She Was Born on Lifeboat #11

Josie contemplated names for her unborn child, it was between Georgia and Amelia. She could not bring herself to decide which.

She ran to the edge of the gigantic ship and vomited. Passengers raced to the lifeboats and all Josie could think of is what name her baby would have. She would have to live with it after all. She felt a gentle rub between her shoulder blades and caught the eyes of a handsome officer.

"Why aren't you onto a lifeboat, ma'am? Come with me." She had no energy to resist his muscled arms as they led her down the deck.

Was it always so long?

Georgia was the name of Josie's mother and Amelia was her favorite novelist Amelia Barr. There was no competition there, every mother is not so deserving.

The thick crowds drowned the officer's shouts. Josie's abdomen clenched, causing sharp pain and she collapsed, hanging to the man for dear life.

"Hang on ma'am, this is no place to have a baby!" His face lost all color it once had.

"I can't simply control that! Can I?" said Josie.

"Make way! This lady needs to board! Make way now!"

The crowd reluctantly let them through, most with disapproving glares. A man with bruising on his face from his chin to his eyebrow, nearly spat at her feet as she struggled to keep walking. As quickly as it came her pain subsided, which wouldn't help her case if anyone thought she may be lying her way onto a boat. She ducked her head down and refused to look at anyone but the Officer.

"Sir, my wife must board! Please! We've been waiting for hours."

"There are other women who want to get off this damn ship!"

"And men!"

Josie recognized the voices, raw as they sounded, as many who she exchanged polite small talk with her before boarding the S.S. Titanic. Many gathered to gape at the vessel, Josie spent quite a bit of time staring, and even the wealthy had a soft spot for women expecting. Not enough to be invited to the luxury parts of the boat of course, but she remembers receiving compliments, handshakes, and gifts from the sort. Desperate people lose all their senses and go mad, she thought.

A burly man with a grimace so deep, it looked permanent, came between them and the lifeboat. He raised a fist the size of Josie's head. She yelped as her next perfectly-timed contraction began.

"None go before my wife and children. I have no patience left, do not test me, Officer. You will learn a hard lesson if you do."

The officer didn't flinch a muscle. "Is your wife in labor, sir?" He said with near chuckle. The man's face turned red with fury and he charged at the Officer. He instinctively guarded Josie before a group of passengers held the red-faced man by his arms. The group couldn't hold the man too long, he growled curses at them.

Josie dragged her feet to reach the deck's edge. If the man got loose, he could reach her before she made it over. The officer used his strength to lift her into the boat himself. She couldn't muster the words to thank him so she patted his cheek motherly.

The boat rattled and shook, and at this point, her uterus did the same.

"You'll be alright, you and your baby will be safe now." said the Officer. "You saved us." Her voice trembled, she felt cold all of a sudden. "Who will save you?". The officer tipped his hat and bowed. His eyes never parted hers.

The boat lowered all at once, causing their backs to thump on the sides. The sounds of cries echoed in the night, carried away by the breeze of the ocean, to an unnamed place.

The strangers around her looked like ghosts against the moonlit sea. Deep sobs and the rubbing of palms were the only sounds. They'd floated a distance away from the ship. Lights from rooms still occupied brightly shone before sinking under. The sea swallowed The Titanic, the greatest ship man ever created, with a wink of its force.

The lady next to her, dressed in fine silk and a fur coat, shifted towards her. The woman spoke to her and she couldn't make out the words.

What is the tale of the sea mother?

What is the tale of the wide, wide sea?

Merry and sad as tales may be.

Those ships that sail in the happy mornings,

full of the lives and souls of men,

some will never come back my darling.

Some will never come back again!

-Amelia Barr, A Singer From The Sea (1893)

The woman's voice felt safe to Josie, like an old friend who comes to visit after many months gone. Though, that couldn't be right. Her body felt foreign, it slowed to near-nothingness. Her mind became a void, and her thoughts mere echos in the vastness of it. The pain was a distant memory, though she expected it to return. The sea dissipated as she found herself in a nursery. The twinkle of a toy distantly played, she rocked in her seat, humming a tune.

Matthew caressed her cheek with his hand, his concern evident by his strained shoulders. She can always tell when he's bothered. Matthew, young and vibrant, was now consumed with worry. His embrace felt foreign and familiar at once. Time away has caused them both grief and they dared not let go of the other for too long.

"Did you decide on her name?" He asked sheepishly. He gently felt her belly and their daughter wriggled.

"I think it's Amelia"

"That's a beautiful name, sweetheart."

The bright nursery and scent of her husband gave way to the dark open sea. The freezing waters glistened mockingly. The hopelessness of her situation became clear.

"You said her name is Amelia and I said, that's a beautiful name." The woman in the coat stated with feigned enthusiasm.

