Okay so I finally finished Chapter One! It took me forever because I want to get it right! Thank you for all of the reviews (batbinmyheart: you need to get an account because we need to talk!) Please excuse the historical inaccuracies. There are probably too many of them to count. If you have any suggestions at all, please feel free to tell me. If I'm breaking from character, tell me. And yes, this chapter is so cheesy you could probably smell it. I really hope that you like it and that you will stay with me!
Out of the 2,226 people who journeyed on the RMS Titanic, 1,523 people died.
1,523 lives were tragically cut short on what was supposed to be the cruise of their lives.
It was as if God took a pair of scissors to the rose garden of Earth and snipped a whole section of roses and froze them.
1,523 humans.
Out of those 1,523 people, how many of the passengers do we actually know about?
And what of the crew members?
The people who worked to support a family that they would never see again?
There are stories to be told about these people.
I have six.
April 9, 1912 Southampton, England
Petal One
Mugs clanking. Laughter and smoke filling the room. All the hustle and bustle of New York City contained in one tiny little English pub. Filled with alcoholics, the homeless, harlots, the occasional "gentleman," and the working class.
In one cozy corner, light, flirtatious laughter mingled with the smoke from the fireplace. A stunning brunette with unbelievable curves and an amazing amount of cleavage sat at a table for two with a man whom she had just met tonight. That would pretty much sum up her character: flirtatious, beautiful, and sexy.
Little does anyone know her slightly less known side…
Babette Evrard was born to an unmarried couple in Bordeaux, France. She was raised by her mother and her grandmother. Her father was barely there. He gave Babette's mother excuse after excuse why he never married her. Soon, he just stopped showing up. Now that she was old enough to understand, she denies ever having a father.
Her mother died of a broken heart after her father left them. Babette's grandmother soon sent her out to be a household maid. Everywhere she went, she adopted her mother's flirtatious side, always introducing herself to the men servants of the households she worked in. However, learning from her mother, not once would she, or will she, step foot in bed with a man. She would not be burned like her mother was burned.
Soon, she got a job as a maid on a ship, and was recommended to most luxurious ocean-liner ever made: the RMS Titanic. It was a dream come true for the secret romantic in her.
Now, she was spending her one day on land in a while how she would always spend her nights: flirting with a man.
How little she knew about the journey she would soon embark on.
Petal Two
At the same pub, there was a similar scenario: a man flirting with a girl. The girl, a young waitress at the pub, looked completely awestruck as the man wooed her to no end. The man was used to it, but loved it nonetheless. Blessed with extremely good looks and a romantic personality, the man was known as a "dreamboat" by the women who do not know him and a "Don Juan" by the women who did. His personality was magnetic to all who knew him, except for maybe the stuffy man he traveled with. For the most part, he was clever, kind-hearted, rebellious, charming, romantic, and helpful.
He had a rather lighthearted childhood for such a lighthearted person…
Lumière Olivier was born into a servant family in France and was bred for a servant life. His father and mother set wonderful examples for him to follow, and he charmed everyone he met. A little ball of light that brightened everyone's day, he worked hard and soon achieved high servant status. Ata young age, he developed passions for romance, music, entertaining, and, later on, women.
A letter of recommendation from a previous family got him a job as the head waiter on the RMS Titanic. It was considered an honor by him to have a very high position on a White Star Line ship.
If he had known what would happen to the ship, would he still have considered it an honor?
Petal Three
Nighttime on the RMS Titanic herself. The moonlight glares on the magnificent body of the majestic ship. The smoke stacks towered into the night sky. It was a truly a wondrous and peaceful sight to behold.
The lights illuminated a rather pudgy man walking along the side of the ship, running his hand along the railing. He stopped and stared out into the city he would soon be leaving. He twirled his long moustache and ran his hand through his brown hair. This would be his first time on a ship as an officer. He wanted everything to run smoothly. He certainly didn't want him messing things up…again. His personality could be considered bossy and pompous, but really, he was loyal, understanding, sweet, and kind-hearted.
