AFTER STARTING ANEW
Chapter Twenty-Four

"Should we open it?" Frank looked from the tightly wrapped box in front of him to the expectant faces of his siblings. The mysterious package that rested before him on the dining room table was addressed to the Dawson Family. Surely his parents would not mind if they opened something which belonged to all of them.

"Come on, let’s," encouraged Edy. She traced her fingers along the return address at the left-hand corner of the box. "But who do you suppose sent it? And why would some theatrical people be sending something to us."

Molly reread the return address out loud again as everyone listened. "Turner and Turner, Agents and Attorneys, Specializing in Theatrical Work, 1020 Fourth Ave., New York City, New York." Frank lifted the box in front of him and shook it gently. There was a soft thump and the rustle of either cloth or tissue paper, but nothing else that would give them a clue as to the contents. "Well, it is addressed to the family, but listen, we all have to stick up for each other if the folks get mad. All right? I mean we are all taking responsibility for this."

In unison his brother and sisters all nodded in agreement. Patrick was really too young to understand and Cora was distracted by the letter she had received today from Matthew Flanagan. She had met him at Warm Springs this past spring and like her he was also a victim of the polio. But his case had been milder and he was well on the road to an almost complete recovery. He was two years older than Cora and if Frank was not mistaken a little romance between the two had started. Cora pretended to be nonchalant whenever she received a letter from him, but with the way she disappeared immediately to answer back, she was not fooling anyone.

"Hey, Cora, you with us on this? Or are you too busy with your love letter?" Frank taunted. He loved his sister dearly, but he never could resist the chance to tease her and see the exasperated smile on her face.

Cora responded by throwing the envelope at Frank and making a face at him. "Just wait, Frank. I'll get even one of these days."

"Come on and stop the arguing. Let's do the deed before Mother and Father come home. They can't get too mad then and either the box landed here by mistake or it is nothing important. I mean, who do they know in New York? Except their friends Fabrizio and Nora, and Molly Brown lived there until she died." Molly reached for the string that was tied around the box and stood ready to clip it. She and her sister had arrived home from school for summer vacation only hours earlier and were anxious to share in the usual highjinks that occurred when all the Dawson children were home together.

"Here, hold the box, Edy," commanded her twin sister. Frank stood across the dining room table with Patrick on one side and Cora, leaning against the sideboard, behind him. All the attention now was on Molly, who with scissors in hand, was about to cut the fraying twine around the box. With a quick clipping sound, all that remained to find out what was inside was to pull off the brown paper off and lift the cover. And within seconds, Patrick had squirmed in front of Frank and was ripping away the covering. Shreds of the wrapping paper were strewn on the floor and a rather banged up and dented cardboard box now sat before them.

They all looked at each other with the same expression of wariness and anticipation. "I still can't understand who would be sending this. Are you sure there is no letter or anything attached to the box?" asked Edy. Patrick and Molly turned it over several times and found nothing.

"I still don't get this." Cora held up the scrap with the names of the senders. "Theatrical agents. You don't suppose that this is something from their past?" she asked. Cora, who held her father's confidences about his war experiences, often wondered if there were more to the story of her parents just meeting on a ship. They had been told about the sinking of the Titanic as children and from time to time when the subject came up in the news or in a magazine, she had seen hidden looks between her parents. "You don't think they were actors or something when they were young?"

"Honestly, Cora. You have too many far-fetched ideas. Now, who wants to open it up?" Frank polled his siblings, noticing that not one of them, even Patrick had volunteered for the task. "All right, then. Ready?" As they all nodded in accord, Frank lifted the lid from the box. A peculiar odor of dust, seawater and musty fabric wafted into the air. Carefully, he pushed the tissue cover away and started to uncover the contents of the puzzling parcel.

A folded piece of gray and pink silk was the first item they found. Gently, Molly removed it and shook it out to reveal a well-cut and beautifully sewn woman's gown. "You sure don't see that style anymore." It was obvious that it was from another era. "You don't see that kind of fine stitching either." Her sisters reached out and rubbed the material between their thumbs and index fingers. As they slowly examined the garment, their hands moved up from the hem to a panel of handmade lace at the bodice. "Fabric like that costs a fortune even these days," said Molly, wondering who the lucky woman was to have worn something so elegant.

"Too bad about the water damage at the bottom." Cora held out the bottom of the dress in both hands. "Such a shame. It kind of ruins it. Must have been in some flood or something," she said letting go and sending the dress fluttering back down to the table.

Patrick meanwhile had rummaged in the box and pulled out two envelopes and another small package. "Who are these for?" He handed them to his brother, as he was unable to read the fancy penmanship on the envelopes.

