Ruth was absolutely appalled when she saw her daughter for the first time in eleven months. Rose was dressed in a simple lavender dress, a color Ruth detested. It was nothing like the elaborate gowns that women such as themselves should be wearing. Rose's red curls had gotten longer since Ruth had seen her last, and they were loosely cascading down her back. Didn't Rose have the decency to at least style her hair properly? Rose thought of what a waste all of her schooling had been. Rose was brought up to be a lady, and now she was just some housewife.
Ruth's eyes slowly went from Rose to the small baby that was balanced on her daughter's hip. Rose had a child? It was bad enough that she was married to someone as pathetic as Jack Dawson, but to have a child with him? The thought of Rose being touched by such trash made Ruth want to vomit. Ruth shook her head in disgust and without responding to Rose's question, pushed her daughter aside and made her way inside the house. Before she had a chance to put down her suitcase, she was greeted by a small puppy, who began to jump on her. "Goodness!" Ruth exclaimed, trying to push the dog away. There were few things in the world that Ruth hated more than animals, especially in the house. So, this was her daughter's life now? Living with the gutter rat and his child, with a dog, in rural Wisconsin? Ruth was completely disgusted by the situation. "I wish we had never boarded that ship," she muttered to herself.
Rose stared at her mother with cold eyes. "Mother," she hissed, wanting an answer to her earlier question. "What are you doing here?"
Ruth stared back, her eyes even colder than her daughter's. "Thanks to your foolishness, I am now completely broke. After buying a train ticket to this sad excuse for a town, I have very little money left. Our home and belongings have all been sold in auction to pay off your father's debts, since you refused to marry Caledon. Rose, since this is your doing, I've come here to live with you. I'm your mother. You're required to take care of me, especially since it is your fault that I'm in this predicament," Ruth said to her daughter harshly.
Rose couldn't believe her ears. Her mother hadn't changed one bit. And she expected her to let her live with her family? There wasn't a chance in hell that Rose was going to allow her stuck-up mother anywhere near Jack or Molly. They deserved better than her behavior. "Mother, I am in no mood to deal with you! What happened was not my fault and I'm sick of you placing the responsibility for your life on my shoulders! You are not going to force your way into this house or into my life. My daughter and husband deserve better than you. I saw the way you treated Jack on the Titanic and I'm not letting you anywhere near him or our child!" Rose exclaimed, not realizing how loud she was yelling. Little Molly, aware of her mother's tension, started to wail, causing Rose to prop her daughter over her shoulder and pat her back lovingly. "Shhh.. Molly, it's okay. I'm sorry I was yelling, it wasn't directed at you. It's okay, sweetheart."
Rose stared at her mother, not giving her a chance to respond. "Now look what you've done. You think you can just come into my house and make my daughter cry. Well, it's not happening! You've been here five minutes and you're already wrecking havoc."
Ruth sighed. This was not going as well as she hoped. She knew that her words to Rose were harsh, but they were the truth. However, if she wanted a roof over her head, she was going to have to change her behavior, at least a bit. She couldn't believe that she had been reduced to asking for help from her foolish daughter and her gutter rat husband. "Rose, I'm your mother. You will listen to me and do as I say," Ruth said sternly, staring at her daughter with cold eyes.
Rose, still cradling Molly in her arms, walked over to the sofa and sat down. Ignoring what her mother had said, she rocked her daughter back and forth in her arms, trying to quiet her cries. She sang softly to Molly, knowing just the song that would calm her down. "Come Josephine in my flying machine, going up she goes, up she goes.."
Ruth's face started to soften as she watched Rose take care of the tiny baby. Did Rose say her name was Molly? "That baby is my granddaughter," Ruth suddenly thought to herself. She hadn't realized until now that she was actually a grandmother. She had hoped that one day Rose would have children, although she never expected that she would have a child with a man such as Jack Dawson. Ruth had to admit, though, that Rose seemed to be a wonderful mother, from what she had seen. Watching Rose sing to small baby and calm her cries made her heart soften a bit.
Rose smiled as Molly's cries turned to whimpers, and she finally quieted completely. Rose had forgotten that her mother was in the room, only concerned about her daughter's needs at the time. "Feeling better, Molly? I'm so sorry I yelled, sweetheart. I'll never yell around you again," Rose whispered before gently kissing Molly's forehead. Molly just smiled at her mother, content to be in her arms.
Ruth slowly walked over and took a seat on the sofa across from where Rose was sitting with Molly. "So, you have a daughter, Rose?" Ruth asked quietly.
"Yes. Margaret Cora Dawson, but Jack and I call her Molly. She's two months old," Rose said proudly. She was surprised that her mother had even asked about Molly, but maybe she truly did care about her granddaughter.
"So.. you're married, Rose? To him?" Ruth asked, the disgust showing in her voice.
Rose sighed. Ruth asking about Molly gave Rose hope that maybe her mother had changed a bit, but clearly she had not. Rose heard the way her mother said "him". Her disapproval of Jack was evident in her voice. "Jack, mother. His name is Jack. And yes, we were married on April 21st of last year."
