Page 62 (1/2)

Rose reached into the velvet pouch at her neck and pulled out the American penny that she’d worn for more than three decades Elsa knew every word of the story of this penny, the family lore Tony had found it in the street in Sicily and picked it up and showed it to Rose A sign, they’d agreed The hope for their future It was the family talisman

This penny hadas each member of the family held it for a moment and said aloud what their hope for the new year was They passed it around when they planted crops and on birthdays On the back of it, curled on either side were beautiful, embossed shafts of wheat It was little wonder Tony believed it had shown the Martinellis their destiny

Rose handed the penny to Loreda, who stared solemnly down at it “Make a wish, cara”

“I don’t believe in it anyrandether”

Rose looked stricken; it was a ed a smile

Tony’s music stopped

Loreda stared at Elsa, teary-eyed “He promised to teach me to drive when I turned thirteen”

“Ah…” Elsa said, feeling her daughter’s pain “I will teach you”

“It’s not the same,” Loreda said

There was a short, sharp beat of aard silence Then Rose said, “You will believe again And even if you do not, the coin has its power”

“I’ll take her wish,” Ant said “Give me the penny”

Even Loreda laughed and dashed the tears from her eyes

Tony played “Happy Birthday” on his fiddle and everyone sang

IN THE DAYS AFTER the beautiful rainstor, fueled by hope, and went outside She inhaled deeply, sarden to tend her vegetables She encouraged therow as she did her children: with a careful hand and a quiet voice The ground looked alive again, not parched and dry; here and there, fragile green tips poked up fro sunshine

This e of the winter- wheat field Not bothering with a sun hat—it arm and kind, this sun, like an old friend—she walked past the chicken coop, heard the the wire fence, trying to hurry her past his brood The wind up water