TITANIC - Jack And Rose, Both Are Alive!

Chapter 12

By Cecelia Dowdy - titanicfanfiction dotcom

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Chapter 12

Jack shuffled into the crowded church, dropping into a back pew. A myriad of people, in every shade of brown, filled the sanctuary. A dark-skinned man with gray, cotton-ball-like hair pounded on the piano keys, causing holy notes to fill the warm air. A choir, sporting mismatched robes in various colors, swayed back and forth to the soulful music. Pastor Michael had confided that they'd not had enough money to purchase the same color and style of choir robes for their members. They'd only had enough money to purchase some discontinued robes in various shades.

Michael had chuckled when he'd continued speaking, telling that the choir robes had been a perfect fit for all their members. Jack stared as the choir swayed, their bodies moving in perfect rhythm to the music, creating a rainbow of color behind the podium. Looking away from the choir, he focused on the congregation populating the wooden pews. Some of the pews had been scratched and scarred. A few of the stained-glass windows had been cracked. Pastor Michael had also confided that they were renting this church for a huge price. "Although it's in a bad neighborhood, and the rent is kind of high, it's all we could find. Most blacks find it impossible to own property. Since our incomes are so low, we're forced to rent, and we're at the mercy of our landlord. These pews were donated by a white church in another state."

Some of the congregation members bestowed him with icy glares, and Jack winced. Ever since he'd recalled that Rose was going by the name of Lily Jackson, he was still having a hard time finding her. He knew she stayed at a rooming house, but, he wasn't sure which one. Pastor Michael had commissioned some of his congregation members to search, but, so far, they'd come up empty. "Do you realize how many rooming houses they have in New York, Jack?" he'd asked.

Jack sighed, trying to smile at the members that glared at him. Some of the congregation members resented having him as a part of their church. This was Jack's first church service since the Carpathia had landed. He'd been too ill to attend before now. Although several members of the congregation realized his plight, and welcomed him with open arms, others weren't so open-minded. He closed his eyes, blocking out the angry stares of the brown-complexioned congregants. He swayed to the music, enjoying the rhythm, recalling when he'd taken Rose below deck on the Titanic. During the party they'd attended that night, they'd danced, laughed, and guzzled glasses of beer. Just recalling the way her soft body felt in his arms...

Feeling a tug on his sleeve, his eyes popped open and he saw a little girl and her mother sitting behind him. The little mocha-colored child grinned, showing several missing teeth. "Don't worry, Mr. Jack," she whispered. "I like you." She then pressed her lips against his cheek. He recalled meeting the girl briefly when she'd come to visit the church with her mother earlier in the week. Taking a moment to think, he recalled her name was Reba.

He returned her grin, his skin still moist from her impromptu, sloppy kiss. The child must've noticed the icy glares from the other parishioners. Lord, why can't everybody just get along? He spotted Thelma and a man whom he presumed was Paul sitting in the corner. If he hadn't known better, he'd have thought that Paul was a white man with a dark tan. He recalled that Thelma had said that Paul was a quadroon – one quarter Negro. He sighed. Although the entire congregation did not accept Paul's and Thelma's romance, Paul had a better chance of being accepted into this church since he was at least partially Black.

After the music had died down, Pastor Michael stepped up to the podium. "I'm sure all of you realize that the young man sitting in the back is Jack Dawson, a Titanic survivor suffering from partial memory loss." Jack cringed, not wanting to draw attention to himself. It appeared that at least half the congregation hated him, and after Pastor Michael's speech, they'd probably hate him even more. A few people murmured and several congregants smiled, and Jack's heart lifted. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all. He eased his lips into a smile, hoping he'd get well soon so that he could come up with a survival plan for himself and Rose.