The Canterfiction Tales

The Wondrous Beauty of Italy

"Yup, ready to get this show on the road!" Cried Nessie twirling around.

Atticus laughed. "Well alrighty then! Let's hit the road!"

As they drove to the airport, Nessie and Liam had their eyes glued to his phone, searching up everything they could find about Rome. "He dad?" Said Liam looking up from the phone. "Can we visit the Roman Forum? It has all the cool ruins there."

Atticus glanced in the rearview mirror. "Of course. I think that is a staple of Rome, so it wouldn't be right if we didn't go." He said, his violet eyes glinting. Liam smiled. He loved that glint that his

The Canterfiction Tales

adoptive father would get in his eye. It brought him back to the time when he had first met him back at the Orphanage.

"Yes!" Yipped Nessie, thrusting her first up in the hair then yanking it down. "Of course, we need to take a picture there.

"I second that." said Liam.

"Well, I guess that means I third that." Atticus winked at his children, happy to be going on this trip with them.

Finally, they had arrived at Traditional Airport where their flight was scheduled to leave at 9:20 a.m. As they unloaded their luggage Liam was giddy with excitement. "I cannot wait to go on the plane!" Cried Liam! "This is going to be so cool! Right Ness?" Liam looked at his sister, expecting her to be as excited as he was. But there was apprehension on her freckled face and her bright green eyes were tinted with worry. The corners of Liam's mouth tipped down into a slight frown. "Are you okay? What's the matter?"

Nessie shook her head. "Uh nothing! I can't wait either." She forced a smile, but her voice wavered."

Liam tilted his head. "Are you afraid?"

Nessie vehemently shook her head, not wanting to ruin her brother's flight. She knew how protective Liam could be and didn't want him worrying about her taking away the excitement of his first flight. "Are you kidding?! Of c-course not!"

Just then she felt her father's warm comforting hand on her petite shoulder. "You know, I was terrified on my first flight, when me and Elaine traveled to the Ukrainian.  She even had to hold my hand."

Nessie's emerald colored eyes widened. "You were? She did?" Atticus gave her a warm sincere smile and nodded. She looked

The Wondrous Beauty of Italy

down shyly and scuffed her foot on the concrete. "Okay. Maybe I am just a teeeeny bit scared. So...maybe I can hold your hand?"

Atticus smiled and kissed the top of his ten year old daughter's head. "Of course."

Grabbing the last of their luggage from the car, the three of them stepped through the large sliding doors. Liam and Nessie halted in their tracks, their mouths agape. "Woah." Liam said, his breath catching in his throat. "This is amazing."

"I know." Said Nessie breathlessly. "Okay I think just got a little less scared and a little more excited. Come on let's go!" Nessie grabbed her yellow and white polka dot suitcase and hurried forward. Liam and his father looked at each other amused then followed after her. Before they could board however, they needed to go through security checks.

As they waited in line, the two siblings attached their eyes to the monitor as they watched various bags roll through, revealing their contents. "Okay, now that's cool." Said Liam, his dark eyes still glued to the monitor screen.