Life Before Titanic
Chapter One
"Rose, Rose, wake up, your mother wants you down for breakfast in ten minute. She has some important news," Eliza, the Dewitt-Bukater's maid said. Rose wished that she could snuggle in the warmth of her bed forever. She didn't want to lift her head from the fine silk pillow. Eliza was already organising Rose's clothes for the day; an ivory white dress and a pink sash.
"Come on Miss Rose, there's breakfast waiting for you downstairs. Would you like me to bring you some tea whilst you get ready?" Eliza asked.
"No thank you," Rose said. She wondered what her mother's big news could be. Rose got ready quickly and went downstairs to the breakfast room.
"Another tea please Eliza," Ruth Dewitt-Bukater said primly holding out her China cup to Eliza. "Ah there you are Rose. Take a seat and eat some breakfast, I have something to tell you."
"Good morning mother," Rose said rather dryly. Rose had never really gotten along with her mother; she was uncaring, cold, manipulative and selfish and Rose believed that she had driven her father away. Rose missed her father dreadfully; he had passed away two years ago.
"Rose I have something rather exciting to tell you. Do you remember the Hockley's from the party last week, apparently Nathan and Maria said that their son Cal couldn't take his eyes off you and would like to see you again. So this evening we are meeting Nathan, Maria and Cal for dinner. I want you to wear your very best dress and make a good impression. The Hockley's have a lot of money and remember we need the money. I can't afford to pay the bills any longer and in six months we could have everything taken away from us," Ruth said.
"Yes mother you keep on telling me," Rose yawned.
"Rose I'm warning you to take this seriously! Make a good impression with Cal tonight and his money could be the ticket to regaining our wealth."
"Yes mother," Rose said.
"Excellent, everything will work out just fine," Ruth said.
"Where you been all night Jack?" Fabrizio said as he saw Jack entering the pub.
"I'm sorry Fabrizio, but I did what a man's gotta do. I got laid last night!"
"Bastardo!" Fabrizio said.
"I went to that whore house again, asked to draw one of their prostitutes and got laid as payment."
"You lucky son of a bitch!" James, the Irish barman said. "If only I could draw, I'd get all the women at my feet."
"Show us the evidence!" an old man called Bill who was already on his fifth beer despite it not being noon yet. Jack produced the sketch from his drawing pad.
"That's one hell of a prostitute," Bill laughed.
"You draw so good Jack," Fabrizio said.
"How many women you been with then Jack?" James asked.
"Quite a few, maybe around fifty."
"You old dog!" James laughed.
"Jack you Casanova," Fabrizio laughed.
"I sure am, she wanted it all night long!" Jack boasted, telling the boys about his last night's exploits with the prostitute, only they were made up. How could Jack tell his friends that he was still a virgin? It had never really happened. The other boys had warned him that the prostitutes were riddled with diseases. Jack wanted to lose it to that one special girl. Jack was a romantic at heart, but he didn't want to tell his friends in case they laughed at him.
They thought that he was the bees knees when he made up stories about his sexual conquests but really he didn't have it in him. He enjoyed going to the whore house and the prostitutes let him draw them for free, but he had never summoned up the courage to actually sleep with them. Jack's father had always told him to wait for that one special woman. Jack had girl's surrounding him; he was extremely good looking, but he had never done it with any of them. He just hoped that he would meet that one girl…