"Why does he keep staring at me?" she thought. Rose wanted to move but a pair of eyes on the lower deck prevented her from doing so. Unnerving blue eyes looked right through her. She tried to brush something off her face. It felt like a butterfly kept landing on her forehead. "Why can't I move?" From the distance she thought she heard someone calling her name.

"Rose, Rose, wake up. Can you hear me?" Someone was rocking her body gently from side to side. "Are you going to sleep all day?"

Rose managed to open one eye and then the other. Sitting on the edge of the bed with his hands on her shoulders was Jack. A wide awake, fully dressed, neat and tidy Jack.

"What?" she asked. "What time is it?" She struggled to a sitting position.

"I thought you were going to sleep all day. It's 9:30. You have to get ready Rose."

"I am so tired Jack, but alright. I guess I can sleep while we are traveling. I was dreaming that you were staring at me."

Jack stood up and looked at Rose. "I WAS staring at you." Rose blushed, but Jack kept talking. "So..Mrs. Dawson, no bad dreams last night? No demons in your sleep?"

Rose moved to the edge of the bed and put her feet on the floor. "Owww, Jack, you are relentless. Yes, there was a demon in my sleep. A blond haired one, that wouldn't let me sleep," she said in mock disgust. But she was smiling as she spoke.

"Of course you, Rose, were totally passive," he said laughing. With that Rose grabbed the pillow behind her and threw it at Jack. He ducked in time and moved closer to the bed. He reached down and picked her up.

"Jack, no, Jack what are you doing." She was kicking her feet and wiggling.

"No, Jack, no," he mimicked. "That's what you always say. But you really mean yes, don't you," he laughed.

"Jack, what are you doing? Where are you going?"

He touched his forehead to hers and said, "I have a little surprise for you." He carried Rose into the bathroom and what she saw amazed her. The tub was filled with steamy water. Several towels laid piled on the floor next to the bathtub. All her toiletries were on the sink and her clothes hung on hook on the wall.

"Jack, oh thank you. When did you do this?"

"I got up early and I had a feeling you would sleep late. So I thought I better get this all ready."

She eyed him suspiciously, but with a smile on her face. "Are you SURE you never had a wife before?"

He put her down and rested his hand on his chest. "Cross my heart Rose. And besides, I thought if things got tough, I could hire myself out as a ladies maid to make a little extra money.

Rose poked him gently in the shoulder. She looked exasperated, but happy. "Honestly, Jack, you are just impossible."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Molly pulled the door open as if she had been expecting them. Rose and Jack stood in the hallway with their suitcases.

"Morning you two," she said. "I won't even ask if you had a good night." Rose looked down at the floor and even Jack blushed at that remark. Molly reached out and took Rose by the hand. "You might as well come on in."

Rose looked around the parlor as Jack put the two suitcases he was carrying down next to the door.

"You know Jack, they have bellmen to carry your bags," said Molly.

"Yes, I know," replied Jack. "It's just that I'm still not used to all this. I've always taken care of my self. And anyway, we'll be on our own soon enough." Molly nodded wisely.

"Molly, where's Mother?" asked Rose cautiously. It was quite obvious that she was not anywhere in the room.

"It's a strange thing," began Molly. "She has not spoken a word since last night. When we got back here, she went right to her room. Haven't seen her since. Heard a lot of cryin and goin's on in there. But she had the door locked. I figured she was alright as long as I heard noise."

"Listen, Molly," said Jack. "In case Ruth joins us I just wanted to say this now. I know that without you Rose and I would still love each other and we would have gotten married. But you really have made things easy for us." Jack looked at Rose and took her hand. "I, we, want to thank you. I want you to know we appreciate it."

"Oh yes, Molly," continued Rose. "For loaning us the money, helping with the wedding, giving us the trip."

Jack cleared his throat and continued, "We won't let you down Molly. We'll work hard and pay you back. I promise we'll make a success of things."

Molly's face was working with emotion.

"Hey, Jack, you're doing all that for you, not for me. You're doin' it for Rose and that family you're gonna have someday." With those words Rose inadvertently brushed her stomach and swallowed.

The door of Ruth's bedroom opened and she emerged. Her hair was tangled, her face and eyes were red and swollen.

"Mother," cried Rose. "What happened to you?"

"That's not to go into now Rose," Ruth answered quietly. She stood with her hands clasped in front of her. "Rose, Jack," she began hesitantly, "I neglected to give you my congratulations yesterday. I don't know where my manners were."

Molly's eyes bulged as Ruth slowly stepped forward to give Rose a hug. Rose stood stiffly waiting for her mother to embrace her. She caught Jack's eye and looked at him questioningly. She wondered just what he had said to Ruth last night. He gave her a quick smile and shrugged his shoulders. Rose did not know what to think about all of these drastic changes in her mother. When Ruth had hugged Rose, she moved on to Jack. Almost cautiously, she put her hand out to him.

Jack followed suite and said softly, "Thank you, Ruth, thank you for your good wishes."

"I think we better get going," said Jack. He and Rose hugged Molly. "Thanks again for everything," he said.

She looked at Rose. "Your mother and I will be in Denver when you get there. We'll be wantin' to hear all about your trip."

As they went to the door to collect their bags, Ruth opened her mouth as if to speak. But nothing came out. Rose and Jack turned once more to say good bye. Ruth tried again to get the words out that she wanted to say.

"Rose, will you remember your promise to be in touch with me?" Rose could see the tears welling up in her mother's eyes. With her mother in such a pathetic state, even she could not resist the impulse to go back and give her a quick hug.

"Come on Rose, we have to hurry," said Jack.

"Oh please, one more second." Ruth needed to collect her thoughts for a minute. And then said slowly, "Jack, Jack, please take care of Rose." Jack put down the suitcase he had in his hand. He took Rose's hand again and looked Ruth straight in the eye.

"Ma'am, that's what I plan to spend the rest of my life doing...taking good care of Rose. But we have to hurry now. We've got a train to catch. Thanks both of you for everything."

The door shut and the room was suddenly quiet. Molly looked at Ruth who looked tired and forlorn. Gently she put her arm around Ruth's shoulder.

"Are you gonna be alright now?" Ruth nodded her head up and down. "Tell me, do you still feel the same way about Jack?" Ruth turned her head to look at Molly.

"I cried all night Molly. I cried about almost everything I could think of. But one thing I did not cry about was how beautiful Rose looked yesterday. I understand now that they are in love. And that Jack is very different from what I first thought. I know I can't change everything overnight and I know it's going to take me some time to get used to him. But if Rose is really happy and he takes care of her, that's all that's important right now."

Molly walked across to the table where Jack's drawings still lay. Molly took the one of the couple walking hand in hand.

"Here Ruth, you keep this. Maybe this will remind you of how much he loves her, of how much they love each other."

Ruth took the drawing and held it to her chest. "You know Molly, I only wish that you had been my friend all these years. Maybe I would have been a different person." This time it was Molly who had tears in her eyes.

"You already are, Ruth, you already are."