by ID Johnson
He chuckled. “I know that it’s still there; I just can’t help but make sure from time to time. You know, I’ve been thinking about this moment for more years than I can count, and never in my wildest dreams did I think there’d be a hundred and fifty people staring at me when I gave you this ring.”
She glanced up at him out of the corner of her eye. “I knew it,” she said, making him raise his eyebrows. “I knew there were more than a hundred people here.”
He began to laugh so hard she had to stop, though she was surprised no one in front of them seemed to notice. “This is precisely why I love you so much, Meg. I never know what you’re going to say, but I always know it will be perfect.”
Realizing no one else was paying them any attention at all, Meg turned to face him. “Charlie, you’ve already asked me to marry you, and I’ve already said yes. This is just a formality.”
“Yes, I know, but this is my grandmother’s ring. She gave it to me specifically to give to you before she passed away.”
Meg felt her heart flutter. “She did? For me?”
“Yes, of course. She knew I’d marry you one day. She wanted you to have it.”
“No wonder your sister hates me,” she muttered.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he replied, giving her a crooked grin. “There are lots of reasons why my sister hates you.”
She punched him in the arm, harder than she would’ve dared a week ago for fear he’d fall over.
“Listen, all of this will be fake, a production for my family’s friends and business associates, but I want to give you this ring in private afterwards. I want to ask you to marry me properly without everyone staring.”
Looking into his eyes, Meg could see how sincerely he meant those words. “Then do it now,” she said, glancing before them to see his family had reached the hall that led to the back. There was no one around.
Charlie raised his eyebrows for only a second, as if he wasn’t sure. But then, dropping to one knee, more carefully than Meg would’ve originally envisioned, he pulled a box out of his pocket. “Meg, I didn’t believe in fate or chance before I met you in person. But with everything we’ve been through, with all the coincidences and chances we’ve encountered, I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life than the fact that you and I are meant to be together. Mary Margaret—Meg--will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Tears were rolling down her cheeks as Meg nodded and said, “Yes.” He slipped the ring on her finger, and with Meg’s help, stood to catch her lips with his.
A few moments later, they heard a distinct throat clearing at the end of the hallway and realized Jonathan was waiting for them. Pulling themselves apart, Meg brushed the tear streaks from her face, and Charlie looped his arm through hers and led her down the hall, as if they were walking to the firing squad instead of a group of alleged friends.
Once they reached the end of the hallway where Jonathan stood, the liegeman whispered sharply, “Your sister is about to have a conniption thinking you’ve snuck off somewhere.”
“We are just slow walkers,” Charlie assured him, amused.
“I’ll let you explain yourself to her. She assumed you were right behind her.”
“We were. Right behind her—far, far behind her.” Charlie looked at Meg, a twinkle in his eyes.
“I believe you will need the ring back if you’re to give her the ring in front of everyone,” Jonathan reminded them.
Meg shrugged and let go of Charlie’s arm so she could work the ring off and hand it back. The diamond wasn’t nearly as large as the ostentatious one on Stella’s finger, but it was lovely with a princess cut diamond in the center surrounded by dozens of smaller stones, and Meg was reluctant to take it off.
Jonathan nodded his approval and began to slowly back toward the exit. While she noticed he smelled a bit like alcohol, she was glad it wasn’t nearly as overwhelming as it was the other night, and she assumed it was because he was technically working.
Once Charlie had the ring back safely in his pocket, they went on their way to the back garden where Meg thought she’d be forced to pretend she was somewhere else for a while in order to keep from hyperventilating with every wealthy eye in New York City on her. Unfortunately, she had plenty of practice with the art of being somewhere else.
“There you are!” Grace proclaimed, a fake smile plastered to her face. Her satin and lace blush gown caught the flicker from the gas lights and seemed to dance around her as she approached them.
Mr. Hill was standing in an open area in front of most of the guests, and Grace led the couple over. Looking around, Meg was relieved when she saw Kelly’s reassuring smile in the crowd, Daniel beside her, his casted arm yet another reminder of what they’d been through.
