Chapter Two: The Break Of A New Day
I had been sitting contemplating what to write in this letter to my sister for a good long while before the words came to me. I'd hardly understood really what was going on, I'd been aboard Titanic since she left Belfast and Ada had met us in Southampton. She'd come aboard and one of my friendly crew members had been showing her around this magnificent vessel.
I knew she'd love it, she was a very keen learner, being a teacher herself the exploration and the thrill of the ship would be more overwhelming than amazing. I'd come off duty and was (at the time) glad of it, this letter to my sister just had to be written. The words began to creep from me like little mysterious words that I'd not normally here myself speak.
I did not know it then but I guess now that I was having some sort of "sixth sense" about it all. As if I was preparing for a goodbye. My letter was finally complete, done and dusted…That was until my lovely wife came into the room followed by an Officer I didn't really know all to well and upon seeing me politely nodded and ended his tour with a farewell to the both of us.
"I take it you enjoyed your tour?" I asked as I stood to greet my beautiful wife, grasping her hands gently in mine and pulling her softly towards me so I could place a feather light kiss on her lips. She replied promptly and gave her own smile back as her arms wrapped about my waist.
"The tour was wonderful dear, oh how you should have seen the beautiful craftsmanship in the grand staircase, the lovely décor and the amazing sights out to sea from the bow!" I couldn't help but laugh as she spoke she had an amazing way of saying things and making them into even bigger things.
"So you like it?" I enquired gazing softly into her eyes. She nodded after a few moments, and then her eyes drifted away. I could tell something was wrong, I knew her better than she knew herself at times. This time was no exception, I pulled my hand from around her waist, her head and eyes had drifted to looking out the window beside us in my crew cabin.
"What's wrong my dearest?" I asked, gently turning her eyes back to gaze into mine. She looked sad, not depressed or unhappy just solemn. "I will miss you so much William." I knew it was serious; she never called me William unless it was. "I know Ada….I know." Was all I could say, we'd had this talk before and I didn't want it to turn into an argument...
"Do you?" She questioned me looking deep into my eyes and soul, I stared back into hers remembering the day we married, the day I asked her to marry me and back to the day we first met. They say its love at first sight and I felt that the day we met. She stole my heart, my everything but the sea kept us apart for a while and though I knew I was strong enough for the bond between us never to be broken, I often found myself wondering if she was strong enough to keep the love alive whilst I was gone.
So this made it all the more difficult, my attentions were fully on the long journey ahead, the long journey being the future with Ada, the future on Titanic as it's chief officer once Henry disembarked - if he disembarked and other such duties as a seaman. I had no words to speak but only those that would comfort my upset wife at this time, my words were shaky but true…Always true.
"I do my dearest Ada, I promise when I return you and I will vacation together somewhere peaceful and quiet and then, when it is time for me to return to the sea once again I'll write you daily. Telling you of my troubles and my joys, but most of all my sorrows at being away from you." I touched her cheeks lightly with the back of my fingers, gazing lovingly at her. She seemed to understand and seemed to be a little easier, her grip slacked and she smiled brightly kissing me softly again on the lips.
"Send my love…" She spoke as she pulled back, I eyed her curiously not understanding the moment until she pointed to the letter I had on my desk unsealed as of yet. So taking to paper I began to write a P.S and signed it before sending it on its way…
A couple of hours had passed and whilst my short break from my duties to write my letter had come to an end, a new beginning was developing out at the ships decks. People were gathering at the railings to wave off their loved ones, I was on duty at this time, and whilst on route to them I looked over the railings and saw my beloved wife on the decks with other official's wives waving them off. I wasn't quite sure she could see me; I wasn't stood with the rest of the crew, merely passing on my way to other duties.
I raised my hand, feeling a sense of pride and emotion welling up inside me, I knew I'd miss her terribly, she was my beloved, my life and I couldn't wait to get back to her. I stood there waving for a while but she didn't appear to see me and so finally, realizing I was becoming seriously late for my duties I hurried off and left the railings and others to wave goodbye to their loved ones.
That day was full of emotion for not only me, my wife and everyone aboard or not aboard. But also for other crew members and Captain Smith, for this was a day of discovery, a day of many days to come where they would be in control of the grandest ship ever to sail the sea, the Titanic…the ship of dreams, today we looked forward to an uneventful journey with clear open sea's and the beginning of a life yet to be lived to its fullest…
Little did we know just how wrong we were…Little did I know that as my eyes left that of my wife stood on the dock….That, that would be the last time I'd ever see her…Except for in my dreams…
