Author's Note: Hello, hello, hello! I hope you didn't have a heart attack when you saw this was actually updated!
Joking aside, I'm very sorry for the crazy-long delay. There was actually a fanfic-related reason for it: two years ago, I had an inspiration for another story, a Gaston/Snow White pairing called "The Fairest of Them All," and was so excited that I started writing it immediately. At first I tried to write both stories simultaneously, but I found it too hard, since Gaston is romantically involved with different women in the two stories - it was just too difficult to keep mentally flipping back and forth between the two universes. Since I was full of inspiration for "Fairest," and it was a more linear story with only one plotline, I decided to focus on that, and return to "Idyllic" once it was done. However, "Fairest" ended up being a LOT longer than I had originally expected! So poor "Idyllic" was left on the back burner for a long time.
But now "Fairest" is almost done, so I feel ready to return to this story. I'm very excited to be writing it again!
I have to apologize in advance because this chapter does not contain Georges, Belle, or Gaston. I had always planned to have a chapter about what's going on with Alain and the family while Belle and Gaston are out looking for Georges, and this is that chapter. But the next chapter will return to Belle, Gaston, and Georges.
I also want to thank you so much for sticking with this story. I feel very honored and touched that people still care so much about it, even after not updating for years. So thank you - it means a lot to me!
-o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o
Alain patted his horse's neck, then lifted the empty water bucket and left the stable. It was only 6:30 a.m., but he had already been up for hours, doing not only all of his own chores, but his missing brother's, mother's, and father's as well, as he had done for the past several days. To make things worse, Mme. Nettoyage was away - her daughter in a neighboring town had recently had a baby, and Mme, Nettoyage was spending several weeks visiting her and helping out.
At least today was Sunday, which meant he didn't have to go to work at the gunsmith's. But church started at 8:00 a.m., and he was determined to make sure his family would be there on time, neatly dressed and in their seats, just as they would have been if his parents were here. Pa will be proud of me when they get home, he told himself.
But...when WILL they get home?
The question was constantly on his mind. His parents had left to look for Georges on Wednesday night. At the time, they had said they hoped to catch up with him quickly and return within a few hours, but that it was possible they wouldn't return until the following day, Thursday.
But Thursday had come and gone with no sign of them and no word...as had Friday and Saturday. Mimi and Lili kept constantly asking him when Mama and Papa and Georges were coming back. Alain always tried to be strong and reassuring, not revealing that he himself was worried sick inside. Maurice attempted to help as best he could by making little toys and gadgets to distract the girls, but it didn't work. Everyone was anxious and on-edge.
Alain was exhausted from the hard work, the lack of sleep, the pressure of trying to hold everything together, and worst of all, the constant fear that gnawed at him: What if Ma and Pa CAN'T find Georges? What if something's happened to him?
He pushed the thought aside, as he had been doing for days, and focused on his responsibilities. He washed up, then climbed the stairs and knocked on his sisters' door and the door of his parents' room, where his grandfather was sleeping, calling "Time to get up! We have church today!"
He entered his own room to get dressed for church...then paused, as he always did, to look at his brother's neatly made bed, unslept in for days. Alain sat down on his own bed with a sigh. Georges, why didn't you TALK to me? I would've listened. You didn't have to run away!
He couldn't help feeling guilty, as if he somehow should have known Georges might do something rash and found a way to stop him. After all, he had known that Georges was upset about having to kill that deer.
But what could I do? he argued with himself. I did ask him if he wanted to talk about it, but he said he didn't want to. I couldn't FORCE him to talk to me. I couldn't read his mind! He had always thought he and his brother were close, able to talk about anything. He was hurt that Georges had just run off like that without telling him.
But over it all loomed the scarier thought: where WAS Georges? Would Alain ever see his brother again?
Too many questions with no answers. And time was ticking by. Alain got dressed in his Sunday clothes, then went downstairs. His grandfather was already in the kitchen, boiling eggs and making toast. "Good morning, Alain," Maurice said cheerfully.
"Good morning, Grandpa," Alain said, sitting down. "Thanks for making breakfast."
"It's the least I can do," Maurice said sympathetically. "You've been working so hard. I only wish I could help you with all the chores! I'm just not as strong as I used to be."
"That's all right," Alain assured him. "I can handle it."
Maurice brought the food to the table and sat down. "You're a good boy, Alain. Your parents will be so proud of how well you've taken care of everything."
"Thanks," Alain said, grateful to hear it. He hesitated, then voiced the unspoken fear he had been carrying in his heart. "Grandpa...what if they can't find Georges?"
Maurice shook his head. "They will," he said with certainty. "Gaston and Belle are two of the strongest and most capable people I've ever met. You know how determined they are – they're not going to rest until they find him and bring him home!"
"That's true," Alain said, hoping he was right. He took a bite of toast, then noticed the time on the clock. "It's getting late." He walked to the bottom of the stairs and called up, "Mimi, Lili, come on! It's almost time for church!"
He went back to the table. "It feels strange going to church without Ma and Pa," he confided. .
"I know. But it's the right thing to do. Best to keep things as normal as possible," Maurice said.
Lili came downstairs in her Sunday dress. Her hair was braided into two lumpy, uneven braids. "I tried to make my hair pretty like Mama does it, but I couldn't," she said unhappily.
Maurice pulled his granddaughter onto his lap. "There, there, you look beautiful!" he told her. "You always look beautiful."
Lili's lip quivered. "I miss Mama and Papa," she whimpered. "They went away so long ago. When are they coming home?"
Maurice patted her back. "I'm sure they'll be back as soon as they can," he tried to comfort her.
"With Georges?" she asked, looking up at him. "I miss Georges too."
"Of course with Georges!" Maurice said, trying to be upbeat.
Mimi came stomping down the stairs and threw herself into a kitchen chair, grabbing a piece of toast off the plate. Unlike her sister, she was not dressed for church. She was wearing the same clothes she'd worn the day before, and her hair was wild and unbrushed.
"Mimi!" Alain said in exasperation. "Hurry up and get ready for church!"
"I'm not going!" Mimi said defiantly.
"What?" Alain was losing patience. He was exhausted, stressed, and did not have time for this. "Yes, you are!" he said sternly.
Mimi crossed her arms. "No, I'm not, and you can't make me! You're not Papa! You can't tell me what to do!" She stuck her tongue out at her brother.
Alain lost his temper. "Papa put me in charge, so I CAN tell you what to do!" he yelled back. "So stop acting like a little brat and go get ready!"
Mimi looked stunned for a moment. Alain had always been the calmest, most even-tempered person in the family – he never got angry. Then, glaring at him, she ran upstairs and slammed the door.
Lili, upset at the fighting, buried her head in Maurice's chest.
Alain sank into his chair and put his head in his hands, feeling overwhelmed. "Grandpa, I can't do this," he said hopelessly. "Why did Pa put me in charge? I'm only 15! I can't be a parent!"
"Well, I must admit, I was never very good at disciplining either," Maurice confessed. "I like being a grandpa because I can spoil my grandchildren, not scold them!" He thought a moment. "But maybe don't try to be a parent to Mimi, because both you and she know you're not. Just be her big brother. You've always been good at that."
Alain sighed. "I guess I can try." He went upstairs and knocked on the girls' door. There was no answer, but he went in anyway. Mimi was sitting on the bed, angrily punching a pillow over and over.
"Is that supposed to be my head?" Alain asked, sitting next to her.
Mimi tried hard not to smile, but her mouth quirked upward despite herself. "Nah. It's just... everything."
"Listen, sis. I'm sorry I lost my temper," Alain said. "This is hard on me too, you know. I'm trying to do everything myself, and it's really tough. But I want to help. So...talk to me. Why don't you want to go to church? We always go, every week. You know that."
Mimi was silent for a long moment. Then she burst out, "I don't want to see that old bat Mme. Grognon!"
Alain smiled. "Well, between you and me, I don't think anyone wants to see Mme. Grognon," he said. "Mama and Papa aren't fond of her either. But so what? She's the minister's wife, so of course she's there every week. You never complained before."
"I know, but Mama and Papa aren't here now. And Mme. Grognon is saying mean things about them, and I don't want to go to church and hear her say more mean things!" Mimi said.
Alain was startled. "What mean things? What did she say?"
Mimi scowled. "Yesterday, I was outside and she saw me and asked if Mama and Papa were back yet. I said they weren't. And she said that was just typical of Mama, to be so flighty and irresponsible and leave her children all alone. She said Mama always lets us kids run wild, so it was only a matter of time before one of us ran off. But now, for Mama and Papa to run off too and leave the rest of us alone was..." Mimi screwed up her face, trying to remember the words Mme. Grognon had used. "She said it was reckless, and irresponsible, and it means Mama shouldn't be trusted with children, and she said she was going to talk to the council and tell them not to let Mama be a teacher anymore!" Mimi folded her arms and scowled. "So I told her to shut her big fat mouth!"
Alain sighed. "Oh, Mimi..."
"I don't care! She deserved it!" Mimi yelled. "I said 'Don't you dare talk about my mama and papa that way! My mama is the best teacher in the world and my papa is the greatest man who ever lived!' And she said I was a wicked girl to talk back to my elders, and it only proved that Mama and Papa don't know how to bring up children right. And she said I was a disgrace to the whole town and I'd come to a bad end." Mimi gave her pillow another vicious punch. "So I'm not going to church anymore. I don't want to see that mean old bat ever again!"
Alain didn't know what to say. How would Ma handle this? he wondered, feeling inadequate to the situation.
He cleared his throat and said slowly. "Mimi, I don't blame you one bit for being angry. She's a very spiteful woman. But think of it this way: if you don't go to church, then she wins. You don't want that, do you?"
Mimi eyed him suspiciously. "What do you mean, she wins?"
"Well, she's saying that we're wild, reckless children who can't behave, right? So if you stay home from church, she'll tell everyone that she was right – you're so wicked and godless you don't even go to church anymore! It'll just give her more ammunition, don't you see?" Alain pointed out. "But if you get dressed nicely in your Sunday clothes and go to church and sit like a proper lady, well, then there's nothing bad she can say about you."
Mimi considered that. "Well...maybe..." she said doubtfully.
"And that's not all!" Alain added with sudden inspiration. "Think of Papa, and how brave he is. What would he think if he could see you now, hiding in your room like a coward, not going to church just because you're scared of some silly old lady?"
Mimi's hands clenched into fists. "I'm NOT scared!"
"Then prove it," Alain said. "You march into that church with your head held high and show that old battleaxe that you're not afraid of her! But NOT with words!" he added hastily. "Don't yell at her in church, please! Just show up and let her know she can't scare you away."
"Can I make a face at her?" Mimi asked hopefully.
"Well...tell you what. You can glare at her with your eyes. How's that?" Alain suggested with a smile.
Mimi thought about it, then nodded. "Okay!" she said. "I'll get dressed."
"Good!" Alain said in relief. "We'll wait for you downstairs."
He headed back down. "Mimi's getting ready," he told his grandfather.
"There, you see? I knew you could handle it," Maurice said approvingly.
-o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o
As they approached the church, several of Belle's friends immediately rushed over to them: Amelie with her husband LeFou and her two sons Henri and Denis by her side, Monique, Josette, and Cecile with their families. "Have you heard from Belle and Gaston?" Monique asked anxiously.
Alain shook his head. "Nothing yet."
"But I'm sure they're fine and they'll be home soon with Georges," Maurice put in, trying to keep a positive attitude.
LeFou agreed, "Nothing can stop Gaston!"
Amelie said, "If you need any help with cooking, or watching the girls, just let us know. We'll all be glad to help."
Amelie's little boy Denis got excited by that. He said to Lili, "Wanna come over to my house after church?"
Lili jumped up and down. "Yes! Yes!" She looked up at her brother. "Can I? Please?"
Alain smiled and said to Amelie, "Is it all right with you?"
"Of course! We love having Lili over," Amelie said.
Monique added, "Mimi, would you like to come to our house after church and play with Eriq?"
"Okay!" Mimi said happily.
Two of the blonde triplets, Bambi and Bubbles, suddenly spied them and immediately made a beeline for them. "Is Gaston back yet?" they asked hopefully in unison.
"Not yet," Maurice told them.
Bubbles pouted. "He's been gone such a long time!"
Bambi chided her, "Bubbles! He's out searching for his lost son! Personally, I think it's so brave and noble of him!" She sighed blissfully. "Maybe he'll perform a daring, heroic rescue and come home with a wonderful new story to tell us!"
"Ooh! Yes!" Bubbles agreed, brightening. To Maurice, she said, "You will tell us as soon as he gets back, won't you?"
"As soon as Gaston AND Belle return with Georges, we will let everyone know," Maurice said pointedly. The triplets drifted away, speculating on what amazing adventures Gaston might be having.
Then Alain saw Mme. Grognon approaching. He put his hand on Mimi's shoulder, silently asking her not to react to whatever the minister's wife might say.
Mme. Grognon looked the children up and down with a critical eye, then said to Maurice, "Well, I'm very happy to see that you've gotten the children here to church. In times of trouble, it is more important than ever to turn to the Lord."
"I couldn't agree more," Maurice said.
Mme. Grognon went on, "What a trial it must be for you, to have a daughter so wayward that she would abandon her own children like this! It's shocking, even for her. She should be taking care of you in your advancing years, not dumping her children on you!"
I see now why Mimi didn't want to come today, Alain thought ruefully.
Maurice kept his temper and said as calmly as he could, "Belle is an excellent mother. She and Gaston left to find Georges, who is missing. What do you think she should have done - just forgotten about Georges and not tried to find him? And I'm always delighted to spend time with my grandchildren, thank you very much."
Paige, who was standing nearby with her husband Nicolas, looked embarrassed by her mother's diatribe and pulled her aside. "Mother, do you have to be so judgmental? Can't you please try to be a little kinder to people?" she begged.
Mme. Grognon gave her a withering look. "Never criticize your elders, Paige! I brought you up better than that!" She shook her head mournfully. "You used to be such a polite, respectful girl. Lately you've become quite outspoken, a most unseemly trait in a young woman." She cast a disapproving glance at Nicolas. "Well, I suppose we all know who to thank for that."
Nicolas grinned. "We certainly do: her mother! Paige has started to speak her mind, just as you do, Mme. Grognon. You're her role model, you know!"
Mme. Grognon opened her mouth...then closed it. She didn't have an answer for that. Looking annoyed, she flounced into the church.
Paige said to Maurice and Alain, "I'm so sorry about what she said. Please pay her no mind!" Anxiously, she followed her mother into the church to smooth things over, followed by Nicolas.
Other villagers came over to them, and Alain and Maurice found themselves answering the same questions over and over: "Have Gaston and Belle found Georges yet?" ""Do you know when they're coming home?" "Have you heard anything from them?"
All of these conversations invariably ended with "If there's anything we can do to help, just let us know."
Alain thanked them all, but he knew he wouldn't feel comfortable asking them for help. He knew that these were the kind of rote social courtesies people always said automatically – he didn't know if they really wanted him to take them up on the offer.
Besides, his father had left him in charge, the man of the house. Gaston had always emphasized the importance of being strong and independent and self-reliant, and Alain wanted to live up to those standards and make his father proud, not go around with hat in hand begging their neighbors for charity.
Ma and Pa HAVE to find Georges and come home soon, he told himself. We can manage until then.
After answering well-meaning questions for half an hour, Alain was worn out. He was relieved when the church bells rang, signaling everyone to go inside.
It was hard for him to pay attention to the prayers, although he recited them automatically, knowing them by heart. He was too aware of people watching them pityingly. He looked at his sisters, hyper-conscious of every possible flaw: Lili's lumpy braids...Mimi's wrinkled dress... He had tried his best to get everyone presentable, but now he felt ashamed. I'm doing a shoddy job, and everyone knows it, he thought miserably.
The minister gave a sermon about coming together and helping others in time of need. "Let us do all we can to comfort others in their misfortune, and pray for the safe return of those who have been separated from us," he said, looking at Alain and his family. Alain squirmed, as everyone was staring at them openly now. He knew the minister meant well, but the last thing he wanted was extra attention focused on them.
-o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o
During the service, Suzette held her hymnbook over her face, not wanting to stare, but sneaking glances at Alain every now and then. For once, she wasn't thinking at all about how handsome he was. All she could think of was how hard this must be on him. He sat up straight and tall, appearing strong and in control, like his father always did...but she knew that inside, he was hurting. He must be so sad and worried about his brother, she thought, her heart going out to him.
She saw him squeeze Lili's hand when the little girl looked at her mama's empty place, and whisper quietly to Mimi when the older girl got restless. He is so brave to take care of his sisters and be so strong for them, she thought. But who will take care of HIM? Their poor grandpa is old, he probably can't do do much to help, and he must be so worried too. And poor Lili and Mimi – they must miss their mama and papa and brother SO much! I wish I could do something for them.
When the service ended, she impulsively headed toward Alain without even thinking about it, saying, "I'm so sorry for your family's troubles. Do you and your family want to come to din-"
But her mother abruptly pinched her arm hard and spoke loudly over her. "Yes, we all give your our sympathies and our prayers for Georges' safe return!"
"Thank you," Alain said distractedly, looking around for Mimi and Lili, who had both vanished within seconds of the service ending. "Excuse me." Seeing that Lili had run over to join Amelie and her family, he went over and thanked Amelie again, then went outside to look for Mimi.
Suzette wanted to go talk to Lili and see how she was doing – she was very fond of the little girl, who sometimes came over to their house after church – but then saw Lili leaving with Amelie and her family, chatting a mile a minute with Denis. Suzette smiled. It's nice that Lili has a friend to play with and get her mind off her troubles.
She turned to her mother. "Mama, why did you stop me? I was going to invite Alain and his family to dinner."
"I know - that's why I stopped you!" Bunny said sternly. "You're too rash, Suzette. The timing is all wrong for a dinner invitation! Alain is much too distracted by his family problems to pay attention to you right now."
Suzette was baffled. "Huh? I wasn't looking for attention. His family is having troubles, and I just thought it would be nice for them to have a home-cooked meal. It might make them feel better. Isn't that the right thing to do?"
"It's the charitable thing to do, certainly. But we're not running a charity," Bunny said dismissively. "Keep your eyes on the prize, Suzette! You're supposed to be a mysterious, exotic goddess who captures his imagination and who he has to work to win over. Remember? You should never be the one to invite him over."
Suzette looked uncertain. "But wouldn't being nice to him and his family make him like me more?"
"You would THINK so, wouldn't you?" Bunny said bitterly. "But that's not the case with men." Seeing Suzette's confusion, she made a decision. Taking her daughter's arm, she led her to a quiet corner, away from everyone else, and spoke in a low voice. "Listen to me, Suzette. I'm going to tell you a story. When I was your age, I was enamored of a certain young man."
Suzette nodded eagerly. "I know. Papa!"
Bunny hesitated. "No, dear. This was before Papa."
"Oh?" Suzette said, a bit disappointed.
"This young man was very handsome and strong and charming, and all the girls in the village were after him," Bunny went on. "We all flirted with him and talked to him whenever we could – just as I can see you would love to do with Alain. His father died when he was 17, and then a few years later, his mother died, so he was all alone."
"Oh, that's so sad," Suzette said sympathetically. "The poor man!"
Bunny went on, "When his mother died, all of us girls did everything we could to help him. We cooked him meals and brought them to his house, we washed his clothes, we were always there for him if he needed to talk."
"That was nice of you!" Suzette said approvingly. "I'm sure he appreciated it."
"No. He didn't," Bunny said flatly. "That's my whole point! He took us all for granted! After everything we did for that man, do you know who he finally married?"
"Who?" Suzette asked.
"A girl who moved to the village much later, who ignored him completely!" Bunny said in exasperation. "This girl was a total stranger. She hadn't been around when his mother died. She hadn't done anything for him like we all did. And most important: she showed NO interest in him at all! Not only did she ignore him, but when he came up to her and tried to strike up a conversation, she would make excuses and leave! She acted like she didn't even like him at all."
"That's not very friendly," Suzette said, frowning.
"I know," Bunny agreed. "But do you know what happened? It worked! That girl wouldn't give him the time of day...and precisely because of that, SHE was the girl he set his sights on! She was a challenge to him, don't you see? So he became determined to win her over, and when he finally did, he married her. That girl who ignored him was the only one he wanted. Meanwhile, all of us girls who had spent years talking to him and flirting with him and cooking for him...we all meant nothing to him. We were devastated." Bunny put her hand on Suzette's shoulder. "Darling, I don't want that to happen to you. Trust me on this."
"All right," Suzette said slowly. It seemed so odd for a man to like a woman who wasn't even nice to him. But Mama knew everything, so it must be true. Then a thought occurred to her. "But everything worked out well for you, didn't it, Mama? You met Papa, and he was the true love of your life, and you lived happily ever after!"
"Yes, darling," Bunny said with a sigh. "But that's because I had wised up by then. Your father pursued ME, not the other way around. I kept him guessing and never acted too available, so he became more and more determined to win my favor, and was thrilled when I finally said yes. You think about that. Now, speaking of your father, let's go find him and go home."
-o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o
As Alain went outside the church to find Mimi, he heard children shouting excitedly, and Mimi's loud voice yelling "TAKE IT BACK!"
Oh, God, what now? He followed the noise and ran behind the church into the churchyard. All the children were jumping up and down and shouting and pointing. To his horror, Mimi and Luc were rolling in the mud, fighting like cats and dogs, their clothes and hair filthy. Mimi was screaming "Take it back! Take it back!" as she hit him. He spit at her and pulled her hair, yanking hard.
"MIMI!" Alain grabbed his sister's arm and pulled her away from Luc. But she kept trying to kick him, even as Alain held her back. "What are you doing? You promised you would behave today!"
Mme. Grognon rushed over with her husband. "Oh, my! Luc, my poor, darling, precious boy! Are you all right? Did that wicked girl hurt you?" She fussed over him worriedly, wiping his muddy face with a handkerchief.
"I'm fine, Mother," Luc muttered, shaking her off.
Mme. Grognon glared at Maurice, who had hurried over at hearing the commotion and now looked worried and flustered. "My son's best Sunday clothes are ruined!" she cried accusingly. "Your family will have to pay for them!"
Reverend Grognon interceded quickly, "Now, now, that's not necessary! Clothes can be cleaned. The important question is, is everyone all right? None of the children are hurt?"
"I'm okay. He's so weak, he couldn't hurt a fly," Mimi said, sticking her tongue out at Luc.
"OH! You impudent girl!" cried Mme. Grognon in outrage. "Have you no manners at all?"
Alain said quickly, "I'm so sorry, Mme. Grognon! It's my fault - I should have been keeping a better eye on her."
Mme. Grognon immediately whirled on him, glad to have someone to blame. "Yes, you should have, young man! Did your parents leave you in charge of your sisters while they're away?"
"Yes, ma'am," Alain said.
"Well, you're certainly not doing a very good job of it!" she snapped.
Alain winced as if he'd been struck. The very worst thing anyone could ever say to him was that he had failed in his responsibilities. He hung his head in shame. I let Ma and Pa down. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, more to them than to Mme. Grognon.
"I should hope so!" Mme. Grognon sniffed.
Mimi ran in front of Alain, glaring up at Mme. Grognon. "You leave my brother alone, you big bully!"
Mme. Grognon went scarlet. "Well, I never!" she sputtered. "The sheer audacity!"
"And Luc's a bully too! Why don't you yell at him? He started it!" Mimi said.
Eriq, Monique's son, spoke up. "It's true, Mme. Grognon," he said. "Luc did start it. He kept picking on Mimi. First he said Georges ran away from home because he couldn't stand having Mimi for a sister. Then he said he hoped Mimi's mother got killed while she was away looking for him, so there wouldn't be any school ever again."
"What? My darling Luc would never say such a thing!" protested Mme. Grognon.
"He did! We all heard him!" Eriq insisted. "Mimi told him to take it back, but he wouldn't, and they started fighting. But Luc started it by being so mean."
Mimi smiled at Eriq gratefully.
The other children all nodded, saying "Yes! Luc started it!"
Reverend Grognon, who had been standing by in confusion while all the shouting and drama and accusations were flying, came forward at this. With the witnesses all in agreement on what had transpired, he now felt on surer ground. "Luc, I am very disappointed in you," he said soberly. "We are called to give aid and comfort to those who are going through tribulations – not make them feel worse with cruel words! Indeed, I daresay there are others here who could stand to take that lesson to heart as well," he added dryly, looking pointedly at his wife.
Mme. Grognon looked deeply offended. "Really, Eugêne! I certainly hope you are not referring to me!"
"I named no names, Mathilde," her husband pointed out mildly. "But I do believe the saying 'if the shoe fits, wear it' is relevant here." He turned to his son. "Luc, please apologize to Mimi for your unkind words."
"Sorry," Luc muttered resentfully.
Alain nudged Mimi and whispered, "Now you apologize for fighting."
Mimi rolled her eyes. "Sorry for fighting," she said grumpily.
"Thank you. And now I suggest we all go home and put this unpleasantness behind us," said Reverend Grognon. "The Lord's day should be a time for harmony and good will, not fighting. Maurice, I will keep your family in my prayers, and pray for your grandson's safe return." He took his wife by the arm and his son by the hand and firmly steered them away.
Alain took Mimi's hand. "Come on. Let's get you home."
"But I'm supposed to go to Eriq's!" she protested.
Alain opened his mouth to say she couldn't go, as punishment for fighting...but then sighed and just gave up. His head was pounding, and he couldn't deal with all the tantrums and arguments that would follow. "Just come home first so we can get you cleaned up," he said wearily. "You're a muddy mess, and you need to change your clothes."
"Oh, okay," she said, and cupped her hands around her mouth to yell at the top of her lungs, "I'll see you in a little while, Eriq!"
Alain winced at the noise, rubbing his head. It was only noon, but already the day felt endless.
-o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o – o-o -o -o -o -o
Later that afternoon, Suzette sat in the parlor, staring thoughtfully into space, her sewing forgotten on her lap. She was supposed to be hemming a skirt, but she just couldn't stop thinking about Alain, Lili, Mimi, and their grandfather – how worried they all were about Georges, how hard it must be for the children without their mama and papa. She felt so bad for them all, and so helpless. I know I'm not allowed to talk to Alain. But there must be SOMETHING I can do for them...
Suddenly, she brightened. Oh! I know - I'll bake them a pie! A nice, warm, comforting apple pie! Food always makes things seem a little better. I can just leave it on their doorstep, so they won't know who sent it. That way it won't ruin our plan, and Mama won't be mad at me!
Excited by the idea, she eagerly jumped up and ran into the kitchen. Her mother had gone to visit her sisters, and her father was upstairs taking an afternoon nap, so Suzette had the house to herself. Quickly, she ran to the icebox for butter and eggs, and to the well for water. Then she began pulling ingredients from the cupboard – apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, cider vinegar... Soon, she was busy slicing the apples, blending the crust ingredients, and rolling out piecrust dough with practiced ease.
When the pie had finished baking, she took it out of the oven with a satisfied smile. It smelled heavenly!
But that gave her pause. If Mama comes home and smells apple pie, she's going to want to know where it is, she realized worriedly. She didn't want to tell her mother what she had done...but she was also an honest girl who couldn't bring herself to actually lie outright.
But then, the obvious answer came to her. I'll make another pie for US. That way Mama won't ask questions! Relieved to have a solution, she quickly baked a second pie and popped it in the oven.
While it was baking, she turned her attention back to Alain's pie. Carefully, with a knife, she pricked a design onto it: a circle with lines all around it, representing the sun. She liked the sun – to her it was a happy symbol of warmth and joy, and she often put it on her pies and cakes. It has an even MORE special meaning this time: it means hope of happier days to come, she thought. Things may look gray now, but the sun will come out tomorrow. At the very least, she hoped the cheery image would make Alain, Lili, and the others smile.
She was about to pick up the pie, but had another thought: I should add a note. She found a piece of paper and a quill, and thought about what to write. She wasn't good at writing, and she didn't want to say anything that would give away her identity. Finally she wrote a short, simple note carefully in block letters.
She blew on the ink until it was dry, then folded the paper, picked up the pie, and headed to Alain's house, looking around anxiously the whole time and trying to keep to the shadows so no one would see her. But on a late Sunday afternoon, most were relaxing at home, and no one was out and about.
At the Avenants' house, she glanced around one last time, then put the pie on the doorstep with the note on top. She knocked loudly, then ran quickly away and hid behind a bush a short distance away where she hoped she wouldn't be seen.
-o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o -o
When Alain, Maurice, and Mimi had gotten home from church, Mimi had changed into clean clothes and ran out to play with Eriq.
Alain was left to try to wash the muddy dress she'd left behind. He put it in a bucket of soapy water and scrubbed it with a brush as hard as he could. The water turned dark brown. He poured the water out, then went to the well for fresh water and tried again.
After many scrubbings and rinsings, most of the mud was gone, but there was still a huge, pale brown stain on the blouse that simply would not come out. Alain sighed. And this is Mimi's best Sunday dress, too. It felt like yet another failure on his part.
Then he scolded himself, What are you complaining about? Ma and Pa have the hardest job: trying to find Georges.
But that thought only made him focus more on the fear that was always on his mind: where IS Georges? Why haven't they brought him home yet?
He tried to think of ANY possible good reason why they hadn't returned. But the only logical reason was not a comforting one. If Georges were close by, they would have found him by now, he thought grimly. The fact that they've been gone for days must mean they must have NO idea where he is at all, so they're just searching desperately, not wanting to give up. The longer they're gone, the less chance there is that they'll find him.
But as scary as it was to think of them continuing to search fruitlessly for weeks without coming home, there was an even worse alternative: Ma and Pa coming home without Georges. That would mean they'd given up. He pictured them soberly explaining that they hadn't been able to find Georges, that they might never see him again or ever find out what had happened to him... Or what if they came home and broke the news Georges had been killed in an accident, that his brother was dead...
Alain abruptly went outside. He couldn't handle the frightening thoughts anymore. He needed to do something, and there certainly was plenty he needed to do. He mucked out his horse's stall and spread fresh straw around, then saddled up the horse and rode him around the paddock for half an hour. He didn't really want to ride, but the horse needed exercise.
Back in the house, Alain sat down with a piece of paper and tried to work out a schedule for the coming week. He drew a grid of all the days and hours, then frowned. How could he possibly get all the chores done AND work his full-time job at the gunsmith's? Of course, Monsieur Armurier would probably give him time off if he needed it, but Alain didn't want to leave him short-handed as the busiest time of year. Besides, if his parents didn't come home for a long time, he and his sisters would need the money.
He went to the cupboard to see how much food was on hand. After several days, it was getting low.
I need to go hunting, he realized. If Ma and Pa don't come back soon, we'll run out of food. Maybe I'll take Mimi with me – she's a good shot. But when can I fit that in, between working at the gunsmith AND doing the chores?
There just weren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. The stress and responsibility and worry weighed heavily on his shoulders, coupled with his exhaustion, the humiliation and shame of Mme. Grognon's reprimand...and worst of all, the constant, overwhelming fear that he might never see his brother alive again.
There was no one he could talk to, no one to share the burden. He was the man of the house now. He had to be strong and keep everything together for his little sisters and his elderly grandfather.
Alain had never felt so alone in his entire life.
A loud knock on the door suddenly interrupted his thoughts. He went to answer it.
There was no one there. He looked around, puzzled, but didn't see anyone. It must be that brat Luc playing a prank. It was the last straw. As if he didn't have enough aggravation today!
Then he saw there was something on the doorstep – a pie, with a folded note on top.
Alain picked up the note, unfolded it, and read:
TO ALAIN LILI MIMI MAURICE. I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS PIE. I HOPE IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER. I AM SO SAD FOR ALL YOUR TROUBLE. I HOPE GEORGES COMES HOME SAFE VERY SOON."
The unexpected kindness almost brought tears to Alain's eyes. Just knowing that someone cared, that someone had been thinking of him and his family, that he wasn't alone...
The knot of tension inside him loosened, and the weight on his shoulders felt somehow lighter. He smiled at the note It was unsigned, but he was eternally grateful to whoever had sent it. It gave him the strength to carry on.
He picked up the pie. It was warm and smelled heavenly. Alain's stomach rumbled. They hadn't had a really good meal since his parents had been gone.
He went back inside.
"Who was at the door?" his grandfather asked.
"No one," Alain said. "Someone just left this on the doorstep." He showed Maurice the pie and the note.
"Oh! How nice!" Maurice said, delighted. "Who is it from?"
"I don't know. They left a note, but didn't sign it. It was very thoughtful of them, whoever it was." Alain took another deep breath of the warm delicious scent wafting from the pie. He put it on the counter. "We'll have it for dessert tonight when Mimi and Lili come home."
Outside the house, Suzette came out of her hiding place and headed for home, feeling lighter than air. Alain smiled! I made him happy! The very idea filled her with joy. She pictured Lili and Mimi coming home later and being delighted by the surprise and the mystery of who had sent it, and all of them enjoying the yummy pie. She was so glad that she had found a way to cheer them all up and bring a little sunshine into their lives.
And I did it all WITHOUT letting Alain know it was me! So he won't take me for granted and not like me, like Mama said! Suzette congratulated herself, pleased at her own cleverness.