˗ˏˋ𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫'ˎ˗

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝓇ℯℯ

˗ˏˋ𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫'ˎ˗

Beginning to descend down the grand stairwell, I see Jack standing at the bottom. When he looks at me, his eyes look purely hypnotised. For the evening, I wore a red and black low-cut dress showing off my neck, shoulders, arms which had a pair of white gloves which came up well above the elbow. As I approach Jack, he begins to imitate the gentlemen's stance with his hand behind his back. I extend my gloved hand and he takes it, kissing the back of my fingers. My cheeks are flushed, beaming noticeably. I physically can't take my eyes off him.

"I saw that in a nickelodean once, and I always wanted to do it." He smiles at me, proudly. Me and Jack walk over to my mother and Cal.

"Cal, surely you remember Mr. Dawson."

I saw that Cal was caught off guard when he saw how dressed up Jack was. His jaw dropped, "Dawson! I didn't recognize you. Amazing! You could almost pass for a gentleman." No matter what, count on Cal to have a sarcastic comment ready.

As the party descends to dinner. We encounter Molly Brown, looking good in a beaded dress, in her own busty broad-shouldered way. Molly grins when she sees Jack. As they are going into the dining saloon she walks next to him. I walk slowly ahead, smiling seeing how Molly treats him like a real human being just like how he is. As they enter the swirling throng, I lean close to him, pointing out several notables, There's the Countess Rothes. And that's John Jacob Astor... the richest man on the ship. His little wifey there, Madeleine, is my age and in a delicate condition. See how she's trying to hide it. Quite the scandal," I nod over towards another couple, "And over there, that's Sir Cosmo and Lucile, Lady Duff-Gordon. She designs naughty lingerie, among her many talents. Very popular with the royals."

I see Cal become engrossed in conversations with Gordon and Colonel Gracie, while Ruth, the Countess and Lucille discuss fashion. I picked Jack smoothly, to show him another couple, dressed impeccably, "And that's Benjamin Guggenheim and his mistress, Madame Aubert. Mrs. Guggenheim is at home with the children, of course."

The entourage strolls toward the dining saloon, where we run into the Astor's going through the ornate double doors, "J.J., Madeleine, I'd like you to meet Jack Dawson."

Astor shakes Jack's hand formally, "Good to meet you Jack. Are you of the Boston Dawsons?"

"No, the Chippewa Falls Dawsons, actually." J.J. nods as if he's heard of them, then looks puzzled.

Madeleine Astor appraises Jack and whispers girlishly to me, "It's a pity we're both spoken for, isn't it?"

˗ˏˋ𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫'ˎ˗

Like a ballroom at the palace, alive and lit by a constellation of chandeliers, full of elegantly dressed people and beautiful music from bandleader Wallace Hartey's small orchestra. As me and Jack enter and move across the room to their table, Cal and Ruth beside them.

We sat at a grand round table, I was in the middle of Thomas Andrews and my fiance while Jack sat next to Molly. Also at the table are Molly Brown, Ismay, Colonel Gracie, the Countess, Guggenheim, Madame Aubert, and the Astors.

"Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Mr. Dawson. I hear they're quite good on this ship," The vemonist words from my mother begin. I sigh.

"The best I've seen, m'am. Hardly any rats," He jokes.

I motion surreptitiously for Jack to take his napkin off his plate.

"Mr. Dawson is joining us from third class. He was of some assistance to my fiancee last night," I hear beside me, Cal announces to the whole table about Jack's lower living conditions, "This is foie gras. It's goose liver."