Chapter 19
Mr Carpenter and Mr Bride together cleaned up the mess of the broken chair and everyone sat but Benjamin; who decided standing was his best bet.
"So Arthur, what is it you do?" Mr Carpenter asked.
"I am a Lawyer actually," Mr Bride answered.
Harlean saw her parents exchange approving glances and she sent a look of reassurance to Harold.
A little while passed, idle chatter was passed back and forth between Harlean and Harold's parents.
Then Mr Carpenter stood up, "Let us go into the Dining Room now, supper should be on the table I think," he said.
Everyone stood; the parents and Harlean and Harold's siblings went ahead. The two stayed back a little.
"I think things are going alright," Harlean said softly.
"I think so too," Harold replied, smiling.
"I thought we could get married here in the house. Would that be fine?" she asked.
Harold smiled, "Already planning?"
"I have been planning since I saw you last," Harlean answered.
"We'll discuss it more later, but I have been dying to say all evening…you look beautiful," he said.
Harlean blushed, "Oh please do not flatter me."
"But it is true," Harold commented.
"Harlean…Harold, come."
The young couple looked and saw Mrs Bride.
"Yes Birdie," he said.
Harlean giggled as she followed him out of the room, "You have a pet name for your mother?" she asked.
"Yes…just as you have a pet name for me," he answered.
"Oh that's so cute! What is Harold's pet name Harlean?"
Harlean turned to see her brother Micah, "Never you mind, it's a long story," she answered. But a smile was tearing at her lips.
"Hey Harlean, here's hoping I don't set the house on fire," Harold said.
Harlean then burst into a fit of giggles, just as she was walking into the Dining room.
Everyone turned to look at her and Harold. He was laughing along with her.
"Oh please Harlean, what is that about? It's very un-lady like," her mother scolded.
"I-I-I'm sorry mother," Harlean said, in between laughter as she tried to then compose herself.
"Please sit down and let your father say grace."
"Yes mother."
Harlean sat down next to her brothers and Harold sat with his brothers across from her.
Mr Carpenter then stood up, "Let us give thanks to the Lord."
Everyone bowed their heads, "Dear Lord, we thank you for this food that you have given. We pray that you use it to nourish us and strengthen us. We pray for your guidance through this night and the decision of letting our Harlean wed Mr Bride or not. Be with us and the Bride family, Amen."
Mr Carpenter sat down and then the servants came out and served the food.
Harlean was looking up and down the table at her parents and whispered something into Jonah's ear. He whispered something back and she nodded.
Just then she heard a slight creaking noise, Harlean looked and saw Harold was lifting his knife to cut his food when then there was yet another crash that night. Harlean had fallen back out of the shock of it, the dining room table had fallen right there. She managed to look up and see Harold's knife and fork still in his hand from when he was going to cut the meat on his plate.
The only thing keeping the table from crushing everyone's feet; were the once very sturdy supports.
Jonah stood up and helped Harlean to her feet, "Are you alright?" he asked.
She nodded, "Mr and Mrs Bride?" Harlean asked.
They both nodded, "Were alright dear."
All of the Brides were now standing up and Harold was standing awkwardly with the cutlery still in his hands.
"Mother, Father?" Harlean asked next.
Her mother was very upset now.
"Must have been from the weight of all the food," Micah commented.
"Not helping," Jonah hissed.
Micah shrugged.
"Oh my table, my mothers table!" Mrs Carpenter cried.
"Mother it's alright, let us be thankful no one was hurt," Jonah said.
"He is right Grace, it is a shame…but no one was hurt," Mr Carpenter said.
Harlean sighed; there was still hope for the night to be alright, because her father wasn't angered.
"What in the world is all the fuss about?!"
The cook had just run in, looked at the Carpenters and Brides then the table, "Winston! Get in here, we need help cleaning up!"
A moment later, their driver came into the room, "Are you alright Mr and Mrs Carpenter?" he asked.
"Yes…were fine," Mrs Carpenter answered sadly.
Harold then bent down and picked up a napkin, he handed it to Mrs Carpenter, "Here you go ma'am, you have a bit of water that spilled on you," he said.