Frank held them up and studied them for a minute. "This one is addressed to Dad and this one to Mom. We can't open these. But what else have you got there, Patrick?"

He held up another white envelope, also crushed and wrinkled and shook it up and down. With a slight thunk, a small silver object fell to table. They watched as Patrick picked up the small silver cylinder. He rubbed his fingers along its sides, which were decorated with an etched pattern of leaves. "What is it?" Molly asked, impatiently. She tried reaching for the object and succeeded in grabbing it from her little brother. "We don't have all day to stand here. Let me see?" She held it in the palm of her hand, rolling it over once. "It's a fancy pencil. See here how the point twists out?" Slowly she turned the joint where the top and bottom met, and sure enough, the point of a piece of lead came into view. "I don't get it. A pencil, a dress? What is this junk?"

"Is there anything left in there, Frank?" Edy was busy folding the dress, also puzzled by the strange items that had been sent to them. "Rummage down in the box and see if you can find anything else."

But Patrick took the lead. He climbed up onto the table and with a mischievous look on his face, reached into the bottom of the box. "Yuck," he exclaimed. "There is something furry in there." As if he had been burned, he pulled his hand from the box.

Cora and Molly exchanged glances, both wondering what remained to be found. Frank impatiently pushed Patrick away from the box and cringing, he plunged his hand down inside the cardboard container. They all watched his face while he moved his arm around. "It's not fur, Patrick. Feels like wool or something." He reached in with both hands and struggled with the heavy object. They all drew a sigh of relief when all that his efforts produced was a charcoal gray man's coat.

"Look at the back and the bottom. There are water stains there too." Cora, who had a sharp eye for such things, pointed to the uneven lines of white that showed up here and there. "Maybe all this stuff was damaged in a fire. Why else would there be watermarks all over it. Whoever wore it must have been tall too. Taller than Father anyway."

Frank checked the box one more time to be sure they had not missed anything and then laid the coat out on the table. Like the dress it was an older style and the label inside indicated that it had been made by a private tailor. In the corner of one sleeve some frayed threads were all that remained of what must have once been embroidered initials. It was hard to tell if the first letter was an 'O' or a 'C' and the second letter could have been an 'H' or an 'E'. "Whoever this stuff belonged to sure must have had money. No one we know can afford things like this. Well, Arthur, maybe. But he is always so conservative." Edy carefully arranged the two garments side by side on the table and laid the pen to rest on top of the coat. "Hey, what are you doing?" She glanced down and saw that Patrick had his hands stuffed inside the pockets of the coat. He was biting his lip and had one of his eyes closed as he struggled with something.

He yanked his hand out of the pocket and much to the surprise of his brother and sisters, his hand was not empty. Clutched tightly in his fist were several rectangular bundles. "Hey, let me see that." Frank took one of the packets from Patrick and held it up for closer examination. "Money?" He thought for a minute and decided that it couldn't be real. "These have to be some sort of stage props. It's not possible for anyone to have carried this much money. Is there more of it?" Patrick stuck his face into the large pocket and nodded his head. Quickly he pulled out four more stacks of bills.

"You're right Frank. This can't be real. There is too much of it. Maybe a couple of bills, but not all this." Molly thumbed through the money, shuffling it with her thumb. The moving air lifted her copper colored curls. "That's it, then? Check the other pocket." Frank beat Patrick to the draw and shoved his fist into the opening on the other side of the coat. He felt around and his fingers came in contact with something rough and uneven. No one was prepared for what he held in his hands. It was a necklace. The blue stone was at least two inches across and almost as thick. It hung on a diamond-studded chain. The stone itself was surrounded by diamonds. Or at least what appeared to be diamonds. "Holy shit--"

"Frank, watch it," cautioned Edy, as she motioned to the direction of Cora and Patrick. They had all gathered closer to their brother to see the enormous piece of jewelry he held. "This can't be real either. If it were real, it would cost millions and millions of dollars."

Cora lifted it gently out of Frank's palm and while leaning against her crutches, held it up against Molly's throat. She leaned back for a better look and then gave her opinion. "Kind of gaudy, isn't it? Sure is a good fake though."

Now more than ever, the Dawson children were convinced that the mystery items that had been sent from New York must have some sort of theatrical connotation. Just how this all was connected to their family or their parents they had no idea. "Try it on Molly. Let's see how you would look if we were really rich." Edy handed the dress and the necklace to her twin. She had seen her touching the dress rather wistfully earlier, almost as if she had been imagining what it would have been like to have such riches.

Molly glanced up at her sister and then noticed that the others were watching her too. "You sure?"

