it was. In New York you said the same thing and now…you’re saying it
again and I believe it will be."
"Because I speak the
truth." Jack squeezed her hand as they stepped onto the porch.
"There you are. We’ve been
waiting a good fifteen minutes for you," Nancy scolded her husband.
"Oh, quiet woman. We’re here
now aren’t we?" Charles kissed his wife before entering.
"Jack, you’re a mess. I
suggest you go get cleaned up before we sit down for dinner." Nancy looked
over at her son. "Rose can help set the table while you’re up there."
Jack had to laugh. Nancy had
learned from experience that when Jack and Rose disappeared upstairs together,
it was a while before they reappeared. "Okay, Ma. If you say so."
Jack grinned. "I’ll be back, Rose. Behave until I get back, okay?"
"I promise." Rose
kissed him before letting him go upstairs to change.
"That son of mine."
Nancy shook her head with a slight smile. "I’m glad he’s found you, Rose.
He’s so happy now."
"Not happier than I
am." Rose sighed, staring up the stairs where Jack had disappeared,
knowing with a certainty that her mother could do her worst, but everything
would still be all right, because Rose had Jack now and he always made
everything all right again.