Ice & Iron (Titanic)

Chapter 21

22nd May 1912

The Olympic docked in Southampton around six o'clock a few hours after stopping at Cherbourg, France where there had been a delay.

Lightoller had contacted Mary, our housekeeper, to inform her that we were Mother and I were alive and were arriving back in Southampton. Once we arrived, we stayed on board along with Ellen's family until Lightoller finished some of his officer duties for that voyage. By time we disembarked from Olympic, it nearly ten o'clock and the sky was dark. I was pleased with this as I realised that no one I knew from Southampton knew that Mother and I had survived the sinking and were alive. For the next couple days, that's how I hoped it would stay while I readjusted to being back home after spending the past six weeks travelling and recover from the nightmare that had happened.

Mary was already waiting at the docks with the car.

"Ada!" she greeted with open arms. Ada accepted the embrace. "I'm so sorry to hear what happened." I was relieved there was no 'glad you survived' or 'are you okay?'.

"Thank you, Mary," said Ada. "We don't know what happened and we also haven't seen any newspapers in a couple weeks."

"I've kept everything that mentioned the Titanic," said Mary. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to read them, but I kept them just in case."

"I will, just to see what they're saying," Ada said.

"And Stacey," said Mary. "How have you been, you poor thing?"

"I'm alright," I replied. "Mary, these are our friends Jane, Ellen and the twins are James and Robert."

"I wasn't expecting extras," said Mary. "We're not all going to fit in the car."

"I've offered Jane and her family to stay with us if they need to," said Ada. "Jane's husband died in the sinking."

"How far is your house from the docks?" Ada asked Jane.
"About ten minutes," she replied.

"Our house is close by," said Ada. "We could wait here until Mary drops you off."

"Thank you," said Jane.

I helped load the bags onto the back of the car for Ellen's family. Ellen gave me a hug before getting in. We would see them tomorrow.

It was close to ten-thirty before Mary returned to the docks. Ada and I quickly loaded our bags and stepped into the car to drive back home.

During the short drive, Ada quickly filled in Mary what had happened since the sinking. There were barely any other cars out on the roads, which made our arrival less precedented. No one except Mary knew that Ada and Stacey Murdoch were still alive.

Mary pulled up outside our house and wave of mixed emotions hit me. Happy emotions for we were finally home. Sad emotions from the tragedy we'd left behind that would forever linger. I stepped out of the car, carrying my bags. It had been nearly two months since we had left Southampton all excited for what was ahead of us. But now upon returning, all feelings had changed. Sadness replaced excitement.

The house was still the same as it had been when we left. Mary looked us with sad eyes. "I haven't touched anything of his since I heard," she said.

"Thank you, Mary," Mother said gratefully. Usually we would be excited waiting for Father to come home after working a voyage. But this time he wasn't going to come home. And he never would again.

As soon as we stepped into the sitting room, there was a rush of emotions. The photos. We had all been happy once. Would we ever feel that happiness again?