When she reached his side, he wrapped her in a hug and rubbed her arms to warm her up.
“Thank you for the flowers and note. It was a nice surprise and perfect timing because I needed cheering up.”
“Why did you need cheering up?” he asked, tucking her cold hands inside his coat and pressing them to his sides to warm them. “Would you like to go for an espresso or a cioccolata calda and you can tell me what’s going on?”
“I would love to. Then I’m going to meet Odessa for a glass of wine, if you’d like to join us.”
“I didn’t know you were friends.”
“I met her on my very first day here. The same day I saw you at her cheese stall.”
“Ah yes, I remember well. The day my heart was stolen.”
Juliette smiled at him. He took her hand and steered her towards a nearby espresso bar where they ordered cioccolate calde and grabbed a table.
“What’s saddening you, Juliette?” Roman asked once they were seated.
“Just a conversation I had with my father about my mom.”
“Ah, I understand. This is difficult for you, no?”
“It is. But I’m trying to focus on the positive. And speaking of that, I want you to know that I had a wonderful time last night. Thank you, again. I know it wasn’t exactly what you planned when you invited me to dinner, but it was great. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the rush of cooking in a restaurant.”
“It was a perfect coincidence that we arrived when we did. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
He lifted her hand and kissed it.
Juliette’s heart skipped a beat.
“So, Signor Capello, tell me,” she said, “are there any terrible secrets I should know about you? Any skeletons in your closet? Are you actually a criminal or something? Because you seem awfully perfect to me.”
“Ha, far from perfect, but no, with me what you see is what you get.”
“Hummm,” she leaned over and kissed his lips, “so far, I like what I see.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Roman said and then proceeded to entertain her by recounting a humorous snippet about the mayor of a nearby town who had been caught in a hotel with his son’s tutor. “It’s true,” he laughed, “I read in the newspaper this morning.”
He had Juliette laughing too, and before she knew it, she was in a much-improved mood and it was time to meet Odessa.
Once back in the market square, she scanned the few people who milled about as the vendors took down their booths. She headed towards Odessa’s stall where she saw her waiting while her father finished the last bit of packing up.
“Ciao,” Odessa said and kissed her on one cheek. “You look happy.”
“Does it show?”
“Yes,” she smiled. “Come on, I know just the spot to have a glass of wine and you can tell me what has you looking so pleased,” she said and took Juliette’s arm.
Juliette was looking forward to telling Odessa about the new status of her relationship with Roman. She wanted to find out how well she knew him and see if she had any insights. She felt surprisingly comfortable with Odessa already and they fell into an easy conversation while they made their way to a wine bar tucked into a side street. Juliette had never noticed it, but it was obviously known by all the locals because it was quite full.
When they were seated with wine, bread, and olives in front of them, Juliette asked, “Do you remember the handsome guy who was also in your stand the day I met you?”
Odessa frowned for a moment, thinking back, and then raised her eyebrows.
“Roman Capello?”
“Yes!” Juliette smiled at Odessa as if she was a star pupil. “He’s teaching the cooking class I’m taking. We’ve been hanging out after class, getting to know each other, and then last night we spent the evening together and one thing led to another . . .”
“With Roman?” Odessa looked surprised.
“Do you know him well? What do you think of him?” Juliette asked.
“Of course I know him. In a town this size everyone knows everyone. He’s wonderful. Smart, handsome of course, good family. Has he mentioned past relationships, though? Perhaps you should ask him if he has any entanglements.”
“Entanglements?” Juliette didn’t like the sound of that.
“Yes. I only mention it because I happen to know he was in a relationship with a journalist named Maddelena, but if he’s involved with you, it must have ended.”
“Hummm.” Juliette looked down at her glass and gently swirled the wine. “I asked him if he had any secrets to tell me and he didn’t say anything about a girlfriend or a break-up.”
“Then you should take him at his word,” she said, and then added after a brief hesitation, “Perhaps be cautious.”
“Thanks, I will,” Juliette told her, but she knew she wasn’t going to be cautious. She had never felt such intense emotion about a man and she was enjoying the feeling. She wanted to leap right into the deep end of the pool with him and enjoy the swim. She found herself visualizing herself throwing her dreams to the wind and staying in Lucca, getting a cute bike with a basket on the front to carry her groceries and growing old with this man. It felt right with him in a way she had never experienced. But, for now she decided to keep that to herself. To Odessa, she said, “We aren’t very involved yet anyway, so don’t worry. Enough about me, though,” Juliette said to change the subject. “I want to hear about you and how it’s going with Antonello. I had such a good time having dinner with you two. In fact, I would love to have you over to my apartment soon. I’ll have a little dinner party and practice some things I’ve been learning in class.”
“That would be wonderful.”
“Va bene,” said Juliette. “Now, about Antonello . . .”
Later, as Juliette lay in bed, the word entanglements popped into her mind again. She pushed the thought to the back of her head and slipped into sleep.
Chapter 13
CATARINA, SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR AND LOOKING FOR FIANCÉS
Catarina felt a jolt as the ship docked at Ellis Island. Her face was puffy from crying and the tears continued to slide down her cheeks as she folded her clothes and put them into her suitcase.