"Oh thank you," she took it began to dry it up.
"We should get out of here, Holly do you need any help?" Harlean asked her maid who had just rushed into the room with a tray to put the glasses that were still in tact onto.
"Oh Miss Harlean, you have company. Do not worry about this, we'll get it cleaned up on our own," she said.
Slowly everyone walked out of the room.
"Either we are bring bad luck into this room, or you need to buy furniture that didn't belong to a grand mother or great, great, great, great, great grandmother," Harold whispered.
Harlean raised her eyebrow at him.
"Sorry," he whispered back.
Slowly everyone walked into another room, which was usually used for entertaining when they had parties. On one wall was a family portrait of Harlean's Mother, Uncle Edward, and her grandparents. Her mother and Uncle were children at the time.
Then there was another one of her mother and Uncle when they were older and her Grandmother, who was sitting in a wheelchair in the portrait. This image of Captain Smith looked more like the Captain she knew then the child one.
Harold was looking at the portraits, "Mrs Carpenter…you look a lot like your mother in both of those portraits," he said, just loud enough for her to hear.
"Thank you Harold, that is very kind of you. My mother was such a remarkable woman," she said, smiling up at the portraits.
"Your brother was Captain Smith correct? I believe that's what Harold told us," Mr Bride questioned.
Grace Carpenter nodded, "Kindest man you would ever meet. His eyes used to always give away that sense of kindness. As he grew older he looked more and more like our father. The resemblance was un-canny," she said, smiling slightly.
Harlean was feeling that pit of sadness in her stomach again and was trying to ignore it, "So mother I suppose we will be eating in here then?" she asked.
"I suppose so, yes."
"Jonah, Micah get all these candlesticks put away," Harlean said, she had to keep herself busy, in order to avoid looking at the portrait of her Uncle.
The men began to gather them up and Harold hastened to help. Andrew and Benjamin followed suit. Within just a moment or two the table was clear and Holly had rushed in to dust it down for a moment, before placing a long white table cloth on the table.
"The food will be served in just a moment," she said.
"No rush dear," Mrs Carpenter called as Holly ran back to the kitchen.
"So Harlean, how is it exactly that you met Harold? We've asked our son, but he said a lot from that day is blurred because of some trauma to the head he suffered," Mr Bride asked, as everyone sat down.
Harlean looked to Harold and smiled, "I went to deliver a message…for my parents. I had promised to send one out every day. So I went up there, to that tiny little room…and when I walked in…Mr Bride and Mr Phillips were in quite the Boxing match. Well they had been…they were on the floor and I opened the door on their heads. That would probably account for the head trauma," she began, grinning now.
"Who was Phillips?" Jonah asked.
"First Wireless Operator, he and I took turns manning the machine," Harold answered.
"Oh yes, I read about him in the paper," Jonah said.
"So after that I offered to bring the message back later, but Mr Bride insisted that it was no problem to send it out at that time. Then he and Mr Phillips got into a fight about who would send it, and the letter was torn in half. It was soo entertaining to watch the two of them fight over it. But then by some miracle, the letter was finally sent out. I of course came back later that day because he taught me how to use the machine and I never stopped coming after that. Mr Bride offered a good friendship and is very funny," Harlean finished.
"Harlean, you didn't tell us that you can work the Wireless Equipment!" Micah cried.
"Oh…I did not? Well…now you know that I can," she replied, smiling slightly.
XX
An hour an a half later and Harlean had good faith that everything was going alright. They had all eaten and her parents were getting along famously with his parents.
They all went to the parlor to talk some more and then Harlean's father looked as if he hadn't had too much Champagne, "Harold…may I speak with you in private?" he asked.
"Of course sir," Harold answered slowly.
Together the two men left the room and Harold looked terrified.
"I wonder what that is about," Harlean wondered out loud.
"Your father is going to talk to Harold about you two being married," Mrs Carpenter answered.
Harlean's eyes went wide, "Oh my."
XX
"Harold, do you know why I've asked you into this room?" Mr Carpenter asked, once the two were in the man's study.
"No sir," Harold answered, honestly.
