He
watched as men carried her bags onto the ship. She was bound
for America, where life was sure to be better than it was in their
poor Ireland. The Famine had left the potato crops barren,
and there was nothing left for anyone there. When the opportunity arose
for her to go to America, it seemed like a gift from above. There, she
could make a new start for herself, and he'd catch up in a year or so.
But for now, he wanted her to go, to find a life better than that which
she'd always known.
She
looked him straight in the face, grey eyes earnest, red curls being
tossed by the strong wind. She appeared as though she was about to cry,
as he was also. She finally opened her mouth to speak.
"America seems like a wonderful place," she said quietly.
"Yes," he said, even quieter. He didn't want her to go. He'd miss her incredibly, but he knew that it was for the best.
"I'll be sure to write you, as often as possible. The letter might take
a while to get here, but it'll get here nonetheless," she said.
For the first time since she'd met him, he looked abashed. "I...I can't read. Or write."
She smiled weakly. "Well...I'll just have to teach you how when you get to America."
He burst out "I don't want you to go!" He instantly regretted saying anything, because he knew she should go.
"I know, I know," she said gently, stroking his cheek. "I don't
want to go either, but I must, I suppose. I'll miss you every second of
every minute of every day, and you'll never leave my mind 'til the day
you arrive."
They embraced, quickly, because the massive horn on the ship had
just blown, signalling that it was about to depart. They then
parted, looking each other in the face one last time, memorizing the
other's features.
Then she hurried aboard the ship, he still standing on the dock, longing for her to come back.
Within
minutes, the ship was but a dot on the horizon. He watched as the
ship bound for America carried his love away. Long after the ship has
disappeared, he stood there, gazing wistfully at the choppy waves.
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