IF
Chapter Two
Cora awoke curled up on Jack’s
lap. Both Jack and Rose were asleep. She closed her eyes and cuddled up close
against Jack’s warm body. She gently shook his shoulder. It was starting to
rain, and she didn’t want to be outside in the rain, but she didn’t want to
leave Jack and Rose, either.
"Wake up, Jack," she
said.
Jack’s eyes fluttered open. He
looked around for a second, but smiled slightly when he saw Cora. "What
can I do for you?" he asked her.
"It’s raining. Can we go
inside?"
Jack nodded as he shook Rose’s
shoulder. She had been sleeping a lot lately, since the sinking. They were
supposed to arrive any day now in New York City, and everyone knew what awaited
them…hoards of reporters wanting the survivors to relive their worst nightmare.
Rose sat up and looked at Cora.
The shine in her eyes had disappeared after they had told her that her father
had died. However, she seemed more happy when they told her that she would be
moving out west with them.
"Come on, Rose. It’s
raining. Let’s get inside," Jack said.
Rose nodded sleepily and stood
up. She froze when she caught sight of where they were.
"Jack," she said
quietly. "Look, it’s the Statue of Liberty."
Jack picked Cora up so she could
see better. "This was Fabrizio’s dream. He always wanted to see this, and
now he can’t."
Rose wrapped her arms around
Jack. "Fabrizio’s watching us from heaven, and telling us to move on. Come
on. We’ll be docking soon, and I want to get off the ship before my mother and
Cal do."
*****
An hour and a half later, the
Carpathia docked in New York City. Sure enough, there were reporters as far as
the eye could see. There were also crowds of relatives and friends of those on
the Titanic, hoping that their loved ones had survived.
First class disembarked first,
followed by second, and finally, Jack, Rose, and Cora. Rose saw Cal and her
mother leave the ship. They looked shaken and upset, but Rose had no intention
whatsoever of letting them know that she was fine.
Jack took Rose’s hand and picked
up Cora, and they walked onto the dock. Reporters were all over the place,
shoving notebooks in people’s faces and asking questions. Jack and Rose pressed
through the crowd. Their first task was to find a place to stay. Tomorrow, Jack
was going to get a job, and they’d start saving. That was the plan. To get away
from Rose’s family as quickly as possible, and start a new life.
"Jack! Rose!" someone
called out.
They both froze. They thought it
was Ruth, but were relieved when they saw Molly Brown pushing through the crowd
to get to them.
Molly immediately hugged both of
them. "I’m so glad that you’re both all right. Rose, your mother and Cal
were so afraid that you hadn’t made it!"
"Um…Molly, could you not
tell them that I’m all right? I don’t want to go back to them. Jack and I are
moving out west with Cora," Rose said politely.
"Of course, dear."
Molly took out a piece of paper and a pencil. She began to scribble on it. Then
she handed it to Rose. "Here’s my address. I want you to write to me at
least once a week to let me know how you’re doing. Oh, and here." She dug
around in her purse and produced a large handful of bills. "Here’s
something to help you out."
"Oh, Molly, you don’t have
to…" Jack said, pushing the money away.
"But I want to. You two go
out west, raise this beautiful little girl, and start a new life. By the way,
who is this gorgeous girl?"
"This is Cora. I knew her in
steerage. Her father didn’t survive the sinking, and she doesn’t have any other
family, so we’re taking her with us."
Molly hugged each person and gave
them a kiss on the cheek. "You take care now. I know you can make it.
After all, you survived the sinking of the Titanic."
Jack and Rose gave Molly one
final hug and slipped into the crowd.
Two Months Later
Dear Molly,
Jack, Cora, and I finally made
it out west! It took some time, but we did it. We took our time, stopping every
once in a while so Cora could see some of the sights our country has to offer.
We actually spent two days in Washington, and now we’re in Santa Monica. We’ve
decided to open up a small bar. It’s called Bert’s in remembrance of Cora’s
father. Cora is doing fine. She’s still pretty quiet. I haven’t been feeling
well, but I think it’s just the tension from everything. Opening up your own
bar isn’t easy! Jack and I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for
all that you’ve done for us. We now have a home and a bar. We want you to come
and visit us once things calm down a little more. I have to go now. Jack’s home
and I have something to tell him.
Love,
Rose, Jack, and Cora Dawson
Rose sealed the envelope and
addressed it. Molly’s address had been burned into her memory. She put a stamp
on the letter and set it on the counter to be mailed.
The bar was starting to come into
shape, but it would still be another month or so before it would actually be
open for business. Jack and Rose had bought a large building in Santa Monica,
right on the shore. There was a small cellar, a main floor, and two other
floors. The top two floors would be private apartments, while the main floor
and cellar would be for the pub.
Jack put a bag of tools on the
counter and kissed Rose. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.
She shrugged. "I figured out
why I’ve been feeling sick lately. You should probably sit down, though."
Jack slowly sank onto a barstool.
"Is everything all right? Are you really sick? Do you need to go to the
doctor?" He kept spitting out questions, much to Rose’s frustration.
"I went and saw a doctor
while you and Cora were at the beach. I didn’t get to see you before you went
to the store, so I guess I have to tell you now. Jack, I’m pregnant."
Jack let out a whoop and stood up
quickly, knocking over the stool. "You’re pregnant? As in I’m going to be
a father?" he asked as he jumped over the bar and pulled Rose close.
Rose nodded. She could barely
contain her excitement. Suddenly, she felt Jack’s lips come crashing down on
hers.
Jack and Rose heard a small
giggle, and they immediately jumped apart. There, standing in the doorway, was
Cora.
"Are you all right? I could
hear you from upstairs, Daddy," she said in a small voice. Neither one
knew exactly when she had started calling them Mommy and Daddy, but it didn’t
bother them one bit. It meant that she was getting over her father’s death much
more quickly than they had originally guessed. Rose smiled as she went over and
picked Cora up, setting her on the bar.
"Cora, Mommy’s going to have
a baby in a few months. Is that all right with you?" she asked her adopted
daughter. Cora nodded excitedly.
"I’m going to be a big
sister?" she squealed, clapping her hands together.
Rose smiled and kissed her
cheeks. Her life was finally what she had always hoped it would one day become.