The Crimes of Love and Hate

Chapter 6

POPPY- I had stalled at the dock too long. Whatever pay that Mr. Morganburg had to offer was far too important to lose. I grabbed the barrel of fish and thanked Pietro. He winked.

"You should come back sometime soon," He said, smiling. "Sometime when Matteo's around," he said, and gestured at his friend.

I flushed. "I'll consider it!" I agreed, and headed back towards the bustle of the city.

The pungent smell of seawater still hung in the air long after the dock faded.

Because of my hold up at the harbor, I was probably later than Mr. Morganburg had expected, so I compensated by rushing back to his shop.

As I carelessly dashed over the cobblestone, I felt myself collide with a small, wiry girl. As I grabbed my barrel off the ground, an upset voice called,

"Watch where you're going!", she said, but instead of sounding angry, she just sounded defeated.

"I think we both could work on that," I said dryly, and raised my head to identify who had spoken. It was a girl with shoulder length dark hair and smooth olive skin. She had a regal face, with striking cheekbones and dark, sad, eyes. Her small frame and sad eyes sparked my curiosity- what was a girl who couldn't be older than fifteen doing in the city, alone, and obviously distraught?

Her face seemed to soften at my remark. "Serafina Romano," she said, extending a hand. As I shook it, I realized she had the soft hands of someone who did not do physical work. No doubt, this mystery girl had money.

"Poppy Ryan," I said, and smiled at her. "What are you doing in the city? Do you live here?" I questioned, hoping to uncover her story.

"I live just outside the city. I'm visiting my brother at the docks. I just had an argument with-", she stopped, "nevermind. Do you live here?" she finished.

For some reason I couldn't place, I felt comfortable with this girl. And so I rashly admitted, a mere two minutes into our first conversation, something I had never said out loud.

"I'm-", I hesitated, "I don't really live anywhere. My brother and I have had some rough times, and we lost our parents." I said. I expected the usual, maybe a quick look away, a gasp or a 'sorry for your lost', and then a noticeable shift in the way she looked at me. But none of this happened. Instead, she just nodded.

"I understand. I lost my mother." She said sadly.

We talked about our lives as I walked to Mr. Morganburg's store. I understood what feeling I shared with her, now. It was the burden of loss, mine suppressed, yet hers clearly brought to the surface by some instance. I felt very connected to her, this stranger, so much that I forgot about the boy at the dock. After giving Mr. Morganburg the supplies, I continued talking to Serafina.

"Do you have anywhere to be," I asked, "Or can you come meet my brother?"

She paused.

"I was going to visit my brother too," she said, "but I'd love to meet yours".