"Mr. Luciano can I please go get changed so we can go down to see my mother?"
Shaking his head he smiled at Aidan, "yes let's do that."
The journey back to Luciano's room was quiet, the small boy holding onto his hand talking a mile a minute, but Luciano heard none of it. Feeling a small tug on his arm he looked down to find Aidan staring at him.
"Hm, what?"
"I just said that I am so happy I got to meet you and Dr. Oliver. I never really had a dad; well one I can remember any ways."
Smiling Luciano stopped and ducked down to the boy's level. "I'm also grateful to have met you Aidan."
The two made their way down the halls of the ship until they reached the O' Mali's cabin. Walking in they found the bed empty.
"Where's my mother, where is she Mr. Grimaldi?"
"I have no idea." Luciano looked around the room, searching for any clue as to where the young mother may have traveled.
The small boy ran back out the doorway into the hall where scarce people traveled. Luciano rushed after him, and caught up with him down the hall where the small boy was speaking to a dark haired middle aged man.
"Please Mr. Jefferson, have you seen my mother?"
He gave the small boy a questioning look and then answered in a heavily Scottish accent, "no- no I haven't seen your mother since the first day, and last I heard she was held up in bed with the flu."
Luciano reached the conversing pair and chimed in. "We just searched the room, she was nowhere to be found."
With a small shrug the Scottish man said, "I don't know what to tell you."
Sighing Luciano gripped the small boys hand and thanked the middle aged man.
"Come on Aidan we'll find your mother." The started down the hall way, but they were soon thrown off their feet when the ship lurched. Luciano fell against a door and hit his head on the handle, the small boy luckily fell against Luciano and saved himself from hurt.
Feeling his head where it made contact with the handle he felt a small bump.
"What was that?"
Luciano leaned down and picked the small boy up and he set him on his feet.
"I don't know, maybe we can find someone, and ask."
They walk through the halls looking for Aidan's mother and also keeping their eyes out for anyone whom they can ask about the strange jerk of the ship.
They came upon the3rd class dining room and found a few men and women sitting and chatting at the tables. Looking around Luciano spotted Anya sitting at one of the tables chatting with an older red head. The small boy beside him saw her first and burst into a run to her side.
"Mamma!"
The red haired woman turned to the voice and extended her arms, and Aidan ran straight into them.
"Oh Aidan, how was your day?"
"It was great mamma, I played in a giant pool, and I ate at a fancy table. I wasn't sure what fork I needed to use so Mr. Grimaldi helped me. But mamma, I liked our food better, there was too much stuff in theirs."
The small boy talked a mile a minute, he was just so happy his mother was out of bed and awake. Luciano looked around the dining area and was astounded at how plain the room was. This dining room was a large room, but it had very little decoration looking up he found a plain white ceiling. It was a stark contrast to the first class dining room.
Anya looked up to Luciano who was still standing on the other side of the room looking around. She waved him over with a call of his name, and gave a smile.
Accepting her offer Luciano walked over to the table and waved at the woman and her companion.
"Hello."
"Well hello Mr. Grimaldi, I want to thank you for taking my little Aidan out and making his trip enjoyable, he'd been cooped up for most of the trip."
"It was no problem Miss O' Mali, he was a pleasure"
Smiling the young woman went back to conversing with the older woman. Aidan looked up at him and gave the biggest toothy grin, he must have been happy his mother was better.
Looking around Luciano spotted a man in a steward uniform. Excusing himself he walked towards the steward.
"Excuse me."
The dark haired steward glanced over his should and raised an eyebrow, "yes?"
Luciano raised his own eyebrow, is this how 3rd class passengers were treated? It was terrible.
"I was just wondering what the tremor was earlier? I'm sorry if I was bothering you."
Gulping the man turned completely around and came face to face with Luciano. Seeing his expensive clothes the man's eyes widened. "Oh I'm sorry sir."
"What about the tremor?"
"Nothing to worry about sir, just the propeller giving a little start."
Luciano narrowed his eyes, "it felt a little worse than that."
Shaking his head the steward grabbed Luciano's arm and started to steer him out of the room. The young heir dug in his heals and tore his arm out of the steward's hold.
The young man turned around and gave him a pleading look, "sir you should go up to first class, please do it now."
Frowning Luciano shook his head, "why? What's wrong?"
