Cora Cartmell and New York City

Chapter 20~ Nan

The next evening, after Cora had finished her homework, Jack, Rose and Cora holding her dolly, walked down to the seaport to meet Nan's ship.

When they got there, There was a crowd of people all huddled around. Cora stood on her tippy toes to try and see the ship. She was too short, and there were too many people to see over.
Jack laughed, and lifted Cora up on his shoulders. She squealed as she could now see everything.

Cora sniffed the fresh ocean air, and counted down the seconds going by, she was so excited to see her grandmother.

Finally, Cora saw a ferry come from the distance. She squealed and kicked her legs a little.

As the passengers began getting off the boat, Cora squinted and strained her eyes to try and find her grandmother.

At last, Cora saw a lady with gray hair, tied up in a bun. She was wearing a long brown dress, and was carrying a chicken feed sack.

Cora squealed. "Nan!" She called over the crowds. "It's me! I'm right here!"

Jack placed her back on the ground and she ran over to her grandmother.
"Cora my darling!" Her grandmother called back.
She dropped her sack, and brought Cora into a huge hug.
Cora began to cry out of happiness. She was so happy to see her Nan again.

Suddenly, Cora saw Jack and Rose right behind her. Cora broke away from the hug and stepped back to let Rose and Jack shake Nan's hand.

"It's very nice to meet you." Rose said sweetly.
Nan hugged Rose.
"Thank you for taking such good care of my dear granddaughter. She seems very happy." Rose smiled.
Cora nodded her head. "New York is amazing!" She said.
Nan looked down and noticed Rose's stomach growing with the baby inside.
"Dear, you're pregnant!" Nan said, hugging her.
They laughed, and Jack took Nan's bag.
"It's getting late." He said.
"I have supper at home, if you'd like some." Rose said.
Nan smiled. "Thank you darling, I would love that." She said.

As they walked home, Cora sat back on Jack's shoulders and smiled down at Nan and Rose that chatted sweetly together, getting to know each other.

Once they had arrived at the house, Jack put Cora back on the floor. She jumped down, and ran to Rose and Jack's bed. She took Jack's sketchbook and opened it to show Nan all the amazing drawings that Jack drew.
"This is exceptional work!" Nan exclaimed.
"Thank you." Jack laughed.

Rose began dishing up supper, and Nan, Jack and Cora washed up.

After a few minutes, Rose said she had to go next door to Ms.Larkins to get an extra plate for Nan.

As she left the room, Cora took her essay out of her pocket where she was keeping it safe, and handed it to Jack.
"At school we had to write an essay, and I chose to write about how happy I am that Rose is having a baby. It's a special surprise for her, I'm going to give it to her once the baby is born."
Jack smiled, and quickly hid the letter under his sketchbook as Rose came back in.
He slipped it into his sketchbook, and put it on the shelf. Cora smiled to herself. She knew Rose wouldn't find the essay, it was in safe keeping.

After supper, Rose and Jack began getting a bed ready for Nan. They had decided that Nan would take Cora's bed, and Cora would sleep on a makeshift bed on the floor, at the bottom of Rose and Jack's bed, but she didn't mind.

Cora helped fluff up the pillows on her bed, and handed Nan her nightgown. After she had changed, Cora pulled the blanket up to her chest.
"Thank you dears." She said. Cora smiled.

Then, Rose took two more blankets that she had borrowed from Ms.Larkins, folded one of them, long enough for Cora to lay on, and placed it on the floor. Then she took another, and placed it on top, for Cora to stay warm during the evening.

After drawing with Jack for a while, Rose said it was time for Cora to go to sleep.

Cora crawled into her makeshift bed, and hugged her dolly close. Her coat was used as a pillow because she didn't have one, but she didn't mind at all.

Cora lay awake for a while and listened to Rose, Jack and Nan talk quietly among each other. She pulled the blanket off her, and began to sweat a little. It was very hot in her small, cramped Tenement, but was more than Cora could wish for.

Of course, she still missed her parents like crazy, but she was very happy to finally see her Nan again.