LIFE AFTER JACK
Chapter Fifteen
Just a few hours later, Jack and
Rose found themselves walking up the ramp to board the RMS Titan. Rose was
scared out of her mind, and Jack was also a little bit shaky. Jack and Rose
made their way down to steerage. Jack had asked Rose if she wanted to go first
class, but she said no. Rose thought that first class might bring back too many
bad memories. Anyway, Rose liked the parties in steerage. She thought that they
were much more fun than dinner in first class.
As Rose and Jack walked into
their cabin, they realized that their roommates were already there. There was a
young woman named Caitlin and her husband, Michael.
"Hello. I am Rose, and this
is Jack," Rose said.
"Nice to meet you,"
Caitlin said. "So, where do you live?"
"We are moving from France
to New York," Rose replied.
"Oh, France is a beautiful
place. We live in New York. We have been on vacation in France. Why on earth
would you want to leave a beautiful place like France?" Caitlin asked.
Rose and Jack sat down on the
bunk beds and explained what had happened to Opal. They had just been telling
their neighbor, Catherine, the same story the day before. Rose thought that it
was interesting that she had two friends with such similar names.
*****
Jack and Rose went to bed early
because they knew that they would want to explore the ship the next morning.
Rose fell into a deep sleep and
started dreaming. She started saying Jack’s name. This woke Caitlin up, and she
wondered what was happening. Rose just kept saying, "Jack, Jack,
Jack…" Then she started saying, "Come back," in a soft voice.
Rose sat up in bed, screaming, and Jack sat up to see what was happening. Rose
was sitting up in bed, shaking, with tears running down her cheeks.
"Jack, I lost you
again," Rose said.
"No, Rose. I am right
here," Jack told Rose.
The door flew open.
"Everybody get up and put on
your lifebelts!" one of the crewmembers said.
"Jack, it is happening
again! I knew this would happen!" Rose exclaimed.
"Rose, they have enough
lifeboats. We will be fine," Jack said.
"Jack, you had better be
right. I am carrying our baby!" Rose shouted.
*****
Both couples left the cabin and
headed for the boat deck. There were no locked gates on ships since the Titanic
had sunk. When Rose, Jack, Caitlin, and Michael got up to the boat deck, there
were only a few boats left. They quickly jumped into one, and the officer
started giving the signal for the lifeboat to be lowered. Rose sat and watched
as the beautiful ship sank. It is almost as beautiful as the Titanic, but
nothing will ever compare to that ship, Rose thought. There is no music
playing like there was the night the Titanic sank, Rose was thinking. There
are also not nearly as many screams, she thought. And there is one very
different detail this time. I have Jack.
She knew now that Jack would
never leave her again. Rose fell asleep under a blanket and was awakened by
Jack near a rescue ship.
*****
There were hundreds of people
around her. Most had blankets and soup to warm them. Before Rose knew it, she
saw the Statue of Liberty. The last time she had looked up at that statue was
when she decided to take Jack’s last name. But this time, Jack was standing
right beside her, holding her hand. Rose also had her new friends, Caitlin and
Michael.
"Jack, where are we going to
stay?" Rose asked Jack.
"Well..." Jack said
before Caitlin interrupted him.
"We have a house. We have
plenty of room. If you like, you can stay with us," Caitlin said.
Jack and Rose graciously
accepted. They got into Michael’s car. They headed to Caitlin and Michael’s
house.