Chapter 10
"Here are your two grilled cheeses," the waitress said as she placed the two plates on the table. Tabitha gazed at the meal curiously. Emil had already begun to eat. His words were muffled as he chewed, "Eat up."
Tabitha continued to stare at the sandwich doubtfully. He nudged her reassuringly. She hesitantly took a bite of the strange food. Her eyes lit up. "This is wonderful!"
Emil smiled, "I'm glad dat you like it." He paused to take another bite. "The village is bursting with Americans. Dey serve wonderful, though unusual, food around here. Dey call it 'all-American,' whatever dat means. I still have not been brave enough to try what dey call spaghetti. It's a large plateful of noodles mixed with a tomato sauce. It looks a bit too strange for my taste."
"Probably mine too."
Emil continued, "Americans aren't really da only foreigners around here. People are shipped in from all over da world. Dey come here to trade and to port deir ships. I believe dat it will become a pretty large city in a few years, that is, once da government gets wind of it."
Tabitha smiled and turned to glance out the window. Through an alleyway she could barely make out the masts of the large ships. She wondered which of the great masses would be taking her to America. She turned back to Emil, "So, amigo, are there any suggestions that you might have for me while I am sailing?"
"Well, da trip's going to be long and you are going to be well past ready to get to land once a few weeks have passed during the voyage," he replied.
She sighed. Tabitha would miss Europe and hated to leave. She already felt as if she were slowly loosing some of her recollection of her past. Her memories felt as if they were slowly slipping away from her. But she knew that, after it all, Pablo and her mother and father would always be with her.
Emil watched her curiously. A small tear slowly slid down her pale cheek. Her eyelashes fluttered shut and she sniffed back the sadness that was defiantly trying to overcome her. He set one of his elbows down on the table and rested his head on his palm.
Tabitha's eyes opened and she slowly went back to eating her sandwich. He quietly brushed back a few of the golden curls from her brow and gave her a curt kiss. He smiled, "I have a bit of business to tend to for a bit. You may look around da village until 1:00. Then you must meet me at the docks." "Alright," she replied. Tabitha eyes followed him to the door and then they darted to the window as they followed him down the narrow, cobblestoned street.