Amelie was in the kitchen with Cath and Rene. They were making maple candy in maple leaf molds they had for years. Amelie inserts the candy thermometer “Ok Cath, add the butter now. Rene, you stir. I’m so happy you wanted to make this this morning. It’s my favourite too.” They make a lot of candy because how can you just make a bit of something so delicious. The dining room table is covered in clean dish towels and many delectable little maple leaves. Amelie takes comfort in it. It reminds her of when they were all little and life was simple. She’s in a pair of jean capris with an old red t-shirt that has a Canada flag on it. Her hair is in its usual messy dirty blonde bun. The candies set while she takes the kids out for a bike ride down by the playground and the beach. They see where the fireworks set up is going to be for later and make a plan to come back. After the ride they have lunch in the backyard and Amelie brings out some craft stuff for Cath. Rene is a bit old for the crafts now, but he humours her and makes one little paper bag beaver puppet. Cath makes a whole forest of beaver, moose and even a very duck looking Canada Goose. Then she starts making a windsock. Amelie reads to them from a funny book of Canadian stories, and they laugh and laugh.
Amelie treasures her time with her youngest two, but she also desperately misses Sasha and Gen, and she very much misses Felix. Gen went for a walk early in the morning and still hasn’t come home. Sasha went to help his girlfriend Paige move and Felix offered to go with him. She was barely able to get them all to eat breakfast before they were all out the door. It made her heart ache and her head spin. She knew she wouldn’t see the teenagers much today, but she truly hoped Felix would come home to them.
Amelie had gone for therapy 2 days in a row. She had chosen too because she was committing to three times a week and today was a holiday. Dr. Mary Henry was very kind and rather amusing really with her excitable flapping arms. It put Amelie at ease and in some strange way reminded her of her animated younger brother Gaetan. Maybe Dr. Henry was from the ancestry of loud Frenchmen. But in her first appointment, she had just curled up on the woman’s therapy couch and cried for a solid hour, unable to say a word of why she was there. Yesterday’s appointment was a plan of action. Dr. Henry was very motivating. Why are you here? Where do you want to be with this healing? Let’s talk about how we get there. She had been given a journal as homework even, and she had actually written a bit in it. She had time and a bedroom to herself right now with Felix living in their garage. Amelie tried to use that to work on herself instead of just wallowing in self-pity about it. But there was still a lot of wallowing.
Now it was after lunch and there was still no sign of Felix. She let the kids play their video games while Taffy the puppy followed her around the kitchen as she tidied it up… They had at least had some fresh air first.
Greyson noticed Felix was walking back with him to his house and not towards his own “Would you like to stay for lunch? I was going to take the girls to the fireworks later but I’m sure they’re still sorting their rooms. I can make you a tuna melt...those I can cook.” He jokes.
Rene humoured his mother. She needed it. His father had moved into the garage, for goodness’ sake. She needed her children, yet only he and Cath were standing behind their mother. He was old enough to realize that, even though their parents hadn’t divorced, sides were being taken. He and Cath were on his mother’s side. Sasha and Gen were on their father’s side. So today, a holiday, he did whatever his mother wanted.
Felix looks a little sheepish when Greyson sort of calls him out on not going home. “A tuna melt sounds fantastic, Grey. I just … can’t right now.” he didn’t elaborate that he couldn’t face his wife and younger kids.
Greyson looks kindly at Felix “OK...well let’s have some lunch. I’m hungry. I’m sure my kids are hungry. You would probably feel better after too.” They get up to the house and go in the front door. Both girls seem to be in their new rooms like it’s a novelty. Grey laughs and kicks off his shoes and begins to make enough tuna melts for everyone “It’s like a ghost town in here…” As he slides the baking pan into the oven to broil he sighs at Felix “You will have to go home eventually. What if the girls and I celebrate the day with your family? Your youngest and Aislin are close in age. They might have fun. Maybe it would take the pressure off you and Amelie to have some company? I won’t tell her anything of course…”
The excitement of the morning with the big bike ride success and the sword fight has Thea actually napping with little Toffee curled up under one of her arms.
Amelie picks up her phone and looks at it. Should she text Felix? Two weeks ago she wouldn’t even hesitate. She hates this. With a sigh, she walks over to the maple candies and takes a picture. Maybe it’s bribery, maybe it’s irrelevant, but she’s going to reach out. She sends him the photo with a little heart emoji. “My god, I’ve become the teenagers…” She muses to herself. Waiting for a boy to text back, hoping he still likes her. It’s both funny and depressing. She walks into where the kids are button mashing their controllers and gives Rene a little kiss on the top of his head. He’s been so sweet lately. “Are you winning?” She really doesn’t even understand what they’re playing, but she thinks it a valid question.
