Yet another sunny day today, but it’s also windy. Rose asked me if we can meet up with Jack up on the sun deck and we did. We spent a good portion of time walking around the deck just hearing dad’s story. He grew up in Wisconsin, has a close relationship with his father, one memory he brought up to me was he was ice fishing and he fell in the water. Luckily, he managed to recover from that. The bond with his father was short lived, his parents passed away when he was 15 and was out on his own. “A tumbleweed in the wind,” is what he called himself. “Well, Ellis were you apart of this,” Rose asked in a confused manner. I had to clear it up to mom saying that I called Jack “brother” because I don’t trust the people she’s with and it’s a security-undercover thing, whatever, manner.
“Ok, that makes sense. Well, what’s your story,” Rose asked.
I didn’t want to tell them the truth yet but I bent it a little. My story goes something like this:
“I grew up with a single mother. She met my dad on a boat, fell in love and unfortunately a maritime freak accident caused my dad to perish before my mom found out she was pregnant with me. So mom had to raise me all on her own, no mom nor dad present, just herself and me. Throughout my life, we traveled a lot because mom was an actress, both stage and silent film. But we’re close.”
Both Jack and Rose felt bad for me and I said don’t, I’m used it. I may be an sinner’s child, but I was cleansed by the Almighty himself when I was too young to remember. A breath of relief flowed through the group.
Mother is a disciple of Christ, not sure which denomination. But I can only imagine the shame she carried the nine months she had me. Right when I was born, a pastor or priest baptized me when there’s a chance. I feel grateful that I was cleansed right out the shoot.
When we got through our stories, Rose thanked us for saving her and for being a source of comfort and support when no one cared. She eventually told us that her engagement was already set: 500 invitations sent out, the entire Philadelphia Society will be at the ceremony and she feels like no matter what she says to her peers, no one would listen. Mom never told me about this, all she said was that she was married off to some douchebag and only dad got her out the situation.
“Do you love him,” Jack asked
“The answer would be no Jack. It’s arranged remember,” I answered for mom as I mildly punch him in the stomach.
“How do you know,” Rose asked me.
“Well, when you’re around the guy, no smiles. Just talking about about the engagement doesn’t bring you joy but a cry for help.”
Rose chuckled a little and then grabbed dad’s drawing pad. We all sat on the bench, looking through his drawings; the texture and shading of the hands and body makes it too real. Dad gave us stories on each drawing from how free women are of expressing the bodies to the lonely woman named Madame Bijoux. All from when he was in France for a while.
After when he was done, he looked at me, and I showed my drawings to mom. As expected, she’s very impressed with the details in each landscape of it. Ironically, mom would praise me on the same thing in my time! Like dad, I told her that the inspiration came from my lakeside community in Michigan where the beauty of being by the lake year-round is a blessing.
The three of us spent all afternoon chatting about dreams and travels. It’s wonderful to see my mother in a different light, a dreamer. She talks about wanting to be an actress, dancing or even be in movies. Just hearing her talk about it brings a smile to both mine and Jack’s face. When mentioning about all the travels Jack and I have done in our lives, mom just bluntly said, “why can’t I be like you two? Just head out into the horizon whenever you feel like it.”
“You can still, Rose. I’ll make sure you and Jack do something together by the time you get to New York,” I assured.
Dad talks about Santa Monica, riding a horse cowboy style, and just enjoying life. I remember that one time, mom and I raced on horseback somewhere warm on the beach. Then eventually, Jack dragged Rose away from the crowd to teach her how to “spit like a man.” He started and then I followed; “You two, that’s disgusting,” Rose exclaimed. So what mom, I said to myself. After dad trying to teach her how to spit right, I see Molly Brown and a group of women coming our way. “Guys, quit it,” I hissed. The two turned around and mom recognized one of the ladies in the group. “Mother,” Rose exclaimed; “May I introduce the Dawson Twins?”
As mom told the ladies about us saving her life, all but one were delighted about us. My grandmother looked very…displeased, as I imagined her being. Grandmother looks bit like Rose but slightly older, more uptight, both in her choice of outfit and in her nonverbal personality. Mom barely talks about her growing up, I always thought it’s because she’s either nonexistent or something else, but I totally understand why.
Once the trumpet sounded, mom and grandmother left to get ready, Jack went with Molly, and I just went by myself.
Grand Staircase 6:00 pm
I don’t know how I managed to get a dress but it’s in the closet and it’s a simple zip-up, button, the whole thing. Naturally, my hair is curly like mom’s, so all I did was bunch it up together in an updo, put a hair accessory in it and pray to God it’ll hold. Don’t tell me about the gloves, blech! Feels weird enough, why do ladies do this? The Spanish Flu doesn’t happen for another 8 or so years from now.
