"Would you like me to show you your cabin miss?" The stewardess asked. Rose should have been confused, but she wasn't she understood somehow.
"No thank you, after dinner perhaps?" Rose said.
"Anytime you want miss." The stewardess lightly skipped down the steps, Rose thought it was odd that all the people here were going to the first class dining room. She felt sort of left in something she didn't understand, Jack disappeared into the crowd that was now at a trickle heading into the dining salon. A girl she recognized as Cora was making her way down the steps, sliding a teddy-bear down the railing.
"Hi" she said brightly. Rose just looked at her head by. She heard a voice behind her.
"Care for an escort young miss?" Rose turned around to find Captain Smith standing by the clock, dressed sharply in his blue uniform jacket with his service medals proudly displayed, his stripes immediately identifying him in a crowd.
Rose opened her mouth to speak but she didn't really know what to say, she was still confused.
Smith offered his arm to Rose; she took it and proceeded down the steps with him.
"Were all glad to have you here, you wouldn't want to be late for your own dinner would you?"
"My dinner?" Rose said, perplexed.
"Of course your dinner, it is your wedding night is it not?" Smith said. A smile beamed from his face as they took a left at the bottom of the stairs. The band was getting set up in the corner of the salon, the Irishmen with their bagpipes and fiddles were with them.
"Where are we?" Rose thought out loud.
"Why where in heaven young Rose, that boy Jack has been waiting for you for 84 years, he spends every sunrise and sunset out on the bow, peering down into the water, looking for you."
"Heaven?" Rose was amazed. "But I wasn't religious; I think the last time I went to church was my husband's funeral."
Smith didn't answer, she simply understood without words. The dining hall was more glorious then last time she saw it. It was more glorious this time because now it was filled with those of all classes. Firemen and trimmers shared tables with businessmen and Mr. Ismay. First class children played with steerage children. The room seemed larger than last time as well, it seemed to expand to accommodate all the people. Those she passed offered polite bows and hellos to the captain.
They reached the captains table. Rose was amazed and happy to see the people arranged around it as Smith pulled out her chair, sat her down, and pushed her back in. To her right was Jack, in his best clothes with a pencil in his ear, smoking a cigarette. To her left was an empty seat. The captain sat across from Rose and Jack, flanked by Will Murdoch and Officer Lowe. Fabrizio and Helga gave Rose a nod, they looked wonderfully happy together. Tommy, sitting next to Jack, tipped his hat. Mr. Andrews beamed a smile from next to Murdoch. A waiter was coming around with drinks. Rose thought it weird no one asked for anything it simply was given to them. Most had a glass of fine champagne or wine, but Tommy and Jack had pints of stout before them, and Captain Smith had a cup of tea, he never drank alcohol. Smith tapped a spoon softly against his water glass, to quiet the table and to get their attention. Everyone quieted quickly. He stood with his cup in his hand.
"We have…" he was interrupted.
"Going to start dinner without me I see, to hell with all of ya." Rose heard from behind her, it was a rugged frontier accent she could always remember, that of Molly Brown.
She sat down next to Rose, and called out to the waiter. "Hey, sonny, a champagne over here, were trying to toast." She nudged Rose, the only one sitting, "Nice to see you Rose, Jack's been acting weird without ya around." Smith continued his toast, pleasantly surprised by the interruption.
"Nice of you to join us the evening Molly." Smith said grinning at her absurd hat with a bowl of plastic fruit in it.
"Well the husband wanted to spend another evening out with those guys he's discovered, so I decided to pay you all a visit once I saw Rose was coming tonight." Molly said loudly.
"We have a new guest at our table for dinner this evening, I'm sure you know Rose Dawson. Welcome to the captains table young lady." The captain said, raising his cup to Rose, she was slightly embarrassed.
"Here here." Tommy said.
"Here here." everyone else said in unison. They all sat down.
"Well Rose darling, why don't you tell us what you've been doing all this time." Molly Brown said.
Rose started, she spoke and spoke and spoke. Eighty four years of history poured out of her, and everyone's attention was held the whole time. She told of acting, of marriage, of having kids, and of all the wonders of the modern world. Dinner must have lasted hours, but the stories, the drink, the friends and the food never grew cold and stale. Her story concluded finally when she talked about tossing the diamond into the sea.
"Well" Jack said. "Quite a tale, you've certainly kept busy." He kissed her on the cheek.
"But still, why did you throw that thing in the water!" Jack laughed, everyone joined in, including Rose.
"Well at least we know I'm a hero apparently." Mr. Andrews said, rolling his eyes and laughing.
"That Mr.Bodine." the Captain said. "Apparently he is a better sailor then I." "Quite an arrogant young man I'd say." He said as he lit a cigar. The whole table joined in raucous laughter.