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New Beginnings



Faye was sitting up in her attic when she stumbled across an old chest. As she blew off the dust that covered the top excitement filled her eyes. No matter how old she would get, this trunk would always turn her back into the 15 year old she was when she had filled this large oak box full of everything dear to her in order to sail across the Atlantic from Scotland to America.
The first thing that Faye found in the old chest was the clothes she had worn on the voyage. Her tattered navy skirt was moth bitten and tattered, but still had some of its old color left which made her smile. Her brown shirt was beyond repair with giant holes every few inches. As she rummaged though the rest of the trunk she realized she couldn’t find her most important belonging. She began to dig franticly till, at the very bottom she found it. The cover wasn’t the new brown leather it had been when she had received it for her 15th birthday but it was perfect to her.
Faye hugged the diary close to her heart as her memories swelled in her mind. After a while of sitting still and silent she opened the diary and began to relive the best weeks of her life.




‘Wow’ Faye thought as she looked, wide eyed, at the huge ocean liner that would take her whole family away from everything they’d ever known. She glanced back across her shoulder to the rest of her family. Her mother and father were trying to keep the twins, Mary and Ian, from getting lost in the huge crowd of third and second class passengers. Her eighteen year old brother, James was standing there looking off into the distance but from his face you could tell he was deep in thought. Everyone had been deep in thought since they realized they couldn’t keep their farm anymore. People didn’t need wool right now, they needed food.
Faye snapped out of her little trance and saw that they were now boarding the third class. “Mum! Dad! Hurry!” Faye yelled as she picked up her small trunk and straightened her skirt a little. As she got closer to the man in uniform she got more nervous. She’d heard stories of the men in white who made sure you were well enough to travel to America. She hadn’t been sick since she was five and was sure she would pass, but with a backward glance to Ian her eyes got a little watery. Her little brother had been bed ridden for almost a month in March. It was now June but who knows what these men were looking for.
“Next. Name.” A tall intimidating man asked her in English.
“Faye McGregor.” She answered back in her thick Scottish accent.
“Age.”
“15.”
“Nationality.”
“Scottish,” and on it went. For ten minutes straight the man asked her questions and she answered them. After she was finished answering the questions, he sent her over to have a medical check. The man in white checked her chest with an icy cold hearing device and after checking her throat and feet they let her past the ropes.
It seemed like ages for the rest of her family to make it through but finally they started their way onto the ship. The first and second class passengers were making their way up a long walkway that led to the main deck; the third class were being shuffled in a door on the side of the ship.
Faye grabbed onto James hand as they stepped through the portal. The hallways were long, narrow and crowded with other passengers yelling in different languages as well as Faye’s own, Gaelic. As she fought against the current of people Faye couldn’t help but take in the excitement of the others. Finally, after their room was found and bunks claimed Faye could explore the ship a little more.
Faye had found the best spot in the whole ship. Her own little haven that she was sure no one else was clever enough to find. It was a little room in the second classes apartments. It looked as if it were meant to be a storage closet but had been forgotten because the door only had a small latch to open it with. Faye had hidden her journal in her skirt pocket and took it out so that she could document every moment that had passed thus far.
‘This ship is so big. If they would stop spending money on useless things like ships and bought more food for the people we wouldn’t have had to leave. I miss home. I miss Aine.’ Faye sighed as she lay across the floor of the tiny room. Faye was pretty tall for a 15 year old; especially a girl and she had to keep her legs up in the air so she didn’t kick the wall. The long day was catching up to her and soon she was asleep on the floor.
“You have a valid point miss,” was the next thing Faye was aware of. Her eyes were only half open but she could tell someone else was in her room. She bolted up hoping it wasn’t someone in charge of the ship coming to claim the forgotten closet. In front of her was a boy on the verge of manhood with chocolate brown hair and warm sparkling brown eyes. He spoke in English so it took Faye a moment to realize what he had said. She suddenly realized he was holding her diary. Her face turned as red as a ripe strawberry and she grabbed the book from his hand.
