From Dusk Till Dawn

Chapter 34: Against all Morals- Louise's Pov.

Was what I was doing for Joseph and his family morally right? I have a habit of helping people who don't wish for my assistance. The inescapable truth is that no one ever seemed keen on helping me and my quick mouth whenever I asked. Beatrice always told me that it's easier to rely on you and yourself alone. She's right because whenever you run to anyone other than yourself, you're bound to get hurt at one point. But after pondering the thought for another few seconds, I realize I've gone against all of my morals.

Whether I like it or not I've relied on so many people for assistance when finding Bea. Elenora now sticks to me like glue and it has to be for the reason her heart still hopes she can join me back in America. Then there's my cousin and Dorothy who I fear are long dead. I know I need to stop and prepare for the sad truth that they're both dead. I need to feel something. To cry for them but with my world moving so fast I haven't had time to process anything. Joseph and I were... What were we to each other? With the amount of times I've broken my promises and abandoned him, he probably despises me. He's probably grown tired of my rope that keeps pulling him and his family back and forth.

The amount of times I've broken Joseph's frail heart is now too high for me to count.

My heart shattered as I hurriedly wrote my farewell letter to Joseph. It really did feel like we were always saying goodbye to each other. Without the annihilation of my despicable family, I can't live a life I so desire to have. Therefore, neither can Joseph. I'm trapped.

How am I going to be able to go back to my normal life after all of this?

Just when I'm ready to accept my deep feelings for a boy who has them in return, any chance gets ripped from my grasp.

I'm pulled out of my deep thoughts by a whispering Elenora. "It should take us two hours and forty-five minutes to arrive." I hear Elenora whisper from beside me.

Our map to the diamond directed us down to a large port city called Genoa. We sit at the back of the almost empty bus waiting for our long awaited arrival.

Elenora has advised me not to talk unless it's in Italian. I already don't fit in with my very fair skin and sunny blonde waves. Elenora told me I could very well pass off as an Austrian. It's a good thing that I know a little bit of German and Italian.

"Elenora? Can I ask you something that may be personal?" I ask her with hesitation in my voice.

"Shush, we'll be there soon."

"Please can I just ask why you agreed to help me find the diamond?" This whole trip, Elenora has practically been silent. It made me feel at ease since she'd been talking my head off since we met. After all, what I'm doing isn't the safest.

"I care about Joseph." She says simply. It has to be more than that. Elenora hadn't been in contact with Joseph in about seven years, and of course, I understand old feelings for him rushing back when she saw him but it's more than that. It's got to be.

"That's it? Just because you have resurfaced feelings for him?" My eyes watch her carefully, trying to read her. As a journalist who's read many people when interviewing them, it's always easier. Elenora is a bit of an open book.

Joseph on the other hand, well I still don't understand that riddle of a man.

Elenora is confident on the outside but on the inside, she seems to be holding onto something much more fragile.

"Look, you're right Louise. I am trying to prove a point to everyone who thinks I'm just some young, stupid little girl" She stares down at her closely-held hands. "Back when I was a young child I had a stutter. It was so bad that the children at school teased me. Not to mention I had a difficult time learning how to read and write. They'd purposely trip me during lunch outside, pull my pigtails, and inmate my stutter. When I met Joseph, he was my rock, Louise. He was the only real friend I've ever really had but still, I don't think he understood what the teasing was like. It'd still continued." Her eyes watch the stunning landscape and farms out the broad bus window.

"My family never called me stupid but they... they always treated me like I was. Whenever I had an idea for the old florist shop we used to own, they'd shut me down and say it was good but would always go with Mary's idea. My sister tried her best to include me but it was no use. Almost everyone in town knew me as the how you say in your language, retarded stutterer." Her head bows down, hiding her red eyes.

"They called you that?" I ask in disbelief. She nods. "The names vary. It was a game of who could come up with a new one for me every day. But I'm more than that. My stutter is gone because I worked on it but I don't want people to think of me as who I used to be or a dumb person. You're probably thinking that my stutter is something ridiculous and it's not a big deal." She lets out with an awkward laugh.

"No, it's not ridiculous at all. You learned a whole other language and overcame your sutter, I think that's something only a mature and smart person can do. You did that!" I smile over at her.

"I did, didn't I?" Her head lifts a bit. "Yes, you most certainly did. You don't need to prove to anyone else that you're smart. You're already there."

"That's why I want to break away from my old life and join you in America. To start a new life." My mouth hangs open a bit. "You're not pulling my leg are you?" I ask in all sternness.

"What do you mean? I'm not pulling your leg. That sounds quite strange and fairly uncomfortable." I sigh before saying, "You can't come back to America, especially not with me. Do you remember why we're going to find the diamond?" I ask in disbelief.

"Your family is after Joseph but not me." Then I understand that she doesn't understand what America is doing to Italian immigrants. So, I explained it to her.

"Joseph tried explaining it to me yesterday, oh Maria e Giuseppe, but not to that extent." I nod as she processes it.

"It's good that you'll expose what's being done to the Italians."
"And to the Japanese and Germans." I contine.

"Letting the world know the truth about the camps might be more of a trial than I expected all those months ago. U.S. citizens may not care about what I have to say about it." I sigh. Maybe my writing won't be good enough to catch the public's attention. The bus abruptly hits a bump in the road sending us out of our seats an inch.

"You're an interesting woman for an American," comments Elenora.

"What do you mean?" I whisper. "Well, from what I've heard on the radio, the Americans aren't too keen with us or the Germans or the Japanese. Yet we're friends and you're trying to help all of those innocent people who were wrongly imprisoned. If you care about this story as much as you tell me, then I think your people will feel the same. They just need a little nudge from you." She nudges me in the arm and we both laugh.

"You know that blue diamond is of high worth? No one could ever get as close as us to finding it."

"I've heard it's the most expensive jewel." She nods. "I doubt many have been searching for it since the start of the war, so hopefully it won't get too intense." She tells me. "If one found it then fortune would be better than anyone ever dreamed. You'd be praised for some time." She continues with a hopeful smile.

"We're here!" Exclaims Elenora a second later before jumping to her feet. Beautiful Genoa.

~ ~ ~

Chapter posted: 7/15/2021

Hey so we learned a little bit about Elenora's past and why she wants to help Louise find the diamond. What'd you think about her backstory?

Please comment your opinions! I always love reading everyones comments on here. <3

Until next time . . .