Author's notes: Song lyrics are from the songs mentioned earlier in the story, 'Come Josephine' and 'I Don't Care'. Published before 1923, public domain.
Harold was in a frenzy as he and his crew of three men were working to tie Lifeboats 10, 12, and Collapsible D together. Melody was dazed and barely hearing anything that was being said. She'd seen the Titanic engulfed by the ocean and heard the screaming. Even as far away as they were, she could see the churning of the water where passengers were floundering. Melody opened her hands and saw her palms marked with tiny half-moons left by her nails. One was bleeding.
Harold knelt in front of her and gripped her shoulders. "Melody, come. I need you to move to another boat. We're going back to look for survivors."
"What?" said Melody.
"Come, now."
Melody regained her senses. "No! I'm going with you. My sister is out there."
"Melody, please! Please go with the other women. I'll be back for you, I promise."
"No, I'm helping you look for my sister."
Harold sighed, frustrated. He knew there was no arguing with one of the Jackson girls. He turned to his crew. "Right! Man the oars!"
Violet was delirious. She slipped in and out of consciousness, watching water lap at the edge of the paneling on which she lay. A flood of memories were washing over her. She saw a brief flash of being a toddler, running through the parlor of her mother's house in Austin, her father sweeping her up into his arms. She remembered Constanza crying over the telegram that told her the news of her father's death. She saw herself and a dimple-faced six year old Melody in Constanza's bedroom, playing dress up in Constanza's skimpy evening dresses—they were at the vanity, laughing and applying Constanza's makeup until they looked like harlots. She saw fourteen year old Melody sitting at the piano in the dancehall, Pinto Kate at her side, coaching her as she played a complex ragtime tune—the men were clapping and hooting for more music. She saw herself sitting naked on a satin-covered bed at Constanza's house at sixteen, Gavin sitting down next to her fully clothed before taking her in his arms and kissing her. Another brief flash of herself and Melody dressed up, grinning as Richard kissed Constanza on their wedding day.
She smiled to herself. She'd had a happy life. She felt that it was all right to die knowing that she'd been happy.
No, she thought. Violet shook her head violently. I have to stay awake.
She could hear a soft voice singing. At first she thought she was dreaming it, but realized it was getting clearer.
"Come Josephine . . . on my flying . . . machine . . . going up . . . she goes . . . up she goes . . ."
The edge of the plank she lay on connected with another piece of debris and Violet's body jolted. "The hell . . ." murmured Violet. She lifted her head and looked in the direction of the collision.
Rose lay on her back on a similar plank of paneling. Violet tried to sit up but was far too weak. "Rose . . . hey, Rose . . ." She reached out and found she was able to get her fingers around one of Rose's cold hands. "Hey . . . we gotta stay awake, Rose. Keep on singin'."
Violet took a deep breath and began to sing herself. "They say I'm crazy, got no sense . . . but I don't care . . . they may or may not mean offense . . . but I don't care . . .you see, I'm sort of independent . . .I am my own superintendent . . . and my star is on the ascendant . . . that's why I don't care . . .I don't care, I don't care . . . What they may think of me . . ."
They heard a voice calling through the darkness. Violet raised her head. She saw a lifeboat moving slowly through the wreckage. She could tell it was Harold from the accent, despite the distorted way it sounded through the haze of pain in her head. She squeezed Rose's hand. "Rose . . . there's a lifeboat. It's my brother-in-law. He's an officer. He can help us."
Rose raised her head and turned, shaking Jack. "Jack, Jack . . . there's a boat, Jack . . ."
Violet looked. She hadn't even seen Jack clinging to the edge of the plank where Rose lay. His face was an unearthly silver blue in the moonlight. Violet swallowed. It was obvious to her that he was dead. "Rose . . ." she said, her voice barely a whisper. "Oh God . . ." She slipped into unconsciousness once more.
They rowed back, the bow of the lifeboat cutting the still water until they reached some floating debris. Melody bit her lip and tried not to scream when she saw the bodies among it. All was eerily quiet.
"Be careful with your oars. Don't hit them," Harold warned. He held his flashlight up, searching for signs of life. "Is there anyone alive out there?! Can anyone hear me?!" he called.
Melody was looking down into the dark water when she saw a woman, frozen, with an infant in her arms. "Oh God . . ."
Harold looked down and saw the woman. He gasped. "We waited too long."
Melody lay her hand over his, squeezing. It seemed to strengthen his resolve.
"Keep looking!" he ordered.
They rowed carefully through the still water until they heard the sound of a whistle cut through the silence.
"Come about!" called Harold.
