I was sitting on a bench on the lower-deck of the Carpathia,
rethinking my night of hell. I couldn't feel my toes or my fingers, but I
could feel the feeling of absolute helplessness. What was I going to do?
The love of my life, the one I vowed I could not live without, was gone.
How could I have been so selfish? I remember thinking, he should have
lived, not me. He had so much more to live for, so many more gifts then I
had. The only thing I had left was his promise, one of which I would never
let go of.
One familiar face nearly made my heart leap for joy, but the feeling quickly faded back into dread when I recognized it. It was Cal, pacing the deck slowly, no doubt looking for me, or Jack. But Jack was nowhere to be found, and I hid my face from Cal beneath my blanket.
That's the last time I ever saw him. He married, of course, and inherited his millions. But, the crash of '29 hit his interest hard, and he put a pistol in his mouth that year, or so I read.
A steward came by, taking names of the survivors.
"Can I take your name please, love?"
"Dawson," was all that came out, "Rose Dawson."
"Thank you."
It wasn't official, it never would be, but in my mind, Dawson would have been my last name if that dreadful "unsinkable ship" hadn't sunk. It ruined everything.
The Carpathia docked, and the still halfway frozen passengers of the deceased Titanic were told to leave the boat. Many were visibly eager to finally rejoin their feet with dry land, but not me. I trudged slowly, alone.
I caught sight of my mother crying, Cal had obviously informed her of my absence from the Carpathia, meaning I was dead. I was dead to my family. A pain in my heart tried to persuade me to run to her and have her hold me, like she had held me when my father was still alive. After he passed away, she had obtained a strict, unloving touch and was no longer kind towards me. All she cared about, it seemed, was money and her future, not mine.
I looked to my right and saw Molly Brown, alone. I suddenly realized that she alone, besides Jack, had been kind to me the entire trip. She was like a mother figure. I stepped towards her, but then hesitated. Would she bring me back to my mother? Would my whole life pick up the way it seemingly ended with the sinking of the Titanic? If that was the case, I swore I would kill myself, and Jack would not be there to save me that time. But there was the promise I made to him - That I would never let go of life. I would not disrespect Jack. I would live my life, no matter how hopeless things seemed.
I made another step towards Molly, and spoke my first words since I had proclaimed my unofficial married name to the steward.
"Molly." I said hoarsely.
She turned around and stared, astonished. Tears sprung to her eyes and she took a step forward as she studied me, as if making sure I was real.
"Rose.You're-alive." Molly choked.
I couldn't help it. I ran to her, I embraced her. I hugged that woman like I would never let go of her. I looked into her big brown eyes.
"Don't tell my mother, please, Mrs. Brown."
"Darling, I'll do whatever you want. You can come stay with me-I have plenty of room--," she gasped suddenly, "Oh, Rose. Where's Jack?"
My eyes welled up with tears, but I held them back, Molly saw this and realized the worst. Jack Dawson was dead. She tightened her embrace, and the warmth of her large body surrounded me like a pillow. Molly Brown was the only person I had left - the only one left who would love me.
One familiar face nearly made my heart leap for joy, but the feeling quickly faded back into dread when I recognized it. It was Cal, pacing the deck slowly, no doubt looking for me, or Jack. But Jack was nowhere to be found, and I hid my face from Cal beneath my blanket.
That's the last time I ever saw him. He married, of course, and inherited his millions. But, the crash of '29 hit his interest hard, and he put a pistol in his mouth that year, or so I read.
A steward came by, taking names of the survivors.
"Can I take your name please, love?"
"Dawson," was all that came out, "Rose Dawson."
"Thank you."
It wasn't official, it never would be, but in my mind, Dawson would have been my last name if that dreadful "unsinkable ship" hadn't sunk. It ruined everything.
The Carpathia docked, and the still halfway frozen passengers of the deceased Titanic were told to leave the boat. Many were visibly eager to finally rejoin their feet with dry land, but not me. I trudged slowly, alone.
I caught sight of my mother crying, Cal had obviously informed her of my absence from the Carpathia, meaning I was dead. I was dead to my family. A pain in my heart tried to persuade me to run to her and have her hold me, like she had held me when my father was still alive. After he passed away, she had obtained a strict, unloving touch and was no longer kind towards me. All she cared about, it seemed, was money and her future, not mine.
I looked to my right and saw Molly Brown, alone. I suddenly realized that she alone, besides Jack, had been kind to me the entire trip. She was like a mother figure. I stepped towards her, but then hesitated. Would she bring me back to my mother? Would my whole life pick up the way it seemingly ended with the sinking of the Titanic? If that was the case, I swore I would kill myself, and Jack would not be there to save me that time. But there was the promise I made to him - That I would never let go of life. I would not disrespect Jack. I would live my life, no matter how hopeless things seemed.
I made another step towards Molly, and spoke my first words since I had proclaimed my unofficial married name to the steward.
"Molly." I said hoarsely.
She turned around and stared, astonished. Tears sprung to her eyes and she took a step forward as she studied me, as if making sure I was real.
"Rose.You're-alive." Molly choked.
I couldn't help it. I ran to her, I embraced her. I hugged that woman like I would never let go of her. I looked into her big brown eyes.
"Don't tell my mother, please, Mrs. Brown."
"Darling, I'll do whatever you want. You can come stay with me-I have plenty of room--," she gasped suddenly, "Oh, Rose. Where's Jack?"
My eyes welled up with tears, but I held them back, Molly saw this and realized the worst. Jack Dawson was dead. She tightened her embrace, and the warmth of her large body surrounded me like a pillow. Molly Brown was the only person I had left - the only one left who would love me.