“I would appreciate it if you would not read my things,” Faye said as she stood up quickly and stepped closer to the door.
“Wait! What’s your name? I’ve been looking for another person my age around here. I didn’t mean to upset you.” the boy told her.
Faye gave a humph and glared at him. “It wouldn’t matter anyways. I’m sure we will never see each other again,” she answers quickly as she opened the door to the closet and made her way down the long hallway. She heard the boy follow her but she made no attempt to slow down.
“Wait please. I really didn’t mean to upset you. My name’s Daniel…….” That was all she heard as she raced down the stairs to the third class level. ‘That will stop him’ Faye thought. She could tell he was upper class and they hated to mix with the lower people. She had seen it enough in the village; people would go so far as to cross to the other side of the street when they saw her coming. She couldn’t stand people like that, but then again he had seemed really upset when she had yelled and stormed off, ‘Plus he was very good looking’ Faye told herself. Faye shook her head as if it would get rid of the whole incident. “I won’t even see him again” she told herself as she took a deep breath before opening the door to her families’ room.
“Faye Eileen McGregor! Where on this ship have you been for the last three hours?!”


It was the third day of their voyage and the only thing that occupied Faye’s mind was the second class boy named Daniel. “Of course he’s not a boy. He looked like he was James’ age. Plus he’s probably already forgotten about me.” Faye told herself as she sat on the lower deck of the ship. She had given up on her haven in exchange for the bustling bottom deck. Here there were so many people that no one noticed a girl writing in a diary. Mary and Ian were a few feet away from her playing tag around the lounge couches that were scattered around. Faye’s mother and father didn’t leave the cabin much, Faye figured they were talking about the future, something she had no intention if pondering for more then a second at the moment. Faye was so busy scribbling in her journal she didn’t realize for a good five minutes that someone had sat down right next to her.
“You really like to write don’t you?” Faye heard a somewhat familiar voice ask. Her heart started to pound a million times per minute as she lowered her pen and looked up from her writing. And there he was smiling at her again with the same sparkling eyes.
Again, Faye’s brain took a while to compute what he had said and she finally spit out. “Yes, I love to write.” Faye was surprised that she had been able to speak at all. All her blood had relocated to her cheeks and she felt like she was on fire. Faye was usually not a shy person and she had no problem talking to boys back home, but Daniel for some reason made her brain turn into mush.
Daniel, however, didn’t seem to notice the dropping IQ of the girl he was speaking to and continued to talk. “I’m sorry I upset you the other day. I was surprised someone else had found my little hiding spot. Although I was glad someone did. Two younger sisters aren’t the best of company.”
“I know what you mean. Those two,” Faye pointed to Mary and Ian, “never stop moving.” ‘Wow, I spoke without a sounding like a complete idiot.’ She thought as she flagged her page in her diary and laid it on a nearby table.
“Where are you from? You accent is pretty thick.”
“I’m from Scotland” Faye said proudly, her posteur getting a little straighter and her eyes sparkling thinking of home.
“Really? I’m from London myself. I work in a bookstore with my father.”
Faye leaned closer; although Faye didn’t go to school her brother had gone to basic school and had taught her how to read because she wouldn’t stop following him until he did. “What kind of books do you print?” she asked.
Daniel laughed at her eagerness but began to tell her about his favorite books of theirs and the regular customers that he knew like his own family.



Faye sat up in her bunk thinking. She had spent the whole day with Daniel on the High Deck and she was still on cloud nine. They had talked for hours about everything and it seemed like they were almost the same person. Every time Faye saw, or even thought of Daniel for that matter her stomach would tie itself in knots and her throat would get dry. They talked about everything sometimes and then nothing others. She just loved to hear him talk. His thoughts were deep and complex, something the boys her age lacked. Faye hadn’t thought that on the way to her new home in America she would also find her first love.
