Hi everyone, please could you comment and let me know if anyone is still reading this / enjoying it? I'll wrap it up if not. Thank you :) x
Rose got home around 6pm and joined Tilly for dinner. She tried to speak to her, but got very brief responses- it was clear Tilly was struggling being back more than Rose originally thought. After eating, Rose stood up and picked up the plates to wash them, so used to doing so at Jack's. "Oh I'll do that, Miss" Emily said. Rose sighed quietly, she knew Emily was only doing her job, but she was more than capable of doing it herself. "Thank you" she smiled gently. "Come on Matilda, it's bedtime" she held out her hand. She hated that she had to start calling Tilly 'Matilda' again, but she knew it would get back to Cal somehow if she didn't.
Tilly just looked at her, frustrated, before walking over, she walked straight past Rose and up to her bedroom. Rose was surprised Tilly had ignored her but followed her none the less. She closed the door behind them when they reached her room. "What's the matter baby?" Rose asked as she got a pair of pyjamas out for her "I want to go home" she pouted with her arms folded. "We are home…" Rose said, she knew Tilly meant Jack's house, but she had to get used to the fact that she was staying in Philadelphia now. "No… with Jack… my teddy bears are there" Rose sighed, cursing herself for not picking up Tilly's teddies before she left. She didn't want to tell Tilly that she had seen Jack, in case leaving didn't work out. "I'll buy you a new one, anyone you like" Rose said, trying to cheer Tilly up "I don't want another one!" She frowned "I want my teddies and my art stuff and my tea set and my doll!" Rose didn't know what to reply so just sighed gently and placed Tilly's pyjamas on the bed beside her "come on, I think you're very tired, it's been a very long day. Let's get your pyjamas on and I'll read you a story before you go to sleep" Rose said. "I don't want to put my pyjamas on! and I don't want to go to sleep!" Tilly shouted, throwing her pyjamas on the floor "Look Tilly, I'm trying to be patient with you here. I know you want to go back to Jack's house… I do too. But we can't and I'd like it if you didn't take your anger out on me" Rose said trying to remain calm. "I want Anna to put me to bed" Tilly frowned, her arms still crossed. Rose felt as though she'd been kicked in the chest- Tilly never wanted anyone other than her to put her to sleep so for her to ask for her Nanny over her Mother broke her heart. "Do you really? or are you just saying that because you're sad?" Rose asked "I want Anna" she repeated. "Fine, I'll send her up. Goodnight" Rose said passive aggressively, trying to hide her hurt before putting the pyjamas back on the bed and walking out.
—
After asking Anna to go and tend to Tilly, she walked in to her own bedroom and looked down in to Sophia's crib, where she was sleeping. Sophia had been being cared for all day by Anna, but put her foot down when it came to Sophia sleeping in her bedroom. She sighed as she stroked her daughters cheek before getting changed and climbing in to bed. It was only early, but she saw no point in going back down to the library… again.
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Rose sat awake for what felt like forever, feeling unbelievably guilty for how she hadn't said goodnight properly to Tilly. She knew that Tilly would be asleep by now but hated the fact she hadn't kissed her goodnight… first her Father didn't say goodnight, and now her Mum. She wanted to go in to her bedroom and sleep with her, hoping it would comfort Tilly in the morning, but knew it wasn't practical to leave Sophia when she was waking up in the night, so instead just crept in to Tilly's room to kiss her goodnight but accidentally woke her up whilst doing so. Tilly flinched as she felt someone stroke her face "hey, hey, it's me" Rose said quietly watching as Tilly sat up "is it morning?" She asked confused, seeing it was still dark "no darling, it's night time, I just wanted to kiss you goodnight" Till rubbed her eyes and held her arms out, implying she wanted Rose to pick her up- which she did. "Can I sleep in your room?" Tilly asked as she rested her head on Rose's shoulder. Rose just kissed her head and nodded before carrying her in to her bedroom. Once they were in bed, Tilly lay beside Rose, twisting one of her curls "sorry for being naughty, Mummy" she said quietly "you weren't naughty, I know you don't want to be here. I don't either darling" Rose sighed "I miss Jack" Tilly said sadly "me too darling, me to" she gave her a weak smile. "We'll be OK, I promise" she knew she shouldn't have said that immediately after she had. She had no idea whether she could keep her and the girls safe and whether the girls would one day accidentally see Cal hit her again. "When is Father back?" "Tomorrow afternoon darling" Rose replied, Tilly just looked up at her sadly "come on, get some sleep" Rose said as she stroked her daughters cheek "OK…" Tilly said and closed her eyes.
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Friday 22nd April, 1920
Tilly woke up the following morning and shook Rose gently "mummy? mummy?" Rose rolled over to face her "hey" she smiled and leant forward to kiss her head. "I'm hungry" Tilly answered just as Sophia began to cry "seems your sister is too!" Rose laughed "let me just feed Sophia and we can go down and have breakfast, how does that sound? Or should I ask Anna to come and get you?" Tilly shook her head "I want to wait for you" "OK" Rose smiled gently.
—
After eating breakfast, Rose had Anna take the girls in to the garden for some fresh air as she snuck off to see Jack.
"Hey" she said as she approached him in the park "Hi" he replied with a small smile "what's your grand plan then?" She raised an eyebrow "I- I don't have one" he sighed, disappointed in himself. She forced a tight smile "it's OK… me and the girls will be alright Jack, I promise" "don't make promises you can't keep, Rose. You won't be alright and you know it" he said firmly, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.
"Just ask him for a divorce, Rose. At least try" he begged "I'll ask, but he'll say no" she replied "thank you" Jack nodded "he's back from his business trip this afternoon. I'll ask him this evening when the girls are asleep in bed" she sighed, knowing it was no use. "I'm coming with you" he said firmly "no, you're not. He'll kill you Jack. There's no way" "I don't care" he answered "well I do. I don't want to see the man I love get murdered, nor do I want to have to explain to my child why you're dead at the bottom of the stairs" Rose replied in an angry tone. "Fine" he nodded "but I'll be nearby, just in case" "thank you" she nodded. "How are the girls?" He asked "They're OK… Tilly was acting up a little last night and said she wanted to go back to your house, but aside from that she's OK… just a bit unsettled… Sophia is just Sophia" she chuckled "eating and sleeping, completely oblivious" she smiled, grateful that at least one of her daughters had no idea what was going on around her.
