Disclaimer: I down own this.
Crow led and alive with music, laughter and raucous carrying on. An ad hoc band is gathered near the upright piano, honking out lively stomping music on fiddle, accordion and tambourine. People of all ages are dancing, drinking beer and wine, smoking, laughing, even brawling.
Tommy hands Harrison a pint of stout and he hoists it. Edward meanwhile dances with 5 year old Cora Cartmell, or tries to, with her standing on his feet. As the tune ends, Harrison leans down to the little girl.
"May I cut in, miss?"
"You're still my best girl, Cora." He reassures her.
Cora smiles and scampers off to her father. Harrison and Edward face each other. He is trembling as he
takes his right hand in his left. His other hand slides to the small of his back. It is an electrifying moment.
"I don't know the steps."
"Just move with me. Don't think."
The music starts and they are off. A little awkward at first, he starts to get into it. He grins at Edward as he starts to get the rhythm.
"Wait... stop!"
He bends down, pulling off his dress shoes, and flings them to Tommy. Then he grabs Edward and they plunge back into the fray, dancing faster as the music speeds up. The scene is rowdy and rollicking. A table gets knocked over as a drunk crashes into it. And in the middle of it Harrison is dancing with Edward in his socked feet. The steps are fast and he shines with sweat. A space opens around them, and people watch them, clapping as the band plays faster and faster.
Fabrizio and Helga are dancing has obviated the need for a common language. He
whirls her, then she responds by whirling him. Fabrizio's eyes go wide when he realizes she's stronger than he is.
The tune ends in a mad rush. Edward steps away from Harrison with a flourish, allowing him to take a bow. Exhilarated and slightly tipsy, he does a graceful ballet ployer, feet turned out perfectly. Everyone laughs and applauds. Harrison is a hit with the steerage folks, who've never had a First Class man party with them.
They move to a table, flushed and sweaty. Harrison grabs Fabrizio's cigarette and takes a big drag. He's feeling cocky. Fabrizio is grinning, holding hands with Helga.
"How you two doin'?" Edward asks.
"I don't know what she's say, she don't know what I say, so we get along
fine." He laughs.
Tommy walks up with a pint for each of them. Harrison chugs his, showing off.
"You think a first class boy can't drink?"
Everybody else is dancing again, and Bjorn Gundersen crashes into Tommy, who sloshes his beer over Harrison suit. He laughs, not caring, but Tommy lunges, grabbing Bjorn and wheeling him around.
"You stupid bastard!"
Bjorn comes around, his fists coming up and Edward leaps into the middle of it, pushing them apart.
"Boys, boys! Did I ever tell you the one about the Swede and the Irishman
goin' to the whorehouse?"
Tommy stands there, all piss and vinegar, chest puffed up. Then he grins and claps Bjorn on the shoulder.
"So, you think you're big tough men?" Harrison says pushing them back to make himself some room. "Let's see you do this."
In his socked feet he assumes a ballet stance, arms raised, and goes up on point, taking his entire weight on the tips of his toes. The guys gape at his incredible muscle control. He comes back down, then his face screws up in pain. He grabs one foot, hopping around.
"Oooowww! I haven't done that in years."
Edward catches him as he loses his balance, and everyone cracks up.
The door to the well deck is open a few inches as Lovejoy watches through
the gap. He sees Edward holding Harrison, both of them laughing. Lovejoy closes the door.
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The stars blaze overhead, so bright and clear you can see the Milky Way. Harrison and Edward walk along the row of lifeboats. Still giddy from the party, they are singing a popular song "Come Josephine in My Flying Machine".
Come Josephine in my flying machine
And it's up she goes! Up she goes!
In the air she goes. Where? There she goes!
They fumble the words and break down laughing. They have reached the First Class Entrance, but don't go straight in, not wanting the evening to end. Through the doors the sound of the ship's orchestra wafts gently. Harrison grabs a davit and leans back, staring at the cosmos.
"Isn't it magnificent? So grand and endless." He goes to the rail and leans on it.
"They're such small people, Edward... my crowd. They think they're giants on the earth, but they're not even dust in God's eye. They live inside this little tiny champagne bubble... and someday the bubble's going to burst."
He leans at the rail next to him, his hand just touching his. It is the slightest contact imaginable, and all either one of them can feel is that square inch of skin where their hands are touching.
"You're not one of them. There's been a mistake."
"A mistake?"
"Uh huh. You got mailed to the wrong address." He says laughing.