Her legs were getting restless and she couldn’t sleep, so as carefully as she could she slipped out of her bottom bunk, wrapped up in a shawl, and headed for the deck. The moon’s reflection on the water was one of Faye’s favorite things to look at. She watched the ripples of the water until she was memorized by the complex dance of the waves. Bits of her hair flew out of the loose braid and into her face as the vessel charged on toward its destination.
After a while the wind got to be a bit too much for Faye to handle and she walked over to a lounge chair and sat back on it. In a few short days they would reach America, they would be immigrants in a new land and they would have to start all over. Then it hit her. “Daniel!” What would Daniels family do once they reached America? Were they planning on staying in New York? Or where they going to move out west like her family was planning? They had heard that land was cheap and fertile, good for farming, just like back home. Daniel had been raised in the city and was going to be a bookshop owner.
Faye’s fantasy she had been building in her head broke into a million jagged pieces along with her heart. The reality was that she would probably never see Daniel again after they were separated into their classes for inspection at Ellis Island. ‘Why is everything so blurry?’ Faye thought as her vision suddenly became distorted. A tear ran down her cheek. ‘Oh,’ Faye felt numb as hugged her knees to her chest and she cried herself to sleep.
“Faye, wake up,” Faye felt a little shake and blinked her eyes open. She had gotten used to the strange bluish light that came through the port hole window in the families cabin, so the stream of pure sunlight momentarily blinded her. As her vision focused she saw the face she was longing to see, but as soon as she saw Daniel she had to bite her tongue to stop the tears from returning.
“Faye, why are you sleeping on the deck? You could have gotten a chill,” Daniel said, his voice full of concern. Faye smiled softly as his emotion and placed her hand on his.
“I’m fine. I just couldn’t sleep in our cabin. Too small. I must have dozed off watching the moon.” Faye got up off the chair and stretched out her limbs. She hoped her eyes weren’t red from all the crying she did last night. She turned to Daniel and with the best fake smile she could muster she started to say “Daniel, I don’t…” but Daniel grabbed her hands and started to talk before she could finish.
“Faye. I know this is really sudden but ever since I saw you sleeping in our little cupboard I think I’ve been in love with you. I know we are separated by more then just age but I really think that we could make it work. My family loves you already and would be happy to welcome you as a Carpenter. I know you’d make a wonderful wife and mother. Please Faye, tell me you love me too,” Daniel stood there completely open. He had just relieved his feelings for her and was waiting impatiently for a response. Faye held back her tears. She hated to be weak in front of other people.
“Daniel, that means so much to me. I don’t think I could ever tell you how close I’ve grown to you during this journey, but I don’t think we can be together. Our lives were meant to go separate ways in America.” Faye tried to lie to herself and say this was true, but visions of her and Daniel in the backyard of a small house smiling at each other and a little boy with her green eyes and his hair chases a little girl that looks just like her father take over her mind. A single tear ran down her face as she smiled sorrowfully at Daniel for the last time.
“I’m sorry Daniel,” was all that she could say before she turned and walked away toward the descending staircase. Daniel didn’t follow her, he stood were he was still shocked from what had just happened.



“Mary, Ian, did you remember everything?” Faye asked as they got ready to head to the top deck. The boat would soon come into sight of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The twin rolled their eyes and nodded. They were to excited to make sure what little belonging they had brought made their way back into their bags. Faye straightened Ian’s sweater and Mary’s hat and nodded with approval. “I think we are ready. Let’s go meet Mum, Dad, and James up on deck.”
The twins squealed and ran out into the hallway as Faye gave their cabin one last glance before following her siblings towards their future. As Faye made her way to the deck she thought back on the last few days. She had kept to the cabin, only coming out for meals. She didn’t want a chance to see Daniel again. She wanted the last thing he said to her be that he loved her. She would remember that forever. But one thing had been bothering her. What had he meant by that they were separated by more than just age? Sure, their states in society were different but in America that wouldn’t matter as much. Faye was so deep into thought that she ran into someone as she left the stairwell and turned the corner.
