Comfort
Assistant purser Kay Blenheim walked along the rows of the Titanic survivors, administering what help she could in their times of need. She had worked with the head stewardess to form a protocol for gathering names, but now that protocol seemed to evaporate. Everyone on the Carpathia including herself were moved by the survivors' stories and surprisingly phlegmatic attitudes towards what would happen when they docked in New York.
Kay looked out over the ocean, wishing that the Titanic hadn't gone down, but then you couldn't reverse time. Retiring to her cabin, she took off her hat, scrubbed her face, then felt somewhat more human again. She hadn't slept since they had picked up the survivors about 9 hours ago and she was feeling the need for sleep. Kay refreshed her makeup, drawing on a thin streak of dark blue eyeliner and using a tiny bit of blush to bring more color to her cheeks. Using a dark pink lipstick, it blended it quite well with her natural pink lip tone and gave her a hint of more color.
Studying her face for a moment, Kay sighed. The reflection sighed back at her as she appraised herself. She had a round shaped face, full lips, deep brown eyes and soft features. The assistant purser deemed herself all right to continue her duties, so she picked up her hat and left.
Kay's dark blonde hair glinted in the low sunlight from where it was coiled up into a knot at the nape of her neck. Dutifully, she continued asking for names and duly writing them down.
"Where is my daddy?" a little girl asked her, clutching a rag doll for support. Kay didn't see any sign of any mother or father looking after the little girl, so she picked her up and asked her who her father was.
"Anthony Brown." Kay checked the list but didn't find it.
"Why don't I go check for your father on the other lists, OK? Where's your mom?"
"Mommy went to find Daddy. She's somewhere..." the little girl waved her hand vaguely in the second class section.
At least she wasn't on the ship alone. Kay could be happy for that. With instructions not to move from her spot, Kay put the little girl down and told her never to give up hope.
"That's just what Daddy said..." the little girl burst into tears before Kay could do or say anything, so she sat on the edge of a deck chair and allowed the girl to weep into her shoulder.
"I'm sorry..." Kay shushed her but allowed her to weep freely to get all her emotions out in the open. A few of the officers strode by and one of them, James Bisset, caught her eye and nodded. She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't tell the captain about her comforting a girl like she was when she was supposed to be taking names. Others around her were subdued and many looked like they needed comforting as well, but Kay felt the little girl needed it the most. The younger they were, the more they didn't understand what was going on. The poor girl was weeping in sorrow but mostly confusion as well.
"Oh, my heavens!" a lady emerged from the upper deck and came down, sitting next to Kay and the girl. "I'm sorry, I only left her for a minute!"
"No, please, it's all right," Rostron was coming near to where she was, talking to one chap named Lightoller. Kay handed the child back to her mother and rewrapped the woolen blanket around her securely, handing her the doll. "you poor things. I don't envy what you've been through, but I do want you to know that you can talk to me if you like. I'll be all over the ship but you can ask any of the officers for assistant purser Kay Blenheim and they'll know where to find me."
"Do you know when you might have a complete list of survivors?"
"It could take a few more days, Mrs. Brown. I'm sorry I can't be of more assistance to you."
"Thank you very much," Mrs. Brown said warmly. She had blue eyes and raven black hair just like her daughter. "if we need assistance, we will gladly call on you."
"In the meantime, keep your chins up." Kay said with a smile that made the child giggle. She welcomed a hug from Mrs. Brown and the child, then as she stood up, she bumped against Captain Rostron.
"Oh, excuse me, Captain Rostron." she apologized. Lightoller and Rostron turned identical blue gazes upon her and she felt that she was being scrutinized. With a polite nod, she turned and continued about her duties, trotting away briskly, but still feeling their piercing gazes at her back.
"Sir, have you been to the doctor? That should be looked at immediately." Kay had happened upon a young man, perhaps 14 years old, holding his left arm which had a thin cut that was bleeding openly. He was at the stern of the ship where hardly anybody had congregated, and he looked up at Kay with desperate hazel eyes.
"My mom and dad are gone!" he was in shock and not feeling anything from his wound. Kay was sympathetic as could be, yet she plucked him up from his deck chair and led him to the surgeon's quarters.
"There isn't a complete list of survivors yet," she told him, opening up the door. "don't give up. You need stitches though. Best not to scare anyone and cause a panic now, right?"
