Rose Dewitt Bukater and Jack Dawson had met on the mightiest ship that man had ever built. He was
a third class passenger, while she was a first class passenger. She was engaged and on her way to
a marriage that was to be loveless but convenient. He was on his way home. To some extent they
both were prisoners of their own world.
Rose had met her fiancée through some friends of her mother's. He was an American with a ton of
money that his family had made through steel. He was a selfish man who cared about no one but himself
and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. His name was Caledon Hockley and Rose was to be
his wife. He would think nothing of beating her if she did not obey him. She was just something for
him to show off to his friends. He had never known what love was and would never find out.
Jack had been born in 1892 and was raised near Chippewa Falls Wisconsin. He had been raised by loving
parents who had died tragically in a fire when he was but fifteen.
But Jack was not one to sit back and do nothing. He had worked the squid boat in Monterey and had worked
many odd jobs eventually landing him in Europe. It was there that he had met his best friend Fabrizio De
Rossi. Together the two of them had made it across Europe. They had landed in Southampton England
on the fateful day of April 10, 1912. Jack and Fabrizio had won tickets to America on the greatest ship
in the world the Titanic.
It is hard to imagine how in five short days one can be so completely in love. Rose was but seventeen when she
had boarded the ill fated ship. Her fiancée Cal was her mothers only hope that she could continue in the type
of lifestyle that she was accustomed to. Ruth Dewitt Bukater had found that she had no money after her husband
Rose's father had died. She wanted to have the money that Cal could bring into the family at any cost incuding
her daughters health and well being.
Rose had not wanted to marry this man Cal he was snobbish and abusive. He treated her poorly wherever they
went and told her more than once that she was to obey him or pay the consequences. He had slapped her
across the face several times already. Rose was headed for a life of hell if she was to stay with him, but no
one cared, especially her mother.
When Rose and Jack had met the fireworks had gone off immediately. Rose knew by the end of the second day
that Jack was the man that she wanted to stay with not Cal. Just moments before the ship hit the iceberg she
told him that when the ship landed she would be leaving with him.
But that was not meant to be for the ship did hit the iceberg and everyone's life was changed forever. On that
fateful night out among the ice and the freezing water of the great Atlantic Ocean. many people that they had
met on the ship would not be alive by the next morning . This would include Jack's best friend Fabrizio and the
young man from Ireland Tommy. Rose and Jack lost so many friends that night that they would rarely speak of it. The
memories were too horrible to remember. They were forward thinkers, not backward. Jack and Rose wanted
to move on with their lives honoring the dead but honoring the living also.
It was with great luck that Jack and Rose had been pulled from the water on that night still alive. There was
only about two dozen people still alive when the one lifeboat had finally decided to turn around and look for survivors
in the water. They had clung to one of the doors and although Jack had not been able to climb onto the door the
first time after several attempts he had been able to get mostly out of the water.
When Rose had spotted the lifeboat coming towards them neither one of them had any voice left. Jack because
of his longer exposure to the cold water could no longer move. Rose had known that it was she who was going
to have to swim over to one of the officer's who had died and blow his whistle. The lifeboat had turned around to the
sound and pulled the two of them out of the water.
When they had arrived on the RMS Carpathia both Jack and Rose had been very careful to make sure that no one
from the first class saw either of them. Fortunately for the both of them the classes were separated even on this
ship and somehow they had managed to arrive in New York undetected.
But Jack had lost three of his toes from the ice and the cold water. He now had a slight limp. But he was alive
and otherwise healthy and just twenty years old. As they arrived in New York they were each given a five dollar
stipend for things lost and they were sent on their way.
Jack had always had his drawings and they had kept him somewhat alive. He was the type of man that needed
little to sustain himself. But for everything that Rose had thought she still needed more than Jack did. She was
going to need a place to stay as it was April in New York and the weather was still quite chilly.
Jack was lucky he had met one of his old buddies that owned a small business that loaded the large ships there
at the pier. He hired Jack on to his team immediately. He knew Jack as an honest man who was also a hard
worker. With the ten dollars that they now had the two of them were able to get a room nearby. It was small
and it had only one bath on the entire floor but it was a roof over their heads and he was happy.
They told no one of how they had arrived in New York and never mentioned the Titanic to anyone. Jack was
afraid that if he mentioned the ship he would be questioned and Cal or Rose's mother would discover the truth.
Rose on the other hand kept an eye on the newspaper and read about the sinking and the stories of the heroes
and the disgrace that Bruce Ismay had brought upon himself. She knew that his and his families lives would
never be the same. But, over fifteen hundred people had died that night and so many lives had been changed,
he was just one of the many. She did feel sorry for the man in some ways and yet in other ways she felt that
he was going to get what he deserved.
