Chapter Eleven

Six months later

On October, 18, Rose woke up early, as usual. She always told her mother that she was going to have a walk or to a friend's house, when she was really going to work, but that day she wasn't, she had already quit, because she had the money that she wanted and she was finally able to leave. In fact, she was going to the train station to buy a ticket, it didn't matter where, she just wanted to be far away from New York.

She took advantage of the fact that Cal was still in Washington and her mother was very busy throwing parties at her house. Nobody seam to care about her so she started feeling as she felt on the Titanic, but this time she wasn't going to give up so easy. She was going to fight to break free, she wasn't going to try to kill herself.

She returned by noon. She was holding a ticket to Chicago. She tried to go upstairs as quickly and as silently as possible, but her mother's voice called her from the living room. Rose hide the ticket inside her dress and went to find her mother.

She was surrounded by maids.

"Rose, guess what. Cal has to stay in Washington for quite a while, it seams, so he rearranged everything"

"Rearranged what, mother?"

"Your wedding! You are getting married in Washington. Isn't that great? We're leaving tonight"

"Tonight! That's so soon. We have a lot of things to arrange here. We can't just leave"

"Oh, yes we can. Cal told me not to worry about this. He said that we should only take what we really need and then he will send someone to fetch the rest. Now go, you have to pack. Elizabeth" she told one of the maids " go help my daughter with her packing"

The two young women went upstairs. Rose sat at the bed, unable to do anything. She had been so close, she had almost left, but now, everything was ruined. She hated Cal.

Ruth also went upstairs. Her luggage was already made but she wasn't quite sure of what the weather would be like in Washington, so she went to fetch a coat from her wardrobe. She couldn't decide which one was better.

"I know, my fox coat. It the better, although it's a bit heavy. Where is it?. Oh, here it is!"

Ruth pulled it out. She was very disappointed when she found out that it was ruin

"What happened to it? Oh, I know, I wore it that horrible night in the Titanic. What a pity! I'll give it to charity. Let's check if there's something left in the pockets. Oh, what's this?"

Ruth took out a piece of paper. It was written with a handwriting she didn't recognize. There where only few lines, so she started reading it.

Dear Rose

Your mother just told me your decision to marry Cal. In spite it kills me to picture you two together, I wont get in the middle. The only thing that matters to me is that you are ok, and if think that you'll be ok with him, that's fine by me. I just want to know why. Why, Rose? We could have been so happy, together. I know, we wouldn't be a rich couple, but we would have been happy. You made me feel the luckiest man in the world, the most powerful. More powerful than Cal or any of the men in first class, who you said where the 'masters of the universe'. As I said, I wont get in the middle, but before I go I want to tell you that I love you. I've loved you since I saw you hanging from the back of the ship and I will love you until my dying day. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you how I felt when I saw you, but, what's done it's done. I hope you have a long and happy life near Cal. I love you.

Jack Dawson

Ruth was shocked. Rose hanging from where? She read the letter once again. For six months, she was convinced that Jack was with Rose only for the money, but in the letter it was quite clear that money was the last thing he cared for. Could it really be that that boy was in love with Rose? Did she love him back? She felt terrible, maybe she had helped to destroy the life of a young couple. She had to know how Rose felt. She had to know what really happened in the Titanic.