"Go ahead," urged Cora. "It looks like it would fit either of you perfectly. Please. We could just pretend for a minute."

With no further discussion, Molly slipped the delicate dress over her thin cotton sundress. She shook out the skirt and watched the silk skirt whirl into place. Lifting her hair over the back of the dress, she turned her back to Edy who closed the back fastenings and tied the pink sash. "It does fit perfectly," said Molly as she smoothed her hands down the side of the dress. Then she turned around and let the light fabric swirl around her.

Cora's eyes were shining with admiration. She was still sometimes a bit self conscious about donning any finery, thinking that her crutches and braces took away any look of elegance. To see her sister dressed in something so lovely was like having a dream come true. "Put the necklace on too," she suggested. Molly walked over to Frank who still held it in his hand. She touched it and suddenly withdrew her fingers. "What if it is real? It just feels funny to do this."

She swallowed and for some reason her mouth felt dry. Molly was not normally prone to nervousness but for some reason coming in contact with that necklace sent a wave of foreboding coursing through her. Almost as if something bad were about to happen. "I don't know…"

"Come on. You'll have all this off before they come home. Just let us see how it all looks. It's only for fun. Nothing is going to happen." Frank dropped the necklace over her head and closed the clasp at the back of her neck. "See, nothing to it."

The room started to spin around Molly and in an almost involuntary motion, she put her hand to her throat, covering up the stone. She wished she could shake the mood of uneasiness that engulfed her. Now she was sorry that she had agreed to put any of this on. The only ones who seemed to be enjoying this little fashion show were her siblings. Cora was beaming from ear to ear and Edy was strutting around the dining room as if she too were clothed in the same finery. Frank was whistling at them and Patrick was walking behind her holding the dress up in back like a queen's train.

Before she knew it, Frank had put on the heavy overcoat and was kneeling before her, holding her hand, reciting the only lines he remembered from his high school Shakespeare. "My horse, my horse, my kingdom for a horse."

Despite her serious mood, Molly had to giggle at the ridiculous picture they must have made. She was dressed like she was going to a ball and her was brother uttering nonsense lines from Richard III. For the moment she decided to enjoy the silly time they were having. With the hard times of the depression and the tension of school it felt good to let go for a few minutes. She dismissed the odd sensations she had been overcome with and joined her brother in his playacting.

She tilted her head back and to the side and laid the back of her hand against her forehead, in the only dramatic pose she could think of. Molly was just about to utter some ridiculous gibberish herself when they heard the screen door slam, signaling the arrival of their parents.

"That was a nice wedding wasn't it?" Rose put her purse and gloves down on the seat of the hall tree and peeked in the mirror hoping that the May wind had not reduced her carefully styled hair into a rat's nest.

"Yeah. It was okay," Jack agreed. He came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't worry. You still were the most beautiful woman there. But Rose, if we have to go to one more of these Depression weddings and eat watered down chicken a la king and angel food cake, I am going on strike."

Rose turned and faced her husband of twenty-one years and shook her head resignedly. Jack had always been outspoken and he knew how to control himself in public, but she knew that he was all bark and no bite.

"You know you will do no such thing, Jack. If we are invited we will go. Anyway with all of the Waller's family living in another part of the country and not able to get here, I am sure they appreciated having so many friends there."

"Oh I know. I know. But with the girls just coming home today, I would rather have been home and spent the time with them." He planted a kiss on her forehead and gave her a wink.

"You won't feel that way when one of your children gets married. You will want the whole world there." She wiggled out of his embrace and turned her head toward the closed dining room doors. "What on earth do you think is going on in there?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "You know how they get when they are all together. Some harmless mischief I assume. Should we go see what our offspring are up to?" Jack held his arm out and motioned for Rose to go ahead of him.

Rose thought of all the wild schemes that their five children often came up with. One time, they had painted the garage orange for Halloween. Another year they had put a wallet on the front sidewalk and attached it to a string in the house. Whenever someone walked by and tried to pick it up, they jerked the string for the upstairs window and left the passersby feeling a bit foolish. They were all innocuous little pranks, but the Dawson children were well known in the neighborhood for their jokes. In fact, Rose knew that the neighbors wondered if they weren't all a little odd when they were all out in the yard at three in the morning looking for comets, or frolicking in the first blizzard of the season. Most people just cleared their throats and said what a charming family they were and went on about their business. Rose wondered if perhaps they weren't a bit jealous of her own free spirited family. Now with the giggles and laughter coming from the dining room, she was sure that a three-ring circus must be underway.

Jack slid open the pocket door a few inches and he gave Rose a questioning look when he heard Frank reciting Shakespeare. "Now what are they up to?" he whispered.

