LOVE LASTS FOR ETERNITY
Chapter Three
Molly's POV
I left the ship’s infirmary,
wondering how I was going to complete this impossible task. To find someone on
a ship where nobody knew who was alive or dead seemed impossible, especially
when said person could have a fake surname. Nevertheless, I was willing to try.
I knew Rose was unhappy in first class and that she and Jack were in love and I
was more than willing to help them reunite, if that was possible.
I first decided to check the
updated version of the list. I asked a steward if he had it and by chance, he
had the most up-to-date version, just finished an hour ago. I scanned all three
classes, and sure enough, Rose Dawson was still alive, Rose DeWitt Bukater,
dead. I thanked the steward and handed the list back to him. I knew Rose wasn't
in first class. I'd already checked every nook and cranny of the first class
area and had even briefly scanned second class, but with no luck. Now I was
determined to turn this ship upside down--metaphorically, of course--in order
to discover whether the sweet, spirited Rose was alive.
Rose Dawson was listed under
third class, so I headed to the decks where the third class passengers were
staying. The first class passengers had luxury suites, second had standard
cabins, and third class had to make do on the decks. I was annoyed by this, as
I was one of the few upper class people who cared for the well-being of lower
class people. I didn't care about class or social standing. I liked having
money, I admit. I loved being rich, but I also wasn't selfish or unkind. I
cared about others, looking beyond riches and into the deeper person inside.
Anyway, I walked down to the third class decks and was approached by a steward.
"Ma'am, may I be of any assistance to you?" he asked politely.
I smiled and said, "Why,
yes, you can, sonny. Do you, by any chance, know if there is a Rose Dawson down
there?" I asked, nodding down to the large crowd of third class
passengers. He said that he didn't, but said I was welcome to go and look. I
said thank you and he let me pass.
Dear God, what a sight it was
down there. It was an image of misery and grief, as if all things good and
happy had been banished for all eternity. It brought tears to my eyes as I
walked past a woman tearfully trying to explain to her two daughters why their
father wasn't with them. I wanted to run away from this dreadful scene, but
forced myself onwards. I had to find Rose Dawson, whoever she was. I tried
asking a few women who didn't look too grief stricken, but to no avail. I
scanned the deck, looking for someone I wasn't even sure existed. I felt my
stomach flip when I saw a little group of women.
Three blondes, all wrapped in
shawls I had seen a lot of in Paris--and a woman with a plaid blanket placed
loosely over her head, as though she didn't want to be recognized. However, a
few dark red curls were blowing in the light wind around her shoulders. I knew
then, without a doubt, that the woman was Rose DeWitt Bukater. I ran over to
her and tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped and turned her head, a terrified
look on her face. She smiled widely when she saw it was me. "Molly!"
she cried in delight.
I hugged her tightly and said,
"Oh, my God, Rose. You're alive!" She rested her head on my shoulder
and I could feel her starting to cry.
I held her tightly and she pulled
away and said, "Oh, Molly, you don't know how lucky I am to be
alive!"
I looked her in the eye and said
calmly, "Rose, I know exactly how lucky you were to survive. I know
exactly what happened after you ran away from the boat."
She stared at me, wide-eyed.
"Y-you can't," she stammered in disbelief. "You can't possibly
know. How can you know, Molly?"
I smiled and said, "All in
good time, darlin’."
She suddenly looked panicky.
"Molly, did you come to take me back to first class? Please. You can't. I
can't go back there. I won't go back there!" she stammered, her old
stubborn self returning.
I gave a small laugh. "Rose,
on the contrary, the reason I am here is a completely different one. Come with
me. I promise I won't take you anywhere near first class. Not now that I know
what he's been up to lately."
She stared at me, even more
shocked. "You mean you know about Cal?"
I nodded. "Every
detail."
She shook her head. "But you
can't know! You were on the lifeboat. I saw you! Unless you could somehow see
me on the ship, there's no other way you could know. Well, the only other way
you could know without hearing it from me is--" She cut herself off, tears
forming in her emerald eyes again. She began to sob.
I put my arms around her
comfortingly. "Rose," I said. "That's exactly why I came to find
you! Jack isn't dead. He's alive and on this very ship!"
She stared at me in shock. She
shook her head in disbelief. "No! He can't be!" she said. "I saw
him! I was there when he died! I saw him sink underwater. There's no way he could
be alive! Molly, are you sure it's him?"
I nodded my head firmly.
"Rose, it is as true as I am standing here. It’s no mistake. Jack Dawson
is alive!"
Before she could say anything, I
grabbed her arm and pulled her in the direction of the infirmary. The steward
at the top of the gates said something about third class passengers not being
allowed beyond this point, but I firmly told him she was with me. "And you
should be doing something to help those poor souls down there. They've gone
through hell and back these past few days, and you should do something other
than stand there like a lump," I added with a scowl. Rose smiled at my
fiery response, almost in awe.
I dragged her through the long
corridors to the infirmary. She broke free as soon as we walked through the
door and she saw Jack.