“Excuse me. I’m so sorry.” Faye said over and over again as she got up and held out a hand to the person she’d bumped into. Then she stopped “Daniel,” Faye said stunned as her voice got caught in her throat.
“Faye,” Daniel said excitedly as he hurried to his feet. Before Faye could turn away he grabbed her arm. “Please. I need to say this and then you can leave. I know you love me,” he told her. “ The moment that tear fell from your eyes you gave me the most sorrowful look I’ve ever seen. I hope that our differences didn’t make you reject me. Please tell me. Why.”
“Daniel. We just come from different worlds!” Faye pleaded as she tried to pull from his grasp. She couldn’t stay here.
“I know that you are Catholic, that doesn’t matter. Both my parents agree that we could easily teach you our ways, you could convert in just a few years,” Daniel stated matter-of-factly.
“That’s not the poi….Wait. What are you talking about? I thought you had been talking about our class difference. What does me being Catholic have to do with anything?” Faye asked, very confused.
“I’m Jewish. To marry you would have to convert. Leave your family and join mine. I know it’s difficult but I thought that you wouldn’t mind,” Daniel told her. They had moved onto the busy deck now. Ian and Mary had disappeared but so had the rest of the world. Right now it was just Faye and Daniel.
Faye froze. “Jewish?” she didn’t know what to say. Never in her life had she ever met anyone who was Jewish. Scotland was mostly Methodist with a few scattered Catholics but no one dared practice Judaism. She stepped away from him a little, he had been right though. To marry him she could never see her family again. She’d never see her mother or father again, or Ian and Mary grow up. Even James, her older brother, she couldn’t imagine life without them.
“I’m….I’m sorry. I. I just can’t. I can’t leave my family like that. The five of us are all we have left in the world,” Faye told Daniel as she looked him in the eyes. “I do love you. I probably always will. But this could never work. Let me go.” Faye told him as she kissed him on the cheek. “I hope you can find someone who will make you as happy as you made me these past days.” And with a last long glance at Daniel she, again, left him standing in shock as she ran to her family.
“Where have you been? The twins said you were right behind them but they came five minutes ago,” Faye’s mother said as she hugged her daughter and took her hand.
“I was saying good bye to my memories. I will miss this ship,” Faye said as here eyes scanned the horizon. The moment she spotted what she was looking for she yelled over the crowed “Look! Over there! It’s her!” Faye pointed to the beacon of a new, better life that was standing proudly in the New York Harbor waiting to greet the new comers. As the boat passed Faye closed her eyes and made a wish. She kept them closed for a good long time before she opened them again.
“Time to start over,” she said with a smile and hugged her mom. Her mom looked at her fifteen year old daughter and wondered how this trip had turned her little girl into such a strong women.
“Yes. A new beginning.”




Faye smiled as she closed her tattered diary. For a long time she was silent as she let the movie of her life play before her eyes. She slowly stood up and placed the book back underneath all the clothes and items that she had kept of the years. Just as she was closing the lid she heard a car pull up to the house. Her husband was still at work and the kids were at school. She wasn’t expecting any visitors today. Puzzled she descended the attic stairs and started to walk across the landing when she heard the maid’s voice.
“I’m sorry sir, but Dr. Hudson isn’t in right now.”
“I’m here to visit the lady of the house actually,” a mans voice responded. Faye’s heart nearly stopped beating. ‘No, it couldn’t be…..’ she quickened her pace and began to walk down the stairs trying to seem as calm as she could, though she wouldn’t be surprised if the whole household could hear her heart racing.
“Then, may I tell her who is calling?”
Faye could see his feet now. She took another step, his torso came into view. She quickly took to more steps and as he came into view he looked up and their eyes met. She stopped.
“Tell her a Mr. Daniel Carpenter is here to see her please.”