Chapter 4
Rose stirred in the bed, awakening from a short although much needed slumber. She didn't dare open her eyes. She knew that when she did, she would not find the familiar settings of the parlor suite room she had stayed in on the Titanic. As much as she wanted to pretend it had all been a dream, there was an aching in her heart she couldn't ignore. It had all been very real, for she doubted that even in one's worst imaginable nightmare could one feel such a great deal of sorrow. She pulled the blanket up over her head, wishing she could stay underneath it and never have to face reality. "Pull yourself together Rose", she mumbled quietly beneath the covers. She slowly pulled the blanket back down and with a sigh opened her eyes. She looked up towards the ceiling but instead found herself looking into a bed frame. She was in a bottom bunk bed. She glanced to her right and was startled to find a young woman about her age, sitting on another bottom bunk across the room. She gasped in shock.
"I'm sorry to have startled you miss. It's just we've been very worried about you. Are you feeling alright? Would you like a cup of tea or some soup?" The young woman did look genuinely concerned. Rose imagined it was her room she was staying in.
"Thank you, but no." Rose replied. Truth be told she was a little thirsty, but the gut-wrenching feeling in her stomach pleaded with her not to. She was much too upset. The young woman arose from her seat and immediately poured her a glass of water. She sat down on the edge of Rose's bed. Rose propped herself up into sitting position.
"Please miss, I don't mean to be a pest. I can't even begin to imagine what kinds of feelings you are experiencing now", she paused momentarily and gave her a sympathetic smile. "I have strict orders from the doctor to make sure you get some fluids in you as soon as you awoke. Just sip it slowly". She slid the glass into Rose's hand which was shaking so violently she needed to use both hands to steady it. She slowly drew the glass up to her lips and took a small sip, followed by another, then another. She hadn't noticed how dehydrated she'd become. She finished the glass in less than a minute then the young woman had got up to quickly refill it.
"Thank you", Rose replied graciously. "I'm sorry, I'm very confused. How did I get here? Is this your room?"
"Yes it is. You are on the Carpathia and we are headed back to New York. I don't know how much you remember before you fainted. You passed out in the hospital and they couldn't wake you but they determined that you were just very exhausted and overwhelmed and not in need of any medical attention really, just rest. We were all asked to offer our rooms to those in need and it just so happens that we have an extra bunk in here. You kept calling for someone in your sleep".
"Jack?" Rose offered. In her dream, she had been searching for him in the water. She was not in a boat or swimming, but walking on top of the water, her feet sinking down only an inch or so with each step. Just enough to make a splash. When she looked down she discovered she was actually walking on ice, a large sheet of ice that was thinning with each step and the water was washing over the top, creating the illusion of walking on water. She shouted his name continuously, louder and louder each time until she finally spotted him, head and shoulders sticking through a perfectly round hole in the ice. He grew alarmed when he spotted her. "Rose!" he shouted. "Stay where you are, don't come any closer! The ice is too thin here Rose. Go back to the boat where you're safe, you don't belong here!"
"Hold on Jack, I'm coming for you!" she shouted but it was too late. "You can't come with me Rose, you're not supposed to come with me". With that, Jack sank beneath the hole. She dropped to her knees and looked down through the ice. He was underneath her now. He smiled, blew her a kiss and waved goodbye before finally disappearing into the darkness of the sea.. She thought he was gone for good but just as she was about to make her way back to the boat, he resurfaced and called out her name.
"Rose, wait! I'm coming! I'm coming but I can't make this one. You go on. I'll see you in Santa Monica!" All of a sudden, the ice began to break and Rose was stranded on a small chunk of it. First she thought she was going to sink, but all of a sudden slab began to move. The rest of the ice parted and cleared a path for her and the ice carried her safely all the way to the Carpathia.
