Chapter 90: Help for the Helpless
"Your statement is certainly making headlines," Ruth says, as she brings in the evening paper the following night. "I don't think I've ever seen these many reporters get excited over anything."
Not even when Roosevelt got shot two weeks ago," Molly agrees.
Emma bounces Sybil on her lap while shaking the family's silver rattle to amuse the young one, sitting in her father's favourite chair. Peter sits on the couch next to her, drinking some hot cider in an attempt to calm himself down after a long day at the office. Much like before, he and Emma had been trying to work with the police department in order to launch a search for their friends, however, this time those in charge of the law were actually putting effort into finding the two and caring about this case.
Holly and Carl finish up the dishes in the kitchen while Thomas sits on the floor of the living room in front of a roaring fire, playing with his toy soldiers. Ruth and Molly mill about the house, making sure all the windows are locked and the curtains were drawn, which did very little to block out the sounds of gunpowder exploding or stop the bright flairs from the flashbulbs from being seen through the curtains.
Ever since the two of them had returned home, things had turned in favour in the search for Rose DeWitt Bukater and Jack Dawson. It seemed that every newspaper and magazine in the city are camped out in front of the Carson household, hoping to get the latest scoop of news to this developing story. From the forbidden romance to the kidnapping, this story was one for the ages, the kind the public seemed to be eating up. This seemed to work in the family and friends' favour as Emma's declaration of empowerment and the demand for justice, painted the New York Police Department in a bad light and they were now bowing to the demands of the public to find this couple. Some people in the press were even labelling Jack and Rose as America's Missing Sweethearts, the Star-Crossed Lovers of the Titanic, the "Missing Family," and this generation's Romeo and Juliet. Their love story would inspire the centuries to come and could one day be a fantastic moving-picture. While it seems that the titles could be exaggerated to create interest and drama, the press was not far from the truth in terms of what Rose and Jack have been through. From falling in love on a doomed ship to having their wedding interrupted, the two had endured a lot while trying to have a normal and peaceful life. Rumours were spreading like wildfire and everyone wanted to help find the couple.
The icing on the top of this cake was that Caledon Hockley was now a wanted man. He and his manservant have become enemies' number one and two. Despite their reservations of sharing any further information, Emma and Peter publicly shared more details of what they had suffered at the hands of this millionaire tycoon. From his kidnapping of Sybil to the framing of Jack and the shooting of both Peter and Emma; the man's "perfect" image of a steel tycoon and contributing member of society had been tarnished, seemingly beyond repair. While the couple did feel bad for putting Nathan Hockley, Cal's father, in the hot seat and have the entire Hockley legacy called into question, right now it seemed like the best way to make sure Rose and Jack were rescued.
A description of Cal, his manservant, and his car had been published in the papers and the warrant for the tycoon's arrest had been broadcast on the radio airwaves; everyone was on the lookout for these dangerous criminals and hoped to be able to bring a helpless family home to their loved ones.
"It's like a battlefield filled with gunpowder out there, no one can see two feet in front of them without being blinded," Molly adds, as she sits on the couch after both she and Ruth have secured the curtains in the front of the house. The heiress takes the paper from her friend and begins to read the evening's headlines.
"I just hope it's all worth it," Ruth mutters as she chews on her bottom lip.
After she'd heard that Jack had failed to rescue Rose, the poor mother feels even more fearful and upset than ever before. And yes, this trumps the time she'd thought Rose had been kidnapped when she had actually run away. Now that Ruth knew the truth about Cal and has seen the true nature of this man… she truly feared for her daughter's life. It was clear that the tycoon was relentless and would stop at nothing until he obtained Rose for himself. She wishes beyond everything else that she had never met the Hockleys or set her daughter up with Caledon for marriage. This "match" had jeopardized everything that was truly important, most specifically the life of Rose and her unborn child. The older woman worried about Jack as well, clearly, if Cal had overpowered him too, there wasn't anything holding this evil man back. No doubt Jack was living on borrowed time, the hunt would not stop the sadistic man from ending the last obstacle in his way for full possession of Rose. Ruth feels sick to her stomach, thinking of her unborn grandchild and wondered if Cal was depraved enough to do the absolute worst… after all, it was Jack and Rose's child, conceived on the Titanic, an abomination and insult to Mr. Hockley, the monster.
