Rose and the girls headed to the inn to meet Mary, bumping in to Lucy in the reception area "hey!" Lucy grinned "how are you feeling?" "Much better thank you" Rose smiled "Mum says you're going for coffee?" Lucy asked "yes" Rose nodded, she wanted to invite Lucy but knew she couldn't this time, needing to explain everything to Mary alone "do you want me to watch Tilly for you? So she doesn't get bored?" Lucy offered "are you sure?" Rose asked "yeah, of course, I can take her to the park or something" Lucy smiled "Tilly, would you like to go to the park with Lucy?" Rose asked "yes please!" Tilly grinned, making Rose and Lucy laugh "OK… be good… thank you Lucy" Rose said as she kissed Tilly's head. "No worries, just meet us at the park when you're done" she smiled before Mary entered the room. "Hello Rose… hello Tilly" Mary smiled "hello" "hi" Tilly smiled "Lucy is going to take care of Tilly for me whilst we go for coffee" Rose said "oh wonderful" Mary smiled "shall we be off?" She asked and Rose nodded, following Mary out.

—

Mary and Rose thanked the waitress as she placed their drinks down on the table.

"So, mind me asking why you're staying with Jack?" Mary asked causing Rose to take a deep breathe "Mary, I'm asking you not to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you… I don't want anyone knowing, but Jack said I can trust you" she said "OK…" Mary replied confused.

"My surname isn't Smith… and my husband isn't dead… My husband is Caledon Hockley-" "thee Caledon Hockley?" Mary asked "yes" she nodded "he's an awful man, Mary. He abused me, both physically and mentally, and well, just before we left, Tilly saw him hurt me… I couldn't stay there… I couldn't let her see me be treated like that and think it was normal" "oh my goodness" Mary said surprised "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, dear…" "thank you" Rose gave a weak smile "but after that, I had no choice, I had to get me and the girls out of there. So I ran. When you asked for my surname, I didn't know you… I couldn't tell you it was Hockley, and I was worried Cal would find me… I still am… so I said my surname was Smith. I'm so sorry I lied Mary, really I am, but I didn't know what else to do" she sighed "you don't need to apologise… I understand" Mary gave her a reassuring smile. "But if you don't mind me asking, where does Jack come in to all of this?" She frowned confused. Rose sighed "we met on board the Titanic…" "my days…" Mary gasped "you were on the ship too?" She asked, getting a nod from Rose in response "please don't tell anyone, Mary…" Rose pleaded "I promise" she nodded "so, was there anything of you and Jack? Or were you just friends?" Mary raised an eyebrow "we fell in love… we planned to get off together when she ship docked, but then we thought each other had died. It wasn't until the other night when we realised one another were alive" Rose said "that's why you fainted?" Mary asked and Rose nodded "yes" "and now… is there anything of the two of you now?" she asked "no… not anymore… we're just friends" "would you like there to be more?" Mary asked, already knowing the answer "yes… of course… but it's not just about me now… there's Tilly and Sophia… and so much has changed in the last 8 years" Rose sighed. "Do you love him, Rose?" Mary asked, getting a weak nod in response "I won't pretend I know what you've been through, because I don't. But I do know you've been through some awful stuff, and it seems like Jack wants to care for and look after you. You and the girls.. and any man like that is worth his weight in gold. If you love him Rose, you should tell him" Mary said "you've chosen to stay with him only a matter of days after finding out he was alive. You left the girls with him last night when you came to collect your stuff… If that isn't enough proof that you trust him, I don't know what is" Rose knew Mary was right. There was no one else in the world she trusted more than Jack. "You're right…" she sighed "I'll speak to him tonight when the girls are in bed" "I think that's a good idea" "thank you Mary… I really appreciate it" "no need to thank me dear" she smiled and squeezed Rose's hand gently.

—

Rose and Mary headed to the park to meet Lucy and Tilly. "I will tell Lucy about all of this, when the time is right. Sorry I'm asking you to keep this from her" Rose said feeling guilty "in your own time dear" Mary nodded and smiled as she opened the gate to the park where Lucy was pushing Tilly on the swing.

"Look who's here!" Lucy smiled and pointed out Rose as she slowed the swing down "mummy!" Tilly shouted and ran towards her "hello!" Rose grinned and bent down to her, still not feeling as though she could lift her up yet. "Have you had fun with Lucy?" "Yes! She bought me an ice cream!" Tilly grinned "that I told you not to tell your Mummy about!" Lucy joked, making Rose laugh "oops" Tilly giggled "thank you for watching her Lucy" Rose smiled "anytime! She's as good as gold" Lucy smiled "right, we need to nip to the store before we go back to Jack's" Rose said, stroking the top of Tilly's head "are you going to say goodbye to Mary and Lucy?" "Will we see them soon?" Tilly asked "of course we will" Rose replied "good" Tilly smiled "bye bye" she waved at Mary and Lucy "goodbye love" Mary smiled at her as Lucy said goodbye too.

—

Rose and the girls went to the store to buy some jacket potatoes and fillings for them before heading home. "Go on, you can go and carry on colouring now if you'd like" she said as she helped Tilly take her coat off and wrapped Sophia in her make shift baby sling so she could begin cooking dinner.