Cath looks up at her mother and makes a face “He always wins, and he gloats.” But she doesn’t pitch a fit or start a full fight. Rene has her solidarity right now. Maman is sad. She knows he can see it too. Papa is sleeping in the garage and it’s making her even sadder. She doesn’t understand it all but it worries her.
Felix enters the house and toes off his shoes, putting them neatly in their place. He chuckles. "You miss them already." and he gets that ... he really does. Then Grey begins to cook and Felix loiters in the kitchen at the table. When Grey mentions he'll have to go home eventually, he half snorts. "My new room has a door directly to the outside." but then he sighs. "You know what? That sounds nice. Let's do it." he pulls out his phone to tell Amelie when it buzzes in his hand. He looks at the picture and chuckles. "She made her maple candy..." he murmurs. "I'll tell her we'll meet at two..." and he texts that to her 'Bring it out with the kids. We'll meet you @ the parking lot @ the park @2." he doesn't explain who 'we' is, but he hopes she'll come. And that Cath and Aislin will get along at least.
Rene doesn’t protest the kiss to his head. Not while his mother was so sad and things felt so … broken. But he does smile and answer her. “Naturellement (Naturally).” He actually winks at his sister. “I think I’ll find a game she can play. I’ll teach you how to beat them.” he promises. “Are we going to see the fireworks, Maman?” He'd like to get out of the house.
Alslin was napping, as she’d promised her sisters she would. She woke feeling refreshed and hungry. The smell coming into her new room was familiar. Dad’s tuna melts! She gets up and pads out, moving into the kitchen. “I have a question.” she asks looking between her father and Felix. “Would you call Dad in to consult on eye teeth?” she asks and exaggerates her innocently curious look for them.
Amelie smiles at Rene, touched that he’s being so good with Cath today “You see Cath? I know it’s hard to be the youngest….any of them really. Of course, we’re going to the fireworks.” Her phone chimes and she looks at it. It’s from Felix. Her heart soars and it’s written on her face “Oh it’s Papa….he wants to meet us at the park at 2...he said we. Maybe with Sasha and Paige?” She shrugs “I figured the big kids would want to make their own plans today. No matter...we’ll bring them some candy, and us too!” She smiles genuinely now and goes to look for a container to pack some up in.
Cath smiles a little at her brother and then leans in when their mother goes into the kitchen “They’re getting along…” She says hopefully.
Greyson watches the melts under the broiler to make sure they don’t burn. “That sounds lovely. 2 it is.” Then in no time he pulls the pan back out and turns to hear Aislin’s question and cracks up “Well he could… but I’m not sure I could offer him a clear view of the problem. Clever Punny Aislin. Would you like to go to the park at 2 and meet Felix’s kids...the ones closer to YOUR age? Thea’s awfully quiet….” He grabs a stack of plates and a lifter and starts setting them all up at the table.
Rene watches her mother smile and it lifts his heart. When Cath leans into her he nods. "Pray it lasts." he's a bit more skeptical … his parents had always slept together, at least. Even when things had been tense before.
Felix hears the question and laughs along with Grey and then even harder at Grey’s return pun. “I’d give my eye teeth to see that, to be honest.” he winks. He’s more relaxed now and his phone vibrates. “We’re on for two.” he announces. “My Cath is 11 … and Rene is 13.”
Aislin laughs at the old ones. “Nice …. I’ll give you that.” she perks at the news that there humans her own age on the island. “I’d love to! Let’s go!” she closes her eyes and folds her hands. “I know … Patience … heaves huge sigh.”
At ten to 2, at the park Amelie is laying out a big plaid blanket for her family. She has a backpack with water bottles, sunscreen - although she’s already made them put on the first round before leaving home, maple candy and some cut fruit and veggies too so it’s not all candy all the time. She had a little first aid kit and extra hats. Amelie is a pro mom, she has it all. People are milling all about and the smell of food carts wafts around them. There’s a guy selling bubbles by blowing bubbles and he has a small herd of small children chasing him with their parents in tow. Amelie laughs. It’s just like some of the festivities back home. Except she’s not stuck watching all her sister MCs kids as well as keeping track of her own. Today was for her younger two, and she would give them her all. “Cath, Rene, come sit.”
