Our family's origin begins in the quiet Val Bregaglia. Val Bregaglia was a small village located at the base of the alps mountains. In the region of Lombard, Italy. The village my parents had lived in, had been small, and everyone knew everything about each other.
My father dropped out of high school at the age of 17 to work at the family business to help make a little extra money. It wasn't until my mother and my grandmother started shopping in my father's store, that the two met.
My mother was infatuated with my dad, she would visit his shop daily, just to get a glimpse at him. Even if she didn't need to stop into the little convenient store, she did. Finally, my father worked the courage to ask her parents for permission to take her out. Dad was a respectful lad. He treated Mom's parents with the upmost respect, and when her parents finally agreed to let him take her on a date, he cried tears of happiness.
They fell in love, got married, and moved into their first home together, just outside of their small hometown. They still wanted to be near their families, as the World was beginning to enter its second World War.
As time got closer for my father to leave for his deployment, him and my mother had found out that they would be expecting a little baby girl. Unfortunately, the World was in a crisis, and Dad had to go. He promised Mom he would return home as soon as he could, so they could be a family again.
Dad never came back.
Mom had received the call, one gloomy fall evening. Mom had been sitting in the kitchen, feeding me supper. I remember hearing the horror in her voice, but not understanding what was going on. She came back into the kitchen crying, as she scooped me into her arms. Speaking in a broken dialect, that was native to our village, she soothed me.
"O, dio mio. Mia bambina piccola." She sobbed and hugged me tight.
The night we left for America was one I'd never forget. Mom had packed what she could into a couple suitcases, that belonged to my Dad, and we left.
And we never returned to Italy.
We eventually had made it to America, I remember seeing the tall buildings in the city, thinking how different it looked. Mom worked as hard as she could, to make a new living for me and her.
"Brindleton Bay" Mom said slowly to me, her accent thick. Brown eyes sparkling, which made her Olive skin stand out more. I didn't understand where she were. I just knew it was not the same place we had been before.
That was where The Bertucci legacy began.
In a ranch home, near the bay in Brindleton Bay.
to be continued.....
Awww!!!!! I was almost in tears by the end!!! Excellent start though!