Rose sat at the kitchen table, her head propped by a slender left hand as she studied the recipe book before her. She had decided that today was her first day on the job as a housewife. She was to clean the house, take care of Lily, and make the meals. The only problem was that...she didn't know how to cook. The past year, she and Lily had lived on diner food prepared by someone else. Rose had never tried to cook herself, not sure of the steps to take. But now, as a wife and mother, things were to change. She had to learn. She just didn't know what steps to take first and hoped that maybe the cookbook that she had borrowed from the library would hold some clues.

Rose licked her lips as her eyes fell on one recipe of a treat that she had absolutely adored but hadn't had since before the Titanic voyage. Coconut Sandwich. She closed her eyes, remembering the sweet deliciousness of the dessert. She would love to have one now and here was the recipe! Of course, it wouldn't be proper to have for dinner, but if she could perfect it and make it for dessert…

She got up and ran up to the room she shared with Jack to fetch a pencil and notepad and ran back down to scribble the ingredients, hoping to put in an order at the grocers for what she would need. If she could accomplish this dessert, the boys will have something nice and decadent for dessert, if not that night, well then in a few days.

Going back to the recipe book, another recipe jumped out at Rose and she couldn't help but smile, because it was a dish that both she and Jack had enjoyed onboard Titanic when he had dined with them in first class. Poached salmon with mousseline sauce! If she remembered correctly, Jack had enjoyed that dish. Wouldn't he be surprised if she was able to put it together for him? Lovingly made by her hand instead of an unnamed chef? Quickly, she scribbled down the recipe for that as well, just as Jack came in through the back door, his portfolio in hand.

"Rose? What are you doing in here? Where's Lily?" Jack asked, his feet immediately carrying him over to where she sat, writing down the ingredients she wanted to order.

"Oh, Lily's upstairs taking a nap. She tired herself out, with that impromptu tea party she threw for the stuffed animals. I'm telling you, Jack. You just don't know how tiring such parties can be," Rose giggled as Jack took a seat next to her. "As for me, I was searching this book for something to make for dinner tonight...but all I came up with was a dessert and a main dish that I'll have to wait to prepare because I have to order the ingredients, I believe. I mean...I want to make you a good housewife Jack. So I need to know how to cook, right? Cook, clean house, do laundry...maybe even make clothes. We learned all about sewing in finishing school, so I should be able to do that. Mother would die if she knew though."

"Rose...you don't have to do any of that if you don't want to. I mean…it's not a requirement. Just being here and loving me, that's what makes you a good wife. That's all I want, Rose. Your love. I can cook, clean, do laundry, all of it if that's what you want," Jack gently rubbed her shoulder. He never wanted her to think that he had such strict, traditional requirements. He didn't want her to do or be anything that society said she should if that was something she didn't want to do. He'd be no different from Cal then.

"I know. Believe me, I know," Rose smiled, placing a hand over his, her green eyes shining with love for this man that had come into her life like a whirlwind and given her back the hopes and dreams that her mother had tried to shatter. "You had set me free, Jack. You have given me a life that I had thought I'd never have. I know you'd never want me to do something that I didn't want to do. But I want to do this. I want to carry my share of the load. It wouldn't be right for you, Tommy, and Fabrizio to do everything while I do nothing."

"I understand, but I just want to make sure that you know that we don't expect you to do all the house stuff alone. We've been managing it all for a year now and we can continue taking turns as we've always been. There is no need to put all of the housework on you. Besides, you have dreams of your own to fulfill. I mean, you can't become a wild pagan spirit by cleaning the house all day."

"Oh my god, you remember that?" Rose couldn't help but giggle, her cheeks glowing pink.

"I remember everything we've ever talked about."

"Well...I do know that I want to give Lily a good stable life. She's a top priority now. It's not like before when it was only me. So turning into a wild pagan spirit is no longer on top of the list I'm afraid. But I would like to do something...I just don't know what yet."

"Is there something small that you might want to start with?

"I want to make this dinner for you, Jack. I know it's a lot...and it's rather fancy, but it'd be a small accomplishment. And I heard the ladies in town talk about sewing patterns and fashion...I want to make Lily a dress. Sewed by my own two hands! I know it's not a big goal...but...it's something that I want to do. Something that my mother would never allow if she had her way, you know? Maybe it could be a lavender dress? A simple lavender dress for Lily, made by my own two hands!"

"Well then do it! I'll put in the orders for everything tomorrow when I go to town," Jack grinned.

"Oh god, Jack...I don't know anything about how to make a dress...or about taking measurements..."

"Well, I went to school with Clara Sheffield, the town's seamstress. She has a shop of her own in the town's square. We'll talk to her tomorrow. Maybe she can help you with all of that. We'll pay her if need be…"

"Do we have the money for that, Jack?"

