WE’LL MEET TOMORROW
Chapter Four

Jack sat waiting after speaking with Mrs. Hemmit. He’d shown her his portfolio, which she did seem impressed by, and spent several minutes mmmhmming to herself as she flipped through the worn pages.

"Have you…any experience at all in teaching?" she asked, after a few moments of awkward silence. She looked over the rim of her thick glasses, and he swallowed.

"No, Ma’am."

"You’ve not worked at all with children?"

He blanched—this was his chance. However, he wasn’t sure if telling this woman that he was a former imperial guard for the Russian Emperor’s son would go over too well.

"I have, actually," he replied, and she smiled at last.

"I am impressed with your talent, Mr. Dawson. However, I will need references from your previous employer, especially since you have not completed a university degree."

He stared at her, not quite sure how he should answer. "I…how soon would you like these references? My previous employer is overseas." He figured that was the most tactful way of presenting it. He did not want to come off as a big-headed idiot. That’s Cal’s specialty, he thought, scowling a little at the thought of Rose’s ex-fiancé.

Mrs. Hemmit smiled. "Well, if I receive them by tomorrow evening at the latest, that will suffice. To be honest, Mr. Dawson, you are the first person to have come seeking this position."

Jack smiled back, and shook her hand firmly. "Thank you," he replied, and she pointed to his portfolio.

"It is a shame that education plays such an enormous role in hiring," she said. "I would hire you immediately, otherwise, with talent like yours."

Jack chuckled. "Well, it wouldn’t do very well to step outside of the law, would it?" he asked, as she showed him to the door.

She shook her head. "I’m glad you understand."

"Of course. I’ll have those references to you as soon as I can," he promised, and, after they exchanged good-byes, he went to check on Ebony.

"One more stop, boy, and we’ll be home," he said, allowing the horse to take a sip of water. He headed directly to the telegraph office afterwards, and felt his heart racing as he told the wireless operator what to type. The man nearly fell off of his seat when he realized who his subject was, and had to clear out his ears.

"Good luck, sir," the operator told him after he sent the message, and handed Jack a receipt of proof.

"Thanks," Jack replied, trying not to laugh at the expression on the other man’s face. "I’ll bet you don’t get messages like this every day, do you?"

The operator could merely squeak a reply, and merely waved as Jack left the building. He decided to stop at the general store and pick up some dried goods for their food store, deciding he would be the one to cook dinner that night.

Ebony whickered warmly as Jack approached the horse at last, and snorted when he swung into the saddle.

"All right." Jack clicked his tongue, stroking the animal’s neck. "Let’s go home, huh?" He squeezed gently, and Ebony took off at a canter in the direction of the farm.

*****

Anastasia and Mac sat on the porch after lunch, waiting anxiously for Jack to come home. They were both disappointed to find Rose still asleep, and, of course, they wouldn’t dare mention any of their adventure to Coddie Anna. "Oh, I do wish he’d come home soon," Anastasia whined, hugging her knees to her chest, and watched as her dress blew gently in the wind.

Mac blew out her breath, keeping a close eye on the dirt road. "I wish I knew what the matter was with Rose," she added, and Anastasia glanced at her. It was amusing seeing the princess with her hair tied back; it was the norm for girls under sixteen to keep it down, and Alexandra was exceptionally picky about the situation.

"D’you think she’s sick?" Anastasia whispered, and Mac rolled her eyes.

"Of course she is, or she wouldn’t be lying down, would she?" she snapped, and Anastasia blinked, choosing to ignore her friend’s smart aleck attitude. After all, Mac was the one who punched her clear across the face when she’d been teasing too harshly at the palace before they became friends, and she knew better than to push Mac’s buttons.

"Oh, I see him!" Mac hopped to her feet and tugged Anastasia’s arm, and the two girls ran to meet him as he galloped towards the house. Jack was rather surprised to see them in the middle of the road, and they dove out the way when he came closer.

"Did you miss me that much, girls?" He laughed as he pulled Ebony to a stop, and Mac stroked the horse’s nose when he calmed down. Ebony shook his mane impatiently, and leaned his great black head in Anastasia’s direction.

"Dad, you’ll never guess what we did today!" Mac cried, and noticed the expression on her father’s face. "Oh, we didn’t get into trouble. I promise!"