Violet could hear Rose crying and gasping. "Come back! Come back!" Rose cried hoarsely.
Violet could barely move. Her head was heavy with the ice that was frozen to her hair. Her eyes felt as though they were frozen shut. She heard Rose tip off the plank and go paddling away. Then she heard a sharp whistling. It was very close by, but seemed a hundred miles away from her.
Harold moved the tiller, turning the boat so they could row back in the direction of the whistle. Soon they reached the source of the sound. Melody gasped. There was a woman in the water, her face blue, ice stuck to her hair. The men held out and oar and she gripped it as best she could. They pulled the woman up and onto the lifeboat.
"My God . . . Rose . . ."
They lay Rose down in the lifeboat. She lay her head back weakly. "Violet . . . Violet's there . . ."
"What?" asked Melody. She took one of Rose's hands and began to try to warm it with hers. It felt like a chunk of ice.
"Your sister . . ."
One of Harold's crew shouted. "There's another woman alive here!"
Melody turned to see them hauling another body into the boat, laying it down. She looked at the woman's face and nearly screamed. "Oh my God, Vi!"
She was at her sister's side in an instant. "Vi!" she cried, wrapping her sister in the blankets the men were passing her while they covered Rose as well. "Vi!"
Violet's eyes fluttered open. "Baby sister . . ."
"It's me, Vi, it's me." She brushed at Violet's hair, knocking off some of the ice.
"Goddamn ice," murmured Violet. "I don't think James made it."
"What about Momma, Vi? What happened to Momma and Richard?"
Violet looked up at her, her eyes sad. She shook her head.
Melody drew in a shaky breath, tears springing to her eyes.
Violet smiled deliriously. "James was so kind to me, Melly."
Melody put her hands on Violet's face, trying to warm her cheeks. She smiled through her tears, fighting to keep calm. "I know he was Violet. He really seemed to like you."
Violet chuckled—it was a strange, crackling sound. "He said I was his . . . favorite girl."
Melody kissed Violet's forehead. "You're my favorite too."
Violet smiled. "I love . . ." Her eyes fell shut, her head tipping to the side. She frowned. "Melly, it's cold. Close the window."
Melody lightly tapped Violet's cheek with her fingers. "Vi, you have to stay awake."
Violet giggled. It was a high-pitched, girlish noise. "Hello, gentlemen. You lonesome tonight?"
Melody's belly clenched with fear. Violet was extremely delirious.
Violet's breath hitched. Her eyes opened slightly and her face twisted in terror. She struggled against the blankets, one bluish hand coming out to claw the air. "Momma! I'm falling! I'M FALLING!" Violet began to sob bitterly.
Melody clutched her sister to her chest. "I'm here, Violet, I'm here! Please don't cry!"
Violet seemed to settle down a bit. She slumped back again, laying her head back. Her eyes fell shut. "Momma . . ." she whispered before she fainted.
Melody held her hand near Violet's mouth and nose. She was continuing to breathe. She felt Violet's throat for a pulse. She was still alive, but very weak. Melody looked up at Harold. He tried to smile reassuringly at her. Melody sat next to Violet and pulled her head onto her lap, cradling it.
"Keep moving!" Harold shouted. He had seen rockets soaring into the air from a distant ship. He ignited a green flare and began to wave it over his head.
They kept rowing, looking for survivors, on and on into the night. Violet seemed to warm up and was sleeping, her face relaxed. They picked up more survivors, but one man was not doing well. Melody knelt next to him, stroking his forehead and trying to keep him awake. "What's your name?" she whispered.
The man coughed. "Douglas." He was young, maybe no more than 21.
"Do you have a family, Douglas?"
"Back home in Ireland, yes." His accent was soft.
"Why did you want to come to America?"
"For work. I was going to bring my wife over when I raised enough money."
"What's your wife's name?"
"Brigid."
"That's a pretty name, Douglas."
He gasped, but didn't answer. Melody kept talking, continuing to stroke his forehead.
"We're heading for another ship, Douglas. It'll be warm there. When we get to New York, we can send your wife a Marconi and let her know you're all right."
His breathing was ragged.
"Tell me about your family, Douglas," said Melody.
His breathing halted, and Melody heard a death rattle deep in his throat. She watched the lights go out behind the young man's eyes. She bit her lip, holding back tears while she gently closed his eyes and pulled a blanket up to cover his face.
When the glow of dawn began to penetrate the darkness, Harold raised the sail on the lifeboat. The sail helped speed their progress and soon they drew closer to the large ship in the distance.
