6Rose walked out onto the first class deck, untying the bow under her neck keeping her oversized hat in place and took in the sea air dancing over the water. 'Such a beautiful site.' She thought to herself. 'Like a magnificent pond.' It definitely wasn't something a person got to see everyday, and as much as she dreaded being aboard this ship, she couldn't help but appreciate the beauty of her view. Standing there on that deck, over looking the lower ones, over looking the sea, Rose felt a strange sense of freedom.
She felt free with the wind rushing past her and the wild waters beneath her feet. If only she could take off and fly, taking in this view forever. If only she didn't have to return back to that cabin, her holding cell she thought to call it. She was only avoiding the inevitable 'lingering' out on the deck as Cal called it.
Rose sighed just as she began to spin around to head back down to the cabin to begin dressing for dinner when a gust of wind caught her hat and flung it from her head.
"Oh!" She reached backwards for it as it fluttered over the deck railing and fell to the deck below. "My hat!" She called after it.
It landed at the feet of Elaina Compton none the less. She gracefully bent down retrieving it and let out a small giggle has she brushed it off gently. "Here, I've got it!" She called up.
Rose gave her a small smile and mouthed a thank you as she found the stairs to the lower level.
"Here you are miss. I believe this ran away from you." Elania handed over Rose's hat with a smile. "Hats can be a awfully dreadful sometimes." She laughed, fixing her own.
"Oh, yes. Yes indeed. Thank you, again. I would hate having to explain this missing to Mother."
"I completely understand! I remember once I misplaced my mother's favorite gloves, that she never even really wears might I add, and she had a fit! I mean, I has with held caviar for a week! A week...Which I really didn't mind because I've never been a fan of eating any creature's eggs." Elaina laughed, feeling comfortable with Rose.
Also feeling a strange comfort Rose couldn't help but laugh as well. 'So it isn't just my mother who is a little crazy, that's good to know.' She thought silently to herself.
"I'm Rose, Rose Dewitt Bukater." Rose greeted, a little delayed. "Nice to meet you."
"Oh right, yes and I'm Elaina Compton. Nice saving your hat." She smiled.
"And thank you once more for that."
"Of course of course, I only hope though when my hat goes flying you're the first to retrieve it!" Elaina joked light heartedly.
"Wait..." Rose paused for a moment in thought. "Compton...Compton...Cornelia?" She questioned to see if that name was related to hers.
"Cornelia Compton is indeed my mother. How do you know her?"
"Mother and I have had tea with her a few times, though I didn't see you there?"
"I'm usually being schooled when my mother goes for tea, usually." Elaina started walking slowly towards the steps of the upper deck, Rose followed wanting to keep up conversation and pace."
Entering the upper deck Rose realizes Elaina was a first class girl down on a lower class's deck. "Can I ask you something?" Rose questions as they approach a set of deck chairs and take a seat."
"Certainly, what is it?"
"Well, why were you down there, where you caught my hat? What were you doing?" She tried to ask with as much tact as possible. She wasn't trying to sound snootie, but she was curious.
"My brother, Jesse." She waved off. "I was looking for him."
"Oh, was he lost?" Rose asked concerned.
"No no..." Elaina laughed. "I just thought he was! He is always roaming off places getting himself into things. Very adventurous. Sometimes I want to tag along but that wouldn't be very lady like."
"No I guess not..." Rose said dishearteningly, hiding a frown. Rose loved a good adventure, or so she thought she would. She's never actually experienced one to know for sure.
"Well whatever the matter, I sure hope to make this voyage an adventure! After all, this is 'The Ship Of Dreams." Elaina winked. "What do you say to going to dressed and meeting up and dinner, I'd love to talk some more."
"Yes that sounds wonderful. I will see you at dinner." Rose said as they rose from their seated positions.
Elaina gave Rose a silent wave as she made her way down to her cabin with a huge smile on her face.
"The Ship Of Dreams..." Rose said under her breath. "I hope so."
'The Ship Of Dreams...The Ship Of Dreams...I can do this.' Josephine thought to herself as she slowly dipped her toes into the cold water. It was shocking, but nice. She took small steps further and further into the pool, wading her arms thru the water. Smiling and proud Josephine let out a quiet laugh.
