Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave
Tommy and Fabrizio watched sadly as Samantha and Helga's boat were lowered into the bluish black water. Helga was already in tears at this point, poor girl, but Samantha had a stony, determined look in her eyes.
Tommy knew better. He knew his girlfriend was terrified and heartbroken to leave. Her jaw was set and firm, but her lips were trembling heartbreakingly like little Cora's had been just a few short moments ago.
But her survival meant more to him than his own. As the SOS rockets exploded above the ship, Samantha embraced Helga like the fiercely loyal friend she was.
I'm so sorry, Tommy. Please forgive me.
Samantha hadn't realized that she had spoken aloud and Tommy realized a second too late what she was about to do.
She hurled herself out of the lifeboats and back onto the ship. "NEI!" Helga cried. "La Bella Samantha, do not!" Fabrizio shouted. But the worst was Tommy's anguished yell.
"SAMANTHA, WHAT IN G-D'S NAME ARE YA DOIN'!?"
Without waiting for an answer, he ran like a bat out of hell towards the third class boat deck, where they'd met. His heart was threatening to leap out of his chest.
If Samantha didn't survive it would be all his fault and he bloody well knew it. How in the name of all that was holy could she done something so stupid and dimwitted as to jump back onto a bloody sinking ship? She ran crashing into his arms, terrified and shaking.
"You stupid, stupid girl! Why'd ya do that, huh, why? You're so stupid, Samantha! Damn you to hell and back a thousand times over!" Tommy raged, desperation, anger and relief twisting the handsome Irishman's babyish face. "That was your one chance at gettin' off the blasted ship!"
"Gods of Olympus, Tommy, I couldn't go! I couldn't do it! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I couldn't leave you and Fabrizio there to die. I'm so sorry, love!" Samantha sobbed, fresh angry tears spilling from her eyes. "I never was very brave."
"It's all right. Shh, Sammy girl, it's all right. I've no call to snap at ya," Tommy soothed his shaking girlfriend. "We can get out of this. Come on. Let's find another way out."
Together, they looked for another way off the sinking Ship of Dreams.