NIGHT TRAIN
Chapter Eight

Monday after Thanksgiving 1948

Rose stood anxiously on the steps of the Bel-Air Hotel, waiting for Jeannie to pick her up. They were going to spend the day together and do some shopping. What Rose really needed was a dress for her wedding. And Jack had assured her that Jeannie would know exactly where to take her.

“I really shouldn’t be nervous,” thought Rose. “After the lovely note Jean wrote to me, she sounds like she really wants to do this.”

Both Rose and Jack now felt tremendous relief since their children had all come to understand the story of their meeting and the sad separation they had endured these past years. But now all of them, Jean, Richard and Joe on the east coast, had given their enthusiastic nod of approval and the plans for Saturday’s wedding were proceeding with everyone in full accord.

“Or at least I assume things are being planned,” Rose said to herself. “Jack was so insistent on doing all this. But after what he did the night he proposed, I guess the wedding will be even more memorable.”

Just then Jeannie pulled up in her gray Plymouth coupe. The right passenger window was rolled down and she had a welcoming hello for Rose.

“Get in. I am really excited about this and I know the perfect place to look for a dress,” she said all in one breath.

Rose opened the car door and slid in next to Jeannie.

“This is so nice of you Jeannie. You can’t imagine my dilemma, being here, getting married and having nothing proper to wear,” sighed Rose.

“Do you trust me?” Jeannie asked with a smile of her face.

“Do you trust me?” There were those words again.

Rose’s mind went back for a second to the bow of Titanic, just before Jack had taken her flying on the ship. She could almost feel the wind on her face and see the copper colored Atlantic rolling out before her to meet the sunset. Trust was an important thing to Jack. She trusted him then and she had to trust his daughter now.

“Are you okay, Rose?” asked Jeannie, looking concerned. “You seemed somewhere else for a minute. I’m used to that. Dad does that too, or at least he did until he found you again.”

“No, it’s fine. What you just said reminded me of something that Jack asked me once. The pattern of speech, the same expressions. That’s all. Oh, and yes, I trust you,” laughed Rose.

As Jeannie negotiated the Los Angeles traffic, she pointed out a few things to Rose. There was the new campus of UCLA and some of the stars’ homes. Things that were new since Rose had lived in California.

“This is so nice to have a little tour. When I come to see Richard, I don’t get out of his neighborhood much. We just visit,” commented Rose.

“Well, you and Dad will be coming often now. My wedding is in May. You have to come and be parents of the bride,” Jean said, giving Rose a big grin.

“That makes me feel so good, to be included like that,” said Rose honestly. “I have my boys, but now to have you a part of the family is really special.”

Finally Jeannie turned the car onto Westwood Boulevard and stopped in the center of the Westwood Village shopping area. Rose looked at the awning that read “Madame Lily - Gowns for Weddings and Other Special Occasions.”

“Is this where we are going?” asked Rose.

“Yep,” answered Jeannie. “The store is really tiny. She operates on a shoestring. But going in there is like visiting a candy store. Her dresses will remind you of all kinds of delicious goodies.”

They got out of the car and Rose peered into the window. On one of the manikins was a pink silk suit and on the other was a light blue ball gown, covered in delicate lace. Scattered here and there among the display were long gloves, feathers and other fancy accessories.

“I haven’t been shopping in a place like this, since…since I had a slightly different life,” confided Rose. “I guess I will be able to afford something. I can’t have your father buy my dress too. It seems like he is already doing so much for this wedding.”

“He wants to, Rose. He does. You won’t believe the good time he is having. This will be something you won’t forget,” Jeannie assured her.

“I do feel lucky. I am still overwhelmed at what is happening. Sometimes it just does not seem possible. I am afraid I am going to wake up and find it’s a dream,” Rose told Jean.

Jeannie laughed.

“It’s no dream. Rose,” she said, pausing for a moment, “before we go in, I have to tell you something. Madame Lily is so wonderful. I got to know her at an art fair. She bought some watercolors of fountains and things like that for her store here. I know you will be discreet. Lily is a refugee. She came here from Europe after the war. Her whole family is gone. She is only 35 and she has lost everyone. Once she told me that what she saw then was so awful, that she was determined to spend the rest of her life only with beautiful things. And so she opened this store and makes a living with her talent as a seamstress. It’s so sad.”

Rose put her hand over her mouth and shook her head.