He chuckled and dismounted, putting his finger to his lips. The girls gave each other confused looks, and Jack leaned towards them. "I want to sneak the horse back to the stables without Michael noticing," he explained, and Mac let out a giggle, slapping her hands over her mouth afterwards. They followed him through the field and towards the barn, grateful Michael was taking care of the shutters on the other side of the house.

"He’s not done yet?" Jack asked with a smirk as they watched him unsaddle the horse.

"Let me take that, Dad," Mac insisted when he removed the riding gear, and he smiled.

"Thanks, honey. Be careful. It’s a little heavy."

Mac stumbled backwards under the saddle’s weight, but managed to steady herself after a moment or two. She retreated into the barn, and watched as Anastasia stood talking animatedly with her father. Her friend made faces and talked in imitations, which set Jack into hearty laughter.

"What did you do today that was so exciting?" Jack asked, once he began the process of scrubbing Ebony down, keeping an eye out for Michael in the meantime.

Both girls started to talk at once, and Jack gave a whistle, holding his hand up for quiet. "One at a time," he warned, and Mac stepped forward.

"Well, we were bored, so we decided to explore the woods a little."

Jack gave her a frown, and Mac sighed. "We didn’t go in very far," she insisted. "Besides, it’s daylight, so nothing would have happened to us."

He cleared his throat and brought Ebony into his stall after finishing the process, and put the supplies into the shed. "Let’s go and sit on the porch while you finish the story, honey. I’m exhausted," Jack added, and she took his hand, leading the way. Anastasia skipped along, humming happily to herself. As much as she missed living in the palace and her family, she didn’t miss having to stand on ceremony practically all day, every day. Everyone expected her to be perfect in manners, and her mother always criticized her weight and clumsiness.

Jack and Mac, however, treated her very simply, though there was always a hint of more respect in her case. For example, it always grew very silent whenever she spoke, and Coddie Anna always appeared very nervous in her presence. This, of course, made the oldest of the girls vulnerable, a human characteristic Anastasia took great pleasure in.

"Oh, I didn’t know you were back, sir!" Michael called as he came around the bend, and Jack closed his eyes, gritting his teeth.

"It’s been taken care of, Michael," he replied coolly, and Mac bit her lip, giving her friend an apologetic look. "Are you done with the painting?"

Michael nodded, setting the bucket on the grass. "Yes, sir. I just finished the last window now, sir."

"You just said sir twice in the same sentence." Anastasia giggled, and Michael blushed.

"My father isn’t a sir anyway," Mac teased, and Jack ruffled her hair.

"Rightfully so," he replied, and looked at Michael. "Thanks for doing that, Michael. I appreciate it."

The boy gave a bow and picked up the paint, muttering that he was going to get cleaned up. When he was out of earshot, Mac turned to her father, frowning.

"I do wish you’d be nicer to him," she said softly. "He’s only trying to help, you know."

Jack turned to Anastasia, who made another face, stretching her lips and letting her tongue hang out, and chuckled. "You really are an imp, do you know that?" he asked, and she grinned innocently. "So, all right, dear…tell me the rest of the story."

Mac had nearly forgotten about it, and then nodded quickly. "Oh, yes. Well, anyway…we went into the woods to explore, and I heard someone singing."

"And she insisted we go and follow the noise," Anastasia added, and Mac whacked her friend on the shoulder. "Ow!" she cried, and Mac gave her a nasty look.

"Anyway," she continued. "We did follow the voice, and saw a girl by the river. She was about my age, and Amish, Dad!"

Jack’s eyes widened, and he felt his heart racing. What was an Amish girl doing all the way out here? It can’t be, he thought. It’s impossible.

"Are you sure?" he asked, and Mac nodded.

"Yes. She told me so. Her name is Rebekah Marsch."

Jack blew out his breath, not sure whether to be relieved or not…he knew no one by that name.

"But you’ll never guess what else, Jack!" Anastasia continued, and his nerves started up all over again. "Guess who her great-grandparents are!"

"Do I want to know?" Jack squeaked, feeling a little sick.

"They’re Dawsons!" Mac exclaimed, and he gulped. It was true, then…his mother’s family still lived in Wisconsin. He didn’t know much about them, except it was very large, and of course about her being disowned for marrying his father. "Anna and Simion Dawson. They’re your mother’s parents, Dad, and you should see their family…it’s huge! And they have a really big farm with tons of animals. The cow scared Anastasia." She giggled, and Anastasia gave her a scowl.