"I did it!" She said under her breath. "This isn't so bad." Josephine let out a nice steady breath and tried to relax. She could still feel the bottom of the pool and felt secure enough to lean back and float up on her back.
Breathing steadily finding a calm within herself, She closed her eyes and began to think. Daydreaming about what things will be like once they reach home, how things will be so much better. She could have stayed like that forever, Just floating.
"Hello?" A voice from up above called startling her.
The unexpected echo shook Josephine from her dreamlike state causing her to roll over from her back. To her surprise she could no longer feel the pool's floor beneath her feet when she tried to stand. Thrashing effortlessly to find some sort of support in the water around her she began to panic. Josephine had floated unknowingly in the deeper end of the pool.
"Hello?" The voice called again, followed by the sound of hurried foot steps.
"Help!" Josephine yelped as she bobbed beneath the water and back up again, unable to wade herself in the water. "Help me!" She called once more before choking on water. "Please!" She coughed, kicking as hard as she could and grasping at the water with her hands.
"Are you alright?" The voice called, getting closer. "I'm coming, hold on!" It said, sounding more panicked.
Josephine didn't know what to do. She was having flashbacks of the last time she was in a body of water. The reason she has always been afraid to go near one ever since. The time she almost drowned. And it was happening again. She was going to drown. All she kept repeating over and over again in her head was that she was going to drown.
Once more Josephine's head went underwater but this time it didn't come back up. The water stung her eyes but she was afraid to close them. Not thinking she gasped for air underwater and inhaled a lung full. She instantly clenched her eyes closed shocked by the sudden pain of not being able to breathe. Suddenly the thrashing in the water stopped as Josephine body because limp in the water.
Jesse heard the girl's pleads and hurried as fast as he could down the stairs to the pool. Without hesitation he dove in head first into the water. He swam over to her with long, strong strides praying he wasn't too late. Diving down he saw her body laying at the bottom of the pool floor looking like an underwater angel and feared the worst.
Pulling her up to the surface and over to the side of the pool he leaned her over the edge so he could pull himself out and proceed in dragging her out of the water.
"No!" He said angrily. "You are not dying on me." He loosened the semi corseted drenched white undergarment she had on in hopes of opening her lungs. "Wake up dammit." He swore, shaking his dripping black hair out of his face. Without much experience in what to do in such a situation Jesse did the only thing he thought would save this girls life. CPR.
Putting all modesty aside Jesse cupped the left side of her chest with his hands and began to push down with needed force a few times counting under his breath. "One, two, three, four, five..."
He stopped compressions and went to breathe for her. Just now noticing her face, Jesse realized that she was the same girl he spoke with up on deck earlier. His heart dropped. "No!" His anger turned to sadness. He didn't even get a chance to ask her name.
Without delay he gave her mouth to mouth and began chest compressions once more. "One, two, three, four, five." He'd count and breathe for her. "One, two, three, four, five." He counted again, breathing for her once more. "Damn you! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" He said with each pulse of his hands. Each push he'd yell louder and louder, his voice echoing through the room.
On one last hard push the girl he had suddenly become so strangely attached to that he had given up hope on trying to save awoke in a coughing fit, spitting up water only to have it go back into her mouth.
Jesse promptly sat her up in his lamp so she could breathe and fell to a more comfortable seated position.
"You're alright miss, you're alright." He soothed, bringing her head into his chest as he patted her back to assist her expel water from her lungs. "Let it out. You're alright."
Once her coughing died down Jesse felt the need to ask her herself if she was indeed alright. "Are you okay? What happened?"
She let out a half cough, half self pitied laugh. "I drowned..." She coughed once more, clearing her throat for the last time.
Jesse didn't find her comment funny. "You scared me half to death! And you're laughing?!" He sighed, mad that she almost died not at her, though it didn't come across that way. Jesse stood up and removed his jacket. "Here..." He handed down to her. When he was concerned about saving her life he didn't notice how sheer her undergarments were.
"Oh..." She said looking down at herself. "Thank you..." She trailed off slightly embarrassed but graciously took his coat and put it on. She suddenly didn't want to make eye contact with him.
"For the coat or for saving your life?" He whispered quietly as he bent back down to her level.
"Both..."
"You're welcome."
