Slowly, the three girls were beginning to adjust, despite the nightmares and cramped living with a stranger, they were adjusting. The next week, after hours and hours of endless toil in the horrible factory, a quiet dinner of a thin soup made from kosher chuck beef was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"The Temperance Union and I thought that you three might need a few more supplies." Alice Johnson said the second Rose opened the door.
"Really? The quilts, fabric, and food were great, but..." Rose tried to begin.
"Here, a Norwegian-English dictionary, resources for Helga when she has her baby, school options for Cora, and Rose, this flyer might interest you." Alice said as she transfered the basket to Rose.
"An audition to be a Chorus Girl at the Follies." Rose said looking over the flyer. The flyer read 'Van Damme Follies!' and 'Be a Van Damme Chorus Girl Today!' and drawings of girls in scandalous outfits doing high kicks.
"Am I going to school?" Asked Cora excitedly, picking her head off of the table.
"You know I have baby?" Helga asked.
"I did, I just know these things. However, this leaves you in no condition to work." Tzipora said with a smile as she began to clear off the tiny table. Helga smiled and touched her belly. "Rose, the night I found you three I noticed you dancing in the alley. I thought that being a Chorus Girl seemed more fitting than factory worker. Yes, Cora, there's a school house near here. We have enough money to send you there."
"So none of us are working in the factory anymore." Rose commented. Tzipora nodded, Helga went straight for the dictionary.
"Yes, Rose I know you'll be a Chorus Girl, I saw you dance, Cora will go to school, and we need to keep Helga safe. With your money and mine, I'm sure we can manage." Tzipora, who was washing dishes, said as she looked over to Alice.
"Oh, just in case." Alice said with a small smirk, pointing at three ribbons resting in the basket. Ribbons stripped gold, white, and purple. Rose picked one of the ribbons, a small one, most likely made more hair.
"Cora, over here." Rose said holding up the ribbon. Cora smiled and ran over to Rose. Rose styled Cora's brown, curly hair into a low, loose ponytail that was stylish for young girls at the time. "Because we're half of this country."
"Wonderful." Alice said with a smile before closing the door.
Auditions, doctors, and school. Those three things occupied the three Titanic survivors. A week passed, the four girls were working in the factory, until Friday night came. Tzipora was observing Shabbat, Helga was trying to take care of her body and fetus, and Cora just couldn't wait to start school, and stop toiling in the factory.
Then, it was Saturday morning, finally. Rose was preparing for her audition, but she had nothing. She didn't have dance shoes, the only shoes she had were from the night the Titanic sank. She had a new dress from the supplies from the Women's Temperance Union, but that's it.
"Goodbye, Tzipora, Helga, Cora!" Rose said, walking out of the apartment door.
"Goodbye, Rose!" Cora and Tzipora said at the same time.
"Adjö! Goodbye!" Called Helga as Rose closed the door.
Rose knew where the New Brussels Theatre was, which hosted the Van Damme Follies. The crisp April air brushed against her face. Rose found the theater, which had a long line of girls with done up hair and dramatic makeup. However, the line shuffled into the theater, and Rose, at the end of the line, followed them onto the stage.
"Girls, my name is Mr. Van Damme, producer. If all goes well you will become a Van Dame, and sing and dance in our fabulous chorus." Mr. Van Damme said from the first row in the house. "Now, girls, I will hand you over to Mr. Steichen, a true dance master."
Rose he's red whispers from a few of the girls. A man with white hair and glasses approached Rose, looking her up and down. A strong look of disgust was plastered across his face. Rose looked around her, she was wearing a casual, working dress, while the other girls were wearing dance clothes.
"What's your name?" Mr. Steichen asked.
"Rose," Rose responded with a slight waver in her voice.
"Then tell me, Rose, why did you show up to a dance audition in such unfit clothes?" Mr. Steichen spat at Rose sternly.
"I'm a Titanic survivor." Rose began to say, but she could barely make it through the words. "This is all I have with me."
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, but try and make do." Mr. Steichen said, turning slightly red. "Now, girls, follow my lead. Mrs. Jackson is playing piano in the pit. 5, 6, 7, 8!"
The audition began. Mr. Steichen put the twenty seven girls at the auditions through dance after dance after dance. Rose wasn't used to the vaudeville style of dance, for she learned classical ballet, but she made do. Every time a dance was finished, a girl was pulled from the line and sent home. Rose breathed a sigh of relief every time she wasn't chosen. Soon, there were only twelve girls left.
"Now you Rose, sing!" Mr. Steichen said, pointing to Rose.
"Come Josephine in my flying machine and..." Rose began to sing.
"That's great, now you Heidi!" Mr. Steichen interrupted pointing to the next girl. A few more girls later and the auditions were over.
"Come to rehearsals on Monday. Your paycheck will arrive on Friday." Mr. Van Damme, said to Rose and the other eleven girls. "Welcome to the Van Dames." Rose smiled and walked away from the stage, trying to walk back into the house and on the street.
"Rose one moment." Mr. Van Damme said stopping her. "You have a good voice. Needs some polish, but you got something. If everything goes well in the Van Dames, you might get a starring role in our follies. A Titanic survivor would sure sell tickets."
"Thank you, Mr. Van Damme." Rose said, not sure whether to feel grateful or exploited. Rose turned her head and took the short walk back to the apartment. "Girls, I'm back and you won't believe it!" Rose exclaimed the second she swung open the door. "What is it?" Rose asked. Tzipora, Helga, and Cora were huddled around Rose's coat, the black one she got from Cal. Rose gasped when she looked at the pocket.
"What is in the packet?" Helga asked, slowly, reading through the pocket dictionary.
"Nothing." Rose interjected quickly.
"Sorry," Cora said as Rose snatched the coat away.