"I did, didn't I?" He says joining him in laughter. He points suddenly at the sky.
"Look! A shooting star."
"That was a long one. My father used to say that whenever you saw one, it
was a soul going to heaven."
"I like that. Aren't we supposed to wish on it?"
Edward looks at him, and finds that they are suddenly very close together. It would be so easy to move another couple of inches, to kiss him. Harrison seems to be thinking the same thing.
"What would you wish for?" After a beat, Harrison pulls back.
"Something I can't have." He smiles sadly.
"Goodnight, Edward. And thank you." He leaves the rail and hurries through the First Class Entrance.
"Harrison!" But the door bangs shut, and he is gone. Back to his world.
SUNDAY APRIL 14, 1912.
A bright clear day. Sunlight splashing across the promenade. Harrison and Ginny are having breakfast in silence. The tension is palpable. Trudy Bolt, in her maid's uniform, pours the coffee and goes
inside.
"I had hoped you would come to me last night."
"I was tired."
"Yes. Your exertions below decks were no doubt exhausting."
Harrison stiffens at the implication. "I see you had that undertaker of a manservant follow me."
"You will never behave like that again! Do you understand?"
"I'm not some foreman in your Daddy's mills than you can command! I am your
Fiancée-"
Ginny explodes, sweeping the breakfast china off the table with a crash
"Yes! You are! And my Husband... in practice, if not yet by law. So you will honor me, as a Husband is required to honor his wife! I will not be made out a fool! Is this in any way unclear? Because if it is then the engagement is off; I have plenty of other suitors to choose from."
Harrison shrinks into the chair not having the strength to fight her. He sees Trudy, frozen, partway through the door bringing the orange juice. Ginny follows Harrison's glance and straightens up. She stalks past the maid, entering the stateroom.
"We... had a little accident. I'm sorry, Trudy."
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Harrison is dressed for the day, and is in the middle of helping James with his
tie. The situation did not inhibit James' fury at all.
"You are not to see that boy again, do you understand me Harrison? I forbid it!"
"Oh, stop it, Father. You'll give yourself a nosebleed."
James pulls away from him, and crosses to the door, locking it. CLACK!
"Harrison, this is not a game! Our situation is precarious. You know the money's
gone!"
"Of course I know it's gone. You remind me every day!"
"I know I've made a lot of bad choices but it hidden by a good name. And that name is the only card we have to play."
Harrison grabs the tie and wraps it around his neck. James stands still as his son continues his task.
"I don't understand you. It is a fine match with Ginny, and it will insure our survival."
"How can you put this on my shoulders?" He asks hurt lacing his voice.
Harrison finally looks into his father's eyes and sees something he never saw before….the naked fear in his eyes was astounding.
"Do you want to see me working at some factory? Is that what you want? Do you want to see our fine things sold at an auction, our memories scattered to the winds? My God, Harrison, how can you be so selfish?"
"It's so unfair."
"Of course it's unfair! We're men. Our choices are never easy, we have to do what is best for the family and this is the best choice we have."
Harrison pulls the tie tighter.
At the divine service, Captain Smith is leading a group in the hymn "Almighty Father Strong To Save." James, Harrison and Ginny sing in the middle of the group.
Lovejoy stands well back, keeping an eye on Harrison. He notices a commotion at the entry doors. Edward has been halted there by two stewards. He is dressed in his third class clothes, and stands there, hat in hand, looking out of place.
"Look, you, you're not supposed to be in here."
"I was just here last night... don't you remember?" He sees Lovejoy coming toward him. "He'll tell you."
"Ms. Hockley and Mr. DeWitt Bukater continue to be most appreciative of your assistance. They asked me to give you this in gratitude-" He holds out two twenty dollar bills, which Edward refuses to take.
"I don't want money, I-"
"-and also to remind you that you hold a third class ticket and your presence here is no longer appropriate."
Edward spots Harrison but he doesn't see him.
"I just need to talk to Harrison for a-"
"Gentlemen, please see that Mr. Mason gets back where he belongs." Giving the twenties to the stewards. "And that he stays there."
"Yes sir!" The stewards turn to Edward. "Come along you."
Harrison, not seeing Edward hustled out continues to sing.
O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.
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A woman pedals a stationary bicycle in a long dress, looking ridiculous. Thomas Andrews is leading a small tour group, including Ginny, Harrison and James. James is working the oars of a stationary rowing machine with a well trained stroke.
"Reminds me of my Harvard days." He says with a smile.
