Titanic

Chapter Fifteen

"It's Ismay and his ridiculous need for headlines! All he wants is to make it to New York earlier and faster so the Titanic can make more headlines," Thomas said pacing the living room of their suite.

Elizabeth sat with her daughter on the couch. She watched her husband knowing his mind was troubled now after hearing the warning earlier that day.

"Tom... I'm sure everything will be okay. It's just a warning. I'm sure anything big enough to sink this ship will be seen on time," Elizabeth said standing up and taking her husband hands.

He was shaking from anger. He wouldn't show it but he was extremely angry on the inside. Thomas laced his fingers with his wife's, appreciating her calmness.

"I'm not going to dinner tonight," Thomas said suddenly. His wife rolled her eyes suppressing a laugh at him.

"You have to eat. Besides, I took the liberty of setting out a table for just you, Molly and I. You won't have to entertain anyone else," she promised leaning up and kissing his cheek.

He nodded, disgruntled at the fact that he had to go. He'd rather stay in the room with his family for the night.

Elizabeth moved to rest her hand on his cheek, not letting up until he looked at her and allowed a small smile set on his lips. She kissed him softly before he pulled her in, hugging her close to his chest.

"That was the last time Titanic ever saw the light of day, according to my aunt Molly. That was the last happy memory I have of my parents on board the Titanic. One where they showed their love again. That evening, my parents kissed me goodnight, but I was already asleep and headed for dinner. They too were unaware it would be the last time they sat in that dining room,"

****

"Has anyone seen Rose since today? Ruth was hunting her down earlier," Molly said as the three of them sat around the dinner table.

Thomas shook his head looking out the window. Elizabeth frowned at him. His mind had been somewhere else since his outburst in the room earlier that day.

"No... though I did see Jack pull her away on our tour. I do hope she decides to leave with him when we dock in New York," Elizabeth said looking to her aunt.

Molly smirked at the girl before turning back to her dessert. Dinner was almost over and Elizabeth was planning on taking Thomas back to the room just to settle him. She's not even sure what would work now.

"I'm going to head back with Thomas after. Are you staying to drink with the countess tonight?" Elizabeth asked quietly as Molly's eyes flickered to her nieces husband.

She had noticed a shift in him too since the tour today but didn't say anything. She didn't want to cause trouble between the two.

"I'll stay for awhile I think," Molly nodded. She flicked her eyes to Thomas again who hadn't stopped staring out the window.

Elizabeth sighed shaking her head before excusing herself from the table. She couldn't stand her husband like this. She had hidden her worry but Thomas was letting it consume him.

Molly watched as she walked away. Thomas hadn't even noticed his wife leaving the table. Too consumed in whatever it was going on in his mind.

"Thomas. Hey! Thomas," Molly said snapping the man back into the room. He looked at her as she stood and gestured to the other side of the room where Elizabeth was just disappearing out the door.

Molly stood and made her way to another table as Thomas gathered his notebook and rushed after his wife. Stuffing the notebook into his pocket, he walked out the door and caught her on the staircase.

"Beth wait!" He called managing to hold on to her hand. She turned to face him. Her annoyance displayed plainly over her face.

"Thomas when I was nervous when we boarded I hid it from you. Because I knew you'd think it was silly of me. Now you're being silly. Worrying over something that may or may not happen. Stop it, you're scaring me," she said looking down at her husband who was two steps below her.

He nodded. She was right. He shouldn't worry unless there was something to worry about. He laced his fingers with hers and allowed her to pull him up a few steps.

"I love you," she whispered leaning in to kiss his lips as he moved his hands to her waist. Hers cupping his face.

Silently, they walked up the stairs towards their own room again. Once inside, Elizabeth changed into a more suitable dress so she could begin packing up.

They would be arriving in New York the next day and she didn't want to leave anything to the last minute.

"I'm just going to make note of changes we should make before the titanic journeys back to Southampton. Call me if you need me," Thomas said kissing his wife before moving to the desk in their bedroom where the boat plans had been laid out.

Elizabeth watched him go shaking her head with a small smile on her face. She peeked in to Heather's room checking that she was asleep and packed up for the next day.

Walking to Lucy who was reading under the small lamp in the corner of the room, she made sure she was packed up too before bidding her a goodnight.

Moving around the living room, she gathered up the smaller items that could be packed away before morning. Looking to the clock, she noted it was nearly eleven at night. She was tired but she didn't want to have to do this in a hurry the next morning. 

Grabbing a bottle of wine, and two glasses she moved to join her husband by the desk. She could take a break from packing for awhile and go back to it.

"Care to join me, Mr. Andrews?" Elizabeth teased, setting a glass down in front of him. She poured the red liquid in to both glasses before setting it aside.

Leaning in, she kissed her husband before he pulled her into his lap. Kissing her back before he pulled away, he knew he had acted stupid at dinner and needed to apologise.

"I'm sorry for how I acted at dinner. It wasn't a great way to finish our trip on board," Thomas sighed. He rested his head on her shoulder.

She shook her head playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. Kissing the top of his head, she whispered words of comfort in his ear.

"It's okay. Everything is going to be fine," Elizabeth said. But even she had to admit, she wasn't sure what the night held for them.