I don't own anything from the movie Titanic

1

Madeline Brown

"Goodbye, France!"

I pulled my gloves off finger by finger as I watched the whole of France move away from us. Of course, it was us that was moving. "Yes, goodbye, France," I said as I moved away from the railing. "To our room?"

My aunt Molly moved away from the railing too, huffing from yelling goodbyes to the people below. The smile that was permanently on her face gleamed. "Absolutely." She gave a heavy sigh. "I need to sit down."

I laughed, looping my arm through hers. "I hear ya."

To be the most honest, I was more than glad to leave France. I mean, it was beautiful and cultured and the rest of the trip was incredible. And Egypt was fantastic, and I was sad to see our trip end so soon, but my cousin Lawrence Junior was seriously ill. Of course, as soon as Molly heard that her favourite, though she says she doesn't have favourites, grandchild turned fatally ill, she immediately booked passage for the first ship going to New York.

That ship was the great, unsinkable Titanic.

We decided on a short tour before getting settled in our cabin to see that the ship was massive - one of the biggest I had ever seen. If it wasn't the biggest, it was one of the most lavish. The promenade deck was beautiful and clean and shiny. I wasn't allowed in the smoking room, but I took a peek inside to see soft-looking chairs and pristine and intricate tables. The reading and writing room matched the smoking room, just without all the smoke. After seeing the swimming pool, gymnasium, squash court, the Turkish bath, steam room, cool room, massage room, and hot room, we went to our cabin.

Our cabin was beautiful. It was an Empire style room of gold hues and silky bedding and curtains hung perfectly. A huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling, a few feet from the most beautiful vanity I had ever seen, placed in front of a big mirror with golden trim. The carpet had mesmerizing patterns with the bed sheets matching. It was beautiful.

I sat on the bed and massaged my feet as I watched the crew members put my stuff all around. "Thank you so much." I handed the last crew worker a fair sum of money. "I'm sure you can work this out among the three of you."

"Thank you, miss." He nodded, one hand folded neatly behind his back, the other gripping the bill tightly.

"You're very welcome. You're excused." I sighed after the door closed, tossing my shoes aside. I walked on the soft carpet, across my room to the different door, into the social room.

The door across from mine opened a second later and Molly emerged and she said, "Not too shabby, huh?"

I nodded. "Definitely a changed from Missouri."

"Any news from your mama about moving out?"

"Mama says I'm not movin' out until I find me a man to move out with." The rule never changed. I was nineteen and I could do as I pleased, but I did not want to be shunned from my family simply for becoming an independent woman and getting a house of my own. I could wait. For now.

Molly shook her head as she sat in one of the bigger chairs. "She always was a tough one."

"Tough is not the word I'd use -"

"Maddy, you better watch yourself," she said warningly, but not sternly. Aunt Molly let me do whatever I pleased myself to do, but she would warn me when something would not pan out in my favour, and she was always somehow right.

I sighed, taking my gloves off. "Well, Aunt Molly, what is first on our agenda?"

"She is the largest moving object ever made by the hand of man in all history," Mr. Ismay said, his moustache above his lip moving slightly as he talked. "Our master shipbuilder, Mr. Andrews here designed her from the keel plates up."

I looked around the table giving an impressed look to everyone and offering a warm smile to Mr. Andrews. Cal, my aunt, Mr. Ismay, and Rose's mother all were quite invested in the conversation, though Rose seemed off in her own world. She seemed like she'd rather be in any other world than this one from the way she was acting.

Mr. Andrews gave a handsome smile. "I may have knocked her together, but the idea was Mr. Ismay's. He envisioned a steamer so grand in scale and luxurious in its appointments that its supremacy would never be challenged. And he she is." He slapped the table twice, making me smile. "Willed into solid reality."

Cal nodded approvingly. "Hear, hear."

I didn't care much for anything Cal had to say or any of his opinions. His behaviour at the table was tight-knit and proper, but stiff and condescending, especially towards Rose.

The waiter came around and started taking our orders and Rose lit a cigarette.

I tried to hold a smile as I looked down and pretended to fix the cloth on my lap.

"You know I don't like that, Rose," I heard Mrs. Dawson say softly, though the look on her face was anything but.

Rose gave her a sharp look, blowing the smoke out of her mouth.

I looked at my Aunt Molly as we both raised our eyebrows at each other, small smile on both of our faces. To say we were impressed might've been pushing it. To say we were amused - now that was an understatement.

"She knows." Cal reached out, taking the cigarette out of the cigarette holder and putting it out in the pretty ashtray.

Rose looked onward in a way that she seemed lost. She put the cigarette holder away and recomposed herself as Cal ordered - for him and her.

"We'll both have the lamb. Rare, with very little mint sauce." He nodded and the his brows furrowed. He turned to Rose. "You like lamb, don't you, sweet pea?"

