Rose and Jacob

Mack quickly glanced at him. That question was unexpected!

He laughed. “You’re a pretty young woman, Mack. I might be old, but there’s nothing wrong with my eyesight.”

“I date, but—”

“No one ever lit the spark?”

“That about sums it up.” She sighed.

While she enjoyed the silence, Mack mulled over the last date she’d been on, at her mother’s insistence. He’d been fifty-five and a friend of her parents. In fairness, he was handsome and looked younger than his years, but he had three children, two of whom were older than she was, and he couldn’t stop talking about his wife. His soon-to-be ex-wife. After the date, Mack had actually told her parents that she gave him five months and he’d be back with his wife.

“Auntie Mack?” Lucas joined them on the blanket and cuddled into Thomas.

“Yeah? Are you tired, Lucas?” He looked really sleepy and he rubbed his eyes as she watched him.

“I think I’ll have a nap as well,” Thomas added as he spread out beside Lucas.

“Well, if you’re both napping, I’m going to read.” She watched them both settle down before she retrieved Rose’s diary from her purse.

Mack moved back and rested against a small rock. She gazed at a yacht far out at sea, until it disappeared from the horizon, and then opened the diary to the bookmarked page.

Chapter 5

March 11, 1947

We meet again…

I’d been busy over the past three days since I last wrote in my diary, thanks to Jayne. One night she took me to a dance at her office to celebrate a big contract they had been awarded. I danced with a few of the single men Jayne worked with, which was nice, but I was still hoping to see Jacob again. I couldn’t get him out of my head.

Two nights ago, Jayne and I went to the movie theater to watch, It’s a Wonderful Life, which was late coming to Cape Elizabeth. I really liked James Stewart. The movie was long and, walking home, all I wanted to do was drop into bed because I was so tired. Jayne made me laugh, though. She flirted with the movie attendant and ended up having a date with him last night, which actually gave me a night off.

Today was my day off from the library and I was so looking forward to meeting Jayne in town. Ever since meeting Jacob, I’d been spending more time worrying about my appearance, just in case I should see him again. It has been seven days since our first meeting; everywhere I went, I looked for him. I so hoped he hadn’t left Cape Elizabeth.

It was thirty minutes past twelve as I approached ‘Belle’s Tea Rooms’ to meet Jayne. Belle was from Cornwall and moved to America after the war to be with her husband, whom she married while he was stat

ioned over there. She made the most amazing scones and cream cakes, and I was so looking forward to indulging this afternoon, our monthly treat.

“Rose,” Jayne shouted from behind me. I slowed down so she could catch up.

“Jayne. I’m glad you’re not late again.” Whenever I arranged to meet Jayne, she was always at least ten minutes late and kept me standing around waiting for her like a bump on a log.

“Let’s get inside. I haven’t had lunch yet.” Jayne not eating lunch before coming here was nothing new. She made up for it with the cakes!

I opened the door and walked in to be greeted by the most delicious aroma. As I looked around, I froze. Across the room, also frozen, his eyes locked on me, was Jacob. Jayne, not realizing I had stopped, walked straight into me and pushed me toward Jacob, who had walked across the room to me and took hold of my hands.

“Rose. I can’t believe . . . Rose, you’re here?” he said, not letting go of my hands.

“Rose. Who is this?” Jayne asked.

I had completely forgotten Jayne was with me. “Jayne, this is Jacob. Jacob, this is my best friend, Jayne.”

“Nice to meet you, Jayne,” Jacob replied without taking his eyes or hands from mine.

“Please join us?” Jacob invited, and before I could reply, he was leading us across the room to his companion. I hesitated slightly when I saw the other woman. “She’s my sister,” he whispered to me with a twinkle in his eye.

“Eleanor, I would like you to meet Rose,” Eleanor raised an eyebrow, “and her friend, Jayne. This is my sister, Eleanor.”

After shaking hands, Jacob pulled a chair out for me and then, remembering his manners, for Jayne. If I was to be asked later what I ate, I wouldn’t be able to answer; I was so completely caught up in Jacob. While Jayne and Eleanor chatted away, Jacob and I gazed longingly at each other.