Ruth tries to sit comfortably in a chair and keep her mind off the thoughts and fears in her head, but they soon become too much, and she excuses herself from the room. Everyone wants to go and comfort the poor mother, but right now it seemed that she just needed some privacy.
Holly brings in some more hot cider for everyone, placing it on the coffee table and then sitting down, where Carl soon joins her and she wraps her arms around him tightly. Thomas takes a small cup from the tray and begins drinking it. The four-year-old couldn't fully comprehend what was happening; he knew that Jack and Rose have gone someplace, but he didn't know where and he hated that he couldn't go play outside on the front lawn anymore because of the "vultures" camped outside their house. His father had said that last part, but he could understand it as none of those people outside were birds, they didn't have wings… it didn't make a lot of sense to him. He was afraid and very confused about the whole thing. Part of him wants to go back to his real home as he missed his own toys and his own bed. He was sick of staying inside and doing nothing for most of the day, he wanted his old life back, he wanted things to be normal.
Emma could tell that all of this was taking a toll on everyone. She saw how jumpy and upset everyone was, even Thomas and Sybil were afraid of any loud noises and the bright flashes of light that were occurring outside the home. She hated the spotlight as much as the next person, she just wanted to have her normal life back; she wanted to be able to go outside her house without being blinded or crowded by total strangers who wanted nothing more than exploiting every detail of her life. But since her best friends were missing and in great danger, she knew they just had to endure this for the time being to keep everyone's minds of Jack and Rose and to encourage people to continue the search. Of course, she knew that none of this would have happened if the police had done their jobs properly and looked into Cal much sooner like both she and Peter had insisted. Why did it seem that other people were suffering the consequences for the ineptitude of law enforcement? They were supposed to be keeping people safe and that obviously wasn't happening.
Sybil begins to nod off in her sister's arms; Emma passes the toddler to Peter and then turns to Thomas.
"Thomas," she says. "Want to come to see Aunt Emma?"
The tiny boy hesitates, his own feelings making him confused and unsure. He knew a lot of this revolved around his Uncle Peeta and Aunt Emma, that they were the reason he couldn't go home. But despite his misgivings, he puts down his toys and climbs into his aunt's arms.
Emma squeezes the boy tightly and kisses the top of his head. He lays his head on her shoulders and seems to curl up in her arms.
"I'm sorry you have to go through this," she says quietly to him. She can tell the poor kid is close to crying, she knew that he was just as stressed as the rest of them, even more so because he couldn't fully understand what was happening. She'd heard the boy beg his mother and father continuously to go back home but to no avail. Holly and Carl were so hellbent on helping her and Peter rescue Rose and Jack, that any pleas from their son were shut down. "I know you want to go back home… I know you want things to go back to the way they were… I wish that too. If I had a million wishes, that would be my first one…"
"If I had a million wishes, I'd wish for a brand-new fire truck and for Sybil to be able to play with me like my other friends," the young boy says.
Everyone gives a gentle smile to the tired and frightened little boy. Emma squeezes him even tighter to show that she loved him.
"I'd also wish for you and Uncle Peeta to get married," he said, the selflessness of his request surprising everyone.
"That's very sweet of you Thomas," Emma murmurs quietly. "I'd wish for that too."
"I'd also wish for that bad man to leave us alone and…"
The entire room just listens as the tiny child relays his thoughts and wishes to them, some were typical for his age, while some surprised them. It showed that the boy was wise beyond his years and cared about people much more than one would expect a four-year-old to do at this age.
Talking about these positive things seems to lighten the heavy mood in the room and the small child begins to become sleepy while listing all his wishes. He falls asleep against his aunt's chest and Emma kisses him on the head again.
She stares over at Holly and Carl, Molly too. She knows that they all have lives to get back to, and it seems as though they are being held prisoner here, mostly due to the press, but also to her own selfishness. The poor girl wanted the comfort and support of a family during these dire hours, but she'd never stopped to consider the needs of those family members. She can't imagine the kind of emotional toll this is taking on them, let alone a four-year-old. She holds him tightly and sighs.
"Tomorrow," she finally manages to say. "I want you all to go home…"
A/N: Hey everyone, sorry it's been so long since I've updated but please follow and review.