EVERYTHING’S NOT LOST
Chapter Seventeen
Sitting on the promenade deck, I
am so incredibly bored, it’s pathetic. I should be looking out at that great
big, beautiful sky before us out the windows and at the sky full of clouds, but
I seem to be staring at the wall. Granted, it’s a nice wall, with polished oak
and decoration to it, but I can’t seem to bring my eyes to the windows—let
alone the book in my hand that I am supposedly reading. How can I possibly
sneak out of here with my father still here? Doesn’t he work on this ship? He
usually goes around, looking for things that really shouldn’t be fussed with to
begin with, and makes note of them. Why isn’t he?
He has those blueprints of the
ship sprawled out on the table out on the deck, somewhat away from me, on the
table in which we had lunch on a few minutes ago. He seems to be writing
something down as I keep a watch on him. He hasn’t moved since lunch, except
when he had to get his blueprints and even at that, he asked Mary to fetch them
for him. Is he trying to kill me with boredom? I want to leave, but he probably
won’t allow me as a result of last night. Ten ‘o’ clock curfew? What is the
world coming to?
I sighed, glancing down at the
book in front of me. I had randomly grabbed a book, one I had read a long time
ago, and I had opened the book to read it, but have been just staring at the
page for hours. I can’t just sit around all day. I want to be with Harry.
Is that so wrong? I feel so free
and alive when I’m with him. I don’t feel stifled at all, never at all, when
I’m with him. We’re always laughing. Besides, if we did ever get bored, we have
the Ismay incident to reflect from. There’s always a laugh when Ismay’s
involved, especially since he is still going about, discussing the incident as
if his life had been in danger. Did he expect broken china pieces, fifty feet
away from him, to magically come in his direction, slicing his throat? Although
that would be quite a sight, it’s not possible.
And then I must wonder, what is
keeping me from telling my father about Harry and I? Really, nothing. He
must’ve put two and two together by now. If not by last night, by this morning,
because that little smile on his face has yet to disappear. Even during lunch,
he had this smile on his face, as if he knew something I didn’t.
"Antoinette, for God’s
sake!" I looked up from the page at my father, who had turned himself to
face me. He managed a laugh. "Just go!"
"What?"
"Just go!"
"Go…go where?" What
ever is he talking about? He gestured to the door that lead into the suite.
"Wherever you wanted to go
this morning, just go." I managed a laugh. "I’m not holding you
here."
"Daddy, I’m fine right
here." What did I just say? Did those words actually come out of my mouth?
My mother has corrupted me.
"You’ve been reading that
page for the past forty-five minutes." I glanced down at the book in my
hand before shrugging.
"I want to absorb it."
"Ann, just go be with
him." I shut the book and placed it down on the ground beside me, folding
my hands. "You obviously don’t want to be here."
"Dad, that’s not true—"
He laughed.
"Frankly, I don’t blame you.
Ann, it’s beautiful outside, enjoy yourself." He paused, smiling at me.
"You know, it didn’t make much sense to me before. Now, it does."
Okay, I am now officially puzzled. "You met him."
"Him?" I asked with a
raised eyebrow. Oh no, is he talking about…Harry?
"Harold Lowe." I almost
fell over. So, he did put two and two together! The service stares had to be
the cue for him that something was going on. At least I don’t have to write it
down and send it to him, it’s about time he figured it out. My mother would
shame him if it took him this long to figure this out.
My father smiled. "You met him
and you changed." He shook his head, throwing his pencil onto the table on
top of the blueprints. "I could never be sure what was wrong and now,
you’re back."
"Where did I go?"
"You actually listened to
your mother, first and foremost. That’s not like you, Ann. You are very
stubborn when you want something your way." He smiled. "Either way,
stay in high spirits, would you?"
"Sure. I can do that."
I stood up from my chair.
"Do you care for him?"
he asked me suddenly. Okay, I knew that was coming. I turned to face him and
walking towards the table, I nodded. "I figured." He cleared his
throat. "Does he care for you?" He loves me. "I thought
so." He smiled, taking the hand I had been leaning on the table with,
squeezing it. "It’s wonderful, Antoinette. Go on and spend some time with
him."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely positive."
He paused. "Just be back before ten, would you? Any later than eleven, I
will send those officers out to find you—even if they have to drag you…"
He smiled.
"You don’t care about dinner?"
I asked skeptically. That’s a social gathering right there. He shrugged.
"No. I might miss out on it
myself. A little change could never hurt anyone, could it? Besides, I can’t
hear Ismay discuss the china incident any longer. Whoever did it is never going
to confess since he threatened to chain them to a pipe." I managed a
hesitant laugh myself. If he only knew…One revelation at a time, I think. Any
more today, he may keel over. "Ann."
"What?"
"Just realize that no matter
how old you may get, you’re still my little girl." He’s going to walk down
memory lane right now, because of Harry.
"Dad, nothing’s going to
change," I attempted to reassure him. "I’m still here." He
nodded, squeezing my hand once more.
"I know you are, darling.
Now, go on. Have some fun for me, okay?" I nodded, hugging him tightly.
"I will," I promised,
kissing him on the cheek. "Oh, Dad, you’re the best!" And with that,
I left my father with his blueprints and am now on the search for Harold
Lowe—who may just be the love of my young life.