*Ten*

Discoveries and Anger

Teary eyed, Zipper made her way down to where the steerage party was going down. She slowly made her way down the steps. The foul smell of smoke and beer filled the room.

Gaelic Storm played an upbeat tune. She smiled, remembering the film. Only in the film this scene made her smile. Made her wish to be here. Now that she was, all she could think of was Officer Lowe's betrayal.

"Hey, the unlikely one again!" Tommy Ryan said, obviously a little drunk. He stumbled over a man, who was kneeling on the floor.

"Hi, Tommy." She said, trying to cheer up.

"Zipper!" A man said, rushing over to her. She was quickly taken in an embrace by Jack. He hugged her tightly. "Glad you showed up. Come on." He pulled her into the crowd. Rose was now arm-wrestling with a Swedish man.

She slammed his arm to the table. "Ha! I won again." Rose said proudly. She rewarded herself with a big gulp of beer. She had a hand-rolled cigarette in the other hand.

"Zipper. Whoo. Welcome!" Obviously Rose was getting tipsy as well. Zipper had to laugh at all this.

Jack still stood at her side. She quickly explained everything to Jack, who relayed it to Rose. They were completely Shocked to hear about the break-up. Everyone would be.

A little girl tugged on her hand. Looking at the expensive diamond bracelet on her wrist. She recognized the cute little girl as Cora.

"You like it?" Zipper asked.

Cora smiled, that adorable little smile. Then nodded her head.

Zipper removed the bracelet and fastened it around Cora's small wrist. It hung loosely but she was pretty sure it wouldn't fall off. "Why don't you hang on to it for a while." She of course had every intention of letting Cora keep it for the rest of her short life.

The realization hit again. The iceberg, tomorrow night. Zipper started to hate these panic attacks, why couldn't she just forget it was going to happen. And live happily like these people.

Of course her happiness ended with Lowe. She was looking forward to the marriage. She even had the dress and jewelry ready. Now there would be no point.

She looked at Rose, should she tell her about Cal and her. No, she quickly decided. She didn't want to ruin Cal's reputation. After all it was only thanks to him, that she had learned about Lowe. And had not jumped into a big mistake.

She clapped her hands as Jack and Rose spun around the dance floor. Laughing hysterically. She knew they were in love. Even if they didn't know it yet. Of course, deep in their hearts, they did know. Everyone knew. People could see it in the way they looked at each other.

Zipper picked up a mug of beer, and drank it down quickly. It helped to calm her nerves, almost immediately.

A chain started around the room. Helga grabbed Fabri. Fabri grabbed Rose. Rose grabbed Jack's hand. Then Jack grabbed Zipper's. Even though she didn't feel like dancing, or having fun.

A woman came rushing over to her. She quickly recognized her. Anger overcame her again. She pulled away from Jack, to face the woman.

"What?!" She snapped, the woman hadn't even spoke yet.

"Miss. I think we really need to talk." The woman said. "My name is Kayla."

"Like I care?" She spat back.

"Please. You have to understand something."

"Did Lowe send you?" She questioned. Jack and Rose now stood directly behind her. After hearing her yelling at the third-class woman.

"No. I didn't even know his name, until a few minutes ago."

Zipper scoffed. "Well that's nice."

"No, it's not like it seems. Please, Miss, Just come listen to me." Kayla said.

Frustrated she turned to Rose and Jack, to see what they thought.

They nodded, saying go listen.

Zipper let out an exasperated sigh, and led the women upstairs. To where they could talk in private.

The sounds of Gaelic Storm still echoed into the corridor.

"Well?" Zipper rudely asked,

"Okay. I know you broke up with your fiancé because of me. I have to make this right." Kayla started.

"Then you shouldn't have started something." Zipper spat back. Not wanting to listen to her story.

"Miss. Forgive me. I know your higher in society, and you don't want to listen to the poor people."

"Oh, stop with that. I don't care about class." Zipper said. "I care about someone taking my fiancé away. No matter what class they are in."

"But, I didn't ma'am. You have to understand your fiancé is a ship's officer… he's going to help passengers."

"Help them what?" She paused. "Wait. I don't think I want to know."

"Ma'am, if you'd just let me explain." Kayla calmly said.

"Fine. Explain." Zipper said through gritted teeth.

"Thank you, Miss." Kayla said. "Okay, there was this man. From your class. Maybe you know him. I don't know, but he came to me. He stopped me in the hall in front of my cabin. He handed me one-hundred dollars, and asked if I'd do him a favor. Of course I said yes, because I am a widow mother of two."

Zipper stood, half listening. She figured it was all a lie. "Well, go on!" She snapped.

"He asked me to go to the deck. And ask the officer to help me look over the rail to the bottom of the ship. I didn't know why. But, he told me he would appreciate it more than I could ever know. So I did it. I went to the rail. And your fiancé was the one on watch. He helped me look over, then I slipped. So he grabbed me and we started laughing. It turns out he found a lot of my jokes funny as well. I try to be funny and carefree. So we talked a long while. And that's all there is to it." Kayla finished.