As they approached the Master of Ceremonies, he made a loud announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen, what we’ve all been gathered together this night to witness….” He held up his arms, and Meg was reminded of the one visit to the circus she’d made as a little girl with her father and her mother, the latter having been almost as unhappy then as Meg felt now. Charlie looked almost as lost as Meg was, but once his sister guided him into precisely the place she wanted him to stand, and Meg followed, he looked at her, and the rest of the people became much less important.
Grace and the rest of the family stood off to the side with Mr. Hill, as Charlie cleared his throat and momentarily glanced out at the sea of anxious faces. He looked back at Meg, and she was tempted to make a silly face at him to make him feel less nervous, but she didn’t do so, only gave him a knowing smile.
Charlie glanced down at the ground and Meg prayed he wouldn’t bother to get down on one knee again, since they were standing on brick pavers and she knew it would be difficult for him to get up and down again. Nevertheless, he did so, and she offered her hand to steady him, since she realized he’d need it anyway. There was a loud “oooh” from the crowd as they cooed over the romantic gesture.
“Mary Margaret Westmoreland, we’ve been planning our wedding for years, but now it is time to make it official.” He reached into his pocket and pulled the ring out, leaving the box inside. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said quickly, pulling him up to his feet even before he had the ring completely on her finger. She was thankful that he’d kept it short and to the point. No one need know the other sweet words of affection he’d shared with her earlier in the hallway, or the professions of love he’d made when he’d originally asked her to be his wife aboard Carpathia.
The crowd seemed surprised at the hastiness of the moment they’d been waiting all evening to witness, but once they realized it was over, they broke into applause, and Charlie leaned down and kissed Meg’s cheek. Over his shoulder, she saw Grace give some sort of signal to someone on the other end of the yard, behind the bushes that surrounded the pond, and a split second too late, she realized what was about to happen.
The first explosion was so loud and nearby, if Meg hadn’t had that moment to prepare, she was certain she would’ve screamed. Instantly, she was back on the water in the lifeboat and a flare split the night sky in half with a loud crack. Fighting the panic, Meg reminded herself it was only a firecracker and tried to keep from running. However, Charlie didn’t have the benefit of seeing his sister’s secret gesture, and his first reaction was to leap and spin around in the air so quickly, he nearly flung Meg into the pond. She kept her grasp on him as the explosions continued to fill the air above them, but his eyes were wild, and she knew she must have help if she was going to get him to safety before he managed to hurt himself or someone nearby.
Jonathan reacted much the same way Meg did. She could see the panic in his eyes as well, but he moved toward Charlie quickly and precisely, grabbing his friend by the shoulders firmly, and even though Charlie’s first instinct was to throw him off, Jonathan held resolutely. Between the two of them, they were able to calm him enough to make him realize the noises were simply fireworks and nothing to be alarme
d about.
Most of the crowd was so absorbed in staring at the bright, colorful lights overhead, they likely didn’t even notice their host and his bride-to-be had been transported to another time. It wasn’t until Meg and Jonathan began to guide Charlie back toward the house that some of them seemed to see something was the matter as the trio had to pass through many of the guests in order to get inside. As she approached the door, her arm around Charlie’s midsection as Jonathan held him from behind, Meg realized she’d collected Kelly and Daniel who looked just as frightened as Meg felt.
Once inside, Meg kept right on walking, headed toward the parlor where she thought guests might leave them be and the firecrackers might not be so loud, though the popping sound followed them through the house, and each time another burst, all of them jumped to some degree or another.
Meg led Charlie over to the sofa and forced him to sit as he began to stammer out some sort of an apology that made little sense. “I’ll get him some water,” Jonathan said as he let go and headed for the door. Another explosion caused him to noticeably jump before he reached the exit.
