A New Beginning

Chapter 24: Welcome to New York

Chapter 24: Welcome to New York

"Here's your crutch son," the doctor says.

"Thank you, sir," Peter murmurs as he sits on the cot in a cabin with Sybil.

"I've arranged for you to have a meeting at the hospital in New York for the next day. I want to give you a prescription of antibiotics for your leg. Now, do you have anyone meeting you when the boat docks?"

"Yes sir," Peter nods.

"Good because you will not be able to do very much for a while, especially care for this child."

"I'm aware," Peter nods. "I have my sister and her husband waiting for me in the harbour."

This was true. Peter had had a nurse send a wireless message to be transmitted to his sister that he had survived and was coming to New York with Sybil. He had left out the part that Emma had not survived because it was too much for him to think about right now. He also told his sister to notify his parents that he was okay.

His sister had been married several years to a handsome man named Carl, who worked in a steel factory. They had a young son, approximately three if he could remember correctly. They too had come to live in New York to get away from the country life in which his parents were still living. His parents lived in the countryside of Pennsylvania and Peter only ever saw them for Easter and Christmas, but he kept in touch. His parents were "over the moon" when they heard that he and Emma were engaged and were even willing to help pay for the wedding. They had even travelled out to Emma's parents' funeral. The last time Peter had spoken to them was the night before they left for England. They told him to be safe and write to them when they got back.

"Very good," the doctor says. "We will be docking in a few hours."

The doctor leaves to tend to other patients leaving Peter alone. Sybil in his lap, playing with a small toy, a wooden duck, that one of the nurses found for her. Peter kisses Sybil's forehead and rocks her gently. He envied Sybil being unable to comprehend what they had gone through, but even he noticed a change in her behaviour over the past few days. Sybil was less cheerful, she wasn't squealing as much as she used to, she ate less and was not sleeping as well, it was as if she could sense the sombre mood overhanging them. Peter could tell that Sybil knew that her sister was missing, and it made her sad. Peter had vowed to keep Emma's memory alive for Sybil, for his sake and hers. Emma died a hero. He still held out hope that she was alive somehow, but those hopes were dashed when he saw that her name was not on the survivor's list.

To distract himself, Peter brings Sybil out onto the deck with great difficulty. He's holding Sybil in one arm and the crutch under the other. It is raining a bit as the ship is pulling into the harbour, going past the Statue of Liberty. Sybil was looking up at the statue and smiling, curious about how tall it was, but Peter's mind was elsewhere.

Emma should be here... he thought. This was her world, her city, her life and now it's...

He begins to tear up again. He sniffles and kisses Sybil again as he gazes past the bow of the Carpathia. A massive crowd is gathering at the harbour, awaiting the ship's arrival. Peter is slightly surprised, but not much. The Titanic was such a massive ship, with all its famous passengers and the fact that it went down on its maiden voyage, would be big news anywhere. He can see the reporter boats sailing alongside the ship, attempting to catch the first glimpses of the survivors. Peter makes a decision right there to try and keep himself and Sybil out of the limelight as much as possible. He wanted no fame from this disaster, he wanted to mourn for his wife in peace.

...

Getting off the boat was harder than anyone expected. Peter, limping off the gangplank with his wife's sister in one hand and a crutch in the other, he is hit by a wave of noise and flashing cameras.