Survivors
Chapter 5
Author's Note: Please forgive Jack & Rose's cruelty in this chapter. It was not my choice. It was necessary to the situation I was assigned to write.
Over the coming weeks, Jack and Rose began making plans to travel west to California. They decided they wanted to be married first, which required Rose to send a telegram asking her mother's permission. Rose expected a wire in reply simply giving or denying permission. Instead, Ruth's return telegram stated that she would be traveling to Wisconsin. This made Rose anxious, but she had no other choice than to await her mother's arrival.
Rose and Jack began to insist that they be allowed to adopt Cora, despite Elaine being the child's sole surviving close relative. The three of them had loud arguments over the matter nearly daily. Elaine felt deeply betrayed. She felt she had been asked to join her granddaughter out of pure kindness, only to find herself unwanted. One afternoon following much shouting and not a few tears, Elaine had reached the end of her endurance. The time had come to surrender her granddaughter, her only blood, to these people she barely knew.
Elaine was in her room packing her few things to return to Boston when Cora knocked and asked to come in. Tears stood in the little girl's eyes as she spoke. "I'm sorry you're all fighting over me. Don't you want me to be your granddaughter anymore?"
Elaine asked Cora to sit on the bed and did so herself before speaking. "Of course I do. You always will be, no matter what happens. Arguing constantly is no good for any of us. Your friends want me out of their way. I don't know why they're so insistent, but I can't stand being here anymore. They are good to you, I'll have to trust them. Promise me you will be good. Never forget that I love you, Cora."
Cora began to weep so intensely it took her long moments to be able to speak. "I'll never forget, Nana. Ever. I want to go home to Boston with you! Daddy would want me to go…"
"He would. We'll do the best we can, even living apart. I will write you all the time, if you'll write me back."
"I promise, Nana." Cora wiped away her tears and tried to smile. "I'll be a good girl and make you and Daddy proud of me. May I come with you to the train station to say goodbye?"
"You may, of course. I'll go get a ticket tomorrow. We'll sleep here tonight as we have been. I'll miss you so much, Cora. I'm sorry I don't have the strength to stand up to your friends any longer. It will be such a lonely trip all the way back to Boston alone."
Cora reached over to her side of the bed, where the doll she'd gotten in New York rested on the pillow.
She picked it up and held it out to Elaine. "Take my dolly with you, Nana. She'll keep you company. She looks like one Daddy got me."
The sweet simplicity of this gesture made Elaine begin to weep softly. "I'll treasure her, thank you, Cora." Once her tears eased, Elaine turned her attention back to her packing. She and Cora finished that together, then decided to turn in early, without having the evening meal. The morning would come too soon.
By noon the next day, Elaine and Cora were at the train station. It was a weekday, so Jack was at work. Rose came along with the pair only to be there to accompany Cora back home.
"How soon do you have to leave, Nana?"
"Only about an hour, dear. We can sit here together until it's time."
They took a seat on the nearest bench, Cora settling on her grandmother's lap. The child's tears began quietly, and Cora hid her face, not wanting others to see. Elaine softly began to stroke Cora's hair. "I want to come with you, Nana!" Cora's words were muffled from behind her hands.
"I know, and I want you to come. I'd take you if I didn't think I'd physically be stopped, darling. I'm old, it's too much for me. I won't see you caught in the middle. I love you more than anyone in the world. After a while, I hope I can visit you out west."
Cora removed her hands from her face, wiped her tears, and stood to face her grandmother, her head high. "Don't worry, Nana. When I'm old enough, I'll come visit you. I'll never forget you. Will you write me a letter as soon as you get home?"
"You have my word, darling. Try your best to be happy, sweet little Cora. That's all I wish for you."
Cora glared at Rose, who had been watching silently this whole time. "I'd be happier in Boston, but I'll try, Nana." Cora sat down again, this time beside her grandmother, leaning gently against her side. Both of them wept softly on and off until Elaine's train was called. Cora's tears increased then, Elaine hugged her tightly. "I'll miss you so much. Come, walk with me to the train."
The pair joined hands and walked off. Rose didn't follow, and they were glad. When they reached the train, they each hesitated before they could bring themselves to say a final goodbye, filled with many hugs and kisses. Reluctantly, Elaine boarded the train. Cora watched closely from trackside. Once Elaine had taken her seat, she waved sadly. Cora did likewise until the train was out of sight. Then, the little girl walked slowly back to where Rose waited. When Cora got close enough to hear, Rose spoke.
"My mother won't be here until tomorrow, so we may as well head back home now." Rose held out her hand, but Cora didn't take it.
"Yes, ma'am." Cora's tone was flat. Rose raised her eyebrows but said nothing. She assumed Cora's mood would pass, especially once Jack got home from work. They were only doing what was best for Cora. Surely soon, the child would realize that.