Chapter Two;
"Mom.. Mom get up!" Joseline yelled as she shook Rose to wake her up.
Rose sat up rubbing her eyes "Wh.. what time is it?"
"When I came in to wake you, it was 10 a.m."
Rose threw the covers off and jumped out of bed. She ran to her wardrobe, snatched the doors open and grabbed a dress without looking. "Haven't even got time for a bath" she sighed. "You need to get out of your bed clothes and get dressed, hurry!" she said, waving Joseline out of her door.
"But, mom..." she began, but was interrupted.
"No buts, not today.. we are late.. go, NOW!" She said sternly.
Joseline stepped outside the door and had to giggle to herself. "It's Saturday and I'm already dressed" she thought to herself.
Rose threw the dress over her head, not bothering to remove her night gown. She brushed her hair quickly and put it up in a loose bun "I don't care how I look today, I'm late!" She grabbed a pair of shoes and quickly put them on.
She yelled loud enough for Joseline to hear her "Are you dressed yet?"
Trying to keep her composure, she walked towards Rose's room "Yes, Mommy!" she giggled as she sat on the edge of the bed.
"Good because we're late and I've never been late!" She turned around to face Joseline.
Joseline couldn't contain her laughter. She was laughing like a wild hyena and would snort with every other laugh.
Rose arched her eyebrows and looked at Joseline like she'd gone mad "What on Earth are you laughing at?"
Joseline stood up, still laughing, and turned Rose towards her full length floor mirror "This!"
Rose gasped as she looked at her reflection "Oh my.. no.. I can't..." Her hair wasn't even fully in the bun, her night gown was sticking out from the bottom of her dress and her shoes were on the wrong feet. "I look like a bag lady! Joseline, this isn't funny!"
Joseline, still laughing, placed her hands over her mouth to stop the laughter and shook her head "No it isn't, it is hilarious!"
Rose shook her head and removed the dress, shoes and took her hair down "You are a brat, do you know that?" She said as she began to brush her hair, this time looking in the mirror as she did. "That wasn't funny" she said through laughter.
Joseline stood beside Rose and looked at her through the mirror "Today is Saturday..."
Rose stopped brushing her hair and turned around "That's something your father probably would have done." She smiled at the memory of him. Looking at Joseline was just like looking at him, except she was her daughter.
Joseline frowned, wishing she had memories of him. All she knew about him, came from Rose. "Tell me something about daddy, something you haven't told me before, mom, please.."
Rose always loved it when she asked about Jack. She could talk about him for days and never get tired. She walked over to the bed and motioned for Joseline to sit beside her. She was always cautious with the stories she told, she didn't think Joseline was old enough to know about everything.
"Your dad.. was a great man..." she glanced over to the picture of Jack "A beautiful soul.. a wonderful man." She wanted so badly to tell her everything, especially how Jack have saved her all those years ago.
Joseline could see the hurt in her mothers eyes when she talked about Jack. She leaned over and placed her arms around her mothers neck "Please don't be hurt, mom." She laid her head on Rose's shoulder. "From what you've told me about him, he loved you and he wouldn't want you to be hurt. He'd want you to be happy." She smiled "I love you and I'm sorry for what I said last night. I didn't mean it. I'll always be your baby."
Rose pulled Joseline into her lap and cradled her like a baby. She rubbed her hair and looked into her beautiful blue eyes. Once again, she was lost in thought.
January 5, 1914; Her little bundle of joy was now one whole year old. Her hair was white like cotton and her eyes still as blue as the day she was born. She was walking and was always into something. She babbled a lot and hardly ever cried. To Rose, Joseline was the smartest baby she'd ever known. She loved to cuddle and her favorite thing was Rose singing to her. With each passing day, she resembled Jack more. She had been the light of Rose's life.
Joseline was sitting in her high chair with a small cake that Rose had made. It was shaped like a balloon and was covered in white icing, with pink icing flowers. Rose was sitting next to her in a chair. Rose looked at all the people who attended the party and couldn't help but miss Jack.
"Daddy should be here" she said as she rubbed Joseline's cheek. It pained her deep down to know that he was missing from their lives. He was missing so much, while she got to enjoy it. She would give anything for him to be here, if not with her, with their beautiful daughter. She could only hope that he was looking down on them and was proud of her and their baby.
Joseline clapped and laughed as Rose talked to her, as if she knew what Rose was talking about. "Da-da."
"Did you just say daddy?" Rose grabbed her hands in hers. "Say it again"
Joseline clapped and said it again "Da-da.. Daaa-da!"
Rose felt a warmness overtake her heart as she looked at this beautiful baby girl, who for the first time, said daddy. It felt even better than the first time she said mama. "How amazing is it that she said 'da-da' on her first birthday" Rose said excitedly as she looked at everyone there. Rose looked at Joseline once more before standing up "You are truly one amazing little angel."
Everyone gathered round to sing Happy birthday to a happy Joseline. She was babbling along with them all, as if trying to sing with them.
The cake and ice cream were eaten, gifts were opened and Joseline was exhausted. When the party was over, Rose cleaned up the gift wrap and stacked the plates and forks in the sink.
She gave Joseline a quick bath and cuddled with her in the chair that sat in front of the fireplace. She rocked her and sang to her.;
"Oh! Say! Let us fly, dear"
Joseline babbled along.
"Where, kid? To the sky, dear"
Joseline giggled.
"Oh you flying machine
Jump in, Miss Josephine"
Joseline giggled and clapped her hands.
"Ship ahoy! Oh joy, what a feeling
Where, little girl? In the ceiling
Ho, High, Hoopla we fly To the sky so high"
Joseline placed her hand on Rose's cheeks and smiled.
"Come Josephine in my flying machine"
Rose stood up and held the baby up and flew her around like an airplane.
"Going up she goes! Up she goes!
Balance yourself like a bird on a beam
In the air she goes! There she goes!
Up, up, a little bit higher"
Joseline giggled and laughed.
"Oh! My! The moon is on fire
Come Josephine in my flying machine
Going up, all on, Goodbye!"
Rose sat back down and hugged her baby tight "I love you."
Joseline rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms around Rose's neck.
Rose hugged her gentle, but tight. "It's a privilege to be you mother." She said as she cradled Joseline back into her, arms, rocking her gently to sleep. Looking into her blue eyes "You are my everything."
Rose was still looking into Joseline's eyes as the memory faded away and she was brought back to reality "I love you more than you'll ever know. You are the light in my life and you will always be. You have made my life so wonderful. Before you, I had no one, I had no reason to go on, but you, you gave me many reasons to go on." she smiled "You are my everything, Joseline Renee Dawson."
Joseline knew her mother loved her. She also knew losing her father almost killed her mother and she didn't want her to ever feel that way again. She looked at Rose and wrapped her arms around her neck "I love you so much. You are my world and without you, I don't know what I'd do."
"Do you want to know more about your father?" Rose asked.
Joseline didn't want her mom upset again, but she would love to know more about him. "If you don't mind, yes I would."
Rose stood up and looked at her "I know just what we'll do." She would take Joseline to Chippewa Falls, that way, she too could feel closer to Jack. "I've got some plans to make!" She screeched excitedly.