by Tonie Chacon
Megan saw what remained of the ship, flat on the sea again, and realized that the settling ship had saved their lives. Its landing must have caused the wave that flipped them back over. The water around the ship was crowded with screaming people. The raft had been swept too far away for Megan to help anyone. She watched as some tried to swim to the raft, but grew weak, gave up and sank into oblivion
They had landed upright and were floating. The raft drifted on the dark sea, waves catching the moonlight at their crest and reflecting it back to the skies. They looked at each other and burst into tears. Megan saw their hands, still clinched in a death grip with one another. Slowly, she pried open her fingers. They felt as if they would break right off if she wasn’t careful. Panting, trying to catch her breath, Megan tried to untie the life vest that held her to the raft so she could reach Alice. Alice beat her to it. Alice crawled into Megan’s arms, and Megan gathered her to her breast, cooing and holding her tight. She raised her eyes to the stars above and gave a quick round of thanks. So far, at least, they were alive.
Shivering and cold, Megan and Alice untied their vests and then put them back on to better position themselves on the raft. They shivered uncontrollably in their wet clothing and Megan knew they could not survive long, being so wet, without rescue. “Help!” Megan cried, not really expecting an answer, but a reply came from very close at hand.
“Over here.”
A lifeboat pulled alongside them, and many hands helped them climb over from the raft into the lifeboat. Not one word was spoken while it happened. Was everyone in shock? Megan and Alice were put into the bow of the lifeboat. Warm coats were given to them, and they both fell into each other’s arms for warmth and comfort.
She looked back at what was left of the ship. Megan was horrified to realize they had just been on that top deck. She watched as the stern rose high in the sky. It stayed there for a moment before starting her plunge into the ocean. They listened in horror to cries for help and splashes when people fell or jumped. Huddled as they were, they witnessed the spectacular sinking of the rest of the ship. A huge, black mass filled the star-struck skies and then rapidly sank into the cold, black sea of oblivion. Soon the sounds of pain, anguish, and grief stopped penetrating the night air as the remaining souls perished in the icy water.
At first she thought it was silent, but then Megan heard the soft crying of the many cast out across the water in lifeboats like theirs. She almost wept to think Colin was among those who perished.
Suddenly a sweet sound penetrated the night air. Everyone on the lifeboat perked up.
“That’s it!” Alice exclaimed. “That’s the song I’ve been asking about this whole time. I’ve always found it so soothing. Do you know what it is? Do you recognize it?”
“Yes love, I do,” Megan sighed. “I would know that song anywhere and the sound of that violin too. Now I know in my heart that Colin is safe. That’s his favorite song to play when he’s feeling blue. ’Tis the ’Irish Blessing.’” Megan said the words she knew by heart.
“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rain falls soft upon your fields. And until we meet again someday, may God hold you in the palm of his hand. May the memories that we have shared, linger on and on.”
Megan smiled. “Now I know Colin is safe, then there must be others. When we get rescued we should look for—”
“No.” Alice cut Megan off. “I think I want to stay lost from the Cheswicks and from Emily, but not from you. I only wish to go away and start a new life somewhere, anywhere with you. You have saved my life in so many ways that the others have not. Especially the Cheswicks. They did give me a house to live in, but never a home. That’s what I want with you. A new life, a new home.” Alice reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Her fingers touched something hard under her collar. “Oh my Lord, the hairpin that Emily gave me is still in my hair. It must have gotten caught up in my life jacket.” She pulled it out and touched the stones.
“I bet these are real, aren’t they? What else could they be? It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Megan asked.
“Yes, she had spouted they were diamonds, so it is and it’s mine. As far as I’m concerned, I earned it. I can do whatever I want and no one can tell me no, not anymore,” Alice whispered with conviction.
Huddled together, whispering, they soon fell into a slumber-like drift. It was dawn before Megan awoke to a voice coming to them over the water.
“This is the Carpathia, here to help you,” she heard. Megan noticed the ship wasn’t as large as Titanic. How many of us survived? She looked out onto the water, and saw large pieces of ice floating, so close. Why hadn’t they hit any while floating all these hours? All these unanswered questions.
EMILY, FRANCES, AND Helene walked the lower deck of the Carpathia, searching for anyone they knew, especially Alice and Megan. There was no hope for Ethan. “I told you that this would be a complete waste of time, now didn’t I?” Emily asked. “I knew we wouldn’t find them.” Frances and Helene had already searched everywhere on the Carpathia they could think of. The common rooms and dining areas filled with all those mattresses and makeshift bedding, with people in them who were not their loved ones. They’d checked the manifest and talked to other survivors. “They’re gone, just like Ethan.”
“I so hoped at least one of them would be found. Not only have we lost poor Fletcher, but Ethan and my sweet Alice too.” Helene wept.
Emily noticed that now Frances was also crying. She knew that Frances was missing Alice and her father, but damn it, she had lost Ethan.
“Let’s go back to our little sleeping area and wait out these last two days,” Emily said. “They say we will be docking in New York late Thursday evening. I can’t wait. I don’t have to tell either one of you how grateful I am to have you both here with me. I’m exhausted.” She was tired of hearing people weep. She was tired of the putrid smell coming from the dirty, damp people. She was too tired to care. Emily put her hand over her forehead as she walked back to the stairs. The others followed like obedient puppies.