“I don’t understand,” Kelly was saying as she paced back and forth behind the sofa where Meg was trying to reassure Charlie he was safe. “We know that they are only firecrackers, yet every time one explodes, I feel like my insides are about to come out my ears.”
“I don’t understand it either,” Meg admitted. “But I knew it would happen. It isn’t even because of the flare, I don’t believe. Any loud noise at all has this effect on me.”
“Me, too,” Daniel admitted. Meg glanced over at the foreman and saw his face even paler than usual, his strawberry blond hair looking as if he’d pulled half of it out on his way to the parlor.
Jonathan returned and handed Meg a glass of water, which she lifted to Charlie’s mouth. “Here, take a drink. It will help.”
He complied, taking the glass out of her hand, though his own hand was shaking so violently little droplets spilled on the front of his suit. A few moments later, there was a barrage of popping noises and then a loud applause, and they collectively let out a sigh of relief that the display seemed to be over.
“I specifically asked them not to do this,” Meg said through clenched teeth.
“As did I,” Charlie finally managed. “I apologize,” he said, looking at Meg. “I’m not sure… as you said, any loud noise….”
“You have no reason to apologize,” Meg replied, not even allowing him to elaborate. “We all knew you’d react that way. We all wanted to run. Perhaps it’s just the sudden, unexpected blare.”
He was nodding his head slowly. “The ship… made all sorts of cracking and popping noises before….”
“We could hear it,” Jonathan assured him. “Luckily for us, we didn’t happen to be standing on it while it was happening.”
Charlie had been. Meg felt rage welling up inside of her. She wanted to go scream at Grace for her insensitivity. She wondered if Mrs. Ashton had had any idea that the fireworks show was about to happen.
When Charlie’s mother burst into the parlor only a moment after Meg thought to go chase her down, it was clear she hadn’t known. “Charlie? Are you all right?” Pamela asked as she hurried to his side. “I’m so sorry… I had no idea.”
“Mother,” Charlie said, looking at her through glassy eyes, “I’m fine. Whose idea was that precisely?”
“I’m not certain,” she said with a shift in her eyes that made Meg think she at least suspected Grace. “I will find out though. Your sister feels just terrible. She didn’t realize….”
“She should have.” Kelly spoke as if she’d told her herself, which Meg knew she hadn’t.
“I don’t know that anyone ever mentioned it to her. I thought I knew everything that was to happen this evening, and I would’ve told her not to do it if I had known she planned to, but she wanted it to be a surprise for me as well.”
“It was certainly a surprise,” Jonathan muttered from his position across the room.
“I know she feels just awful. She’s fled to the library in a fit of tears. Once she calms herself, I’m sure she’d like to see you.”
“Yes, of course,” Charlie replied. “I’ll be fine in a moment. I just need to catch my breath and rest a bit.”
Mr. Ashton entered the room then. “Is everything all right?” He had a lost look about him, as if he had no idea what was going on, and Meg couldn’t help but find it a bit amusing, though she fought back a giggle. Poor Mr. Ashton. Everyone spending his money and he didn’t even know what he was purchasing.
“We shall be in a moment,” Charlie assured his father.
“Shall I go back out and let the guests know… something?” Mr. Ashton stammered.
“I’ll go,” Pamela replied, patting her son on the knee. “You’re sure you’re all right, Charlie?”
He nodded and took another sip of the water he was still clutching so tightly Meg worried for the glass.
“I’ll go with you,” Jonathan said, giving Meg a knowing glance as if to say he’d handle everything with the guests and she needn’t worry about Charlie’s reputation. At the moment, it was the last thing on Meg’s mind. Yet, she knew it wouldn’t do for everyone to assume something was permanently wrong with Charlie. She didn’t know what sort of story Jonathan might make up, but she was certain it would get the job done.
Kelly finally stopped pacing and dropped into a chair near the sofa, a sigh of exhaustion escaping her lips. “I’ll leave the pair of you in peace in a moment,” she began, glancing at Daniel, “but I need a moment myself.”