Cath sits down beside her mother, crossing her legs under her. She’s all in red for Canada day. A red skort with a red tshirt that has a white ringer collar and white ringer sleeves. It says Canadian Girls Rock.
There’s a gaggle of younger teenagers and on the fringe of it is Daphne McLeod. She’s hamming it up for her friends and wearing possibly the best Canada Day shirt of the day. It’s green but it depicts Justin Trudeau on a unicorn and it says Canada is Magical. With it, she has on a pair of short cut off jean shorts and little pink flip flops. She has a tiny sparkly pink purse on. She grabs Mabel Stanley’s arm and jumps up and down “We need cotton candy!”
Mabel snorts and nods “Because we’re not hyper enough?” She’s wearing a more typical red and white Canadian shirt with a flag on it and a pair of longer black shorts. She has the same flip flops in black. She points to the cotton candy stand “There!”
Tristan stands with Mason and Tony looking down at his phone with a frown. “Hmmm … must be the time zone thing….good set Tony, really good.” He sees the girls being silly and smirks at them “Yeah just what you need...sugar!” Tristan is wearing long camo cargo shorts and a plain black tshirt. No Canadian fan fare on him.
Meanwhile, Greyson Page walks up with his two younger daughters and Felix. Thea is on his shoulders and surveying the crowd.
“Ahoy Sparky, we’ve made it to Treasure Island!” She exclaims looking down at Aislin with excitement.
“I’m still the seahorse then?” Greyson asks a little tiredly. He notices Amelie and the other two kids and smiles but can’t wave for hanging onto Thea’s legs “There they are Felix.”
Dante is walking through the far side of the park with Gen, holding her hand. They’re on a date and it’s very sweet. There’s people all around them but the world could fade away. He only sees Gen.
Mason is dressed in a black Canadian tshirt with a flag on it and khaki shorts. He looks at the cotton candy stand and then back at Tony and Tristan. "We all deserve cotton candy." he proclaims. "Because we haven't had it in three YEARS!"
Tony smiles at Tristan. "Thanks man." he looks at the girls and snorts. "Mabel's kinda right. Ya'll don't need more sugar. And isn't it fattening?" He looks straight at Daphne. He's always watching his figure, especially now that he's off being grounded, having finished his book reports and can get in the studio again. "But Mason DOES have a point. I can hit the gym or something after. Wanna join me, Daphne?" he asks with the most innocent of intentions. He heads towards the cotton candy stand with his friends in to, he hopes.
Felix arrives with Grey and his family. Moving close, he at least stands with Amelie, looking at the blanket and everything. She as the best mother in the world, he believed. But he only nods at her.
Aislin sighs deeply and shakes her head at her little sister. Her attention, however, is on the dirty blonde girl by the blanket. "Hi. I'm Aislin Page. You're Cath, right? Catherine?" she's feeling excited, but awkward.
Rene watches her mother. He's still trying to be patient, but every time he inhales he can smell the sunscreen. Not cool. He is distracted by laughter and turns his head to see a group of kids his age. Girls and boys gathered together. His mother calls to him and he bites his lip. He couldn't leave his mother now, not even to meet kids his own age. He tries to catch one of the kids eyes and wave. He doesn't come sit with his family, but he doesn't run off, either. Then his father arrives with another man and two younger girls, one of whom starts talking to Cath. He notices the cotton candy stand the teens are headed for and gets an idea. "Can I treat you guys? Cotton Candy! On me!" and he takes off running for the cotton candy stand before either of his parents can say anything.
Felix watches Rene take off and moves his eyes to Amelie. He knows Rene wants to make friends, and he hopes to buy him at least a few minutes. "You made your candy." he murmurs. "I love your candy."
Gen walks hand in hand with Dante. It’s really the first time they’ve been to an event together. A real date, and she loved every second of it. She is in overall shorts with a maple leaf pin in the top front pocket and blue tshirt under it.
Siobhan O’Leannain is walking through the festival smiling. He is in white leggings and a scarf top that showed off the phoenix tattoo on her chest, rising from the area of her heart. The one below that .. a black ink sort of Tree Of Life is less visible, but it is clearly there. Her black hair is up but wild. On her hands are two faint tattoos like designs. She spots a familiar face and approaches. “Hey, Dante. I talked to my Dad, and he says you can start as soon as you’re ready.” she holds up a pale finger. “Cleanup only at first … but we’ll keep an eye on you.”
