A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Rose stood on the pavement outside, trying to
choke back the sobs that were rising within her. What a horrible fight! These
people were Jack’s friends. How could they be so mean to each other?
She heard Jack coming down the stairs behind
her.
"Rose I’m so sorry," he began. She
looked so sad; it hurt as much as his friends' rejection of them had.
"You cannot make your friends say what
you want to hear. I’d rather know the truth and have no where to stay, than
stay there if I wasn’t really wanted."
Jack pondered the wisdom of that statement.
"But what do we do now?" Rose
asked.
"We’ll stay in a hotel tonight. There’s
gotta be one round here that we can afford."
"I’ll pay, you bought the train
tickets."
"That’s hardly the same thing…"
Rose put her hand up. "I am not going to
argue about money. Not today or any day. I feel not too good as it is, so let's
get on with it."
Jack looked concerned. "Are you
OK?"
"I’ll feel better when I have somewhere
to sleep."
They gathered up the bags and walked down the
road. In the not too distance they could see a hotel sign. As they approached
Jack realized it was quite a reasonable hotel, not quite Rose’s standard, but
far superior to anything he had stayed in.
He looked almost amazed as the door was opened
for them.
"The money is in my purse Jack, in the
bag," reminded Rose. "You sort it out, I need to sit down."
Rose went to sit on one of the couches near a
collection of potted plants. Jack suddenly felt nervous as he approached the
desk. What on earth was he going to do? Book what rooms? And in what names?
"Yes sir?" the gray haired
gentleman behind the counter asked.
"I’d like a..." Jack almost
hesitated. "A double room please."
"For how many nights?"
"I’m not sure. Say two for now?"
"What name is it, sir?"
"Er...Dawson, Mr. and Mrs. Dawson."
Rose watched Jack as he spoke the man at the
counter and handed the money over. She was tired, more tired than scared now.
She looked at the way Jack stood and the way he moved his hair out of his face.
He was handsome and once, she could have fell for those good looks and deep
blue eyes. But now it could never be. Cal Hockley had seen to that. He had
tainted her, her mind and her body. Any thoughts that she once had of Jack were
almost destroyed. There he was now, walking towards her, the keys in his hand.
His eyes were smiling too. Oh how her heart could miss a beat when she looked
at him.
"There’s something I need to explain
Rose," Jack began. He was suddenly startled as the man who had opened the
door appeared beside him.
"Your bags, sir?" the man asked.
Jack looked stunned for a moment. Rose realized that Jack hadn’t a clue as to
what was going on.
"Just these for now," she answered
in her best voice, noticing the man was looking at her, Jack, and the tatty
bags rather oddly. He obviously couldn’t work it out. It almost made Rose
giggle.
"Your room number, sir?" the man
asked.
"Thirty-two," replied Jack.
That’s one room, thought Rose. She looked
quizzically at Jack.
"I’ll explain later," whispered
Jack and they followed the man to the elevator.
On the third floor Jack stepped out and
opened the door to the room, allowing the man to take in the bags. Rose took
some coins from her purse and tipped the man, knowing that Jack would not think
about that.
The door closed behind them and Jack went to
lock it. Rose looked round, it was a large airy room, tastefully decorated. In
the middle of it was a double bed.
"Jack this is a double room!" cried
Rose.
"This is what I wanted to explain to
you. I thought if we were in the same room it would be safer and not look odd.
I booked us in as Mr. and Mrs. Dawson."
"Oh, you did, did you?" snapped
Rose.
"It’s OK, you can have the bed, I’ll
sleep on the floor."
"Yes you will."
"Rose," sighed Jack. "I am not
trying it on. I booked it like this as I thought it was for the best. Now it’s
been a long day and I sure could use a bath before I eat."
Rose said nothing and sat down on the bed. It
was comfortable. She wanted a bath too and a change of clothes. If only she had
a few more choices than the few she had with her. She sighed and told herself
not be so stupid. All those dresses. What did she need them for? This was her
life now.
"Do you want a bath first?" asked
Jack.
"No you can have it first," replied
Rose. "I’ll have a little sleep."
Jack emptied some things out of his bag and
went into the bathroom closing the door behind him.
Rose closed her eyes. She was tired, feeling
very stressed and finding it hard to believe that she was here in a hotel in
New York, sharing a room with a man who wasn’t her husband. What an awful day
they had had. Maybe all days would be like this, just to punish her for leaving
Caledon Hockley.