He responded positively to her gentle tone and motherly instinct kicked in. Dr. McGill was just finishing up with a patient then and had a few spare minutes to put a few stitches in the young man's arm. He lay down on the examining table and looked up at Kay, wordlessly telling her not to leave him.
Fortunately she had a strong stomach and could watch impassively at what the surgeon was doing. Kay assisted the doctor the best she could and helped put the young man into the recovery room where the stewardesses and doctors would look after him.
After a hurried supper, she patrolled the public spaces, making sure that everything was orderly. Some survivors were quite vocal about their accomodations, thanking her for helping them, etc. Kay stayed with a few youngsters while their mother went to get word on some family members. When she returned, there was no good news, and Kay comforted the mother the best she could. Going outside to get some air, she came upon the chap Lightoller and a few others standing at the far end of the boat deck, smoking and talking.
"It's after midnight, gentlemen," she interrupted politely. "I have the night watch so you can go and sleep."
"If I could sleep, I'd be there right now." one of the men sighed. The one with the blue eyes was the tallest of the group, the other 3 were close in height. The one who had spoken had brown eyes and was holding a pipe in one hand as he looked out over the ocean.
"I don't doubt it, Mr.-?"
"Harold Lowe." he shook her hand. "Charmed."
"Likewise. Kay Blenheim." she shook their hands in turn.
"Herbert Pitman." the one with the mustache.
"Joseph Boxhall." he was movie star good looking and Kay knew he had a hard time keeping the girls off of him.
"Charles Lightoller. Did we meet before on deck?"
"No. Our eyes met but our hands didn't."
"Oh, of course." he smiled but not very convincingly to her.
Kay pulled out a slender cheroot and brought out her lighter. Taking a drag, she exhaled and leaned against the wall, flicking ash off with one hand as the others all looked at her.
"A girl smoking?"
"What about it?" she squinted through the smoke and sized up Lowe. Might be a bit of a prankster or a joker, she thought. Be aware.
"I've never seen it before."
"And you're a seafaring man?" Kay took a drag and exhaled again, watching the smoke twist in the wind and disappear amid laughter.
"To be honest, there aren't that many women officers on board ships."
"There will be more of them, Mr. Lowe. Times are changing."
"I've no doubt." he seemed reassured by that somewhat and gazed out over the ocean again like he could see something that the rest of them couldn't. "Watching for little green men, Mr. Lowe?" the other officers sniggered. Kay finished her cheroot and tossed the stub overboard, watched by all the officers around her.
Lowe seemed a bit perturbed and Kay had to remind herself that these 4 hadn't had any sleep in 24 hours now. "Come on gentlemen, time for bed. Even if you just lie down and relax you might fall asleep." she showed them the spare quarters next to hers she had done up for them earlier. "I'm right next door if you need me."
"Thank you." Lightoller saw her to the door and she went into her room next to theirs. Scrubbing off her makeup and changing into the nightclothes she had handy, Kay lay down on her bed, ready to sleep finally.
But sleep didn't come.
The next day, Kay put on her uniform and makeup again, then through Bisset's request, she and Pitman corroborated the list of the first class passengers, compiling them into a master list to check. It took several hours and though Pitman helped a lot, the time still didn't go any faster. Unaware when Pitman went off to lunch and supper, Kay slaved away, consulting and re-consulting the lists that were available. She had to list them by class in alphabetical order for some bizarre reason.
Exhausted by suppertime, Kay had some supper and chugged coffee to keep her awake so she could complete her task. No sooner had she completed the As when she'd check over a list and see another surname beginning with A that she would have to incoroporate! Swearing, she put her head in her hands for a moment and recomposed herself.
Rostron had a memorial service on the deck of the Carpathia, but Kay was so bogged down by work, she could not attend. Doubtless nobody cared, but she still worked hard at her task and was rewarded when the list was finally done and accurate. She had written it legibly enough to be read by all. Through the use of a mimeograph, she copied the list and handed it out to all the officers around 8 p.m. that night.
