Author's Note: As promised here's the first character list. The members of the Andrews family are the main characters of the story, so they will not be listed on subsequent chapters. With that said, here is the first character list.

Cast of Characters: The Andrews Family
Thomas Andrews Jr.- we all know him
Helen Reilly Barbour Andrews- Thomas' wife
Elizabeth Andrews (Elba)- Thomas' daughter
The Right Honorable Thomas Andrews- Thomas' father
Eliza Pierre Andrews- Thomas' mother
John Andrews- Thomas' eldest brother
James Andrews- Thomas' brother
William Andrews- Thomas' brother
Eliza Andrews- Thomas' sister

Cast of Characters: Supporting Andrews Family
Mrs. Greer- personal maid of the family

The Decision

Belfast, Northern Ireland
February, 1912

It was a busy time for everyone at Harland and Wolff as the painters and the designers were finishing getting the Titanic ready to take her across the ocean on her maiden voyage. Thomas Andrews was impressed on how the ship was coming along. He had been with the Titanic since she was conceived on a dinner napkin at his Uncle Pierre's home through to the present as she was nearing completion. Thomas never imagined in his wildest dreams he would be supervising the construction of the ship that he labored so hard to bring forth. Indeed shipbuilding was his life and it had been since he was sixteen years old. His life could not have been better. As the sun dipped below the Irish horizon, Thomas gathered the Titanic's blueprints from his office and headed for home.
"Good evening sir." A butler said as he took Thomas' coat from his shoulders.
"Where's Helen?" Thomas inquired.
"The misses is upstairs dressing for dinner. You have been invited to your parent's house this evening." The butler replied. Thomas had completely forgotten the dinner plans at his parent's house this evening. With the completion of Titanic in reach, he seemed to be forgetting the little things at home that needed his tending.
"Thank you Coggins." Thomas answered as he went upstairs to find his wife. As he entered the bedroom, Helen was sitting in front of the large gilded mirror in their room as Paulette put the finishing touches on her elegant hairstyle. As she was fastening the last jeweled barrette in Helen's hair, Thomas approached her and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. "You forgot about the dinner plans this evening didn't you?" Helen asked. "Yes I did," Thomas replied. "I seem to be forgetting a lot these past few months." "You've a lot on your mind my love." Helen said as she dismissed her maid. She stood and faced her husband. Thomas drew her into his arms. Even though designing ships was his life, here in his arms was the true center of his life. Without Helen, he would be nothing.
"Yes I realize that, but I haven't been able to spend much time with you and Elba lately. Titanic has consumed most of my free time and..." Thomas began. Helen put a finger to her husband's lips. "We understand Thomas." Helen replied.
"But..." Thomas began again.
"Hush." Helen stated. He knew there was no point arguing the point further. He always seemed to loose the littlest arguments with his wife. He was so blessed to have her in his life because she always seemed to understand him better than his own family.
"I love you Helen." Thomas stated.
"And I love you too my handsome shipbuilder." Helen answered as she rested her head on Thomas' shoulder.
Within the hour Thomas, Helen, and Elizabeth were in the car heading to his parent's house. Thomas glanced over at Elizabeth.
"You look beautiful Elba. Is that the new dress that I bought you for Christmas?" Thomas asked his daughter.
"Yes daddy it is. I thought I would save it for a special occasion." Elizabeth replied. Elizabeth Andrews was a young girl of twelve. Her father always called her Elba for as long as she could remember. Thomas and Elizabeth had a very close relationship with each other since the day she was born. As a little girl, she would follow her father everywhere. She would always want to be near him at every moment. But now with the new ship, Elizabeth found it hard to spend any true quality time with her father. She understood though that the ships were her father's life and had been since he was a child. He would always tell her stories of the sea and how he dreamed that one day he would build a ship that would float on the majestic waters. Her father was truly a remarkable man and she hoped that when she grew up she could be just like him.
