1. The Hearth
The Hearth Cafe was located on a quaint, dusty New York street and frequented by rushing businessmen in the mornings, posh young women having tea in the afternoons, and restless night owls well into the evenings. The 900-square-foot wooden building was owned by the elderly Dennis Graham on paper but ostensibly operated by his younger sister, Meredith, and her husband, Carmichael Flannels.
Meredith Flannels hired three women from the Titanic recovery shelter in late April of 1912. The shelter had been set up just three blocks from the cafe, with the purpose of accommodating displaced Titanic survivors, offering sources of recuperation, and helping the most needy find food, work, and safety. Meredith had asked the shelter to send over three willing workers-one to be trained as the cook's assistant, one to help serve, and one to wash dishes in the back.
Meredith would never forget the morning the three women arrived at the Hearth doorstep. Two were sisters in their late twenties. Both had lost their youngest brother and one her husband to the Atlantic, and now the two of them were attempting to scrounge together enough money to pay for the train tickets to Ontario, where an uncle or older cousin or some-such relation had agreed to take in the mourning family. Both would prove to be hardened, efficient workers, with rough hands and dull. blue-rimmed eyes. The younger, unwed sister served her customers quickly, rarely making small talk but handling each order impeccably. She left for Canada by June. The older sister was beloved by the cook for her baking talents, and her signature blueberry crumble was specially requested by customers until August, when she too traveled with her two young children to reunite with her family in Ontario. Only the third woman still remained. And it was the third woman who made that morning so memorable for Meredith-only the third woman whose haunted, gray-blue eyes would forever live in Meredith's memory. She could still remember her gaunt cheeks, the slim body drowning in an oversized wool coat, and the hair-the limp wavy hair as red as fire.
Meredith had asked to speak with each one individually, laying out place settings, coffee, and day-old sweet bread for the women to eat at the counter while they waited their turn. It was still an hour before the cafe opened, and the empty kitchens at the back of the cafe were lit by the pink-tinged light of early morning. The woman with haunted eyes and red hair went last.
"Hello, dear, come on back with me," Meredith had said, leading her to two stools placed in the kitchen.
"Thank you."
"I know you've been through a lot in the last few weeks, but I'd really like to get to know all my workers a little better to make sure they're well-suited for the positions I have available. What is your name, dear?"
"Rose."
"Rose. Such a lovely name. It matches your beautiful hair."
The woman smiled faintly, and again said, "Thank you."
"Rose, I'm Mrs. Meredith Flannels, and I'll be your direct supervisor here at the Hearth Cafe. Mr. Flannels will also be your boss, although he handles more of the business aspects of the cafe-placing orders and balancing the payrolls. We have three positions available: I need a waitress, an assistant for my cook, and a dishwasher. Do you have a preference?"
"Yes. I'd like to be the dishwasher."
Meredith was surprised by the answer. "Are you sure? Though it may not sound like it, it's very difficult work." She stared down at Rose's soft, lily-white hands. "You need to have strong arm muscles for really scouring the dishes, and the back room gets fairly hot. It's a tiring job, and you'll be on your feet from sunup to sundown."
"That's fine."
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather be a waitress? A pretty girl like you would take home quite a bit in tips."
"If it's alright with you, I'd really rather be a dishwasher. I'm a very hard worker, and I promise not to give you any trouble."
"I'm sure you won't, dear. Tell me Rose, have you ever worked in a cafe or restaurant before?"
"No, I'm sorry, I haven't."
"Is this your first job?"
"Yes." Rose's soft-spoken answers were polite but painfully guarded. Meredith realized that she wanted to reveal as little about herself as possible.
"I see. And for how long are you planning to live in the shelter?"
"Until my husband and I can afford to pay for an apartment near by."
"Oh, you're married! You look like such a young little thing I never dreamed that you've already been at the altar. Is your husband looking for work as well?"
"No, he was recently hired in a glass mill. But . . . ummm . . . well, the sinking took a toll on his health, and I'd really prefer it if he didn't have to work so hard or so many hours."
"That's very thoughtful of you. And do you have any children?"
"No, we only got married very recently."
"Okay, Rose, you really seem like a lovely girl, and I think you'll fit in just beautifully here at the Hearth Cafe. Why don't you try out washing dishes for a few days, and we'll see how you like it. You'll start today-we open in about half an hour. You'll need to tie up that hair and leave your coat in the break room. I'll get you an apron so you don't splash soap all over your pretty dresses."
"Thank you."
