December 1917

Molly burst through the girls' front door over-loaded with packages. A delivery boy, who had the unfortunate job of assisting Molly, stood timidly behind the large and sometimes overbearing woman. "Well, you didn't think I was going to wait all day for you, sonny, to carry those packages upstairs did you? By the time you would have made several trips up and down the stairs it would be next Christmas!" Molly said, her voice loud and boisterous.

Rose and Eliza, both stifling a giggle, couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor lad. "Her bark is worse then her bite," Rose said, struggling not crack up laughing.

"You gave it a good try. Take this for your troubles," Molly said, pressing a generous tip in the young man's hand.

"Why thank you, thank you. Anytime I can help. Just let me. . . " he started to stutter before Molly cut him off.

"Just have a Merry Christmas young fellow," Molly said, promptly shutting the door in his face.

As soon as the door was shut, both girls burst into a fit of giggles.

"What did I say?" Molly asked, genuinely bewildered.

This only prompted both girls to laugh harder.

Molly grinned from ear to ear at the two of them. It did her heart good to see them laugh -- especially Rose. She had endured so much heartbreak in her young life. Even when Rose was happy and joyous, she could see the pain hidden deep in her eyes. It wasn't obvious to the casual observer, but to Molly, like Allan, it was clear as the light of day. Molly would never tell Rose for fear of upsetting her, but she too mourned greatly for Jack. 'Shame to see a young man like him loose his life while Cal managed to survive,' she thought to herself on numerous times. She had even gone so far as to talking to a man of the cloth about it. "God works in mysterious ways and we don't always know the reason" he had told her. It had brought her some comfort. When she saw how much Rose had blossomed into her own person, she almost thought she could see the reason. She was no longer the young girl on the Titanic who need someone to order lamb chops for her.

The two girls, acting like little children, surrounded Molly. "What is in the boxes?" the girls asked gaily.

Molly, always the Mother hen, answered. "Well most of them you have to wait till Christmas to see, BUT, these three you can open now," she replied trying not to laugh at the girl's childish behavior.

Molly handed each a girl a brightly decorated package of red paper with green holly on it.

Like children, the girls ripped the paper off. Inside Rose's box was an emerald green gown of silk and lace. Eliza too had a matching dress but hers was Christmas red and made especially for her delicate condition. "There wonderful!" both girls exclaimed.

"I bought them for you wear on Christmas. I can't have the two you wearing dowdy clothes on the holidays," Molly said, grinning at them.

Both girls rushed at the older woman and embraced her in hugs and kisses. "No offense, girls, to what you normally wear, I just thought something special to wear would make the holidays more joyous," Molly said as she was being smothered in hugs and kisses.

There came a knock at the door, which ended the three woman's moment of affection. "Saved by the bell or knock I guess I should say," Molly said, going to the door.

Molly threw it open and there stood the largest Christmas tree Rose had ever seen. The young delivery boy was almost buckling beneath the height and weight of the tree.

"Well, it is about time you got it up here. I thought I was going to have to go back downstairs and do it myself," Molly said sternly.

"Sorry ma'am," the young lad strained to say.

"Don't fret about it now. At least you got it up here," Molly said, pulling the Christmas tree through the door along with the helpless boy. "Here. Right here. Well, come help me get it set up in the corner," she instructed the boy and the two gaping girls.

When the tree was set up, Molly once again tipped the young boy for his troubles and sent him on his way.

Noticing the look of amazement on both girl's faces, Molly said, "Snap out of it, girls, we are going to have our work cut out for us tonight decorating this tree. When we're done, we have chocolates," she exclaimed, ripping open the third gift the girl's had forgotten about.

"I will go get the step ladder," Eliza replied still in shock at the gorgeous tree.

Rose just stared at the tree. It was perfect. Not one sparse spot on the whole tree. It stood at least seven feet tall and was the greenest tree she had ever seen.

"Molly, thank you, thank you so much," Rose said as tears came to her eyes.

"Now don't you start crying on me, Rose. We have a lot of work to do and there is not time for sniveling," Molly said sternly.

Rose wiped her eyes and said quietly so Eliza wouldn't hear, "Your being here is Jack's Christmas gift to me. Isn't it? That was why you decided to extend your visit past the end of October?"

Molly was a bit taken back. "Well Rose, he loves you. He wanted to make sure your holidays were special," she replied. "Besides, I haven't seen you in a while, and my own family doesn't seem to want to spend much time with me. So who better than to spend the holidays but with my dear friend Rose and her sister-in-law?" she added, hoping Rose wasn't becoming upset.

Rose walked across the room and embraced the older woman. Clinging to Molly like she was a lifeline, Rose whispered in her ear, "Molly, tell him I said thank you."

Molly knew that instant the thing Rose needed most in the world right now was a mother figure, and she was more than happy to oblige.

Jack stood in the corner; Rose's back was facing him. Molly saw him and their eyes met. He simply nodded his head and vanished as fast as he appeared.

"Rose, he already knows you said thank you." Molly whispered, holding the young girl tightly.