"Gift of the Nile" (Chapter Two)
by Ennon
Disclaimer: "Degrassi:The Next Generation" and its characters are owned by Epitome Pictures and I'm making no monies from this fanfic.
Toronto, Queen's Park- Autumn, 1995
Adéle was sitting on a park bench intently reading 'The Wall Street Journal' when she was approached by a somewhat plainer, dark-haired woman of average height.
"Adéle! What are you doing in Toronto?"the woman asked.
"Clothilde? After Fred and I split, I thought this would be as good a spot as any to restart my life. You still with Jean-Paul?" Adéle asked.
"Oui. I'm still happily Clothilde DeMonBreum Sauvé!" Ms. Sauvé exclaimed.
"And trying to save the world. Is it still worth saving?" Adéle asked.
" Yeah. How about you?"Ms. Sauvé asked.
"Just my little corner,"Adéle shrugged.
"I got an free morning and I was hoping to see the Royal Ontario Museum. Would you like to join me?" Ms. Sauvé asked.
"Happy to and there's someone there I'd like you to meet! Let's go!" Adéle exclaimed as she put down her 'Wall Street Journal' and the two started walking over to the nearby ROM.
Royal Ontario Museum- Egyptian Collection.
"Are we going to see Cleopatra's mummy today,Miss Julia?" 7-year-old Terri MacGregor asked as the 2nd graders from Degrassi Elementary were being given a tour and the majority of whom were laughing at her question.
"No, dear. Cleopatra was from the Ptolemy Dynasty who were all Macedonians- not native Egyptians so they didn't mummify their departed," Julia explained as she led the group to look at a large wooden sarcophagus in a glass case with the mummy still inside. She wore a nametag atop her white blouse, along with her dark green knee-length skirt, red hose and red pumps.
"So what's the big deal behind the Ancient Egyptians?" Ashley asked.
"They invented so many things that we use to this day! Everything from makeup to the pyramids but no one knew what their hieroglypics were about or who these Egyptians really were for over 1400 years until the Rosetta Stone was deciphered in the early 1800's by a Frenchman named Champollion," Julia beamed.
"Why are we studying these old dead people?"7-year-old Gavin 'Spinner' Mason asked.
"Because if we know history and as much about the world around us, we can unlock so many things about ourselves- just like the Rosetta Stone did for the Egyptians!" Julia beamed.
"This princess sure has a killer wardrobe," 7-year-old Paige Michelchuk beamed.
"Did they have any dinosaurs in Ancient Egypt? I wanna see dinosaurs!" 7-year-old Jimmy Brooks insisted.
"You remind me of my son Craig but the Ancient Egyptians were quite fascinating on their own. Now take a look at where our princess is resting. It's called a sarcophagus!" Julia exclaimed.
"So what?" 7-year-old Gavin 'Spinner' Mason scoffed as he playfully shoved Jimmy.
"Sarcophagus is a Greek word that means 'flesh eater'!"Julia exclaimed.
"Ewww! Gross!" Ashley, Terri and Paige all exclaimed.
"Cool!" exclaimed Spinner.
"But the Ancient Egyptians didn't want them to eat the flesh so they mummified and preserved the body in many ways! Did you know that they even took out the brains?" Julia asked.
"Wow!" the Degrassi schoolkids exclaimed.
"Impossible! The princess's skull's intact!" 7-year-old Ashley scoffed as she look at the partially unwrapped mummy.
"They used a long metal hook and went up into the nose then picked out the brains bit by bit!" Julia insisted.
"Whoa!" Jimmy gasped.
"So that's what happened to you, Spin!" Paige teased.
"Ha! Ha!" Spinner taunted.
"Excuse me, but would it be okay if we joined your group?" Adéle asked.
"Certainly! We'd be glad to have the company! " Julia exclaimed as they continued the tour.
A little later. .. .
"Julia, I know places where you and Craig would be safe,"Ms. Sauvé insisted.
"It's not Craig's safety I'm concerned about as Albert has never struck him but I don't want him to see Albert treat me like that and think this is acceptable,"Julia groaned.
"Remember, just give me a call and I'll get you to Clothilde who will take the two of you to where you need," Adéle insisted.
"It was good to meet you,Clothilde. Thank you, Adéle, for drawing me out and trying to help these past months. I need to get back home soon. Albert doesn't mind my volunteering at the ROM but everything must be perfect and on time at home," Julia groaned as she left the ROM cafeteria.
"Too bad such a cultured and sophisticated lady must endure all that," Clothilde Sauvé groaned.
" I can't argue that," Adéle sighed.
