December 7th, 1912

"Oh, Lilly, I'm going to miss you so much!" Rose exclaimed as she hugged her close friend. Today was the day that Lilly and Charlie were moving. After a week of packing and shuffling their belongings over, their new house was finally ready for them to inhabit.

Lilly laughed. "Rose, I'm just going to be right next door! And I'm sure I'll be over almost everyday when Charlie and Jack are at work."

"I know, but it'll still be different," Rose said, somewhat sad. She knew the move was for the best, though. Their house was a good size, but it would be pretty crowded with four people and two babies. Both couples were about to have their own families, and should each have their own home.

"I'll be over all the time, especially now since you only have a month left in your pregnancy. I don't like the idea of you being alone all day while Jack is at work."

"Thanks, Lil. You've been such a great friend to me since we met. I'd never had a best friend before, and you definitely are a best friend to me."

Lilly blushed. She wasn't the most emotional person nor was she the best at expressing her feelings, but she definitely felt the same way. Rose was such a warm, caring person and a great friend. Lilly had been pretty lonely ever since her and Charlie had moved to Chippewa Falls a couple years ago, not knowing many people, especially since Charlie worked everyday during the week. Meeting Rose definitely helped her to enjoy life more. They had a lot of fun together, and Lilly hoped they would remain close friends for a long time. Maybe their children could be best friends, as well. "Rose, I feel the same way. I'm so glad I met you and Jack. You both have been such good friends to Charlie and I."

"Lilly, YOU have been such a good friend to Jack and me, and so has Charlie. Opening your home to us, teaching me how to be a good housewife.. I can't even explain how grateful Jack and I are. I'm so glad you'll just be right next door."

"Rose, you're too sweet."

Rose and Lilly's moment was interrupted by Charlie, who yelled across the yard for Lilly to come over and help him start unpacking.

"That's my cue. I better go help Charlie get settled in our new house. I'll be over tomorrow, Rose."

"Sounds good, Lil. See you then."

Rose watched as her friend scampered happily across the yard that separated their two homes before walking to the front porch of her own house, where Jack was sitting on the porch swing. Rose sat down next to him and sighed happily as she rested her head on her husband's shoulder and he put his arm around her.

"I'm going to miss them, Jack. They've done so much for us," Rose whispered sadly.

Jack kissed her forehead before responding. "I'll miss them, too, sweetheart. But they'll just be right next door. We can visit each other whenever we want."

"I guess you're right, Jack," Rose said as she rubbed her arms, suddenly realizing how cold it was outside. "It's pretty chilly out here, even with the sun out."

Jack chuckled. "Welcome to winters in Wisconsin, Rosebud. How about we go inside? I don't want you being out in the cold, especially with the baby."

Rose nodded and let Jack lead her inside into the kitchen. As she sat down, she watched Jack walk over the stove and start boiling some water. "What're you doing, Jack?"

"Making hot chocolate. I thought it'd warm us up on a day like today."

"Jack, you're so sweet. I didn't know you knew how to make hot chocolate."

"Of course I do. My mom made the best hot chocolate, and she taught me exactly how to make it the way she did." Jack smiled at the memory of his mom making him hot chocolate after he played outside in the cold all day. "How many marshmallows would you like?"

"Hmm. Quite a few. I love marshmallows, but I haven't had them in a long time," Rose responded. Her mother, being the way she was, didn't allow sweets in the house except on special occasions. What a scandal it would be if her daughter had any extra weight!

"Here you go, my love." Jack set the cup of hot chocolate in front of his wife and then took a seat next to her at the table.

"Jack, this is delicious. Thank you."

"Anything for my beautiful wife. Are you feeling alright today? You look tired."

Rose smiled. Jack always picked up on anything that was going on with her. It was true, she was tired. She hadn't slept well the night before because the baby had been kicking like crazy. Not that she had minded much – she was glad to know her baby was excited and ready to come into the world. However, she would like to get some sleep once in awhile. "Oh, I'm a little tired. I didn't get much sleep last night because the baby was kicking a lot, which woke me up."
"Oh, Rose. I'm sorry," Jack said before getting up from his chair and kneeling down so that his face was near his wife's stomach. "Hi there, little one. Now, Daddy loves you very much, and so does Mommy, but you need to let Mommy get some sleep so she can bring you into the world."

Rose laughed at Jack's comment. Both of them frequently talked to the baby, and Jack was always so sweet to him or her. "Jack, you're so sweet. I'm not sure if our little one will listen, though."

Jack brought his head up to Rose's face, giving her a soft kiss on the lips. "I love you, Rose. I can't wait to be able to see and hold our beautiful baby."

"I love you too, Jack. Little Molly or Tommy will be so lucky to have you as a father."

"And you as a mother."

Later that night, Jack and Rose laid in bed, discussing their coming baby. Rose, having not discussed her mother since right after the sinking, decided to bring up Ruth. She wondered if her mother knew she was alive, since Cal clearly did. She assumed that Ruth had been living with the Hockleys since after the sinking, having nowhere else to go. Wouldn't Cal tell her that she was alive? "Jack, do you think my mother knows that I'm alive? Obviously Cal knows, now. I wonder if she does, too."