"Wait a minute..."She extended her hand to him as a gesture for help to get up. Jesse grabbed it and supported her as she stood. "Why are you here anyway...what are you stalking me?" She said with all seriousness on her face, confusing Jesse until she let the right corner of her mouth break into a sly smile. "Because if you are, if you were...I'm completely alright with that, seeing as how you saved my life and all."
"Oh you are? You don't mind stalkers? I never would have pegged you for the type. But as far as the whole damsel in distress thing...I completely saw that one coming. You looked like you needing saving..." Jesse jabbed playfully and ended with a more somber tone, causing her smile to drop some.
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"You just looked sad up on deck." He took a step closer.
"I was not sad!" She exclaimed, taken off guard.
"Alright, forget I said anything then." He shrugged. "I'm glad you're alright..." Jesse gave a sad smile. "I better be going then."
"Jesse wait!" She gently grabbed his arm. "Don't go..."
"On one condition."
"Anything."
"Come to dinner with me." Jesse smiled and placed a hand over her hand resting on his other arm. She quickly retracted it.
"I can't." She turned away, ashamed. Somehow she had forgotten all about their classes.
"Why can't you?" He furrowed his brow at her invitation denial.
"I'm not like you, I won't belong. I don't have anything to wear, and you don't even know my name!" She scoffed.
"Well I was hoping to have the pleasure of finding that out over dinner."
"I'm freezing." She ignored his last statement and walked over to the pile of her clothes. She turned away from him and removed his jacket so she could get dressed. Out of respect He turned the other direction.
"You're avoiding the topic." He began ringing his shirt out. She didn't answer but he could still hear her fiddling with her clothes. "If you won't accompany me to dinner at least tell me your name." Still no answer.
Jesse didn't hear her approach but she was suddenly right behind him. "Josie." She said into his ear, straddling him.
"You're awfully stealthy there Josie." He turned around grinning. He couldn't help but light up about everything about her.
"But not wealthy." Josephine lightly poked his shoulder saying she wasn't but he was.
"That doesn't matter." He sighed, annoyed that she even thought that.
"Yes, it does."
"It shouldn't..."
"You're a fool Jesse."
"Perhaps. But I'm a fool who saved your life. You owe me."
"I don't have any money..."
Jesse was hurt that she even thought that was what he meant. "I don't want your money Josie. I want your company." Josephine tried to bud in but he wouldn't let her. "Tonight, at dinner."
"But..."
"No buts. Meet me at my stateroom. You can borrow one of my sister's dresses, she won't even notice." Jesse's face lit up, clearly proud of himself for tying up all her possible excuses not to attend. "All anyone will know is that you are a nice first class girl I invited to dinner. Everyone will love you, I promise."
"I don't understand you...why are you being so nice to me? You don't even know me." Josephine shook her head, doubting the entire situation. This wasn't a good idea, she thought to herself.
"What's to understand? It's just dinner. Don't over analyze it...just go with it."
"Just go with it?"
"Just go with it." He said one last time. "Keep that." He gestures, looking down at his jacket in her hands along with Jack's portfolio. "I'll be back to collect it if you don't show." He smiled.
"Is that a promise of a threat?" Josephine laughed. She definitely felt more comfortable now that she was certain he was being serious about wanting her company.
"That's a promise." He smiled. "I'll see you soon Josie." They began walking towards the stairs.
"Alright..."
"Oh and Josie..." He said just as he was about to take a step up the stairs.
"Yes?"
"Stay away from water." He laughed, at the same time having a seriousness about his voice.
"We're on a boat Jesse."
"Yeah well...I'll see you before dinner." He laughed once more, dismissing his own comment. "Its suite B-48."
"I'm not allowed up there though..." Josephine's smile dropped.
Jesse paused for a moment to think. "Then I will come to you. What's your cabin number?"
"No Jesse..." She turned away embarrassed once more.
"I know what you're thinking and I don't care. Just tell me your cabin number...Ill be there." He said full of conviction.
Not wanting to say, but wanting to see him again Josephine gave in and told him. "G-60."
"Hey...smile, I happen to like it when you smile." Jesse cheerfully said goodbye as they both made their way up the tiled stairs and out of the room. "G-60." He repeated back to her. She nodded. "See you there shortly."