She motioned for him to open the door all the way and as he did, she could not believe her eyes. Rose covered her mouth with her hand in an attempt to stifle the scream that was rising in her throat. The tight grasp on Jack's arm brought to his attention that something out of the ordinary was happening.

Five pairs of eyes turned to meet their parent's startled gaze. None of them could understand the look of terror in their mother's eyes or the anger on their father's face. How some innocent playacting could cause such a reaction was beyond their comprehension.

"Mother? Are you all right?" Molly turned to face her mother, trying to use her nurse's training to ascertain if she were ill. Rose remained silent and stood as still as a statue. "Daddy?" Molly almost winced as she said those words. Her father had a temper but rarely lost it at them. Now as she noticed the pale color on his face and the telltale twitching of his jaw, she realized that its fury was about to be unleashed on all of them in full force.

Jack stepped forcefully into the room and stood seething, as his eyes went from Frank to Molly. He felt as if a cold knife had gone through his stomach. The sight of Molly, who so resembled Rose at the same age, sent his mind catapulting with a myriad of images. Rose after the drawing, Rose in his arms telling him she was getting off the ship with him and the look of devastation of her face when he was led away. With little thought to what he was doing or saying, his temper got the best of him. He stepped forward and with one lightning move he yanked Frank to his feet and ripped the coat off his body. Then with a roaring voice that they all dreaded he finally spoke. "Where in the hell did this stuff come from?" Their eyes darted nervously from one to the other, too shocked to speak. "Tell, me dammit. Where did you get this? Someone better answer me now. And I mean now." Cora covered her ears and shut her eyes, hoping to block out the scene in front of her.

"Jack, take it easy." Rose sank down on the chair nearest the door, too weak to go any further. She knew her children were not at fault, but the shock was too much for her to say anymore. He looked over at her, knowing she was right, but too furious at the situation to act rationally.

"It came in a big box." Jack glanced down at Patrick who was on the floor writing on a piece of paper with a silver pencil.

"Patrick, get over here," he ordered. The eight-year-old timidly approached his father not understanding what was happening. "Give me that." Jack held out his hand and shuddered as if in pain when Patrick laid the object in his hand. In a measured tone of voice, he told Cora to leave and take Patrick with her.

"Y-yes. Daddy. But Patrick…"

"I don't want to hear about it. Out. Now." He grasped the pencil tightly in his hands, wishing for all his life that he was having just a bad dream. Not having to deal with the reality of Titanic yet again. "Where do you think you are going?" he demanded as his three oldest children moved closer to the open door.

"We…Dad, we…this box came…and well…" Frank was so nervous he was unable to string more than a few words together.

"Jack, there must be some sort of explanation." Rose looked up, hoping that he would calm down. "Let them explain."

Ignoring Rose, he just let his anger out on the closest person. "Molly, get the hell out of that dress now and take that necklace off too. Then I want you all out of here. And stay out. Is that clear?"

Edy's hands shook so badly she could barely undo Molly's dress. Finally with that and the necklace gone, she meekly faced her father. "Daddy, we didn't mean…" She stopped when she saw the look of rage on his face.

"Didn't you hear what I said? Out now. And stay out, dammit." Jack pounded his fist into the dining room table. "Stay out."

The door slid shut and Jack hung over the table, his breath coming in short gasps. He looked over and saw Rose crying into her fist. The beautiful, happy spring day that had begun so nicely this morning was a shambles. Destroyed by the relics that had almost destroyed them twenty-one years ago. Slowly he straightened and walked across the room to Rose. He sank down in the chair next to her and pulled her into his arms. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. They were lost in their own thoughts of the horrific hours that preceded the sinking. Once when they visited in New York, they had talked about all of this with Fabrizio and they had explained things simply to the children who were young at that time. Now it seemed as though one more agonizing time they would have to live through the experience. Confronted as they were now with such tangible reminders. He would have to make some explanation. And right now, he was looking for his own answers as to how these things had arrived at their house in the first place.

"Rose? Are you okay?" Jack mumbled the words into her shoulder as he continued to hold her and rock her gently close to him. He could still feel her shaking. But she nodded her head up and down in an attempt to be brave. "I have to look through this stuff and see how on earth it got here. All right."

"I'll be all right, Jack. I just don't think I can stand up right now."