Cogsworth Foster had dreamed of being a captain of a ship ever since he was a little boy in England. His parents were very supportive, and he began working with ships as soon as he was old enough. Not the sailor-type, he was more interested in the high-brow luxury ocean-liners, and soon got a job with the White Star Line. He worked various other jobs to get to the position where he was today. Along the way, he became good…friends?...with the fun-loving Lumière. They both brought out the best in each other to say the least, but when they would always be there for each other. Cogsworth would remind Lumière what he needed to do, and Lumière would remind Cogsworth to have fun and also used his quick tongue to get out of sticky situations. They both were put on the same ship for the first time. This certainly was going to be bumpy ride, Cogsworth thought.
Little did he know the implications of that thought.
Petals Four and Five
Back at the pub, a mother and son had just walked through the door. The mother was plump with prematurely grey hair and sparkling blue eyes. Her blue hat, dress, and traveling cloak told everyone of her working class status. Her black boots thumped along the wooden floor to a table to sit herself and her travel-weary son down to rest. Her son was very handsome for an eleven-year-old boy. He was small and slender with dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, fair skin, and an adorable chip in his tooth. His ragged white shirt, blue pants, and brown shoes had all seen better days, and his jacket could certainly stand to be replaced. He wanted so desperately to keep his eyes open and to see all the wonders around him, but he was…so sleepy…
Mrs. Mia Potts and her son Chip had started their life as a family with Mrs. Potts's husband in England as servants to a very kind family. She was the cook to the family and served as the children's go-to person when they were feeling blue. Chip was their playmate and friend. All that ended when her loving husband suddenly dropped dead. It was a sad day for all. The house held too many memories for her and Chip, so they decided to leave when Chip was only six. After five years of jobs galore in England. Mrs. Potts finally found one as a cook aboard the RMS Titanic. Chip, too young to work, had a third-class passenger ticket to ride with his mother.
Mrs. Potts was kind, polite, and honest, the perfect mother figure to everyone she encounters. There is nothing she won't do to make you feel better. Her specialty is tea and believes it has the power to cure anything. She takes delight in serving others and is always one for celebrations. She doesn't tolerate bad behavior from anyone and isn't afraid to tell them, even if they have authority over her. Chip was kind, curious, brave, and, above all, just cute: he was charming in his own special way. He loves meeting new people, seeing new places, and above all, having fun. He doesn't like leaving places or people behind: he truly has a passion for adventure.
Both he and his mother are in for the adventure of their lives.
Petal Six
Camera bulbs flashing, people pushing to get closer, reporters asking questions, this was the usual scene surrounding the very well-dressed woman. She smiled for the cameras and patiently answered all of the reporters' questions. She seemed used to all the publicity and took it in stride. Her loud, booming laugh filled the hotel lobby. She was a rather larger than life person.
Madame Ava de la Grande Bouche was born into an American family and grew up with a love for the opera. She filled the halls with her ear-splitting vocals and soon become noticed by well-known singers. Soon, she toured her town, then her state, then the country. She was "the voice heard round the world." Beloved by all, she toured Europe before losing all of her money on a bad investment. Not losing any of her bravado, she took a job as a guest performer on the RMS Titanic under the guise of a "resting tour of the world," as she told reporters. To the few people who knew her, she was comical, fierce, kind, funny, clumsy, and a dreamer.
Would she be entering a nightmare on this cruise?
Six Petals. Six Stories. Six People. One Cursed Ship.
Come and read as we thaw the frozen petals of the crew members of the RMS Titanic.
Ok there you have it! It will take a very very VERY long time for me to post Chapter Two. I am a perfectionist and I want everything to be perfect! PLEASE review! I don't care if you favorite it (well...maybe a little), but just review with whether you like it or not. Thank you so much, and stay tuned!