A LOVE REBORN IN THE STREETS
Chapter Seven
Rose walked the streets with
Jenny in her arms. She avoided the places Bill's gang hung out in and only stayed
in places that the Dead Rabbits gang was at or gangs that were associated with
them. Jack went to the underground to visit a few friends. He had heard that
Bill was picking out a date for his death. He wanted to be ready, so he slowly
started to gather people who hated Bill, including some people who he had
wronged, and had a meeting about their plans to destroy Bill's gang once and
for all.
Rose went to the marketplace to
get something to eat for her baby and herself. She bumped into a familiar face.
"Molly."
"My God, child. Where have
you been? We thought you were dead." Molly could not believe her eyes.
"Jack saved me. I have been
here since the accident." Rose carried Jenny. She was cooing and drooling.
"Is this child his?"
Molly stared down at the infant. She held her hand.
"Yes. Her name is Jenny.
Jack helped me bring her into this world. He's alive, too." She smiled
down at Jenny.
"Why have you stayed
here?" Molly thought she would have left New York before anyone saw her.
"I hadn't any money. I had
nowhere else to go." Rose felt uncomfortable around her. She was dressed
in a ragged dress, while Molly was wearing expensive clothing.
"Honey, come and stay with
me. I will make sure your baby is fed and that you are, too." Molly
noticed that she was skinny.
"What about Jack?" Rose
felt rude for asking if Jack could come.
"He can come, too."
Molly liked them both. She knew Rose and Jack were meant to be when they had
been on the ship.
"Great. Where at?" Rose
smiled.
"Houston, Texas." Molly
knew New York. It was bad for Rose and her child.
"Houston? How long are you
staying in New York?" Rose looked at her like she was in shock.
"A few days. My sister is
ill. I came to visit her," Molly explained her situation.
"So sorry to hear
that," Rose sympathized.
"It's fine. She's getting
better. Here's my address. When you come, I will make sure the guard lets you
in." Molly jotted down an address for her.
"All right. Thanks,
Molly." She took the paper from Molly's hand and stuffed it into her
pocket.
"You’re welcome, honey. I’ve
got to go. Got a stew to cook." Molly took the vegetables in her bag and
went on her way.
"All right. Bye,
Molly." Rose tried to wave as she held the baby.
*****
Rose walked fast, heading towards
the tunnel where Jack had arranged his gang’s meeting for the day. Everyone
knew she was off-limits. Jack had made sure of that. If anyone as so much as
laid a hand on her, they knew they were dead. She scampered down the halls,
looking for Jack, when she heard voices. She poked her head, in hoping her baby
wouldn't make any noise.
"I heard Bill has a surprise
for Jack Vallon," a mysterious, unknown stranger said.
"Really? What?" another
voice asked.
"Caledon Hockley Cutting is
alive. I heard it from one of the members of their gang. He's been recuperating
for quite sometime. Boy, is Jack in for a surprise." The man talked funny,
and he sounded like someone she had heard before.
Rose held her breath and walked
slowly so they wouldn't hear her. As she passed the tunnel, she started running
to where Jack was. She looked behind her, and as she walked, she bumped into
someone.
"Excuse me, miss," a
man pardoned himself.
"Quite all right." She
ran faster with the baby in her arms. When she finally got to where Jack was,
the door was blocked.
"Excuse me. I have to speak
to my husband." Rose felt her heart beating fast.
"You can't. He's in an
important meeting," a tall man said.
"Please. It's life or
death." Rose grabbed hold of his shirt.
"All right, Rose." He
knew who she was. So he let her go. He let her in. Everyone was talking. She
didn't really care to listen. She just headed to where Jack was. She found him
sitting in the middle, discussing their final fight.
"Rose, what are you doing
here? I specifically told those men to keep everyone out." He was sort of
angry with her.
"I know that, but Jack,
something has happened. It's very important." She knew he meant business
when he told her he didn't want her there.
"What is it?" He calmed
down and asked what was so important.
"Caledon is alive," she
whispered into his ear.
"You’re certain?" He
looked at her strangely. He knew it had to be a joke. Cal was dead.
"Very. I overheard two men
talking, saying that he's alive, that he's been recuperating," Rose
explained.
"All right. Um…I will keep
that in mind. Thanks for telling me." He touched her cheek and kissed her.
He wouldn't put it past Hockley to be alive, but he could have sworn he was
dead. Maybe his knife had missed his vital organs, and that was how he had
survived.
"No problem. Also, I saw Molly
today." Rose sat down next to him.
"You did?" He looked at
her again.
"Yeah. She asked if we would
like to go to Texas with her," she whispered softly.
"Honey, I can't go now.
Especially since Cal is alive." He wanted to hear what the men were
saying, so he blocked some of what she was telling him.
"Is that all you care about?
Cal?" She looked at him and wondered why Cal was more important to him
than her.
"No. Rose, you know I care
about you and Jenny, but Cal is never gonna go away unless he's dead, or…well,
there's no other way. If you want, you can go, but I am staying here."
Jack had to make sure that Cal left them alone for good. He didn't want to have
to worry in the future that Cal was going to come and kill them or that Rose
would be in danger.
"Jack, I can't leave you.
Not like this. If I am in Texas, I won't know if you’re dead or alive."
She worried about him and the upcoming fight.
"Look! I always promised
you, even in the dark waters of the Atlantic. I am a survivor. Look, promise
me, Rose. Promise you'll leave this place and go with Molly. Promise me, Rose,
on our daughter's life. It could get ugly here, and I don't want my wife or my
child in danger." He meant it. Rose could see it in his eyes.
"I will think about it. Do
you have at least some time to spend with your family? Molly invited us to
dinner." Rose changed the subject.
"Yeah. Is seven all right
with you?" He checked his pocket watch.
"Yeah, fine. Thanks,
Jack." She kissed his cheek.
"No problem. But you’re
going, all right. No ifs, ands, or buts." He pointed his finger at her.
"But, Jack…" She made
an attempt to say something, but he put his finger on her lips.
"Rose, I mean it. You and
Jenny are off on the next train." He looked down at her.
She went off with Jenny. She
didn't want to argue with Jack. She knew he was right. She had to go. She knew
if she went she would keep thinking of Jack and how she had left him, and she
couldn't do that. She wouldn't. She had lost him once. She wasn't going to lose
him again.