CAL’S PLAN
Chapter Ten
Inside the DeWitt Bukater house,
a lot was going on. When Cal entered, he asked what was happening. An elderly
maid who used to work for the Hockleys started crying and went into the
kitchen.
"Can anyone tell me what the
hell is going on?" Cal shouted.
"I’m sorry to be the one
telling you this, Mr. Hockley," Ruth said as she walked down the stairs.
"Your father is very ill. When everyone read in the newspaper that the
Titanic had sank, he was pointed to as responsible for it. They said that the
steel wasn’t good. He couldn’t stand it, and he suffered a heart attack."
"What? Where is he?"
"He is in a hospital in
Washington. I would recommend that you take a train immediately. Take all the
time you need. You must be with your father."
"Ruth, you do know that if I
go, the wedding has to be postponed, don’t you?"
Ruth didn’t look very happy about
that, but she just said that she knew and that it was more important that he
went to be with his father.
Rose almost smiled. Her wish had
come true. The wedding was postponed. She managed to go upstairs to her bedroom
without being stopped. She was so happy that she went out on the balcony and
started laughing. No wedding, Cal gone…nothing could spoil that happiness,
except…
No. Not yet. I won’t cry over
Jack’s death. I’m not ready. I still have to get rid of Cal.
She smiled again. Now that Cal
wasn’t controlling her, she could try to get a job to earn some money. Then she
would be able to travel anywhere. She didn’t care if it was hard for her mother
anymore. The only thing that she had been talking about was what to do with the
money she’d get after the marriage. Rose realized that she wasn’t concerned
about her health or anything. She just wanted to know if she would be able to
marry Cal. She felt stupid for not leaving her when she had the chance on the
Carpathia, but then she thought, What’s done is done.
She smiled one last time at the
people on the street, and went back into her room. She didn’t notice a young
man hidden behind a tree, but the man did see her.
"Good-bye Rose. I see that
you are happy now. I won’t chase you anymore. I promise," Jack whispered,
and he turned around.