Ruth shook her head in disgust. "Rose, do you realize what you've done? You've completely ruined your life. First, by marrying that vagabond, and now by having a child with him? What were you thinking?"
Rose stared coldly at her mother and held Molly close, as if she was trying to protect her from anything her mother might say. Jack wasn't a vagabond – he cared about Rose and Molly and would do anything for them. And Molly – she was the most perfect baby in the world. Ruth could say all she wanted about Rose, but Rose wasn't going to stand for anyone talking poorly about her husband or daughter. "What I was thinking was that I was and am completely in love with Jack. He's everything I've ever wanted in a husband. You may think that he is trash, but he's far from it. He's a complete gentleman and he loves and cares about me more than anything. He has always put me before himself. Mother, he was willing to risk his life for me the night Titanic sank. And now we have Molly, and she's the apple of his eye. Jack is a wonderful, caring, supportive husband and father," Rose took a deep breath before continuing. "Jack is much more of a gentleman than Cal could ever dream of being."
"You don't understand, Rose. We had no money. The marriage between you and Cal was our only way out. Now, look at us. I'm penniless and you don't seem to be very well off," Ruth snorted. "Besides, Cal was a perfect gentleman. He always treated you with kindness and respect."
"Kindness and respect? Mother, Cal hit me, insulted me, called me names. He made me feel like I was nothing more than a prized possession. I had to get away from all of that. Thank God that I met Jack when I did. He encourages me to be my own person. He never tells me what to do or makes choices for me. The life you had planned for me didn't allow me to think for myself. And Jack and I aren't rich, but he makes decent money and we have a beautiful home. He's perfectly capable of supporting Molly and me. I'm happier now than I ever was when I was wealthy. Mother, I don't need money to be happy. All I need is the people I love," Rose said, staring at her mother. Would Ruth ever understand? She was so set in her ways and so stubborn. Rose wasn't sure if she would ever get through to her. Before Ruth had a chance to respond, Molly started to whimper.
"Mother, I'm sorry, but I need to put Molly down for her nap. I'll be back shortly, and we can continue talking," Rose said as she got up from the couch and headed upstairs to Molly's nursery, Daisy following behind her.
Ruth was left alone in the living room, thinking about what Rose had said. Ruth truly didn't know about the way that Cal had apparently treated her daughter. He had always seemed like a proper gentleman, but maybe Ruth had it all wrong. She was raised that women had their place and that they didn't need to think for themselves once they had a proper husband to do so for them. Rose had always been different, though. She had inherited her father's fiery and spontaneous personality. Ruth should have known that her daughter would never accept an arranged marriage. If what Rose had said about Cal was true, a marriage would have never worked out between them. Rose was very much her own person, and her headstrong personality would never have tolerated a man who wanted to think, talk, and make decisions for her. Ruth's thoughts were interrupted when she heard Rose come back into the room. She sat down on the sofa across from Ruth and let the dog sit on her lap. Ruth couldn't believe her daughter had an animal in the house – she personally couldn't stand dogs.
"Rose," Ruth began, causing Rose to stop playing with Daisy and give her mother her undivided attention. "Maybe you're right about Caledon. Maybe he wasn't right for you, but that doesn't give you the right to run off with a steerage boy while you're engaged. What could a man like Jack Dawson know about taking care of a lady like yourself?"
Rose sighed. Maybe she was making some progress with her mother, but she wasn't about to get her hopes up. "Oh, Mother. You don't know anything about Jack, do you? All you know is that he isn't wealthy, so you won't even give him a chance. You think you're above him, that you're better than him, even though you hardly know anything about him."
"Rose, I know that he was a wanderer for quite awhile. How can you trust him to take care of you, to take care of a child? If he lived a rootless existence for so long, what makes you think he won't just up and leave you and that baby?" Ruth snapped.
" 'That baby's' name is Molly," Rose hissed. "And you don't know anything about why Jack was traveling. He wanted to see the world, to get away for awhile after his parents passed away. He wasn't living a "rootless existence," as you call it. He was making his life count. If you must know, I asked him if he was ready to settle down before we got married. I didn't want to tie him down. But he told me what I already knew – that he loved me, that he had been wanting to settle down for a long time but hadn't met the right person. He got a job as soon as we arrived in Chippewa Falls, even though we didn't need the money right away. He works hard and always makes sure that Molly and I are loved and cared for. Jack would never leave us. Like I said earlier, he is a wonderful husband and father."
Ruth sighed. "Rose, I just don't see how I can trust someone like Jack. How can you trust someone who is completely below you? I raised you to have standards, Rose."
"Mother, I don't see people that way. I don't judge people by their background, or how much money they have. Jack is an individual, who is neither above nor below me. When I met him, I didn't see him as a third class passenger. I saw him as someone who cared about me, who listened to me, who understood me and actually wanted to hear what I had to say for once! He's my best friend, my husband, and my soul mate. How much money he has is completely irrelevant to me."