She suddenly snapped out of her trance. "Yes, I was calling for Jack, my husband. He's missing." The admission sent the wall she had so carefully put up to protect her from the truth tumbling down and she hugged her knees into her chest and sobbed, burying her face in between them. She recalled the dream once more and tried to convince herself the Jack had been trying to communicate with her. Maybe he was really alive, picked up by another ship. There was another ship approaching the Carpathia as they were about to leave. Maybe they had found Jack! Of course it was a possibility! Surely other ships would make their way to the site to see if they could be of any assistance, or merely out of curiosity. She must not give up hope just yet. She sprang out of bed with new life. "We have to get back up on deck!"
The woman just smiled and nodded. She was happy to see Rose hopeful though she only hoped she wasn't setting herself up for even greater disappointment later. Sensing her reasons, she added, "It is quite possible that another ship might find him", giving her the most reassuring smile she could muster. "By the way, my name is Delia, the doctor told me you are Rose. I am traveling with my two sisters who you will meet soon enough. We were going on vacation but now that we're headed back to New York we're going to be staying. My youngest sister is terribly frightened after hearing of the sinking and wants to return home. I can't say I blame her."
"Where are they now?", Rose asked.
"My older sister, Cathleen, took my younger sister Elizabeth for tea, hoping it would calm her nerves a little. You'll meet them soon enough. Here, let's get you some clean clothes. I think this will do." Delia pulled a simple but pretty light green dress from her wardrobe. "It's doesn't quite compare to that fabulous dress of yours but it'll do. It is quite lovely."
Rose saw the admiration in the other girl's eyes. In Rose's wardrobe, it was considered one of her plainer pieces but it was probably more elegant than anything this girl had ever owned. "If you really like it so much I would happily make a trade." The girl's eyes grew wide in shock.
"Really! You would do that for me?'
"Gladly", she replied and smiled. I appreciate your hospitality and kindness. It is the least I can do."
The two girls exchanged an appreciative smile. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Delia sprang up and held out a hand to Rose and pulled her up off the bed. "Now, let's get dressed in our best and go find Jack." Rose could sense that Delia wasn't so sure about Jack's survival, but nonetheless she was supportive and enthusiastic, and for that she was grateful.
Rose stirred in the bed, awakening from a short although much needed slumber. She didn't dare open her eyes. She knew that when she did, she would not find the familiar settings of the parlor suite room she had stayed in on the Titanic. As much as she wanted to pretend it had all been a dream, there was an aching in her heart she couldn't ignore. It had all been very real, for she doubted that even in one's worst imaginable nightmare could one feel such a great deal of sorrow. She pulled the blanket up over her head, wishing she could stay underneath it and never have to face reality. "Pull yourself together Rose", she mumbled quietly beneath the covers. She slowly pulled the blanket back down and with a sigh opened her eyes. She looked up towards the ceiling but instead found herself looking into a bed frame. She was in a bottom bunk bed. She glanced to her right and was startled to find a young woman about her age, sitting on another bottom bunk across the room. She gasped in shock.
"I'm sorry to have startled you miss. It's just we've been very worried about you. Are you feeling alright? Would you like a cup of tea or some soup?" The young woman did look genuinely concerned. Rose imagined it was her room she was staying in.
"Thank you, but no." Rose replied. Truth be told she was a little thirsty, but the gut-wrenching feeling in her stomach pleaded with her not to. She was much too upset. The young woman arose from her seat and immediately poured her a glass of water. She sat down on the edge of Rose's bed. Rose propped herself up into sitting position.
"Please miss, I don't mean to be a pest. I can't even begin to imagine what kinds of feelings you are experiencing now", she paused momentarily and gave her a sympathetic smile. "I have strict orders from the doctor to make sure you get some fluids in you as soon as you awoke. Just sip it slowly". She slid the glass into Rose's hand which was shaking so violently she needed to use both hands to steady it. She slowly drew the glass up to her lips and took a small sip, followed by another, then another. She hadn't noticed how dehydrated she'd become. She finished the glass in less than a minute then the young woman had got up to quickly refill it.
"Thank you", Rose replied graciously. "I'm sorry, I'm very confused. How did I get here? Is this your room?"
