The Ship of Dreams

Chapter 5: Underneath the Night Sky

Later that evening, Elizabeth decided to spend some time alone on the well deck, which was a perfect place for her to relax after a long day of dealing with her obnoxious mother. 

She spotted one of the wooden benches and laid down on it, counting the stars above her. 

Everything was silent, save for Titanic's propellers, and she settled in with great relief.

Some time passed before Elizabeth heard footsteps nearby, and she sat up to see who was there. 

Her heart skipped wildly when she saw Frederick walking around the deck, staring out at the ocean while he hummed a tune to himself. 

What do I do? she thought nervously. Should I leave, or should I stay?

A part of Elizabeth wanted to leave because of how nervous she was, but the other part of her wanted to stay since Frederick was there in the first place. 

It was almost as if she was being pulled toward him uncontrollably, and she couldn't stop herself as she said, "Hello, Mr. Barrett."

He turned around at the sound of her voice and smiled upon seeing her face. 

"Miss Collins. I was not expecting you to be out here."

"Same for you," she replied shyly. 

After a pause, she looked at his light choice of clothing and asked, "Aren't you cold?"

Frederick glanced down and chuckled to himself while he said, "No, actually. Cold nights like this are welcoming for a stoker such as me. I could probably swim in that freezing water with no problem."

"I would not take that chance," Elizabeth shuttered. "You'd freeze to death in about fifteen minutes."

"That's probably true," he nodded. "At least you would be able to save my skin if I ever jumped in."

"I wish," she sighed. "I've had a fear of water since I was ten."

He tilted his head and furrowed his brows in thought. 

"May I ask why?"

Elizabeth bit her lip nervously and pulled the shawl a little tighter around her shoulders. 

"I don't really want to talk about it," she said in a quiet voice.

"Of course, Miss Collins," Frederick replied softly. "I understand."

She smiled gratefully and moved onto a different subject: "So, how did you get aboard this lovely ship?"

"Hand-picked, Miss Collins," he playfully bragged. "I've been a stoker on numerous ships before, so Captain Smith decided I would be the perfect choice for his last voyage."

"Ah," she nodded. "You must be very good at your job."

Frederick scoffed and said, "That's very nice of you, Miss Collins, but I'm no different than the other stokers onboard."

"Everybody's unique," Elizabeth argued lightly. "I'm sure you have a special talent that no one else has."

He gave her a little smile and looked out towards the ocean. 

"I am nobody, Miss Collins. I have been told that more times than I can count."

She paused for a moment at his sad words, but then, she walked up beside him and rested her hand on his shoulder. 

"That's not true, Mr. Barrett," she shook her head. "If you were a nobody, then you wouldn't exist on this planet. Everyone has a purpose here, and I'm sure it's no different for you."

He glanced down at her with a soft expression. 

"You are very sweet for saying that, Elizabeth," he muttered, using her name for the first time. "But I have, and always will be, a nobody."

She sighed. 

"I wish you didn't think of yourself in such a way."

Frederick turned to face her and laid his hand over hers, sending sparks through Elizabeth's skin. 

"Maybe we can help each other overcome our fears," he suggested in a gentle tone. "You have a fear of the ocean, and I have a fear of being forgotten. I think it would bring us a lot of peace if we got those weights off our shoulders."

In all of Elizabeth's life, no one had ever said something so compassionate to her before, and she was rendered speechless at his offer.

When she found her words again, she said, "We don't even know each other, Mr. Barrett. Why would you be willing to help me, of all people? I would think that you'd have a distaste for first-class passengers, such as myself."

"You're not like them," he softly replied. "You have a kind, loving heart that can spread warmth to anyone nearby, including me, or Alex, for that matter. I have never seen him so happy in all of the years I've worked with him."

"Really?" Elizabeth asked with furrowed brows.

"Yes," Frederick nodded with a smile. "He hasn't been able to stop talking about you since this morning; he even went on to call you an 'Angel' that was sent by God to help him."

She placed her other hand on her chest, touched that Alex thought of her so highly. 

"He really said that about me?" she whispered.

"And so much more," he chuckled. "I think he may have a crush on you, Miss Collins."

She blushed at his confession and shyly looked away. 

"He's a nice, young man," she argued. "I'm sure he didn't mean any of that."

Frederick then put his hand underneath Elizabeth's chin and tilted her head back up so that he could look at her.

"'I wish you didn't think of yourself in such a way,'" he said, repeating her words from earlier. "You are more special than you realize, Miss Collins."

His gentle touch sent shivers down her spine, and she involuntarily pulled back a little. 

"I should probably be getting back to my cabin," she replied, changing the subject before she could embarrass herself any further. "Same for you."

He seemed a bit disappointed, but he nodded understandingly and bid her goodnight.

As Elizabeth was walking away, however, she stopped and turned back around to face Frederick. 

"May I see you tomorrow?" she asked, feeling a little shy.

He smiled and said, "Of course. We can make this our meeting spot, if you'd like."

"I would like that very much," she replied with a smile.

"Then it's settled, Miss Collins. We will meet here each night and discuss our tales of woe."

She laughed and shook her head. 

"You have quite the sense of humor, my friend."

"It's a gift," he responded with a dramatic bow. "I'll see you tomorrow, Elizabeth."

"Good night, Frederick."