Chapter Twelve
"Mrs. DeWitt Bukkater, we've called you here to discuss your daughters recent behaviours and struggle in our school." The principal said, folding his hands atop his desk. Ruth sat with an arrow like back while Rose pressed herself to the back of the chair. Her eyes darted between the principal, her mother, and her own classroom teacher sitting off to the side. "Mrs. Samuels?"
Mrs. Samuels stood and walked beside the desk, "I feel as if Rose is just struggling here, Mrs. DeWitt Bukkater. Rose will simply not comply with the strict rules of this school and it may be more benficial to Rose to perhaps attend another school?" Mrs. Samuels picked up a manilla folder sitting on the desk, "I have a list of prepatory schools for young girls such as Rose, some religiously affiliated, others not." Mrs. Samuels handed the piece of paper to Ruth whose eyes hawked over it. Ruth glanced over at eleven year old Rose with pure bitterness.
"How do you fail in a prepatory school?" Ruth muttered. "Is there anything I can do to correct this situation, Mrs. Samuels, Mr. Rottenberg?" Ruth looked up at them, "I do not wish to go through the hassle of having to put Rose through a different prepatory school." Ruth nearly yawned, "This is petty business honestly. You claimed to be the best prepatory school in all of Pennsylvania and my husband is paying good money to have my daughter go here." Ruth's eyes now stung towards Mrs. Samuels, "Now, I expect the situation to be fixed. I expect you to discipline my daughter to the fullest extent and straighten her out like a prepatory is paid to be." Mr. Rottenberg and Mrs. Samuels stood silent. Rose's face gathered heat. Ruth now strood, snapping her fingers, demanding Rose to her feet, "Good day."
Rose walked downtown Harrisburg by herself. Jack wasn't too far away, but he was busy photographing nature and being artistic. Rose glanced into shop windows, occasionally looking at her own reflection for a few moments, and losing herself in the silence. Her curly red hair was allowed to be free on this cool breezy afternoon. Rose looked up towards the sky, holding her hair back. The clouds were bright and puffy. She smiled into the warmth of the sun, absorbing the vitamins. And then she continued walking, her heels clacking against the wood. She finally came to a slow halt.
Jerry's Modern Jewlery. Rose furrowed her brow and stared at the glinting gold letters making a slight semi circle across the glass. Where had she seen those letters? She then stared at herself in the dark windows reflection. Her eyes were shimmering in the light. Flashes of her past life of gifts and dazzling, awe-striking gems, passed before her eyes.
"A pearl necklace?" Rose gasped as Cal opened the leather box before her.
Rose looked back up at the lettering.
"Cal, oh my goodness." Rose gently pressed her hand to her cheek as Cal held a diamond brooch out to her.
Rose reached forward and skimmed the gold lettering.
"Good gracious." Rose whispered, pressing her hand to her collarbone as Cal presented the Heart of the Ocean to her.
Rose froze. She then abruptly backed up from the window, staring intently at the lettering, her hair jerking in the wind. Jerry's Modern Jewlery. How could she not remember. The words were glittering atop the Heart of the Oceans velvet box. Rose began connecting the dots. "Cal and Nathan must have been here to make a claim on the missing necklace." Rose said, in complete astonishment. Rose entered the jewlery store, instantly.
Inside, she was a little taken off guard with how dazzling it was. It could have been a world renowned jewelry store, but for some reason it was in a quiet "wild west" feeling town. Rose glanced inside the glass, watched the ticking clocks, admired Jerry's customs and the European imports. It was all so beautiful, but something about looking at those things, made her stomach feel sick and knotted up. She was tired of the finer things in life. She looked inside the smudge free glass and just saw wastes of money and time. These diamonds did not equate happiness and love. Rose found her eyes glued to a large engagement ring. It was so big, the girl could probably barely hold her hand up. That's how her old engagement ring felt. Heavy. Unwanted. A burden. But her wedding ring, now, felt light and gentle. She admired her own ring for a second before a sausage like finger tapped the glass before her. She looked up, startled, to see a chubby man with white hair and a white beard.