Daphne is bounding around with Mabel when she hears Tony talk about cotton candy being fattening and then ask her to go with him to the gym. She looks down at her body and then scoffs at Tony “Did you just call me fat?” She rolls her eyes at Mabel “Tony thinks I’m fat.” A new boy with dirty blonde hair runs up and offers to buy the cotton candy and her hurt feelings answer him “ Yes, you can. As long as you like girls for who they are and not the size of their booty. I’m Daphne by the way.”
Mabel immediately takes Daphne’s side “Tony that’s so rude!” And she walks closer to Daphne and the new boy. “Hello I’m Mabel.”
Tristan just winces at Tony “Oh man...” He’s thinking Tony didn’t mean it like that. “Well you’ve stepped in it now. Sorry dude.” He looks at the new guy and Daphne’s reaction to him and winces again looking between Tony and Mason. He doesn’t introduce himself because he doesn’t want to be seen as taking a side, but he gives the new guy an awkward nod.
Amelie had swallowed hard at Felix’s initially cool greeting but then made nice as life had trained her to do “Hi Felix, Greyson, girls...Aislin and Thea right?” She gives little Thea an extra smile. Thea was at that great and wide-eyed age Amelie loved. She sees Aislin move to Cath and Rene run off to make friends and then Felix says something about the candy with much more warmth, and she gives him a look of absolute love “I did, with the kids. I love it too.” She touches his arm and then stoops down for the container and opens it up to offer one to him. After him, she will also offer to Grey, Thea and Aislin as well as Cath.
Cath smiles brightly at Aislin “ Cath is fine. Come sit with me. How old are you? How many brothers and do you have? Do you like maple candy? We made some.” It’s like a gate has been opened to someone close to her age who she’s not related to.
Dante grins at Siobhan “Hey, that rocks. Thank you.” He looks between her and Gen and introduces them “Siobhan this is my girlfriend Genevieve. Gen this is Siobhan. She’s one of the tattoo artists in town and I aspire to be even half as good as her.” They were just on the other side of the portapotties but thankfully not downwind.
Grey eases Thea to the ground “ Hi Amelie. Hi Cath.” He overheard the preference. When the maple candy comes his way he says “Oooh don’t mind if I do. Thank you.”
Thea’s eyes go big when she sees candy leaves, and she pops the whole thing in her mouth when she gets it.
Then Grey gets pulled into another conversation as Stuart Peterson wanders past with his wife and introduces her to their soon to be not neighbour. It’s a conversation in passing but it nonetheless distracts him from Thea who tugs on his shirtsleeve.
“Daddy I have to pee!”
Greyson looks around “Ok honey I’m sure there’s a bathroom somewhere...”
Amelie interjects “We did a little walk around. I know where there’s portapotties on the other side of the park. I can take her.” Thea was doing a little desperate dance now and thrust a hand up at Amelie’s.
“Oh thank you, Amelie. You ok Thea?” Thea was happy to go with Amelie and after Amelie set down the candy on the blanket she gave Felix a little smile and took Thea across the park.
In the meantime, Grey looked grateful and introduced Felix to the Petersons “Lauren and Stuart. Felix here is the new dentist if you have the need. By the way Stuart I must compliment your frames. Mirati?” He wiggles his identical ones.
Lauren reaches a hand to shake “So good to have a dentist. Nice to meet you Felix. We’re always hoping no on has need of us.” She lets go if he has shaken.
Now Stuart reaches out to shake “Yes we’re the town undertakers. Good to meet you.” He laughs at Grey “I do believe that was the brand. You must be the eye doctor then.”
Mason looks at Tony and winces. "Daph, I don't think ..." but he realizes that some blonde kid is offering to pay for their cotton candy and it's forgotten. He moves a little closer to Tristan and Tony, watching the new guy.
Rene had not planned to buy for the new kids, but for his family, but decides he will ignore that and buy for them. It may be buying friendship, but he felt like the only member of his family who hasn't made a single friend since they moved to town weeks ago. "I ... I think you're pretty." he replies. "I'm Rene. Rene Baeulieu." his accent thickens very slightly hen he speaks his very French name. He nods at the cotton candy seller, who looks a little overwhelmed to have so many in front of him all at once. He motions to them all. "One for everyone." he is able to pay, since he has plenty of money, not having done much but chase frogs since he came to Alexandra.
