GRATITUDE
Chapter Three

After lunch, Arabella walked around with Thomas, thinking about how she could tell him that she still had feelings for him. While they walked around the ship, Thomas would stop on occasion to talk to a crew member or passenger, or to make a note in his notebook.

"So, Arabella, how is your story coming along?" Thomas asked.

"It's coming along nicely. I wish I could share it with more people," Arabella answered.

"Well, I look forward to reading it," Thomas said, smiling.

When they returned to the suite, Thomas sat down at his desk to look over his notes and Arabella went to her room to retrieve the notebook she had abandoned when she left for lunch.

"That Rose girl was something," Arabella said.

"Aye, she was. Witty. Did you see Bruce's face?" Thomas asked, chuckling.

"Oh, well, yes, and not even knowing who Freud was. I'm ashamed myself of even knowing who he is, but the whole conversation was a bit entertaining," Arabella replied.

"Right. Well, while I have my notebook out, do you have any comments about the ship?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't think anything could be changed! It's wonderful," Arabella answered.

"All right. Now, something else. Matthew didn't hurt you at all, right?" Thomas asked.

"Well, except for hurting my wrist a bit, I'm fine. Thomas, I need to say something to you. There is no need for lying anymore. Being around you these last two or so days have been…well…something that I haven't experienced in a long time. As I have been thinking about it more and more, I regret not marrying you that day. I regret not marrying you altogether. I know the other night you said you still cared for me, and I hope that your feelings still remain." Arabella said all this without looking at Thomas. When she finished, she waited for a reply and hoped for the best.

After a moment, Thomas still hadn't answered. Arabella, fearing the worst, stood up and ran out of the suite. Thomas stood up immediately and went after her, but when he reached the door he didn't see her anywhere. He walked up and down the halls, calling out her name and asking anyone who walked past, but the only lead he received sent him to the deck, which she was nowhere near. When he finally found her he found her in the most odd place. She was sitting in a corner of the smoking room.

"Arabella!" he said breathlessly when he spied her. Thomas walked over to where she was sitting and sat beside her. "Arabella, why did you leave?" he asked.

"You didn't answer. I was afraid I made a fool of myself," Arabella replied.

"Arabella, you could fall off of your chair in church or trip on your gown and I don't think you would make a fool of yourself. You know I feel the same way. To this day, I feel like I did when you were seventeen and we were going to marry," Thomas said.

Arabella looked at him with a soft smile. "You mean, after the fact I've made you wait all these years, you would even consider being with me?" she asked.

"Arabella, if I can't marry you, I will die alone, an old man," Thomas replied.

"Well…wait. What are you saying?" Arabella asked.

"I notice you still wear the engagement ring I gave you," Thomas said.

"Well, yes. I don't see why I can't. I never told Matthew what it was," Arabella said.

Thomas took her finger and removed the ring. "You asked what am I saying? This is what I'm saying. Arabella, I want to try this again. We made it to the day before the wedding last time. This time, let’s make it to the you may kiss the bride. Arabella, will you marry me?" he asked.

Arabella was quiet. The only people in the room were the stewards. None of them paid any attention to the couple.

"Yes, I will marry you," Arabella said.

Thomas put the old ring he had bought for Arabella so many years ago back onto her finger and the two smiled at each other. Thomas stood up and helped Arabella up. He planted a soft kiss on her head. How good it felt to be able to do that again after all these years. They returned to the suite. There, they sat at his desk while she read her story to him.

"Do you wish to make this public?" Thomas asked once she was done reading.

"What? The engagement?" she asked. Thomas nodded.

"Well, only if you want to," she answered.

"Then I will announce it tonight. At dinner. How does that sound?" Thomas asked.

"That sounds wonderful," Arabella replied.

Thomas smiled at her and then turned to his notes.

"I think I'm going to go out for a walk. Get some air," she said.

Arabella stood up, put on a coat, and went out onto the deck for a walk. As she walked, she began to think about the wedding. She hated the fact that her mother would miss it, but as she thought about it more and more, she realized that it was probably best if the wedding was kept private. She was never much for big affairs. An idea came to her mind. What if they had the wedding on the ship? The captain could marry them. Just they, the captain, and two witnesses would be there. As she thought about it more and more, it began to seem like a wonderful idea. She continued to walk, thinking about it. Suddenly, she bumped into someone. When she looked up, she saw that it was Captain Smith.

"Oh, Captain, sir. Forgive me. I was lost in my thoughts," Arabella said.

"Oh, it's all right, ma’am. You’re Arabella O'Malley, right? You’re on the ship with Thomas Andrews," the captain said.

"Yes, sir. Actually, I was just thinking about coming to look for you. I need to speak with Thomas about the idea first, but I thought I could at least ask," Arabella replied.

