Come What May

Chapter 25

The leaves had turned bright shades of orange, yellow, and red. They lay scattered all over the sidewalks. The air had cooled down quite noticeably, since it was now October. Kelly sat in a chair in the living room, attempting to knit a blanket. "I can't do this!" she threw the needles and yarn into her lap. "Mother never taught me how to knit." she complained.

Rebecca looked up from her cross stitching and then set her work down on the table beside her, "Surely you can do it. Here watch me." She took the needles and yarn from Kelly's lap and began to work with the material slowly. "Do you see?"

"I guess so. I'm no good at knitting. I was never really good at anything. Care to finish that blanket for me? Surely you wouldn't want your little niece or nephew to freeze this winter."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Fine...but go and put on the kettle would you?" She began to work faster with the needles as the thread came together as a blanket.

Kelly went into the kitchen to make some tea.

She walked back into the living room with two cups of tea. She placed one down in front of Rebecca and sat on the sofa with her own. "So, do you miss Harold?"

Rebecca's fingers fumbled at the mention of her husband's name, "Every second I'm awake." She murmured, quickly going to correct the mistake she had made. The thread was all bunched up now.

"I can see that." she looked at the bunched up yarn. "Don't worry. He'll be fine."

Rebecca frowned, "It's hard to not worry. He's so far away." She sighed, beginning to not feel well at all. She took a sip of her tea, hoping it would settle down her stomach.

"Ships are pretty frightening to me now. I don't think I ever want to get on one again. I was pretty nervous on the Joannic, and on the Carpathia I was too depressed to even move. I'd rather stay on this continent. On dry land."

Rebecca shrugged, "Harold knew though when he took his oath and got into this business the risks. But I agree...I don't think I could ever go on a ship again."

"I wish we could go back to those days on the ship..." Kelly said softly.

"The ship was a wonder...but it was also...I don't know. If things had happened differently..." she trailed off and went back to her knitting.

"That ship was probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Kelly got a chill as she thought about walking down the grand staircase, and about walking on the deck in the afternoon sunlight. "I think I'd give anything to go back to those days. To relive them. And to change things so that I could've made the most of the time I had with Jim. Maybe even saved him..." she put her hands on her stomach and looked away. Rebecca could see her eyes glistening.

"I wish I had it in my power to give you that. If we had known then what we know now...life would be very different." Rebecca finished off the blanket and held it up, "What do you think?"

"It's lovely." Kelly smiled.

She stood up, "Good." Her stomach was in pain again. "Excuse me a moment." Rebecca left the room and headed up the stairs. And then she was throwing up.

Kelly knew something wasn't right. "Becca?" she called from the bottom of the stairs. "Is everything alright up there?"

She emerged a moment later, looking paler, "I just...it must have been that fish we had last night. It didn't settle well with my stomach."

"Okay..." Kelly stared at her curiously, "If you're sure..."

Rebecca nodded, "I'm sure. I best start fixing our supper. Do you have anything in mind?"

("Yeah. Let's go to the BK around the corner. I love the crowns. Plus I hear they have Spongebob toys!!!!!"

Rebecca grinned, "Okay!" And they ran out of the house like little children. Haha. We're so professional. Anyway, getting back to the story…)

"I'm not sure. Whatever you feel like eating. I'm not feeling too well right now. So I think you'll be alone for dinner tonight."

"Very well." Rebecca headed for the stairs and began to look for something in the pantry to eat. They really needed to go shopping. She finally decided on a potato...it was bland it wouldn't upset her stomach.

"You're only going to eat a potato?" Kelly asked. "You usually don't eat potatoes."

"Well they are bland and it shouldn't upset my stomach." Rebecca commented as she began to heat up the water to boil the food.

Kelly slowly eased herself into a kitchen chair. "You look pale."

"That tends to happen when you throw up." Rebecca replied.

"And why did you throw up?"

"I told you I think it was because of the fish we ate last night."

"You think? You don't know for sure...."

"Kelly what are you playing at?"

"Nothing. Your symptoms are just reminding me of myself...."

Rebecca stopped scrubbing the potato and looked at her, "Y...you think?" she asked slowly.

"Well I can't be sure. I was just suggesting that it is possible."