He turned and his eyes roved around the room. There was the dress that Rose had worn in the sinking. The dress he had slipped off of her in the car. The silver pen he had written that note to Rose with was still clasped tightly in his hand. And the gray coat. Damn. It was Hockley's coat. Jack shuddered at the man's arrogance, recalling how he had put it on Rose in front of the lifeboat. He felt numb as he recalled how he had felt when he had watched her lowered in that same lifeboat. Finally he stood up and went to the table. Lying as Edy had unceremoniously dumped it on the table was the Heart of the Ocean. Long ago Rose had told him that the giant stone actually had a name. He sighed and he pushed the box to one side still looking for a clue as to how this had all ended up at their house.

"Jack?" Rose's voice was more than a whisper. Her eyes were focusing and then refocusing on the banded piles of bills that lay on the table just on the other side of the box. "Jack, look. Behind the box."

Jack lifted the box and at once saw what Rose was talking about. There were at least six neatly wrapped packets of money. He lifted one gingerly as if it was poisonous plant. To him touching something that once must have been part of Caledon Hockley was like being burned. "This has to have belonged to that bastard--"

"Jack, just relax. I think we've had enough swearing this afternoon. After all, the children didn't know what all this was." She almost bit her tongue as she said that. The sound of her mother chastising Cal about his language suddenly flew into her head. That was the last thing she needed at this point, to turn into the person her mother used to be.

He could only nod silently. Rose was right, of course. Just coming close to anything that belonged to that scoundrel was revolting. But once he had it in his hand, he studied the money and saw that they were all in one hundred-dollar denominations. Thumbing through the bills he realized that right in front of him was at least $600,000 in cash. More money than he could ever hope to see in ten lifetimes. He broke out in a cold sweat, sickened that the curse of Hockley and Titanic was still with them. He was still rummaging through the piles of money and the dress when at last two white envelopes caught his eye. One was addressed to him, the other to Rose.

He turned quietly to Rose and he held the two letters in his hand. "Maybe this will explain it all. And look at this." He found the torn scraps of paper that had the return address of the law firm in New York and the one that said 'Dawson Family' and showed them to her. No wonder the children had felt they were entitled to open the package. Clearly, whoever had addressed it had not understood the repercussions that such simple items would cause.

She looked up at him in confusion at she saw him holding the two letters. "Who do we know in New York? Molly Brown was living there, but she died in December. Wait, Jack. Don't you see? It had to be her."

"Rose, she died five months ago. How did it get here now? Be realistic." He sank down into the chair next to her, tiredly rubbing his eyes with one hand and handing Rose her letter with the other. "You first. Can you handle it or do you want me to read it?" he asked noticing that her face was still pale.

"No, I'll try." With trembling hands, Rose ripped open the sealed envelope. The stationery heading confirmed Rose's first guess. The Barbizon Hotel, New York City, New York. The letter was dated December 12, 1931. She scanned the letter quickly, her eyes moving from the top to the signature at the bottom. "See," she said, holding the letter out for Jack to see. "It was Molly. But why?"

Jack inclined his head toward the piece of paper in Rose's hand. "Go on. See what is says. But for the life of me, why she wanted to cause us such pain and put us in such an uproar is beyond me."

She gave him a quick glance, hoping at least for an encouraging smile, but Jack seemed lost in his own thoughts. "All right, here goes."

'Rose darling, I hope you won't begrudge a silly old woman her last wishes, but I always felt that these pieces of history belonged to you. When I finally found you in that hospital, the nurses were holding onto your belongings and they asked me if I would take them for you. It was the dress and the coat. I've been keeping them for you all these years, just waiting for the right time to send them your way.

Now I know that you probably won't be wanting anything to remind you of that so and so Cal, but when I felt around in the pockets, I thought maybe it might be useful. I know you might have a tough time convincing Jack otherwise, but Cal owes you. He owes you more than what was in the coat. Don't forget he tried to kill Jack twice and you once. And sure as hell where he is now, he’s not going to have any use for it.'

Rose bit her lip, thinking about how right Molly was. Cal had sought to destroy Jack and herself. Not only that, there had been that unpleasant little incident at Fabrizio's a few years back. She wondered what Jack was thinking but when she looked over at him he was holding his head in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. "Jack?" she said softly. "She's right you know."

"Hah. Yeah she's right. It just feels like doing something dirty to take money like that." His words were muffled as he was still looking at the floor. "And what in the world are we going to do with that damn necklace?"

Rose kept her silence thinking that Jack was right about that anyway. Getting rid of something as ostentatious as the Heart of the Ocean would make the newspaper headlines. She really did not want it now. The magic of the moments when she had worn it for Jack alone were better left in their minds. It belonged to their past. And while the drawing had eventually led to the encounter in the car, it was not something she wanted to keep. Because, after all it was Cal that had bought it for her. And in a sense had tried to buy her with it as well.

