FAMILY
Chapter Five
Too soon, the wedding day
arrived.
Rose was looking in the mirror.
She hated how she looked, like a doll. That wasn’t really her, but who cared?
No one. She could hear guests arriving and saying hello to her mother, as she
was the important one. Rose didn’t care very much. She wanted to stay as far as
possible of all of them, including Cal. Especially Cal.
She was terrified. She knew this
day had to come. For almost four years, she had heard her mother planning it.
But all of a sudden, it seemed so soon…too soon. It all had to do with the
Titanic. If she hadn’t been on it…if she hadn’t met Jack…who was she trying to
fool? Meeting Jack had been the best thing that ever happened to her. Why had
he had to die?
Suddenly, the door opened and her
mother entered.
"Are you ready? It’s time.
Remember, don’t walk too fast down the aisle. Is that clear enough? Come on. Cal’s
father is waiting for you. They all are."
Rose felt hot tears coming to her
eyes, and through her mind, several people passed. She could see Fabrizio di
Rossi and Tommy Ryan. Captain Smith, Mr. Andrews, and some other officers. They
were trying to convince her to go back to the Titanic, like she had for the
past few months. But today she couldn’t.
I have to be strong. I can’t
let him think he won. I can’t. Not today. Today I have to be here, she thought.
"Rose! What’s the matter?
Come on. They are waiting…"
"Please, help me," Rose
whispered before following her mother downstairs.
*****
Kelly watched the people around
her and decided that she didn’t like any of them. The men, Cal included, were
talking about politics. Women were talking about different types of dresses and
where to buy them. Kelly couldn’t believe that people were that stupid.
She tried to see if her brother
had arrived, but he was nowhere to be found. Many questions formed in her head.
Had he received the letter? Was he really planning to come? Was it all a joke?
Suddenly, the music began to
play. She didn’t know what to do. Should she wait there for him to arrive, or
should she go to the front entrance? The wedding was taking place at the
Hockley house in its back garden. She decided that it was better for her to
wait outside. Besides, she liked Rose and she couldn’t see her ruining her life
by marrying that man, who she didn’t even love.
But before she left, she saw
Rose. She wore a nice dress that suited her perfectly, but there was something
in that image that wasn’t good. Rose’s face. She didn’t seemed as happy as
someone getting marry should be.
"Poor girl," Kelly
whispered.
The music began to play, and Rose
appeared on Nathan Hockley’s arm. All the guests commented on how beautiful the
dress was, something that Ruth was very pleased to hear, but no one seemed to
see the bride’s look.
She had her eyes on Cal’s, who
had a smile on his face. But it wasn’t a nice smile. She wanted so badly to run
away. But where…what would she do? She had no one to turn to. Cal would find
her sooner or later, and that would make it worse. No…she had to stay.
Why me? she asked herself as she walked down the
aisle. Why me, above all? It’s not fair, God. It’s not.
But not a single tear fell from
her eyes. She kept a serious look at Cal, not letting him see beyond it.
Eventually, she reached where he
was and he grabbed her arm--harder than he should have.
The minister looked at them, and
said, "What a lovely couple! May I begin?"
Lovely couple? Was this man insane?
Who was he looking at? How could someone possibly believe that she was happy?
She didn’t ask any of these
questions out loud. She was so tired…she just wanted to sleep and never wake
up. At least in her dreams, she was happy.