Fernweh

Chapter one

We stood there, looking down at his face in the casket. His eyes closed, lips weren't pink anymore. Never before have I seen his face so pale and blank. I reached over and grabbed Rosetta's hand. she was holding back tears, I could tell. Whenever she is about to cry, she freezes. squeezing her hand tighter, she started to unfreeze, and come back to reality.

"take deep breathes, it helps." I informed her softly under my breath. Turning to face mom, I let go of my sisters hand. I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it when I saw what my mom was doing. She leaned down and slid a crumpled, yellowed sheet of notebook paper inside a small pocket on the jacket he was wearing. She kissed his forehead and walked away back to her pew, picking up my baby brother on the way.

" What do you think it is?" Rosetta stared at him while she asked me.

" I'm not sure." I replied as I turned my head to the ground. I wonder what it is. It must be important if mom decided that dad needs to die with it. Before I knew it, I reached over the casket and grabbed the old notebook paper. The paper was soft against my finger tips.

" Belle! What do you think your doing?!" Rosetta requested as she snatched my arm to pull me down. Stumbling to the ground, I looked at my sister. Her eyes were big, staring straight into mine. She seems angry, almost annoyed. Rosetta is rarely angry.

" Follow me, we can't talk here." I told her. Of course we can't talk about it here. Wouldn't you be suspicious of two girls stealing from a dead corpse, and talking about it here?

Rosetta and I ran down the church and burst the front doors open. It's a sunny day in September. Leaves have started to fall already. Nature right now is im between the seasons, and its beautiful. The trees are turning orange, but the grass is still green. There is a crispness in the air, like there is ever fall in Wisconsin.

Rosetta and I got excused from school today for the funeral, which is fine by me. Miss. Hadley, our forth grade teacher, was going to give us a quiz in the state capitals, which, by the was, I did not know.

We ran around the church to the back, where there is a playground.

" Over here!" I called to Rosetta. I lead us both into a blue circle slide, so we could hide in it. Climbing into the slide was not an activity I wanted to do, but needed to. My skin is scrapping against the burning plastic, as I settled myself. Rosetta followed behind me, mimicking my same moves to get in.

" Okay, so what are we doing in here?" Rosetta looked at me. I realized that she has been breathing weird. Heavier than usually, and through her mouth. Shaking this off, I reached into my sock, where I placed the paper. I was wearing a black, velvet dress, which doesn't have pockets, so my sock was what I came up as a solution.

Unfolding it very carefully, I glanced at my sister. She stared at the paper, and for a second, she looked scared, as if it were a horrible secret, but that look faded quickly, and she became excited. I smoothed out the paper and observed the paper.

It was small, yellow, and old. It smelled like laundry detergent, and I figured that it must have been left in a pocket and been washed. As I read the tiny black writing, in dads handwriting, on the paper, I realized that it was a list. A list containing fourteen countries around the world. Thirteen have been crossed out.

" Rose, this is dads fernweh list." Fernweh is a German word our dad told us. The word describes a deep inner urge to travel to other countries, and to have a new experience. My father has always wanted to get away of this town and explore what's out there. 'Fernweh' is what made him leave us two years ago. he told us he had to leave, it was his dying wish.
I looked at the list again. One county left uncrossed. Paris, France. Did he never visit this country? Maybe thats why he never came back. He never finished.

"Can I see it again?" Rosetta asked me. We were back home from the funeral. Mom found us in the slide and dragged us back to our home. She wasn't to thrilled that we ran away during our dads funeral. She said how embarrassed she was. In the car ride, she yelled at us and gave out a day grounding. Right when we came into the house, we were sent up to our bedroom.

Being a twin means that we share a room, which is fine with us today, because we have much to discuss.

Reaching out, I handed her the list. Rosetta took it eagerly and unfolded it carefully. We were sitting on Roses bed, with blankets piled around us. Behind her was a bag of Oreo cookies that we have been snacking on. Rosetta has always been in the thicker side, and loves her snacks. Mom doesn't know that she keeps food in our room, and we will never tell her.

" Paris, France," Rosetta started, " this is the country he never went to. Do you think he still wants to? Even though he's not with us?" Rosetta peered over the paper and at me. Maybe dad does still want to go. I mean, it was his dying wish.

" rose, what if we went for him?" I asked her. Her eyes got big. Not sure if it was because she thought it was crazy, or brilliant.

" Belle," She said calmly. " Lets do it." Surprised that she went along, I grabbed a notebook and pen near by.

" I guess we are going to Paris, France." I decided as I wrote down the country on the blank notebook paper.

" what should be the deadline?" Rosetta pondered. She is right, we need a deadline. If we don't, we might die out before, like dad, and have our children obligated to embark on this adventure. The journey has to happen soon, so we go without feeling rushed.

"How about before collage?" I suggested. Mom once told me that the summer before collage was her favorite time. Before collage, there is no worry about jobs, financial issues, and responsibility.

"Sounds like a good deadline to me." Rose replied. "Still young, yet mature enough to go." True. Rosetta grabbed the notebook and scribbled on it, Probably the deadline.

" We should add some more places. I mean, we are finishing dads fernweh list, but why not make our own? Have a list that satisfies us, but also carrying out dads wish." I told her, whilst thinking of other places. Looking around the room with pierced lips, Rosetta considered this. Egypt. Yes Egypt would make a perfect place to visit.

"Belle, going to another country before graduation is already a lot to ask for, I'm not sure that adding more counties is a good idea. " Crap. Why does Rosetta always have to be too realistic and un fun. But of corse, she is right.

"Well then, lets add on more when we are finished with France." I suggested, knowing that Rosetta will cave in and agree to this compromise. Sighing, Rosetta quietly said, " Fine, I guess we could do that." There we go.

"Let's add two more now, just in case." I told her. I started to write Egypt on the page, when Rosetta blurted, " Brazil!!" Her hands clasped around her mouth. She looked surprised at her sudden out burst, as was I.

"Okay... But why?" I asked as I wrote brazil down. Rosetta laid down on the bed and closed her eyes. " Well you see, I once watched a movie about a girl who lived in brazil, and.. " I stopped listening. Rosetta loved to think she was in a fairytale and fantasies. So I knew where she was goings

"Okay, so then we will add Egypt and brazil." I cut her off while writing them down. The list looks so perfect with three countries written down. Dad will be orotund of us. Ripping out the list from the notebook, I found an old tissue box to put it in. Figuring that we won't travel until we are a little older, I decided to put it in a box and store it somewhere. Most likely under my bed, its where I keep every important item.

"Should we shake on it?" Rosetta wondered our loud. "Maybe we should. You know, so we actually go. If we promise to goi then we will have to. The Grands are known for keeping promises." Very true.

"Okay. Lets shake on it." I spit on my hand and reached out towards Rosetta to shake. She hesitated at first, but she finally spit and took my hand.

"Before we go to collage, Rosetta and Belle Grand will go to Paris and finish our fernweh list." I declared. We shook and let go. We covered the box and hid it under my bed, where it would stay for many years ahead.