Titanic 2012 Part 24

"Now, what did I tell you about getting out of bed, young man?" George said, his reproving tone belied by the twinkle in his eyes.

The little boy wandered over and curled up on his grandfather's lap.

"Rudy? This is Mr. Hughes," Evelyn said. "He was a friend of your mommy's."

"h.e.l.lo, Rudy," I said.

The boy turned and regarded me with a questioning gaze. "Is my mommy coming home soon?"

The older woman's eyes welled with tears. "Honey...," she said, "you remember what we talked about, don't you?"

Rudy nodded, his eyes downcast. "I know...."

I wanted to say something, anything to make the awful feelings inside me go away, but what can you say to a little boy whose mommy is never coming home?

"Rudy," I said, my throat tight with emotion, "I came here tonight because of a promise I made to myself and because I wanted to give you something."

"You were on the s.h.i.+p with Mommy?" he asked.

"Yes, I was. And she loved you and missed you every moment she was on the s.h.i.+p."

"I miss her, too," he said, clutching the T-Rex tighter.

George's lips trembled. "Come on, soldier, you've got to get back to bed."

The little boy nodded and let his grandfather lead him out of the room. A few minutes later, George returned and retook his seat, looking a few years older than he had only moments before. "What did you mean when you said you wanted to give him something?"

I reached into my shoulder case and pulled out the paperwork and handed it over.

George looked to his wife. "Evey, where're my specs?"

She sighed and pointed to the reading gla.s.ses hanging around his neck. George rolled his eyes, then pulled on the gla.s.ses. He glanced through the papers, turning the pages, his lips moving silently. He stopped suddenly, his eyes widening. He looked at me and I couldn't tell if he was surprised, angry, or both.

"What is it, dear?" Evelyn asked.

"It says here if we agree, the Harlan Astor Foundation will set up an irrevocable trust for the benefit of Rudy Regehr-in perpetuity."

"H-How much?"

"Twenty-five million dollars."

Evelyn gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Oh, my...."

George shook his head. "We can't accept this, Mr. Hughes. I'm sorry."

I let go of the breath I'd been holding. "I had a hunch you'd say that," I said, feeling a curious mixture of disappointment and relief. "Maddy told me about the both of you, how much of a support you were to her and Rudy...and how much she loved you. You two deserve better than some glib sales pitch." I drained the last of my coffee and set the cup down on the lacquered table.

"She told you about us?" George asked, smiling for the first time.

"Yes, she did, but at first she didn't want to be a part of my 'experiment,' as she put it."

Evelyn grinned. "That's our Maddy to a tee. She never put up with any nonsense."

It was my turn to grin, the tension in the room easing. It was then I noticed the small framed picture of Maddy on the table between them. She looked all of twenty and her emerald eyes s.h.i.+ned with the promise of a bright future. It was all I could do to remain composed.

Evelyn noticed.

"Are you all right, Mr. Hughes?"

"As much as I can be," I replied and fell silent. I was going down in flames, and I knew it-all because I was afraid to say the one thing they needed to hear. So, I took a deep breath and continued. "I know we've only just met and you've no reason in the world to trust me. But I fell in love with Maddy on that s.h.i.+p. Before I met her I was just some semi-talented idiot with a few bestsellers who thought he knew what real love was-but I didn't know anything. Those precious few days I had with Maddy on t.i.tanic were the best days of my life, and once I knew the truth about her illness all I wanted was to be with her for the rest of the time she had left. But the one thing I couldn't do-"

"-was change her mind?" Evelyn said with a knowing look.

"No...I couldn't."

"That's Maddy, too. While I don't agree with what she did, I understand-we both do. She couldn't bear the thought of watching that little boy suffer."

"It's taken me these few weeks to come to terms with that, and a few other things. Harlan Astor was my best friend, Mrs. Regehr, and I don't use that term lightly. I knew and trusted him for over twenty years. And he trusted me. He wanted me on t.i.tanic because he knew I'd tell their stories the best way I knew how. It's funny, but it's almost as if he knew I was missing a vital piece of my soul, and that I'd find it on t.i.tanic." I smiled sadly. "He was right....

"So, I'm here tonight because my dearest friend and the woman I love are dead and, for better or worse, I've become the guardian of their legacies. With the money Harlan's left me, and as chairman of his foundation, it's my desire to help those they left behind. I think Harlan would've wanted it that way. Maddy, too. Please, allow me to do this for Rudy...and for you."

George shook his head, his eyes rimmed with sadness. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hughes, but we just can't-"

"Wait a minute, George," Evelyn said, her voice quiet yet firm. She squeezed his hand then turned to me. "My husband is a proud man who very much wants the satisfaction of providing for his grandson, as he did for his mother. But the truth is we're no longer young and Maddy was our only child. If something should happen to us, Rudy has no one."

I sat forward. "He'll have me."

"But he's not your family, Mr. Hughes," the older man said.

"That's very true, but I like to think he would be, if his mother and I had a future together." I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "I promise you both I'll look after him when you're no longer able to do so; he'll have every opportunity I can provide. And if it's okay, I'd also like to come and see him as often as I can. Other than the two of you, he's the only connection to Maddy I have and I'd like to get to know him."

I could tell George was moved, but I still saw doubt clouding his eyes. And while there was nothing else I could do or say, I knew there were others whose words were far more eloquent and persuasive than mine.

"Before you make your decision, I'd like to play these videos for you. If after you've seen them you still want to refuse my gift, I'll leave and you'll never hear from me again."

I pulled out my MacBook, opened it and pushed the first disk back into it, turning the laptop so they could see the screen.

"You interviewed Maddy, too?" George asked, his eyes filled with longing.

"Yes," I replied. "She finally relented and allowed me to record it the night before the sinking."

"I want to see her, George," Evelyn said. "I want to see our Maddy."

George nodded, blinking back tears. "Okay, Mr. Hughes."

I nodded and pushed the ENTER key and sat back with my eyes closed, listening.

And when that voice-my voice-poured forth from the speakers once again, I was relieved to note it was no longer the voice of a stranger....

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