LET’S LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND
Chapter Forty-Two
The Dawson house was full of
activity. The women, Rose included, were in the kitchen preparing that night’s
dinner. Jack sat on the steps drawing the men of the house playing poker in the
living room, while keeping an eye out for Bill and Ruth’s arrival.
"I can understand that Bill
fellow coming. But that woman is one cold fish." Weaver left the game to
join his nephew on the stairs.
"Ruth is coming because Rose
needs to make peace with her." Jack sighed. "Not only for lying about
Bill, but for trying to force her into a loveless marriage."
Weaver sighed, running a hand
through his graying blonde hair. "I must admit that I still have
reservations about Rose. But I know now to keep my nose out of it. I was only
accomplishing one thing and that was hurting you. Putting you in the middle
like that was wrong and I apologize."
Jack smiled and hugged his uncle.
"I forgive you and thank you for letting up on Rose. I love her with my
whole soul and when you hurt her, you were hurting me as well. I’m glad that
you saw that."
Weaver shrugged. "I hope
you’re right about the girl Jack. I’d hate to be right about her."
"Don’t worry Uncle. You’re
as wrong as wrong can be. Rose loves me just as much as I love her."
"Hello!" Bill greeted,
entering the house with a bouquet of roses. "Where’s my daughter?"
In the kitchen helping the
women." Charles got to his feet and went to greet the new arrival.
"We’re glad you could make it Bill. Come in and get off your feet."
"Ruth here yet?" Bill
asked, looking towards the kitchen, trying to see or hear any sign of his
ex-lover.
"Not yet. She should be
arriving any minute now." Jack answered just as there was a knock at the
door. He opened it to Ruth, who did not seem to be in good humor.
"Where’s my daughter?"
She just stepped into the house, looking around at her surroundings. She
couldn’t help but sigh, remembering the luxury that herself and her daughter
had once been surrounded by. It was becoming clear each passing day that such
luxury was a thing of the past.
"In the kitchen ma’am."
Charles answered. "Helping with supper."
Ruth bit back a gasp of outrage.
Her daughter in the kitchen doing manual labor! The outrage!
Suddenly Rose appeared in the
kitchen doorway dressed in a simple blue cotton dress, an apron tied around her
waist. Her face was void of make-up and her luxurious red curls were pulled up
into a tight bun, drops of sweat dampened the few shorter strands that had
fallen free.
"My God Rose! You look a
fright!" Ruth exclaimed, forgetting that they were both now part of a
class that didn’t care about looking beautiful at all times.
"Why thank you mother."
Rose glared at Ruth before turning to Jack. "Can I see you for a
minute?"
Jack shrugged, noticing the look
in Rose’s eyes. He got up and followed her into the empty dining room that was
just off from the kitchen.
Rose stood with her back to him
for a few minutes. Her emotions were raging and she didn’t want to take it out
on him. Finally she turned, irritation still gleaming in her eyes. "I
don’t know if I can do this tonight Jack. I know I promised Bill, but you heard
her in there! Her constant criticism!"
"You’ll be fine sweetie.
You’re strong and secure. Plus you have me by your side and Bill too."
"She makes me feel like a
little girl that spilt tea on her dress. I hate that feeling."
"I tell you what. Every time
you feel that way, look at me, give me a signal and I’ll do this." Jack
kissed her in a way he knew sent shivers of pure desire down her spine. A kiss
that only a grown woman could appreciate. "Now do you feel like a little
girl?" He stared.
"You know just how to make
me feel better don’t you Jack?" Rose sighed, leaning against his chest.
For the first time since her mother’s arrival, she felt safe and secure in the
path she had chosen after Titanic.
"I’ll keep your mother
occupied while you’re in the kitchen I that’s ok."
"That’ll be perfect.."
Rose sighed, pulling away to gaze into her eyes. Looking into those blue
depths, she fell in love all over again.
"Hey Rose!" Jacquelyn
stuck her head into the room. "I know my brother is easier on the eyes and
more fun to be with, but we need your company in the kitchen for a bit
longer."
Rose could only roll her eyes
before pulling away from Jack to rejoin her in-laws in the kitchen.
*****
Dinner was a quiet affair.
Dawsons and guests ate in an uncomfortable silence, no one knowing what to say
to each other. Ruth kept stealing glances at her daughter, still reeling with
surprise that Rose had helped cook the meal before her. It was so unexpected.
She snuck glances over at Bill, wondering what he really expected from her. Did
he want money? Well he must know that both Rose and she were as penniless as he
was now.
Jack’s the one that broke the
silence. He looked at Ruth and smiled. Somehow, to his surprise, Ruth and he
had become…a friend, which really isn’t the right word, but for now that was
the only word he could come up with. "So Ruth. It’s been a while since
we’ve seen each other. How’s life been treating you?"
"I suppose it could be
worse. I could be a seamstress right now. How about you Rose. Are you happy
here playing house? It’s not as easy as you thought is it?" Ruth’s cold
glare fell on Rose.
Rose swallowed, feeling the
helplessness coming over her. She squeezed Jack’s hand for support and turned a
icy stare of her own on her mother. "I am beyond happy here mother. I have
a wonderful husband, a beautiful daughter. I couldn’t ask for anything
more."
"Cal would have given you a
mansion and status…" Ruth sighed, restfully remembering her former life of
parties and get together.
