The Aftermath

Chapter 4

 April 12th 1912

I was stuck helping only the First Class passengers which meant that I couldn't see Bridget no matter how much I wanted to.  Most of the time the passengers were making me fetch things for them.  One time it was for a pencil that was not two feet away.  I had to deal with it.  If I was not to complain.  Everything was to be perfect on the maiden voyage.

April 13th 1912

The next day was I was luckier in seeing her.  While walking from the Wheelhouse to the Post Mail Room where the radio was I glimpsed a sight of her as I was going down the stairs by the Crow's nest.  She was holding a little boy.  I took him to be her nephew.  I wanted to stop and chat, but I had to collect any messages pertaining to the voyage.

Before I had sailed on the Titanic, I had sailed on another boat that did transatlantic voyages where it was common to receive warnings of ice.  That was what I was checking for now.  The good news was that there were none.  Bridget was no longer on the same deck where I saw her last.  Mentally, I kicked myself for not stopping even if it went against my sense of duty.

April 13th 1912 Later on that night

I was being teased beyond belief.  I was eating my dinner in the Officer's mess.  Suddenly all these other officers come up to me with giant grins on their faces.

"Heard you got a girl now." One said laughingly.

Sam was sitting next to me, focusing very intently on his food.  I grabbed his arm.

"Come on, you told everybody!?"

He didn't answer me, but the man who made the first comment did.

"He dinna have to, you got the stupid 'ook on your face."

"Well that's my business.  Shove off."

"Just teasin'.  No need to be hostile.  Just try not to be late to everything.  Everybody here was young once.  We all kno' how 'tis."

With their parting words of wisdom, they left and returned to their own tables.  Sam didn't say much to me.  We finished our food and left to go our separate ways.  I started a meaningless wandering that took me to the Second Class area.  Just as I turned into the corridor where Bridget was staying, a blur came at me.

"Oh I'm so sorry.  I wasn't watching where I was..."

Bridget stopped her apology.

"Hello James."

"Hello Bridget.  Would you like to go on a walk?"

She shook her head.

"I was going to find you actually.  And ask if you wanted to go to a party."

The boat wasn't scheduled to have a party, unless you counted anything that the First Class passengers were doing.

"What party would that be?"

"I heard from another passenger that Third Class is having one in their dining saloon.  Would you go with me?"

A party?  Of course I wanted to go, but I couldn't dance that well.  Oh well.  Any time spent with her was worth it.

"Of course I would."

We set off to the dining saloon.

*****

We could hear the music before we could even see the dining saloon.  But when we did finally see the dining saloon, it was a sight to see.  People were everywhere.  Dancing in between tables, on the tables.  Music pounded through the air, and it seemed to go into your very soul.  The only other sound was the shouting of what sounded to be every language.  Bridget grabbed my hand we flowed into the mixture of the crowd.  I didn't know which dance was going on around me.  So I picked the only one I knew; the Scottish reel.  I lead her around the room several times, till she looked to be dizzy.  

"Don't stop!"

"Aren't you dizzy though?"

"Who cares?  There's time later to be worrying."

Even though she said that she didn't care, I made us go slower.  Into what I attempted to be a waltz.  Music and the talking hummed into background noise.  All I could see was Bridget in front of me.  To me, that was all that mattered.  A lot of time passed before we decided to replenish ourselves with some crisp, night air.  

"That was some party, wasn't it?"

"Yes it was.  Thank you for coming with me, James."

I nodded.  

"It's getting late, I better go back to my cabin."

"I escort you."

Right outside Bridget's cabin, she hesitated before going in.  

"I really liked dancing with you."

Before I could say anything she reached up to my face, and gave me a peck on the cheek.  It was a good way to end the night.