Chapter Eight;

The next few months flew quick, according to Rose. Joseline passed to the seventh grade and Rose had quit her job working for Cal. She found a job in an Art studio. She had applied for the temporary position, but found that she really enjoyed it.

"Mom, have you talked to Uncle Cal lately?" Joseline asked as she sat next to Rose on the couch.

"Not in a week or so, why?" She sighed "I think he's still a bit upset with me."

"I don't know why he's upset.. I mean.. You did give him notice, right?" Joseline asked as she popped chips into her mouth.

'No.' she said to herself. She didn't give him any notice, why should she? "He had to of known I'd quit eventually. I mean, I was always complaining to him about his clients being rude and how I wish I had a better job." She sighed "Something I could enjoy."

Joseline put more chips in her mouth. "Mom, you could've told him.." She missed seeing Cal and missed their chats about money and running a business. Besides Rose, he was her best friend.

Rose arched her brows "I didn't think I needed to."

Joseline shook her head. "You're not a very good role model." Joseline giggled. "I'm only kidding.. before you lecture me, again!"

Rose looked at her and smiled, not really in the mood to discuss Cal. "That is enough about Cal.." she sighed "Besides, I love my new job and can see myself working there until my fingers stop working and I know that my pay will be what I've earned, not what Cal thinks I deserve."

Joseline gasped "You made so much money working there and we need way more money if we're ever going to be rich."

Rose wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "I don't ever want to be rich." She never wanted that life again.

Joseline eyed her from the side, not understanding why she didn't want to be rich. "Are you crazy?.. Mom.. we could have anything we've ever wanted.." She paused and smiled "We could have servants, valets, expensive decorations..."

Rose looked at her and listened to her ramble on about being rich. She was sounding just like Ruth and that made her shudder in horror. "I enjoy working for what we have. I love adding up my bills and seeing what will be left over. We may not have everything we want, but we have everything we need."

"You're strange."

"Well if that makes me strange then I guess that's what I am." Rose said as she tickled her.

Joseline giggled and wiggled away from Rose "Sto... Stop it, please!"

"Okay." Rose pulled her into a hug. "My little brat."

"Haha!" Joseline rolled her eyes. "I'm not a brat."

"Yes.. yes you are. You're my brat." Rose hugged her closer and kissed her forehead. "Stop growing up so quick."

Joseline decided she wanted to go to summer camp with her friends from school. Rose argued against it at first, but finally gave in and let her go. Rose spent the time she was gone, working and trying to keep herself occupied. She'd never been a day without her baby until then. Her baby was growing up, whether she wanted to accept it or not.

The summer came and went. Joseline would argue that it went by too fast, while Rose would argue that it went by too slow. Rose and Cal had threw her a surprise 'welcome home party'. The only guests were Rose and Cal.

Joseline squealed when they jumped out and yelled 'Welcome home.' She looked at them and laughed. "You'd think I was gone for years "

Rose pulled her as close as she could and kissed her forehead. "It seemed like years." She hugged her tighter and began to sob. "I missed you so much. I thought about coming to get you, but Cal talked me out of it."

"Mom, don't cry." Joseline whispered as she wiped away the tears from her moms face. "I'm here. I'm right here."

"I know. I know." Rose said as she placed her hands on Joseline's cheeks. "I just missed you so much."

Cal sat on the couch and watched them. Wondering if he'd ever have a family of his own. He loved watching Joseline grow up and wanted kids of his own. He was brought away from his thoughts when Joseline walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I am so glad you're here."

"No other place I'd rather be."

Rose watched the two of them and wondered herself, if Cal would ever have a family of his own. He was great with Joseline and would make a wonderful father. He would be one of the hands on, in your face, kind of fathers.

The rest of the year flew by quick and before Rose knew it, she was making last minute preparations for the trip to Chippewa Falls.

"Mom! You're gonna bust the zipper on that bag!" Joseline gasped as she sat on the couch. "What all do you have in there?" she asked eyeing the bag.

Rose wiped her forehead and moved her hair from her face and looked up at Joseline. "Just some things..." She took a deep breath. "Just some clothes and stuff. My make-up."

"You don't need that much make-up or clothes, Mom!" Joseline said as she stood up and walked over to the bag, reaching for the zipper. "Let me..."

"NO!" Rose said as she reached for her hand. "PLEASE DON'T!"

"Mom.. it's just clothes and make-up, right?" Joseline asked raising an eyebrow and looking at Rose. "What's the big deal." She pulled the zipper back and laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" Rose asked as she hurried to close the bag. "You know how long that took me to close the first time.."

"You're supposed to fold the clothes, Mom." Joseline said as she unzipped the bag again, taking the clothes out to fold them.

"You mean..." She stopped and thought for a moment. "I am supposed to fold everything... Even the dresses?" She felt so daft right then and wanted to hide away. All these years on her own and she still didn't have everything down. "I.. I knew that, really.. I did." She said, staring at Joseline with humiliation on her face.

Joseline sat back down, not taking her eyes away from Rose. She looked over her face wondering what her mother was keeping secret from her. The way Rose did things sometimes made her think of rich people who had everything done for them. "Mom..."

Rose sat down beside her. "Yes?"

"Where did you grow up?"

Rose thought for a moment and sighed. She folded her hands in her lap. "I grew up here." She lied. She always lied about her life before, but it was only to protect her daughter.

Joseline watched her fidget and watched her eyes. Something was off, as if Rose we're lying to her. "No you didn't."

Rose gasped in shock. "Pardon me?"

"Pardon me, really, mom?" She sighed and shook her head. "You use words like those people in high society. It's almost as if you we're raised in that kind of environment. You are always on the defensive when I talk about being rich."

Rose sighed and looked down at her hands, trying to think of something to say. She couldn't tell her the truth, or could she? "I.. I grew up in Philadelphia." She looked up to Joseline who wore a frown on her beautiful face.

Joseline stood up and screeched. "I KNEW IT!" She turned towards Rose. "You grew up rich!"

Rose stared at her hands for a long moment, finally looking up to Joseline with a look of sadness in her eyes. "Yeah, I guess I did." Her voice brittle. She couldn't lie to her anymore and she was afraid. She wasn't ready for her to know the truth.

"Mom! This is amazing!" Joseline again screeched with excitement.

"No. No it wasn't." Rose sighed. "Not really."

"Do you miss it.. the money?"

"Not one bit! I wouldn't have it back for anything in this world."

"Are you crazy?" Joseline asked, staring at Rose.

"If that makes me crazy, then yes, I am crazy." Rose said, her voice flat. "I'll tell you more about it later, but right now, we have to get some stuff done. We leave in the morning for Chippewa Falls!" Rose said as she stood up and headed to the kitchen.

Joseline folded the clothes from her moms bag and placed them neatly inside. Thinking about how different life would be if they were rich. She imagined herself as a rich girl like her mother had once been. "Maybe we can be rich." She thought to herself.

Rose sat at the kitchen table trying to clear her mind. She tried to think of anything other than what her daughter now knew about her. She picked up a newspaper and began to read. Before she knew it, it was past 10 pm. She laid the newspaper down and stood up. She walked to the living room to see a sleeping Joseline curled up on the couch. She bent down and kissed her on the cheek and pushed her hair out of her face. "You are so beautiful." She whispered. She curled up on the opposite end of the couch. Tomorrow morning they would be headed towards Chippewa Falls, and she was getting nervous. She calmed her nerves and fell asleep.

Neither her nor Joseline knew what awaited them on their trip. It would change both of their lives, forever.