Ellie DeWitt Bukater: Part II

Chapter One

I never felt such relief as my feet touched solid ground for the first time in over a week. Finally, it was all over.

My mind was still processing the fact that I was a Titanic survivor. Titanic, of all ships. The one that was called unsinkable. A floating palace, all succumbed to the depths of the Atlantic.

Why was I lucky enough to be standing here, to be alive? The silence of the screams of those not nearly as fortunate were still ringing in my ears. Why me?

As all of these feelings overwhelmed me, I had almost managed to block out the commotion around me. There were thousands of people in the pier, waiting to reunite with their loved ones. Many burst into shrieks and tears as they ran to hold their dearest in a tight embrace. Others silently stood on the sidelines, their eyes searching the crowd with anticipation just waiting and waiting. You could see the worry in their face, but an ounce of hope in their eyes.

"Miss, miss, could you tell us what happened on Titanic?"

"Tell us your story!"

"Are you alright, are you looking for someone?"

Reporters were all around like vultures fighting over a dead carcass. I continued to brush past them. I didn't have the patience to satisfy their hunger for a story.

"Did you lose someone on Titanic?"

"Jesus, fuck off would you?" I snapped, "I didn't but there are many others here that did, and many are just about to get the worst news of their life. Just leave them alone."

The reporter, a young man with slicked back dark hair and beady eyes, gave me a look as if it were an audacity for me to offend him. Clearly he never experienced any kind of trauma.

Brushing him off, I made my way amidst the chaos attempting to make it to the outskirts of the crowd.

Rain blew through the pier entrance, the wind piercing cold. Lights of the pier kept us from being surrounded in darkness. But I stood there, feeling so grateful and lucky, to be standing in New York City. I took a deep breath, just taking it all in.

I felt like a changed woman, almost similar to how I felt after my father passed. At that point, my life was divided into two chapters- life with my father and life after my father. Now it was before and after Titanic. I was forever changed. Not only because of the trauma of the tragedy I had witnessed, but because I had left the life I once knew behind. A fresh, new start was right ahead of me.

And I wasn't alone.

"There she is!"

I felt warmth fill my chest hearing Tommy's voice behind me. I whipped around and ran into his arms.

He was the one good thing to come out of Titanic. My motivation to start new.

"Thank God that's over with, did everything go alright?"

"Eh, they asked a lot of questions," he shrugged. Unlike me, he had to go through the lovely immigration process which left us separated for some time, "It was more intense getting on the ship. They ask the same shite over and over."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes I'm fine," he chuckled, ruffling my hair, "It's a madhouse here, isn't it?"

"You're telling me," I rolled my eyes, "I had to tell one of those reporters to fuck off, you would think they would give people some time to settle before bombarding everyone with questions."

"They're doin' their jobs. They'll be talkin' about this for months."

"They should leave people alone to grieve in the meantime. It's ridiculous," I scoffed, "Did you happen to find your aunt and uncle by chance?"

"Don't know if I could. I haven't seen Sarah in almost twenty years, never met her husband."

"She came here alone?"

"That's right. Met her husband here. Most recent photograph I've seen was her wedding photo from years ago."

"Well should we wait awhile, just to make an attempt?"

"Nah, no guarantee we'll find them here. We'll find their place tomorrow, I don't know where we would even start to look."

"I can't say I'll be much help navigating this city." I had been to New York a number of times, but there was no way I could give any kind of direction to anywhere.

"We'll figure it out. They got maps, don't they?" he stated matter-of-factly.

"Let's just find a hotel for the night then."

"With all the money we don't have?" his eyebrows raised. I smiled sheepishly, thinking of the fortune sitting in my pocket.

I wasn't ready to tell him about the roll of twenties and the Heart of the Ocean Rose had slipped me. Already relying on my past life to get by our first moments in New York? No.

"I'm sure there are plenty of hotels and good samaritans that would be happy to take us in, considering we have nothing but the clothes on our backs."

"I doubt it," he shrugged, "I don't know, I did hear one reporter back there offerin' big money if we gave him our sob story."

"Don't you dare!" I glared at him. He smirked.

"C'mon, let's go."

So off we were. Lucky for us, I was correct, and it didn't take long for us to find others flocking to a cheap hotel taking in survivors.

Turns out it wasn't quite a hotel, but the American Seaman's Friend Society Sailor's Home and Institute.

"See?" I gave Tommy a nudge as we approached the large brick building, "It's a sailor's house but they're still taking in survivors. Not just crewman."

"Yes, you got me," Tommy rolled his eyes. "People are more giving than I thought."

I was just relieved it was a ten minute walk from the pier, which meant we wouldn't have to spend the whole night searching for a place.

There was a line out the door, which was not a surprise. But we finally managed to make it to the an older woman at the front desk with sympathetic eyes. She gave us a key, and directed us on how to get to our room. It felt like a ship's cabin- Tommy's third class accommodations on Titanic were much larger. I could not imagine how a crewman carrying any kind of belongings could stay here. It was jarring compared to what I was accustomed to, it almost came as a shock. It would take some getting used to.

"Not what you're used to, huh?" Tommy smirked, already getting into bed. I swore the man could read my mind. "You're quiet."

"Just taking it all in," I stated, shrugging off my coat, "It's not exactly the Plaza Hotel, but it will do just fine," I curled up next to him in the small twin bed, which forced us to be close.

"Somehow I don't believe you."

I scoffed playfully, hitting him on the shoulder. I knew this would all take some adjusting, but it didn't matter to me. Everything would be fine.

"How does it feel being American now?" I changed the subject.

"Don't know yet, I'll tell ya in the morning," he kissed the top of my head, eyes shut. "Let's get some sleep."

That sounded like a good idea. I didn't know what time it was at this point, but the early morning hours couldn't have been too far away. Tomorrow was another day to worry about everything. Reality could take the time to settle in later. For now, it was easy to drift off to sleep feeling safe in Tommy's arms.