Titanic
"Mind your step please darling," said Joe helping his new wife onto the majestic looking ship. He looked at her, his eyes full of love and adventure as they were travelling across the Atlantic Ocean to New York.
"I'm so excited Joseph," said Dianne. "Will we see dolphins in the water?"
He smiled at his wife's adorable childlike wonder. "If not, I can do a wonderful impression of one-"
"No! Please don't! I shall laugh loudly and we don't want to draw attention to ourselves," she said, smiling at her husband's ridiculous sense of humour. They shared a kiss before they were interrupted by one of the crew who took them to their cabin.
"Joe!" gasped Dianne upon seeing their room. "You didn't tell me we were staying first class!"
"My friend who worked in the construction sorted it for me. I just wanted our first trip together as husband and wife to be special," he said looking at her with love in his eyes.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "It's perfect, I love it." Joe kissed her lovingly.
"Do you need some help with those?" asked Joe, seeing the servant struggling with their bags.
"Oh it's fine sir," said the young man.
Joe walked over to help anyway and the man thanked him gratefully. Dianne watched him and realised that one of the things that she loved most about Joe was his kindness towards everyone that he met. They definitely weren't the richest people on the ship but they were quite well off. Joe was a true gentleman and she couldn't be happier with her choice of husband.
//
"You look so beautiful," said Joe looking at his wife. They were dressed to go for their second dinner on the ship. He knew that Dianne had felt a little insecure next to all the other fine ladies on the first night and he was doing his best to reassure her.
"I just feel a bit overwhelmed," she whispered. Joe felt his heart break and instantly pulled her into his arms.
"You are so much more stunning than any of those other women out there. You have a pure heart of gold and I am so lucky to have you," he said stroking her hair. Dianne smiled into his embrace.
"I don't know why I feel like this. I would never want to sound like them so why would I want to look like them?" she said.
"What do you mean 'sound' like?" he said curiously.
"Oh you should hear the things they talk about! It's all dresses and parties and other insignificant things," said Dianne moodily.
Joe laughed. "It's much the same with the men. All they talk about is how rich they all are and all the fine things that they'll do in New York and who'll win at poker,"
"I'll put up with the meaningless chat in first class for how comfortable the bed is though," said Dianne. "Hey-"
"No Dianne!" said Joe pre-emptively. "We can't skip dinner and just stay in bed all evening as much as I would like to,"
They both laughed and headed into the lion's den arm in arm.
//
April 14th
Joe and Dianne watched the dying sun meet the sparkling blue of the Atlantic from the top deck of the Titanic.
"The view is so beautiful isn't it?" said Dianne dreamily.
"Yeah it is," said Joe looking at his wife. She elbowed him and they continued to stroll down the deck.
"What are we going to do in New York Joe?" she asked leaning her head on his shoulder.
"All sorts," he promised. "We're going to eat loads of food, see all the sights and make so many memories,"
"And dancing?" she persisted.
"Every night. We'll do the foxtrot, waltzes any dance you want. Even if we stay at the house for a night in, we can dance around the kitchen to whatever's on the radio," he said looking at her with so much love in his eyes.
She smiled and kissed his lips. "That sounds so wonderful,"
//
"Sir? Sir?"
Joe looked up from the board game he was playing with Dianne to the same servant who had carried their bags.
"Hello, can I help you?" he asked.
"You need to put on your warmest coats and head on up to the main deck. Also please put your life jackets on," the servant darted out of the room before giving any more information.
Joe turned to his wife who looked positively terrified. "Hey, I'm sure it's nothing and they're just being cautious. It's good that there's safety measures in place in case anything bad happens,"
Dianne nodded breathing very heavily. Joe could see that she was still distressed so he put on her life jacket for her and then found her one of his coats and buttoned it up to her chin. He helped her with her gloves and found a hat for her head. Joe kissed Dianne's forehead and as soon as he was ready, they headed up to the main deck.