Rebecca looked down at her stomach, "I wonder if that's what it is." She seemed to like this idea...and knew Harold would love it. He desperately wanted a son. "Oh how lovely would that be? We could raise our children together!"

"You seem happy." Kelly smiled. "When were you supposed to get your monthly?"

"Oh I don't know...it would have been sometime last week I suppose."

"Well it is late. You never know. There could be a little Harry Lowe in there somewhere." Kelly poked her lightly in the stomach.

Rebecca laughed, pushing her sister's hand away, "Well we'll have to wait and see."

"Looks like I'll have to congratulate Harold on a job well done." Kelly smirked.

"Oh my goodness. If I am indeed expecting a baby you will hold you tongue when he comes home so I can tell him."

"Aw. You're no fun." Kelly crossed her arms and pouted.

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After several days with each morning proving the same result, vomiting, Rebecca went to the doctors.

She was able to be seen at once and the doctor began to examine her. She explained her symptoms, when she had last had her monthly, and when she had last been with her husband. It all seemed to add up.

"It would definitely appear Mrs. Lowe that you have a little one on the way." He told her.

Rebecca's hand spread over her stomach, "That's wonderful." She was beaming, "Thank you...very much."

"Of course. Congratulations."

Rebecca stood up from the chair she was sitting in and after making a brief goodbye she left the room.

On her way out she didn't notice a middle aged man with his younger wife. She was about four months pregnant and must have been going in for her check up. But the man noticed her...and he recognized her.

"Millie stay here a moment," he whispered.

His wife watched him as he approached a woman at a desk, "What can I do for you sir?"

"That woman...the one that just walked out?" He pointed towards the door.

The woman nodded, "Mrs. Lowe?"

He eyed her weird, "Yes...do you have her information where she lives? She's an old friend of mine see and I haven't seen her in a very long time."

The woman began to scrawl the information down, "Of course sir. Here you are."

"Thank you."

The man smiled and returned to his wife.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"I think I just saw one of the Hoffman girls go out...but she appears to be married now. I've been talking to their mother and she had said something about the girls running away. You remember their father? He was a very good client of mine."

His wife nodded, "Oh, yes. Thomas Hoffman, correct? Didn't he perish on the Titanic?"

He nodded, "Yes sadly he did. And when he did he left every cent to his girls. I've been trying to find them so they could have their inheritance...I'd rather those girls have it then the state...or worse...Mrs. Hoffman finds a way to get her hands on it."

"I never liked that woman, Jacob."

"I know, Millie."

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Kelly knocked on the half opened door and poked her head in. "Danny?" she asked.

"Oh, Kelly. Good to see you. Come on in."

She entered the room, shutting the door behind her.

"So what brings you here?" he asked.

"I just thought I'd come say hello. I was quite bored just sitting around at home."

"Well I'm glad you came by." He smiled and she smiled back. "So how is everything going? With the baby and everything?"

"It's going okay, I suppose. Nothing new. Although I can feel him or her kick sometimes."

"Wouldn't that be painful?"

"Not really. It's actually pretty amazing. I just wish that Jim, the father, were here to go through this with me."

"He died, you said?" Danny asked.

"Yes. On the Titanic. Jim Moody."

"That name sounds very familiar." He started thinking.

"Perhaps you saw it in the newspaper?"

He started going through some paper work on his desk. "James Paul Moody? The sixth officer from the Titanic?"

"Yes." She said and leaned forward a bit, trying to get a glimpse of the papers o his desk.

"His family hired me to sort out his things. He didn't leave a will, but any of his belongings need to be taken care of and any unfinished business needs to be sorted out."

"Oh my god…. This is a bit of a coincidence."

"Yea. His family really wish they knew about his last moments. They heard about him being around a girl for the majority of the voyage, but didn't think anything of it. Perhaps you could give them those answers."

"I'd love to tell them everything. I'll answer any questions they have."

"I'll see if I can arrange a meeting."

"That will be a bit awkward. What if they don't like me? What if they think I'm a loose girl?"

"Why would they think that?"

She pointed to her stomach. "I think this might cause them to think I am. Sadly I can't lie and say my husband died at sea. They'd know I was unmarried."

"I'll be right with you. Don't worry. If they say anything that is out of line, I'll intervene."

