Chapter 2
Rose Dewitt Bukater roamed the decks of the Carpathia, searching for Jack. By now, all of the passengers from Titanic's lifeboats had been unloaded and the survivors had been escorted to their proper designations, decided by class of course. Although one of the Carpathia's officers had promptly tried to escort her to the first class section, Rose had insisted upon being shown to the third class area. The officer just shrugged and led here there. She certainly didn't appear to be of the third class. Rose was so disgusted that after everything that had happened, class segregation still held so much importance. If only one was judged by character rather than wealth, she would be looking for Jack in first class.
Even though she felt like running through the decks shouting for Jack, she must keep a low profile. She was certain that Cal and mother would come looking for her, so she walked the decks in silence. Upon boarding, all passengers were given a warm, dry blanket and Rose kept it wrapped around her shoulders and over her head, disguising her fiery red locks. She would surely be spotted by Cal or mother if she didn't. Rose never failed to turn a head with her luxurious mane. She knew exactly what would happen if they found her, especially if she was with Jack. Cal would think up some new clever scheme to keep them apart, and mother would once again remind her of their "precarious situation".
It was Cal that she feared most. He had finally come across something that money couldn't buy him; Rose's affection. It wouldn't stop him from trying however, on the contrary. He would try even harder and play even dirtier until she either returned to him, or he made her life so miserable that she would regret betraying him for the rest of her life. That is unless Rose Dewitt Bukater ceased to exist, lost at sea. Psychologically speaking, it was true. Rose Dewitt Bukater did die on the Titanic, however she had vanished hours before Titanic had struck the iceberg. She hadn't been seen or heard from after she met Jack Dawson.
Just then, one of the Carpathia's officers approached her. "Can I take your name please, love?", he asked gently.
She was awoken from her daze. Appropriately, she answered, "Dawson. Rose Dawson."
She smiled as the words poured from her lips automatically, then remembered her mission. Jack. She had to find him. Cal might find him too. She walked the decks a little more hurriedly now, frantically searching for him. She began to call for him quietly. He was nowhere to be found. Then, a thought occurred to her. Perhaps he had needed to be taken to the hospital. Of course. She sought out the closest crew member she could find.
"Excuse me sir, I am looking for my husband. Perhaps he was taken to the hospital. Would you be kind enough to show me the way?"
"Certainly ma'am. I can check the lists for you as well. They are incomplete as we speak, but perhaps he has already been accounted for and that will save us some trouble. His name, please?"
"Dawson", she chimed in immediately. "Jack Dawson."
The officer perused the list carefully, then gave a polite frown. "No ma'am I'm sorry, nothing on my list here but that doesn't mean a thing. We've not yet gotten together to compile our lists. Come, I'll lead you to the hospital, I'm sure we will find him there."
Rose nodded in agreement and followed closely behind the officer, pulling the blanket well around her face now and grasping it tightly under her chin. They were going into the heart of the ship and into areas where someone might be around to recognize her. She knew many of the first class passengers and if anyone were to see her, her mother and Cal were sure to be made aware of it.
When the reached the hospital section of the ship, the officer asked her politely to please remain outside while he inquired about her "husband". He asked for a brief description in case if for any reason there was someone unable to answer. And with this information he disappeared into the hospital ward. For the first time, Rose found herself panicking. She was certain that he wasn't among the third class section she had just spent well over an hour searching. Surely he would be looking for her as well and they would have found each other by now. Most likely he had not been in a lifeboat so certainly he had been exposed to the water for a good amount of time. He must be suffering from hypothermia. Of course he was being treated in the hospital. A few moments later, the officer reappeared. The look of pity on his face said it all before he spoke a word. He was not there.
"I'm terrible sorry ma'am but there is no one named Jack Dawson, nor anyone fitting his description. Are you sure you've searched the deck and general rooms thoroughly? We are mighty crowded now, I'm sure you've just missed him. He was on board a lifeboat, yes?"
"No", she responded. "Well, I'm not sure. Maybe". However, Rose was fairly certain that he wasn't. She couldn't imagine that he would take a seat from a woman or a child. Jack was a gentleman.. "Can you tell me sir, was anyone saved from the water?" Her heart was pounding now, not really sure if she wanted to know the answer.
"Why yes ma'am, there were a few but the ones that I am aware of are now in the hospital. I'm sorry ma'am. I"ll keep an eye out for him and check with the other officers and notify you immediately if I find him".
He began to go back to his duties when she shouted after him, "Sir?". He turned and acknowledged her. Her heart was racing so madly she didn't think she could catch her breath to get out her request. "Do you mind if I just have a peek inside for myself. I won't be but a minute, I promise. I just need to see for myself. Please."
He nodded in agreement and opened the door, holding it open for her as she walked inside and scanned the beds for any sign of Jack. She recognized the wireless operator, Harold Bride with both of his feet swathed in bandages, but no one else. He was not there and her heart sank. Suddenly her knees seemed to be made of rubber, the room was spinning and the air seemed to have been vacuumed from it completely. She couldn't breathe. She could not remember what happened next. Perhaps it had all been a dream, for the next thing she did remember was waking up in a bed, wrapped snugly in a soft blanket. It must have merely been the worst nightmare she had ever had.