"Honey, let me take this in," Jack whispered, touching his forehead wearily, and the girls gave him a worried look.

"Are you okay?" Anastasia asked, knowing this was a lot of information. After all, Mac nearly fainted when she found out, and it took a lot to get to her friend.

"I…" He gulped. "I think so. Were they…"

"Oh, they were perfectly lovely," Anastasia insisted, and he stared at her. "They invited us in for tea."

"We talked for a long time," Mac continued. "Then Peter and William drove us home in their buggy."

Jack smirked; that was a sign of romantic affection in the Amish community, to drive a girl home in the buggy.

"They want to come and visit you," Mac explained, and Jack’s face turned a little white. "Of course, no one specified when, but they said they’d come soon."

Jack rubbed his hand over his face and stood, having to walk across the porch to take this information in. He had no idea his mother’s family lived so close, which made the situation a little more…strange?

"Are you all right, Dad?" Mac asked, noticing how quiet he’d become, and she stood, hurrying over to take his hand.

"Yes, sweetheart, I’m all right," he promised. "It’s just a lot to take in at once."

She smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder. "That’s why I suggested you sit when I told you." She giggled, and Anastasia stuck out her tongue. Jack smiled faintly at the girls, and put a hand on each of their shoulders. "Has Rose woken up at all since I left?" he asked, and Mac bit her lip.

"No," she replied, and Jack frowned. "D’you think something’s wrong with her?"

He shrugged. "I don’t know. If she’s not feeling better by tomorrow, I think I’ll bring her to the doctor." His voice sounded a little strained, and Mac rubbed his back comfortingly. She knew how worried he got whenever someone close to him got sick or hurt, because he’d been so devastated by her mother’s death. He lifted her into his arms and held her tightly, burying his face against her hair.

"I love you, Dad," Mac whispered, and he kissed her cheek.

"You’ve stopped calling me Papa." He chuckled, for that was what she had called him when she was younger. "You’re getting so big."

Mac grinned when he set her down, and when Anastasia saw him coming towards her, she braced herself, and allowed him to lift her into a hug as well.

"Ack!" Anastasia gasped, feeling the wind knocked out of her, but she was glad of his affection…it made her feel like part of the family.

When Jack went back inside, Mac turned to her friend with a raised eyebrow. "D’you think we’ve upset him?" she asked in a hushed voice, and Anastasia frowned.

*****

Jack hurried upstairs shortly after going in, and saw Rose bundled beneath the quilt in their bed. He sat down beside her on the mattress, bending low to kiss her on the cheek. She let out a soft noise and turned over, her eyes squeezing shut for a moment.

"Jack?" she whispered, and he took her hand, smiling. "When did you return?" Her voice was very quiet; she sounded truly exhausted.

"Just now. How are you feeling? Have you been asleep all this time?"

Rose struggled to sit, clasping a hand to her forehead. He steadied her, frowning deeply, and she sighed softly.

"Yes," she replied. "I’m just very tired and sore today."

"Anything else?" He narrowed his eyes, and she blinked.

"A bit nauseous, too, I suppose. But I haven’t actually been ill, if that’s what you mean."

He rubbed her back and sighed. "Rose, I think we should take a visit to the doctor tomorrow. This is getting worrisome." Not to mention the fact that Alyiah displayed the same symptoms before she…he stopped himself in mid-thought, gritting his teeth.

"Jack, that’s not really necessary…" Rose began, but he touched her lips, and she stared at him.

"Please, Rose, I insist," he begged, and she sighed, leaning against him wearily.

"All right, dear, if it’ll make you feel better."

Jack hugged her, and when he let go, she eased herself back against the pillows.

"Any luck with Mrs. Hemmit?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"I sent a telegram to the Tsar asking for a reference, because she wouldn’t take me otherwise. She said it was mostly due to lack of education."

Rose gave him a sympathetic smile. "I’m sorry," she replied. "I’m sure she’ll hire you, Jack. You have amazing talent. You did show her your drawings, didn’t you?"

He nodded, hearing Coddie Anna make her way downstairs, and another set of feet coming up. "Michael?" Jack called randomly, and the boy popped his head through the door, rather startled.

"Sir?" he asked, and Jack turned to Rose.

"Did you finish painting?"

"Yes," Michael replied. "It’s just drying, now. Is there anything else you’d like me to do today?"