"Thank you." She smiled at him.

"I don't think they could ever say a horrible thing about a beautiful girl like you."

"Many people have. And I'm far from beautiful." She looked at the floor.

"I think you're very beautiful."

She looked up at him. "Oh… well thank you." She smiled nervously.

They stared at each other for a moment. "I should probably go now. I have some chores to finish up at home."

She opened the door and was walking out.

"Kelly! Wait!" Danny called from right behind her and she turned around. His lips met hers for a few seconds. She pushed him away and walked quickly down the hallway.

"Kelly? Come back. I'm sorry!" he yelled after her. He caught up with her in the corridor and stood in front of her. "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate of me."

"I'm still in love with Jim." She said slowly. "I'm not really ready to move on and find someone else. I'm not sure if I'll ever be. My heart has been broken once already. I don't think I could bear for it to happen again."

"I wouldn't break your heart…" he put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm going home. Send me a letter about when I can meet with Jim's family. I'll see you around sometime." She turned and left quietly.

Danny was just left standing there alone.

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When Rebecca returned home she was beaming, "Kelly!" She called out, taking her coat off and hanging it up.

Her sister came out of the parlor, "What did the doctor say?"

Rebecca just grinned. Kelly returned it, "Oh, Becca! I'm so happy for you!"

The sisters hugged, "Thank you!"

Rebecca pulled away, "We need to celebrate! Oh, I can't wait to tell Harold! This time next year we'll both have little ones running about!"

"You'll be a great mum." Kelly told her.

"So will you."

The sisters walked to the kitchen and Rebecca proceeded to pull out the ice cream maker.

"Ice cream? Really, Becca?" Kelly asked.

Rebecca nodded, "Absolutely... this is cause for celebration!" She beamed.

–---------

The next afternoon there was a knock at the door. Rebecca checked her appearance and pinched her cheeks to add redness. She was a bit pale from having just been sick. Slowly she went to the door and opened it.

A man was on the other side... Jacob Lewis.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"You don't remember me?" Jacob asked.

Rebecca eyed him, "Should I?"

"Well I suppose not... I very rarely came by your house. Your father always came to my office to do any business."

Rebecca was silent, "Who are you? If my mother has sent you, you are just wasting your time."

"Your mother? By God no! I'm Jacob Spring...your late father's lawyer. I've come on the account of your inheritance...and your sister's inheritance."

"We have an inheritance?" Rebecca asked.

Jacob was silent a moment, "Please may I come in to discuss this?"

"Oh yes of course." She stepped to the side and admitted him in.

"Rebecca, who is at the door?" Kelly called down, she had been lying down and Rebecca thought she was asleep.

"It's father's lawyer." Rebecca called back.

Kelly appeared a moment later, looking slightly scared. "We are not going back to our mother, so you can get that idea out of your head right now!"

Jacob laughed, "As I've already told your sister I am not here on behalf of your mother. I'd like to discuss your inheritance with you."

Kelly slowly came down the stairs. Rebecca looked at her sister, "Show Mr. Spring to the parlor...I'll go fix us some tea."

She left the room.

Kelly held her arm out indicating they should go into the room off to the side.

Jacob followed her. They both sat down on opposite sofas.

There was silence until Rebecca came in a moment later.

They all took cups of tea off the tray. Rebecca took a sip, glanced to her sister then looked to Jacob, "So...what is this about an inheritance?"

"Well last year your father drew up his Will. He stated in it that everything he owned...his money, property, everything would be divided fairly between his two daughters. Kelly Ann Hoffman and Rebecca Anne Hoffman. Your mother was quite furious when she received out letter of condolence that had the note added in she would not be receiving a thing. She has been trying to fight it with you two girls gone but I've been doing everything I can to find you. It was your father's deepest wish that Ellen Hoffman receive nothing, mainly on how cruel she was to you," He looked at Kelly.

Kelly glanced to her sister then back to Jacob, "Well then..."

"So can I ask how you found us?" Rebecca asked.

"Oh it was quite by chance!" Jacob laughed, "I saw you yesterday...leaving the doctor's office. I was there with my wife Millie. She is pregnant and was having a checkup. I thought I recognized you...and asked the woman for your address. I was a bit taken aback by her calling you Rebecca Lowe but I remembered your mother ranting about you running off with some officer named Lowe." He paused a moment, "I was actually wondering...where is the man of the house?"

