Page 68 of The Missing Pages
She gripped the banister and looked up at the maze of constellations. “There’s a map there somewhere,” she said, smiling. “I will trust it to take us where we need to go.”
Mother spent most of Sunday morning going over the details of her party. The menu had been finalized. The wines had been selected. She decided upon a floral centerpiece composed of violets and sterling roses. I had told her I would come, but that I couldn’t linger. I needed to meet my friend right after we finished dessert.
“Your mystery friend,” Mother scoffed, trying to goad me into revealing who it was. “I don’t like you keeping secrets from me.”
“It’s not a secret. Tomorrow I will introduce you.”
“Very well,” she said. “You know how I enjoy surprises.” Her eyes twinkled.
“One day your mother will surprise us all,” my father teased.
“I don’t doubt that,” I agreed. I knew my mother, despite her appearing like almost every other socialite with her perfectly coiffed hair, her ostrich feathers and jewels, was strong as steel. I just had no idea that it would take a tragedy to have her conviction tested. That her strength would soon be channeled into creating a library made from marble, limestone, and bricks.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
THAT LAST AFTERNOON ON THETITANIC—ICOULD WRITEa book about every detail. I could tell you about the meaningful conversation I had with young Jack Thayer, the seventeen-year-old son of my parents’ dear friends, who confided in me his excitement and nervousness about graduating from the Haverford School that spring and leaving the comfortable nest of his parents’ home for college.
I could tell you about running into Bruce Ismay, who showed me a wire they’d received indicating the presence of ice up ahead, but that we would not reach that location until after 9 p.m. Or I could share with you the sheer sweetness of seeing Abraham and Ida Straus promenading on the A deck, hand in hand.
I remember thinking I wanted to grow old with Ada just like the Strauses. To look into her eyes and always see her beautiful and evergreen. Abraham looked at Ida like he was seeing her for the first time, young and anew.
The fact was that morning and afternoon were full of small snippets of life on that magnificent vessel, which had promised us all safety and top engineering along with luxury and good cheer.
My mother was aflutter with all the details of her soiree. She was positively giddy with the anticipation of throwing a party for Captain Smith. I, however, was just looking forward to it being done. I hated not being able to enjoy Ada’s companymore publicly. I wanted to take her to tea at the Palm Court or lunch at theTitanic’s Parisian Café. It was our dinner tomorrow that I was nervous and excited about. My parents thought I might be bringing a school chum or a new friend to dinner. They had no idea it would be Ada.
The plot was twisting inside my head, and with each passing hour on the ship, Ada and my story began to become more complex.
“I have something I want to show you.”
“Please.” I playfully opened my hands.
“I’ll show you after your mother’s dinner party. What time does it begin?”
Ada’s mysteriousness only intensified my curiosity.
“Eight o’clock.”
“So let’s meet at the library a little after ten o’clock,” she suggested.
“I’ll be looking forward to it. Almost as much as dinner tomorrow,” I said.
I looked into her eyes and saw my future. I saw children. I saw old age.
But I said none of that. I only uttered, “I’m excited for my parents to meet you.”
In the compact elegance of my cabin, I prepared for my mother’s party. Edwin, my father’s valet, had ensured our tuxedos were pressed. My leather vanity case with its silver comb and brush, nail file and scissors, and ebony-handled razor had everything I needed at my fingertips. While Father preferred to have Edwin shave him, I enjoyed doing it myself.
I applied the layer of shaving cream, tilted my head, and drew the blade across my face and jawline, ensuring the steel edge scraped away any bristle. I braced my cheeks with my favorite cologne. My black hair, I combed back and smoothed with pomade.
In the small mirror I saw my reflection. At Harvard, I had always seen myself as shy and awkward, particularly in contrast to my roommate, Ed, who was always the life of the party. But this evening, a new sense of confidence had taken hold of me. I felt like I was finally comfortable in my skin.
“We’re so honored you’ve joined us tonight!” Mother stood up to greet Captain Smith, who arrived several minutes later than the rest of Mother’s dinner party.
“Mrs. Widener,” he said, standing tall in his crisp navy uniform. He took her hand in his. “You have outdone yourself here.”
Mother smiled.
“All satisfactory on the bridge?” Major Archibald Butt jested with the captain as he sat down. “We wouldn’t want anything to happen when the captain was away from his crew.”
