THE AFTERMATH
Chapter Two
Rose’s lifeboat reached the
Carpathia by dawn, and instead of claiming her place in first class with the
likes of Cal Hockley and her mother, Ruth, Rose decided to go with the steerage
group. Even though she had only associated with that class for one night, she
felt more at home there than she had felt in her entire life in the upper
circles of society.
Rose wrapped a warm blanket
around herself and sat on a bench.
She heard a man’s voice say,
"I don’t think you’ll find any of your people down here, sir; it’s all
steerage." Deep down in Rose’s innermost being, she knew that it was Cal.
His very presence surrounded her.
Rose heard Cal’s shoes coming
toward her. She huddled down so Cal would mistake her for an old hag. Rose
didn’t want him to find her. "Rose?" she heard Cal say. Rose felt his
hand on her shoulder.
"What do you want,
Cal?" she asked bluntly.
"I want to know if you’re
all right, darling. Why are you here with the gutter rats? Do you feel that
being among that idiot’s equals will comfort you? Or is your Prince Charming
returning?"
"Cal," Rose said
quietly, "I don’t think any of us will ever be all right again. And to
answer your question, Jack didn’t...he didn’t make it." Cal pretended to
look remorseful, but Rose could see in his eyes a triumphant gleam. He was
happy that Jack had died! Happy, because now Rose might settle for him!
"You disgust me, Cal. How can you be triumphant when Jack died?" she
asked, shocked that even Cal could be so low.
"I won’t deny it. I am
triumphant; Jack lost. I have now won your hand," Cal said.
"I’d be takin’ me hands off
of the lady right about now if I was you, mister." A voice came from
behind Cal.