Rebecca gave a small smile, "He's out at sea. But he'll be home within the week."

"Ah well I'd very much like to meet him. But here," he opened his brief case and pulled out a hand drawn document. "As you can see in that paper it states that everything will be divided. What would you like to do about the property?" he asked.

"You mean our old home?" Kelly asked.

"Yes...the one you left in Southampton..."

"Well...I think I would very much like to get my things from it...any family heirlooms from our grandparents. Everything else I'd like to just sell....we don't need a home in Southampton. Do you agree Kelly?" Rebecca turned to look at her, passing the document over as she did.

Kelly nodded, "I don't see the point. I think for now we are quite comfortable in this house. I think we both like London...and need be with our money we can just buy a new house next year once the little ones are here."

Jacob looked at Kelly, "Are you expecting as well?"

She nodded.

"Incredible...your mother didn't mention you being married."

"Well...I'm not. My fiancée was James Moody, sixth Officer on the Titanic. He perished however." Kelly felt sad again.

Rebecca grasped her hand gently.

"Oh I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." Kelly murmured.

"Well then if you'd like we can arrange for you and your sister to visit the home...retrieve what you want. Then we can put all of the rest for sale and home on auction. I can take care of your affairs if you'd permit me to."

Rebecca nodded, "Yes I think that would be smart. Just as long as none of this is getting reported back to our mother."

Jacob made like he was sealing his lips, "Trust me...I will not betray your location. Let's just say...your mother and I never really saw eye to eye on things."

"Well thank you very much sir. We are greatly appreciative."

Jacob stood up, "Of course Mrs. Lowe...Miss Hoffman."

Rebecca stood and followed him to the door.

"I will be back within the week to discuss the trip to Southampton."

"Yes alright, thank you again."

He went outside and flagged down his driver who had been taking the car around the block. Rebecca watched him speed off. She closed the door then turned to Kelly.

"Do you realize what this means?"

Kelly looked at her and nodded, "We're rich."

----------

Rebecca was busy around the house. Harold was due back any time now and she wanted the house spotless. Not that it was messy anyways...there was only so much two girls could do and she had always been a bit of a clean nut. Once she was sure it was satisfactory, she went to the kitchen to begin cooking supper. She had splurged on a more expensive meat at the market to help lead into the discussion about the money. It had been slow roasting in the oven all day and now it was ready, cooling on the stove while she put a pie in the oven. Apple, Harold's favorite. Personally she was quite glad he was coming home. She hated him being away.

Kelly came down the stairs holding a broom. "The upstairs is pretty clean. I'm not sure why you even bothered having me make your bed. It'll only get messed up once Harold gets home anyway."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Shush you." She looked at the dinner she had prepared, "How does it look?"

"It looks delicious." Kelly put her hand out to try to grab a tiny bit of food, but Rebecca smacked it away.

"Kelly, your not five." She scolded.

"Aw. But mommy... I'm only this many." Kelly said in a child's voice and held up five fingers.

Rebecca just smiled, "If you act like your five I'm just going to start treating you like your five."

Kelly laughed. "How so?"

Rebecca thought for a moment, "I don't know...but I'll figure out how."

They heard the front door open. "Rebecca?" Harold's voice called.
"Oh god." Rebecca took over her apron quickly and started nervously fixing her hair. "Do I look okay?"

"Yes, you look fine. Now go greet your husband." Kelly pushed her out of the kitchen.

Rebecca would have fussed at her sister but then she saw Harold and she smiled, before rushing to greet him. She threw her arms around him.

He lifted her up. "I missed you." he put her down and gave her a kiss.

She smiled as their lips parted, "You don't even know how much I missed you." She paused, "And there is so much to tell you."

"I smell food. Perhaps you could tell me these things over dinner. I'm starved. The food on the ship was horrible."

"I figured as much...that's why I fixed a nice proper supper. We better get in there before Kelly pokes at the entire thing." She took her husband by the hand and led him into the kitchen. "Kelly, dear, look who showed up."

"Oh hey there.... uhh.... what is your name again, sir?" Kelly joked. She hugged her brother-in-law and then went back to staring longingly at dinner.