All the Carpathia's officers took it with words of thanks and headed for their rooms, ready to turn in. The 4 surviving Titanic officers skimmed over it and retired as well, though Kay doubted they slept at all the previous night. She supervised the survivors who moved belowdecks for the night, helping them get comfortable in the restricted space. Lots of them still slept on deck and she could not persuade them to go below. Many of them had a fear of closed spaces, which she understood completely and did not pressure them into going below decks. She herself smoked on the boat deck in a chair, feeling the reassuring vibrations of the ship getting under weigh underneath her feet.
Kay sat there until 2 a.m., her mind too busy to let her sleep for the night. She managed a brief 2 hour catnap but other than that, she did not sleep.
The day before they were to dock at New York, Kay looked over at the first class common room and saw nobody was playing the piano in the corner. She flexed her fingers and strode over, striking up a lively tune called the Maple Leaf Rag. Passengers and survivors alike came over and many broke out in impromptu dance.
"Don't be shy, start dancing!" Kay called. "We all need a little break from the tension." many more joined in and soon the common room was filled with dancers. Kay beamed, happy to comfort so many with music. She played for an hour and a half before her fingers got tired, then she went outside, enjoying another smoke.
"Kay, the captain wants to see you." Bisset told her.
"What am I in trouble for?"
"Nothing. I heard he wants to commend you personally for all the work you've been doing." he frowned. "You haven't been sleeping since that night, have you?"
"No." she sighed. "Sleep just eludes me, James."
"I hear you." he walked her up to the captain's cabin, little conversation was said between them. Bisset left her at the door and wished her luck, going to the bridge for watch.
"Captain, sir?" Kay knocked twice.
"Enter, Miss Blenheim." Captain Rostron was barely as tall as Lightoller, but he had the presence and aura of command. He did not smoke, drink, or even curse. Kay had to watch her mouth around him frequently. She knew Rostron's opinion of her was somewhat of a loose cannon at times, but she gave him no cause for complaint. Kay had been rough a few times in the past with nasty passengers, but that was all. Stepping into the room and shutting the door, she stood at attention and removed her hat.
Rostron turned from where he was standing, looking out the porthole to see the sun setting. "Miss Blenheim, the passengers and survivors alike have been praising you in their hours of need," he began walking towards her casually. "a Mrs. Brown passed on a compliment to me of your conduct towards her and her daughter. Even the Titanic's officers are impressed with you."
"Thank you, sir." the room seemed to spin and Kay knew immediately that she was on the verge of passing out. Not now! she thought.
"...will receive a commendation on your record, of course."
"That's good, sir." Rostron appraised her and frowned.
"You are awfully pale, Miss Blenheim."
"I am exhausted, sir." she admitted.
"When was the last time you got any sleep?" Rostron walked closer to her, his eyes shrouded in worry and concern for his youngest officer.
"Since the night the ship sank." the room spun crazily and she found her knees buckling before she could stop it. Rostron acted swiftly and caught her before she hit her head. "Sir, I do apolo-"
"Not necessary," he interrupted her, steering her to his sofa and telling her to lie down. He then crossed to the door and told the steward, "pass word for the doctor now quickly."
"Yes sir."
"Now I'm embarrassed." Kay admitted, putting her hands on her eyes for a long moment. "I've tried to sleep and I couldn't do it."
"There now, too much stress will do that to a person." Rostron soothed her. "Everyone needs rest."
The doctor arrived quickly, appraised Kay's condition thoroughly, then he and Rostron walked Kay back to her quarters. Rostron stayed with her while Dr. McGill gave her a sedative to help put her to sleep.
Rostron saw to the disembarkation of his passengers and the survivors. He thanked the officers for their work and turned to the ship, getting the crews in place and tending to everything that a ship needed. The turnaround time was to be delayed because he had to testify at the inquiry which was beginning the very next day. Although he looked like the picture of a competent captain, he was nearly consumed with worry for his youngest officer, Kay. He hadn't liked her much at first because of her rough exterior, but he'd warmed up to her before long and admired her from a distance. She could put a difficult person in their place with a few well placed words with no violence, she could play piano and liked the arts very much. Her best friend, Bisset, told Rostron of Kay's past in nursing, which made the captain inwardly smile. It was easy for her to comfort people and withhold her own creature comforts until everyone was comforted.