"Hello Thomas." Eliza Andrews said as she greeted her son. She placed a kiss on his cheek. She then proceeded to greet her daughter in law and her granddaughter. Mrs. Andrews ushered everyone into the dining room where the rest of the family was waiting.
"Tommy, how's the ship coming along?" his father asked him as dinner began to get under way. Thomas' father, The Right Honorable Thomas Andrews was a very important man in Northern Ireland, especially where politics and business were concerned.
"She's coming along well father. Everything is right on schedule." Thomas replied.
"With Thomas supervising, you bet everything is bloody on schedule because he'd have it no other way!" John Andrews exclaimed. Thomas cast his elder brother a half smile. They had been best friends since childhood. For a time it was just the two of them until James was born.
"So dear brother, when does this giant of yours take to the sea?" his brother James asked him.
"The maiden voyage is planned for April 10th of this year. She will be sailing from Southampton." Thomas answered.
"Southampton, England. How come from there?" his mother asked as she sipped her wine.
"Mr. Ismay said that he would have an English ship leaving from an Irish port. Since she was financed by an English shipping firm, so Titanic shall be an English ship." Thomas said.
"She'd be nothing than a few piles of steel if it wasn't for you and Uncle Pierre." William Andrews retorted.
"That's the way these big executives operate, Will. You could say us builders and designers are last on the totem pole." Thomas stated.
"Does he give you any credit for your hard labor brother?" Eliza Andrews questioned.
"He does to a point, Liza." Thomas replied.
"Will you have to accompany her on the maiden voyage daddy?" Elizabeth asked.
"No love, just for her trials. I have to make sure that everything is running smoothly when she is delivered into Mr. Ismay's hands. I believe I remember hearing that Uncle Pierre will be going along on the maiden voyage. As one of the executives of Harland and Wolff, it will be his duty to accompany her on her first time across the sea to ensure that she is as fit as we can make her." Thomas answered.
"Uncle Pierre hasn't been well Thomas." Helen replied.
"We are all fully aware of that Helen. None of us at the shipyard want him to go because of his frail health, but you know Uncle Pierre, he'll do what he wants no matter what any of us tells him." Thomas said smiling at his wife. Thomas' mother smiled. Her brother was always the stubborn one on her side of the family. He took after their father, God rest his soul. As dinner concluded and the family moved into the sitting room for after dinner chatter, one of the maids entered the dinning room.
"Excuse the intrusion, but there is a phone call for Mr. Andrews Jr." she stated.
"Who is it Mrs. Greer?" Thomas asked.
"It's Mr. Harland sir. He says it's quite urgent." Mrs. Greer replied.
"Thank you, I'll be there momentarily." Thomas answered.
"You may take it in my study son." His father told him. Thomas walked into his father's study where then Mrs. Greer brought in the telephone and closed the door for some privacy.
"Thomas, we have a situation. Your aunt has just telephoned me and informed me that the doctor had just been over to the house to examine your uncle and there is a bit of a problem." Mr. Harland stated.
"Did my uncle take a turn for the worse?" Thomas questioned.
"Not that your aunt mentioned. However, the doctor told her that traveling with the Titanic in April so soon after pneumonia scare would be out of the question. When I called to inform Mr. Ismay of the situation and suggested that we put the maiden voyage off until your uncle was well enough to accompany the Titanic, he blew an artery! He said that come hell or high water, the Titanic would sail in April no matter what he had to do." Mr. Harland explained.
"So what are you saying?" Thomas questioned.
"Thomas, you will need to be aboard for the voyage in your uncle's stead. Mr. Ismay made it perfectly clear that he wanted someone who knew the Titanic inside and out. Besides your uncle Thomas, you are the only one who knows Titanic like the back of your hand." Mr. Harland stated. There was a bit of a pause as Thomas pondered the situation before him.
"Tell Mr. Ismay that I will sail with the Titanic in place of my uncle. Titanic will sail on time if that is what he so wishes." Thomas replied. He managed to hear a thank you from Mr. Harland on the other end of the line. As he hung up the phone, he could only think of his family and their reaction to the decision that he had just made.