#Major Hewlett/ofc

[ambernicole90]

Tightrope

Misfortune had often followed Hannah Simms, even from the time she was a young child. At least, that’s what she’d always been told. Born the daughter of a blacksmith in London, Hannah’s life had been one far from wealth and extravagance, though where money lacked it was made up for in love and happiness. Life was good for the Simms family, until suddenly and without warning, it wasn’t. 

When Hannah was ten years of age a strain of influenza plagued the city in which she lived, infecting hundreds of people. Her father and herself were spared, but her mother wasn’t as fortunate. The sickness hit her swiftly and took her just as fast, leaving Hannah and her father all on their own. It was difficult for the both of them, but in true British fashion, they carried on, for there was simply  no other option. 

As the years went by Hannah and her father settled into a new normal, so to speak. Her father continued his work at the blacksmith shop and Hannah did the best she could to maintain the household all the while taking on small odd jobs to help make ends meet. Life wasn’t perfect by any means, but they managed well enough. They were happy, and after such a long and difficult few years, things finally seemed to be looking up for Andrew and Hannah Simms. And then once again, Hannah’s world came crashing down around her.

Hannah would always remember that day as cold and rainy, but then, most days in November were cold and rainy, especially in England. But this day in particular had held a sort of ominous feeling from the moment she awoke. The young woman had tried to brush it off as she went about her daily tasks, but she just couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen. When the soldier dressed in the bright red coat appeared at her door around midday to inform her of her father’s sudden death and offer his condolences, Hannah’s feeling was all but confirmed. She barely even heard the words that escaped the man’s lips after he uttered the apparent cause of death. It was as if she were under water and her ears were ringing all at the same time., the only sound that wasn’t muffled was the pounding of her heart. Her father was gone, just like that, in the blink of an eye. A heart attack took her father with no warning and gave her no chance to say goodbye. 

In the days that passed after her father’s death, Hannah moved numbly through the necessary tasks. There had been a funeral, of course, though Hannah barely remembered a word the minister spoke in the eulogy. She didn’t remember a word of comfort or sympathy spoken by friends and neighbors after the burial, nor did she remember the walk home from the cemetery, save for the fact that it was raining. Her cloak was soaked through by the time she slipped through the door to her small house well after dark. It wasn’t until she went to start a fire in the hearth that the gravity of the last few days came crashing down on her. After going through all of the motions and preparations, Hannah hadn’t found the time to cry or to grieve, but now as she stared at the old rocking chair by the fireplace where her father always spent evenings after a hard day’s work, Hannah found she couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. She didn’t bother to wipe them away, for as quickly as she did a new batch came sliding down right behind them. It was at this moment that Hannah realized she was alone, truly alone.

Though it was expected of her to take a few days for herself to grieve and come to grips with her loss, Hannah did the opposite. She threw herself into her work, cleaning the home from top to bottom and going through her father’s possessions to donate what she could to the less fortunate. It was difficult, but a necessary task as she found she just couldn’t bear to see her father’s things lying around the house when she knew he’d never come home again. Keeping his Bible and a few other precious items to herself, Hannah sent the remainder of his clothing and shoes to the church where she knew they’d be put to good use. As for her own possessions, Hannah began to purge them as well. She kept only the dresses and bare essentials for herself and sent the rest along with her father’s, for where she was going she wouldn’t need them. 

Hannah had found living in the house alone to be quite difficult. It was taking a toll on her emotionally as well as financially, as she hadn’t the means to pay for the rental of the lot the house was on. Of course, she was given a grace period to get her affairs in order, but Hannah knew the best thing for her was to move on and look for a new opportunity. 

Thankfully, she didn’t have to look far as word had traveled that a ship would be setting passage to the Americas in a few days' time. It certainly didn’t give the young woman much time to prepare, but she knew it wasn’t impossible. After all, she had few possessions to pack, and she had a bit of money saved up for her fare and to get herself by for the first little bit after her arrival. Hannah knew that finding employment would be relatively easy as she wasn’t picky nor afraid of hard work, and there were plenty of boarding houses and pubs in the Colonies just as there were here in London, so she would at least have a place to rest her head at the end of each day until she found more permanent lodgings. This was the perfect, she would be a fool to pass this opportunity up!

Still, as Hannah finished putting her affairs in order and tying up loose ends, she couldn’t help but feel anxious and fearful. Was she making the right decision? Was it wise to leave everything she’d ever known, a town full of friends and acquaintances for a land of uncertainty? Hannah didn’t allow herself to dwell on these thoughts for too long as she feared if she did she’d back out of her plans only to live in regret of not taking the plunge for the rest of her life. After all, London had nothing to offer her anymore. With no immediate family or a suitor, there was nothing tying Hannah down. 

On the morning of her departure, Hannah could scarcely shake her fear and anxiety of the voyage that lay ahead. Many times on the walk to the wharf she considered handing off her place on the ship to someone else so she could look for work in London, but she did her best to push those thoughts aside. “No, that wouldn’t do at all.” She told herself as she continued on. “If you turn back now you’ll regret it for the rest of your life, Hannah Grace. You’re going to get on that ship and cross that ocean and you’re going to start a new life for yourself. “ She knew it wouldn’t be easy, but when had her life ever been one of ease? 

With determination, Hannah quickened her pace toward the docks where the large ship was waiting. Her heart was beating out of her chest and her breath shallow as she got closer and closer, keeping her eyes on the ship. If she looked back now she knew it’d be all over. No, this ship was the key to her future and she’d be damned if she let this opportunity slip through her fingers. 

As Hannah stepped on to the ship, she felt her anxiety and fears of uncertainty begin to wash away. The butterflies in her stomach disappeared and any feeling of dread she may have had was replaced with excitement and anticipation. As the anchor was pulled up and the ship began to drift from the docks, Hannah was nearly overwhelmed with a sense of peace. If she was in doubt before about her decision to leave, she certainly wasn’t now. This was right, this was exactly where she was meant to be, and as she watched London fade into the horizon, she looked only to the new opportunities that awaited her in America.