Prologue:
Clatter!
Yet another dish was added to the mountain I was supposed to wash. I wrinkled my nose a bit when I heard some loudmouth sailor belch like he had no manners at all. What a potty mouth, really.
I heard my mama call me and tell me to get on with the dishes, I sighed and started washing. That's how it was, since my father and brother left to go to sea. For all I know, neither of them know I exist.
Since I was old enough to wash dishes by myself I've been stuck on the same routine every solitary day. Make a meal, do the dishes, eat, repeat from morning till night, every day. You see, my mama and I live, and work, in the Stanleys' seaside inn the Benbow Inn. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather be stuck here than working in a mill, but for a seventeen year old girl with salt water in her veins, it can be kind of dull.
Crash! What in heaven's name was that?! My heart accelerated, my lips quivered a bit.
" Mama? Are you alright?" I asked after finding her on the floor at the base of the stairs. Mama shook her head," I'm not feeling well at all" She replied. I looked at her highly worried. "Should I go tell Mrs. Stanley?"
Mama groaned," Anna, get a doctor." She whispered. She held her head with her hands, pain was plastered on her expression.
~o~O~o~
Two months later.
I sat by my mother's bedside, she looked so ill and pale. She had bags under her eyes, she looked weak. Her eyelashes seemed heavy for her to manage to keep opening her eyes. I felt so bad, I just wanted to do something. The doctor said there wasn't anything he could do and so he said she didn't have much time...
" Anna, my darling," Mama whispered, bringing me out of my sorrowful thoughts.
" Yes mama?"
Mama looked at me straight in the eyes, "I may not live for much longer, but, I don't want you to stay here after I die. I want you to go find your brother, Charles. Give him this letter, it will explain everything to him." Every word came out of her dry, pink lips, in tiredness and illness.
" But how am I supposed to find him? Neither father, nor he ever came back from sea. For all we know they could have-" Before I could finish my sentence, Mama interrupted me, "Anna Marie! Please just promise you'll do everything in your power to find him." She tried to raise her voice, but since she was ill her voice seemed somewhat dry yet week because of her status.
I looked down.
She brushed a stray lock of my unruly red hair away from my face gently. I tenderly grabbed her cool hand, "Mama, I-I'm scared, what if I don't find him?" I stuttered a little.
"Hush child, you will." She said quietly, with a little of enthusiasm. I could feel, see, she was getting weaker every moment. "I love you Anna, never...never... ever forget that." Her eyes pleaded, a glint of sadness crossed through her eyes.
Tears streamed down my face, "I love you too mama... I'll find him." My pink lips formed a smile, a smile for my momma to believe my words. Mama smiled then closed her eyes; a look of peace took over her face as she was vanishing.. as her soul left her.