“I understand. I’ll be careful as to what I say and ask,” promised Rose.

“I knew you would understand. Anyway, things are going better for her. I think she has boyfriend now,” explained Jeannie. “Come on, let’s do our shopping.”

The bell over the door rang as Jean and Rose entered the tiny shop. It was as Jeannie described, as pink and as sweet as a candy store. An attractive woman with dark hair and even darker eyes, came from behind a curtain that divided the front of the store from the work area.

“Jeannie,” she cried happily, opening her arms to the young woman, “I have not seen you in awhile.”

“I’ve been busy. You know. All these holiday art shows. Lily, I want you to meet someone special. This is Rose. She is marrying my dad on Saturday and she is desperate for a dress,” said Jeannie as she went to Lily and gave her a hug.

Rose noticed that when Jeannie introduced her, there was a great deal of pride of her voice. Rose held out her hand to Lily.

“It’s nice to meet you. Jeannie was telling me that I would find something here. This is all kind of sudden and I have nothing to wear,” said Rose.

“Ah, Rose, we will take care of that,” replied Lily, who spoke with barely an accent. She gave Rose a warm handshake and then indicated that she should have a seat on a very old, but luxurious looking couch.

For the next hour Jean and Rose looked over the various dresses that Lily had brought from the back of the store. Rose was close to making a decision between the pink silk suit from the window or a long sage green dress with a bolero jacket.

“They both look good, Rose,” encouraged Jeannie.

“Yes, I think maybe the green is better with my hair.”

Lily nodded her approval.

“I think that is the one. Just for fun, I have one more dress. It was one of the first ones that I made when I opened here. It’s a bit old fashioned, but you might be just the person for it,” she told Rose. “Let me get it.”

Rose and Jeannie exchanged glances, wondering what they were going to see next.

Rose’s heart skipped a beat when she saw what Lily carried on the hanger. Her hand came to her throat and she could only gasp.

Lily and Jeannie looked at Rose with concern.

“What’s wrong,” asked Jeannie.

“The dress. That’s the dress. That’s the one I have to have,” said Rose excitedly, pointing to the garment.

As she closed her eyes, she could almost feel the penetrating gaze of a stranger below her. Staring at her with a look that would change their lives forever.

There were just a few adjustments to be made to the long dress and Lily promised to have it ready for them to pick up on Wednesday after work.

“Rose, you must come and visit me again. You are from out of town, no?” asked Lily.

“Yes, from Iowa. But now Jack and I will be moving to New York City. It will be really different for me,” said Rose. “But I promise you that whenever I come out here, I will stop by.”

Lily nodded her head approvingly.

“You are so lucky, Rose. You have found someone to be with. I have had so much sadness. I too hope to find someone again,” sighed Lily sadly.

Rose glanced at Jeannie. She did not know what to say.

“Lily,” began Rose, “I am sure things will work out for you. Jack and I have had our share of bad times too. We met 36 years ago, were separated for all that time and only just found each other again. I, I know things are different for you. Though I can understand a little. Last year, I lost my husband of 25 years.” Rose looked at Jeannie who nodded her head, indicating that Rose should continue. So she went on. “My problems were not as bad as what you went through, I know, but I believe that there is always hope,” said Rose softly. “Hope that happiness will find you again.”

Lily looked at this kind and compassionate woman, who had also experienced a great loss.

“Rose, you are a very special person. You have made me feel better. I think too that I will be happy again. Never in the same way, but happy just the same.”

Rose and Lily stood looking at each other. Finally Lily reached out to Rose and hugged her. Jeannie stood watching with tears in her eyes.

“Dad really has chosen the most extraordinary person. They are so right for each other,” thought Jeannie.

Later over lunch

“Lily really is wonderful and you are the first person, Rose, that she ever opened up to like that right away. You have that way about you. I can see why Dad thought you were so special from the start,” said Jeannie.

Rose laughed.

“Well, you don’t know the whole story. I am sure that he did not tell you that at one point on the ship, he called me a spoiled brat. He seemed to be able to overlook that though and only wanted to help me.”

“Dad can be a bit outspoken,” agreed Jeannie. “I remember once when I was in high school he turned a whole play upside down because he didn’t like what I was supposed to wear.”

“What do you mean?” questioned Rose.