"We do. I've saved up a nice nest egg from my drawings during the last year. There's no better investment than you, my Rose."

"Oh Jack, I couldn't possibly use your money!"

"Hey, it's your money too. We're a married couple now, Rose. What's mine is yours."

Rose still felt guilty. Jack had spent a year saving up money. He should be putting that towards a gallery or something he dreamed of doing, not toward hiring someone to teach her how to take measurements.

"I have a better idea. I find a paying job and pay her myself. Save your money for that gallery we were talking about."

"Rose…"

"Jack, your dreams are important too. We can't spend all the saved money on me. I insist," Rose kissed him deeply, feeling satisfied with her idea.

"You jump, I jump" Jack smiled as the kiss came to an end.

"Exactly."

"Hey, boy-o and goddess!" Tommy grinned as he and Fabrizio entered. Both seemed to be in a very very good mood, especially Tommy.

"Hey, what's up?" Jack greeted his friends, not bothering to stand up from Rose's side.

"We met some lassies, that's what's up! They're new to town and were in need of our assistance! Looks like some of boy-o's luck has finally rubbed off on us!"

Jack's smile widened as he turned to Fabrizio. Clear hope was in his eyes and voice. "Fabri, you met a girl? Does she like you? Do you like her? When are you gonna see her again?"

"Jack, calm down. Stop interrogating him," Rose gave a small smile, again touched by just how much Jack seemed to care for his friends. Especially Fabrizio.

"It's all right, Rose. And you are right. I had just met her. I don't know if she likes me and I barely know her enough to say that I like her. Besides, there's Helga…," Fabrizio sighed, looking down at his feet, feeling rather uncomfortable.

"Aw Fabri," Jack sighed, this time getting up and going over to his friend. "Look, believe me, I know the pain that you felt over her loss. But...you can't let it rule your life, amico. If you see this girl again...and if there's something there...go for it. I think Helga would want you to…"

"I know I would have wanted that for Jack if things had gone differently. I wouldn't want him to mourn me forever. A good year is enough, then I'd want him to find love again," Rose closed her cookbook, the mention of Helga dampening the atmosphere a little. She couldn't help but feel guilty that she had somehow survived, but Helga hadn't. "Do you two even know their names?"

"Sarah and Leah," Tommy gave a dreamy sigh, taking off his bowler hate. "That Leah especially was a real beauty."

"And Sarah?" Jack arched a brow, feeling amused.

"Oh, she's gorgeous too! But she likes Fabrizio. She talked to him more than she had me."

"Sarah and Leah," Rose frowned, the names seeming familiar to her. "That's funny…"

"What?" Jack turned to his wife.

"Oh, it's nothing really. Just a strange coincidence. I knew of a Sarah and Leah back in my old life. They were best friends."

"Really?"

Rose nodded with a small chuckle. "Yes. Sarah was like me. You would have liked her. Leah was a bit more reserved, but she was fun as well. They made being engaged to Cal a little bearable for me. Oh god, I wonder how they're doing! They must think I'm dead now and who knows what Cal has told Sarah…"

"They're related to Hockley, I take it?"

Rose nodded, chewing on the tip of the pencil that she had been writing with. "Yes. Sarah was his sister. She's my age and you would never think those two were related. She's the closest thing I had to a friend in that world. She knew how much I hated being engaged to that man. I hope she's all right. Once a bride is found for Cal, I am sure Nathan Hockley will start searching for a husband for her among his friends and all of them are old and horrible. I feel so bad...I wish there was a way that I could have taken her with me so she could be free too…."

"The two girls Tommy and Fabri met couldn't possibly be them, could it?" Jack stroked his chin, wonderingly.

Rose simply chuckled and shook her head. "No way. Leah's family is great, she wouldn't have a reason to run away. As for Sarah...Nathan and Cal watch over her like a hawk and rule over her with an iron fist. There's no way she'd be able to get away from them. And if she did….what reason would she have to come to Chippewa Falls? It's not like she knew of a certain someone from here that she wanted to get to know more about. I don't think this town is even on the Hockley's radar, so I doubt very much those girls are them. I do miss them, though. All the things we had talked about and giggled over. Maybe I'll write to her someday...once Cal is off and married and won't want to come to drag me back."

"Hey, if he even thinks about doing that, he'll have to go through the three of us first! He's not coming near you again, Rose. You don't have to worry," Jack went to her and placed a steady hand on her shoulder.

"That's right, lass. You have yourself a small army here, ready to brawl for ya," Tommy winked.

Rose just smiled, feeling happy and grateful for the love and friendship she had found here in this town...in this house. It was more than she had ever thought she'd have in this lifetime. She just wished that there was a way for Sarah Hockley to have the same. It broke her heart when she thought of the fate awaiting her old friend back in the life she had once led.