"Well, hello, Miss! I'm Jerry. I am the jewler here!" Jerry introduced himself cheerfully, "Can I help you with something ma'am? Answer any questions you may got?" Rose's eyes darted back down to the glass and then back up. She cleared her throat gently.
"Yes, actually..." Rose nodded, "Somebody told me you had the rarest necklace here. An import from Europe." Rose said, twisting her ring on her finger. Jerry's eyebrows arched. "It's called the Heart of the Ocean. Could you tell me something about it?"
"Ohhh, Missy!" Jerry chuckled heartily and leaned forward against the counter, "There's no other diamond like the Heart of the Ocean! It was made for Louis XVI, who then demanded it be turned into a heart after they fought in the French Revolution, to remind him of the loved ones lost. When he fell ill, he asked for the diamond to be sealed away, as to preserve it and be sure the souls of the lost ones are not disrespected. Soon after he died, a German jewler by the name of Dolph Luttenbum came to barter with Louis XVIII and the son sold the Heart of the Ocean off without another thought of his father's wishes. Dolph Luttenbum guarded it for many years, got many offers, and became a well-known and sought after jewler. He made several replicas, each almost identical to the original. But I happened to buy the original from him. I think he accidentally slipped up and sent it to me. When I was bustling him for it, he was very, very sick. He's dead now. Died back in 1889. But, I'm afraid if you're looking for it, ma'am, it is long gone." Jerry scratched the nape of his neck.
"That diamond was to respect those lost in the French Revolution... and... and some man who did not recgonize his father's wishes just gave it away without a second thought?!" Rose was absolutely maddened at this, "How disrespectful to those lost! I cannot believe I wore it!" Rose spun around in complete shock.
"Wore it?" Jerry cocked an eyebrow up. "Ma'am, the Heart of the Ocean was bought by a very rich and powerful man for his fianceé that perished aboard the Titanic. I was told she died wearing it." Rose turned back towards him, soaking in what he just said.
"Yes, of course." Rose said, almost breathlessly. "Of... of course. Thank you for your time."
...
Philidelphia, Pennsylvania
"Ma'am," Ruth looked away from the window and set her saucer with the tea down. She hadn't known how long she had been in the sitting room, just staring out the window and listening to John's old grandfather clock tick. She had lost herself. "There is a phonecall for you."
"Who is it?" Ruth asked, not even beginning to move.
"Madeline Force, ma'am." Trixie told her. Ruth sighed.
"Very well." Ruth stood and walked down the hallway to where the receiver sat. She took a deep breath, gently smoothing her skirt out as if Madeline could see her. She picked the receiver up and said as sweetly as possible into it, "Hello? This is Ruth DeWitt Bukkater."
"Hello, Ruth. It's Madeline." Came her somewhat annoying voice from the other end.
"Hello, dear. What's the pleasure of this phone call?" Ruth asked in her rich persona.
"I was mostly checking in on you."
Oh god, not this again. Honestly, does this new money girl think she really needs to check on me? Ruth almost groaned inwardly, "Well, I'm fine, dear. Thank you. I could ask you the same with a little one on the way."
"Things are great." Madeline said, cheerfully. "The reason for this call was actually to invite you to stay at my house up here in Long Island for awhile. It could be fun, Ruth. I really do hope you say yes and get on the next train. The summer is blossoming and the music out here is swelling. We could have such a care free time as we catch our grips."
"Catch our grips by partying away the summer in Long Island?" Ruth echoed, nearly shocked. "Madeline, you couldn't possibly think I'd jump on that idea to join you for a summer of ruthlessness and obscurity after everything that has happened."
"Ruth, I did not mean anything offensive by it, I'm sorry," Madeline mumbled, "I was just hoping you could come out so I could have somebody to talk with. It's dreadfully quiet in this big house by myself. None of the servants will mumble as much as a personal sentence. The waves are coming in nice on the beach just off the patio, where we could take tea in the breezy salty air. Oh please, Ruth, oh please, come to visit. It could be a good time to catch up on much needed relaxing."
