DAWSON’S TRAVELS
Chapter Twelve
The next day was brought on by
the sound of a baby’s crying. Seeing that the crying wasn’t about to stop, Leah
got up and went into Rose’s room, where Jake was in his baby bed, crying, and
Rose’s bed lay empty, an envelope lying on the pillow. Furrowing her brow, Leah
picked it up and read:
Dear Leah and Jack,
By time you read this, I will
hopefully be far from Chippewa Falls. After giving it much thought, and spying
you two together on the porch earlier, I knew what I had to do. Both you, Jack,
and our son are better off with Leah. She loves you, Jack . Knowing this, I
feel right about this decision and know that she will extend that love to Jake
as well. He is much better off with both of you…a mother and a father…instead
of just a mother off on her own. Believe me, this is the hardest thing I’ve
ever had to do…to walk away from the only man I’ve ever loved and our precious
son, who has been my only reason for living this past year. I will truly be
lost without the both of you, but I know this is for the best. Please tell Jake
his mother loved him very much and is sorry, but she had to do what was best
for him and his father, and that was to leave. I love you, Jack, now and
forever, and will never forget our all too short time together. I want to thank
you, Jack. You saved me from a loveless marriage to Cal and gave me so much
more than Cal had ever given me. I wish both you and Leah the best in the
future. Give Jake a kiss and hug for me and tell him I’m so sorry.
Love,
Rose Dawson
Leah looked over the letter again
and again, not believing what she was reading. Rose was gone, and she had left
her infant son with her and Jack…Jack’s son. He would be so happy to get this
chance. She picked up the baby, comforting him with soft words, reassuring him
that everything would be fine. After dressing herself and the baby, Leah and
Jake headed out to the Dawson house. Jack was standing on the porch, staring
off into the distance. He didn’t notice his visitors until they were on the
porch.
"Jack." Leah announced
her presence.
"Leah, what are you doing
here? And with Jake?" Jack asked, turning and taking his son.
"Rose is gone, and she left
this." Leah handed the letter over to Jack. He read the letter, and the
look that appeared in his eyes made her heart want to break. He was devastated.
"How long has she been
gone?"
"I don’t know." Leah
shrugged. "Jake was crying, and I found it on the bed. She was already
gone."
"She left Jake…but she
adored him…she wouldn’t leave him…"
"She knew he was better off
here with us." Leah nodded, a newfound respect for Rose evident in her
voice. "It takes a strong woman to do this."
"Yeah." Jack looked at
his son, his eyes betraying his true emotions.
"Jack." Leah lay a hand
on his shoulder. "Don’t be so sad. Jake will get used to us. He’ll forget
Rose."
Jack shook his head. "I
don’t think that’s even possible."
"Of course it will be."
Leah placed a gentle hand on Jack’s shoulder. "He’s only three and a half
months old."
"Leah, don’t you get it? I
don’t want Jake to forget his mother! I don’t want to be separated. I never
wanted that! I wanted…" Jack sighed in frustration and glared up at the
sky. "I wanted a family…not this."
Leah’s heart came crashing to the
ground. She knew instantly what Jack meant by this. It wasn’t that he wanted
just a family…he wanted a family with Rose. He wanted Rose…not her. She should
have known. Jack was an honorable man. He had promised to marry her, and he was
honoring that, no matter what it cost him…even the woman he truly loved. And
Rose…she was just as noble…giving not only Jack up, but her son, as well.
Getting nothing but heartache in return.
"We are a family." Leah
tested her theory. She nodded knowingly when Jack just shrugged his shoulders.
"I guess you can call us
that."
Leah bit her lip. She was about
to show both Jack and Rose that they weren’t the only ones who could be noble.
That she, too, could love enough to do what was right. Besides, Jack had never
loved her the way a man loved the woman he was about to marry. She could tell
that from the beginning. It was just that she had loved him forever and wanted
to be with him so badly. She had convinced herself that she could make him love
her the way a man loves his wife. That as soon as they were married, he’d put
the whole Titanic thing behind him. But she had been wrong to think that. She
should never have started dating Jack. She should have remained just friends.
Wringing her hands, she prepared herself to lose the man she loved.
"Jack…you’re still in love
with her, aren’t you?" Leah asked.
Jack looked at her as if he was
about to deny it. Then, a sort of resignation appeared in his eyes. He couldn’t
lie to Leah. He never could. "I’m sorry."
"No, Jack. Don’t be sorry.
Don’t ever be sorry for loving her like you do. It’s obvious that it’s the real
thing. Look at what you two were about to give up…that’s true love, Jack. And I
can’t stand in the way of that. I won’t. Go to her, Jack. Take your son and go
find your soulmate. I’m sorry to have been the cause of this separation."
"Leah…I don’t know what to
say…thank you." Jack smiled warmly, hugging her. "I really am sorry
that things never worked out between us, Leah. If things were different…"
"I know, but they aren’t.
Obviously, we’re only meant to be best friends, nothing more. I see that now.
There’s someone out there for me, Jack. I know there is."
"There is, Leah, and you’ll
know him when you see him." Jack smiled knowingly at her.
"Well, you’d better go if
you’re going to catch up with her. I have a feeling she may still be at the
train depot. Good-bye, Jack. Write me and let me know how everything turned
out."
"I will, Leah. Thank you…and
I love you."
"I know. Good-bye,
Jack."
Jack sadly smiled as his best
friend turned and disappeared down the path, grateful that she loved him enough
to let him go. He truly did wish her the best and hoped that she would find
someone to love her like she deserved.
"Mama!" Jake declared.
Jack laughed. "Don’t worry,
Jake. We’re on our way right now to get your mama."