Tony realizes far too late how his words were misinterpreted. "No ... I ... Daph ..." and all of a sudden she is talking to a blond, and he nods. "OK, I see ..." he decides to prove he is the better man, because this kid in his zombie t-shirt doesn't look too cool. "Thanks Rene. This is Mason. Mabel's brother. And this is Tristan." he motions to both of them. "And I'm Tony Penhall." he says it as if Rene should know exactly who he is.
Rene pays with his card and steps back, noting everyone's name. Finally, Tony introduces himself and he smiles. "Good to know all of you. We just moved here … well a few weeks back. From St. Pierre Jolys. In Southwest Manitoba? He knows it's a small town and really doesn't expect anyone to know what the hell he's talking about. He doesn't recognize any of the kids names, so he doesn't appear impressed with any of them yet, but he looks at Tristan. "You're not advertising Canada, either?" his zombie tshirt has nothing Canadian about it. "Tres bon." (very good)
Aislin smiles and sits. "Cath. I'm 11 years old and I don't have any brothers, but three sisters." she motions to Thea. "That's Thea. And then my older sisters are grown up and moved out this morning, so I have my own room now. You know Paige, right?" she bounces a little. "I love maple." she takes some candy when it comes to her. "You made this like from scratch?" her eyes are round, and she is clearly impressed.
Felix doesn't pull away from Amelie's touch and looks at her, remembering all they had and all he hoped they would be again. He takes some candy and puts some in his mouth. He felt he could taste the love that she put into her hard work. He watches Amelie take Thea's hand and then turns to the Petersons. He shakes both of their hands and grins at Lauren after hearing what she and her husband do. "I think both of us would be happy to never see each other in the others' office, oui?” He quips.
Gen smiles as she's introduced to Siobhan. "I'm glad to meet you. I love your tattoos." she can't help but see them. She squeezes Dante's hand. "You're fantastic. I know it already." she clears her throat. "If you'll excuse me a minute..." she has to go … especially while there's not really a line.
Siobhan smiles and replies. "Thanks. It's my Dad's work, but it represents my healing from a broken heart. Long story but … rising from the ashes and all that." she nods when Gen excuses herself. "She's cute. Congratulations." she tells him. "And she's right. You really ARE fantastic. You'll be tattooing in no time, I bet."
Daphne blushes and laughs “That’s a good answer Rene. Thank you and it’s nice to meet you. She is kind of trying to make Tony jealous or realize he’s said the wrong thing, but she really doesn’t know how to do any of this. She hears Tony introduce his friends and himself. He’s being nice. She’s still hurt though. Even if he didn’t mean it like that. She’s at a really vulnerable age about her body and all its changes and even though she acts confident, she’s not always. Mr. Confident Tony Penhall probably has no idea how that feels. She listens to Rene say he’s from somewhere French sounding in Manitoba. It fits the accent.
Mabel leans on Daphne and practically swoons at Rene’s accent and his simple small town charm. “Your town has a great name...like it’s jolly.” She blushes fiercely after she says it and squeezes Daphne’s arm. “Thank you for the cotton candy Rene. That’s very nice of you.”
Tristan hears Tony introduce both he and Mason, and he smiles “Hey Rene.” Then Rene comments on both their shirts, and he snickers “Well we’re Canadians right? Do we need to advertise…...especially you with that accent. I had no idea Manitoba was so French.”
Cath beams “I know Paige. She’s Sasha’s GIRLFRIEND.” She says it in a singsong little sister kind of way. “No brothers at all...wow. Yes we make it all the time.” She eats hers too “My oncles (uncles) even made the syrup, well the tree technically did but they made it so people can eat it.”
Stuart and Lauren Peterson both agree with Felix and the couple get waved at by a brown haired young man who looks like a younger Stuart with more hair. He’s holding hands with a pretty brown haired young woman, and they seem to be following after a small blonde boy who’s chasing a pretty Indian young woman like they’re playing some kind of game together. “Oh….our clan is calling to us..” Stuart says as a farewell. It is Chris Peterson, Noelle and Blaze Snow and Sajani Singh that they’re meeting up with.
Grey sees that Aislin and Cath are happily chatting on the blanket and walks off from the Petersons after waving at them in the direction Amelie took Thea. He looks back at Felix “I know Amelie can handle children...I’m just doing that hovering thing because she’s the youngest.” They begin to approach the porta potties.