As Jack worked the piers he continued doing his many drawings. The work was long and hard and he made but
two dollars a day. He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible and once the weather was a little warmer
he and Rose would take what little money that they could save and leave for another location. They both wanted
to go to California to make a life for themselves there. The weather and the many new things that were now
happening in California were a big attraction to the two of them. But first he wanted to marry her. He wanted
to make an honest man out of him and an honorable woman out of her. It did not matter to him much but he
knew that Rose wanted to be married.
It was after four weeks on the pier and the hard life of a woman living in a rooming house that Jack was ready
to pop the question. He had sold a few of his drawings and had bought Rose a ring. That evening as Jack arrived
at the house he was met by the woman that he loved. She kissed him passionately at the door and giggled as
he showed her the two dollars more that he had made. She put the money into her money jar . With this money
they had managed to save up eleven dollars. She shook her head, at this rate they would never be able to afford
much of anything. But this life was so much better than the life she had before she had met Jack. Of all the people
in the world Rose knew that money was not everything.
As they sat at the dinner table Jack showed her some more of his drawings. He was very talented and she knew
that someday his works would be shown in a museum. She was so proud of him. He had such talent and he was
good to her. She had learned what love was and had learned how to return the love. Everyday Rose blessed
the day that she and Jack had met.
Jack and Rose had just sat down to enjoy an evening at home when Jack stood up and came over to Rose who
was sitting in her favorite (only) chair and watched as her love got up . She was wondering what was going on
and when Jack got down on his knees she knew. He said "Rose will you take my hand in marriage and follow
me wherever I go for as long as you live ?"
Rose was thrilled and threw her arms around his neck and said "Yes". It was a night to remember in the home
of Rose and Jack and for a moment she thought of her mother. Her mother, where had she gone? She knew
that her mother would not be welcome with Cal now that he thought that she had died. He was cold and very
callous and would have no problem leaving her mother homeless. It would just be the way things were with
him and that was one of the main reasons that she had left him.
There had been many articles about Cal in the paper but not once was her mother mentioned or had there
been a picture either. Rose knew that there was no money left at all . Her mother could go back to England
but would have just the ten dollars that the shipping firm would give her. There were times that Rose
worried about her mother. But her mother had made her decision and if Rose had gone with her that night
onto the lifeboat she and Cal would be getting married now. That was not good and she had found the man
that she wanted to spend her life with. His name was Jack Dawson and she was going to be known by his
last name Rose Dawson.
Each of them had continued attending church every Sunday and they had not mentioned to the minister
that they had never married. But, Rose wanted to get married in the church and that was all right with Jack.
He knew that they could not afford much of a wedding, but when he mentioned to his boss that he was
getting married Bob had been very happy and supportive of them.
Bob would see to it that the workers on the dock and the friends that Rose and Jack had made at the rooming
house . They would celebrate as many of his friends had done before at the church in the cellar. His wife
would make a wonderful cake and everyone would bring something. It would be a party and he could not
wait for the day.
Rose was going to make her wedding gown. She had learned to sew at school and she worked hard putting
the simple gown together. It had a high waist and was sleeveless. Her friend Mary, who lived with her husband
in the room next door helped her and when the dress was done they were quite impressed.
Jack had been at the docks one day when he had bumped into Molly Brown of all people. He had tried his best
to act like he did not know who she was but it was useless Molly was no fool and she recognized him. Molly
would become Jack and Rose's closest motherly friend. She understood what the rules of money were as she
had started with nothing herself. When she found out that Rose and Jack were getting married, she wanted to
help out in anyway that she could.
Finding Rose and Jack had been the best thing that could have happened to Molly Brown. She had been so lost
since the sinking of the Titanic. She found herself a celebrity, something that she did not welcome. She had not
been a hero that night, she had done what was needed to be done to save the lives of the people who had gotten
into the same lifeboat that she had.
Molly had stayed in New York to be a witness of the sinking of the Titanic. She had thought that perhaps the
board of inquiry that had been hastily put together upon the sinking of the great ship. She was the head of
the survivors committee and had given the captain of the Carpathia a large trophy for his heroic efforts to
save the people of the Titanic. She had been walking down the pier when she had spotted Jack. She knew
who he was immediately and had gone right up to him. At first Jack had tried to act as though he did not know
her but he had hugged her closely and told her he was glad that she was all right.
