-Still don't own Titanic, though I do own the Special Edition DVD-
-Thanks for the reviews! -
April 10,1912: I actually slept pretty good, but I had to wake up at six-fifteen, since we still had to pick up the other luggage tags, eat breakfast, come back to the hotel, check out of our room, collect the mound of luggage, and head over to the train station, since the train leaves at noon sharp. So, pretty much, we have a lot of things to do before we board the ship. It's still kind of dark outside, and I'm still kind of tired. John woke up at six-thirty, and after 'good morning' and a kiss, we decided that we really should get dressed, in what we were planning to wear today.
"Rosalie! Can you help me find something to wear today, please?" I asked.
No answer from her side of the wall. Probably still in bed. Like I want to be now. Well, I guess I'll go summon for her, myself, even though I'm wearing my nightclothes. I went out into the hall and knocked sharply a few times on the door. Rosalie answered the door after the fourth knock, and she had said she had overslept, and was ready now, along with Caroline, my private nurse.
"Well, Mrs.-I mean Madeleine, I think you should wear your long-sleeved ivory dress, your one pair of ivory boots that aren't in a trunk, your ermine and suede coat, and your large ivory hat, with the matching gloves. What do you think?"
"I think that is a splendid idea, actually. I love that outfit. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Happy to be of service."
"Well, now I know I have a reliable lady's maid. Thank you so much Rosalie."
"You're welcome. Now which corset do you want to wear?"
"Is not wearing either one an option?"
"Sorry, but it's not. At least not now, anyways."
"Oh. Well, if I have to suffer, I'd like to look good doing it."
"Are they that bad?"
"Pretty much. They're an instrument of torture", I laughed.
"Then I don't think I'll ever want to wear one", she said.
"You don't need to wear one, Rosalie."
"Really?"
"You're skinny. And right now that is so unfair", I said smiling.
"No, I'm not. You look much better than me right now."
"I looked way better five months ago, trust me."
"You still look good now, what are you talking about?"
"Thanks. You are too kind, Rosalie."
After a half-hour of getting dressed, and doing my hair and putting some make up on, I found out that Rosalie was in fact, right. I did look good. She is the most amazing lady's maid you will probably ever meet in your entire lifetime. She's more of a friend, than my maid though. But, I like her. We get along well, and we can talk to each other about any given topic, and offer our undivided attention, and our opinions. I felt confident now, and Rosalie and Caroline weren't the only two that said I looked good, either, so that really helps.
"Madeleine, you look absolutely stunning", John said as he walked through the door.
"Thank you. You look very handsome yourself, did you know that?" I said, with my hands on his lapels of his jacket.
"Thank you. I have to be the luckiest person on Earth, right about now", he said smiling.
"Really? And why would that be?"
"I'm married to the most beautiful woman in America, that's why."
"Oh, is that what you think? Because I think you're absolutely right." I said kissing him.
"I take that as a compliment. If it wasn't so early, and we didn't have to be anywhere at a certain time, I would personally suggest that…"
"I know what you were thinking, darling. And not now."
"Paris is such a romantic city, though."
"Yes, but maybe the Titanic is too. Don't worry."
"Thank you, Maddie. I think we should go pick up the luggage tags, now don't you?"
"You're welcome John. And I think we should."
We were driven down to the White Star Line Paris office, by John's manservant Victor, about five minutes later.
We walked up to the desk, where a young boy, no older than fifteen or sixteen was working. He spoke British, so we could understand him.
"Can I take your name sir?"
"John Jacob Astor", my husband answered back.
He stammered a moment before finding the luggage tags, and looked up at my husband, then at me, and then handed him the tags.
"Thank you", my husband replied.
"You're welcome, sir."
"Do I have to pay for these?" My husband asked.
"Not if you don't want to, I mean, yes, one pound."
"Alright," John said before giving him a five pound banknote.
"This is five pounds, sir."
"I know that. You can have the extra as a tip."
"Thank you. Enjoy your voyage!"
We went back to the hotel and had breakfast, after checking out of the room, and having the bellhops collect our luggage to be brought to the station.
"John, you intimidated the poor boy."
"No, I think he was looking at you the entire time."
"No, did you see the look on his face when you handed him the money? He looked as if he could make the Christmas light displays around New York seem dull."
After breakfast, it was about 10:00, and we decided to walk around for a little while, then have some lunch, and get stopped by reporters. The last part wasn't intended, either.
