𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 (EDITING)

𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘕𝘦𝘸 {1/4}

"Eliza... Come here, my dear." My mother weakly called, I was in the foyer of the house after just coming home from the general store. 

"I'll be right there, Mama. " I said as I placed my baskets of produce and baked goods on the counter. I walked into the living room to see my mother knitting a pale yellow scarf, her hands trembled but when she saw me walk into the room she placed them in her lap. "Come, sit with me." She said as she patted her hand next to her on the sofa. I sat next to her and faced my body in her direction.

My mother looked so beautiful even when she was sick. She's been fighting off something for the past few months now and it's made her very weak, but somehow she keeps a smile on her face. Because I've been caring for her all this time, I can tell by now that she's not getting better...

"Eliza, you understand what I've been going through, yes?" My mother asked as she held my hands in her cold ones. I nodded and she continued, "I think we both know that my body is not going to recover, that's why I'm proposing a new adventure." I looked over her, she almost had a look of pity on her face. "We have been in Tampa all our lives, times are changing, and I want to have a change of scenery before it's too late. I also want you to see what the world outside of this town has to offer. " She said with a sad smile. 

"Where would we go? " I asked. 

"Concord Massachusetts, a small town with hills, wildflowers, and animals. It's a place of natural beauty. Your grandma moved there when she immigrated from the Netherlands, then she met your grandpa and moved here to Tampa. She told me many stories about her old home there." My mouth opened in awe. My mother grabbed a key from the side table, "I have the key to the cottage where she lived. I know this is a lot to ask a ten-year-old little girl, but would you be willing to move, my dear?"

Tampa is all I've known, I was born here, raised here. But my mother never expressed to me what she wanted, and if this is where she wants to live, I won't be the one who holds her back.

 "When would we go?" I asked. 

"I'm starting to feel a little better so as soon as we pack our trunks, we can't take our furniture with us, but we must take our clothes and our prized possessions." She said.

I smiled and held her hand, "Then let's pack!"

For the next two days, my mother and I loaded up our five large trunks with our clothes, keepsakes, bedding, crafting supplies, and necessities for the long journey ahead. I felt a ping of sadness as I looked back at our home when we had made it to the street.

My mother must have noticed. "Eliza, as long as we have each other, we don't need possessions. We have love and that's what makes a home." 

She's always had a way with words that made me feel better.

After four days of taking multiple trains, sleeping at inns, and waiting for the next train, we finally made it to Concord. I must say, it was an tiring trip. I can't even imagine how my mother felt by the end of it. But she was right, Concord is beautiful. There was luscious green grass, colorful wildflowers, and open blue skies.

We stopped in town first to grab some food to tide us over for the next week or two while we settled in... As my mom was shopping, I embraced everything I could, it all just felt so different, even the air! The streets were busy with life yet it had a calm atmosphere.

Once my mother was finished, we proceeded into a carriage with our luggage. For the next half hour, my mother and I talked about the scenery. She said she loved the way the rolling hills and how refreshing the new scenery was. Her face lit up when she looked out the windows. For the first time since she got sick, she looked full of life, wonder, and hope.