It was absolute chaos. The ship seemed to be on a small slant and ladies were screaming hysterically. He could see remnants of ice in the corner of the deck. People were getting life boats sorted and Joe could already see one being lowered. He very quickly realised that something was terribly wrong.
"Joe?" he heard her small voice and he knew in an instant that he would do absolutely anything in the world to protect her. Even if it meant giving up his own life.
"We need to get into a life boat," he said firmly walking towards one.
"Women and children only!" shouted a police officer.
"Dianne you need to get into the boat," he said his voice breaking. She looked at him and said angrily "I'm not going anywhere without you,"
"Please Dot, you have to get into the boat where you'll be safe," a tear rolling down his face.
"No Joseph!" she cried throwing her arms around his neck. He could feel her wedding ring digging into the back of his neck and an awful feeling washed over him as though he'd already lost her. They were newly married and supposed to be starting their entire lives together. They were meant to dance together and see the world and have children and watch them grow. An overwhelming sadness overtook his mind as he realised that there was a massive likelihood that they wouldn't have any of those things. Also that he probably wouldn't survive the night.
The police officer grabbed Dianne and tugged her into the boat and Joe's arms immediately felt cold and empty. Dianne started screaming for Joe who watched her with tears openly streaming from his eyes. At least she would be safe he thought.
"I love you," he called out to her. "I love you so much,"
Dianne dissolved into loud wracking sobs as the man she loved disappeared from her sight as the boat lowered into the treacherous icy waters. She couldn't be without him, the grief for the life that they would have had created a montage in her mind of the trips they wouldn't take, or the children that they would never meet. She saw the distress signal light up the sky like a beacon of hope for the ship. Dianne knew deep down, that she wouldn't have any kind of hope in her life ever again.
//
The Carpathia
"Excuse me? Is there a Mr Sugg on your list?" she asked. Dianne was still wrapped in her husbands coat that he had lovingly placed on her shoulders the evening that he was ripped from her life. If she ignored the scent of sea salt and outdoors, she could still smell his natural aroma, the one she used to wake up next to and loved more than anything. She was asking the assistants with the registers on board the Carpathia if her husband had arrived to the ship that had saved over 700 Titanic passengers. But with nearly 1500 people on board the original ship, it wasn't likely that Joe had survived.
"I'm sorry miss but there's been no change from yesterday," said the assistant with a lot of sympathy in his eyes. Of course it had been what Dianne was expecting, but a wave of disappointment crashed over her regardless.
"Thank you," she said sniffling and turning away. She sat herself down, covered her face with a borrowed scarf and looked out into the ocean, wondering if he was out there. She supposed that he could love her from wherever he was and she would always love him. But there was so much they had wanted to do together. He was her dance partner, her best friend and the love of her life, as she had stated in her wedding vows just three weeks earlier. She didn't know if she could ever recover from this crippling sadness. She made to get up and fell, not realising there was a bag right by her feet.
"Do you need some help?" asked a familiar voice. Dianne's stomach dropped and she thought 'no I'm simply hallucinating'. She removed the scarf from her face and saw her own expression of utter disbelief emulated in her husband's features.
"Dianne!" gasped Joe. He instantly pulled her into his arms and they were locked in a tight embrace as if they were afraid that the other would disappear if they let go.
"I thought you were dead!" she cried into his shoulder.
"I managed to stay out of the water by climbing on some of the debris and was picked up by the only boat to come back," he said, holding her close. "I can't believe I found you, we got here last night and I was asking everyone I met if they knew you,"
"Never leave me ever again," she said looking at his tear-stained face. "I've been an absolute wreck, I never thought I'd be happy ever again without you,"
"Oh my darling, I love you so much," said Joe connecting their lips in a loving kiss.
"Joe!" she suddenly shouted. "There's a dolphin!"
They both looked out into the ocean that had almost cost them their lives, and saw the outline of a blue dolphin streaking effortlessly through the water. It was free and unencumbered and clearly loved its surroundings.
Just like them.
Author's Note- I've always been fascinated by the Titanic and it just seemed like the natural place to go for the 1910s. Hope you enjoyed!!