Ruth sighed and shook her head. She realized that she was never going to get through to her stubborn daughter. Maybe Rose had a point. Maybe Ruth had it all wrong, to judge people and act as if they were below her. Maybe it wasn't Rose's actions that got her into her current predicament – maybe it was the way she treated people, the way she treated her own daughter. Ruth's cold eyes started to soften as she looked at her only daughter. "I just don't know, Rose. Jack hardly seems responsible enough to care for a wife and a child. I just hope you've made the right decision and haven't thrown your life away. I just wanted the best for you, Rose. Maybe Cal wasn't the best choice for you, but I don't think Jack is, either."
"Mother, look. Jack and I have been married almost a year now. We have a beautiful daughter together, and we plan on having more children in the future. Jack and I love each other more than anything in the world, and we love Molly. If anything, we proved our love to each other the night Titanic sank, even though we had only known each other for a couple of days. In the eleven months we have been married, Jack has only become a more devoted husband and now father. You just have to accept that he isn't the person you think he is."
Ruth sighed. This conversation was going nowhere. She obviously wasn't going to get through to her daughter. Maybe Jack Dawson wasn't as bad as she had thought. She knew one thing for sure after having this conversation with Rose – she didn't want to lose her daughter again. It was one thing to hear that she was alive, but it was another thing to see Rose right in front of her, in the flesh. She hadn't realized how much she had missed her daughter until she had a chance to actually see her. She wondered if she could ever truly accept Jack Dawson as her son-in-law. Ruth knew that accepting Jack as Rose's husband would be the only way that Rose would ever let Ruth back in her life. "I hope you're right about Jack, Rose," Ruth started to say, noticing the way her daughter's face started to soften. "Rose, I'm sorry for how I treated you after your father passed away, and I'm sorry for not trying to contact you once I found out that you were alive. But now that I've been able to see you and talk to you again, I realize how much I've missed you. You're my only child, Rose, and I just want the best for you. Do you think we can ever fix our relationship?"
Rose was shocked to hear such a change in her mother's attitude. Had she really gotten through to someone as cold as Ruth Dewitt-Bukater? Rose had never, in all her life, known her mother to apologize for anything. Rose, not knowing how to respond at first, got up off the sofa and walked over to where her mother was sitting. She sat next to Ruth, putting a loving hand on her shoulder. She took a deep breath and then started to speak. "Mother, you've done a lot to hurt me over the years, but you're still my mother. You're my daughter's only grandparent. I want you to be a part of my life, but only if you can accept Jack as my husband and our child as your granddaughter. If you can do that, then maybe we can try to fix our relationship."
Rose hoped she was doing the right thing by inviting her mother to fix their relationship. Her mother had done a lot to hurt her in the past, but maybe she could change her ways. She was Molly's only grandparent, and Rose wanted Ruth to be a part of her life. Maybe they could have a fresh start and forget the past.
Ruth's cold exterior had completely melted by now. Her eyes looking over to her daughter, surprised at her words. Ruth knew she didn't deserve Rose's kindness and forgiveness. Yet Rose, with her heart of gold, was willing to try and put the past behind them. "Rose, I can't promise anything, but I will try to accept Jack. I'll try to see him the way that you see him. And I'll try to accept his child – Molly. I'll try to accept Molly. She is my granddaughter, after all."
"Mother, there's one more thing. I don't think you can stay with Jack and I right now, at least not until I've discussed your presence with him. I want to make sure that you're going to treat him with kindness before I let you into our home. I don't want any negative energy around him, and I especially don't want it around Molly. They deserve better than that," Rose said sternly. Noticing that her mother was about to open her mouth to protest, Rose put her hand up to show that she wasn't finished speaking. "Mother, before you say anything, I'm not going to put you out onto the streets. There is a boarding house in town where people can stay for four dollars a night. I'll pay for you to stay there for at least tonight while I speak with Jack about this situation."
Ruth sighed. She was hoping that Rose would accept her into her life completely, but she knew that would take some time. She was going to have to give Rose her space for awhile – she couldn't accept her to forgive right away. Ruth was also aware that she was going to have to come to terms with Rose's marriage to Jack Dawson, because if she treated Jack poorly, Rose would certainly never forgive her. "Rose, I have a small sum of money left. I can pay to stay a few nights in the boarding house. Just let me know if and when you're willing to let me come back here. I understand you need time."
Rose nodded. "Thank you, mother. I definitely will let you know when you are welcome into our home. Jack is very kind and forgiving. I'm sure that he doesn't hold a grudge against you, as long as you treat him with respect from now on."
"I will, Rose. And again, I am truly sorry. I hope one day I can make it up to you for how I treated you."
"I know, Mother. I'll see you soon," Rose said as she led her mother to the front door. Maybe, just maybe, the two women would be able to put the past behind them and have a fresh start to their relationship. Rose would love to have a real mother in her life and a grandmother for Molly, but Ruth was going to have to completely accept her daughter's life the way it was before they could completely make amends.