The steward gave a start and put on a poker face. "Nothing is wrong sir; please go back to enjoying your evening." The sudden change of the man's demeanor frightened Luciano, but he did as the steward said. Sitting down in a chair at the table occupied by Anya he entered her conversation while Aidan sat on her lap, playing with his sleeve.
"Oh Mr. Grimaldi where is Doctor Reid this evening?" Hearing his mother say Reid's name Aidan stopped fiddling with his jacket and paid attention to the group.
"Please call me Luciano, and I believe he's still entertaining my father."
The older woman gave Luciano an odd look, "What are you traveling Mr. Grimaldi?"
"I am traveling first class, Mrs. Williams."
"Oh yes, oh yes."
"Yeah they have a nice pool." Aidan's childish comment caused them all to chuckle.
"Yes we heard baby." She petted her hand as she turned back to Luciano and Mrs. Williams.
They conversed about little things like how pleasant the journey has been and why they were journeying. He learned that Aidan's mother was traveling to America because she was searching for a new start.
A woman with dark curly haired rose from her table and strode over to theirs. "Oh Anya I am very happy your all better, she leaned down and kissed Anya on the cheek. "Well I'll be heading back to my cabin now." She sauntered off in the direction of the door and dashed through it.
The group began to talk once again, but they were soon interrupted by shouting down the hall. Standing Luciano walked to the door and poked his head out. Men and women both ran around confused while the ship's crew went from room to room handing out life jackets. A humorless man came into the dining room shouting at them. "Get your life jackets on and go back to your rooms." Al the occupants of the room looked at each other confused.
"What's going on?"
Anya stood up out of her chair and picked Aidan up into her arms, "I don't know, but I'm doing what he said and going back to the room." She walked out of the dining hall, and Luciano rushed after her, leaving Mrs. Williams sitting in the room alone.
The halls were filled with people, some calm and confused others were confused and running around. Many of them didn't know English. Anya and Luciano maneuvered themselves through the crowed heading towards the Irish woman's room. They turned a corner and were nearly trampled by a crowd of people running from the other end of the hallway. Luciano barely pulled Anya out of the path before she was trampled. The group of people ran by screaming and yelling, Luciano couldn't make out any of it. He watched the group run around the corner and then looked back to Anya, but found her staring at the ground, looking down himself he found water creeping its way towards them.
Stepping back he looked around, "Why is there water?"
Frowning Anya stepped forward into the water, Aidan still pressed against her hip. Luciano jumped forward and grabbed Anya around the shoulders. "Please Anya let's turn around and go back, something's wrong."
She pulled out of his grip and rushed forward. Luciano's eyes widened and he chased after her. She ran around hallways every which way, Luciano for the life of him would never be able to remember where he was. The water that was previously tapping against the shoelaces of his shoes now reached his ankles. Maneuvering around a large piece of luggage, he missed a smaller piece of luggage sitting next to it and tripped, he landed face first in the water. Shaking his head to dry his hair, he glanced down the hall way Anya had previously been in but found her gone. Cursing he stood up using the wall for support.
"Anya, Aidan?" hearing nothing he shouted their names again. "Anya, Aidan."
"Mamma, Papá!"
Hearing a small shout from farther up the hallway Luciano ran to find where the shout had come from. Searching around he found a small Italian boy curled in an alcove. Kneeling down in the water he extended his arms he spoke.
"Ciao, stai bene?" He made sure to keep his voice as steady as possible, but his inside were squirming around, he was afraid, he didn't know what was going on.
"Dov'è la mia mamma e papa?"
Luciano looked around in search of the small boy's mother or father but found neither. Looking back at the small boy he shook his head.
"Non lo so, ma sono sicuro che stanno sul ponte aspettando. Quindi forza, vieni fuori di lì." "Il mio nome è Luciano."
He had no idea where the small boys Parent are, but he needed to get him out of the hallway before it flooded. The rate at which the water raised alarmed Luciano, while he'd been kneeling the water rose up over his knee. If they didn't get above deck soon they would be trapped below deck.
The small boy crawled slightly from the alcove and looked up at Luciano, "Sono Lorenzo."
"Ciao Lorenzo, ora andiamo. Abbiamo bisogno di andare." Luciano gestured to his outstretched hand wishing Lorenzo to grip it; the small boy stared at his face and then gripped Luciano's hand. Picking the small boy into his arms, he rushed down the hall, water splashing around him.
"Anya, Aidan" His shout echoed around the deserted hallway.
The small boy in his arms gave a whimper. Luciano wove a hand through the dark locks of the boy.
Where had they gone?