Chapter 2:
Snow continued to fall heavily outside, and Elvina watched it fall as Isabelle braided her hair. Elvina had long brown hair that went past her shoulders, while Isabelle has short choppy hair up to her chin.
Elvina remembers the first time Isabelle had ever cut her hair like that:
"Isabelle!" Elvina's eyes were wide when her friend had approached her that morning at school. "You cut your hair!" Elvina went over and got a better look at it, feeling it's neatly chopped tips. Isabelle's once shoulder - length hair was now up to her chin!
She smiled brightly. "Do you like it?" She asked. Elvina nodded sloweely. "If you like it, that's all that matters. Why'd you do it?" She asked her. Isabelle shrugged. "Everyone has their hair short, now, see? Look around."
Elvina glanced around the school halls, and was suprised to realize that she was right! Almost every girl around them had hair up to their chins. "It's the style." Isabelle explained, soon playing with Evanna's longer hair. "You should cut yours too..." She said. Elvina shook her head. "I like my long hair! Infact I plan on growing it longer." She said. Isabelle's eyes grew. "Longer?"
Elvina nodded. "Down to my waist."
"But...why? Everybody else's hair is shorter."
Elvina smiled at her friend. "That's partly why I wanna grow it more." And they left their conversation at that.
"There," Isabelle had finished braiding Elvina's hair. "Like it?"
Elvina took the braid into her hands and smiled at it. "It's beautiful! Mum used to always braid my hair as a kid."
Isabelle sat on the bed next to her. "How is your mother doing, anyways? Is...she getting better?"
Elvina bit her lip and continued playing with her braid. "No...not really."
"I'm solrry," Isabelle took her hand and gently squeezed it, and Elvina returned her gesture with a small smile.
Elvina's mother has been diagnosed with cancer in the beginning of the year with her right leg. Lately her leg has been bothering her, but she still continues to work in their bakery, the Boulanger, even though doctors tell her to keep it easy.
Elvina tries to help her out in every way that she can, but most of the time her mother is too stubborn, saying that she can do things on her own.
"She's still really stubborn, she doesn't like admitting to me, or to herself that she's weak." Elvina said with a sigh. Isabelle gulped. "But...she still visits the doctors, right?"
Elvina shook her head. "Not anymore, not unless it's really bad, and she hardly takes her medicine anymore now, either." Elvina had to swallow the lump that was in her throat. Isabelle put an arm around her shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze.
"I...I don't know what to tell you, Elvina." She whispered. Elvina wipped her eyes and shook her head. "You don't have to tell me anything." She then looked at her friend in the eyes. "I just need to know that she's going to be OK."
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
The next day, after breakfast, Georges walked with Isabelle and Elvina to the train station where he headed to work in his toy shop. "Hey, Isabelle, I'll try meeting you in the library after I help mama at the bakery, okay?" Elvina said jumping on her bike. Isabelle nodded. "Alright! It was nice seeing you, Elvina! Thanks for coming over, and take care!"
Elvina smiled at her before pedalling off towards the Boulanger bakery.
The little bell above the door ringed when Evlina stepped in. "Bonjour, Mama." She greeted walking over to the counter. Her mother smiled at her. "Have a good time at Isabelle's?"
Elvina nodded. "Oui." Then went behind the counter to join her mother. "Hardly any customers today..." She mumbled getting on her apron. Her mother sighed. "Yes, I know...but don't worry, they'll come." Her mother patted her on the back. "I'll leave you to look after the counter while I help Esmma with the rest of the bread." And dissapeared intoi the kitchen.
Hours passed. It was a slow day, and Elvina boredly rolled a coin around on the counter top. The little 'ding' of the bell above the door caught her attention, though, and she looked up to see Iasbelle. "Bonjour, Isabelle!" She greeted warmly. Isabelle rushed over and handed her a book. "Here, Monsieur Labisse told me to give this to you, he said that you've been meaning to read it, and it just came into the bookstore." Isabelle said. Elvina smiled brightly. "Wonderful! I'll have to remember to thank him...and...sorry I couldn't meet you at the library today."
Isabelle only nodded. "I understand...was it a busy day today?"
Elvina sighed. "The complete opposite, actually!"
Isabelle looked around her, making sure nobody could hear, before saying: "I saw the theif lurking around the station today."
This got Elvina's attention. "Really? When? Where?"
Isabelle kept her voice hushed. "Just on my way here, around the huge clock tower."
Elvina Smiled mischeviously. "I'm very curious about him...the way he lurkes around...how he just thinks he can go about and steal anything he wants, I wonder if his parents know he's doing it."
Isabelle shrugged. "Maybe he's an orphan."
"Then, wouldn't the Station Inspector have caught him?" Just as Elvina said this, he walked through the bakery door. "Bonjour, madam." He greeted.,
"Bonjour Monsieur. What can I get you, today?" Elvina asked him.
"Just a coffee and...a slice of bread with butter." He said.
"Coming right up!" Elvina hurried to the kitchen and told her mother and the workers the order before heading back to the counter.
"Awful weather out," Isabelle commented to the Station Inspector. He nodded in agreement. "And it doesn't help my work, either..."
"Speaking of your work...sir..." Elvina began. Isabelle looked over to her. "Word is that there's a new 'theif' hanging around." She said. This got the Station Inspectors attention. "Yeah?"
Isabelle nodded. "Yes...a boy, around our age, he's been stealing from my Papa Georges' toy shop." She explained. "And she's seen him lurking around the train station today." Elvina added. "Hmm...thank you for the information, girls, I'll be sure to keep an eye out." He said.
Elvina went back to the kitchen and gathered the Station Inspector's orders. "Here you are, sir."
He paid her. "Thank you. And I'll keep a look out for this little 'theif'." And he walked out of the shop.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
Isabelle was in her bedroom that evening reading a book when she heard a 'clump' against her window. Startled, she put down her book and looked out the window. It was the theif!
He was motioning her to come outside. Isabelle looked around behind her, her Papa Georges had just returned home and she could hear him and Mama Jeahnne talking downstairs. But she quietly down the stairs and met him outside. "What are you doling here? What do you want?" She asked.
"Your grandfather stole my notebook." He said. Isabelle shook her head. "Papa Georges isn't my grandfather...besides, he isn't the theif, you are! I've seen you around the station...stealing things from other people."
He sighed in frustration. "He said he was going to burn nit - please - I don't want him to burn it! You must make sure it doesn't burn."
Isabelle hesitated. "Why do you need it so bad?"
He looked at her. "I just do!"
Isabelle sighed. "Look...just...go home...please."
He shook his head and crossed his arms. "Not without my notebook."
She sighed. "Ok...ok, fine. I'll make sure he doesn't burn your notebook. Now just go, I'm going to get into trouble!"
With one last nod, the theif hurried off, into the snowy night.
xxx Reviews are love!