chapter 8
That evening all the first class passengers gather together in the dining room for dinner. While Sara and Thomas Andrews both enjoy there food, Amaris stares at her plate for a long time. She isn't hungry at all. Also Rose seems to have her mind somewhere else. Edward, who's sitting with them, notices Amaris condition. 'Are you alright, Mrs Evans?' He asks her. Amaris looks up, a bit surprised. 'Oh yes, everything is fine.' She replies. 'I just need some rest. If you'll excuse me.' She stands up from the table. Her mother turns towards her. 'Amaris, where are you going?' She asks her. 'You haven't even finished you dinner yet.' 'I'm just going to my room, mother. I feel a bit nauseous, that's all. I'll be back later.' She walks away without saying another word to anyone. She walks towards her room, secretly hoping that Jonathan will be there. Sadly, he isn't, so she decides to go outside. When she reaches the door, she suddenly sees something red running past one of the windows. Wait.... that looked like Rose. She opens the door, walks outside and looks both left and right. But she can't see anything. 'I'm probably imagining things.' Amaris mumbles to herself. She starts to walk over the first class deck, enjoying the fresh air. As she reaches the back railing of the upper deck, she suddenly sees something in the distance. It's a third class man, Jack Dawson, who is easing out his hand to help none other than Rose back over the railing. 'Oh God....' Amaris says quietly, a shocked look in her eyes. Was she trying to commit suicide? Suddenly Rose begins to scream in terror, and Amaris looks down to see Jack hanging over the railing, holding onto a falling Rose for dear life. 'Rose!' Amaris screams in absolute horror, and starts to run towards the stairs to go to her and help. She can hear Jack telling her that he was holding onto her and wouldn't let go, as Rose continues to scream for his help. As Amaris runs, she prays to God that she can get there in time.
A few minutes before the incident with Rose, Everest is waiting outside on the first class deck for James to arrive. After a few minutes he comes walking towards her. She sees him and smiles. 'Good evening, James.' She says. Also James begins to smile. 'Good evening, Everest. You look really beautiful tonight.' Everest blushes. 'Thank you, James. How was your work?' 'It was fine. There were some problems in one of the boiler rooms, I believe. But they fixed it as soon as possible.' 'That's good to hear.' Everest wants to say something else, but suddenly gets pushed by someone. It's Rose DeWitt Bukater, who runs passed them while crying. Everest almost falls down, but James grabs her as fast as he can. He pulls her towards him, so that she can't fall. Everest got scared for a minute there, but sighs relieved when James grabs her. 'Thanks.' She says and looks behind her. She sees Rose running towards the back of the ship. 'No problem.' James says and also looks at Rose. 'What's going on with her?' 'I don't know.' Amaris replies. 'I believe that's Rose DeWitt Bukater, one of the first class passengers. I hope she's alright.' Everest turns towards James again and notices how close they are standing to each other. They both turn a bit red. 'I'm sorry.' James quickly says and does a step back, while awkwardly scratching the back of his head. 'No, it's okay.' Everest says and smiles. 'Tell me... have you always wanted to become an officer?' James nods and chuckles. 'Yes. Although no one in my family ever had a job on a ship, I was impressed when I saw a ship for the first time. I attended the Rosebery House School before joining HMS Conway as a cadet in 1902. My two years on that ship counted as one years' sea time towards my Board of Trade Second Mate's Certification. In August 1911 I joined the White Star Line's Oceanic as her Sixth Officer. And last month I received word that I was to be assigned to RMS Titanic as her Sixth Officer. But to be honest I was somewhat reluctant to accept the assignment.' Everest gives him a surprised look. 'Really? Why?' 'Because I had hoped to spend a summer on the Atlantic aboard the Oceanic, after having endured a harsh winter on that ship.' He answers. Everest thinks for a moment. 'But why did you still become the sixth officer on the Titanic then? Did they denied your request to leave?' 'No. In the end I still took the job.' 'But why?' James seems to hesitate for a moment. Then he takes Everest's hand. 'I took the job because.... I saw that you were also going to be on the Titanic.' Everest looks at him and starts to blush. She is deeply moved by his words. 'So the only reason you took this job.... is because of me?' He nods slowly and smiles. 'Yes. When I saw you for the first time on the Oceanic as a maid, I just fell in love with you.' Everest smiles. 'But I'm not that special.' James gently strokes her cheek with his hand. 'You are to me....' Everest blushes even more after hearing that. James leans more towards Everest, his hand still on her cheek. Everest does the same. Their lips almost touch each other, but they are suddenly interrupted by a loud scream. Everest jumps a little and turns around. 'What was that?' James looks worried. 'Sounds like trouble. Come on!' He takes Everest's hand and begins to run towards the sound. Everest follows him as fast as her legs can carry her.
Meanwhile Amaris has reached Rose and Jack. Just as she gets there, pale in the face and panting uncontrollably, Jack manages to pull Rose back over the railing, and they tumble to the floor. Before Amaris can further react, the sound of hurried footsteps draws her attention. She spins around to see sixth officer James Moody, Everest and some of Titanic's crew running onto the scene. 'What's all this?' James says shocked, and Amaris realises he has picked up the wrong impression. 'You stand back and don't move an inch! Fetch the master at arms!' One of the crew members runs away to get the master at arms. 'Ma'am, has this man hurt you as well, in any way at all?' James asks Amaris. 'No.' She says, fumbling on her words, trying her best to defend Jack. 'Sir, what happened, is not how it looks.'