Chapter Twenty-one
17 April 1912 — Afternoon
ALICE AND MEGAN leaned on the gunnels of Carpathia and stared out at the sea. “The sun feels so warm,” Alice said as she lifted her face toward the sun.
“Being cooped up in that infirmary, at first I thought I was in heaven,” Megan said. “They wrapped me in warm blankets, and I was drifting again, when I thought, wait, heaven wouldn’t be this noisy. As if I would know what heaven would be like?”
“Just to breathe fresh air is wonderful by itself.”
Megan smiled over at Alice. She also enjoyed the sun beating down on her face. There was a nip still in the air, but it was better than smelling all the extra people cooped up on board Carpathia, which was never intended to hold that many people. Some, like them, were wet, then dry and wrinkled.
“Will you look at that,” Megan said. “My watch stopped at exactly 2:14. That must have been the time that the ship broke apart and we were thrown into the ocean, twirling round and round underneath for what seemed hours. It must have been less than minutes, really,” Megan said. “Not too serviceable now, is it?”
“No, but we shall always have a memento of the time when your ingenious idea saved our lives. In so many ways, I cannot begin to count.” Alice reached down the front of her dress. “We also have this. I’d forgotten about it, but it survived everything. It’s the negative of the photograph of you, me, and Franny. We can get photographs made from it to remember Franny forever.” A concerned look crossed Alice’s face. “Have they asked our names yet? I’ve forgotten if they have.”
“No, not yet. We were asleep the first time around, and out here the second.”
“Well, I’ve been thinking. No one knows we’re alive. Everyone has lost someone. Neither the Cheswicks nor Emily has come looking for me. I said my goodbyes on board Titanic. I’ve nothing more to say,
” Alice said with a sad voice. “Let’s stay lost, Megan. It’s only me and you. No paperwork to speak of. It all went down with our trunks and valuables anyway.”
A heavy sigh came out of Megan as she thought of her beautiful trunk, now at the bottom of the ocean. She reached over to her sleeve to feel it. Oh darn, she had lost the photo of Franny, Alice and herself. But they did have the negative.
“Here’s what I’m thinking,” Alice said. “Should anyone ask, we were both married to the brothers MacPhearson, James and John, who both went down with Titanic. No one will question our word and then we can both have the same last name. As sisters-in-law we can live together without explaining a thing. What do you think? It is a combination of both our names. I would like to also change the spelling of mine to A-L-Y-C-E. It reflects how you say my name. I like that.”
“I’d like us to start with new identities in this new land of opportunities,” Megan said. “Together, with one name, as one family. Our family.”
Megan wrapped Alyce up again in the blanket that had fallen by the wayside. So many emotions whirled through her. Yes, it was what she wanted. She did want a new life, with a mate by her side, to share in the joy, and with luck, not too much sorrow. Not if she could help it.
“I like the name, MacPhearson,” Megan said. “It sounds strong. Yes, love, I also like the idea of joining forces. It is what kept us from dying back there, I think. I should change my spelling then to M-E-G-H-A-N. Adding the H might throw anyone off from connecting the dots. It is the old world spelling again, and here my folks thought they were being ahead of the times then with my spelling. Now that I know Colin is safe with Alexandria, I’m fine.” She turned to Alyce and took her hand. “Do you, Alyce MacPhearson, take me, Meghan MacPhearson to be my mate for life?”
Alyce gazed lovingly at Meghan. “Yes, love, I do. I was struck by you the first moment you looked me in the eye. I’ll always remember you in that hat that was too big on your head. You were so cute. I knew there was something special about you, even then.”
Meghan kissed Alyce, sealing the arrangement. “That’s a funny thing to remember. I remember you were flirting with me. You were, weren’t you? Well, I’m glad we are almost to New York.” Not waiting for an answer, they went inside to wait for the next day to finally arrive.
After they were completely thawed, they were moved from the infirmary to the Third Class lounge area with two extra cots. Both were asleep within minutes of lying down.
Evening was approaching on the last day. As the horn blew three times indicating land, Meghan and Alyce grabbed for each other in jubilation and happiness. They kissed in public, not caring what others thought. They were alive. The Carpathia was a damaged ship, not physically, but with the memories of the many souls lost and left behind.
“It will be a cold day in hell before you get me on another ship, I’ll tell you that,” Meghan said. “Take me inland. America is our, what is it, oyster, lobster, one of those crustaceans? We have survived this disaster at sea, and we can survive anything, as long as we are together,” Meghan said, standing arm in arm with Alyce.
The Statue of Liberty stood proudly as the Carpathia slowly passed by.
Meghan grabbed Alyce’s other hand and said, “Welcome to America, Mrs. MacPhearson.”
The End
About the Author
Tonie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her wife, author Kate McLachlan, and a menagerie of animals. “Struck” the album, all songs written and performed by Tonie Chacon, can be found at www.cdbaby.com/cd/toniechacon. Contact Tonie at [email protected] or through her website at www.toniechacon.homestead.com Struck! A Titanic Love Story is Tonie’s first novel.
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