Chapter 21 "I don't know Jack. I mean, I know I have to do this but it just seems so…impossible now that we're finally here." "Rose, it's ok. I'm here…I won't leave you unless you tell me otherwise. She's your mother Rose. At least let her know you're alright." Placing his hand gently but firmly on the small of her back, Jack nudged Rose a little bit closer to the door as if to make his point. He skillfully picked up the brass knocker on the door and banged it several times before they heard footsteps on the other side. "May I help yo-" The maid was thoroughly shocked to see Rose standing right before her very eyes, with a clean and pressed dress and perfectly pinned up hairdo. "Miss Rose! I..we...my goodness gracious! I never would have thought…we've been searching all over for you Miss Rose. Your mother's been worried sick. Miss Trudy had to feed her Nerve Pills this morning just to keep her calmed." Rose's face was immediately filled with worry. "Oh dear! I was afraid of that." Rose stepped through the doorway, glancing thoughtfully around her. Jack trailed shortly behind her, his hand still clasped with hers. "Where is my mother anyway? I wish to speak to her at once." "I'll fetch her for you miss. Won't you wait in the parlor? I could fetch you two a nice cold glass of lemonade if you like." "No, no we'll be fine right here. Just hurry up and find Mother for me will you?" "Yes Miss." The maid quickly scurried off after a polite curtsy, eager to please. Moments later were the rushed footsteps of a much louder and bolder pair of shoes- shoes belonging to none other than Ruth herself. When Rose turned around to see her mother at the top of the staircase, she was surprised to see a look of worry and exhaustion spread across her face. "Rose! It really is you…" Ruth all but ran down the stairs until she was face to face with her daughter. She glanced over at Jack for the first time and winced. Her daughter really hadn't been lost or had run away…she had simply run off for the night to do heaven knows what with this newfound orphan of a boy. Ruth's nose quivered almost as if Jack were a drunken and dirty homeless man on the streets of Philadelphia, rather than the clean and well kept young man that, in reality, stood before her. This time when Ruth spoke, there wasn't a single sign of worry or compassion in her voice but rather, a shrill and demeaning ice cold one. "Well Mr. Dawson, I see you've brought my daughter home safely and I kindly thank you for that. Now if you don't mind I would appreciate your leaving, seeing that Rose and I have a few things to discuss." Rose looked over at Jack nervously, squeezing his hand. Ruth noticed this little sign of affection and immediately she felt her legs begin to give out. "Actually Mother, that won't be necessary. You see, Jack and I actually have a few things we need to discuss with you." Ruth felt her head sway slightly in a dizzy motion as she gulped as quietly as possible and placed a strengthening hand on the staircase railing. "A-alright…" "Mother, Jack and I…are…well…Jack asked me to…ugh…" Rose closed her eyes briefly to regain her thoughts. Taking a deep breath and looking her mother right in the eye, Rose confidently finished her sentence. "We're getting married." Rose looked at her mother carefully. She looked as if she had just aged at least ten years in the past five minutes. Immediately wanting to comfort her mother but not knowing quite what to do, Rose kept on talking. "Mother, please understand…" Jack stepped forward a bit. His hair hung slightly in his face, making him look much younger than he truly was. "Mrs. Dewitt-Bukator, please just consider this. I love your daughter with all my heart and I'm willing to give everything I have up for her. All that I want is for her happiness and well being…nothing less. I know that this isn't exactly how you had hoped everything to be, but perhaps you should understand that life isn't always as predictable as we'd like it to be." Jack looked down, his finger gently rubbing the rim of the hat he held in his hand. He felt the warmth of a hand on his back and immediately knew it was Rose. He smiled at her lovingly, his mind and body using all of its strength not to take her in his arms and kiss her just yet. Focusing all her attention back on her mother, Rose turned and continued to speak with a newfound confidence. "Mother, we want to do this more than anything in the world right now…and believe me, we will. No matter what happens here today, Jack and I are still going to be leaving through that door and eventually getting married." She took a deep breath before continuing. This would be the hardest part. Ok Rose, you can do this. "I figure it can end two ways: you decide for yourself that you don't approve of this marriage right from the start and we'll simply move on with our lives without you or, you can give us your blessing and make the most of this situation. It's up to you Mother…either way. Personally, I'd much rather have your blessing and still be able to have you in not only our lives but in the lives of your future grandchildren too…" And then, right then and there, at the pure sound of 'grandchildren' Ruth lost it. No longer the carefully composed and straight faced woman that both Jack and Rose had always known her to be, Ruth fell to the floor in a heap of tears and childish wailing. "Mother!" Rose immediately kneeled beside her, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders for support. Rose looked up at Jack. He looked just as distraught and worried as she did. "Jack, come and help me. Let's move Mother into the parlor to lie down." Jack nodded and slid Ruth's arm over his shoulders as he placed his other hand around her waist to lift her up. "Come on Mother…come sit down for a little while and rest." Ruth was in a state of not only shock but sadness, fury and confusion. To her, it seemed as though someone had just slapped her in the face and told her that her seventeen years of hard work and parenting had been for nothing. Everything was such a blur now. She was vaguely aware of someone leading her to a nearby chair but once she felt its soft and relaxing cushions beneath her, she was unaware of the surrounding world around here…for it had all gone black and she had fainted. Chapter 22 | Story Index | Post Your Review | Email Author | Home |
