For the rest of the day, as well as the next day, the Titanic stopped at French port of Cherbourg and Cork Harbour on the south coast of Ireland, picking up even more passengers, as well as mail heading to the States. By the time they picked up all the passengers, the Titanic headed out to open sea, the next stop would be New York.
Muriel got up early looking around her cabin. She and the other children shared one cabin, her parents shared another cabin with another two people. She brushed her hair as quickly as she could and tied the sides into a braid, leaving the rest of it down. She dressed into one of her favorite dresses, faded blue and worn out from the many times she wore it at home. Muriel looked at Thomas, Edith and Margaret, making sure the children were still asleep.
"Muriel?"
Ita opened the door to check on the children and saw her oldest daughter awake and dressed to go out.
"What are you doing up so early?" she asked.
"I just wanted to explore the ship", Muriel answered. "I promise I'll be back."
She hugged her mother and ran out the door. Finally, her first day away from her family. She ran up the stairs and onto the deck, smiling as she looked out to the sea. The wind blew through her hair and looked down as the ship created waves. They had to have been going at full speed. She looked behind them to see them leaving the coast of Ireland.
"Take a good look, lass. Might be the last time you ever see it."
Muriel gasped and turned around. She was surprised to see a young man, a bit older than herself wearing a worn coat and hat, holding a lit cigarette between his fingers. He looked rather handsome.
"Sorry", he said. "Didn't mean to startle you like that."
"No, I'm sorry", Muriel said. "I just wasn't expecting anyone to talk to me. I'm Muriel Callahan."
"Tommy Ryan", he replied shaking her hand. "I've seen you around the ship, with your family."
"Funny", she said. "I haven't seen you before."
"Families will often keep a young lass busy, I suppose", he said taking a drag from the cigarette.
Muriel watched him and smiled shyly. There was certainly a charm about him. The two of them smiled as they looked at a man holding his daughter in his arms, pointing down at the waves.
"This ship is the most beautiful in the world", they heard in an Italian accent.
Muriel and Tommy looked to see two men sitting close to them. The blonde one was watching the father and daughter, drawing them with incredible accuracy.
"Yeah, it's an Irish ship", Tommy replied to the Italian.
"It's English, no?" the Italian asked.
"No, 15,000 Irishmen built this ship."
Tommy stopped when they watched a couple of the ship's officers walk some first class dogs past them.
"That's typical, isn't it?" he asked. "First class dogs come down here to take a shit."
Muriel gasped at his use of language. Only her father spoke like that if he was drunk. He looked at her completely forgetting his manners.
"Forgive my language", Tommy said.
"It's just to remind us where we rank in the scheme of things", the blonde man said to Tommy's comment.
"As if we could forget. I'm Tommy Ryan."
"Jack Dawson", he said shaking his hand.
"Fabrizio", the Italian said shaking his hand as well.
"I'm Muriel Callahan", Muriel smiled as she introduced herself.
They watched Jack continuing to draw the father and daughter who stood across the way. Tommy took a look and he had to admit he was quite impressed.
"So you make any money with your drawings?" he asked.
Jack didn't answer, but lifted his eyes away from his work. He looked completely entranced as he just stared over Tommy's shoulder. Everyone looked up to see what he was staring at. A first class woman dressed in a lace-covered dress with fiery red hair angry or upset eyes.
"Aw, forget it, boy-o", Tommy smirked. "You're likely as to have angels fly out of your ass as get next to the likes of hers."
Muriel looked down, blushing from his use of language again. Tommy's statement didn't keep Jack from staring at the woman. Even Fabrizio waved his hand in front of his face to try and snap him out of it.