"Let me finish the letter. 'If I have caused you any pain or unhappiness, please forgive me. I know that when you get this, I'll have gone to that great roundup in the sky. Rose, darling, I just want you to know that you and your dear mother and Jack meant a lot to me. And you all deserve the best. You tell your Jack that if he won't take the money for himself, at least put it away for your deserving kids. The beautiful dress you wore that night is in pretty good shape. There is a lot of history in that dress. Your family should know the story of all that happened. And maybe seeing the dress will help. Please preserve for all of the Dawsons to come. They all deserve to know the story of your great fortitude and courage on that awful night. That love that you and Jack share is a real legacy to pass on. Be sure that everyone knows just how hard the two of you worked to make it all happen.

Your friend,
Margaret Tobin Brown

"Oh Jack. See, she didn't mean anything. She just wanted us to have what belongs to us. And if we had opened it first, things would not have been like this. Jack?" Rose reached over and took his hand in hers. She rubbed her thumb along his roughened hand. A hand that had not changed in all these years. Rough to the touch, but capable of gentle caresses. "Jack, she's dead and gone. Can't you see she didn't mean any harm? Why don't you read your letter? Perhaps that will say more." He sat up her hand still holding his. Jack gazed into her eyes and saw the hopeful, pleading stare that he knew so well. She was always right. Whenever he let things get out of control, she was always there to give him a quiet nudge and remind him that he was out of line. He could see the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Clearly she was more emotionally distraught than she let on. And he knew about that too. Sometimes her flood of emotions came later when they were in bed and she knew he was there to comfort her.

"Yes, all right. I'll read my letter. But Rose, about the children. They'll ask lots of questions…" he paused, thinking of several he would be too embarrassed to answer.

"Jack, the older ones are grown up. They at least will understand. And besides, Jack, is there anything you are sorry about?" she asked, knowing that was a baited question.

His only answer was a sigh and a resigned look. Before he unfolded his own letter, he reached over and pressed his lips firmly against hers. The same gentle way Rose had first leaned back to kiss him, all those years ago. Sorry? In his mind knew he wasn't sorry for anything. Only sorry to think of how close they had once come to dying and losing each other.

The pocket door slid silently open and Molly, Edy and Frank, disturbed by the sudden silence in the room, peeked to see what was happening. They quickly backed away when they saw how their parents were engaged. "Jeez, they seem to solve every problem the same way," complained Frank. He was still out of sorts by the fact that his father had hauled him to his feet, yelled at him and sent him from the room.

"I think it's the way it's supposed to be." Edy hoped that one day when she found a man that she would have the same romantic relationship her parents had. They never spoke of other people in their earlier lives and she often wondered if either had ever gone out with anyone else.

"Hold on," said Frank. "I think I know what this all might be about. Last night I was talking to Mom and she was kind of sad and said that she wished she had the dress she had worn…and then she kind of drifted off. But I know she was talking about something to do with the Titanic."

Suddenly Edy and Molly shook their heads in agreement. "You're right. Nothing else could be that upsetting to them. They must feel like they've seen a ghost." Molly carefully worked her way back to the partially open door. Silently she held up a finger. "Maybe we'll find out who sent this." As she moved closer to the opening, she heard her father's voice.

'Dear Jack, I know you're probably sitting there in Denver thinking what in the world did the old woman do now. And to tell the truth, I sure glad I'm not within striking distance when you open this. Listen, son, just take it easy and stay calm. Remember, I've known you since you went into the snake pit and sure as anything can say that sometimes you think before you act.' Jack felt his face flush. He looked up at Rose, noticing that for the first time since they had come in from the wedding, there was a trace of a smile on her face. It appeared that perhaps Molly knew him better than he thought.

'I'm sending the silver pencil that you wrote the note to Rose on at dinner that night. I thought you should have it, rather than these old codger lawyers who are sitting here with me writing my will or my own kids who would more as likely consign it to a resale shop. No, it belongs to you, Jack. It is my legacy to you. Even if getting it in the mail shocks the pants off of you, it belongs to you. It is after all what really started it all between you and Rose. I watched both of you at dinner that night and saw the looks you were exchanging. Believe me, I knew that the two of you were a fire just waiting to be lit. And I sure was right about that. I knew at the time that Ruth was ready to kill me, but she simmered down quick enough and has led herself a nice little life now with Arthur.

The one thing that for certain must be on your mind is that damn necklace. You are probably cursing me like crazy for that unwanted gift. But I'm not such a fool as you think. I've enclosed a signed and sworn affidavit from me (with a place for Ruth to sign and be sworn) that we both witnessed that fact that the necklace was a gift to Rose and therefore she is the owner to do with what she pleased. Now I also happen to know that Cal's old man already settled his insurance on it. So what I am suggesting is that you bring old Arthur into the picture and have him find someone to sell it anonymously, preferably in another country. Now there is nothing illegal about doing that, but sure will cause less commotion. One thing you don't need is a passel of Hockley descendants beating down your door.

