ONE LUCKY GIRL
Chapter Three

April 10, 1912

The quarters I would be living in for the voyage consisted of a reasonably-sized main room with cheery wallpaper and a soft carpet, furnished with a simple fireplace and sofas, armchairs, and a couple of bookcases. It had a warm, friendly feeling to it, the sort of place you’d feel right at home in. The room was empty; everyone else had already gone to unpack their things in the dormitories leading off from the main room. I looked at the information form I had been given when accepted for the job, and found that I was in dormitory number three.

I quickly found the door and entered, finding myself in a simple room with three beds, a sink, and a small chest of drawers and side table for each bed. Sunlight poured in through a single porthole, and above the sink was a small wooden frame mirror and a shelf for toiletries. It was a simple, but pleasant room. The walls were whitewashed, the smell of fresh paint still strong, with not a scratch or a scrape. The smooth carpet was clean and a dark crimson color, freshly cleaned with not a single trace of dirt. Everything was so brand new, so pristine, like it was built just for us.

Over in one corner, a blonde-haired girl who could only have been a year or so younger than me was unpacking her clothes. Her suitcase lay open on top of her bed. She turned her head to see who had entered, revealing a pair of sky blue eyes. A few freckles were dotted over her nose and her skin was light, creamy beige. She smiled at me, showing her slightly crooked teeth.

"Hello," she said brightly in a thick Cockney accent, walking over to me. "I’m Lucy. I guess we’re sharing a room, eh?"

"Yes, I suppose so," I replied, shaking her extended hand. "I’m Violet." She smiled a friendly smile at me, and I smiled back. I knew then that I’d just made my first friend on board the ship.

I selected one of the two remaining beds and began to unpack my things. I hadn’t brought much, just a spare dress, my uniform, nightdress, toothbrush, soap, and a framed picture of my family that had previously stood on my dresser at home. I placed it on the table beside my bed, positioning it so I could look at it at night. I felt a sudden sadness when I looked at that picture. It was taken in the Argentine before we left. We looked so happy--my mother and father, me and my other siblings. I quickly wiped away a single tear from my eye and cheered myself up with the fact that I was going to see them soon, after the journey to and from America.

"Your family?" asked Lucy, indicating the photo.

"Yes," I replied, continuing to unpack my things. Lucy had already put out a small framed photo of a dark-haired young man and a little girl of about two.

"Is that your family?" I asked, indicating her photo. Lucy nodded, looking at it.

"My husband, Will, and my daughter, Harriet."

"She looks just like you," I said, noting the little girl’s long blonde hair and the exact same smile as her mother’s. Lucy smiled.

"Thank you," she replied, gazing at the photo. I knew how she felt. We were both leaving our loved ones behind for our jobs. "She wanted to come with me. I told her I’d be back in a couple of weeks, and I don’t doubt that she’s counting every hour," she continued, chuckling.

"The same with my little sister," I replied. "She wanted to come see America, too. I promised I’d bring her back some postcards of New York instead."

We continued to chat as we unpacked our things until a third person came through the door. Our last roommate was a tall, thin woman of about thirty with a no-nonsense vibe about her. She wore her thick jet black hair in a long plait swung over her shoulder. She had dark brown, beady eyes, thin lips, and a hooked nose. She reminded me somewhat of a crow! She gave us a slight smile and a nod, and pranced briskly over to the last remaining bed, smoothing the covers before placing her suitcase on top and opening it. I raised my eyebrows to Lucy, sensing she considered herself a cut above us. Lucy raised her eyebrows back and cleared her throat loudly. The woman looked up and nodded in greeting.

"Hello," said Lucy brightly.

"Hello," the woman replied politely before going back to her unpacking. She spoke with a voice that sounded well-spoken, as if she thought she could use it to kid herself she was up there with the rich and famous in first class.

"I’m Lucy and this is Violet." Lucy introduced us both.

"Hello," I greeted with a smile. The woman nodded to me and said nothing. I raised my eyebrows at Lucy again.

"Um…what’s your name?" I asked her. She looked up at me, studying my frame with her beady eyes. She paused for a moment before finally replying.

"Anastasia."

"That’s a nice name," Lucy commented.

"Thank you," Anastasia replied dully.

"Can we just call you Anna?" I asked jokingly.

"No," she replied, not seeing the fun side.

"Um…so..." Lucy shuffled from one foot to the other, not sure what to say next. "Nice room, huh?" she asked, looking around vaguely.

"Well, it is a little plain for my liking, but it will do," Anastasia commented with a displeased look around. "I should tell you now that I don’t take kindly to untidiness." She eyed us both.

Who does she think she is? I asked myself.

"No, of course not," Lucy replied with false understanding, but I could clearly tell she was thinking the same thing. We both went back to sorting our belongings, an awkward silence filling the room.

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