Melody was sitting with Violet's head on her lap and one hand on Rose's forehead. The two girls were already feeling much warmer. Melody cried silently, mourning her parents. Melody looked up at the huge ship as they approached. The name CARPATHIA was emblazoned over the stern.
Members of the crew helped them get Rose and Violet up onto Carpathia's deck, where they were immediately rushed to a makeshift hospital ward. Melody started in the direction where they carried Violet, but a woman stopped her. "No, Miss. There are two many people going down there right now. Please stay on deck. Someone will come fetch you soon."
"But that's my sister . . ."
Harold came up and put his arms around her. "Melody, it'll be all right. Violet will be all right." He kissed her temple. He placed a cup of hot tea in her hand. "Come on, it will be fine."
Melody put her free arm around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. She sobbed bitterly, wondering if she'd ever be able to stop.
A nurse rolled back the privacy screen, allowing Melody and Harold to enter. Violet lay on a cot, shrouded in blankets. She looked up at them through weary eyes. "Hey, baby sister. I'm back from the dead," she proclaimed proudly.
Melody lost it. She swooped down and threw her arms around Violet. She sobbed into Violet's auburn hair, which hung loose around her head. She was still wearing her onyx drop earrings—somehow they'd stayed in her ears through her entire ordeal. She lay a puffy red hand on Melody's back. "Hey . . . Melly, I'm all right. I'm gonna be all right."
Harold bit his lip, finding it difficult to hold back his tears. Violet noticed.
"Oh, not you too!" she said, her voice husky. She waved Harold over. "Get your pretty little ass over here. My sister shouldn't be gettin' all the attention."
Harold smiled and went to Violet, hugging her. Violet looked at him, her eyes hard and serious. "Thank you," she whispered. "You took care of my sister and saved my life. Thank you for everything. I love you."
Harold smiled weakly. "I love you too."
Violet's usual impish smirk came back over her face. "I always wanted a brother, but I gotta say I'm disappointed. Just get a load a' him, Melly! Prettiest man on Titanic and my little sister married him. Guess I ain't gotta chance to bag you now, do I Harold?"
Melody sat up with a jolt. "VI!" she screeched.
Violet and Harold laughed together. "I guess you're feeling better then, aren't you Violet?" asked Harold. Violet only winked at him.
Melody rolled her eyes, but she smiled and tousled Violet's hair. "Vi, you're crazier than a shithouse rat, but I love you."
Violet smiled, reaching out to stroke Melody's cheek. "I love you too, baby sister. Now, can you do me a favor?"
"Anything, Vi."
"Take that pretty husband of yours and get the hell outta here so I can sleep? I'm exhausted."
Melody laughed. "All right, Vi, all right. I'll come check on you later."
They left, leaving Violet to settle down in her nest of blankets. She gripped Meemaw's black lacquered comb in one hand. It was now her touchstone.
The nurse slid the screen back. Melody grinned at her. "You better watch her," she said to the nurse. "She's fulla piss and vinegar."
Harold laughed. "What does that mean?"
Melody smiled sadly. "Just something Richard used to say about Momma."
All was quiet aboard Carpathia, save the droning of her engines. Melody lay next to Harold in the low lamplight of the small, spare stateroom they'd been given. It had a decent-sized bed in it, so to them it seemed better than the most luxurious suite on Titanic. They had undressed and climbed into it, and Harold had fallen deeply asleep immediately. It was early evening, and Carpathia had been enroute to New York since nearly 9am that morning. Harold had been busy all day, meeting with Titanic's remaining crew and performing various tasks after they went to see Violet. His eyes were dark and his face haggard. Melody was glad to see him so peaceful in repose.
She herself could not fall asleep. She was haunted by the screams from Titanic's passengers, the faces of the frozen dead. She thought of Constanza and Richard, of how they must have died terrified and freezing. Soon she found herself trembling, tears forming and threatening to spill over.
Harold stirred and opened his eyes. He reached out and turned her face so she had to look at him. The light from the dim lamp illuminated his dark eyes, which were soft and sympathetic. He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips, stroking her hair. Melody leaned her forehead against his, her hot tears dripping onto his shoulder. He pulled her close and leaned over to turn off the lamp.
They made love wordlessly in the dark. Melody kissed Harold's shoulder and held him close. The entire act was sweet and loving, but Melody still felt tears slipping down her cheeks. When it was over, Melody lay with her back to Harold, his arms tightly around her. He fell back into a deep sleep, but his arms never left her. Melody closed her eyes, her face buried in a pillow. And she cried, alone and to herself.
Author's notes: It ain't over yet, kids. I just need to finish up the epilogue. Hopefully it'll be up soon.