"Mr. & Mrs. Astor! How do you feel to be sailing on the Titanic today?"
"Can you look this way, please?" Another reporter asked.
"Mrs. Astor! Look over here!"
"No, look over here!"
This continued until we had made our way to the train station, and you can be sure that I looked very exasperated after all of this. Not to mention I had minor headache now, too. Someone, I can't remember who it was, gave me a dirty look as I sat down. I sat down, ignoring pretty much everything that was going on around me, for about ten minutes, until we had to board the train. Supposedly a few people had heard about yesterday's tripping incident.
"Mrs. Astor?" Charlotte Cardeza questioned.
"Yes, Charlotte?" I asked with a fake smile.
"Don't trip over anything, alright? We wouldn't want you hurt."
"Thank you for the advice. I'm going to sit down now."
Ugh. I swear that gossip is a hobby of hers or something. I'm going to take a nap, because I'm really tired.
I woke up three hours later, and Margaret 'Molly' Brown was talking to my husband.
"Hello, Mrs. Brown", I said, kind of smiling.
"Now what I did I say about you calling me Molly?"
"Sorry. I must have forgot."
"It's fine, honey."
"Thank you. Are you two tired or is it just me?
"I'm not really tired, but I don't know about J.J. here", she said pointing to my husband, who had fallen asleep.
"You look great Molly", I said.
"Thanks, honey. You look good yourself."
We talked for a while, before deciding that we should, in fact wake my husband, when we stopped in Cherbourg.
"John? Wake up, darling. We're here", I said.
"Thank you, Maddie."
"You're welcome. I'm going to see why the tender to the ship hasn't arrived yet, alright?"
"That's fine. I'll talk to Molly."
About ten minutes later, he came back to us.
"There's been an hour delay. The ship had barely missed having a collision with the New York, in the Southampton dock."
"What?" I asked, biting my lip. Oh, that's really reassuring, I thought to myself.
"Honey, it's nothing to be worried about. And I know, being a mother that stress isn't exactly good when you're expecting.
"Yes, dear. Molly's right. It's nothing to be worried about."
About a half-hour later, we boarded the tender, and I was very careful to watch my step, when I heard a few snickers. Charlotte and her friends. Obviously. We stood on the little boat for about another half-hour, when we saw the ship come into view.
"It's the Titanic!" Molly exclaimed.
"Finally", Charlotte huffed. "We paid all this money for what? An hour's delay?"
"Charlotte, calm down. You don't need to work yourself up about this", Molly said.
I found it more difficult to go from tender to the ship, so I had my husband help me with that, and Caroline, Rosalie, and Victor followed dutifully right behind us. After we had everything unpacked in our rooms, we decided to go to the A la Carte Restaurant on B Deck. We had a light supper, though the paint still smelled fresh and new, and it was sort of nauseating to me, so we stepped outside for some fresh air. Now that was a really bad idea, since right as we stepped out, I heard the snippets of a few different conversations about us.
"Why didn't he keep his first wife, and have the girl as a mistress?"
"You'd think they'd have some common decency, to make their return to America less obtrusive, not on the maiden voyage of a new ship."
"What did he ever see in the girl?"
"I heard it was a marriage for the money."
I have really had enough of this, so I turned on my heel, and walked back to the room, leaving my husband trailing behind me.
"Maddie, please."
"Not now. I'm going back to the stateroom."
"Can we at least talk about this?"
"Fine. But I will walk faster."
I had Rosalie get me out of this dress, and into a fresh nightgown, with pink ribbons woven through the neckline. I told her what was wrong, and literally started sobbing.
I went into the sitting room, and sat on one of the chaise lounges, and John came in about five minutes later.
"These people hate me already. Let's face it."
"Not everyone hates you, dear. I don't."
"I know. But I don't know why I overreacted. I'm so sorry."
"No, dear. It's all right. You don't need to be sorry for anything. Besides, I have some news for you that you might like. Camelia & Jonathan Hockley are here, along with her father, mother, and sister, the DeWitt-Bukaters are here also, along with Jonathan's brother, Caledon, who is Rose's fiancé."
"Thank you. At least those particular people don't hate me."
"You're right. When we get back, we need to spend more time with all of them. Good night."
"Good night, John."
"I love you Maddie."
"I love you too John."
We kissed, and then he had fallen asleep, and I went to bed, shortly afterwards.
-Any suggestions for what they should do (or should happen) throughout the days up to the sinking would help. I know some things, but new ideas are always appreciated-