"I want to know more about you, I want to know how and why you love my daughter. Explain to me why you are a good enough man to be her husband," Mr Carpenter explained as he pulled a cigar out and lit it, he offered one to Harold.
"No thank you sir, I do not smoke," he said.
"Ah, well there is one thing that will serve you good if you are married to Harlean. She can not stand the smell of these things," Mr Carpenter replied as he sat down.
"Sir…I wish for you to know that I love your daughter more than anything on this earth. The minute she walked into the Wireless Room aboard the Titanic…I loved her. I was going insane in that tiny room with only male companionship, and she walked in and the room lit up. Harlean was like an angel, sent from God to relieve me of stress from being in that small room for hours on end," Harold paused and Mr Carpenter nodded at him for him to go on.
"I wanted to impress Harlean, because I had never seen another girl like her. She truly is the most beautiful creature God has ever place on this Earth. Somehow I was lucky; Harlean must have taken a liking to me because she came back that afternoon. I found myself in awe of her and amazingly depressed when she had to leave the room. I respected Captain Smith, and he told me the night that he died that he gave us his blessing. I know that is not up to him, not being Harlean's father. But Harlean adored her Uncle, and I have seen her tonight look at you with the same adoring eyes that she gazed upon her Uncle with. I would hope that you see she valued what he said as much as she values your words," Harold finished and looked at Mr Carpenter.
"Tell me why you think you are a good enough man to marry her," Mr Carpenter said next.
"I am a hard worker and a good man of Christian Faith. I've seen tonight that it is important to you. I know that it may be a bit rocky at first, but Harlean and I will be able to get a long. I can take care of her, with love, care, comfort, and with money. She will not be living un-comfortably if she is married to me, sir," he replied.
Mr Carpenter was silent as he thought about it, "I am going to be honest with you…I like you. I was not sure at first because I did not know you. I am glad that Jonah convinced Harlean's mother and I to have this little dinner. Because I see you come from a good, loving family. I have learned that you truly care about my daughter and her wellbeing. You remind me of myself when I was your age actually, and I was courting Mrs Carpenter. I suppose I have learned this task of grilling young men from my late Father in Law. That man terrified me and I thought that after we had our session about why I wanted to marry Grace…I was adamant I would not be allowed to marry her. But alas…here we our, several years later, happily married."
"May I be honest with you sir?" Harold inquired.
Mr Carpenter nodded.
"You are slightly terrifying yourself. But then again…after what happened with the sinking…not a lot scares me."
Harlean's father smiled, "I would be proud to call you my son in law. I give you permission and my blessing to marry my daughter," he said.
Harold's face went white, "Y-you do?" he stuttered.
"Yes son, now go and give my daughter the news," the older man said.
Harold stood, he went to run for the door but then he went back to Mr Carpenter, "Thank you so much sir," he quickly shook his hand and then ran out of the room.
Mr Carpenter was smiling as he followed Harold.
"Harlean?!" he called.
She came running out of the parlor, "Harold? What is it?!" she asked.
"He gave us his blessing!"
Harlean let out a squeal and ran and hugged her fiancé. Harold picked her up in his arms and held her tightly as he swung her around a bit. She then spotted her father and Harlean ran up to him, "Thank you daddy!" she cried.
"Your welcome darling," Mr Carpenter said, smiling.
He let go of her and then Harlean hugged her mother and then Jonah. She hugged all of the Brides and then she wound up back in Harold's arms again.
It was the happiest she had been since the sinking, and she knew that this feeling would not be leaving her very soon.
XX
A/N- .God…I think I'm gonna start hyperventilating…NEXT CHAPTER IS THE LAST CHAPTER! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! I'M GONNA DIE! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S FINALLY HERE! OH SWEET JESUS!
Please review if you wish to keep me alive and breathing. Next chapter will be the last chapter…then I think possibly the epilogue…then be on the look out sometime this week for the parody. Yes I always parody my stories, and this one will be no different.
Plus if you've read any of my past Titanic stories, Antionette Rose's stories and my other story Come What May…you will want to read this parody…some very familiar people are going to pop up in all of them. I love you all oodles and oodles…I'll love you even more if I get some reviews!!