Kay had lain in a 3 day coma before he went down to her quarters where Bisset was stationed on watch over her. Rostron knocked twice and opened up the door, finding Bisset gone. He walked over to the prone figure on the bed, then took her hand for a moment. She stirred and woke up, but Rostron could tell that she was very groggy and she wouldn't be able to understand much of what he said.
"Go back to sleep, Miss Blenheim," he told her. "everyone's disembarked. You can sleep as much as you like."
Looking a little confused at first, she understood and closed her eyes. Rostron tucked back a few stray hairs from her face and smiled. His youngest officer also had the biggest heart. It made his team of officers seem more like a family than a sport team. He pulled the covers up a little more over her and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Later on that day, Dr. McGill knocked on Kay's door and opened it up. Bisset was still gone from the room as other duties were calling his attention, and Dr. McGill got right down to work. He examined Kay and frowned when he felt a slight fever rising up in her cheeks. He didn't know specifically what ailed her, but he suspected it was a bad cold from overwork and spending so much time outside. The doctor couldn't give her anything to alleviate her fever, she'd just have to ride it out.
"Oh, Dr. McGill!" Bisset nearly crashed into him as he exited Kay's room, drawing the door shut firmly. "My apologies, I wasn't in there!"
"It's all right, we are still at anchor, Mr. Bisset," the doctor assured him, his warm brown eyes watching Bisset amusingly. "is Captain Rostron back from testifying yet?"
"He is just coming aboard, sir. Do you want to talk to him?"
"I do."
"This way then, sir." the surgeon followed the officer over to where the gig was being hoisted up and Rostron stepped over the side. He stood up and straightened up, seeing Bisset and Dr. McGill looking over at him. The seaman bustled about, getting their various duties done as seagulls squawked overhead. Other ships in their berths clanged their bells and one whistle screeched, signaling a departing vessel.
"Any change, Dr. McGill, Mr. Bisset?" Rostron adjusted his hat from the late sunshine as they walked into the wheelhouse for some privacy.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Captain," Dr. McGill went to the point quickly. "Ms. Blenheim has developed a bad cold and she will need to be hospitalized for at least a week."
"We need to be under weigh in about a week's time." Bisset said thoughtfully. "She won't be put into a hospital before we depart, will she?"
"No. If we tell that she is ill, the customs people will most likely quarantine her with crude care," Dr. McGill made a face. "paranoid fools."
"So we don't say anything at all."
"Correct, Mr. Bisset. We can hardly be surprised that Miss Blenheim is ill in the first place," Rostron spoke quietly. "after her staying up 4 days in a row, this is to be expected."
"True," Dr. McGill allowed. "not to be unexpected surely, but what concerns me is that she is very weak at the moment. She will be harder to treat."
"Do your best, doctor, and do not hesitate to call on me if you need assistance." Rostron told him, nodding to his officers and politely excusing himself to go and lie down. Dr. McGill and Bisset walked the ship, discussing on how to treat Kay. The officer helped Dr. McGill transfer Kay to the sick bay, picking her up and covering her with a woollen blanket as they went up to the A deck. He tucked her into one of the beds, put a pitcher of water and a glass on the nightstand, then drew the curtain closed around her for some privacy.
Captain Rostron picked up a book in his sitting room, then put it aside, sighing heavily. He'd sailed with sick officers before but nothing was quite like this. The first female officer on board the ship and she was quite ill at the moment. He'd come to regard her almost like a daughter and a friend, someone he privately admired and admittedly, he was a bit jealous of her as well. Kay had the extroverted nature and made friends easily, while Rostron was a bit aloof with strangers. He did not approve of her smoking, drinking or swearing, but he overlooked it. Kay had let several expletives fall from her mouth very easily and he previously thought of her like a loose cannon, the way she fired off curses like machine gun fire. Upon Bisset telling her that Rostron did not approve of swearing, she tempered her usage considerably and he thought better of her.
During the disaster aftermath, he'd been too busy and harried to notice what a great job she had been doing with the survivors. He had given her a few glances when talking to Lightoller but that was it. Compliments had rained in during the last few days and it wasn't until they had docked that he had time to go through them. Impressed with her work, he'd called her up to commend her then discovered she hadn't slept in days. Rostron had hoped that she wouldn't get sick because of her exhaustion, but it had happened anyway.
