Rapture's Rendezvous Read Free Page A

arenot my brother.”
    â€œOh, all right,” Maria grumbled, then grew silent, listening. “Has the storm stopped?” she whispered. “The sea seems to be a bit calmer and I hear no more close thunder. Only occasional slight rumblings.”
    Alberto quickly raised the blanket and searched the sky. There were still many gray, low-rolling clouds racing along overhead, but a rainbow filled another part of the sky in misty multicolors.
    â€œLook, Maria,” Alberto exclaimed, tossing the blanket aside. “Isn't it so beautiful?”
    Maria's eyes sparkled as she stood and straightened her back, looking upward. “They say that a pot of gold can be found at the rainbow's end,” she whispered. “Do you even think the one end of this rainbow stops where America lies waiting for us?”
    â€œMaybe so,” Alberto said, looking slowly around him, stomping his feet alternately, sending small showers of water from his clothes. Since the storm's abatement, the activity on the ship had taken on a different note. The rain-soaked people began to move from their bunks, coughing, sneezing, wringing the water from their clothes and hair, and checking the welfare of their belongings.
    The ship's crew scurried around, clearing the outer deck of fallen debris and shouting crude obscenities as they pushed their way through the throngs of people milling about.
    Alberto leaned into Maria's face. “Now you remember what I said,” he whispered. “You keep that hat pulled down to hide your eyes and walk a bit stooped so no sailor will see your … uh … the size of your breasts.”
    Feeling a blush rising, Maria cast her eyes downward. “All right,” she said. “I will.” She clung to her violin case as she watched Alberto reposition their trunks further up the deck, then scoot their bunks closer together.
    â€œThere. That's better,” he said. “If the sun ever shines again, at least we'll be where it can reach and warm us.”
    Maria placed her violin case on one of the bunks. “Will it be as cold for the whole trip, Alberto?” she asked, shivering. She wrapped her arms around her chest, hugging herself.
    â€œIt is the month of October,” he said, walking to the ship's rail, to look far into the horizon, seeing gray meeting blue. Would he ever see land again? Had his Papa had such doubts when he had traveled from Italy to America? Setting his jaw firmly, he swung around on a heel to clasp onto Maria's shoulders. “Yes, it is the month of October,” he blurted. “And cold as it is, you must remember that in November even, we shall be sitting comfortably in front of a cozy fire in Papa's house. By God we will. Just you wait and see.”
    Having suddenly pulled courage from Alberto, Maria lunged into his arms and hugged him to her, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “You always make me feel so confident of things in life,” she murmured. “Alberto, whatever would I do without you?”
    Alberto hugged her tightly. “I will always be here for you, Maria.” But his gaze had traveled further up the deck, seeing a cluster of men taking their usual positions next to the ship's round, soot-covered smokestack. The storm had sent them fleeing for whatever protective covering they could find, but now they had returned, squatting, playing their same card games andsmoking long, thick cigars.
    Maria had heard a different tone in Alberto's voice and she had sensed his body grow tense. She pulled from him, searching his face, then turned to follow his gaze. Yes, it was the same men. Alberto had been almost mesmerized by the silly card games they were playing since the ship's moving out into the open sea. “Alberto?” she whispered, tugging on his sleeve. “Alberto!” she persisted, when he ignored her. She looked toward the men again, then downward at the money being shoved back and forth between them. She