Rose sat in the garden smoking a cigarette; she felt the gentle breeze tickle her hot face. It was such a ridiculously hot day and sitting near the big oak was her only respite from the heat wave. Apparently it was meant to be 95 degrees today. The heat was making Rose grouchy and evermore restless. Rose couldn't get Jack out of her mind; the meeting with him had never made her feel more alive. She couldn't remember the last time that she felt alive. It had seemed like a lifetime ago since she had felt anything. She felt so angry with herself for walking out like that. She wanted to leave Frank, but she knew that she would jeopardise everything and she had the children to think about. The children adored their father and Rose couldn't bear to tear the family apart.
Rose had been discouraged by Ruth to ever leave Frank. Rose had gotten back in touch with Ruth a couple of years ago. Ruth had been left penniless after the Titanic; Rose was adamant to cut contact with her mother although she felt guilty. She hadn't informed her mother of her whereabouts or her wedding; it was only when she heard rumours from the old inner circle that Ruth was penniless and barely surviving that Rose felt the wave of guilt overcome her. No matter what Ruth had done she was still her mother and Rose felt mature enough to put things in the past.
Rose had invited Ruth to stay with her until she got on her feet. Frank had brought Ruth an apartment of her own and she was back in the lap of luxury in no time, having tea and luncheon with the ladies in the inner circle and enjoying mindless gossip as if nothing had happened. Ruth's status had been restored thanks to Frank.
Ruth already knew that her daughter was alive but had no way of contacting her. Although the two had put things in the past (the fact that Rose was married to a rich man with a high social standing and good family background meant that Ruth was over the moon and the engagement to Cal was a thing of the past), their relationship was still fraught and frosty. Rose had confided in her mother about how unhappy she was but all her mother said was, "don't you dare mess this up again Rose! I refuse to live in the gutter again and I don't think you do either, think of the children, do you want them to live in squalor? You could barely make it out on the streets yourself; you can take a girl out of a class, but you can't take the class out of the girl. You belong here Rose; you're not adapted to a lower class life. You don't want to go back there Rose do you?
So Frank doesn't make you happy, do you think that anybody who is married is actually happy? So what Frank has affairs and neglects you, that's life. That will always happen in every marriage; this perfect fairytale that you want doesn't exist Rose. You've got compromise and settle for what you've got. You've got too much to loose if you divorced Frank and you've come this far again. Love isn't important Rose; you've got your money and your status, that's all that matters. You'll never find better. No impulsive romantic tryst like with that boy will ever amount to anything. You don't think that boy ever loved you did you, he used you, he used you for your money and that's what ever beggar boy out there is going to do. Even if you have an affair with a rich man he won't want you; there's too much at stake. Stay with Frank, without him you're nothing. We have no money remember."
Rose hadn't forgotten what her mother said. It lingered over her head all the time. Seeing Jack again had ignited that fire and passion in Rose that had gone out a long time ago; she started to really feel things again. Even Katherine had commented on how happy Rose seemed after the party last night.
"Gee Rose I've never seen you so happy, what did Dawson say to you?" Katherine had commented. "You really like him don't ya? Arthur says Dawson is crazy about you." Rose of cause had told Katherine not to be so ridiculous and that there was nothing to it, but Katherine just rolled her eyes.
"I think you should meet with him again," Katherine said.
"Are you encouraging me to have an affair?" Rose asked, shocked by Katherine's audacity.
"Frank has affairs all the time, I'm no idiot. The way you look whenever I mentioned Dawson, I've never seen you look like that before. It's like you come alive, Arthur notices it too. Oh Rose I think I'm in love with Arthur! Before I wasn't so sure because he doesn't have that much money and he's not outgoing and sure of himself like the men I usually go for, but I really like him. He'd kind and he's humble and if I dare say good-looking. He's invited me to go sailing with him tomorrow."
"Katherine I'm so happy for you," Rose beamed.
"Rose! Rose!" Rose awoke to her name being called. She hadn't realised that she had dozed off. Rose looked up to see Frank looking down at her.
"For goodness sake Rose I've been calling you for half an hour! I just wanted to let you know that Katherine's been calling for you. I couldn't find the maids so I went to tell you myself," Frank said gruffly.
"Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?" Rose said playfully, getting up and snaking her arms around Frank's waist. He abruptly pulled her hands away from his waist.
"Nothing else. I'm too busy to fool around; I'm expecting Chicago to call soon and I also wanted to say not to spend forever on the phone to Katherine!"
"But you're always working darling. We never spend time together."
"My work is important to me and I promise you we'll do something soon ok baby?" Frank said kissing Rose on the cheek.
"But why is work so important?" Rose pestered.
"Look Rose I need some time for myself goddamn it!"
"But you always have time for yourself."
"I took you for dinner last month and we went to that benefit last week."
"You hardly spoke to me."
"Don't start Rose there were very important people there. I make all this money so you can sit on your backside all day!"
"How dare you, I work! I act and I take part in different projected. It's not all about the money; I mean we'll still be living like this if you worked less. We've got enough money for your to retire even! It's not like you, we need even more money. I'd even say we have too much."
"Well money does matter to me sweetheart and I like working and making more money, ever thought about that. So maybe you should moan less when I buy you another one of your pretty dresses!" Frank snapped.
"I'm sorry you don't want to spend time with me anymore. I love you Frank, isn't that enough."
"I love you too baby you know that, but just because we're married doesn't mean we have to be together every single day."
"I'm not saying that, but we barely talk to one another."
"It's all in your mind. Look we'll have dinner this week ok." Rose knew that it was an empty promise.
"Fine," Rose. "Oh Frank!" Rose called as he walked away. "Tell Katherine I'll call her later if she calls up again."
Rose watched Frank go back inside of the house. She couldn't live like this, she knew that Frank didn't love her and knew that she didn't love him either. Rose went inside to look for the chauffeur.
"How can I be of service to you ma'am?" Cedric the chauffeur asked. "Can I take you anywhere?"
"Yes, I'd like you to take me to the other side of the bay, to the Dawson estate."