Maria snuck glances at her periodically, and after she buckled her own suitcase shut, silently picked up some of Catarina’s things and started folding them for her. When there was nothing left to do, the two girls sat on the bed.
The waiting seemed interminable.
“Here,” Maria said, and took a piece of paper out of her pocketbook. This has my name as well as Roberto’s. I know you’ve heard about my fidanzato for days and days, but this way you won’t forget. It also has the address of his family’s apartment in New York, where we’re going to live. Write to me, ok? You’re the only person I know here. I know we’ll be on the opposite sides of a vast country, but no matter what, or when, if we need each other, we can go to each other. Va bene?”
“Si,” Catarina hugged her friend. “Va bene.”
“But this isn’t goodbye yet. I’ve heard going through immigration is a long process here, so we’ll be together for hours more, perhaps longer.”
“Franco said it might even take a couple of days. But he said he would be waiting here, so he’ll meet me here whenever I’m done.”
“Are you going to try to see Gregorio this morning?”
“No.” Catarina looked down at her hands. “He made it clear that he didn’t want to see me.”
“That might be for the better.” Maria smiled empathetically at her friend.
“Forse,” Catarina nodded. Maybe.
“Come on. Let’s leave our bags here for a bit and go up to the deck and look across the bay at New York instead of waiting in a long line to get off the ship. It will take forever, so we might as well go look at the view.”
“You’re right,” Catarina said and heaved herself up. “And let’s try to stick together when we’re at Ellis Island, va bene?”
“Like we’re sewn together.”<
br />
“Esattamente, like we’re sewn together. And we stayed healthy! No lice. No fever or sickness.”
Up on deck, the fresh, humid summer air felt good. The ship’s rails were thick with people trying to get a glance at their new country. At first the girls could only see the backs of other passengers who were stacked almost ten-deep along the side of the ship that faced the city. But eventually they made their way forward. Catarina was able to scoot through a gap and got to the front first, but she had Maria’s hand and was able to pull her through the crowd beside her.
“Oh, mio Dio! It’s so big!” Catarina exclaimed, and in spite of her sadness, had a flash of excitement. Even from afar New York was bigger than she had imagined. The buildings were taller than anything she had seen before and there were so many. The statue she had heard about—what did they call it?—Lady Liberty?—was immense, like nothing she had ever imagined. This is the world she had come to. This is what she had left her home and family for. She felt a spark of hope and she told herself to hold on to it.
Over the last weeks the combination of having to say goodbye to everyone she loved, and then meeting an amazing man whom she also had to leave, was heartbreaking beyond anything she had imagined possible. Until now, she hadn’t known that someone’s heart could truly feel as if it were being wrenched apart.
She tried to push her thoughts away from what she was losing and focus on what life would be like now that she had arrived. She wondered how San Francisco would compare to New York. Would the buildings be so tall? New York was larger than she had imagined and she wondered if that’s how all cities in this new country would be. She felt overwhelmed but determined.
I will make this work, she said to herself. I will choose to be happy here. I will make it happen. She turned and hugged Maria again.
“We’re here!” she yelled, and the new friends laughed together, overcome by emotion.
Any exuberance they felt had gradually drained out of them by the time they finally disembarked at Ellis Island. It began with an inspection before they were allowed to leave the ship. Authorities checked their eyes, ears, tongues, teeth, hair and skin. They checked their foreheads for any fever, and if all looked healthy, they were allowed to walk down the gangway to the next line. Those who were found to be infirm were directed into another line. Catarina wondered what would happen to them. Would they have to leave? What about keeping families together? She was grateful she didn’t have to find out.
She waited, barely breathing, as Maria went through the same inspection, and finally they were allowed to join the line, for those leaving the ship. She still hadn’t caught sight of Gregorio. Although she told Maria she wasn’t going to see him again, she had hoped to at least have a chance to say goodbye. She wondered if he had purposefully avoided seeing her or if his duties had kept him away.
As if she could read Catarina’s thoughts, Maria caught her friend’s attention. “Come on,” she nodded down the gangway to the line onshore. “Let’s see if what they say about sea legs is true.”
So Catarina tore her eyes away from the ship and walked down the gangway. When her feet touched soil, she was surprised to find that she did feel a bit wobbly. She laughed in spite of herself. Just then, she felt Gregorio’s presence and whipped around back towards the ship. She saw him on the lower deck, watching her. He saw her laughing and just as she began to wave to him, she watched him turn away.
“Let him go,” Maria said. She saw the hurt on her friend’s face. “There’s nothing you can do anyway.”
“But now he’ll think I don’t care about him.” She despised the thought of him not understanding how she yearned for him.
“I think he understands, but he’s not who you’re here for. You have to let him go.”
“I know you’re right, but . . .” she stammered, torn, and searched the now-empty deck railing one more time before she turned back to her friend.
“It’s a new life,” Maria told her and squeezed her hand.
“Si, a new life,” Catarina forced herself to stand up straight and smile back.
