~Haytham~

we finally reach Boston, the feeling of knowing that I will soon stand on solid ground is overwhelming. I jump with joy and run towards my parents and tug on their clothing, encouraging them to follow. My father will not budge, but my mother gives in and lets me lead the way. My mother and I run towards the docks, I am so overjoyed that I could kiss the ground. I imagine running in the tall green grass, playing in the snow, and exploring the New World with my father. My mother giggles and I instantly stop my day dreaming.

"Mother, what is so amusing to you?" I ask on behalf of my curiosity.

"Oh Haytham, you are," she replies.

"I do not understand."

She sighs, "You're just like your father, and you always need an answer for something."

"But you did not give me a proper answer, how am I amusing to you?"

"Your smile, Haytham. Your smile made me laugh."

My smile? I asked myself. I did not understand, was there something in my teeth, or was she laughing at the fact that I smile? I looked up at her with a confused look, and she could see in my eyes that I wanted an answer.

She knelt down onto her knees so she could look me in the eyes, "The entire time we've been on that -excuse my language- bloody ship I have not seen a smile on your face. And now that we are on land, your face lit up and you finally smiled. I laughed because I was relieved that you remembered what it was to feel happy."

With that kind speech how can you not have tears flowing down from your eyes? She wiped my eyes with the end of her frilled sleeves, and as if on instinct, I hugged her.
We stayed in that position until I heard footsteps coming our way. I let go of mother and was ready to fight if the footsteps belonged to a beggar or a thief, but it was neither, I was my father.

"I do not think you are strong enough to beat someone of my stature," he rustles my hair, "but I appreciate your bravery."

"How you know I could not beat you . . . Old Man," I reply.

"Come now, you cannot hope to match me, Haytham. For all your skills, you are still but a boy -with so much left to learn."

I cling onto his words, hoping that I may remember them. I then hurl myself towards him, and with one swift step he moves out of my way. I stop in my tracks and turn around, the corner of his lips start to curl. I run towards him and leap into his arms; he lifts me up and throws me into the air. I soar in the air, feeling like I am on top of the world, feeling free. My momentum decreases and I start to fall back to earth, and my father catches me.

He and I began to laugh, and my mother joins in with us. I am not quite sure why we were laughing but it felt like the right thing to do. Our laughing was cut short when we heard an annoyed voice coming from the ship.

"Boy, look at that happy family. But if you do not mind The Diamond Basin is still always away, and I would like to be there by tomorrow," whined the young woman.

"Jenny do not worry, we will arrive there for tomorrow. But for now we must check in an inn," my father insisted.

"Why should we, I would like to leave now, the sooner the better."

"Well if you would like, we will meet you there. And take a weapon; I would not like you to be murdered by any savages." Jenny let out a sigh and agreed to stay at the inn for tonight.

"Let us away then," my father told us while leading the way.