Chapter 26

A week later (and I'm too lazy to figure out the date so if you care then figure it out yourself, bitches)

Santa Monica, California

Jack looked through all the mail that had accumulated while they were gone, finding a message with no return address and with Rose's name on it. Wondering what it was, he told Rose to come into the kitchen.

"Jack, what is it?" she asked.

"There's a letter for you. I don't know what it is...there's no return address," Jack said as he handed the envelope to her.

Rose took the envelope and opened it, reading what it said.

We regret to inform you that your mother, Ruth Dewitt Bukater, has passed on due to old age. We are very sorry for your loss. Funeral arrangements will be confirmed at a later date.

She couldn't believe what she had just read...her mother, dead? She read the message again, making sure that she had read it correctly. After reading it again, she realized that it was true...her own mother was dead.

Rose didn't like her mother. She had even hated her. Ruth had kidnapped Jacqueline, for god sake! But that didn't mean that she wanted her mother to die. She was still her mother, and somewhere deep inside her, she knew that she loved her.

Jack's voice broke into her thoughts. "Rose? Rose, what's wrong?"

Suddenly she just broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh god, Jack...she's dead...I can't believe she's...gone..."

"What are you talking about? Who's dead?"

She handed the letter to Jack and watched through her tears as he read it. "Oh, Rose...I'm so sorry," he whispered before pulling her close to him and holding her.

"She was a bitch, Jack...but she didn't have to die...I didn't want her to die..."

"I know, Rose...I know"

She just kept sobbing into his shirt as he held her, trying to comfort her. But how could you comfort someone who had just lost their mother?

After a few minutes, Rose looked up at him and whispered, "Jack...I'm gonna go tell the kids. They deserve to know what's happening."

Jack shook his head. "No. I'll tell them...you go rest. You don't have to go through anymore than what you've been through today."

She nodded. "Okay...I'll be in our room"

He nodded and kissed the top of her head before watching her walk over to their bedroom. After watching her walk into their room, he went to the living room where Cora, Josephine, and Jacqueline were.

"Hi Daddy!" they said as he walked into the room.

"Hey girls...where's your brother?"

"Over there," Cora pointed to where Tommy was sleeping in his bassinet.

"Oh, okay..." he started to say before Cora interrupted him.

"Why was Mommy crying?" Cora asked.

Jack sighed...he wasn't exactly looking forward to telling them that their grandmother had died, even if they hadn't been exactly...close...to her. Who wanted to tell their kids that someone they knew had died? "Well that's what I wanted to tell you girls...Mommy's mom died because of getting older."

"The girl who took Jackie?" Josephine asked. She didn't really understand why her mom would be sad that the person who had taken someone in her family had died.

Jack nodded, causing Jacqueline to ask, "Then why is Mommy said that she died?"

"Well," Jack started to say, trying to put it in words that a four year old would understand. "Even though she took you away from us, she's still her mother, and Mommy still loves her, even though she's really mad at her. Does that make sense?"

"Yes," Cora said, but Jacqueline and Josephine just nodded. Being younger than Cora, they didn't totally understand.

"So do we have to be sad?" Josephine asked.

"You don't have to be sad...but I want you to be extra nice to Mommy, alright? Don't fight with each other and don't be mean. Mommy's going through a hard time."

The three girls nodded and Jack smiled at them before going to check on Rose. Once he got to their room, he noticed that she had fallen asleep on the bed. He sat down next to her, watching her sleep. Why did this have to happen to her? She had been through enough in the past few weeks...she didn't need this to be added to all that. Jack felt so bad...this was his own wife in pain, and he couldn't do anything about it.

A/N: Okay peeps, I know I haven't updated in awhile, but I went on vacation and when I got back I was realllllllly busy with crap. So yeah, that's my excuse. And yes, I know this chapter is short, but if I added anymore than the chapter would be really rushed and such. Oh and thanks to MeganG for the idea of bringing Ruth back into the story.
Anyways, the next chapter will be the end of the story, but don't be sad! I'll write a sequel if you want me to. Oh and when I'm done with this story, I'll be writing another (not the sequel, a totally different story) story so look for that. Yeah, so this is the end of the author's note. Review please...and I'll try to update soon! There's a chance that I MIGHT update tomorrow, but don't get your hopes up cause I probably won't have time. :) Goodnight!