"So you didn't even know officer Lowe?" Zipper asked.

Kayla shook her head. "I had never seen him before in my life."

Zipper thought about it a moment. "Well, thank you for that vivid story. But I'm afraid it doesn't excuse anything. I don't know you. How can I believe you?"

"Then don't. I was simply making money to support my family. When I heard the mess I had made. I wanted to straighten it up. But seeing as you won't believe me. I guess you never really loved him anyway. Or you would look for a way to trust him." Kayla said her piece, then walked away.

Zipper felt bad about being so rude to her. The first-class society must have really been getting to her. Normally she never felt better than anyone else. But at that moment, she did. Except she was regretting it greatly.

Rose emerged behind her. "Are you okay?" She asked in a soft voice. As a sister would.

"Hmm. Fine."

"What are you going to do?" Jack asked, stepping out of the steerage party saloon door.

"Nothing." Zipper said. She looked back at each of them, as they stared at her hard. They knew she was making a mistake. Jack had met Officer Lowe. He seemed like a very caring person. Rose, had not yet met the officer. But she had heard a lot about him.

"See you in church tomorrow." She said to Rose.

"Okay." Rose said, but the word was barely audible it was spoken so low.

"And Jack. I'll see you tomorrow night." She was meaning in the wreck. But Jack was still clueless as to this. So he figured she'd merely visit.

She walked away from them. Heading back up to first-class. She just wanted to go to sleep. And forget everything that had happened that day. She had become engaged and single in the same day. He had only just proposed that morning.

She raced to the lifts. The man standing there smiled politely as they entered the lift.

"B-Deck" She managed to say. Though she was thoroughly upset and confused. She needed sleep. That would make her feel a lot better. Of that she was sure.

She arrived on her deck, and swiftly walked to her room. She spotted Ruth walking down the hall with the Countess of Rothes. She averted her eyes from her. Not wanting to deal with her right then.

She pushed open the door to her staterooms. Frank sat in his chair, just as she had left him. Coffee in hand again.

"Miss. Rosenberg." He greeted.

She nodded. Not wanting to make conversation, only wanting to go to sleep. The alcohol was also taking affect now. She was feeling woozy.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Fine." She swallowed back the urge to throw up the beer.

"I trust things are back to normal with the officer?" He asked.

She quickly turned to him. "Why, sir? Why would it be any different now, than it was an hour ago?"

"Because I found out what really happened. Didn't Kayla come to speak to you?" He asked. Leaning forward.

At this, shock overcame her. She stepped forward. "What? You know that steerage woman?"

He nodded. "On my way back from the Marconi operators earlier. I spotted Lowe and Kayla. I heard everything. I watched. Because I care about you deeply. Lowe did nothing of course. So when you said the engagement was off. I couldn't possibly think of a way you'd leave such a gentleman. So while you were out. After you had spoken with him, obviously. I visited him. He was deeply upset. He told me what you had accused him of. Believe me Michaela, he didn't do anything with Kayla. I was there. That's why I sought her out, and told her to speak to you. What did she say to you?" He asked.

Zipper placed a hand on the arm of the divan. Trying to support herself. She couldn't believe it. It hit her hard. She broke up with the man she loved, because of a stupid misunderstanding.

"She- uh- she- said- she was paid off by an upperclassman….to look over the ship with Lowe. Making him hold her… he paid her a hundred dollars…" She could barely speak. She felt like such a fool. Then she realized something she had missed. "She said I may be friends with him… Oh my God…"

"What? Michaela, what is it?" Frank asked standing now.

"Cal…" She looked up at him. Tears starting to form in her eyes.

Instantly Frank reached for his concealed gun. "What did he do?"

"No. No. Nothing like that." She started to feel sick again. This time it wasn't the alcohol. "Oh my God. What have I done?" She flopped down on the divan.

She looked up at Frank. He looked at her puzzled. She started to cried. Burying her head in her hands. Frank sat beside her.

"What's wrong? You can make up with Officer Lowe. He's just really confused, as to why you wouldn't let him speak earlier."

"It's not that." She sobbed. Her voice was barely audible to Frank. He took her by the shoulders and made her sit up straight. She couldn't look at him.

"What? Michaela, if it's not Lowe then what?" He asked.

"I did something awful." She cried. She bit her lip trying to stop the tears.

He stared at her. She had always told him everything. He was her guard. He loved her like he would his own. "What did you do?" He asked sternly. He made her turn her eyes to him.

"I- I- slept…" Her voice caught in her throat. Another sob escaped her throat.

Frank continued to look into her waiting for her to finish saying what he had suspected.

"I slept with Cal. Oh my God." She cried again. She buried her head into his coat.