"What is it? Please, sit down," he said, indicating a deck chair. Arabella sat down and the captain sat beside her.

"Sir, Thomas and I are engaged, and in all honesty, I would like to be married as soon as possible. Would you be able to perform a marriage ceremony? Right here on the ship? Just a private ceremony," Arabella said.

The captain thought about it for a moment. "Well, being a captain, I can perform ceremonies. I don't see why I wouldn't be able to. When would you like to do it?" the captain asked.

"As soon as possible," Arabella replied.

"Well, the crew has not begun to prepare the dining saloon for dinner. We could do it before dinner, or tomorrow morning," the captain replied.

"Oh, that would be wonderful. I need to speak with Thomas, of course," Arabella said.

"Well, he's right behind you," the captain said.

Arabella jumped out of her seat and turned to see Thomas.

"Yes, I to want to marry you as soon as possible, but I thought you might want to wait until we were in Southampton again so your mother could be there," Thomas said.

"Well, we could have the ceremony here and then have another ceremony when we return home," Arabella said.

"Then let’s do it. We need two witnesses. Will could be there, and Harry," Thomas replied.

"Well, Will is right over there. I'm not sure where Harry is. But I'm sure he's not far away," Captain Smith said.

"Arabella, I will find Harold. You get ready," Thomas said with another smile.

Arabella returned the smile and went to the suite to get ready. Captain Smith got Will Murdoch and they went to the dining saloon to get ready. While they did that, Thomas went off in search of Harold Lowe. He was not far away, just checking in with the men in the room at the stern.

When Arabella reached the room she went into the wardrobe and looked through her gowns. Oddly enough, she had packed her original wedding dress, the one she was going to wear when she was seventeen and she was going to wed Thomas. With some assistance from one of the stewardesses who worked on the ship, she got ready. As she walked with the stewardess to the dining saloon, people thought it strange that a woman was walking around a ship in a wedding dress, but no one stopped to ask why. Finally, they reached the dining saloon. The stewardess, whose name was Scarlett, checked to make sure they were ready for her, and once they were, she opened the doors to admit Arabella into the dining saloon. Scarlett stood off to the side with Harold and Will and watched as the captain began to direct the ceremony. This wedding wasn't how Arabella had originally planned it ten years ago, but it was still beautiful. The band played the wedding march and Arabella felt like she was in a dream.

When the captain spoke the words, "You may kiss the bride," Arabella grinned from ear to ear as she and Thomas kissed. She was finally Mrs. Thomas Andrews. By the time the ceremony was over, the stewards were in desperate need of getting into the dining saloon to began preparations for dinner. Arabella wore a coat over her gown and the couple took the long way up to their suite so no one would realize they had gotten married. In all honesty, the whole thing went by in a blur. When they reached the suite, they sat on the couch on the promenade deck together with grins on their faces, kissing occasionally. Just then, as they were kissing for the fifth time since being made man and wife, the trumpets went off, announcing that it was time for dinner. Arabella went to her wardrobe and dressed in her best gown. She wanted to look splendid for dinner tonight. The end result was that she did look splendid.

The gown was a deep blue color with black flowers embroidered all over it. At the top, it had lacy sleeves and lace around the collar. Scarlett assisted her with her hair, and then finally she and Thomas walked to the dining saloon for dinner. This time they took the short way, up the deck and to the top of the Grand Staircase. They walked slowly, stopping only once or twice to speak to someone. Thomas wanted to wait until dinner to announce that they were married. When they reached the table, Arabella sat between Thomas and Rose DeWitt Bukater.

"You look lovely tonight," Arabella said to Rose.

"Thank you. You also look lovely," Rose replied.

As the waiters came by and dinner started, Thomas was waiting for just the right moment to announce it. Finally, after they had all eaten, Thomas stood up.

"I just wanted to make an announcement. Well, if you are anybody who knows me, then you will know that I have known Arabella here for a good ten or so years. Ten years ago, she and I were engaged to be married and the day before the wedding, her father died. After that, the wedding was canceled, and she just didn't feel she could marry anyone. We wound up growing apart and not ever getting married, but today she told me she still loved me. At four o'clock this afternoon, Captain Smith married us with only three people present, William Murdoch, Harold Lowe, and Arabella's assistant, I guess you could say, Scarlett. I wanted to wait until tonight to announce it, so now you know. Arabella is no longer Arabella Mary O'Malley. She is Arabella O'Malley Andrews." Thomas finished his speech and Arabella stood up so everyone could see her. The table erupted with polite applause and the couple sat down. They were peppered with questions. After dinner, they returned to their suite and ended the night.

Chapter Four
Stories