Josie's last will to fight hung by a thread. She screamed, startling other passengers .

The woman jumped to hold her tight and soothe her. Josie could feel the baby slowly descending and screamed louder into the pitch-black night. The passengers became a flurry of movement. Two held her knees in position. The woman in the coat checked the baby's progress.

"She is crowning, Josie. You're about to meet your daughter, hang in just a little bit longer. Push, push, PUSH!!"

Her name is Amelia. Amelia Vanderbusch.

Matthew held Amelia in one hand, glowing with pride.

"Look at how perfect she is. Her little hands and feet and her button nose. I've never seen a more beautiful sight," he said, tears welling in his eyes.

"You're making me cry, we did it, didn't we?" asked Josie.

"Stay with us, Josie! Keep going!" coached the woman in the coat. The cold was beginning to numb her arms and legs. With all her remaining strength she pushed. She did not understand how she knew this lady, she didn't remember meeting her.

Where in heaven's sake was her husband?

The sight of Amelia made every confusing detail disappear. Her little body from her head to her feet melted into her chest. She stared up at the stars shining brightly overhead, and all was as it should be.

Amelia felt cold and a few boatmates offered their blankets without grudge. Josie wrapped her body into them tightly. The aches from her own body were becoming apparent now.

Matthew is not here. I am losing my senses.

Matthew was likely to be asleep in a warm bed by now. She hoped he didn't toss and turn the way she did when she missed him. They had planned to renew their vows after they reunited. Matthew had traveled earlier to attend to their new house. He was to set everything straight and leave no task left for Josie, other than the birth. Josie thought he'd have taken that task too if he could've.

Sleep ebbed and flowed just as the waves did as they slapped the boat. Every nerve was shot and every muscle ached. All she could do was stare at her daughter's face and memorize the curve of her mouth and the softness of her cheek. The moonlight fell onto Amelia with such elegance, that Josie thought she might be hallucinating it.

The woman in the silk dress, now torn, approached Josie. "There's a boat coming, it's going to save us. This nightmare will soon be over and we can all kiss the grounds on our return."

"How far is the boat?" said Josie.

"About a mile and a half. How's Amelia?"

"She's...perfect. You never mentioned your name, I need to know who to thank for helping me with her."

"My name is Ella. If it weren't for you and Amelia, I don't know what I would've done. Amelia is the light shining over us."

"Will you hold her for a while?"

"Of course." Ella gently took Amelia from Josie's arms and held her close.

"Rest now my dear. Our rescue boat is almost here. We're going home to hug our families and hold them close tonight."

"Come onto the ship, single file, no pushing!" Yelled a plump man.

Josie awoke to cries of relief, their boat was tied to the side of another ship, and crew members hurried to unload it. It took two men to help Josie off, with Ella carrying Amelia. She kissed her daughter on each soft cheek and Amelia squeezed her finger.

On deck, the Carpathia crew rushed about with blankets and water. Titanic passengers lay exhausted in clusters scattered around. The scale of the disaster was written all over their faces. She didn't know what was more telling, the tears or the vacant eyes. She felt exhaustion she'd never experienced before. Before she dared close her eyes, she set out to write a letter to Matthew.

The letter states:

My darling Matthew,

Our daughter, Amelia was born on lifeboat #11, the night of April 14th. A woman aboard the lifeboat by the name of Ella assisted me. By the time you see this, you'll have heard the news that the Titanic has sunk! The great ship has been laid to rest at the bottom of the ocean with many other souls who did not survive. It was horrible. The sounds and sights will haunt me forever. No one believed our lives were in trouble until it was too late. We just want to come home, Amelia needs to meet her daddy, and I need you. We were rescued by a ship named Carpathia, bless them! And we're headed to New York City, pray that we come home safely.

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Present Day

110th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic Special

[TV Channel 12][Reporter]

"-Josie Vanderbusch managed to survive the Titanic's fateful sinking, however, she fell ill with pneumonia aboard Carpathia, and did not survive the trip home. Survivors' accounts tell the harrowing story of Josie Vanderbusch, the laboring woman aboard lifeboat #11. Witnesses describe the scene as showcasing "a mother's unbreakable spirit". Despite the despair surrounding her, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Amelia. Her strength has gone on to inspire many, reminding us that the only thing that is truly unsinkable, is a mother's love. The Vanderbusch family, including her beloved widower (Matthew Vanderbusch), has donated the letter written before her passing, to bring awareness to the survivor's stories, and honor the countless lives changed forever on April 14th, 1912.

"The infamous sinking stole many lives, along with our dreams, our families, and our strength. Amid great loss and grief of enormous proportion, it has yet to steal our hope. " -Matthew Vanderbusch