T.W. McCauley, the gym instructor, is a bouncy little man in white flannels, eager to show off his modern equipment, like his present-day counterpart on an "Abflex" infomercial. He hits a switch and a machine with a saddle on it starts to undulate. Harrison puts his hand on it, curious.
"The electric horse is very popular. We even have an electric camel." McCauley turns to Ginny with a smile. "Care to try your hand at the rowing, m'am?"
"Don't be absurd." She says with a sneer. "I can't think of a skill I should likely need less."
"The next stop on our tour will be bridge. This way, please." Andrews calls out to the group.
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Edward, walking with determination, is followed closely by Tommy and Fabrizio. He quickly climbs the steps to B-Deck and steps over the gate separating 3rd from 2nd class. Tommy tries again t reason with Edward.
"He's a god amongst mortal men, there's no denyin'. But he's in another world, Eddie, forget him. He's closed the door."
Edward moves furtively to the wall below the A-Deck promenade, aft.
"It was them, not him." He glances around the deck.
"Ready... go."
Tommy shakes his head resignedly and puts his hands together, crouching down. Edward steps into Tommy's hands and gets boosted up to the next deck, where he scrambles nimbly over the railing, onto the First Class deck.
"He's not bein' logical, I tell ya." He says turning to Fabrizio.
"Amore is'a not logical."
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A man is playing with his son, who is spinning a top with a string. The man's overcoat and hat are sitting on a deck chair nearby. Edward emerges from behind one of the huge deck cranes and calmly picks up the coat and bowler hat. He walks away, slipping into the coat, and slicks his hair back with spit. Then puts the hat on at a jaunty angle. At a distance he could pass for a gentlemen.
Harold Bride, the 21 year old Junior Wireless Operator, hustles in and skirts around Andrews' tour group to hand a Marconigram to Captain Smith.
"Another ice warning, sir. This one from the "Baltic"."
"Thank you, Bride."
Smith glances at the message then nonchalantly puts it in his pocket. He nods reassuringly to Harrison and the group.
"Not to worry, it's quite normal for this time of year. In fact, we're speeding up. I've just ordered the last boilers lit."
Andrews scowls slightly before motioning the group toward the door. They exit just as Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller comes out of the chartroom, stopping next to First Officer Murdoch.
"Did we ever find those binoculars for the lookouts?"
"Haven't seen them since Southampton."
Andrews leads the group back from the bridge along the boat deck.
"Mr. Andrews," Harrison catching his attention. "I did the sum in my head, and with the number of lifeboats times the capacity you mentioned... forgive me, but it seems that there are not enough for everyone aboard."
"About half, actually." He smiles at him. "Harrison, you miss nothing, do you? In fact, I put in these new type davits, which can take an extra row of boats here."He gestures along the deck."But it was thought... by some... that the deck would look too cluttered. So I was over-ruled."
James slaps the side of a boat. "Waste of deck space as it is, on an unsinkable ship!"
Andrews turns back to Harrison. "Sleep soundly, young Harrison. I have built you a good ship, strong and true. She's all the lifeboat you need."
As they are passing Boat 7, a gentlemen turns from the rail and walks up behind the group. It is Edward. He taps Harrison on the arm and he turns, gasping. He motions and he cuts away from the group toward a door which heholds open. They duck into the gymnasium.
Edward closes the door behind him, and glances out through the ripple-glass window to the starboard rail, where the gym instructor is chatting up the woman who was riding the bike. Both of them are alone in the room.
"Edward, this is impossible. I can't see you."
He takes him by the shoulders.
"Harrison, you're no picnic... you're a spoiled little brat even, but under that you're a strong, pure heart, and you're the most amazingly astounding guy I've ever known and-"
"Edward, I-"
"No wait. Let me try to get this out. You're amazing... and I know I have nothing to offer you, Harrison. I know that. But I'm involved now. You jump, I jump, remember? I can't turn away without knowin' that you're goin' to be alright."
Harrison feels the tears coming to his eyes. Edward is so open and real... not like anyone he has ever known.
"You're making this very hard. I'll be fine. Really."
"I don't think so. They've got you in a glass jar like some butterfly, and you're goin' to die if you don't break out. Maybe not right away, 'cause you're strong. But sooner or later the fire I love about you is goin' to go out."
"It's not up to you to save me, Edward."
"You're right. Only you can do that."
"I have to get back, they'll miss me. Please, Edward, for both our sakes, leave me alone."