|
The Tonini family
packed their bags. The children ran around, excited about their upcoming
trip. “Papa, are we really going to sail on a ship?” Alfonzo clapped his
hands.
“Yes, Alfonzo.
You, baby Alberto, Maria, Mama and me are going to a ship. We’re going far
away. You might see a whale, or a flying fish,” Papa said.
“But Papa, what
about my friends. I won’t be able to see Vincenzo ever again. I play with
him every single day. Can he come?” Alfonzo frowned.
“No, Alfonzo, he
can’t come with us. Our family is the only family from the village who is
leaving on the ship. There will be other families and you’ll make new
friends when we settle in our new home in Scotland.” Papa rubbed Alfonzo’s
hair.
They walked
through the village and headed for the docks. Alfonzo waved goodbye to
Vincenzo and his other friends. Maria waved goodbye to her friends too.
Mama and Papa hugged their neighbors and then they boarded the ship. Maria
and Alfonzo were excited and ran around the ship, exploring it from top to
bottom. “Maria! Alfonzo! Stay near Mama and me. It’s crowded. I don’t want
you to get lost, or fall overboard.”
They sailed for a
long time. The water was rough and Alfonzo didn’t feel very well, but
finally they arrived in Scotland. Papa hired a wagon to take the family to
a croft in the highlands. Papa bought some sheep and a few highland cows.
Mama learned to make butter and cheese and she planted a garden. Alfonzo
and Maria ran around the glen gathering stones and splashing in the burn.
Baby Alberto slept and didn’t know anything had changed.
One day a family
came to visit. They lived a few miles away in another croft. They had a
little boy named Duncan and a little girl named Fiona. From that day on
Duncan and Alfonzo played together, as did Fiona and Maria. Mama and Papa
smiled and were happy they’d come to Scotland. |