Rose gave Jack a stern look when he appeared to be thinking of things, and she turned to the boy. "Take a rest, dear…you deserve it," she answered, and Michael gave a small bow before hurrying out again. "Honestly, Jack Dawson, you are such a child sometimes!" she exclaimed. "Michael has done nothing wrong, and you treat him as though he’s been trouble!"

Jack rubbed a hand over his face. "I just did not like the idea of his spending so much time alone with my daughter, Rose. Mac is only eight years old, and God knows what he might be thinking."

Rose raised her arms in the air. "Jack, I let him go to the dance with her. It was my idea, because I felt she needed a distraction. Believe me, I do have instinct, Jack, and he’s perfectly harmless."

Jack gave her another look before sliding off of the bed. "Of course, Rose." He gave her another kiss, and she rolled her eyes when he left the room, flopping back with a groan of irritation.

*****

Mac and Anastasia spent most of the afternoon outside, enjoying the warm weather and the beautiful sunshine. However, towards late evening, clouds began to roll in, bringing with them a terrible thunderstorm. The girls sat huddled in their bedroom as thunder crashed and lightning flashed, shrieking whenever the light would make eerie shadows along the walls.

"Remember the last thunderstorm we had at the palace?" Anastasia asked, sitting cross-legged on her bed.

"Yes," Mac replied. "Olga told scary stories and I couldn’t sleep for a week afterwards."

Anastasia giggled. "She and Tatiana teased you so badly while you were living with us at the palace. At least, before your father got sick; then they started to feel more sympathetic."

Mac nodded. For the first two years living with the imperial family, she was the butt of every practical joke the elder Grand Duchesses decided to play. No matter how kind she was to them or how much she tried to ignore them, it always wound up with her shut up in a closet, her mattress hanging out the window, a couple of beetles under her pillow…she shuddered. Maria was probably the only one of Anastasia’s siblings whom she didn’t fear, and used her as an ally.

"But I always got them back," Mac replied.

"Yes," Anastasia added. "I’ll miss having you there. I really will. It was wonderful to be three against two for a while."

Mac giggled. "I still say the best prank we’ve ever played on the Big Pair was locking them in a closet with the mice," she said, and Anastasia grinned, her face illuminating with another flash of lightning.

"I remember how they were screaming and pounding against the door, and we just stood there watching."

"But we did get punished," Mac pointed out. "Though they got in trouble for locking me up."

The two girls sighed as they relived these memories, sad the times were soon coming to a close. Of course, Anastasia still had a couple of months to live in America, but it wasn’t the same with the six of them together, roaming the palace halls, gardens, and parks.

Jack eventually came in to say goodnight, and saw both of them talking in quiet voices. "Hello," Mac greeted when he came to give her a kiss.

"Are you all right, girls?" he asked, and they nodded.

"We like thunderstorms," Anastasia replied, and he smiled, patting her on the head.

"Well, it’s getting late," he said. "I think it’s time for bed, you two."

Mac let out a groan of irritation, and made a face. "But, Dad," she whined, and he folded his arms.

"Mac, you’re too young to be staying up very late. It’s past nine o’clock."

"Fine." She sighed, crawling under the covers.

He tucked both girls in, smiling when Anastasia held out her arms for a hug, and he embraced her tightly. "Good night," he whispered, and then went to embrace Mac as well.

"Night," Mac replied, and both girls watched as he left the room again, shutting the door behind him. When he was gone, Mac looked at her friend across the room, and smiled. "You’ll always be my best friend, won’t you?" she whispered, and Anastasia propped herself up on her elbow.

"Of course, silly," she replied. "As long as you’ll be mine, too."

Mac nodded, hopping out of bed and tearing across the floor. "Let’s do blood sisters," she whispered, and Anastasia stared, confused.

"What’s that?" she asked, and Mac took her pocket knife out of her drawer and held up her finger.

"We share blood so we’ll always have a part of each other inside us."

Anastasia sat up, watching as Mac flipped open the blade, and very carefully sliced the tip of her finger so a small bead of bright red blood appeared on her skin. "Now you do it," she replied, and Anastasia took the knife, looking rather uncertain. "Doesn’t hurt," she insisted, and after Anastasia cut herself, the two girls placed their fingers together so their blood mixed.

"There," Mac began. "Now you’re my real sister. Best friends for life?" Mac asked, and Anastasia nodded, grinning from ear to ear.

"For life," she replied, and they let go before deciding to fall asleep.

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