The next 2 days were pretty much the same. Dr. McGill was in and out of Kay's little cubicle of the sick bay and Rostron stopped by twice a day for updates. There hadn't been any improvements yet and it was like the whole ship knew she was ill. The seaman tended to their duties much more quietly in her vicinity than anywhere else and it seemed that even the ship's cat-Rostron's own personal pet-knew about the sick officer.
The cat, named Blue because he was a Russian Blue, had the run of Rostron's personal quarters. Within the last day or two, he'd been situated at Kay's side. Rostron came in to get him one night when he saw Dr. McGill checking on Kay.
"How is she?" she didn't look good. Her face was narrower and flushed with fever. Blue pawed at her limp hand and meowed for attention.
"I hope she turns the corner soon, sir. At this rate the fever goes up, she wouldn't have much time left." Dr. McGill sighed heavily and put his tools away.
"It's that bad?"
"Yes sir."
"Has she been conscious at all?"
"Not within the past few hours, sir."
"I'll pray for her. Go and get some sleep, doctor. You look like you need it."
"Indeed. Goodnight, Captain." Dr. McGill left. Rostron picked up Blue and looked down at Kay once again. He reached over and smoothed away the limp hair stuck to her forehead, wincing at how warm her skin felt. "Oh God, help her. She has so much ahead of her in this life and I pray she does not have a premature end." Blue meowed as if adding his two cents in the prayer.
That night, Rostron's dreams were filled with Kay and were alternately bad and good. He woke up at 2 a.m., unsure of how to interpret them. Blue seemed to feel the same way, as he was pacing restlessly and meowing every few minutes. His master let him out and went back to bed.
It was late the next day, just before suppertime, when Dr. McGill knocked on Rostron's door. The captain bade him enter as he fed the cat.
"It seems like a miracle, sir. I was convinced that Miss Blenheim wouldn't last the day, but her fever's just broken."
"Really?"
"Yes. Shall I summon you when she is alert?"
"How is she now?"
"Ms. Blenheim is in a healing sleep now, sir," Dr. McGill smiled. "I suppose your prayers worked."
"Thank the Lord they did. An officer like her can worth more than this entire ship." Rostron sat down. "Thank you, doctor, and yes I would like to see her when she's awake and alert."
Sure enough, the next day around noon, Dr. McGill summoned the captain. He was delighted to find Kay alert and sitting up in bed. She had lost the red flushed look and she still looked pale, but the merry glint in her eyes had returned and the lively voice he hadn't realized that he missed was in full cry again.
"Oh come on, James!" she coughed a few times as Rostron saw her playing a card game with Bisset.
"Steady on now," Bisset shushed her. "you don't want to make your cough worse now, do you?"
"I should hope not."
"Captain, sir." Bisset saluted. "I'll be back soon, Kay. Try to play without cheating!"
Rostron chuckled as he took Bisset's vacated seat. "Gin rummy?" he did not approve of gambling but he didn't prevent others from doing it.
"Just Rummy, sir," Kay coughed raspily. "I don't gamble."
"That cough doesn't sound well at all."
"I hate it."
"Now now. After the condition I saw you in a few days ago, I'd gladly take a cough over a fever that left you comatose."
"There's truth in there somewhere," she admitted. "I thought I was headed for heaven." Rostron said nothing but he squeezed her hand tightly.
"Not on my watch. The Cunard Line needs officers like you." he told her firmly. "You will go far, Miss Blenheim."
"Thank you, sir." she had heard him pray for her last night when he thought she was asleep. Kay had been deeply moved by it and offered up a prayer for herself that she would survive. Clearly, God had heard them. Rostron took her hand and watched her for a moment as she gave him a questioning smile. Unheeding of proper protocol, Rostron hugged her tightly. Kay was gratified and returned it with all the affection she had focused on him. He really cared about his crew and Kay was honored to be with them.
"I'm truly honored to serve with you, sir." she said in almost a whisper.
Rostron gave her an extra squeeze and allowed her to recline back. "And I to know you, Miss Blenheim. I hope you stay under my service for a long time yet." their bond was stronger now and to work together again would be an asset to any ship.
"I hope I get on the Mauretania." she closed her eyes. "I love that ship." Rostron giggled.
"We will get there some day. To sleep with you now." he tucked her in and stood up, turning off the lights.
"Yes sir."
END