"Did he force you?" Frank asked seriously. He could feel her shake her head 'no', even though she didn't say a word.

"I did that to Harold, and he hadn't even done a damn thing to me. We were both set up. All he wants is my money." She cried, referring to Cal.

"It's alright." He tried to comfort her. Though, he was a bit disappointed in her actions.

She felt really sick. She ran to their private bath, and threw up in the toilet. Not a very lady-like thing to do. But, she couldn't help it. She sat on the floor a moment. Frank didn't bother to come to the bathroom to check on her. She knew it would pass. He was only glad she was regretting her actions with Hockley.

He wasn't very fond of Mr. Hockley. He hadn't been since the day he had met him.

Zipper reached over and turned on the hot water to the bathtub. Grateful she was in first class, and had running water. She stripped off her dinner gown, and tossed it into the trash can. That dress held nothing but bad memories now. He had removed it from her body. After he took her love from her.

She knew she'd be too embarrassed to go back to Lowe. She had betrayed him. How could he ever want her back. She couldn't lie about it, and say it never happened. What if he would find out later? Then again, what if she dies tomorrow night, and he never knows she actually loves him. Her mind was plagued. She was torn between decisions.

She climbed into the water, instantly feeling better. She took the sponge and cleansed herself. The soap and water washing away at the memories of him. She wanted to reverse what had happened. But she knew she couldn't. She hated herself, for what she had done.

After her bath. She felt a lot better. She didn't feel dirty now. Only angry. She grabbed one of her bathrobes from the back of the door. She tied it at her waste.

She reentered the sitting room. "Are you okay now, Miss. Rosenberg?" Frank asked.

"Yes, I just have something I need to do." She said.

She went to her room to dress more properly. She quickly put on a black corset. With the help of Missy. Who had heard everything, but knew not to tell a soul.

She got dressed in a fine black dress. Very beautiful. Her hair was still wet from the bath. So she didn't tie it up. But what did it matter?

She left her room as quickly as she had come in. She stormed out of the suite, and down the hall to rooms B-52/54/56. She burst through the door, knowing Ruth was not back yet. When she went to tea. They usually ended up gossiping for hours.

She raced over to Cal's door. Of course she knew which one it was from the movie. She pounded her fist on the door.

"Lovejoy?" He asked from inside. Finally he opened the door. "Michaela?"

"Miss. Rosenberg to you, Mr. Hockley." She said, anger filling her every word.

She shoved him back into his room. "What's gotten into you?" He asked in an angry tone.

"How could you do that?!" She demanded.

"What?" He asked. He knew she must have found out. But he tried to make it sound as though he was innocent.

"You ruined my engagement!"

"Lowe did that himself!" His voice was just as loud as hers.

"You set him up! Why Cal? Why?" She demanded. No tears were there now. Just a pure hatred.

"I needed a back-up plan." He smiled.

"Couldn't a friendship be enough? You want my money? Hell, I don't care about money! I care about Love, and I love Officer Lowe. You took advantage of me. Now, please, Mr. Hockley, tell me what you hoped to accomplish in making love to me?" She demanded.

"I had to ensure the plan." He said honestly. Knowing she wouldn't tell a soul of any of it. If she did, he could easily ruin Officer Lowe's career for life.

"You made love to me, yet you feel nothing for me. Only my money. That's pretty screwed up." She slipped back into her old self.

"Hey, you wanted it, remember." He smiled smugly.

"You unimaginable bastard." She said softly. She knew Rose would say it, but it was the only words to describe him.

"Come on wouldn't you rather be the wife of a millionaire, than a nobody sailor, Who probably won't even be Captain of his own ship. He's fifth in line. He's got a lot of work. Come on, honestly. You don't want that." He said.

She violently slapped him across the face with all her strength.

He looked at her stunned.

"Fine go to him. I was only trying to do you a favor." He said.

She knew that was a lie. She opened her mouth to speak more. Then she remembered the Stock Crash of 1929. He would get his soon enough.

She turned and walked away. He laughed a bit. "You're being a fool, Miss. Rosenberg. You'll end up being sorry for turning me down."

She walked the halls, until well after midnight. Several night stewards tried to get her to go back to her cabin. But she couldn't. She needed to walk and think. Get some anger out. Now she knew why everyone hated Cal in the future. How could she have been so blind

'Now Lowe will never want me back. He'll think I'm a slut.' She thought to herself as she continued to walk alone.

Just as Lowe walked outside, alone. Hoping that Frank could get everything straightened out. He wanted to talk to her. 'Maybe she's still angry. What if she never listens?' He silently questioned himself.

Inside, Zipper continued to feel bad. She regretted it deeply. She regretted ever befriending Cal.

"If he loves me." She spoke aloud, but to herself. No one was in the halls. "Then he'll forgive me."

Then and there she decided to go talk to Officer Lowe. She had to tell him. Tell him everything.