Unfortunately their “new life” began with a long immigration process. Hours and hours after they left the ship, they were still waiting in line. Catarina, like everyone, shoved her trunk and suitcase forward inch by inch. Workers came by with water and bread for everyone waiting, but the line moved forward at a snail’s pace and they began to worry that they wouldn’t even make it into the building by nightfall.
Fortunately they did make it through the doors, but just barely. Their first night in America was spent curled up on the hard floor, still in line, wrapped in blankets provided for them, and surrounded by their suitcases and trunks. Catarina was thankful to have Maria by her side. She hated to think of what it would have been like to go through this process alone.
When morning came after their fitful night, the girls tried to tidy themselves as best as they could. They scrubbed their mouths, brushed their hair, and splashed their faces with the water that had been doled out. Neither felt comfortable changing clothes while still in line so resigned themselves to meet their fiancés looking like wrinkled street urchins. At least they knew both men had also been through this process and wouldn’t be surprised. Still, it was hard to meet the most important people in their futures knowing they were dirty and probably smelled bad, too.
Even the breeze off the water didn’t help the crowded, hot, stuffy conditions inside the customs building on Ellis Island. Immigrants shuffled in and the slow moving lines caused disheartening delays. When it was time for their physical exams, the girls were separated. Neither knew how to protest their separation in English so they were at the mercy of the immigration officers.
Catarina was led down a long, corridor filled with people. She looked over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of Maria’s back as she stepped through a door Catarina had passed. She made a note of which door it was so she could go back to meet her friend after they were finished examining her. There was a nurse and a doctor in the room. The efficient middle-aged woman was dressed in a light-gray dress with a white apron, her graying hair tucked into a white cap. The man wore a brown suit and tie with a white coat over it and a contraption slung around his neck, which she later discovered he could use to listen to her heart and breathing. The doctor examined her ears, eyes, mouth, hair, and skin for infestations while murmuring to the nurse, who was checking boxes off of a form. He poked and prodded her more than she had ever been in her life. The nurse then asked Catarina in broken Italian for her name, wrote it on a line at the top of the card, stamped the form and then handed it over while ushering in the next expectant immigrant.
When she left, Catarina hoped to see Maria waiting for her, but was disappointed. Instead, there were more people moving along the hall with their bags and trunks, preventing her from going back to wait for her friend. They told her she had to keep moving forward down the hall. She told them she had to wait, but after it began to get heated, she lost her resolve and decided to keep moving to the next area. She wondered what awaited her there: More questions? She wondered if they even understood all of her answers. She frantically looked for Maria in the sea of strangers.
She turned a corner and then was surprised to enter a different section of the large, open room where they had spent the first night. It was blocked off from the newer arrivals, but Catarina scanned that area of the room anyway, just in case Maria had been sent back there for some reason. Catarina shuffled forward in the line, hoping she would catch up to her friend, but became increasingly worried when she didn’t see even a glimpse of her. What if Maria hadn’t passed the physical for some reason? What if she was going to be sent back to Italy?
The moving stream of bodies continued to push her forward, and by the time Catarina reached a desk that appeared to be the final document checkpoint, Maria was still not to be found. They asked her to produce her papers. She now had her coveted health form along with her Italian nationality papers, and the form stating that sh
e was immigrating to the United States to be married. She took them out of her purse and they signed and stamped them in several places. Then they had her sign a large, numbered journal to record her entry into the country, and then shockingly, it was done. Her long ordeal was over. They indicated that she should go through the doors, and told her that there was a spot where fiancés were directed to wait for their brides, but she didn’t want to leave without Maria. She waited to the side of the door for a while, dazed that the process was finished but reluctant to leave the building without her friend. Every moment seemed like an eternity while she stood there. Was Franco waiting outside for her? Was Maria’s future husband there as well? Should she find him and tell him that she didn’t know what had happened to his fiancée? She looked around to search for her one more time but when her eyes met only other immigrants, she finally picked up her suitcase and dragged her trunk through the door.
She blinked in the sunlight and looked around. Inhaling deeply, she took in the fresh air. She felt the distance of every mile that separated her from her family. Here she was in her new country and she had never felt more alone.
She looked around to find the area she had been told about and immediately spotted a group of men waiting behind a rope. The men looked different to her from the men she knew in Italy. Many of them wore suits with ties and hats, instead of overalls and clothing suitable for outside work. Some held signs with their bride’s name written on them. When they spotted Catarina moving uncertainly toward them, they rousted themselves. Some held up their signs hopefully and others good-naturedly called out to her. She didn’t recognize Franco in the group—not that she thought she would—but she continued to look, hoping he had a sign with her name. Then, she heard it—tentatively at first.
“Catarina?” Then it became louder and more sure. “Catarina Pensebene? Catarina! I’m here!”
She saw a man shove his way to the front of the group. And then she saw him. Relief flooded her. She ran towards him and hugged him as if it were Mateo who stood before her. The other men cheered. Some of them clapped Franco on the back. The atmosphere was charged with goodwill.
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