A Walk on the Water

"Nicolò?" she said with a questioning voice. As she spoke his name aloud, he stopped, and turned once again to looke her deep in the eyes asked as she studied his face, looking deep into those piercing brown eyes, she knew. "Where have you been? When you disappeared I searched everywhere for you. You were supposed to take me with you, I had my bag ready to go." She said with tears in her eyes. "I was told by papa that I needed to leave well enough alone." She ran into his embrace again, this time longing to stay, she had found him. But he pushed her away, with a stern look on his face.

"I will tell you mi amore, but the time for catching up is not now." And with that he turned and walked away in the same direction they were heading before - but not before giving her a wink and a tender chuck under her chin.

Mr. Giovanni ( Nicolò ) led her to the kitchen where she was introduced to the ships cook, Scully. He was an older man, reminded her of her cook back home. He introduced himself and told her to start in on the fish while he started on the potatoes. The talked about this and that, and she really got to know what it would be like living aboard the ship, even for the short time she is with the crew.

For the two day journey to Amsterdam, Alannah spent most of her days out on the desk with the other passengers, and in the afternoon she would make her way back down to the kitchen where she would begin her duties. During one conversation with Nicolò she had told him that "people who think highly of themselves think very little of anyone else."

The day they docked into Amsterdam, and her belongings were transferred to the SS Europa, she was surprised to see some of the crew also board the Europa, Nicolò among them. The Ocean Liner took on many more passengers, among them one man in particular that made Alannah feel uncomfortable. He appeared to be a hispanic male well into his sixties, may even seventies, he presented himself as a bitter old man and he watched her every move.

Alannah didn't particularly like the looks of this man, who introduced himself as Martin. No one knew if that was his real name or not. Martin had apparently obtained a broad knowledge of travel by sea due to the many years he spent on vessels such as this. They would chat from time to time, and although he was not much to look at he was a rather good conversationalist. One evening Martin asked her what kind of place she was hoping to find, she told him that although when she first got on the vessel that she was looking for someplace that was safe and away from it all, she was now determined to make a life for herself in New York.