Chapter 31

The nurse stood behind the counter, looking over the cluttered desk and shuffling papers as Jesse's older sister and his brother-in-law waited for the doctor, and Jack was getting antsy. Soon, the doctor approached with a clipboard, flipping through the pages, before putting them down as he saw the couple.

"Almstead family?" he asked as he slowly removed his spectacles and carefully folding the fragile thing, as if he might break the thing.

Jon took off his hat, then nervously squeezed it. "Yes, sir."

"Come with me," The doctor motioned, as the couple looked at each other, before they followed the doctor down the hall, to Jesse's room. They knew Jesse was alive, but in the tone the doctor spoke, he sounded like he had just died all of a sudden. They soon walked past a lanky-looking young man, with dirty-blond hair, who was following a nurse. He acknowledged the couple, and gave a slight nod. Jon thought he was just someone dropping by for a visit, not taking a second glance at his clothes.

Probably visiting a relative, Jon thought, as they were people like him throughout New York. There were even a couple of men that looked just like the young man at the place he worked. Jon turned his attention back at hand, as the doctor looked over Jesse's vitals in the papers, then flipping through the pages.

"Your brother, I presume," he says, looking at Jessica, "has nearly died twice on board the rescue ship, but thankfully, and with perseverance, he survived, but was unconscious once he was brought to me. We were very worried he wouldn't make it for the first week, but we were shocked he was making quick progress at recovery. Your brother is one strong fighter, I must say." Jessica sobbed quietly, as Jon held his wife tightly, while Jack walked in front of them.

Jessica and Jon walked in the room, with their little son Jack in front of them, while the doctor stood at the door, slowly putting his spectacles on again. Jessica quickly ran to her younger brother, who was sitting in a chair, who soon cried the moment his older sister wrapped her arms tightly around him. She embraced him, and they both cried together. The doctor stepped out of the room while gently closing the door behind him, clearly giving the family privacy during this difficult time. Jon was glad his younger brother-in-law was alive, as he had tears in his eyes as well. He still couldn't believe these two siblings looked very much alike, despite Jesse being nearly five years younger than his sister. Little Jack cried as well; while he didn't know yet his favorite uncle had survived the sinking of the century. He was happy his uncle was back once more, ready to tell him more pirate bedtime stories and to play with him. This was too much for Jon at this point, as he slowly puts his hand to his mouth, and began to cry. He knew the siblings were very close with each other. So close, that his wife often cries for her younger brother, even in the best of days. Even Jack cries for his uncle ever since he first laid eyes on his him on his arrival to New York, along with his grandpa. This had gone on for some time until they were able to gather their composure.

"Jesse, I'm so glad you're alive!" Jessica says, tears pouring from her eyes, while she tried to look at her brother's face through her tears.

"Never been better to be alive." Jesse says, wiping his eyes. Little Jack let's go of his father's grip, then runs to his uncle, before jumping onto his lap.

"Uncle Dessy!" he cried, then hugs him as hard as he can squeeze, as if he lets go, his uncle might disappear for good again.

"Oh! We're getting heavy, aren't we?" Jesse laughed, squeezing and kissing his beloved nephew, who cried even more as he felt his uncle's loving squeeze. Everyone agreed.

"You still eating your veggies?" Jesse asks as he pokes the kid's stomach, then hugs him again. Jesse knew the kid hardly ate his vegetables; he played with them, as sometimes he makes cannon noises with the peas, thinking he was a pirate.

"So, have you talked to your father yet?" Jon asks.

With Jack still clutching onto his uncle Jesse replies. "Not since before I left Southampton. He told me that he was preparing to go to a business meeting somewhere in Paris; the telegram had a sloppy handwriting, so I couldn't read it. But I doubt he knew of the sinking, and as you know, Eric was always late, and if he was we would have to stay another week in merry ol' England if we did miss the Titanic's maiden voyage..." Jesse tries to hold back his sobs. Jessica stood behind, rubbing his shoulders and gently rocking him; knowing he had seen it all that night. Jack looked up, and had tears in his eyes, knowing he had almost lost his uncle, and he hugged him again. Jesse's tears fell on his nephew's head as he sniffed silently. He inhales, then wipes his eyes. Jessica puts a tissue under his nose.

"Blow." she says. Jesse blew into the tissue. Jessica puts the tissue in a nearby waste basket after Jesse was done with it, then brushed his soft hair away from his eyes.

"Where's Karl?" Jesse finally asked.

"He's at the house. He cried when he heard your voice on the telephone. At first we wondered why he was crying over his potatoes and steak dinner that night. Then Fabrizio told us all about it. And that's when we decided we'd come down and visit you." Jon says.

"Yeah. I still have quite a bit of recovery to go on, even if the business back in the southwest is slow." Jesse laughs, then sighs deeply.

"Didn't you send them the telegrams?" Jon asks.

Jesse remembered the four telegram papers. Despite the illegible handwriting those were the papers he needed to send to his father's garage in back in Albuquerque before the ship docked. Now they were soaked and rotting at the bottom of the Atlantic, along with his belongings. He puts his face in his hands, groans in disgust, then shakes his head.

"Don't worry about them. I'm sure your father will understand, as you were on the Titanic." Jon reassures him.

Jesse looked at him, then looks down, shaking his head. "I sure hope so." he says.

"But at least Eric went back to Philadelphia, to help with your father's steel business there, or something like that. Someday, he says he's going to open one soon." Jon says. "He went back to work around a couple of weeks ago, after telling us the harrowing journey you all encountered on the ship."

"It was a harrowing experience, indeed." Jesse says, slowly turning his head to the hospital's large picture window, where it was slowly getting dark outside. The New York city skyline began twinkling with lights, drowning out the stars that were slowly forming above the twilight sky.

"Hey, I think it's time we better get going back home." Jon says, as he also looks out the window with Jesse. Jessica leans over to hug her brother one last time before leaving.

"So good to have you back again." she says, a tear rolling down her face.

"Bye Uncle Dessy!" Jack says, before running back to his parents. "See you back at home! Get well soon!" He threw a thumbs up at his uncle, and the best smile he could give.

Indeed, it felt good being back with family again, and a nurse came into the room with a steaming bowl of soup, and tea, while the doctor closed the door to Jesse's room.