When Kathleen Bex awoke the next morning, there was a far off feeling. It was a premonition that she just lost something-or someone- very dear to her. At night, she rested her locket necklace on the bedpost. Leaning towards it, she opens it, looking at the picture of John. Her thumb caressing the photo. Putting the necklace on, she heads downstairs. Opening the front door, she saw the morning paper at her feet. She looked closely at the headline.
"TITANIC SINKS AFTER HITTING ICEBERG; 1500 HAVE GONE TO DEATH. ISMAY SAFE; MRS. ASTOR, TOO MAYBE."
It was as if Kathleen's heart suddenly stopped. John… What about John?! Grabbing the paper, she headed inside. Sitting at the table, she poured through page after page. There was no mention of his name… nor the name of Harold Bride… what had become of Titanic's wireless men? Kitty didn't sleep much that night, nor for the next few nights. It wasn't until April nineteenth that she learned the truth. It was a truth she tried to put off. John Phillips couldn't be dead… could he? Along with the day's paper, was a letter. It was from Harold Bride. She chose to look through the paper first though. On one page a headline read:
"THRILLING STORY BY TITANIC'S SURVIVING WIRELESS MAN
Bride tells how he and Phillips worked and how he finished a stoker who tried to steal Phillips's lifebelt-Ship sank to tune of "Autumn"
The story was told by Harold Bride… "Titanic's Surviving Wireless Man"… that meant… John Phillips… was dead… with tears already in her eyes, she looked towards the unopened letter. Taking it in her hands, he examined it front and back before opening it. Inside were two written letters. The first she read was from Harold.
"Dear Kathleen,
With sadness, I must inform you that Titanic has sank after her encounter with an iceberg. But with more sadness, I have to tell you that John Phillips did not make it through the night. He entrusted me to get this letter to you in the event of his death. I would have brought this letter to you in person but the condition of my feet have made walking off the menu for the next little while. Nevertheless, in his last moments, he thought of no one but you."
Sincerest regards, Harold S. Bride"
Putting Harold's letter down, she picked up the second folded paper, all the while wiping her eyes.
"My dearest beloved,
The forces of fate are driving us apart more than before and more than ever. Nevertheless, you never drift from my mind nor from my heart. Hold my photo closer to you more than ever before in this moment, darling. For our time apart is very much extended. But this is not a goodbye. I find that too cleiché. This is just an extension of the saying "until we meet again". If any of my written words to you are truly worth one thousand words, these are the words. So do not fear, my love. Do not fill your waking hours with worry and grief. Although that may seem like a task of the impossible, keep in mind that in my last dying moments, whenever that may be, my thoughts will be filled with no one but you and may you forever know my love for you and my presence that will never leave your side.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away.
With all my love that there is to give, and until we meet again, your forever beloved, J. Phillips"
At that moment, Kathleen lowered her head as sobs began to rack her body. A while later, in the early afternoon, she had finally stopped crying, but now sat at the table with her eyes red, nose stuffed, and her head resting on the table. The nights of missed sleep followed by her sudden emotional breakdown has turned her exhausted. Despite her exhaustion, she felt herself rise from the chair, but not on her own, but rather, with the guidance of someone else. "It's okay, love. You need sleep. You'll feel better afterwards." Said a familiar voice; John's voice. His touch felt cold, let alone wet, as if he had just gotten out of freezing water. She never saw him, as her eyes were closed as she walked. She only opened them when she was put down in bed; John's side of the bed. And that's when she saw him. He was clearly wet, his skin was pale and his lips were blue… "It's alright. Just sleep, darling." After a few blinks, Kitty fell into a deep sleep. When she awoke, it was clearly nighttime. By the window, which was near the corner, was a rocking chair and Kitty had a sense that there was someone sitting in it. She couldn't be fully sure, as it was dark, but she reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. Sitting in the rocking chair, asleep, was John Phillips. He looked no more different than he had when she first saw him before she fell asleep; wet clothes, and pale skin. Getting up on her feet, she steps cautiously toward him. With her hands, she lifted his head gently, and caressed his forehead. She saw his chest rise and fall. When his own eyes opened, she met his. "Hey." He greeted, moving his hand up to rest on hers. "Hey." Kitty replied. "You're cold, and you're all wet. Don't you want to change into dry clothes?" She asked. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." He replied. Kitty then found herself leaning in for a kiss. When the kiss finally broke, their foreheads rested up against each other. "You got my letter, huh?" John said, breaking the silence. "If you mean the one I got this morning, then yes." She replied. "I'm so sorry, Kitty… but I'm here now and everything will be okay." He said. "How?.." She asked. "How are you here?" John smiled. "Oh, beloved, not even death can break our bond! And I've yet to surprise Harold!" He said. Laughter in his voice. With both of her hands, she pulled him up onto his feet. Finally, she was able to convince him to get out of his wet uniform and into some dry, warm and more comfortable clothes. As she sat on the bed, letting John gently brush her hair, she couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu. It felt like John had never left. After her hair was brushed through, she laid against him. Her hand intertwined with his. "You know you're dead, right? She said, breaking the silence. "In a way, yes, but in another way, no. My body may be gone, but my soul is not. As long as you're always remembered, you never die." He replied, giving her a kiss.