Listen son, you just do what I say and see if Rose isn't in agreement with me on this. You divide up that cash between your kids. Lord knows they deserve it. Then get that necklace sold and have Arthur set up a nice little trust fund for you and Rose. Now Jack, don't read…"

"What's wrong?" Rose asked as Jack stopped reading. There was an odd, almost mischievous look on Jack's face and had he not been so angry earlier, she would have sworn he was up to something.

"Nothing. Just getting a little hoarse. There's only a few more lines. I'll just glance over them." Jack stared into space and swallowed nervously thinking of all of Molly's instructions. She did have a point. He could change the lives and futures of his children if he acted as she said. And there was nothing really illegal about it. As to the money. Well, maybe if he thought of it as finding something that no one had even lost.

His eyes moved back to the letter so he could finish the remaining sentences.

'You just build Rose a fancy cabin up in Big Thompson Canyon that you and she can escape to once in awhile and keep up that romance of yours. It'll be a place for you to enjoy all the grandchildren you're going to have one of these days.

I know I sound sort of bossy in this letter, but they got my here on a good day, making out this will and I'm just feeling a bit feisty about everything. Just be glad that I'm not really there in person. I'd haul your hide over my knee if you didn't do what I say.

Remember all I taught you Jack. The only thing they respect is money, so just act like you got a lot of it and you're in the club. Except now, you are the one with the money. Take a page out of Arthur's book and just be yourself. It worked then and it'll work now. Thanks for favoring an old lady in her fading days. I just wish I could have seen you once more Jack.

Respectfully yours,
Margaret Tobin Brown

A deep sigh escaped Jack and he leaned back and looked at the ceiling. Molly's words and gift had shaken more than he would like to admit. Even dead she was a force to be reckoned with. He felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. To not honor her last wishes seemed disrespectful and yet touching a cent of Hockley's money went against his own moral grain.

"Jack?"

He came of his little reverie and turned to Rose who seemed to be waiting for him to speak.

"Jack, what should we do?" She was trying to guess what was going on in his mind. Rose knew how Jack felt about taking money from anyone unless he worked for it. The small amount he had found from his parents and whatever Arthur gave to the children were the only exceptions.

Jack let his letter fall to the floor and took Rose in his arms. Just by holding her, he always felt an inner peace and strength wash over him. And strength was just what he needed now when faced with this unusual crisis. "I guess we'll do what she says." He felt her head nod against his. "We can make these trust funds and all that. But I don't think we should change how we live. I'm still going to work and see that the kids appreciate the simple things in life. Right?"

"Oh, Jack, yes." She stared up at him and felt she was losing herself in his now turbulent blue eyes. So much must be going on behind them. Rose was sure this was an issue Jack would rather not have faced. She knew how much he preferred a simple uncomplicated way of living. Now they had hard choices to make. Choices that would continue to remind them of Titanic for the rest of their lives. "This is sort of a turning point in our lives, isn't it."

"Yeah." Jack felt himself slowly being calmed as he drank in the scent of Rose's perfume and hair. They were going to have to learn to live now balancing their choices. Not really ever having to worry about finances again, always having a safety net there, but not wanting to become ostentatious in anyway either.

"What are they doing in there now?" hissed Edy. Frank was now peeking in the doorway. He jerked his head around and put a warning finger to his lips. "Shh," he mouthed. "Let me hear what they are saying."

Jack pulled Rose as tightly against him as possible. As long as they were together to defuse situations like today, he knew he could tolerate anything. "It'll be fine Rose. It'll all work out. But I owe those kids a big apology. I feel about this big." He held out one hand with his thumb and index finger with barely any space in between.

"Now what, Frank?" Molly could hardly conceal her curiosity. Frank moved away from the door and pushed his sisters into the corner of the hall.

"Father is going to apologize. I think they are coming out in a minute. We shouldn't all be here."

"Were you right? Was that stuff from the Titanic?" asked Edy. Frank glanced back at the door as if expecting it to open all the way.

"I think so. They mentioned Molly Brown and she was with them. I'm sure that is what this is all about." He reiterated his previous guess that it was these uninvited items from Titanic that had sent their parents into a tailspin.

"Come on, Rose. We need to find them and tell them how sorry I am." Jack gently pulled Rose up with him as he stood. "Come here," he took her hand and led her to the table where their 'gifts' were piled. "Do you know what I remember about that night?"