“Take your time,” Meg assured her. She had her hand against Charlie’s chest, and she could feel his heartbeat starting to slow back to normal.
“I believe I shall return to our guests then,” Mr. Ashton said. “Charlie, if you need anything, let me know.”
“Yes, Father,” Charlie said, giving his father a look of gratefulness before returning his stare to the glass of water.
Daniel must have realized his wife wasn’t leaving anytime soon, so he found a seat, as well, in a chair across from hers. He absently rubbed at the cast on his left arm. Meg thought it must be a constant reminder of Titanic, and she was thankful she didn’t have that sort of badge to wear around every moment of the day.
“It’s been a lot more difficult than I’ve been willing to admit,” Kelly said, and Meg glanced over at her friend to see she, too, was staring off into the distance, like she couldn’t see the room around her. She was quiet then, and Meg looked from her face to her husband’s. Daniel’s expression showed that he agreed, though he would never voice his own struggles. Eventually, Kelly took a deep breath and looked at Meg. “It will get easier, won’t it?”
Before Meg could formulate a response, Charlie said, “It must. It simply has to.” His voice sounded more haunted than Meg could remember ever having heard it, and she scooted even closer to him, wrapping her arms around him. He didn’t move, didn’t even shift the glass of water in his hand, as if she wasn’t even there.
“We should give you a moment.” Daniel rose from his chair, approaching his wife, who looked a bit more collected. Kelly glanced in Meg’s direction but she didn’t say anything, only took her husband’s good arm and went out of the room.
Meg wasn’t sure what to do or say, she simply held Charlie, hoping she could find a way to bring him back to her. She knew he must be hearing the voices now louder than ever, and his countenance reminded her of all the times he’d forgotten who she was, though she was certain he recognized her, even if he wasn’t sure where he was.
“I’m sorry, Meg,” he finally said, with a loud sigh. As if a spell had been broken, he set the glass down on the end table and relaxed in her arms.
“Don’t be,” she insisted as his arm came around her waist and he pulled her into his chest. “I wish I’d known what she was planning. I should’ve said something.”
“It isn’t your fault. Hell, it isn’t even Grace’s fault. It just…
is.”
“Well, we will have to make certain it doesn’t happen again.”
“How can we do that, exactly?” he asked, his face in her hair. “How can we ensure there are no loud, sudden noises for the rest of our lives? The factory is full of them. Daniel and Jonathan have been back to work for days now, and they aren’t complaining.”
“Both of them were just as frightened as you were.”
He laughed. “No one was as frightened as I was. Thank goodness the ring was already on your finger or it might have ended up in the pond.”
She couldn’t help but laugh with him. “I thought for a moment you might accidentally throw me in,” she admitted.
“Accidentally?” he teased, nestling her ear with his nose.
She tipped her face to look at him. “On purpose then?”
His face went a bit more serious. “No, I wouldn’t toss you in the cold water. It’s not at all inviting.”
She kissed his temple. “I know you wouldn’t.”
“Sometimes… I feel like I’m still sinking in cold water, Meg.”
She brushed his hair back off of his forehead. “I know. But you’re not. You’re safe.”
“And if I am?”
“Then I’ll jump right over with you, Charlie. We are in this together now, through thick or thin, for better or worse.” She glanced at the ring on her finger and wiggled her fingers in his face so that he could be reminded as well.
“I’m afraid you’ll give up on me, Meg. That I’ll become too much work.”
“That won’t happen, Charlie. I’m not exactly the easiest person to live with either, you know. I may have a few issues of my own.”
“You’re an angel.”
“Are you on some sort of medication again?”
He laughed. “No. I might need to be, though, especially once I get back on another ship.”
“So long as you don’t forget me this time,” Meg replied. The sounds of partygoers echoed down the hallway, and Meg thought the proper thing to do would be to go back out and check on their guests. She leaned her head against Charlie’s shoulder instead.