Rose Dewitt Bukater roamed the decks of the Carpathia, searching for Jack. By now, all of the passengers from Titanic's lifeboats had been unloaded and the survivors had been escorted to their proper designations, decided by class of course. Although one of the Carpathia's officers had promptly tried to escort her to the first class section, Rose had insisted upon being shown to the third class area. The officer just shrugged and led here there. She certainly didn't appear to be of the third class. Rose was so disgusted that after everything that had happened, class segregation still held so much importance. If only one was judged by character rather than wealth, she would be looking for Jack in first class.
Even though she felt like running through the decks shouting for Jack, she must keep a low profile. She was certain that Cal and mother would come looking for her, so she walked the decks in silence. Upon boarding, all passengers were given a warm, dry blanket and Rose kept it wrapped around her shoulders and over her head, disguising her fiery red locks. She would surely be spotted by Cal or mother if she didn't. Rose never failed to turn a head with her luxurious mane. She knew exactly what would happen if they found her, especially if she was with Jack. Cal would think up some new clever scheme to keep them apart, and mother would once again remind her of their "precarious situation".
It was Cal that she feared most. He had finally come across something that money couldn't buy him; Rose's affection. It wouldn't stop him from trying however, on the contrary. He would try even harder and play even dirtier until she either returned to him, or he made her life so miserable that she would regret betraying him for the rest of her life. That is unless Rose Dewitt Bukater ceased to exist, lost at sea. Psychologically speaking, it was true. Rose Dewitt Bukater did die on the Titanic, however she had vanished hours before Titanic had struck the iceberg. She hadn't been seen or heard from after she met Jack Dawson.
Just then, one of the Carpathia's officers approached her. "Can I take your name please, love?", he asked gently.
She was awoken from her daze. Appropriately, she answered, "Dawson. Rose Dawson."
She smiled as the words poured from her lips automatically, then remembered her mission. Jack. She had to find him. Cal might find him too. She walked the decks a little more hurriedly now, frantically searching for him. She began to call for him quietly. He was nowhere to be found. Then, a thought occurred to her. Perhaps he had needed to be taken to the hospital. Of course. She sought out the closest crew member she could find.
"Excuse me sir, I am looking for my husband. Perhaps he was taken to the hospital. Would you be kind enough to show me the way?"
"Certainly ma'am. I can check the lists for you as well. They are incomplete as we speak, but perhaps he has already been accounted for and that will save us some trouble. His name, please?"
"Dawson", she chimed in immediately. "Jack Dawson."
The officer perused the list carefully, then gave a polite frown. "No ma'am I'm sorry, nothing on my list here but that doesn't mean a thing. We've not yet gotten together to compile our lists. Come, I'll lead you to the hospital, I'm sure we will find him there."
Rose nodded in agreement and followed closely behind the officer, pulling the blanket well around her face now and grasping it tightly under her chin. They were going into the heart of the ship and into areas where someone might be around to recognize her. She knew many of the first class passengers and if anyone were to see her, her mother and Cal were sure to be made aware of it.
When the reached the hospital section of the ship, the officer asked her politely to please remain outside while he inquired about her "husband". He asked for a brief description in case if for any reason there was someone unable to answer. And with this information he disappeared into the hospital ward. For the first time, Rose found herself panicking. She was certain that he wasn't among the third class section she had just spent well over an hour searching. Surely he would be looking for her as well and they would have found each other by now. Most likely he had not been in a lifeboat so certainly he had been exposed to the water for a good amount of time. He must be suffering from hypothermia. Of course he was being treated in the hospital. A few moments later, the officer reappeared. The look of pity on his face said it all before he spoke a word. He was not there.
"I'm terrible sorry ma'am but there is no one named Jack Dawson, nor anyone fitting his description. Are you sure you've searched the deck and general rooms thoroughly? We are mighty crowded now, I'm sure you've just missed him. He was on board a lifeboat, yes?"
"No", she responded. "Well, I'm not sure. Maybe". However, Rose was fairly certain that he wasn't. She couldn't imagine that he would take a seat from a woman or a child. Jack was a gentleman.. "Can you tell me sir, was anyone saved from the water?" Her heart was pounding now, not really sure if she wanted to know the answer.
"Why yes ma'am, there were a few but the ones that I am aware of are now in the hospital. I'm sorry ma'am. I"ll keep an eye out for him and check with the other officers and notify you immediately if I find him".
He began to go back to his duties when she shouted after him, "Sir?". He turned and acknowledged her. Her heart was racing so madly she didn't think she could catch her breath to get out her request. "Do you mind if I just have a peek inside for myself. I won't be but a minute, I promise. I just need to see for myself. Please."
He nodded in agreement and opened the door, holding it open for her as she walked inside and scanned the beds for any sign of Jack. She recognized the wireless operator, Harold Bride with both of his feet swathed in bandages, but no one else. He was not there and her heart sank. Suddenly her knees seemed to be made of rubber, the room was spinning and the air seemed to have been vacuumed from it completely. She couldn't breathe. She could not remember what happened next. Perhaps it had all been a dream, for the next thing she did remember was waking up in a bed, wrapped snugly in a soft blanket. It must have merely been the worst nightmare she had ever had.