Free Anna Maria's Gift by Janice Shefelman Page A

turned to Sister Bianca. “Papa told me you lived at the Pietà when you were a girl. What is it like?” Anna Maria asked.
    Sister Bianca answered without looking at her. “You will be safe from the outside world.”
    Anna Maria stared at Sister Bianca’s narrow face and tight mouth. “You mean the girls can’t go out?”
    “No,” said the sister.
    Anna Maria leaned back. “Then I don’t want to go there.”
    “You have no choice,” Sister Bianca said. “You should be thankful to have Don Vivaldi for a violin teacher.”
    It was Papa’s last wish. No matter how awful the Pietà might be, she must keep her promise. Anna Maria hugged the violin case.
I will make my violin sing with your voice, Papa
.
    On the fourth day, they came to a fishing village at the edge of a wide lagoon. Several gondolas were tied up at the dock, waitingfor passengers. The driver stopped, opened the door, and lowered the steps.
    Anna Maria climbed out. She gazed at the island of Venice across the lagoon. The setting sun made it look like a golden lily pad sprouting domes and towers.
    “Look, Sister, Venice floats on the water!”
    “Don’t be silly, child,” Sister Bianca said. “It stands on thousands of posts set in the bottom of the lagoon.”
    Anna Maria preferred the floating idea.
    Sister Bianca held the violin case in one hand. “See now, you forgot your violin. You must be more careful.”
    Anna Maria gasped and took the case. “Oh, how could I?”
    “That is easy,” one of the gondoliers called. “You were dazzled by Venice!” He walked up and bowed. His dark hair curled from under his red cap. “Good day. My nameis Francesco. Step into my floating palace, and I will take you there on a song.” His eyes sparked with good humor.
    Sister Bianca gave him a sour look. “How much?”
    “For you, half fare—only six
lire,”
he answered with a smile.
    The sister nodded. “To the Pietà.”
    “Sì,”
Francesco said, “where the orphan girls live.” He paused. “You are an orphan,
signorina?”
    Anna Maria looked down.
    “Ah, but you cannot be sad in Venice—especially during Carnival. It is not allowed!” He offered his hand to help her aboard. “Hold tight to your violin. We don’t want it to fall into the lagoon.”
    Inside the cabin they sat on red velvet cushions. Anna Maria laid the violin case across her lap.
    Francesco steered the boat out into the lagoon. “I promised you a song. So here is one to make you laugh. It is called ‘Macaroni Rain.’” He leaned into the oar and began to sing as he rowed.

    “If macaroni rained down from the sky,
And the earth were covered over with cheese,
We’d use our oars as forks, you and
How jolly! Macaroni raining down from the sky!”
    Anna Maria laughed for the first time since Papa died.
    “Signorina
, if you play your violin for me, this ride is free,” Francesco said.
    Anna Maria could not resist. She took out her violin and played the song back to him.
    “Brava!
Not many girls could do that,” said Francesco. “You will be Don Vivaldi’s prize pupil.”
    “I hope so,” Anna Maria said, feeling happier already. “Let’s do the macaroni song again, together.”
    This time he sang along with her. Afterward they both laughed. Even Sister Bianca smiled.
Perhaps it is true that no one can be sad here
, thought Anna Maria.
    When they drew close to Venice, Francesco said,
“Signorina
, open the curtains. We are entering the one and only Grand Canal.”
    Anna Maria pushed them back andlooked from side to side. Marble palaces lined the canal. Chandeliers glittered in the windows. The gondola floated along silently. In the twilight it felt like they were no longer attached to the earth.
    The Grand Canal wound through Venice and came out into a wide basin. “The Basin of San Marco,” Francesco said. He waved his arm to the left. “And there, San Marco Basilica, the bell tower, and the palace of the doge.”
    “Hmph. The bell tower is not as tall as ours