Chapter 30: Conversations

Ruth had just finished her evening tea when Rose came through the door, her bags tucked under her arms. The older woman got to her feet, annoyed that the servants were again not in the vicinity.

"Carlotta! Please help Rose with her luggage!" Ruth called.

"Oh mother, don't bother Carlotta. I have it. I've lugged all this around all weekend, a few more minutes won't hurt," Rose sighed, letting her bags fall to the floor. "I'll get them as soon as I sit down for a few minutes."

"Not to worry, Miss. I have them," Carlotta appeared and began gathering up Rose's bags. The teen would have protested, but she was too tired at the moment. The hustle and bustle of LAX airport was in itself exhausting, not to mention the jet lag.

"I trust that everything went alright and that you were well behaved," Ruth returned to her seat.

"Of course. I shared a room with Jack's cousin Julie and Jack was with his Uncle. But the service was nice. I feel sad that Jack had lost a mentor. God, there's been so much death lately. It seems that there's hardly anything left to be happy about."

"Well maybe things will settle down now. Oh and you had mail from NYU. Why are you getting mail from New York?" Ruth asked. She had been taken aback to see the envelope when it had arrived in the mail Saturday morning. She had thought that Rose would do what she had done as a young girl. Get married and have the husband take care of her for as long as he felt he needed to. She hadn't expected her daughter to have ambitions of her own that went beyond finding a good husband.

"It's New York University, mother. They have an excellent law department there and I'm hoping to attend in the Fall," Rose explained as her mother gave her the letter and she ripped it open. She squealed in delight after reading the fine print. "I'm in! I'm in! Oh my god!"

"So I take it that you were accepted and you'll be leaving after the summer?" Ruth frowned, not knowing how to feel about this. She had done some soul searching during Rose's absence and had decided to try to be a better mother to the girl. But how can she do so when the girl was planning to leave anyway?

"Well, if Jack gets into his art academy in New York, I'm definitely going. I'm not letting a guy like him get away...wait...mother...what are we doing here?"

Ruth frowned. "What?"

"Are we actually talking? Are you really showing some interest in my life right now?" Rose was finding it hard to believe that this was the same woman that didn't lend her much comfort over her father's death. What was going on here?

"Rose, you behave like we never talk to one another."

"We don't. At least not like this."

"Well, I would just like to know my daughter's plans for after graduation."

"Well now you know. I plan to go to New York if Jack goes...but if he doesn't, I'll probably go to Berkeley, that is if I had gotten accepted there as well," Rose replied, still unable to believe that she was having this conversation with her mother.

"In my day, the point of University was to find a proper husband. I take it that's all changed by today's standards."

Rose couldn't help her laughter. "Oh mother, of course it has! The purpose of University is to not only find oneself, but to discover what one wants to do for the rest of their lives. Like Jack, he wants to do something artistic. The school he'll be going to will help him explore the different fields that need artists. As for me, I'm going to be like daddy. I'm going to be a lawyer, so the innocent and helpless can have someone on their side."

"Well at least you ambitious," Ruth sighed, having nothing more to add to the conversation. She sat down and took a sip of her tea. "If you're hungry, I can have Carlotta fix you something."

"I'm fine, mother. I'm more tired than anything. I'm going upstairs and turn in for the evening. Good night," Rose made her escape, feeling that the situation was just too strange. What was up with her mother? Shaking her head, she went upstairs to her bedroom and picked up her cell. She smiled when she saw the text from Jack.

Just got in. Incredibly jet lagged. How are you?

Texting was a great way to communicate, but talking was so much better. She loved the sound of Jack's voice. It was boyish, yet there was a hint of growing maturity and it made her feel secure, knowing that his voice belonged to the love of her life. She quickly dialed his number and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She frowned, realizing that she really did look exhausted.

"Hello?" Jack yawned over the phone.

"It's me, Rose," She smiled, slipping off her boots. "Just came home to the twilight zone. My mother and I actually talked...and it was nice."

"Really? What did you talk about?" Jack asked, beginning to unbutton his flannel shirt that he had put on that morning. The minute they arrived back in LA, it was apparent that they were overdressed.

"My plans after graduation, if you can believe that. She seemed surprised that I had any," Rose chuckled. "By the way, did you hear from the academy yet?"

"No. I can't believe that you talked me into sending the paintings through the mail. I'm on pens and needles hoping that nothing happens to them."

"They'll be fine, Jack. Stop worrying. Anyway...you might as well know...I got into NYC! So if you do get in, I'm all set," Rose grinned. Just thinking about her and Jack in New York City, living life day by day filled her with excitement.

"What?! And you're just telling me? Rose that is great!" Jack grinned. "I knew you'd get in!"

"Just like I know that you'll get into that art academy," Rose laughed. "I can't wait Jack. I want to go to New York right now and look at the apartments!"

"Hold up sweetie. We just got back to warm LA. Let's enjoy the sun some more before we go back out into the cold again."

"I wish we had more alone time together. I like your Uncle and Julie, but they didn't leave us much time just to be alone with each other," Rose sighed, remembering the slight disappointment of having to room with Julie.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'll make it up to you tomorrow. We'll go somewhere where it's just the two of us and we can cuddle however long you want," Jack smiled. He too had been disappointed that there hadn't been any time for just the two of them. It wasn't that he wanted sex. He and Rose...they were so much more than that. It was about just being close to the person he loved more than anything.

"I'm looking forward to it," Rose yawned, her exhaustion overtaking her. "I'm so tired..."

"Get some sleep. We'll talk again tomorrow," Jack chuckled, sensing Rose's reluctance to hang up. "It's been a long past couple of days."

"It has, but they were days with you...which made them nice," Rose rubbed her eyes. "Okay, so after coming home to warm weather, plus the strange conversation with mother, I think it's time that I go to sleep. See you in the morning, Jack."

"See you in the morning."

Jack was the first one to hang up. He slipped off his shirt and laid down on his back. Staring up at the ceiling he began to think of places he and Rose could go tomorrow to get some intimate time alone with each other. He really could use that time to reconnect and wash the sight of the man that destroyed his life out of his head. A afternoon with his girl should do just the trick.