He was before the fireplace, gazing at the painting that graced the
mantle, "Approach to the New World". It was a new world he would never
again truly see. What his thoughts and feelings were during those last
minutes, no one can guess with any certainty. Great sorrow, perhaps regret,
or a sense of futility? Could he possibly have foreseen--as depicted in the
musical--that Titanic would signal the figurative approach of a new world,
one that would see more and more over the next few decades the darker side
of the technology that was continuing to change the world, that had
contributed to the creation of Titanic herself?
"Thomas.."
Thomas seem to have come back to the real world when he saw me. "Elizabeth? I'm sorry that I didn't build you a stronger ship, my little Elizabeth. ."
"yes.oh dad! That doesn't matter! It's a true wonder! No one will ever beat it.but yet..everything that goes up has to go down right?" I said nearly crying as I ran into his arms and hugged him.
Edmond stood by the entrance of the smoking room.
"I suppose so.but I'm so sorry.I really am."
"you don't know how much time.I have been looking for you.what I been through.and what it nearly caused me."
Thomas looked at her disappointed. "I have been looking for you as well! Lowe told me you didn't want to get on a lifeboat! Why didn't you?"
"because I wanted to be with you dad! I didn't want to leave you. It's horrible how they are treating the people in the lowerdecks."
"lowerdecks?"
"yes." I said still hugging him. "they won't let them past.telling them lies.tortures.they are probably dead by now."
I started to cry.
Then he noticed I was dripping wet.
"Elizabeth..you're wet."
"there are reasons because of that.but please.dad don't leave me."
"but you must get on a lifeboat."
"no!" I said turning to him. "dad..I love you."
Thomas then looked at noticing I didn't call him 'Thomas'.
He looked at me. Nearly crying. "I love you too."
I smiled. "I have an idea.let's pretend the boat isn't sinking right?" I was still crying.
I went and took two cup and took a bottle of wine. I put them down serving. They seem to silde out the table. I picked them up and put the wine bottle down on the floor.
"no matter."
Thomas tried to explain. "but Elizabeth try to."
"to us right?" I said doing a toast.
We gently bumped our cups togather and I drank the whole wine down since I was real nervous.
Thomas drank a bit. "Elizabeth..you don't understand.."
"don't understand what?" I said. "come let's talk like if.like if it was any day.oh and forget about the Lowe thing come on.did you know why we bump cups together in a toast?"
Thomas looked down. "I don't know.why?"
"because well all the senses have to be invloved.we smell the drink.we see it's color.we feel the glass cup and we taste it's flavor.but there's no sound so we.bump it." I said laughing.
Thomas looked at me and laughed a bit too.
"so tell me how's it been oh and I seen you walk around the ship making some adjustments.how have they been?"
Thomas lowered the cup about to answer as if nothing was happening when he notice what is really happening. "Elizabeth please! Get into a boat! You can't pretend.it will kill me to know that I didn't do anything to help you!"
I poured another cup full. "oh don't be silly Thomas." I drank half of it this time.
He grabbed my arm. "are you mad?! Get into a boat now!"
"Get on with me then Thomas."
"no!" He turned around and looked at me. "Women and children first! You clearly know that only half of the passengers are going to make so---"
"SO LET THEM BE SAVED! I'M NOT AFRAID TO DIE! I AM NOT WORTH IT!"
Thomas got mad and shouted slamming the cup on the floor. He came and grabbed me by both sides of my shoulders. "YES YOU ARE WORTH IT! I BETTER NOT HEAR THAT COME FROM YOUR MOUTH EVER AGAIN.YOU HEAR ME!!! EVER AGAIN!!!"
I looked at him nodding and hugged him. "Dad..please. I've lost almost everyone important in my life.I lost my dad..then I lost my mom.now I'm going to miss..you.remember? the one thing that will truly hurt me was.if I lost you."
He looked at me crying. "my little Elizabeth.." He kissed me on the cheek. "you must go."
"not without you I won't." I said crying.
"but you're going to get married. you're going to live a good life.you'll get to see the new world.it's a dream come true."
"but a true nightmare if you're not there.it was my dream to be there with you and Lowe."
"My lil' Elizabeth.you're so young.please. it was a birthday gift and as I brithday gift I---"
When Danny came rushing in. "Elizabeth! There you are! The lifeboats are almost gone.and.who's this?"
"this.is my father."
Danny smiled. "great! Hello I'm Danny. I'm Elizabeth's friend."
"oh.." Thomas said smiling. "nice to meet you
Thomas looked at her. "go Elizabeth now!"
"no I would die!"
Then Edmond seem to understand and ran up to me. "nooo!!!
I turned around. "Edmond? But---why are you not on a lifeboat."
"because.you weft."
I looked at him. "you.understood me?"
Edmond looked down. "yes."
Thomas looked at me. "like you want him to get on a lifeboat.so do you."
I ran up to him and hugged him. "no thomas."
Danny sighed. "come on Elizabeth we have to go!!!"
