One Big Happy Family

Chapter 10: Lorie Remembers

"Lorie... honey... how much do you remember?"  Viktor sat down in the grass next to the little girl who still looked dazed.

Lorie furrowed her brow in concentration.  "I remember we were on a big ship... Titanic, right?"  She looked at Viktor who nodded in response.  "You and I were walking around, looking at the stars... you knew the names of all the... constellations."

"That's right," Viktor prompted her. "And then... what happened?"

"Then...," Lorie squeezed her eyes shut, trying to remember.  "Something... bad... happened to the ship."

Viktor gently caressed Lorie's blonde curls, soothing her.  "Yes... we hit an iceberg," he murmured.

"And you and I were running... and all those other people were running too," Lorie continued.  "And we got to our cabin, but Maman wasn't there..."

Lorie turned around and stared at Ana who was still standing behind her.

"But you were there," Lorie pointed toward the maid who nodded in response.  "And then... you went to look for Maman," Lorie looked back at Viktor.  "And you told me to stay with Ana and find a lifeboat."

Lorie paused, catching her breath.  Everyone around her was absolutely silent.  Lorie stared blankly into space for a while.  Her hands grabbed the grass around her in bunches.  "Ana took me to the top deck of the ship... and we waited for you and Maman, because I didn't want to get into a lifeboat without you," she eventually whispered.  "But one of the sailors told us there weren't many boats left... there were only two still there."  She lifted her face toward Viktor.  "He made us get into one of them.  I didn't want to leave, but he made us!"

Lorie's eyes were starting to fill up with tears.  Viktor's reflected her grief.  He continued gently caressing Lorie's head, encouragingly.  "I know you didn't want to leave without us," he murmured in return.

"But the man started yelling at us.  He picked me up and put me inside the boat... and he pushed Ana toward it," Lorie continued.  "As soon as she was in, the boat started moving... downward... toward the water... I remember... it was scary."

"I'm sure you were very brave, my girl," Viktor said soothingly.

Lorie shook her head. "No.  I wasn't.  I cried and I screamed for you... and for Maman," Lorie sniffled.  "But you didn't come.  Neither one of you came..."

"I was still looking for your mother at that point," Viktor replied.  "That's why I didn't join you on the lifeboat."

Lorie paused for a while, blinking away her tears.  Nicolae approached her carefully, and handed her his handkerchief.  The little girl looked up at him, her eyes widening:

"Nicolae? You're... here?"  Lorie sounded incredulous.

Nicolae sat down on the grass, on Lorie's other side.  He gave her a lop-sided grin.

"Yes.  I'm here," he answered.  "And so are Peter and Drogo," Nicolae pointed toward his brothers who were still standing a ways away, staring at the scene.

Lorie gave out a quick gasp of surprise:  "Peter?  Drogo?"

The boys smiled at her and walked closer.  Drogo waved awkwardly:

"Hey, kiddo!  Long time, no see," he greeted her with a wink.

Peter's face was filled with emotion as he bent down and kissed the top of Lorie's head.

"Hello, my dear little sister," Peter murmured.  "It's so good to see you."

Lorie blinked several times, turning her head and studying each person around her.  For a while, she completely forgot about her story.  Instead, she smiled charmingly at her brothers, showing off her dimples: