Mimi stood outside by the well with the basket of dirty clothes and the washboard. Mme. Nettoyage had shown her what to do, then gone inside to clean the house. Mimi looked longingly at the distant green hills, wishing she could go play.
Then, with a look of resolve, she settled down to wash the clothes. Mama had said she would get time off being grounded if she did a good job, so she was determined to do the best job ever. For once she was going to make Mama happy, instead of getting in trouble like usual. She could just picture Mama's face when she came home. "Mimi! What a beautiful job you did!" she'd say, and give Mimi a hug. "I'm so proud of you!"
Cheered by this thought, Mimi set to work. Mme. Nettoyage had heated a large bucket of hot water for her. Mimi poured the hot water into the washtub, added some lye soap, then put in the clothes.
She stirred the clothes around in the soapy water with a long stick for a while, then used the stick to pull out a dress. She rubbed a cake of soap on the garment, then started scrubbing it against the washboard, leaning over the tub.
It was hard work, and soon her arms and back were aching. Her enthusiasm and energy were quickly fading. There were still so many clothes to do – she would never finish!
Sighing, she pulled out the next garment. It was her father's shirt, which had a huge stain on it.
To her annoyance, the stain just would NOT come out! She rubbed more soap on it and scrubbed harder, feeling more and more frustrated. She'd promised to do a good job, and darn it, she was going to do a good job! That stupid stain was going to come out if it killed her!
She scrubbed angrily at the stain as hard as she could. Suddenly she heard a ripping sound. With a sinking feeling, she held up the shirt, which now featured a big hole where the stain had been. Mimi stared at it in horror. "Uh-oh..." This was Papa's favorite shirt, too! He'd be so mad!
Mme. Nettoyage came outside. "So, how are you doing with the washing?" she asked cheerfully.
Mimi gulped and held up the shirt. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice. "The stain just wouldn't come out! I guess I rubbed too hard."
"Oh, my," Mme. Nettoyage said, her smile fading as she saw the hole. Then, seeing how upset Mimi was, she added, "Don't fret, dear. I'll just have to mend it, that's all. I'll tell you what – I'll finish up the clothes, and you go wash the kitchen floor. All right?"
Mimi brightened. Washing a floor didn't sound too hard. "Okay!"
As it turned out, washing the floor was a lot harder than she'd expected. It was tiring work, hunkered down on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floor with soapy water and a brush. Her hands and knees were soaking wet. She tried to pretend that she was on a leaky raft in the middle of the ocean. The stains on the floor were sharks trying to eat her. She had to rub them out with the scrub brush before it was too late!
That helped a little, and finally the floor was clean. She grabbed some rags and wiped it down to dry it, then eagerly ran outside where Mme. Nettoyage was finishing washing the clothes. "Mme. Nettoyage, I finished!" she called.
"Oh, let me see!"
Mimi ran to the kitchen to show her, followed by the old housekeeper. Mimi had missed a few spots, but Mme. Nettoyage didn't mention it. "You did a lovely job!" she said. Mimi beamed. "Now all that's left is to cook dinner," the housekeeper went on. "I'll get the soup started, and then you can stir it while I do the rest of the cooking."
Mimi's spirits lifted. Cleaning the floor had been boring and tiring, but at least it was done, and the floor looked really good. Mama will be so happy with the great job I did, she'll DEFINITELY give me the two days off for good behavior! she thought happily. Now the only thing I have left to do is stir some soup. That'll be easy! And then, finally, this long, horrible day would be over. Mimi couldn't wait.
Stirring the soup was easy. It was so easy that as Mimi moved the spoon in circles, over and over, she got bored and began to daydream. She was out in the woods with her father, learning how to hunt. She brought down a deer on her very first try – the biggest stag in the history of the village! Everyone cheered for her. She was the best hunter anyone had ever seen...
A sudden scream from Mme. Nettoyage woke her from her reverie. Lost in her thoughts, Mimi had inadvertently leaned too close to the fire. The long sleeves she'd rolled up had fallen loose, and the flame had licked at one dangling sleeve, setting it alight.
Mimi shrieked in terror at the sight of her sleeve on fire. Frantically, she whirled around, waving her arm as if she could somehow shake off the flame. Her arm brushed against the top of the kitchen table, burning it. "HELP!" Mimi screamed.
Georges had heard the screams and raced down the stairs two at a time. Taking in the scene instantly, he quickly grabbed the bucket of water that stood in the corner and threw it over Mimi, drenching her and putting out the fire.
"Are you all right?" he asked Mimi anxiously.
"I-I think so," Mimi said shakily. She rolled up her dripping, burned sleeve and looked at her forearm. Luckily she was unharmed; the dangling sleeve had burned, but the flame itself had not touched her skin before Georges put it out.
Mme. Nettoyage had to sit down for a spell after that severe fright, taking deep breaths to try to calm her nerves.
Mimi brought her a cup of water. "I'm really sorry," she said.
"It's all right, child. It was an accident. I'm just thankful you weren't hurt." Mme. Nettoyage managed a smile. "It's a good thing Georges was here."
"The kitchen table got burned, though," Georges said, looking at it. Mme. Nettoyage and Mimi came over to inspect the damage. There was a huge scorch mark on the top of the table.
"Oh, no!" Mimi wailed. "Look at that!"
"Now, now," Mme. Nettoyage said comfortingly. "The important thing is that we're all safe. A table can be replaced, but a child can't."
Mimi nodded morosely, but she didn't feel any better as she went to change her wet clothes. I almost burned the whole HOUSE down! she thought. I'm terrible at this! She had wanted so much to do a good job and make Mama happy, but everything she did went wrong.
She was close to crying, but with an effort, she forced the tears back. I NEVER cry, she told herself fiercely. I'm strong and tough, just like Papa. I'm not a little baby!
If only this day would end!
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As Gaston headed towards home, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see a stranger approaching him – a thin, balding man.
"Bonsoir," the man said politely as he caught up to Gaston. "Are you Gaston Avenant?"
"Yes, of course," Gaston said in surprise. Was there actually someone who didn't know who he was? It seemed unthinkable.
The man held out his hand. "I'm glad to meet you. My name is Eugène Grognon."
Gaston took his hand and shook it. "Hello." Then the significance of the name hit him. "Grognon?" Unconsciously his fists clenched as he remembered the previous day's events. "Listen, pal, your wife was very rude to my wife and daughter yesterday! I'm not going to stand for that!"
Then he noticed the man's clothes. He took a hasty step back, realizing belatedly that he was talking to a clergyman. "Uh, with all due respect, Reverend," he added awkwardly.
But Eugène didn't seem offended. "Yes, I heard about that," he sighed. "I sincerely apologize. I'm very sorry if my wife offended you or your family."
"Well...all right," Gaston said, slightly mollified. "And I'm sorry about Mimi scaring your wife with the horse. We grounded her for that. But she didn't mean any harm - she's really a great kid. And Belle's the best teacher this town ever had!" he added, bragging.
"I'm sure," Eugène said placatingly. "Mathilde means well, but I'm afraid she's a bit...well..." Eugène searched for a diplomatic word. "...outspoken, you might say," he finished. "She has very strong opinions of what's right and wrong, and she feels it's her duty to speak up about it... no matter what I might say," he added, a bit ruefully.
Gaston smiled. "Well, don't worry about it," he reassured Eugène."This town is full of gossippy old biddies. She'll fit in just fine!"
Then, realizing that that could be taken as an insult, he added quickly, "No offense."
"None taken," Eugène said, looking amused. "Well, I'll let you get home to your supper. I just wanted to introduce myself. We just moved here, and everyone told me you're the most important man in town."
"That's right, I am," Gaston said, pleased.
"It was a pleasure to meet you," Eugène said. "I hope I'll see you on Sunday."
"Sure," Gaston said cheerfully, and headed for home. Nice guy, he thought. Too bad he's so henpecked!
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Back at the house, Belle and Lili had just come home. "We're back!" Belle said. She looked at Mimi and Mme. Nettoyage in anticipation. "How did it go today?"
Mimi just looked at the floor miserably. Now Mme. Nettoyage would tell her mother about all her mistakes - the ripped shirt, the fire – and there was no way that would count as "doing a good job." Not only had she had a horrible day doing housework, but now she'd be grounded for two extra days! She couldn't bear it.
But to her amazement, Mme. Nettoyage only said, "Mimi worked very hard today. She was a big help to me!"
Mimi looked up in surprise and relief. That was really nice of her, she thought.
Belle smiled. "Oh, that's good to..." Her voice trailed off in dismay as her gaze fell on the burned table. Mme. Nettoyage caught her eye and quickly shook her head, putting her finger to her lips. She tilted her head to indicate Mimi.
Belle got the message. She forced a broad smile. "That's...wonderful! Just...wonderful. I can certainly see how hard you worked today, Mimi."
"Thanks, Mama," Mimi said gratefully. Then she hesitated, feeling conflicted. She knew she should quit while she was ahead and keep her mouth shut...but she couldn't help feeling guilty. "Uh...Mama? There was a little accident today," she admitted in a small voice. She went over to the table and pointed at the scorch mark. "I'm really sorry," she said pleadingly. "I didn't mean to do it."
Belle was touched by Mimi's honesty. She could see how upset Mimi was about the table. She went and looked at it. "Oh, that little mark? Why, that's nothing! I didn't even notice it till you pointed it out," she lied. "And you know, this table is so old and warped, I've been asking your father to replace it for a while anyway. This will finally give him a reason to do it."
"Really?" Mimi brightened. "So it was a good thing!" Feeling better, she added, "Mama, Georges was really brave today! He's the one who put out the fire."
"Oh, good work, Georges!" Belle said. Georges smiled, pleased.
Mme. Nettoyage spoke up. "Mimi, since you worked so hard today, I don't see any need for you to help me on Friday."
"Oh, are you sure?" Mimi asked, surprised. "I'm supposed to help all week."
"Oh, no, no!" Mme. Nettoyage said hastily. "Really, child, it's quite all right! You've certainly earned the time off. Don't you agree, Belle?" she asked, practically begging.
Belle suppressed a smile. "All right," she said. "Mimi, you don't have to help on Friday. And I'll keep my promise: you worked hard, so we'll take two days off your punishment. You'll only be grounded till Sunday."
"Yay!" Mimi said happily.
"Well, I'm off," Mme. Nettoyage said, putting on her coat. "Dinner's all ready and in the oven for you."
"Thank you," Belle said, walking her to the door and following her outside. Surreptitiously she slipped some money into the old woman's hand, whispering, "Here – just a little extra. I'd say you earned it! Thank you for being so kind to Mimi."
Mme. Nettoyage smiled. "Well...there were a few mishaps," she admitted. "But the important thing is, she tried."
"Yes," Belle agreed. "Have a good evening!" She waved as the housekeeper left, then went back inside, where Mimi was sitting on the couch.
"Mama, please don't ever give me that for a punishment again," Mimi begged. "I HATE housework! It's so boring!"
"I know how you feel," Belle admitted, sitting next to her. "Of course it has to get done, and I'm very grateful to Mme. Nettoyage for all she does for us. But to be honest, I don't enjoy doing it either. I remember when I was younger, keeping house for my father, everyone in town assuming that the only thing a girl could possibly do in life was get married and keep house for her husband...I kept thinking 'Is that it? Is that all there is?' It sounded so tedious. I would read my stories and wish that I could have adventure and excitement instead."
"Me too!" Mimi said eagerly, looking at her mother with new appreciation. "I'd hate to have to just cook and clean all the time. I'd rather be out hunting and having adventures!"
"You can be anything you want to be, Mimi," Belle said seriously. She fondly pushed Mimi's hair back off her face. "Don't ever let people limit you or tell you you can't do something. If you have big dreams, make them come true."
"I will," Mimi said gratefully. Maybe Mama did understand how she felt, at least a little.
The front door opened. "Hello, everybody!" Gaston said jovially, entering the house. Then he noticed the table and frowned. "Hey! What happened to—"
"Darling!" Belle cried hastily, springing off the couch and running to him. She threw her arms around him and planted her mouth on his, silencing him with a kiss. Then, as she embraced him, she whispered in his ear, "Shh! Don't say anything about the table. We'll talk later."
"Oh, I see," Gaston whispered back, amused. "Sounds like there was some excitement here today."
"You could say that," Belle said with a rueful smile.
Mimi, Lili and Georges ran to greet their father, and Belle went to set the table. "I wonder where Alain is?" she said. "He said he had something he needed to do today, but he's not usually late."
At that moment, Alain himself came in, followed by Maurice. "Oh, hello, Papa!" Belle said, her eyes lighting up. She went over to her father and kissed him. "This is a nice surprise! Are you staying for dinner?" Maurice always came to dinner on Sundays – it was a family tradition – but a mid-week visit was an unexpected pleasure.
"I'd certainly like to, if there's room!" Maurice joked.
"You know there's always room for you, " Belle said, smiling as she went to set an extra place at the table.
"Hi Grandpa!" said Lili, running toward him.
He picked her up and kissed her cheek. "Hello there, Lili! I swear, you grow bigger every time I see you!" He turned to Georges. "Hi, Georges! How's the writing going?"
"Good, Grandpa," Georges said with a smile.
Mimi said eagerly, "Grandpa, guess what? I'm going hunting with Papa next week!"
"Really? That's big news!" Maurice said. "I bet you'll bring home a tiger! Or an elephant!" Mimi giggled.
Gaston shook Maurice's hand. "Good to see you, Maurice. Here, sit down." He ushered his father-in-law to a seat at the table.
Alain had stood quietly by while Maurice greeted the family. Now he spoke up. "Listen, everyone...before we sit down to eat...there's something important I have to tell you."
They all exchanged a glance, wondering what was up. "What is it, son?" Gaston asked.
Maurice gave his grandson an encouraging nod. "Tell them, Alain."
Alain took a deep breath. "Well... you know I'm 14 now, almost 15. So...I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life. I like working with machines and fixing things, so I decided the job I want is to be a gunsmith."
"A gunsmith?" Gaston's eyes lit up. "That's great, son! You'll give your pa a discount, won't you?"
"Sure, Pa," Alain said, smiling.
"Oh, Alain, that sounds like a perfect idea for you!" Belle said, impressed with his maturity. "I know you'd be wonderful at it. You're so good at fixing things around the house."
"Thanks, Ma," Alain said. "So anyway, I went to talk to Monsieur Armurier today, to see if he wanted an apprentice. He said he does want one. So we talked about it, and he wants me to work for him."
"Of course he does!" Gaston said proudly. "He'd be a fool to say no to you! You'll be the best gunsmith this town ever had! Look at how you fixed my old rifle." He grinned and clapped Alain on the back. "I'm proud of you, son. You know what you want, and you go right out and get it. That's what a real man does – takes the bull by the horns!"
"I'm very proud of you too," Belle said, smiling. "So, will you start in June, right after school ends? Or in the fall?"
"Well...that's the problem," Alain admitted uncomfortably. "See, Monsieur Armurier is really swamped with work right now. That's why he wants an apprentice, to help him out in the wants me to start working for him right away...on Monday."
"Monday?" Belle said in surprise. "But you're still in school."
"I know," Alain said. "But he says he can't wait. If I can't start right away, he's going to give the job to someone else. So..." He hesitated. This was so hard! He braced himself. "I thought maybe...if it was okay with you...I could quit school early? So I could take the job?"
"Quit school?" Belle said in dismay. "Oh, Alain...I don't know about that..."
"Of course you can!" Gaston proclaimed. "An opportunity like this doesn't come along every day! You have to grab it while you can!"
Belle shot him a look. "Gaston, don't you think think we should talk about this?"
"What's there to talk about?" Gaston said with a shrug. "The boy's almost 15. He'll be done with school after this year anyway. It's not that important for him to stay till the end. I left school when I was 10, and look how I turned out!" he added boastfully, puffing out his chest.
"Well, I do think school is important," Belle said, stung at the casual way he was dismissing it. "A good education is valuable. It's something you carry with you forever!"
Georges spoke up. "Uh...Can I say something?" he asked tentatively.
"Of course, honey," Belle said, softening as she turned to him.
Georges hesitated. He knew how important it was to Mama that they all get a good education. He didn't want to upset her...but he also knew how much this opportunity meant to his brother. "I think school is important too. But if this is what Alain really wants to do, I think he should do it," Georges said to Belle, almost apologetically. "You're always telling us to follow our hearts and make our dreams come true. This is Alain's dream. But if he waits till school is over, he'll lose his chance."
Maurice nodded. "I have to agree with Georges. Belle, you know I think you've done a marvellous job as a teacher. I've never seen such bright children in all my life, and it's all due to you! But I can tell you, Alain has a real talent for working with mechanical devices. This job would be perfect for him. It would be a shame for him to miss out on it."
Belle bit her lip, thinking. "Alain, you know I don't want you to give up your dreams. I just hate to think of you losing a year of school. There's no chance that Monsieur Armurier could wait a few months?"
"No, Ma. I asked him," Alain said. "I didn't want to quit school either. I wouldn't ask to do it if it wasn't important." Suddenly he brightened. "Listen, Ma, I have an idea! If you let me do this, then when I get home from work every day, you can sit down and teach me whatever you would have taught me in school. And I promise I'll study hard – just as hard as if I was still in school. Okay?" He looked at her hopefully.
Belle touched his cheek gently. "You're such a good boy, Alain." She smiled. "All right. I can see how much this means to you. I don't want to stand in the way of your future."
"Thanks, Ma!" Overcome with relief, he hugged her tightly.
"Oh! That's a nice bonus!" Belle laughed, hugging him back. Alain was at the age where hugging one's mother seemed "babyish" to a boy. It was nice to get such unexpected affection from her almost-grown son.
"Great! Then it's all settled," Gaston said, beaming. "Tomorrow we'll go see Monsieur Armurier together and work out all the details. Oh, and Monday night after work, I'll take you to the tavern to celebrate your first day on the job!"
"The tavern?" Belle said, startled. "Gaston! I don't want him growing up that fast! He's only 14!"
"Just one drink," Gaston promised. "A toast to his success. Come on, Belle, it's his first real job! He deserves it."
"Well...all right. Just one toast. That's all,"" Belle said firmly. "And you'd better stick to that! Alain always tells the truth, remember."
"Just one. I promise," Gaston said, smiling, dramatically putting his hand over his heart. He liked the way Belle looked out for their children. His own mother had been protective like that too.
Mimi spoke up. "Mama, can I quit school too?"
"No, you may not!" Belle said.
Mimi scowled. "Alain is so lucky! Why do I have to go to school?"
Gaston laughed. "Because you're only nine, and you don't have a job," he pointed out.
Little Lili looked up at her brother, her eyes big. "Alain, are you a grown-up now?" she asked in awe.
"Just about," Gaston said proudly. "He's going to learn a trade and earn his own wages. He's a real man now."
"Yes," Belle said a bit sadly, sitting down.
Gaston went over and sat next to her, putting his arm around her. "What's wrong? Still upset about school?"
"No, not exactly..." she said wistfully, leaning against him. "It's just...they're growing up so fast. I mean, I knew that Alain would start looking for work after school ended this year, but I thought I had some time to get used to the idea. Now suddenly he's leaving school, getting a job...It's just happening so quickly. It feels like only last month he was a little baby!"
Gaston gave her a squeeze. "I know. I feel the same way. But kids have to grow up sometime."
"Yes," she agreed. "I just wish sometimes that we could stop time, you know? Or...not stop it completely, but just save it somehow. Wouldn't that be nice? To capture a moment and then go back to it whenever we want, and remember how the children were then."
"Capture a moment, huh?" Gaston said, almost to himself.
"What?" Belle asked, looking at him curiously.
"Nothing." He stood up and rubbed his hands together. "Well, I'm starved! Let's eat."
They all sat down to dinner, and Alain told them all the details of how he'd gotten the job. Maurice chimed in, saying he'd always known Alain was something special, and told them stories of all the times Alain had helped him with his inventions and figured out how to make them work. Then Gaston began to brag about how smart and strong and good-looking and talented all his kids were. By the time dinner was over, even Belle was smiling.
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The following evening, Monsieur Armurier came home in a good mood. "I'm home!" he called as he entered the house.
His wife Bunny came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron, followed by their blonde daughter, Suzette. "Good. Dinner is ready."
The gunsmith sat down at the table. His wife and daughter served the food, then sat down themselves.
Bunny looked at her husband curiously as they ate. "You look very pleased with yourself, Armand. Good day at work?"
"Yes, indeed," Monsieur Armurier said, cutting his steak. "I finally found an apprentice to help me in the shop. It will make work a lot easier, I can tell you!"
"Oh, that's wonderful," Bunny said, taking a bite of steak. "Who is it?"
"Alain Avenant," he replied.
Bunny dropped her fork. "Alain Avenant? Gaston's boy?" Even after all these years, just saying Gaston's name made her heart beat faster.
Monsieur Armurier nodded. "He came into the shop yesterday and told me he was interested in gunsmithing. Very forthright, very respectful. I like a boy who takes the initiative." He took a drink. "At first he didn't know if his parents would let him leave school, but it all worked out. He and Gaston came to see me today. So we worked out all the details and had Monsieur Liseur draw up a contract." Being the most educated man in town, Monsieur Liseur served as the village scribe as well as bookseller. "He'll start work on Monday."
Bunny's mind was whirling with possibilities. When Gaston had married Belle – and afterward, politely but firmly turned down her not-so-subtle suggestion of a possible "rendezvous" – she had reluctantly accepted that she'd missed her chance, and it was time to look for a different husband before she got left out in the cold. There had been no shortage of suitors vying for the beautiful blondes. Bunny had chosen Armand for three reasons: he was a large, broad-shouldered and muscular man, the kind she found attractive (though nowhere near as handsome as Gaston); he made an excellent living and would provide very well for her; and his gunsmithing shop was the one establishment in town that Gaston frequented the most (aside from the tavern, of course). If she couldn't actually have Gaston, at least she still had the pleasure of seeing him and sighing over him (when her husband wasn't looking) every time he came to get one of his guns repaired or buy a new one.
It was too late for her and Gaston, she knew that...but not too late for her daughter. If Bunny couldn't get the prize marriage, maybe Suzette could.
"Armand, that's wonderful news! Not just for your shop...but for Suzette, too," she began.
Armand looked at her, puzzled. "Suzette? I don't follow you."
"Think of the opportunity, Armand! Wouldn't Alain Avenant be an excellent match for our daughter?"
Suzette perked up at the sound of that. "Do you think so, Mama?" She giggled. "He is very handsome..."
"Enough of that, you two!" Armand said. "I'm hiring the boy to work for me. He has a lot to learn about the trade, and I want him to focus on that...not being distracted by girls and sniffing around my daughter! Besides, Suzette is only 14. There's plenty of time yet to find her a husband."
Bunny shook her head. "You have to look ahead, Armand," she persisted. "Don't you want her to be well settled and provided for? Alain would be perfect for Suzette." She ticked off the reasons on her fingers. "The Avenants are the most respected and most wealthy family in town. You couldn't have a better background than that! Best of all, if he marries Suzette, you can leave the shop to him. We don't have any sons, after all. The shop could be Suzette's dowry. And since Alain will be working for you all these years and you'll train him yourself, you'll know you're leaving it in good hands. That way, Suzette will be provided for, and the business will stay in the family."
She sat back, pleased with the way she'd laid it all out. And I'll be part of Gaston's family, and he'll be coming to dinner and family gatherings and I can see him so much more...and Suzette will have the prize catch, the handsomest boy in town. She'll get what I couldn't have.
Of course, it would mean being nicer to Belle from now on – she couldn't very well go around gossipping and badmouthing her son-in-law's mother! – but it would be well worth it for Suzette's sake, she thought.
Armand stroked his chin thoughtfully, considering. "Well...I'll think about it. But don't start making plans just yet!" he said sternly. "He has a job to do, and I want him to focus on that and work hard, without any distractions. And I'll need to judge what kind of character he has: if he's hardworking, responsible, honest. It'll be a long time before I know if I'll allow this boy to marry my only daughter." He went back to eating, having asserted himself as the man of the house. After all, it was his job to decide what was best for his precious girl. But privately, he thought this could be an excellent idea.
"All right, dear. You know best," Bunny said submissively. She gave Suzette a wink of triumph, and Suzette winked back.