"Yes it is. You are on the Carpathia and we are headed back to New York. I don't know how much you remember before you fainted. You passed out in the hospital and they couldn't wake you but they determined that you were just very exhausted and overwhelmed and not in need of any medical attention really, just rest. We were all asked to offer our rooms to those in need and it just so happens that we have an extra bunk in here. You kept calling for someone in your sleep".
"Jack?" Rose offered. In her dream, she had been searching for him in the water. She was not in a boat or swimming, but walking on top of the water, her feet sinking down only an inch or so with each step. Just enough to make a splash. When she looked down she discovered she was actually walking on ice, a large sheet of ice that was thinning with each step and the water was washing over the top, creating the illusion of walking on water. She shouted his name continuously, louder and louder each time until she finally spotted him, head and shoulders sticking through a perfectly round hole in the ice. He grew alarmed when he spotted her. "Rose!" he shouted. "Stay where you are, don't come any closer! The ice is too thin here Rose. Go back to the boat where you're safe, you don't belong here!"
"Hold on Jack, I'm coming for you!" she shouted but it was too late. "You can't come with me Rose, you're not supposed to come with me". With that, Jack sank beneath the hole. She dropped to her knees and looked down through the ice. He was underneath her now. He smiled, blew her a kiss and waved goodbye before finally disappearing into the darkness of the sea.. She thought he was gone for good but just as she was about to make her way back to the boat, he resurfaced and called out her name.
"Rose, wait! I'm coming! I'm coming but I can't make this one. You go on. I'll see you in Santa Monica!" All of a sudden, the ice began to break and Rose was stranded on a small chunk of it. First she thought she was going to sink, but all of a sudden slab began to move. The rest of the ice parted and cleared a path for her and the ice carried her safely all the way to the Carpathia.
She suddenly snapped out of her trance. "Yes, I was calling for Jack, my husband. He's missing." The admission sent the wall she had so carefully put up to protect her from the truth tumbling down and she hugged her knees into her chest and sobbed, burying her face in between them. She recalled the dream once more and tried to convince herself the Jack had been trying to communicate with her. Maybe he was really alive, picked up by another ship. There was another ship approaching the Carpathia as they were about to leave. Maybe they had found Jack! Of course it was a possibility! Surely other ships would make their way to the site to see if they could be of any assistance, or merely out of curiosity. She must not give up hope just yet. She sprang out of bed with new life. "We have to get back up on deck!"
The woman just smiled and nodded. She was happy to see Rose hopeful though she only hoped she wasn't setting herself up for even greater disappointment later. Sensing her reasons, she added, "It is quite possible that another ship might find him", giving her the most reassuring smile she could muster. "By the way, my name is Delia, the doctor told me you are Rose. I am traveling with my two sisters who you will meet soon enough. We were going on vacation but now that we're headed back to New York we're going to be staying. My youngest sister is terribly frightened after hearing of the sinking and wants to return home. I can't say I blame her."
"Where are they now?", Rose asked.
"My older sister, Cathleen, took my younger sister Elizabeth for tea, hoping it would calm her nerves a little. You'll meet them soon enough. Here, let's get you some clean clothes. I think this will do." Delia pulled a simple but pretty light green dress from her wardrobe. "It's doesn't quite compare to that fabulous dress of yours but it'll do. It is quite lovely."
Rose saw the admiration in the other girl's eyes. In Rose's wardrobe, it was considered one of her plainer pieces but it was probably more elegant than anything this girl had ever owned. "If you really like it so much I would happily make a trade." The girl's eyes grew wide in shock.
"Really! You would do that for me?'
"Gladly", she replied and smiled. I appreciate your hospitality and kindness. It is the least I can do."
The two girls exchanged an appreciative smile. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Delia sprang up and held out a hand to Rose and pulled her up off the bed. "Now, let's get dressed in our best and go find Jack." Rose could sense that Delia wasn't so sure about Jack's survival, but nonetheless she was supportive and enthusiastic, and for that she was grateful.