I grabbed on to his suit. "no!" I said while crying.
Danny picked me up from the back. "come on."
"NO!!!!! DAD!!!!" I kept holding on to him but he pulled my hand away.
"no dad please no!!!!" I held his hand and when we let go.
"Dad!!!!!!! Please no!!!!! Dad!!! No!! no!! daddy!!!!!"
Thomas was crying and whispered. "I'm so sorry."
"daddy don't ever leave me!!!!! Daddy!!!!!!!!! DAD!!!!"
Thomas turned away crying. When he saw something.
We went outside the smoking room. I kept screaming. "THOMAS!!!!!!! DAD!!!! PLEASE DAD NO!!!!!"
When I heard a yell. "Elizabeth!!!!!"
I stop shouting and saw Thomas. I ran up to him and he hugged me picking me up.
"Please dad don't ever leave me.." I said crying.
Thomas looked at my face crying. "I never will."
He put me down and gave me the doll. "Never.."
I took the doll.
"Please go to the lifeboats.save yourself.and don't ever forget me."
I nodded still crying. "I promise."
He hugged me. "I love you.."
I smiled this time a true smile, no fake one no emotionla one.. a true one. "I love you as well daddy.."
He looked at me. "A real smile.I finally see you smile.the smile I have not seen in you in 10 years."
"what you call this smile."
"I call it.sunshine smile."
He gave me a lifebelt. "here.good luck.."
"and..to you." I kept crying.
I hugged him.and that was the last time I ever saw him.
As Danny pulled me away I kept looking at him.
I mouthed. "dad.." But nothing came out. This time for real.I have lost.my dad.and I don't mean the one who left me.I mean my true dad.Thomas Andrews.
"Guess what?" A little girl said.
All the 7 boys that were there looked at the young girl. "what?"
"Thomas is here! My uncle is here!"
"yeah so?"
"yeah so what? He's here!" The little girl ran. "Thomas!!!"
Thomas looking younger turned and saw as a 4 year old girl ran to his arms. He hugged her picking her up. "oh it's my little girl.my little..Elizabeth."
"a bracelet.it's beautiful." I tried to put it on but he helped me.
"Well I made a promise with my wife that when I gave her this it will go on and on from daughter to daughter . and well we never had children or and you're the person that comes closest to a daughter and."
I stopped him by putting my hand on top of his. I smiled looking at him. "Thomas.. Dad. I don't come close to a daughter. I.I am your daughter." I said smiling.
Thomas looked at me. He hugged me. "oh my little girl..my little Elizabeth."
As Thomas saw the one love of his life.his daughter walk off he whispered.
"good bye.my little girl..my little..Elizabeth."
As I looked back as the one important person in my life will leave my life for real. I whispered. "good bye Thomas.good bye.Dad."
"Thomas.."
Thomas seem to have come back to the real world when he saw me. "Elizabeth? I'm sorry that I didn't build you a stronger ship, my little Elizabeth. ."
"yes.oh dad! That doesn't matter! It's a true wonder! No one will ever beat it.but yet..everything that goes up has to go down right?" I said nearly crying as I ran into his arms and hugged him.
Edmond stood by the entrance of the smoking room.
"I suppose so.but I'm so sorry.I really am."
"you don't know how much time.I have been looking for you.what I been through.and what it nearly caused me."
Thomas looked at her disappointed. "I have been looking for you as well! Lowe told me you didn't want to get on a lifeboat! Why didn't you?"
"because I wanted to be with you dad! I didn't want to leave you. It's horrible how they are treating the people in the lowerdecks."
"lowerdecks?"
"yes." I said still hugging him. "they won't let them past.telling them lies.tortures.they are probably dead by now."
I started to cry.
Then he noticed I was dripping wet.
"Elizabeth..you're wet."
"there are reasons because of that.but please.dad don't leave me."
"but you must get on a lifeboat."
"no!" I said turning to him. "dad..I love you."
Thomas then looked at noticing I didn't call him 'Thomas'.
He looked at me. Nearly crying. "I love you too."
I smiled. "I have an idea.let's pretend the boat isn't sinking right?" I was still crying.
I went and took two cup and took a bottle of wine. I put them down serving. They seem to silde out the table. I picked them up and put the wine bottle down on the floor.
"no matter."
Thomas tried to explain. "but Elizabeth try to."
"to us right?" I said doing a toast.
We gently bumped our cups togather and I drank the whole wine down since I was real nervous.
Thomas drank a bit. "Elizabeth..you don't understand.."
"don't understand what?" I said. "come let's talk like if.like if it was any day.oh and forget about the Lowe thing come on.did you know why we bump cups together in a toast?"
Thomas looked down. "I don't know.why?"
"because well all the senses have to be invloved.we smell the drink.we see it's color.we feel the glass cup and we taste it's flavor.but there's no sound so we.bump it." I said laughing.
Thomas looked at me and laughed a bit too.
"so tell me how's it been oh and I seen you walk around the ship making some adjustments.how have they been?"
