A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Sixty-Six
Maria hummed happily to herself as she tidied
the room. Today was the day Jack was coming to stay and she wanted to get the
room presentable. She smoothed out the covers on the bed and straightened the
curtains. In the week she had been married, she had become very proud of their
home and had arranged their things and their wedding gifts with pride all over
the apartment.
Fabri would be home late afternoon and she
had a shift downstairs tonight. It will give the boys time to talk, she
thought. She was very fond of Jack and was looking forward to having her first
guest.
There was a sharp knock at the door. Maria
glanced at the clock. It was early. If it was Jack, she wasn’t expecting him
until the afternoon.
Wiping her hands on her apron she went to the
door and opened it. Jack stood there looking concerned and someone was with
him, a young woman. Maria looked at her in surprise. She was the same height as
Jack and her hat was pulled low, almost hiding her face.
"Hello Jack!" She smiled
welcomingly, trying to hide her puzzlement as to who the woman was.
"Maria, can Rose sit down? She isn’t
feeling too well."
"Of course," replied Maria standing
aside. Jack left the bags outside the door and Maria watched as Jack gently
helped the woman to the sofa. There was something odd about her. Her clothes
were nothing special, but her hat and shoes were expensive. She did not speak,
but Jack was supporting her and asking her if she was all right. He was
obviously concerned, but who was she?
"Would you like a glass of water?"
Maria asked, not sure of what to do.
"Yes please, that would be very
kind," the young woman replied in a crystal clear voice. She was some
lady, but what was the connection?
"I’ll just get the bags," Jack told
her, dashing over to pull them in and close the door.
Maria came back with the glass. The young
lady had removed her hat, revealing a mass of red, curly hair. Her face was
pale, but beautiful. She thanked Maria for the water. Maria tried not to stare,
but she couldn’t work out who this was.
"How are you feeling?" Maria asked
shyly.
"I’ll be fine if I have a rest."
The woman seemed no more than a girl, now her face was revealed. "It’s
been a long day already."
"I made the room up for Jack, you are
welcome to use it," Maria offered.
"I'll be fine," the girl replied
but Jack intervened.
"No you need to rest Rose." Turning
to Maria he said, "Thanks, she’ll have a lie down."
"No Jack I don’t want to make a
fuss," she protested back.
"Just do as you are told," scolded
Jack gently. "Here, let me help you."
To Maria’s amazement, Jack picked the girl up
and carried her towards the room. It was then that she noticed the gold band
and the diamond glinting off her finger. She was married and most certainly not
to Jack. He could never afford a ring like that.
She followed them to the room and waited for
Jack to put her down.
"Now Jack, shoo. I’ll look after
Rose." Maria remembered the name Jack had used.
Jack wandered to the lounge and collected up
the bags he had left all over the floor. He then went and got himself a drink.
He was worried about Rose. She had started to feel ill on the train. He put it
down to her being on her feet for the first time in days, having to carry a bag
and of course the stress and fear. They had taken a cab from the station to
here; there was no way Rose could have walked.
Maria came back and smiled at Jack.
"How’s Rose?"
"She’s going to have a little sleep.
Maybe now you can tell me who she is?"
"Of course. I’m sorry Maria. She wasn't
feeling too well and I couldn’t think of anywhere else to bring her until we
get somewhere sorted to stay."
"That’s OK Jack. She told me about the
baby."
"This is Rose, Rose Hockley. I met her
in Philadelphia. She is a wonderful woman Maria. She loves art and travel. She
has a great sense of humor. I’ve never met anyone like her. Unfortunately her
husband is such a son of a bitch, he threw her down the stairs and she lost the
baby."
"There must be more to it than that
Jack. Why is she here with you?"
"She had to leave him and I said I’d
bring her to New York. Not to stay here Maria, I wouldn’t put on you. We will
find somewhere later when she is feeling better."
"That isn’t a problem Jack. The room is
made up anyway for you. But there is something different about her. Her
clothes?"
"She is rich if that’s what you mean. Or
her husband is. He beat on her Maria. He had his thugs beat on me too. "
Jack turned the glass round in his hand, then pulled his hair with his fingers.
"He wanted to have her put away in a mental home. She had to leave him and
had no where to go."
"What is she going to do?"
Jack shrugged. "Getting her away was one
thing. She has to decide what to do next. But we won’t stay here, we’ll find a
room or something."
"Are you two..." Maria paused.
"Involved?"
Jack pulled his hair again.
"I think Rose is wonderful Maria. But
she is married to him. She is confused and scared at the moment. There is no
chance for me."
Maria felt almost sorry for Jack. She could
see in his eyes the feelings he had for Rose.
"So why did they beat you up Jack if
you’ve done no wrong?"
"Because he is like that. We used to
meet in the park. Maybe he thought something was going on. I don’t really know
Maria. He treated her like an object, to own and possess. She used to tell
me…things. I can’t say. But he will kill her if he finds her. I’m sure."
"You can stay here Jack. As I said, the
room is made up anyway. You can sleep on the sofa."
"I can’t expect you to put us both up.
That isn’t fair."
"A friend of yours is a friend of ours
Jack. I won’t see you stay elsewhere. Neither would Fabri."
Jack shuffled uncomfortably. He wasn’t too
sure about what Fabri would have to say about it.