Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

Drunk

"Charles is heading back out soon, next week actually." Her voice was tight as she watched a young couple pushing a perambulator walk past, "It's been a blessing to have him home for so long, but I can tell he's growing restive." I watched her twist her hands together, before she seemed to think better of it and placed them in her lap.

"You won't miss him, then?"

"Oh I will, but I know that he won't be happy unless he's able to go back out." She sighed, "You'll find out. It hurts to see them leave, but a little less each time. And they are always so happy to return, even if it's only for a few days." Sylvia gave my hand a squeeze, "And you learn to live with them being gone, but this last absence was a test. It was so long, thank God he kept writing. It was the only comfort I had."

"You must have been shocked by the sinking."

"Oh, when word first came I hardly left the Marconi offices. I didn't tell the boys, not until I knew Charles was safe. Then I took them right to church to thank God for his safety."

I leaned back on our bench, feeling a brisk breeze begin to blow in from the coast. "He really was a godsend during that time, he kept our spirits up, although he is a terrible cheat at bridge."

"Oh, he hates it so much that the only way he'll play is by cheating his way through." She glanced at me, "Was it really so terrible, the sinking? That sounds foolish, it must have been ghastly to go through."

"I still have nightmares about it." The shiver that ran through me had little to do with the breeze, "Sometimes I can still hear the screams. But we all must keep moving forward, this is simply a burden to bear."

"I pray it gets lighter then, for all of you." She stood, looking up at the slowly darkening sky. "Oh dear, it looks like rain. Come, I'll see you back to Will's. It's not that I don't want you to meet the boys, but I have no doubt they will come back covered in mud and I would hate to get you dirty." I insisted on hailing a cab, and ordered her driven home after we had stopped at Will's house. The rain had started as a drizzle, but had quickly turned into a torrent and was practically flooding down the streets. Will hadn't taken an umbrella, I hoped he could find one wherever he was. I tried to get a fire started and failed rather quickly, but I found something to occupy myself. Kate had obviously been here, and she had piled the mail on a table by the door. Two yellow telegrams were right on top. One was addressed to Will, and one to me. I quickly unfolded mine and read.

Anastasia,
This is wonderful news. Please settle things there and return as quickly as possible. I wish to hold a party to celebrate, wire when you have book passage so I can begin the arrangements. I will have an announcement placed in the Times the day of your return.
Ruth

An engagement party, it was necessary even if it was rather soon after the sinking. We hadn't given any entertainments since Father's memory had begun to slip, this would be the first one in quite a long time. I'd been to plenty of them, ranging from two old money families, in which everything was slow and proper, to new money families where the main point of the evening was how much money was being spent. One bride's family had sent all the female guests home with golden bracelets, studded with emeralds, while the men had received gold cigarette cases. The most interesting ones were when the two types families were united, not for the gifts given, but for seeing the two groups mix. It usually led to some social chaos that lasted until the wedding, and it made the wedding all the more fun.

I looked outside, noting how the rain was still continuing to pour down. I still couldn't quite get the matches and tinder to full take off into a fire, so I grabbed a blanket from upstairs to throw over myself. I brought a book and my embroidery down as well, to occupy myself until Will returned. My embroidery was almost finished, and I spent a few hours picking out the last stitches before my fingers began to cramp from holding the needle so tightly. It was growing dark too, and I had to turn the lights on before I opened my book. The rain was still pattering off the roof, and I was thankful for my blanket and the fact that the flue was tightly shut. I was almost dozing after awhile, even as I tried to keep my eyes on the book.