Thomas lowered the cup about to answer as if nothing was happening when he notice what is really happening. "Elizabeth please! Get into a boat! You can't pretend.it will kill me to know that I didn't do anything to help you!"
I poured another cup full. "oh don't be silly Thomas." I drank half of it this time.
He grabbed my arm. "are you mad?! Get into a boat now!"
"Get on with me then Thomas."
"no!" He turned around and looked at me. "Women and children first! You clearly know that only half of the passengers are going to make so---"
"SO LET THEM BE SAVED! I'M NOT AFRAID TO DIE! I AM NOT WORTH IT!"
Thomas got mad and shouted slamming the cup on the floor. He came and grabbed me by both sides of my shoulders. "YES YOU ARE WORTH IT! I BETTER NOT HEAR THAT COME FROM YOUR MOUTH EVER AGAIN.YOU HEAR ME!!! EVER AGAIN!!!"
I looked at him nodding and hugged him. "Dad..please. I've lost almost everyone important in my life.I lost my dad..then I lost my mom.now I'm going to miss..you.remember? the one thing that will truly hurt me was.if I lost you."
He looked at me crying. "my little Elizabeth.." He kissed me on the cheek. "you must go."
"not without you I won't." I said crying.
"but you're going to get married. you're going to live a good life.you'll get to see the new world.it's a dream come true."
"but a true nightmare if you're not there.it was my dream to be there with you and Lowe."
"My lil' Elizabeth.you're so young.please. it was a birthday gift and as I brithday gift I---"
When Danny came rushing in. "Elizabeth! There you are! The lifeboats are almost gone.and.who's this?"
"this.is my father."
Danny smiled. "great! Hello I'm Danny. I'm Elizabeth's friend."
"oh.." Thomas said smiling. "nice to meet you
Thomas looked at her. "go Elizabeth now!"
"no I would die!"
Then Edmond seem to understand and ran up to me. "nooo!!!
I turned around. "Edmond? But---why are you not on a lifeboat."
"because.you weft."
I looked at him. "you.understood me?"
Edmond looked down. "yes."
Thomas looked at me. "like you want him to get on a lifeboat.so do you."
I ran up to him and hugged him. "no thomas."
Danny sighed. "come on Elizabeth we have to go!!!"
I grabbed on to his suit. "no!" I said while crying.
Danny picked me up from the back. "come on."
"NO!!!!! DAD!!!!" I kept holding on to him but he pulled my hand away.
"no dad please no!!!!" I held his hand and when we let go.
"Dad!!!!!!! Please no!!!!! Dad!!! No!! no!! daddy!!!!!"
Thomas was crying and whispered. "I'm so sorry."
"daddy don't ever leave me!!!!! Daddy!!!!!!!!! DAD!!!!"
Thomas turned away crying. When he saw something.
We went outside the smoking room. I kept screaming. "THOMAS!!!!!!! DAD!!!! PLEASE DAD NO!!!!!"
When I heard a yell. "Elizabeth!!!!!"
I stop shouting and saw Thomas. I ran up to him and he hugged me picking me up.
"Please dad don't ever leave me.." I said crying.
Thomas looked at my face crying. "I never will."
He put me down and gave me the doll. "Never.."
I took the doll.
"Please go to the lifeboats.save yourself.and don't ever forget me."
I nodded still crying. "I promise."
He hugged me. "I love you.."
I smiled this time a true smile, no fake one no emotionla one.. a true one. "I love you as well daddy.."
He looked at me. "A real smile.I finally see you smile.the smile I have not seen in you in 10 years."
"what you call this smile."
"I call it.sunshine smile."
He gave me a lifebelt. "here.good luck.."
"and..to you." I kept crying.
I hugged him.and that was the last time I ever saw him.
As Danny pulled me away I kept looking at him.
I mouthed. "dad.." But nothing came out. This time for real.I have lost.my dad.and I don't mean the one who left me.I mean my true dad.Thomas Andrews.
"Guess what?" A little girl said.
All the 7 boys that were there looked at the young girl. "what?"
"Thomas is here! My uncle is here!"
"yeah so?"
"yeah so what? He's here!" The little girl ran. "Thomas!!!"
Thomas looking younger turned and saw as a 4 year old girl ran to his arms. He hugged her picking her up. "oh it's my little girl.my little..Elizabeth."
"a bracelet.it's beautiful." I tried to put it on but he helped me.
"Well I made a promise with my wife that when I gave her this it will go on and on from daughter to daughter . and well we never had children or and you're the person that comes closest to a daughter and."
I stopped him by putting my hand on top of his. I smiled looking at him. "Thomas.. Dad. I don't come close to a daughter. I.I am your daughter." I said smiling.
Thomas looked at me. He hugged me. "oh my little girl..my little Elizabeth."
As Thomas saw the one love of his life.his daughter walk off he whispered.
"good bye.my little girl..my little..Elizabeth."
As I looked back as the one important person in my life will leave my life for real. I whispered. "good bye Thomas.good bye.Dad."