LET’S LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND
Chapter Five
Two hours after buying train
tickets to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Jack and Rose stood in front of the
Justice of the Peace, reciting their wedding vows. Promising to love and
cherish each other forever. After the ceremony was over, they made a run for
the train station, where they had purchased first class sleeper tickets at
Jack's insistence. He wanted Rose to travel in style on her wedding day. They
sat in their assigned seats, staring out the window. Rose sighed happily as she
leaned back into Jack's arms.
"This is like a dream."
She sighed happily, kissing Jack's hand, which was still a little pale from the
hypothermia.
"What do you mean?"
"Being on a train with the
man I love. Heading off into the horizon and not having to answer to my mother
or Cal for anything."
Jack laughed. "How bad was
your mother, Rose?"
"A terror, Jack. Let me tell
you. I could not go outside without her permission. I couldn't talk to members
of the opposite sex other than Cal. And when my friends came over, it was
always under her watchful eye. I could never get a moment's peace away from
her. How about you Jack? What is your family like? Do you think they'll like
me?"
Jack smiled at the thought of his
family. "They're terrific. They were always there for me when I needed to
talk to someone. They always supported me in my decisions and never once talked
down to me. They always treated everyone as equals. They were model parents,
you could say."
"You miss them, don't you,
Jack?"
Jack nodded. "I miss them a
lot. They were three of the five people I thought about when I was in that
water and thought for sure that I was going to die. Them and you."
Tears sprang to Rose's eyes, and
she tightened her hold on Jack's hand. "I'm sorry, Jack. I should have
thought of something else. It was so selfish to hog that board for
myself."
Jack laughed and shook his head.
"My dear Rose, even if you had offered that board, I would have refused.
Your safety and well-being were much more important to me. I would have died a
happy man if it meant you were safe."
Rose smiled and looked up at him.
"I am safe, Jack. I'm always safe when you're around."
Jack smiled, and they snuggled
closer together. Both drifted off to sleep as the train continued its journey
to Wisconsin.