Chapter 4: New Philosophy
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Emma wakes up the next morning feeling rather agitated. The nightmare she'd had left her upset all night and she slept very little because she was so afraid that she would dream about seeing the ship go down and the demonic face in the waves. It was if the ocean was mocking her for being such a coward.
Sybil's happy squeals wake Peter up too. Emma reaches over, picks up her sister and cuddles her. Sybil lets out more laughing and reaches for her sister's face in joy.
"Good morning," Peter says, reaching over and kissing Emma on the cheek.
"Morning," she says. "Sleep okay?"
"No different than any other night. You?"
"Wish it were that simple, I had another nightmare."
"Really?" he says, concern in his voice.
"Yeah, I don't know what it is that's making me have these nightmares," Emma says, going to the washtub to clean up Sybil's face. "I was fine until I stepped onto this ship."
"Maybe you're overworked or something."
"It could be, but they're all about this ship sinking... it doesn't make much sense."
"Most dreams don't make a lot of sense," Peter says almost philosophically.
"You're starting to sound like Brian Herbert..." Emma smiles. "Dreams are as simple or as complicated as the dreamer."
"I see it more like Aristotle; Hope is a waking dream"
"What kind of hope can I get from a sinking ship dream?" Emma asks.
"The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced." is the answer.
"Don't base your decisions on the advice of those who don't have to deal with the results." Emma fires back.
"When anger rises, think of the consequences," Peter smirks.
"I'm only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand," she mutters.
"Some people create their own storms, then get upset when it rains," he smiles
"Into each life, some rain must fall," Emma responds.
"Everybody wants happiness… Nobody wants pain, but you can't have a rainbow without a little rain."
"Count your rainbows, not your thunderstorms," Emma says as she dresses Sybil for the day.
"I'd like to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud," Peter smiles and leans up close to Emma as she put a small blouse on her baby sister.
"Clouds the only birds that never sleep," Emma says, leaning on Peter's arm.
"Sleep is the golden chain that binds health and our bodies together."
"If only that were true," Emma sighs, selecting her clothes for the day. "The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have many promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep."
"Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time."
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase," Emma says, washing her face and going behind the screen to change.
"Yet I love you every step of the way," Peter smiles.
Emma blushes behind the screen. "Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others and the delight in recognition."
"Then let thy love be younger than thyself, Or thy affection cannot hold thy bent."
"Who could refrain that had the heart to love and in that heart courage to make love known," Emma quotes, appearing from behind the screen in a light blue dress with a pale frock on top.
"For she had eyes and she chose me," Peter shouts, getting down on one knee.
Emma can't help but laugh at his display. She curtsies and pretends to fan herself. "I did choose you. The best things in life are unseen, that's why we close our eyes when we kiss and dream. I still believe."
She leans down and kisses her fiancé.
Peter jumps up in excitement. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite!"
"You have no idea of the amount of happiness you brought to my life," Emma smiles.
"Beauty is not what can be seen, but what can be felt."
Emma gives him a puzzled look. "I've never heard that one before."
"That's because I made that up just now."
Emma smiles and pulls Peter's face towards her. Their lips touch and Emma feels warm all over. All her pain and fears seem to melt away when she's in Peter's arms, safe and secure.
"It wasn't luck that brings two together, but fate and the heart's desire," she giggles.
"That's a good one too." Peter laughs.
She kisses him again before getting Sybil together.
"I'm going to take Sybil to the nursery on the ship," Emma says. "I figure she can make a few friends there."
"Friendship increases in visiting friends, but in visiting them seldom."
"Love is blind; Friendship closes its eyes," Emma smiles. "I'll see you later."
"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
"Long Distance Love, it's just distance, not separation," Emma says, before kissing Peter and walking out the door.
Emma walks the halls with a small bag of things Sybil would need for the day. She finds a stewardess and asks for directions to the nursery. The woman points the way and the two sisters go down the maze of corridors until they hear the sounds of young children playing.
