*inspired by Bohemian Anne's story 'cruel war'.* and by Jeanita's story 'clouds of despair'*
1918
It was 2 wks after the 1st world war ended 1918. 28 yr old jack Dawson got on a flight going from paris to new york. He arrived the next day. It was 14 yrs since the wright brothers first flight which was in 1904. The war had started in 1914 and lasted 4 yrs. The last time he'd seen his wife rose had been in 1912. That summer they got married. In may 2 wks. after the titanic sank rose discovered she was pregnant w/ their daughter Josephine. Rose was now 23. Josephine would be 5.
During the war when he could jack spent some time in paris drawing. His most personal works the ones depicting ptsd he kept private. They were so powerful and dark. And emotional.
On the ship they'd met a little girl named eva and her mother esther. They'd told them there was something wrong w/ the ship. All had survived and all had been hypothermic after and had had to stay in the hospital for awhile. Eva would be 13 now. They'd also wandered from room to room hotel to hotel place to place so roses fiancee wouldn't find them. jack wondered if she'd want to live at his place in Wisconsin. He knew that she also had ptsd. From cal. Jacks friends fabrizio and tommy had died on the ship.
The only thing jack wanted now was a drink and to see his wife and daughter.
Rose didn't know this but jack had kept her necklace all these yrs.
In the past 6 yrs she became an actress. When her ptsd allowed her to. During some performances she wasn't even focusing on what she was doing. And her ptsd. But that's what made them so good.
Cal was 30 in 1912. He'd be 36 now.
During a hospital stay in 1914 he met a 28 yr old nurse by the name of alice. She was lucy harris' daughter. Her mother had been a prostitute in London back in 1886. And knew someone by the name of Edward hyde. One of the guys robert that fought in the war was also 28 their same age. He had ptsd and he often changed moods from one minute to the next. She was his nurse too. His last name was hyde.
during the war he was in france and she was in the states. she recalled one day while working as a nurse when there was mustard gas. the hospital became more crowded than usual w/ the soldiers who quickly became patients. the gas had gotten into their lungs and a lot of them were gasping for air. any part of their body that hadn't been covered bby the gas masks which was everything but their face was attacked by the gas. although rose was hurrying to clean the men to detoxify them she knew a lot wouldn't make it. she wondered if in france the same hing had happened to jack.
it'd been 6 yrs since they'd last seen each other. she knew when and where his ship had docked. when they saw each other they were nervous and excited. they hugged. jack was warm but removed. after the hug and the I love yous and its good to see yous they got to talking.
"are you hungry? thirsty? have you slept?" she asked.
"no. and not terribly well."
"oh."
"dad I made you a sand-" Josephine began looking up at her dad.
"I said not now," he replied annoyed.
"oh. ok."
"jack I know you haven't had it easy but-" rose began.
"haven't had it easy?! oh like youd know anything about that."
"I was trying to survive! trying not to jump. so yeah. I would."
"oh. ok. im sorry."
"hey I get it."
"excuse me," jack said and left.
"what happened to dad?" Josephine asked her mom.
"hes just sad and scared honey. hes been that way for a long time. and hes going to be for a long time," she answered.
"oh. why?"
"its hard to explain to someone your age."
"oh."
jack returned.
"wow its. quiet here," he said as they walked back to the car: "there aren't bombs or gunfire or smoke."
"yeah its weird."
"yeah. I haven't slept well in ages."
"I know neither have I."
"I don't want to make friends again. every friend ive had though theyre not many has died. fabrizio, tommy, max. you almost."
"no I get it."