Chapter Twelve
The Hockleys and the Dawsons visited until around ten o'clock that night. After Cal and Laura left, Jack and Rose bade good night to Nathan and Ruth and slowly made their way up the stairs to their room. Gregory was already sleeping soundly in the small nursery adjoining their room.
As she made her way up the stairs, Rose realized that she felt more at ease with these members of the upper class now that she was no longer one of them. She could visit with them, and speak to them, without having to worry about what they thought, or how her actions would be viewed. She was among them, but she was not of them.
Jack, for his part, had always managed to be comfortable wherever he was, and he was just at much at ease in the Hockley's parlor as he was in the small town in which he had been born. Contrary to Cal's original thought, he did understand something about business, although he had never really paid much attention to it as long as it didn't immediately concern him. He supposed that it would be a good idea to learn a little more about business, if he was going to be running an art gallery.
They prepared for bed in silence. Rose slipped into the nursery to check on Gregory, who was still sleeping peacefully where she had left him an hour earlier. She climbed into bed beside Jack, almost surprised at the size of the king-sized bed, much larger than the narrow double bed they had shared in Chippewa Falls.
Jack pulled the blankets up over them, and they snuggled together, seeking warmth against the chill night air. Rose sighed contentedly, leaning her head against Jack's shoulder.
"Jack?" she whispered, looking up at him.
"Hmm?"
"What do you think of Philadelphia?"
"It's interesting enough. I'm seeing it from a different viewpoint than I did the last time I was here."
"You've been here before?"
"Once. About two years ago. I hitched a ride on a train, without any idea of where it was going. I didn't really care, since I didn't really have any place to be. It stopped in Philadelphia, and I spent about three weeks here before leaving again."
"Where did you stay?"
"On the streets. It was summer, though, so it was okay."
"Do you like this better?"
He shrugged. "It's more comfortable, I'll say that."
"But do you like Philadelphia? Do you want to stay here?"
He leaned back, considering. "You want to stay here, don't you?"
Rose nodded. "It's good to see Mother again, and the place where I grew up. Few people know us here, and those that do won't talk about us. They don't want our secrets getting out and causing a scandal that might affect them. I also don't think that Cal will bother us any more, since he's now married himself."
"To the lovely Laura, she of the high-pitched voice and 'cute' personality."
Rose laughed. "She is something, isn't she? I almost feel sorry for Cal. Still, maybe there's more to her than meets the eye."
"One would hope, but..." He paused. "Doesn't that make her our stepsister-in-law, since she's married to Cal, who is now your stepbrother?"
Rose's eyes widened. "I never thought of that. We are related now, aren't we?" She laughed. "Well, now we can be sure that Cal won't bother us. Can you imagine the scandal if he was carrying on with his stepsister?"
"It almost overcomes the imagination."
"But you still haven't answered my question."
"What question?"
"Do you want to stay here in Philadelphia, or go elsewhere?"
He looked up at the ceiling, thinking. "I think we can give it a try. Nathan Hockley is going to show me the art gallery tomorrow. If I decide I want the job, we'll stay here. If not..."
"If not, then we'll just head for the horizon."
"Gregory in tow."
"Well," Rose responded, "maybe if you don't want the job, we should still stay here a while, at least until we can afford to move on. Let's give it a few months, at least."
"All right. We'll stay here, for a while at least."
Rose smiled and threw her arms around him, snuggling close. Jack responded by kissing her, a kiss that slowly deepened as they wrapped their arms around each other, nestling together. Jack finally broke the kiss.
"Rose," he whispered. "It's been almost two months since the baby was born. Do you think you're ready to..."
"I think I'm ready," Rose whispered back, her fingers toying with the buttons on his pajama top. He kissed her again, and reached to turn out the lamp.