My one true love just shattered my heart into a million tiny pieces.
Daddy wraps his arms tighter around me and whispers, “Shhhh, Princess, it will be all right. Trust me.”
All of a sudden, I notice William next to Daddy and this causes me to cry harder. My father grips me tighter, almost painfully. Vaguely I hear him telling William to go and that he will look after me. “Thanks, Daddy,” I whisper, as he and I walk away from William.
After a few blocks, Daddy stops suddenly and I realise that he and I have looped back around to the dock. He digs into his jacket pocket and places an envelope in my hands. “Go, Princess,” he says, sadly staring at me. He wipes at my wet cheeks. “Go be with him.”
“But, Daddy. What? Why? How?” I’m so confused right now.
“I don’t have time to explain fully, but you having to marry William is all my fault. I got into trouble and his family bailed us out, on the proviso that you marry him. I never wanted this for you, Bailey. Since your mother passed, I’ve been so lost and made some bad decisions, but that doesn’t matter right now, Princess. Go and be with Nate.”
My eyes lock on Daddy and I see regret in his stare. “But how, Daddy?”
“When William decided that we needed to get rid of Nate at any cost, I knew I couldn't let you marry him, no matter the consequence. I came up with the idea of sending him away. I just failed to mention that it would also be with you. When I got the tickets, I got two. I was always sending you with him, but I couldn’t tell you, or him. I needed William to believe and trust that I was heeding his orders, doing as I was told. Following his demands.” Daddy grips my cheeks, kisses the tip of my nose, and whispers, “I’m sorry, sweetheart, so very sorry.”
“What about you, Daddy? Come with us.”
He pulls me in for a hug. “Sweetheart, I would if I could, but I need to stay here. I’m aware of the consequences, but your happiness is all I care about.”
The ship’s blaring horn snaps me back to reality. “Ohh, Daddy, I love you so much. Once we are settled, I’ll send word to you.”
“No, Bailey, don’t worry about me. You go and live the life you were always meant to have with Nate. I will be fine. But you must go...now. Just remember that I will always love you, Princess, always and forever.”
“I love you too, Daddy, always and forever,” I say. Hugging him one last time, I take the bag he hands me, turn towards the docks, and run. I race towards the grandest ship to ever be built and my happily ever after. As I’m in line to board, a gunshot rings out from the direction I had just come from, and I know that Daddy is gone.
My eyes well with tears as I step onto the ship.
My heart breaks, but at the same time, it also beats faster.
I’m sad for Daddy and everything he sacrificed for me, but I’m excited for the adventure ahead of me.
After placing my bag on the bed, I look around our suite and notice that Nate hasn’t been here yet. If I know him, I know exactly where he will be. Exiting our room, I walk down the corridor and I’m met with the most exquisite staircase I have ever seen. The two-storey high staircase has a magnificent wrought iron and glass dome overhead, complete with a chandelier. The sunlight casts a natural brightness on the staircase during the day, while I’m guessing the chandelier will illuminate the dome from behind in the night; it’s truly spectacular. The staircase and bannister are built from English oak and are adorned with iron embellishments that are very Louis XIV styled. To some it’s over the top, but to me, it fits the ship perfectly.
Placing my hand on the bannister, I run it along the smooth timber as I climb the staircase and make my way to the upper levels...and Nate. Pushing open the doors, I step out onto the upper deck. Over by the railing, I see Nate staring out at sea, exactly where I knew he would be.
Just like the first time I saw him, my heart skips a beat. He is leaning on the railing, his trousers taut across his buttocks, his hair flapping in the wind as the Titanic sets sail for the first time. He takes my breath away. With a smile, I put one foot in front of the other and begin walking over to him. I become nervous and everything around me is heightened. The erratic beating of my heart, the roar of the engines, the excited murmurs of fellow passengers, and the screaming of those on the dock is deafening. I can hardly hear a thing. Twelve paces later, I’m standing behind Nate. Hesitantly, I lift my hand and place it gently on his lower back. He flinches beneath my touch. He spins around and when our eyes lock, I know without a doubt that I’m exactly where I am meant to be. I made the right choice.
Nate’s face breaks out into the biggest smile, and like I always do, I throw myself into his arms. Neither of us utters a word. We just hold onto one another, completely content and happy to be reunited.
Eventually, we pull apart and Nate grips my cheeks and gently places his lips against mine. He kisses me like this is our first kiss. I lace my arms over his shoulders and pull him in closer. This kiss is full of passion. This kiss is Nate and me. This kiss is perfect.
He breaks our kiss. “How are you here, Bai?”
My eyes well with tears at his question, and I wrap my arms around him and begin to cry. Sadly, I think of Daddy and I know that he’s gone. The tears continue to flow down my cheeks as Nate takes my hand and leads us over to the lounges lining the upper deck.
Nate lies back and I settle between his legs. He wraps his arms around me and gently kisses my ear. Taking a calming breath, I tell him everything that happened after he walked away from Daddy and me.
8
Nate
Bailey is here.
My Bailey is standing in front of me, on the Titanic...with me. I can hardly believe it. It feels like a dream but she is really here. My arms are wrapped tightly around her, and I listen intently as she tells me everything.
Bailey and I watch the mainland disappear, and when the air chills, we head inside and take my duffel to our cabin. After we cement our reunion as a couple, we head out and explore the ship. We are in awe. Never have we seen anything so magnificent in all our lives. We act like honeymooners; we are so very much in love. I’m extremely happy and it’s all to do with the magnificent woman next to me. She charms anyone and everyone that we come into contact with; I like to call it the Bailey effect. I was under her spell from the moment I laid my eyes on her by the river that afternoon, and I will be until my last breath; she’s it for me.
Like we do most evenings, after dinner, Bailey and I head to the upper deck, lie on the top deck lounges, and stare up at the night sky. Never have I seen so many stars. On the fourth night, we are gazing up at the sky when there is an almighty crash and the ship shudders violently. All of a sudden, a huge iceberg passes extremely close to the ship. Ice chunks break off, littering the deck. “What on Earth?” Bailey and I say in unison. Hopping up, we race to the edge to have a look. When I see how close the iceberg is to the ship, a plunging feeling develops inside of me, and I know that we are in trouble.
My sinking feeling has literally come true; the Titanic is sinking. The ship collided with the iceberg that Bailey and I saw, and come morning, the grandest ship in the world will no longer be floating. She will lie at the bottom of the Atlantic in her final resting place.