Amelie is standing outside one to the porta potties because Thea was good to go in alone. But Thea is at a distractible age and takes awhile. Amelie cranes her head to listen at the door, wondering if she should knock and make sure she’s ok. Then Thea begins to sing a little song to herself, a pirate shanty of her own making and Amelie silently laughs.
On the other side of the portapotties Dante had nodded at Gen, understanding where she was off to. He looks again at Siobhan’s phoenix tattoo and nods “Some intense stuff there in your art..” Then he blushes a bit about Gen and the compliments “Aw thanks….hey listen. She wants one and I want to do it right. I know I’m not full on but do you think I could borrow a gun?”
Thea’s song paused just as the words borrow a gun were audible. Little Thea was still deeply in her own imagination and shrouded but the warm stinky plastic shell of the temporary toilet.
But Amelie caught it and stepped to the side of the portapotty, catching site of none other than Dante Mendoza talking to a heavily tattooed woman. Had he just said borrow a gun?
Mason nods. "Yea. What Mabel said." he looks at his sister strangely. "Anyway, where do you live? I know a couple of people have moved in this month."
Rene grins. "It is the truth." he shrugs and also looks at Mabel. "Vous êtes les bienvenus, Um … You are welcome." he translates. "I have to admit I couldn't think of another way to meet people my on age." and it's true, for the most part. He looks at Tristan with a smile. "Oui, we are Canadians ... no need to advertise. And yes … well at least where we come from. We speak French and English at home. Est-ce que tu parles français?" he asks, curious. he knew not all Canadians did. He looks back at Mason. "We live in that brown house by the green house by the woods edge and the school."
Mason beams. "Hey! That's only three doors down from us!" he pokes Mabel. "Hear that?" he looks at Rene again. "We're in the light brown house across from the gardens."
Tony is actually fascinated by this boy who lived in Alexandra but didn't know who he was. In a way, it was refreshing. "Yea. Thanks." he listens to where Rene lives. "We should all get together. I live in the Bottoms, but I'm over at Masons a lot. He has the biggest place, next to you, I guess." he considers what Rene asked Tristan and decides to answer as well. "Oui, je parle français avec mon père"
Rene smiles and looks between them all. "I'd like that. Merci. And you can come over to my house too, I'm sure." he pauses. "I could give you my number..." he looks between all of them. "And we can work something out."
Aislin giggles. "Sasha is very cool." she tells her. Then she hears about the maple syrup and makes an O with her mouth. "Oh my god ... that is so COOL!"
Felix looks at what has to be the Petersons son and others. "Take care." Felix calls after them. He follows after Grey, as the girls seem to be in their own world. He chuckles. "Understood." they walk together.
Gen finds a portapotty close by and goes in. She hates them and keeps her rear well off the seat, and pees as quickly as she can. One she's out, she finds the disinfectant wipes and cleans her hands thoroughly.
Siobhan looks at Dante a while after he asks to borrow a gun. She knows of him and has seen his poke and stick work on his own body. “You’re a little young, but so was I the first time I handled a gun. Your age, in fact. So … I’ll teach you and we’ll get the job done right. I'd like to see how you handle it.”
Amelie now steps right into view of Dante and the tattooed woman and looks a bit alarmed. She doesn’t care that he’s still talking to this woman offering to show him how to use a gun, she only cares about her daughter’s safety. “Excuse me.” She says “Dante, can I have a word?” She nods vaguely at the woman he’s talking to. She can hear Thea singing again so she knows the kid hasn’t fallen in.
Dante sees Amelie, Gen’s mother looking at him with concern and calling him over “Scuse me Siobhan. We’ll talk about this later.” He smiles a bit at her and then walks to Amelie looking wary “Hi there Mrs. Beaulieu?”
Grey and Felix get closer and see Amelie looking crossly at a young man who she’s pulled into a conversation. Greyson looks at Felix for guidance “Do you two know that kid?”
Amelie gets right down to it “I like you Dante and I’ve been keeping an open mind but you were just asking someone about a gun. Why?” She crosses her arms and squares off at him.
Dante gasp laughs a little “Oh shit no….not that kind. That must have sounded really bad out of context. A tattoo gun... I’m trying to practice.” He holds out his arm with the Selena tattoo “Trying to improve…”
Felix looks at Amelie talking to Dante. "Yes. That's Gen's boyfriend. Dante Mendoza..." he listens to Amelie talk and even he tenses, but Dante then explains himself. He nods and waits for Amelie’s reply … a little bit afraid
Gen is wiping her hands again when she comes back to find her mother talking to Dante about a gun … and Dante explaining. She marches up to them. “Maman…” her tone is one of almost warning. Was her mother going to give him a hard time about wanting to become a tattoo artist?