“It was an operetta and I had been given a rather large role. They wanted me to wear a reddish orange dress with black beads. It was heavenly with a train and everything. When I brought it home, Dad had a fit. He told me absolutely not, that I could not wear it. I told him that it was only a dress. He started to say something and then he walked away in a really bad mood. He insisted that I tell the director to find me another costume. It caused a real commotion, but Dad got his way.”

Rose looked down at her chicken salad. Apparently Jack had the same problems that she’d had over the years. Getting upset over things that reminded them of each other.

Rose put her hand over Jeannie’s.

“I can tell you why that upset him. The night that Jack and I went to that party in third class, I was wearing a dress just like that. I am sure that seeing you in something so similar would have been very painful for him. The same sorts of things happened to me over the years,” said Rose, gently.

Jeannie bit her lip and crinkled her forehead.

“After he told me about you the other night, I kind of wondered if some of the odd things that he got all moody about had to do with you. He was a great dad though. We had so much fun. He took me camping in all the national parks, we went to the beach on Long Island. There was never a time when he said he was too busy for me.”

Jeannie stopped for a moment and looked at Rose. There were tears now in Jeannie’s eyes as she spoke.

“I really didn’t even want Daddy to tell me about you. I felt jealous at first and thought he had no right to have someone share in our life. He made me listen and I am glad I did. He told me everything, Rose. You and he are so lucky, so special. I know you both suffered that night on the ship and in the years after, but now, it’s just like it’s meant to be.”

She wiped her eyes with the napkin and went on.

“I really missed having a mom, Rose. Dad did the best he could. He always had Mrs. Larson from the bakery make a cake and cookies for my birthday. He tried to make everything special and I never felt deprived in material things or love. But growing up with only a picture for a mother was hard. I was feeling a real emptiness about getting married with no woman to help me. I never wanted to tell him this and make him feel bad. Oh Rose. I need you. I am so glad this all worked out,” she sniffled, as she reached out for Rose’s hand.

“Jeannie, don’t cry anymore,” whispered Rose, feeling choked up herself. “This is going to be the most special family that I know. We all need each other. And whenever you want me, just write to me, or call me. I’ll come and be your mom whenever you want.”

Jeannie looked up and smiled at Rose.

“You know, I think that today has been one of the best days ever for me. I really mean that Rose.”

Rose was clearly moved with Jeannie’s candidness. Her eyes also were awash with tears.

“It has for me too, Jeannie. And I hope we can have many more days like this. Jeannie, I love your father very much and I love you too. You are just as special as he is.”

The two women finished their meal and headed out back to the car. Jeannie suddenly got a mischievous look in her eye.

“Rose, have you ever heard of a company called Frederick’s of Hollywood?” giggled Jeannie.

Rose looked puzzled.

“No, should I have?” she asked, giving Jeannie a questioning look.

“Well, maybe it’s only well known out here. It’s a store and now a mail order place for, for well,” Jeannie paused, so that the next words would have a bigger impact, “kind of risqué lingerie.”

Jeannie was now laughing so hard she could hardly talk.

Rose started smiling too.

“And you want to take me there, to get a little something for my wedding,” suggested Rose, already picturing in her mind, Jack’s reaction.

“I didn’t want to offend you,” said Jeannie, “but somehow it just seems you’re the kind of person how I can have some fun with. I’ve missed that. Anyway, it’s not far, just over on Hollywood Blvd. And I never quite had the nerve to go there alone.”

“Well, I’m willing. Let’s go,” agreed Rose, opening the car door. “I think this will be an adventure. And anyway, a little shock won’t hurt your father’s system,” raising her eyebrows as she smiled.

Jeannie looked at Rose with a slightly guilty look on her face.

“Don’t tell Dad. He thinks I am kind of an innocent,” she said.

“Oh, I won’t,” promised Rose. “Besides, if he is going to surprise me with this wedding, I think he deserves a little surprise of his own on Saturday night.”

The two women laughed together.

“You know once we got started this morning, I just felt you were a kindred spirit. As much as you are Dad’s soulmates in love, I think you are mine as a mother and a friend. Rose,” said Jeannie, with a sincere tone to her voice, “You are the best.”

“Jeannie, that is the nicest thing anyone ever said to me. I can see we are going to have lots of fun together. Now,” said Rose, clapping her hands in front of her, looking like a naughty schoolgirl herself, “now on to the lingerie!”

Chapter Nine
Stories