After the bickering of the gloves and my hair, I managed to get to the grand staircase. Last time I went was a few days ago, this time it feels lively. Music is playing, people are in their best suit with tuxedos, feather accessories, white gloves, and just glamor. When I looked up at the dome, it looks like I’m looking at the afternoon sun, so bright and beautiful. It would be a shame if the waves actually tore this up during the sinking because of just how beautiful it is.
When I went over to the clock leading downstairs, I saw my dad there and boy, does he look handsome in a suit with his blonde hair slicked back. I’m sure he had to do a double take because for a moment, he sees my mother but instead, he sees me. “Ellis, is that you,” Jack asked.
“Of course it’s me, you ding-bat,” I replied as I went downstairs.
Dad gave me a kiss on the hand and smiled. He looked over to see mom in almost the same dress, white-powdered face and red lipstick. Almost like she’s the Virgin Queen! Now dad is REALLY doing a double take, looking both of us, shaking his head.
“Hey,” I snapped, “an easy difference is the hair and lips. It’s darker than mine.”
Jack shook his head, kissed mom’s hand and told us he saw it at a Nickelodeon once. What is a Nickelodeon, I asked myself.
During my time, we have what you’d call “talkies”, sound included in movies. Up until 1927, there were silent films or vita phone films. My favorites are usually the slapstick ones with Charlie Chaplin. From what I’ve heard, it started with vita phones, playing the sound along with the movie, which from experience is annoying, and thanks to The Jazz Singer, synchronized sound has become mainstream and silent film all but died out.
Jack offered us an arm, mom took his right, I took his left. When we met up with Hockley and grandmother, he too can’t tell who’s who, only a mother like Ruth knows. As we entered the dining hall, Molly Brown joined us. She is such a delight, a breath of fresh air whom cares for anybody. Which is why she took in charge of her lifeboat and saved a number of people in the water, the number I still do not know. Along with Molly, I get to be introduced and re-introduced to some well known people of the time and in history.
At the table, I sat next to dad, after dad was Molly, Rose, Hickley, I mean Hockley, and grandmother. After when grandmother asks some questions to dad, she turns her attention to me. When she asks me my story, I had to go a different route than I did with my parents. And it goes like this:
“Jack and I are twins, I was born last. He and I have been really close and ever since he fell into the lake while ice fishing as kids, I became protective of him, making sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. After when our parents have passed, we traveled the world together, tried to make a living. But just recently, we got separated while traveling around Europe and by chance found my brother and said to never leave each other’s side.”
It was easy to tell them that we’d be twins just by how similar we looked. Jack kind of went on, rambled about a few things about how a week ago, he was under a bridge and now “having champagne with you fine people.” We chuckled and did a toast to making each day count. I remember mom telling me that on the days where I feel the most defeated.
Dining room 8:45 pm
Boy, was Molly an entertainer! Her stories about her husband being an absolutely idiot treats an uproar of laughter in the group. As one of the gentlemen invites all the men to join him for brandy, most, if not all, men accepted the invite. When that same gentleman asked Jack, he said he’d be going back to his cabin. He walked over to mom, kissed her hand, and leaves. When no one was watching, I wiped my mouth with the napkin, put it down and follow dad.
“Jack, what are you doing,” I asked dad once I caught up with him as we enter the grand staircase.
“Returning the favor,” he replied.
“what?”
“she invited me up to her world, I’m inviting her down to my world.”
It all makes sense. I paused at one of the pillars as I watched Jack walk up the stairs and wait with his front facing towards the clock, as it reads 9:00 pm.
I saw mom coming up to the staircase, I must’ve spaced out, not knowing she was there. Jack probably knew she’s there because he turned around and looked at her with this boyish grin
“So, do you want to go to a real party?”
Third class hang out 9:30 pm
Jack was not wrong, this is a real party. We got some Irish music playing with flutes, cellos, bagpipes, and other instruments from Paddy’s green shamrock shore; people were dancing, drinking, and having a good time. I have yet to see a fight break out. But I have seen a few drunkards fall over and breaking a table or two.
After when the first song ended and the tempo speeds up with the second song, Jack invites Rose to dance with him. She hesitates but I pushed her to it saying she’ll do great. I didn’t dance, I wanted them to have their fun, but eventually some bloke wants to dance with me so I did. Boy was that fun!
After that song, Jack stole a couple beers, while I got a refill. Rose drank it all in one breath, Jack was impressed, I wasn’t surprised so I’m like “watch me”.
As I watched them have a great time, I remembered something: tomorrow is the 14th, where tragedy hits. It’s hard to believe that this will all be over in 24 hours. But…I don’t want to think about that right now. I want to think about this moment, this moment that I have with my parents, a bonding moment, without them know who I truly am. I want them to see me as a friend, a sister, for as long as this ship stays afloat. But when this ship goes down, I’ll be ready to protect, defend, and save my parents until I go down. I hope that when the ship and I go down, I’ll go back to my time because 1912 is messing me up.
The NEW Life 