"Relaxing is the last thing I would like to do," Ruth said, bitterly, "I am losing all security, as I'm sure you have heard from that June girl or Mandy Bellhop new-money gal." Ruth waved her hand to dismiss it, "I'm living my days out in my family home my husband worked so hard to pay for because what else can I do? The money is dribbling dry." Why in the world am I telling her this? She's simply a child. "But I'm sure you could care less, child." Ruth said, examining her nails.
"Ruth, that's awful." Madeline said from the other end, "Perhaps you could save money by allowing your servants time off, closing down the house, and coming out to Long Island with me for a few weeks. Come on, now, it will be great. It will be much better than being shut up in your house."
"Simply close my house up and let the servants go? Are you mad?" Ruth bellowed, "Who will air the house out? Huh? Have you ever had to think about that? I'm not going to allow my house to become a shut up, dust ridden, shack! I still have my pride to maintain the looks."
"Well, if your mind is made up..." Madeline sighed.
"It certainly-"
A hand was placed on Ruth's shoulder. She gently lowered the receiver to see Trixie standing there, "Ma'am, if you would like to go to Long Island, I will air and clean the house and you shan't worry about paying me."
"What?" Ruth asked, shocked.
"Go on, ma'am. Go to Long Island and enjoy yourself. Have a ball. You deserve it, ma'am."
"You... you mean that?"
"Yes, ma'am. I really do."
Ruth lowered the receiver, staring at the wall now. Her eyes had become slightly glossy, her hands slightly unnerved. Never had somebody done something so nice for her. Been so kind. So readily available. And it was a maid she didn't even know the name of. A maid she never thought twice about and got annoyed with when she was late with her tea and small lunch consisting of a cheese sandwich. Ruth then looked back at Trixie whose smile was like candy. Ruth brought the receiever back to her ear.
"Madeline... when would you like me out there?"
...
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Rose had explained the whole story to Jack about the Heart of the Ocean in their hotel room that evening. The orange of the sunset was bleeding through their windows as Rose sat criss cross on the bed, the heavy diamond weighing in her hands. Jack sat at the nearby desk, fiddling with his camera.
"... isn't that crazy?" Rose asked, holding the diamond up to the poetic light.
"That's nuts." Jack agreed, "You think they came all the way here to rightfully reclaim their money?" Jack asked. Rose nodded as she dropped the diamond to the bed, "I guess that seems right. I wouldn't put it past the Hockley's. It didn't go in their favour, Cal accidentally screwed up and lost the Heart of the Ocean, so now they gotta redeem themselves."
"They're very easy to read, aren't they?" Rose smiled goofily as she sprawled out across the bed. "Just how did Nathan know the Heart of the Ocean was here? A family of that kind of power doesn't have time for a place like this! This is like a town full of ants to them."
"You'll never figure out their true motives." Jack said, popping open the back of his camera.
"The store was so nice, though, Jack." Rose rolled over onto her stomach, "You'd think you were in the Bronx being in a place like that. The rocks there were just obnoxious."
"Did you see any you liked?" Jack peered up at her.
"What? No, of course not." Rose's eyebrows arched. "I love the ring you got me." Jack got up, set the camera down, and sat on the edge of the bed. Rose placed her head in his lap and he gently combed through her beautiful hair.
"I want to give you all I want." Jack told her.
"You do." Rose whispered, gently carressing his large calloused hand that now was tracing circles along her jaw line. "I am happy with all we have now." She continued, "The clothes on our back, a camera, and our love. That's all we need. I'm happy, Jack." Tears now pricked at the corner of her eyes and her voice cracked in a higher octave, "I am so happy."
"Then why are you crying?" Jack asked, shocked.
"Because I have you." She sniffled, "And I never thought I would."