A nursery is a place of activity. Many mothers, fathers, nannies, and children are milling about the room. There are many books, toys, and playthings strewn about the room on a large hand-knitted rug. Little girls with bows in their hair hold dolls in their arms as they sit around a small table pretending to have a tea party. A young boy rolls a small truck along the floor and makes car noises as he goes. A mother sits with her little girl on her lap and reads her a story about a man who fell asleep in a rowboat. A toddler runs around with a duck on a string, laughing as he goes. Several mothers are nursing infants and a nanny chases a rambunctious boy who refuses to put his shoes on, running barefoot around the room.
Sybil's eyes light up when she sees the excitement. She bounces eagerly in her sister's arms. Emma brings Sybil to the centre of the room and places her down among the toys. The little blonde baby reaches out eagerly and grabs the first toy she can reach, a small wooden rattle. It then goes straight into her mouth and she sucks on it. She then tries to propel herself along the floor to find something else. She notices the girls sitting in small chairs and wants to join them. Sybil does her best, but she ends up flat on her face. Emma laughs and picks up her sister.
"Maybe when you're older," Emma says.
She grabs a book from the pile on the desk and sits with Sybil.
She tries to read to her sister, but Sybil is more interested in grabbing the pages to see what they feel like than a cow jumping over the moon.
A woman walks by with a small boy about two years old. The child wears what appears to be a sailor's suit and carries a small stuffed duck with him. When Sybil sees the boy, she reaches out for the duck.
"MINE!" the boy yells. Sybil's eyes go wide in surprise and she begins to cry.
Emma bounces her sister up and down to soothe her.
"Patrick!" the woman says in shock. "Do not be so rude. She's only a baby. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay," Emma smiles. "Sybil has a tendency to grab things."
"Well, Patrick will be getting a sibling someday, so he must learn to share."
"Sybil too," she says and put her sister down at her feet. The mother makes her son do the same.
"Now share Patrick. She'll give it back."
The little boy reluctantly does so. Sybil takes the duck and puts the beak in her mouth. Emma feels slight guilt in leaving the boy with nothing to play with, so she grabs a stuffed lion nearby and hands it to the boy.
"You can trade later," Emma smiles.
"What do you say Patrick?" the mother says.
"Tank you," he says in a garbled voice.
The woman sits in a chair next to Emma and they watch the two children interact. Sybil seems excited to have a playmate and throws the duck away. Patrick picks it up and Sybil waves her hands to give it back. The boy reluctantly does so. As soon as she gets it, Sybil throws it away again.
Emma smiles and the woman laughs.
"I'm Mrs. Baxter." the woman says, offering her hand. Emma takes it and shakes it.
"Emma Carson. And this is Sybil."
"She's a very lively child, You and your husband must be very happy." Mrs. Baxter asks.
"No, I'm not married, this is my sister. But I am engaged." Emma then twirls the diamond ring on her finger.
"Oh, well congratulations"
"Thank you," Emma says with a smile. "We are very happy."
"My husband and I have been together for three years. Patrick has been with us for two of them."
"He's a very handsome boy." Emma compliments. It is true, the boy has lively blue eyes and bright red hair with freckles all over his face.
"Thank you. He has his father's eyes, but that hair comes from his grandpa." Mrs. Baxter explains.
"The hair comes from my mother with Sybil," Emma says.
"She'll be a beauty that's for sure."
"Like my mother." Emma sighs.
"Your parents must be happy that you've taken on caring for your sister."
"They would be..." Emma swallows. "If they were alive. My parents passed away. My mother died five months ago and my father, a month ago."
"Oh," Mrs. Baxter says in utter surprise and her face turns red. "I'm so sorry."
"It's alright..." Emma says quietly. "At least, they're together... forever and always."
"Indeed." Mrs. Baxter says, going quiet as well.
The two look down at the little ones. Patrick is now holding both the lion and the duck, pretending to make them talk, much to Sybil's delight.
"They certainly seem to like each other." Mrs. Baxter says, nodding towards the two children.
"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation," Emma smiles.