"Mother, No I am not going to leave you and Patrick behind! We all agreed that when father sent over enough money that we would go to America together!" Anne argued but it was obvious that her objections were useless.
"Nonsense Anne, You must go now. If you marry that pig we will never see you again. Then we will never all be together in America." Anne's mother shook her head, as stubborn as anything. Anne's patience she had inherited from her father. Her dear father.
Anne clenched her jaw at the mention of her pig headed betrothed. It was the fault of their stupid landlord that she was in this predicament. He had threatened to tumble their small cottage if she did not marry his son, the slow and stupid Boyd. As much as she loathed the idea, she had agreed to it for her mother and brother's sake.
"But mother, if I leave for America what is going to happen to you and Patrick? I could never leave if I knew that you had been tumbled out into the streets because of me!"
"Don't worry about us. The only thing I want for you to worry about is getting to America unharmed and finding your father. Besides, at the rate they are casting us all out of our houses we would be out in a week, even with you here!"
"But mother! If I married Boyd maybe we would be able to keep the house."
"What and lose my only daughter! I don't think so! I love you to death dear but you are going whether you like it or not! Father O'Neil has given me some of the church's funds so you can afford a steerage ticket. Ahhh, now don't look so glum. This is a blessing! You are lucky to be going to America and even luckier to have family there!"
Anne nodded her head solemnly, "Does father know that I am coming?" She would feel strange showing up on the doorstep of the father that she hadn't seen in 3 years.
"No, he wouldn't receive the letter declaring your arrival until after you got there, so I am afraid that you will have to surprise him. Don't worry Anne, he's your father he will be thrilled to have you stay with him."
Anne nodded again and looked up. She looked at her mother's face and her eyes watered as it dawned on her that she may not see her mother for a long time. A very long time. She glanced over to the straw mat on the floor to where her little brother Patrick slept. Dear Patrick who was always cheering her up and bringing her blossoms after he played in the hills. She wouldn't be there to watch him grow up. Anne swallowed the tears that she refused to let fall. That was the last time that she would be in a room with both her mother and her brother. She left that night. The dark cloaking her, allowing her to travel unnoticed, the long road to Dublin where she purchased a steamer ticket.
She thought of these things now as she sat on the cold, damp floor of the steerage. She had left home over 2 months ago but her final moments there were still as vivid as if she had left 2 minutes ago. She clutched the small brass cross she always wore around her neck and said a silent prayer. She would be arriving in Brooklyn soon. Her life would be starting anew soon.