Jack shrugged. "I don't know, Rose. I mean, she hasn't tried to contact us. You'd think that she would if she knew you were alive."

"She probably just doesn't care. I mean, I was only useful to her when I was going to marry Cal. Now that I'm not going to do what she wants, she has no use for me," Rose said. She hadn't meant to show any emotion in her voice, but her voice cracked at the end of her sentence, giving away how hurt she truly was. She knew her mother was cold, but wouldn't she care if her daughter was alive or not? Apparently not. Ruth had to have known about the interaction with Cal, and she made no effort to contact her daughter at all.

"Aw, Rosebud. Come here," Jack said as he wrapped his arms tightly around Rose. "I know she's your mother, but she caused you so much pain. You're better off without her in your life."

"I know, Jack. I know I'm better off, but it would be nice if she showed that she cared at all about whether I'm alive or dead. I guess she doesn't." Rose swallowed hard, trying not to cry. She refused to cry for her mother. After all, her mother had basically sold her to an abusive man just so that they could keep their status in society. However, after everything her mother had put her through, she was still her mother, and her behavior still hurt Rose.

Jack's heart broke when he saw how truly sad Rose was at her mother's behavior. He wished that he could take her pain away so that she would never be hurt again, but he knew that wasn't possible. All Jack could do was be there for her and support her during any hard times that she had. "Rose, sweetheart, don't cry," Jack said as he wiped the tears that had started to fall from her sad eyes. "Have you thought about contacting her?"

Rose shook her head. "I wouldn't know how. I mean, the only place I could think of that she would be is with the Hockleys, and I'm not going to contact them. I don't want any interaction with Cal or his family, especially after he showed up here."

"I understand. Maybe you could write to Molly? She gave us her address in Denver. Maybe she knows where your mother is."

"I don't know, Jack. After what she's done to me, to us, I don't know if I want to have anything to do with her. She's hurt me so much during my life, and I don't want her negative influence around the baby, either."

Jack nodded, very understanding of his wife's predicament. Ruth was Rose's mother, so it was understandable for Rose to feel hurt at her lack of contact. On the other hand, Ruth had made Rose miserable for several years. Jack could definitely see why Rose wouldn't want anything to do with her, but he thought that maybe they could mend fences if they were able to meet up and talk again. Maybe the sinking had changed Ruth's cold ways. Jack knew it was wishful thinking, but anything was possible.

"Rose, I understand. I don't want her around our child, either, if she's going to be the way she used to be. But maybe she's changed. She is your mother, after all, and she's the only living grandparent our children are going to have." Jack saw the look on Rose's face after her last comment and knew she wasn't going to like what he had to say. "Maybe you should try to contact her and mend fences with her. Maybe she's changed her old ways, and if she hasn't, you can always just not speak to her again."

Rose considered this for a moment, but hesitated to agree. She knew that Jack was right, but Ruth had hurt her so much and made her so miserable. How could she ever forgive her mother for that? And how could she ever forgive Ruth for not contacting her if she indeed knew that her daughter was alive? "I don't know, Jack. She made me so miserable before I met you, and she tried to force me into a marriage with an abusive man. And if she has changed her ways, wouldn't she try to contact me?"

"Maybe she doesn't know you're alive, Rose. She might still believe that you're dead."

"I don't know about that, Jack. I would think that after the sinking she would have stayed in contact with the Hockleys, at least for the first couple of months. Cal would definitely have told her that I was alive."

"Maybe, Rose, but maybe not. Maybe she was already out of contact with Cal's family by the time he found you. Just think about what I said, Rosebud. I support you in any decision that you make, but she is the only mother you've got. Just consider contacting her, at least to let her know you're all right. If she acts negatively towards you, just cut ties again," Jack suggested.

Rose nodded. "I'll think about it, Jack. I just don't want her to hurt me, or you, or our baby."

"I won't let anyone hurt you, sweetheart. If Ruth Dewitt-Bukater wants to bring any harm to my wife or our baby, she's going to have to go through me." Jack smiled at his wife, trying to make her feel better.

Rose smiled at Jack's protectiveness. She was so grateful to have him. "Thank you, Jack. For always being there for me and supporting me. I couldn't imagine being married to a more wonderful man."

"I'll always be there for you, Rosebud. I love you more than life itself."

"I love you too, Jack. I love you so much," Rose whispered as she snuggled close to her husband. Suddenly, she brought her hand to her stomach and a shocked look came upon her face.

"Rose, what's wrong?" Jack asked.

Rose smiled and took Jack's hand, bringing it to her stomach. "Nothing's wrong. The baby just kicked. Feel it?"

Jack smiled and kissed his wife on the forehead. "That's our baby in there, Rose. Ours."

"I know. Made out of our love, Jack," Rose whispered as she felt the baby's constant kicking.

Jack kissed his wife again, cuddling next to her. He fell asleep with a smile on his face, content to have his arms around his wife and his hand on her stomach where his child grew.