Rose shook her head confused by Jack's question. There was so much to remember about that night. "What?" She tried to slow her pounding pulse, thinking about all they had gone through.

He rested his hand on her cheek and looked deeply into her eyes. He recalled the look of determination in them that April night. From the moment she asked him to draw her to when she had climbed back out of the lifeboat to take her chances with him. That look was there now. She wanted her question answered. "You know when I first saw you at a distance on the deck, you were wearing that confining lace dress. But after I, well rescued you, each time we were together, you seemed to loosen up little by little. Be it your hair, or your dancing. But that night, that last night when you put this dress on…" Jack took the gray silk fabric in his hand and crushed it tightly. "You looked free for the first time. You didn't have that damn corset on, for one thing."

Rose bit her lip and blushed at Jack's frankness. "And your hair spilled over your shoulders in a glorious mane of red." As he spoke, he moved his hand from the dress to her hair where he lifted it gently. "The irony of the whole thing was that just as you decided to free yourself of all of those constraints, when you had finally taken control of your life, everything went berserk and there was nothing we could control. Funny, I never really thought about that before, until now." Jack laughed softly as he studied his beautiful wife. If he lived to be one hundred he would never understand just how fate had brought them together. But he would never question the results of their strange meeting. Together they had forged a new life, created a family and lived in the world of their special love. Jack cradled her neck in his hands and slowly drew Rose close to him. His lips came down slowly on hers, softly at first and then more insistently. She responded eagerly, moaning softly as his hands caressed her back. She broke away first. Rose rested her hands on Jack's shoulders and thought for a moment before she spoke.

"Jack, remember last year, you said that you wished that for once, you hoped that something good would happen to us?"

He nodded vaguely remembering that conversation.

"Well, maybe this is it? The money, a chance for our children. Is it so wrong to feel that it is a good thing?" Rose studied the thoughtful expression on his face. She thought of how much easier it would be for the children to finish their education, and of how maybe she and Jack could help some of Arthur's charities. It was never money that she had objected to; it was the condescending attitude of those wealthy people around her. There were exceptions like Molly and Arthur. People who remembered their own roots. Now she was glad that she and Jack had gone through their struggles. It made this unexpected situation so much sweeter. She glanced down at the table out of the corner of her eye and saw her old dress lying there. After five children she wondered…then she noticed the Heart of the Ocean and her mind began to whirl with the visions of Jack and his sketchbook. What a temptation.

Jack noticed that change in her expression. Her mouth opened slightly and her eyes were alight with laughter. "What is it?" There was an odd look in her eye. "What?" He was truly puzzled by her mysterious smile.

She bit her lip, afraid to speak. Twenty-one years ago she had not been this shy with Jack, when she had known him for forty-eight hours. Now he was her husband and she could hardly get the words out. She cast her eyes down and took a breath, trying to quiet her nerves. "Jack, later would you mind if I, well…tried it on one more time?"

He wrinkled his brow not sure if she meant the dress or the necklace. "Which one?" he asked.

"The necklace, Jack. Just to relive that special moment. Please?" She could feel his heart pounding as hard as hers. That night when he had drawn her had been thick with unspoken sensuality. The night Jack had once told her that they had cast caution to the wind. They had lost that moment all too soon in the freezing water. It would be special just once more in their life to experience such a moment.

Jack crushed his face to hers and she could feel his jaw tremble. Rose felt a moisture near his eye that matched her own tears. She knew that Jack was as moved as she was. His breathing was becoming ragged and his mouth began to explore her face with kisses. When at last her lips joined with his, Rose knew what she had always known. That loving Jack Dawson took her to a higher plane of existence. That they would love each other beyond time. His muffled words confirmed her thoughts.

"God, Rose," he said between kisses. "I just want to love you forever."

"They still haven't come out," said Edy. "Molly take one more quick peek," she urged her twin. Molly lifted her eyebrows in exasperation. She had already taken the brunt of her father's anger this afternoon. It was not an experience she was eager to repeat.

"If you want to know, you look. I'm in enough hot water."

Edy shrugged her shoulders and got an encouraging look from Frank who sat on the stairs. She tiptoed to the door and slid it open another inch. Her parents were kissing yet again, this time standing up. She was just about to back away when she heard her father's voice. What she heard made her turn as red as her hair.

"All right, you three. You can come in now. I owe you all an apology. And by the way, Frank," Jack said as his son and daughters entered the room sheepishly, "you need to oil that door." He turned and gave Rose one more kiss on the forehead and then motioned for them all to sit down.

Chapter Twenty-Five
Stories