April 12

Atlantic Ocean

Late evening

Thoughtful, I was returning from my evening rounds. On the boat deck, I heard the sound of hockey sticks. Surprised, I went to see who was playing. At home in Los Angeles, I myself loved to play roller hockey when I was a teenager.

Three young guys from the first class played. Instead of a goal, there were two glass bottles on the sides and instead of a puck there was a tennis ball. One tall, strong guy stood at the gate, while the other two quickly tried to score a goal.

I also wanted to play, so came over to say hello.

"Good evening gentlemen!"

"Good evening!" The guys stopped the game and greeted me in unison.

"Are we disturbing anyone here?" Asked the oldest of them who was around 25 years old.

I recognized the second guy right away. It was 17-year-old Jack Thayer. My father showed me a photo and said that he was one of the prototypes for Jack Dawson, in the 1997 film.

"No, you are not disturbing anyone. All the passengers are at dinner anyway." I replied.

"Do you want to join us, Mr…?" Asked the oldest guy.

"Henry Wilde. Chief Officer" I replied "Perhaps yes. I want to try".

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself and my friends. I'm Quigg Baxter and these are my friends Charles Fortune and Jack Thayer".

We shook hands. I threw my officer's jacket and cap on the deck chair.

"Have you ever played hockey, Henry?" Quigg gave me his stick.

"A little bit" I answered evasively.

"Then go ahead! I'm afraid you don't stand a chance against Charles. He is an excellent goalkeeper." Smiled Quigg Baxter.

We played hard for about an hour. I didn't concede a single goal. People began to appear on the boat deck, deciding to take a walk after dinner before going to bed. And we continued to play. I haven't been this happy and carefree in a long time.

At some point, Jack hit the ball too hard. The ball flew over me and fell behind.

"Good evening, Henry!" I heard Dorothy's gentle, beautiful voice behind me.

"What are you playing at, boys?"

"Bandy, Miss Gibson" Quigg replied with a smile.

"Yeah. There no ice here on the deck. Nevertheless, we decided to entertain ourselves" Charles confirmed.

"Can I join you?" Salon conversations are very boring.

"Sure, no problem. Here you are" I gave a stick to Dorothy "Try to send the ball into the goal."

Dorothy held the stick in a funny and clumsy way.

"No-no... You should to hold it like this…" With my own hands, I took Dorothy's hands and showed me how to hold the stick correctly "Now just hit with all your might."

Dorothy hit and the ball flew straight into the goal.

"Super!" Dorothy screamed with joy.

"Not too bad for the first time" Quigg agreed.

Quigg, Jack, and Charles looked at each other, then looked at Dorothy and me.

"Ups…smiled Quigg time for the three of us to go to rest in our cabins. This day was too long" said Charles.

"Yes-yes" agreed Jack. 10 p.m. My parents will be worried" Jack looked at his watch.

The guys left us alone. As they left, they smiled enigmatically.

"How was your evening, Dorothy?"

"Nothing interesting. Just endless conversations, conversations…high society, you know"

"I don't know actually. I saw high society only in the first-class of the ships." I smiled putting on my jacket and cap.

"You haven't lost anything." Dorothy laughed.

We went for a walk along the deck.

The sky was cloudless and starry.

"It's getting colder, Henry" Dorothy sighed.

"It will be even much colder. We are approaching the iceberg zone." I replied.

"Do you enjoy spending so much time at sea? It must be very hard"

"Hard, but it's great at the same time. You know... it's like Atlantic is breathing. Here, listen." I nodded.

The ocean is really noisy. Like sighed.

"Really like breathing" Dorothy Agreed.

"The ocean has a different mood every time. Sometimes a hard worker, sometimes completely drunk."

"You speak so poetically, Henry" Dorothy blew on her hands to warm them. "I forgot my gloves in the cabin." She smiled.

"Let me help you" I took her hands and began to breathe warmth on them. "Now better?" Our eyes met.

"Warm…" Replied Dorothy.

I kissed her hands, barely touching by my lips.

"Come on, Dorothy, I'll show you the breath of the ocean" Taking Dorothy by the hand, I led her to the bridge.

"Where are we going, Henry?" She laughed.

"You'll see."

In the wheelhouse were Murdoch and the quartermaster. They politely greeted Dorothy and immediately understanding why we had come, pretended that they needed to go away for a while on a work issue. This was against the rules. But they understood that I needed to arrange my personal life. Moreover, the captain did not see anything and did not know.

I led Dorothy to the ship's steering wheel.

"Want to try? To feel the power"

"Is it really possible?"

"Sure"

Dorothy took the steer wheel. I stood behind her holding my hands over hers. Then very slowly turned steering wheel to the left.

"Feel it?"

"Henry, it's wonderful. Ship in only my hands."

"Yeah…the whole liner for you."

"Seems like we going through the space"

"And are alone in all Universe"

Night, a huge liner going through the darkness of the Atlantic and only the cold northern stars, looking at us with indifferent eyes.

7 bells of the ship's bell interrupted our seclusion.

"11:30" Dorothy said sadly "Too late. Don't want to go. The night is so beautiful."

"And you too" I kissed her ear. Then we heard the footsteps of Murdoch.

"Come on, Dorothy, I'll walk you up the grand staircase"

"Good night, Mr. Murdoch" Dorothy said coquettishly.

Will smiled at us and showed me a heart sign with his fingers as I turned around leaving.