" I hope I can help her but it's been so long since we were back in our village. Tell me what's new! Any beaus since your split with Fred?" Ms. Sauvé asked with a laugh.
"Oh, several but I'm not about to remarry anytime soon!" Adéle laughed.
"Anyone special?" Ms. Sauvé asked.
"I don't want to jinx anything by mentioning anything prematurely," Adéle giggled.
"Never mind. Even with Jean-Paul, with all the terrible things I encounter in my work, it's good to see others are doing well," Ms. Sauvé insisted.
About a week later Julia was at the Manning House was on the phone with Adéle late at night- having waited for Craig to go to sleep and knowing Albert was on ' a late case'.
"Julia, the plan is to meet me in the cinema tomorrow afternoon at three then I'll give you Clothilde's safe house address and I'll let her know you and Craig will be on your way,"Adéle insisted in a most compassionate voice.
"Oh, I've never had a friend like you! I wish I could repay. .." Julia sighed.
"I know but just remember you DO deserve to have friends like me in your life. Au revoir!" Adéle beamed as said goodbye and hung up the phone..
Julia was trying to take in everything that had happened over the last few months- as well as her entire life since her father had died when the phone rang a few minutes later.
"Hello! Hello?" Julia exclaimed but she could hear laughter on the other end- as well as sounds of the throes of passion. She was about to hang up when. ..
"And did you hear me tell her she deserves to have friends like me?" Adéle cruelly laughed.
"Yeah, and I like how she said she wished she could repay YOU!" Albert guffawed as the two kept laughing and panting amorously.
"Oh, I think a good share of her father's inheritance should do nicely, Albert! Mon amour!" Adéle cooed.
" Yeah, she'll sign over the whole thing to keep Craig's name from being dragged down with hers! I hope he'll never believe her nor want anything to do with her again!" Albert sneered.
"And then you can send him off to boarding school and the two of us can be free to do what we want to her and everyone else!" Adéle beamed.
"And I wish I could see the look on your friend Clothilde's face when we set Julia up in the safe house, plant drugs on her, then have the place raided. All those females getting thrown out on the street! Show me how you made yourself cry and look in her eyes when you dragged her story out again! You're such an incredible actress. I could take lessons from you to snow people!" Albert laughed at the same time as Adéle.
At that Julia hung up the phone literally shaking with rage. Not wanting to waken or burden Craig, Julia drove a block away then screamed at the top of her lungs while crying her eyes out. Julia put together that either Adéle or Albert had rolled over Adéle's cellphone in their passion and had accidently hit the redial button with Julia's number but had no idea what had happened while they unknowingly revealed their true colors to their intended victim.
A few days later, Julia was out shopping. ..
"Julia! Wait up! What happened? Did Albert hurt or threaten you again?" Adéle asked.
"I'm busy and I have nothing to say to you! You are to address me as Mrs. Manning!" Julia boiled.
"Julia? Wait! We're friends!" Adéle insisted as she looked into Julia's eyes.
"Correction, I was your friend but it wasn't mutual," Julia raged.
" Julia? Wait! Let's talk this thing out and. .."? Adéle pleaded.
"Mrs. Manning to you!" Julia boiled.
"Alright, Mrs. Manning but. .." Adéle gulped.
"No more talking anything with you- and I'll do everything in my power to see that my offspring never has to be exposed to the likes of you!" Julia boiled as she walked in the other direction but Adéle followed her.
"Qualities. .? I . .How did you find. ..I mean . .what do you mean. .?" Adéle asked.
"I'm not going to tell you! Just consider God in His Infinite Mercy opened the window to the real you!. All those times you pretended to care when you were reveling in my suffering - and I doubt I'm your only prey! Adios and adieu which means 'to God' in our respective mother tongues!" Julia stormed off.
A few days after that at the Egyptian Collection of the Royal Ontario Museum. . .
"Julia, are you okay?" Ms. Sauvé asked as she approached Julia having just given a tour.
"No, but I'll work out on my own what to do,Clothilde," Julia sighed.
"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Ms. Sauvé asked.
"Yes, I didn't want to put those poor souls at your shelter at risk," Julia groaned.
"What are you talking about? From Albert?" Ms. Sauvé asked.
"Not only him but. .. others!" Julia groaned.
"What?" Ms. Sauvé asked.
"Perhaps your experience with Adéle won't come back to bite you but she's every bit as evil as she pretends to be nice," Julia seethed.
"I grew up with her in Quebec. She's had some problems but . .. ." Ms. Sauvé insisted.
"Fine! It's your choice to make excuses for her and to disbelieve me but don't pretend you weren't warned,Clothilde," Julia snapped.