Jesse parted left as Josephine watched him leave, still holding his jacket and Jack's drawings. She smiled looking down at it feeling like she had a whiplash of emotion, a light headed feeling. She chalked it up to her lack of air and headed back to her cabin. She was no longer hungry but she couldn't wait until dinner.
"Where could Josie be?" Jack pushed off the side rail he was leaning on and paced back a forth a few times with his hands in his pockets. He was really beginning to worry the later it got.
"Maybe she's a down at dinner no?" Fabrizo suggested.
"Y'all hungry?" Jack asked, turning to Lukas and Fabrizo.
"Yes a lets eat!" Fabrizo got up and started walking.
Jack laughed and shook his head at his eagerness. "Yeah I'm a little hungry too. I'm sure that's where Josie will be."
All three headed down below deck ready for dinner. When they reached the dinner hall it was full of people but no food was being served just yet. Jack, Fabrizo and Lukas grabbed seats at a long wooden table.
"Wish I had my sketch book." Jack looked around and all the different subjects he could draw.
"Hi." A high pitched little voice sung out. Jack looked over and then down to see a curly headed little girl sitting next to him. "I'm Cora." She smiled brightly.
"Hi there Cora. That's a beautiful name you got there. Where'd you come from?" Jack asked surprised to see her by herself.
"Well um, my mommy and daddy told me that when two people love each other very-" Cora began to explain but Jack laughed and waved her to stop talking.
"No no, not that. But that's a very good explanation. You're a smart girl Cora. I meant to ask why are you here by yourself? Where is your mommy and daddy?"
"Oh, mommy and daddy are waiting in line to get our food. They told me to go find us a seat. Can I sit with you?" Cora asked gleefully, her cheeks rounding out under her big brown eyes as she smiled.
"Of course Cora." Jack returned a smile. "How about this, I'll wait until your mommy and daddy get here to the table before I go get my food. Does that sound good?" Jack asked, bending down a little to get on her eye level.
"Mhm!"
"Good! That's a pretty doll you got there Cora. What's her name?" Jack pointed to the little porcelain girl in her arms. Cora lit up from Jack's interest.
"This is Molly my dolly. She goes everywhere with me!" Cora hugged the doll tight. "I've had her for as long as I can remember!"
"Well nice to meet you Molly the dolly!" Jack took the little doll's hand and pretended to shake it. Cora laughed at the gesture. "Molly and Cora, I'd like you to meet Fabrizo and Lukas." He looked across the table to his friends. "We haven't been friends as long as you and Molly here but we do go everywhere together!"
"Hello!" Cora greeted with an excited wave. "Molly says hi too!" She waved the doll's hand to the two men across the table from her.
Lukas smiled and returned a shy wave along with Fabrizo. "Ciao Bella." Fabrizo greeted back.
"What's that mean?" She tilted her head to emphasize her question.
"It a means 'Hello beautiful' from where I am from, Italia."
"So that's why you talk funny!" Cora laughed playfully.
"Cora!" A blonde headed woman exclaimed as she approached the table. "Apologize!"
"Sorry Fabrizo." Cora hung her head, fiddling with her doll in her lap.
"It is a okay!" Fabrizo explained.
"I think its neat though! Molly really likes your accent." Cora went on continuing to fiddle with her doll's hair, her legs swinging back and forth under the table. "Where's papa?" She asked the woman seating herself beside her.
"He is coming dear." She smiled, setting the plate of food in front of Cora. "Here we are, it looks good doesn't?"
"No." Cora made a face at the bland course of food being served. "Egh!"
"What? You don't like vegetables Cora?" Jack questioned with pretend shock.
"No! They're gross!"
"I love vegetables! Especially peas and potatoes! Yum! They're my favorite!" Jack over played his love for the foods, giving a wink to the woman giving him a questioning look.
Cora's mother caught on quickly. "See Cora, he likes peas. Why don't you try some?"
"Okay..." She said hesitantly.
"I'm gonna go get my own peas, I'll be right back ok?" Jack got up from the table. "Will you save our seats Cora?" Jack bent down again to her level.
"Mhm! Me and Molly will keep them safe!"
"Well that's very nice of you two! Thank you, and thank you Molly." He said acknowledging her doll once again. "Let's go Fabri, Lukas...I'm starved!"
Jack, Fabrizo and Lukas went to the back of the somewhat decent size line to await their food.
