Serenity

The Dinner

The Dinner

Jack sighed heavily. He had quickly learned the social choreography of the situations, the rigid boundaries of propriety and how each person seemed to wish to dazzle in their own spectacular way and was already utterly bored with the entire evening. There seemed to only be one matter of interest at the table. 

This little thing with Rose, was mostly regarded as a game but now, it seemed to have become serious. As though something was at stake. Most of the others didn't want him there any more than he wanted to be there, but as he glanced across the table at Rose, her gaze was already on him and the game felt to be the most involved he had ever been. It almost felt like a chase. As though it had been made into some sort of competition, unwillingly and now he was too involved. As though if she jumped now, he would go after her.

The truth was, Jack liked to gamble, sometimes he would win a beer, maybe do a free portrait for the opponent, maybe the gamble would be who would stay on a bed for the night, all over a card game, maybe just a simple game of ‘who can do something first,’ he was a guy raised with a brother, they played games like this and it bled out into his adulthood in a non threatening way. Even winning tickets aboard had surprised him and what had begun as a friendly game of poker, betting pieces of change and meaningful tat, grew serious. He was invested in this game and for no other reason but Rose. Why else would he be here?

A line of waiters dressed in white moved forward to attend to the guests, pulling out chairs, pouring wine and water. The long table was covered by an acre of pristine white linen. Each place setting, bristling with silverware with the White Star Line painted on it, was surmounted with a hierarchy of crystal glasses in assorted sizes. Jack was expressionless until he sat next to Molly. After a small bit of confusion over which cutlery to use and as soon as his wine was poured, Mrs. DeWitt Bukater, Rose’s mother, was counted upon to bring the gossip and served it to their ears on a silver platter. 

"So, tell us of your accommodations, Mr. Dawson. I have heard that they are quite good in steerage on this ship.’’

Whilst the others seemed to be gracious and curious of Jack's presence, they also listened with a close ear. It was a game now, just how much to reveal of himself and how much to leave them wanting in order to gossip more as they filled in the voids for themselves. Oh, how he wished to smirk, to fill them with a tonne of horse shit and allow them to feast on it for themselves, but he didn't, giving them the sincere truth.

"Well, the best I have seen ma’am. Hardly any rats so far.’’ Jack was modest, smiling though as he watched Cal's slight reaction, gaging the way the ends of his mouth tensed. 

‘’Mr. Dawson is joining us from the Third Class. He was of some assistance to my fiancee last night.’’ Cal informed them, before turning directly to Jack. ‘’Do continue the story of how you grew up, I am sure we will find it truly fascinating.’’

The table listened, sincerely, if not, curious about the man who was joining their table. 

"Well, I was not raised amongst you fine people but by a mere couple of farmers. My mother and father were from a small town in Wisconsin. I’m lucky I guess,  I won my ticket on Titanic with a hand of poker. A very lucky hand."

"I see." Mrs. DeWitt Bukater raised her eyebrows, not as subtly as perhaps intended. "I hear that you are well travelled."

"Yes. I was lucky enough to spend time in Europe and across America. I worked my way from place to place on tramp steamers and such. I find bohemian life to have been refreshing. It is different from the life that we know, or well, that I know.’’

"Yes, I can imagine that it would be rather." Mrs Dewitt Bukater replied, sharply. ‘’I cannot imagine it would be quite so sanitary, either.’’

"Mr. Dawson is also a fine artist; he was kind enough to show me some of his work today.” Rose quickly turned the table her way, to ensure that her mother’s poisonous stabbing did not continue for very long.