COLLIDING DESTINIES
Chapter One
April 10, 1912
As Jack Dawson boarded the Titanic, walking
with his fiancée, Fran Fine, he thought he could never feel any better than he
did at that moment. Jack didn’t care if they were third class passengers. He had
the love of his life with him, and this was the grandest ship in the world. He
hadn’t been in America in for over two years, and that was far too long. He
hadn’t even been back to his hometown since he was fifteen years old, and to
him those first four years after his parents had died had been the longest of
his life. Then he had met Fran.
June, 1911
Jack had just finished a day of drawing
portraits in the park. He had only had three customers that day, so he was
feeling slightly depressed. He walked into the café he went to almost every day
for coffee. The manager, Richard, saw him walk in.
"Hey, Jack. Want your regular?"
"Yeah, Rich. You know me. Just
black."
As Richard was getting Jack’s coffee, Jack
saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. Instead of sitting
at his normal table, he walked over and introduced himself.
"Hi. I came in and I couldn’t help but
notice you over here. I’m Jack Dawson."
"Well, Mr. Dawson, you are quite the
charmer, aren’t you?" She laughed, introducing herself. "I’m Fran
Fine."
Their relationship had flourished in the next
few months, and Jack had proposed in March. He had saved up enough money to buy
third class tickets on Titanic as a wedding gift. Both desperately wanted to be
back in America. Europe was great, but America was home.
*****
Jack held Fran’s hand as they made their way
through the ship looking for their cabin, wondering who else would be sharing
the room with them, since there were four people per third class room. They got
to their room and walked in. When Jack saw the people who would be sharing the
room with them, he was astounded. Here, standing in front of him, was the man
who had been his companion through most of Europe. Until he had met Fran, at
least.
Fabrizio de Rossi turned around as he heard
the door being opened, and he was overjoyed to see his friend Jack Dawson
standing there.
"Jack! I had no idea you would be
here!" Jack noticed that Fabrizio’s Italian accent had faded somewhat
since the last time they had seen each other.
"Fabri, I can’t believe it’s you! I
almost thought I would never see you again."
"You see, Jack, you were wrong once
again. When you left Paris with the girl I told you we would meet again. Just
like I said I would go to America. Just never thought they would be together."
"You have no idea how happy I am to see
you, Fabri. So, who’s this guy?" Jack asked, indicating the other man
standing in the room.
"Tommy Ryan," the man introduced
himself, speaking in a strong Irish accent.
"Listen, Jack. Tommy and I are going to
the third class general room to meet some of the other people here. Do you and
Fran want to come with us?"
"You wanna go, Fran?" Jack asked
her.
"Sounds fun. Just let me put my bag up,
okay?" Tommy and Fabrizio both involuntarily flinched at the nasal sound
of Fran’s voice.
Fran put her things on the bed above Jack’s.
She really didn’t mind this lifestyle very much, but she still wasn’t
completely accustomed to it. Just before she and Jack had met, Fran had run
away from home. In reality she was the sole heir to one of the wealthiest
families in New York. She had never told Jack about that, and all she could do
was hope her family was not on the ship.