Molly knew why Jack did not want to be seen and was thrilled to find out that little Rose had also survived the
disaster. She had not heard from Rose's mother since the sinking though.
"Well Jack do you know how to drive a car?" Molly asked him.
"Not really I have driven a little. But I want to learn." Jack told her.
"Well why don't I have you go to a driving school? There are people who will teach you how to drive. I have a new
car and am in need of a driver." she offered him.
Jack knew that it would be an easy job and would pay better money. "I need to talk to Rose about it. I will let you
know in a couple of days. We are getting married next Saturday and you are most welcome." He pointed to the
church where the wedding was going to be and she smiled. "I will be there you can count on it. You can give me
the answer that day. All right with you?" she asked.
"The wedding is at one. We will be glad to see you." Jack told her.
Molly thought about Jack's situation and she asked him "Do you have a suit to wear?"
Jack shook his head and she smiled. "Let me give you a suit for the wedding. It will be my wedding gift." Molly
told him with a smile.
Jack smiled and said "Yes. Thank you so much."
"I will meet you tomorrow here on the pier and we can go for a fitting to my tailor." she offered. And with that
everything was set.
As Jack climbed the stairs to his and Rose's room he smiled to himself. Molly would make a good friend for them
and he hoped that Rose would want him to work as Molly's driver. They pay was much better and much
easier. It was hard for him working on the pier now that he was missing some of his toes. He also seemed to
feel the cold more also. It was getting warmer here in New York and he was cold all the time. His boss Bob
had been great about it, but he knew that he might be let go.
Rose was busy cooking supper when he walked in. He put his arms around her shoulders and kissed her very
passionately. She was so pretty just standing there cooking their supper. She had been humming to herself
when he had come in. He was glad that she was happy.
Jack was not sure how Rose was going to react to him seeing Molly, but Jack knew that he had to tell her, after
all Molly had offered him a job and he had invited her to the wedding. He led Rose to the chair and told her "I have
something to tell you Rose. I ran into Molly Brown at the pier today. Don't worry she won't tell anyone that she
saw me, but she offered me a job as her chauffeur. The pay is going to start at three dollars more a week than
I am now making and she will pay to have someone teach me to drive."
Jack watched Rose's face for a change or some kind of emotion, but saw none. She could be very good at holding
back her emotions at time. He supposed it was because of her upbringing. He waited for her to say something and
after what seemed like an eternity she answered him.
"It has been a wonderful life here on the wharf but like you I don't want to be stuck in one place. I want to be free
like a bird and have as few ties to anything as possible. But I see how you limp and I know that your feet hurt
everyday when you come home. The job as a driver would be much better for you. I think you should accept her
offer." Rose told him and then gently kissed him on the cheek.
Jack was very relieved to hear her say that. He did not feel that he would work for Molly for the rest of his life,
but this would let him take it easy on his poor feet and the money would be better. It was a year round job also.
The job that he was doing was a seasonal job and the winter was going to be long and cold if they did not move
south. "Oh and for a wedding gift she is buying me a suit." he told her with a smile.
The rest of the week was a complete blur and Rose and Mary finally had her wedding gown done on Friday the
day before the wedding. As was the tradition there was a celebration and a party for Jack as it was to be his
last day as a single man. The women would have a gathering themselves and gifts would be exchanged. Rose
loved living here sometimes. The room was small and sometimes the hallway and bathroom smelled but the
people were friendly and she enjoyed it. It had now been almost six weeks and it was time for her and Jack to
move on though.
Finally the wedding day had come and Jack and Rose were kept apart until the wedding itself. Rose had a long
train and carried some roses that one of the flower girls had been selling at the pier that morning. Her face
was covered by her veil and as Rose walked down the aisle she looked at Jack. He was dressed as he was the
night of the dinner on the Titanic. The tailor had done a great job and he was the envy of every man and women
there in the room. As she walked down the aisle she saw all of her new friends and all of the men that Jack
worked with on the pier. It was not a large wedding, nothing like the wedding that she and Cal were going to
have it was a nice clean wedding and she walked down the aisle with pride.
It had been a great wedding and then it was time for the big party afterward in the cellar of the church. Jack
and Rose danced with everyone that came. The wedding cake was large and there was plenty for everyone to
have a piece. It was the custom among the people of the pier for them each to bring a dish to eat. There was
plenty of food and drink. A man played the spoons and another played the fiddle and the music and merriment
lasted until late in the night.
That night Jack and Rose told Molly about his acceptance of her job offer and Mr. and Mrs. Dawson were on their
way to their new life with Jack as a chauffeur.