Emma Carson is travelling on the Titanic back to America with her fiancee, Peter Whitman and her baby sister Sybil, to save her parent's company after their deaths. Along the way, the trio becomes entangled in the well-known love story of Rose and J...
"I'll just be a second," Emma calls from behind the screen.
Rose sits with Sybil on her lap in the couple's second-class cabin. Rose is dressed in the nicest of her dresses, nothing too fancy as per Emma's request. Rose can't help, but feel happy for the couple, engaged and now tying the knot. She had to feel happy, despite the misgivings and mixed feelings she has about her own relationships. She knew that Jack was invited as well, but she wasn't quite ready to face him after what happened in the gymnasium. She had her moral duties to Cal and her mother, but more importantly, he'd hurt her or Jack if she continued to see him.
"Okay," Emma calls.
She steps out in a pair of black flats. Rose's eyes go wide. The young bride-to-be is dressed in a cotton and silk white dress that goes down to her ankles. The outer layer is covered in beautifully crocheted lace. The bodice was also cotton but engraved with blue beads along the sides and the sleeves were short, covering her upper arms with another round of elegant lace.
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"What do you think?" Emma asks. She gives a small twirl for her audience of two.
Rose couldn't lie. "You look amazing," Rose smiles.
Sybil squeals in agreement.
"It was my mother's. She made it herself." Emma whispers. She swallows hard. "So, in a way, she'll be with me."
Rose gets up and pulls the girl into a long hug.
"She's always with you," Rose whispers. "And today, I'm sure she could not be prouder."
"Thanks, Rose. Do think when you get married, your mother will be proud of you?"
"More likely relieved..." Rose sighs.
"What do you mean?" Emma asks, taking Sybil into her arms.
Rose swallows hard and turns red. Until then it was a carefully guarded secret between their family's financial advisers, her mother and herself, but Rose knew the truth was going to come out eventually. It had not reached the Hockley's yet, but somehow Rose knew that Emma could keep a secret. The knowledge of their debts is a burden that her mother forces her to carry alone and is never afraid to remind her of the reason she is engaged to Cal. The pressure to save their family name was a lot for Rose to handle, coupled with the fact that Cal was prone to violent outbursts like the one he had this morning was taking its toll on her mentally and physically.
"My father died a few years ago and unbeknownst to us, he left my mother and me with large debts that need to be paid off. We're struggling to keep our family name intact if not my mother becomes a seamstress and we lose everything we have."
"Is that why you're in this relationship with Cal?" Emma asks. "To save your reputation?"