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Kelly, you act like you haven't been fed." She pulled the plates out and began to fix the food.

"Well now that I've stopped being sick so often, I've realized I love food. Women who are expecting tend to be very hungry. You should know-" she stopped herself.

Rebecca eyed her sister but said nothing, continuing to work and ignoring the comment. "We can eat in the dining room." She picked up her plate and Harold's plate, leaving Kelly's for her and left the kitchen.

Kelly sat down in the kitchen, eating her dinner. She figured it'd be best to leave them alone.

Rebecca sat down in the dining room, "So anything exciting happen on the ship?"

Harold was eating as if he hadn't been fed in days. "Nothing exciting really. It was pretty uneventful. A bit eerie though. Being back to work. I kept having nightmares. It was horrible." he took a sip from his cup and then added, "On a brighter note, this captain didn't use me as a steward to get him tea."

She resisted the urge to break down into giggles. She thought it might be awkward after his previous comment, "That's very good. I'm sorry though...about the nightmares. Did anyone act weird around you?"

"A few people asked questions. I just explained it was something very personal I didn't wish to discuss."

"It crossed my mind that it might happen. So I was really quite nervous while you were gone." She paused a moment, "How is the meat?"

"It's great." he said with his mouth full.

She resisted the urge to make a face, "That was kind of gross, love."

"I apologize, dear." he swallowed his food. "So how have things been at home? I want to know everything I missed."

She thought for a moment, "Nothing really happened except for two things."

"What were those things?"

"We...well we've acquired some money. A great deal of money actually."

He stopped eating. "How?"

"Father's will. Apparently everything he had was left to be divided equally between Kelly and I. So that includes the money...the home in Southampton, our summer home in Bath, and the townhouse in the West End of London."

"That's amazing! Think of everything we could do with that money!" he nearly jumped out of his seat.

She laughed, "I know...it's lovely." Then she paused, "And there is the other thing."

"Is it as great as the first bit of news?"

"Yes....if not better."

"Oh. Then please, tell me. I'm excited now."

"Well it would appear...that I'm going to have a baby."

He was silent. He looked shocked. Then he smiled. "You mean.... You... I... We.... A baby?" he couldn't seem to form sentences.

Rebecca stood up and walked over to her husband and nodded, "Yes Harold. A baby...our own baby."

He put his arms around her. "This is great, darling. I'm so excited."

She smiled, "I am too."

"Perhaps I should go away more often. I come back and find we have a fortune and a little one on the way. This is all so perfect."

She hit him lightly on the arm, "I nearly lost my mind while you were gone."

"I nearly lost my mind while I was gone too. I really wished you were there with me. It probably would have calmed my nerves a bit."

"You wouldn't have gotten any work done had I been there."

"I would have gotten some work done. But it wouldn't have anything to do with the ship." He smiled, leaned forward, and kissed her.

She smiled again, "So the lawyer is supposed to get back to me about it but we need to go to Southampton to get what we want from that home. This way everything else can be auctioned off. We don't see the need in holding on to the home."

"Well with a baby on the way, and Kelly's due in 3 months, perhaps a larger house would be a good thing. Just suggesting."

"Well I don't think we want to leave London. I really love living here."

"Alright. Maybe once we get everything sorted out, we could try to look for a larger home around here. Nothing too big. Just enough for us all to live comfortably."

"I agree."

Kelly came into the room. She mouthed to Rebecca, "Did you tell him yet?"
"Yes." she answered.
"Good. I was afraid I was going to slip and say something if you didn't speak up soon."

Rebecca looked back to Harold, "When your done with your supper I made apple pie."

"Three-fourths of an apple pie, actually." Kelly stated. They stared at her. "What? I was hungry... I'm eating for two."

Rebecca frowned, "Well so am I. But you don't see me eating almost an entire pie."

"There's plenty left. Don't worry."

Rebecca and Harold went into the kitchen to have what was left of the pie, and Kelly retired to bed. Rebecca and Harold stayed up most of the night discussing the baby and the future.

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Thanks for reading chapter 25. Becky and I are glad to be back. I would say more, but I'm really sleepy. It's 3:30 AM. LOL. Anywho, please review. =D