FORMALITY
Chapter Fifteen
Tears blurred my vision and my
heart pounded as the lifeboat slowly and unsteadily lowered down, farther away
from my father and from Rob. Before I knew what I was doing, I was up on my
feet and jumping out of the boat. I clung to the edge of the ship while women
shrieked all around me. Someone pulled me over and I landed in a heap on the
tilted deck of Titanic. "Miss, are you all right?" a male voice asked
me. I ignored him and got up, frantically searching for Rob. Behind me, I heard
my mother screaming my name, but she soon faded away.
I had no idea where I was going.
I just ran up the Grand Staircase, up to the top deck where I got on the
lifeboat. I ran down the deck, everything rushing by in a blur.
"Rob! Rob, where are
you?" I cried, searching for him. I wasn't watching where I was going, and
I ran smack into someone and fell backwards.
"I'm so sorry," I
mumbled, trying to get up.
"Belle," a familiar
voice said with relief. I looked up with surprise, and it was Rob. I managed to
laugh at my luck, and he helped me up and held me close.
"What were you thinking,
Belle? Huh? You should have stayed on the boat, safe," he whispered as
tears fell down my cheeks. I couldn't think, I couldn't see, and I could hardly
hear. I held onto him for dear life and cried into his warm chest.
"Belle, come on. We've got
to get you to a boat," Rob gently said, lifting my chin to make eye
contact. All I could do was shake my head.
"Oh, Belle, please. You’ve
got to get off this ship. You've got to," Rob pleaded, tears forming in
his eyes.
"What about your
mother?" I squeaked.
"I'll find her and put her
on a boat, too. Don't worry," Rob said. I could see that he wasn't so sure
that that was possible. "But I have to get you safe first."
"Rob, if I can't stay with
you, then please let me get on a boat with your mother," I managed to say,
looking into his worried eyes. If he let me, then I would get to spend a little
more time with him. And maybe, just maybe, we might find a lifeboat that would
let men on, too.
He hesitated for a moment.
"All right, but we've got to find her, and fast," he said, and took
my hand. We ran back inside and down the slanted stairs to B Deck, where his
stateroom was.