She smiled at him, very painfully and not very genuine.

Aunt Molly chuckled. "You gonna cut her meat for her too there, Cal?" She pretended not to see Cal's sharp look as she turned to Mr. Andrews, looking past me. "Hey, uh, who thought of the name Titanic?" She turned to Mr. Ismay, smiling a sweet southern smile. "Was it you, Bruce?"

Bruce had almost a blush before he was composed again. "Yes, actually. I wanted to convey sheer size. And size means stability, luxury, and above all, strength."

I nodded, stirring my tea. "Well put."

"Do you know of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay?" Everyone watched carefully. "His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest of you."

My aunt smiling, Mr. Andrews chuckling, and I choked on my tea, letting everyone turn to me. I put my cup down, putting a hand on my chest and clearing my throat. "Wrong tube."

"What's gotten into you?" Mrs. Dawson whispered to Rose and Rose stood up.

"Excuse me," she said, standing and walking out of the room.

Mrs. Dawson smiled. "I do apologize."

"She's a pistol, Cal," Aunt Molly said. "Hope you can handle her."

Cal glared. "Well, I may have to start minding what she reads from now on, won't I, Mrs. Brown?"

Imbecile, my mother would've called him. Cal was more of a jackass.

Mr. Ismay fixed his tie. "Freud. Who is he? Is he a passenger?"

I swallowed a chuckle. "A neurologist, Mr. Ismay. And not someone you need to be worried about." I gave him a wink and a charming smile, making him stop fidgeting nervously. I turned to Mr. Andrews. "I have to say I am slowly falling in love with your ship."

"Thank you very much, Ms Brown."

"And I am hoping for a grand tour soon," I teased, touching his hand as I laughed. He was a handsome fellow.

His permanently friendly demeanour brightened. "Anything for you, Ms Brown."

"Good." I patted his hand and quickly stood. "If you'll excuse me." I walked away from our table, out of the glass double doors and beautiful room out onto the deck. The sun shone directly down on my as I felt the warmness return to my body. The smell of the ocean went into my nose and through my body. It felt cleansing.

Rose was standing at the railing looking over he lower decks. She looked like she was doing some cleansing of her own.

"Rose," I called to her, jogging up to her. I had a feeling she didn't need to be asked if she was okay, so I bumped her hip instead. "Quite the scene back there."

She looked at me, same blank look on her face. "What about it?"

I continued smiling, not taken back by her seriousness. "It was amusing. I was due for a good chuckle."

My smile finally became contagious enough for her. She smiled too. She really was a beautiful lady. "Thank you." But the smile went as quickly as it came. "I just can't help it." She sighed. "There are so many brilliant people in the world and I'm surrounded by -" She struggled with words. "By - by -"

"First class?" I said, assuming that would be explanation enough. First class people could be brilliant too, but there was no hiding it. There was no decency or appreciation or thankfulness or modesty.

"Yes. Surrounded by first class."

I looked out onto the third class deck. All of those people down there were dressed horribly, but they didn't seem to care. No one was giving looks of disapproval and no one was holding their nose in the air or trying to prove anything. They just seemed happy. Everyone looked like they were having a great time. It felt like a part of my life I didn't think I had ever had. I was more than happy with my life, but I couldn't help picturing myself in third class instead. I wouldn't have any of the things I wanted, but all of the things I needed.

"Is it strange to be envious?" I asked.

Rose glanced at me, then back down at the third class deck. "What, Madeline, of them?"

I caught eyes with a tall man with curly hair. His eyes burned into mine and he took a puff of his cigarette. "Yes, them."

Rose took a breath in and I was ready for her response when she turned around quickly.

I spun around too only to see Cal with a maddening grip on her arm. "An explanation please Rose."

She ripped her arm away. "Don't grab me like that."

"My apologies," he said, very insincere. "Back to brunch now, please." She sighed, walking past him and he looked to her, saying, "behave yourself."

Rose, a look of haven given up, just looked at him and nodded. "I will."

Cal turned to me. His chest was puffed out, compensating for the fact that he had little to no authority when it came to his own fiancée. It looked like he was going to try controlling me next. "I hope you won't pose a problem, Ms Brown."

"And why would you suspect that?" I asked, trying not to sound too offended.

"Your aunt -"

"My aunt is the greatest woman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing," I said quickly and strongly. He was not going to control me either. "And you'll treat her as such. I hope that won't pose a problem, Mr. Hockley."

He pursed his lips and I found myself disgusted at him. "Of course not."

I nodded firmly. "Great." I smiled widely, very satisfied with myself. I picked up part of my dress, allowing myself to walk swiftly away from him. I glanced over my shoulder quickly just to catch a glance at a life I yearned to know about. That curly-headed man was still staring at me. I gave him a smile and a nod, turning forward again and walking away.