"This is nice aye?" Fabrizo looked around the room and back to Lukas. "Have youse a ever been on a ship like this?" He asked making small talk. "Good service."
Lukas hesitated for a moment before answering trying to process what Fabrizo had just said. The language barrier wasn't impossible, just a little strained at times when one would talk quickly or unclearly. Fabrizo and Lukas both had a habbit of speaking too fast. "This is my first boat, first ship." Lukas replied. "It is real nice, very very big! Lots of people. Lots of food." He said eyeballing the serving buffet up ahead.
"What do you think Jack?" Fabrizo turned his attention to his distracted friend. He didn't get a reply. "Hello! Svegliati" Fabrizo waved a hand in front of Jack's eyes. "Wake up!"
"Hmm?" Jack zoned back in.
"Oh a nevermind!" Fabrizo laughed.
"Sorry Fabri, I was just scanning the room to see if I could find Josie. It's a big room, she's probably here, there is just too many people. I can't tell." He shrugged.
"Yeah she's a in here somewhere. Should I call her? Josephine! Josephine!" Fabrizo called out dramatically, drawing the attention of a few people close enough to hear him over the loud chatter and buzz of the room. Jack nudged him and they all began laughing.
Once they made it thru the line with their food they returned to the table that was a little more crowded than when they left.
"Jack!" Cora exclaimed. "I saved your seats!" She smiled, proud of herself. "This one man tried to sit in your seat Fabrizo but I told him no! So he scooted down a little."
Jack laughed at Cora determination to save their seats, and the excitement in her voice as she told them so. "Well thank you Cora! How were those peas?" He asked as they all say down.
"Well they were okay. I guess. Daddy said if I ate all of them I could go to a party tonight! Didn't you papa?!" She gleefully addressed her father.
"That's right Cora, and it looks like you still have a few left to go!" Her father peeked over to examine the remainders on her plate.
"Yeah but I'm so full!" Cora rubbed her belly. "I'm saving these for Molly."
"Oh are you now? I guess no party then..." Her father shook his head as he took a bite of food with a sly smile on his face.
"But papa!"
"Finish your food Cora." Her mother pointed to her tray with her fork.
Cora's mother then pointed out something across the room to her father. Fabrizo seized that opportunity to help Cora out. He pointed to his plate with his fork and waved her to put her left over peas on his plate. She did it quickly and giggled. Jack found Fabrizo's gesture humorous and completely in character. Fabrizo has always loved kids. Jack even had a few drawings of Fabrizo and some of the children of the park they used to sleep in every now and then.
Cora's mother glanced back over to her daughter's giddy self and noticed her peas were all gone. "That a girl Cora! Looks like you're going to a party tonight." She patted Cora's shoulder, putting her arm around it and pulling her into a one armed hug.
"Yay! Thank you momma! Thank you papa!" She smiled looking up at her. "Fabrizo, you Jack and Lukas should come to the party too! It will be so much fun! I've never been to a party before! I'm so excited! Will you come? Please!" She begged. "Please make them come momma!" She said looking back at her mother.
They all laughed. "That's not up to me Cora." Her mother shook her head at her beautiful silly little daughter.
"Well if your momma there says we have to go then I guess we gotta go then huh boys?" Jack smiled looking down at Cora, then to Fabrizo and Lukas and finally to her mother, widening his smile.
Cora's mother shook with laughter as her father caught on as well. "I'm sorry Cora..." Her mother said with a sudden seriousness. "They are coming to that party." She smiled.
"Yay!" She exclaimed as everyone laughed and "yayed" with the little girl. She just radiated with joy. It was hard for anyone sitting around her not to feel it too. She made things happier.
Everyone slowly finished up the rest of their dinner and conversation and made their way to the third class commons room where their conversations and socializing continued.
Jack had hoped he'd finally meet back up with Josephine. If She wasn't there the only place else he could think she could be was their cabin. 'Maybe she isn't feel too good.' He thought to himself. 'I'll just let her get her rest.' He was not so much believe his thoughts as much as he was trying to put away any doubt that his little sister wasn't anything but ok. He let his last few worrying thoughts about Josephine's whereabouts die down and tried to zone into the conversation Fabrizo and Lukas were having. 'I'll see her shortly I'm sure.' His mind wandered back one last time.