'Miss, don't worry, everything will be fine.' James says while he keeps a close eye on Jack. Everest runs towards Rose and helps her stand up. 'Oh Mrs DeWitt Bukater, is everything alright?' Everest asks her, a worried look in her eyes. Amaris tries her best for the next 5 minutes to tell James and the others that the man, Jack, had done nothing wrong, but James simply took it that Jack had threatened both Rose and Amaris, and that she was just traumatized. The crew member returns with the master at arms, Colonel Archibald Gracie and Caledon Hockley, who has a look of rage on his face. A blanket is wrapped around Rose by Everest and she is taken to sit on a nearby bench. Amaris joins her. The master at arms hand cuffs Jack, who makes no attempt to defend himself or even comment on the situation. Even if he did, they wouldn't have believed him; he is just a low class scum, as far as they are concerned. 'This is completely unacceptable! What made you think you could put your hand on my fiancée?' Caledon yells, roughly pushing Jack. Amaris can't take seeing an innocent Jack being treated with such injustice, so she tells Rose that she has to stop Caledon. 'Look at me, you filth!' Cal says, as Jack glances in the direction of Rose and Amaris. Amaris returns a helpless glance. 'Cal!' Rose says, but Caledon ignores her. 'What do you think you were doing?' Caledon continues, as Rose gets up from the bench to defend Jack. 'Cal, stop! It was an accident.' 'An accident?' Caledon questions in confusion as to how Rose can defend a man who had attempted to rape her. 'It was!' Rose says. 'Stupid really. I was leaning over and I slipped. I was leaning far over to see the uh, the uh, uh, the uh…' Rose is trying to formulate a lie in her head, and Amaris can tell it isn't coming to her fast enough. Her fingers are twirling in circles, and that gives Amaris the idea that perhaps she could have been looking at the propellers. 'The propellers,' Caledon and Amaris say in unison. 'Yes, the propellers!' Rose says quickly. 'And I slipped. And I would have gone overboard, but Mr Dawson here saved me and almost went over himself.' 'Sh…She wanted to see the propellers,' Caledon says in a sarcastic laugh, clearly not buying in to her story; Rose's tone doesn't make it convincing at all. 'Like I said, women and machinery do not mix,' Colonel Gracie says. At this point, Amaris realises that she definitely has to step in to support Rose. 'It's true! Both Rose and I were supposed to come together, but I was just finishing something in my cabin and therefore told Rose to go on without me. I was supposed to meet her here, and I arrived just in time to see Mr Dawson pulling her back over the railing.' She claims, stepping forward to give her story, but somehow she can tell that Caledon is seeing right through her. 'Was that the way of it?' James asks Jack with suspicion. Jack glances in Rose direction, and Amaris can see Rose mouthing "Please say yes". 'Yeah.' Jack says. 'Yeah, that was pretty much it.' 'Well, the boy's a hero then. Good for you sir, well done. So, if all is well, back to our brandy, ay!' Colonel Gracie says with a happy smile. Amaris lets out a silent sigh of relief that at least Colonel Gracie has bought there story, and that Jack can go free. Caledon surprisingly says nothing. Instead, he proceeds to leave the scene to take Rose inside, but Colonel Gracie stops him, suggesting he should give Jack a token of his appreciation. 'Of course.' Caledon says and turns towards his servant Lovejoy. 'Mr Lovejoy, I think a 20 should do it.' Rose seems to think differently about that. 'Is that the going rate for saving the woman you love?' She says a bit irritated. 'Rose is displeased....' Caledon says and grins a little. 'What to do? I know.' With an idea on his mind he walks back to Jack. 'Perhaps you could join us for dinner tomorrow evening, to regale our group with your heroic tale.' Jack is obviously sceptical about this offer, but agrees. 'Good, settled then...' Caledon walks off with Rose and the others, whispering something to the Colonel, causing him to snicker. Amaris couldn't make out what he said, but it wasn't anything kind. Also James and Everest walk away while talking to each other. Just then, Jack whistles to catch Lovejoy's attention.
'Can I, uh, bum a smoke?' He asks him. Lovejoy allows him to take two cigarettes. 'You'd want to tie those.' Lovejoy suddenly says, pointing out that Jack's boots are untied. 'It's interesting, the young lady slipped so suddenly, and you still had time to remove your jacket and your shoes...' Jack stays silent. Amaris begins to feel concerned, because now the story that they made doesn't make any sense anymore. Lovejoy looks at Amaris for a minute, almost studying her, before walking away. 'How did you do it?' Amaris asks Jack, once Lovejoy is out of earshot. Jack gives her a confused look. 'Do what?' 'Convince her not to jump.' 'I see that you know the truth then. I just talked her out of it by telling her how cold the water was, and relating it to something that happened to me in my past, and I guess it scared her out of doing it.' Amaris nods. 'What's your name, if I may ask?' 'Jack Dawson.' 'Well Jack, you've done an amazing job. I'm Amaris Evans.' They shake hands. 'A pleasure.' Jack says. 'Thank you for defending me after the whole incident.' 'You don't have to thank me. I saw what happened. It was only fair.' Jack nods and smiles a little. 'Thanks.'
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