"A life full of
misery." Bill snorted. "It seems to me that you’re more concerned
about your upkeep then our daughter’s happiness."
"Bill, you know nothing of
our situation. I rather you stay out of this."
"You’re right. I know
nothing of what your situation was at the time. But this is my daughter you’re
talking about and I don’t appreciate your attempt to sell her off to the
highest bidder."
"Your daughter? You have the
gall to claim you’re her father now?"
"That’s what he is mother.
How soon you forget last Christmas. When all your lies came out in the
open." Rose glared at her mother. "All the time I could have spent
getting to know my father was stolen by your greed."
Ruth glared at her daughter even
more coolly then before. Rose had her father’s outspoken nature and no matter
what she did to stamp it out, it had always been there. "You have no idea
why I did what I did Rose. No idea at all. Unlike you, I loved my mother. I
would never go against her wishes."
"I loved you too mother. I
did, but I couldn’t let you hijack my life any longer. Being told how to live
may have made you happy, but I was miserable."
"I was only trying to do
right by you Rose."
"Mother, you still don’t get
it. If you wanted to do right by me, you should have told me who my father
truly was."
"But you loved Albert so
much. I couldn’t take that away from you. He was always the one you ran to. The
one you spent the most time with…"
"Because he never tried to
change me mother. He never made me go to those stupid parties. He never once
belittled me or made me feel guilty for being myself. He never forced me to
spend time with those awful friends of yours. He loved me for me. You just
wanted to make me into another version of you."
Ruth sighed, defeated by her past
behavior. She had been a horrid mother to Rose. There was no denying that. She
had treated Rose like a mold of clay, and now she’s lost her. The only thing
left to say was a feeble, "I’m sorry. Forgive me." The coldness had
left Ruth’s eyes as tears began to fall. "I should have told you and
treated you better. I’m so sorry."
Rose was struck speechless by the
apology and even more so when Bill got up and wrapped his arms around Ruth.
"It’s ok Ruthie. We’ve all
made mistakes." Bill cooed.
"I’m sorry to you too. For
letting my parents break us apart and for keeping you and Rose in the dark
about each other. I never stopped loving you Bill. You were always in my heart.
Please forgive me."
Bill smiled sadly, brushing away
a red strand from Ruth’s eyes. "Of course I forgive ya. I know about Rose
now and that’s what matters."
"I guess I can forgive you
too. There’s no use carrying this resentment around any longer. Especially now
that I have Jack and Molly." Rose squeezed her husband’s hand, who was
silent during the confrontation. The conflict was between Rose and her mother.
His was something she had to do on her own. He was only moral support.
"Does that mean I can see
Molly as much as I want?" Ruth’s eyes lit up with hope.
"As long as you don’t try to
mold her into a first class lady…yes."
"You have my word."
Ruth wiped away her tears, suddenly exhausted from the confrontation. "Can
I see her after dinner?"
"Sure. We’ll bring her down
after dinner." Jack spoke up for the first time. Meeting her eyes, Rose
smiled, knowing that this was the first step in healing her relationship with
her mother.
*****
That night, after the house had
gone to sleep, Jack and Rose lay in each other’s arms happy and content with
their lives. Rose especially felt at peace. Jack’s uncle was no longer picking
on her, she was getting to know her real father, and she was rebuilding her
relationship with her mother. And most of all, Jack and Molly were in her life.
She touched his face tenderly, as
if to make sure he was real and not some wonderful figment of her imagination.
"Hmm. I love you Jack."
She closed her eyes, relishing the overwhelming feeling she got when she looked
into his blue orbs.
"What are you
thinking?" He asked, a serene smile on his face.
"About how lucky I am. If it
weren’t for you…I’d be miserable right now. Just our very presence make me
happy."
Jack frowned, thinking of all the
unhappiness he had brought her too. He wished that none of it had happened. The
thing with Kimberly, his amnesia, his Uncle’s vocal disapproval, their
separation…if he could take it all back he would.
Rose’s smile faltered as she saw
his frown. "What’s wrong? Why are you frowning?"
"I’ve hurt you so much Rose.
Too much…it wasn’t supposed to be like that."
"Oh Jack." She pulled
him closer. Their faces were now inches apart, not even that much. "Don’t
think about those times. True they were painful, but they helped us grow. Plus
we’re married and all marriages have problems at times. There’s no reason to
think that ours would be any different."
"I know…but I just hate that
I was the cause of the bad times. It was all about me."
"But Jack, you weren’t the
cause of the bad times. You’re the reason for all the good, wonderful things
that’s happened to me so far and all the wonderful things that will come in the
future. You gave so much Jack. You gave me your love, freedom, a wonderful
family that I love, you gave me Molly, and if it weren’t for you I probably
would have never found out about Bill. You’ve been my lover, my best friend and
my guardian angel. You have no idea how much I love and need you."
"And I need you. I know it’s
selfish of me, but I could never let you go. Not for anything."
Rose smiled and kissed him
tenderly. "Well in that case, don’t let me go, because I now I’ll never
let you go either. So we’re both selfish."
"To the stars?" He
arched a brow, his blue eyes filling with passion and desire.
"Oh yes Jack. To the
stars." Rose sighed, pulling him into a deeper kiss. Once again, the
outside world ceased to exist for the lovers. Unaware of the future ahead, they
soared above the clouds, lost in each other.