Siobhan doesn’t go far, and she heard it all. She also laughs. “Dante works for me and my father. At the tattoo parlor. I’m Siobhan O’Leannain … he’s, I hope, going to be one of our artists. First one that isn’t a relative.” she doesn’t offer her hand, because she isn’t sure if this woman is going to freak out on Dante yet or not.
Amelie hears Dante and then Gen walks up sounding upset with her and then the woman, who as it turns out is basically one of Dante’s bosses in what will be a job for him chimes in and back up what he just said. One hand goes up to her face from her crossed elbows like she’s hiding behind it for a moment. She looks completely humble and embarrassed “I’m so sorry. I got that wrong...way wrong.” She exhales looking first at Dante and then at Gen and then at Siobahn. “I didn’t hear the whole conversation and I made a horrible assumption when I heard the word gun. Please forgive me.” She laughs a bit, still embarrassed “For jumping the gun. Congratulations on the job Dante.”
Dante gives Gen an it’s ok look and then grins at Siobhan. When Amelie confesses her mistake and apologizes he has nothing but compassion for her “Hey no worries Mrs. B. I understand.” He actually puts a hand on her shoulder briefly to let her know he’s not offended and make a point of nodding at Gen.
Amelie pats his hand on her shoulder and steps back towards the porta potty “Pardon the intrusion. Thank you Dante. You kids have fun.”
Now Thea finally emerges “Smells like Davy Jones locker in there….ewwww eeee!”
Ameie’s mom switch flips back on for the little girl and she chirps “Hands….over there Thea to the sanitizers.” And Thea goes using enough for a whole crew of pirates.
Now Grey relaxes and gives Felix a little smile “Hope?” And then Thea crashes into his legs and hugs him “Daddy!” And he picks her up “Thea!”
Mabel’s eyes go wide, and then she looks between Rene, Tony and her brother “Oooh that is close to us. Wow I wish I spoke more French…” She kept staring at Rene.
Daphne pokes Mabel and gives her a little look to try and snap her out of it “We’re in the bottoms too.” She says to Rene but smiles a little at Tony, just a little. “I don’t speak much French either. But Rene we’re all pretty friendly. Just walk up to anyone and talk to them here. It’s just like that..” She shrugs and smiles.
Tristan grins and nods “Cool Rene. We can exchange numbers. Do you ...do Discord? My French is shit but I speak passable Japanese?” He snorts “Barely passable really. And yeah like Daphne said, everyone’s cool here.”
Cath nods “It is. I haven’t seen any maple trees on the island. Maybe they can tap birch trees. Where do you live? We’re on 3rd. Our house is the brown one. We actually live next to the mayor! My brother and his friend shot a ball through his window playing street hockey. It was Seamus actually….but I know he didn’t mean to.” She has a far away look on her face about Seamus.
Felix listens and visibly relaxes. "She didn't freak out." he breathes. "That's a change right there, Grey..." Grey mentions hope and he nods. "Hope."
Gen breathes out sigh of relief as her mother apologizes. She smiles at her ... the first genuine smile she's shared with her mother in a very long time. She smiles. "You too, Maman." she calls back.
Siobhan nods at the apology. "No problem, ma'am." she looks at Dante and Gen. "I'm out. Dante, we'll see you ... Tomorrow at ten?" it's when they open. "Gen it's great to meet you and I hope to see you around."
Rene offers Mabel a smile he doesn't realize is charming. "Well, if I can help anyone who would like to learn, I can try." he offers, taking them all into his look. He shrugs again. "Sometimes I am too shy." he admits. He nods at Tristan. "I have a Discord, yes." he laughs. "I could trade you French lessons for Japanese. That is a language I never imagined I would ever get to learn."
Mason watches his sister staring at Rene, then rolls his eyes. He gives Rene his discord and phone number. "I'll invite you to the group ... no." he is thumb typing with the speed of a stenographer.
Tony also gives his info. "We get together a lot, us guys. So we'll let you know the next time we plan to hang out." he sees Daphne's smile and offers a small one back to her. He understands he said something to annoy her, but he's not sure how what he said was wrong. Girls.
Aislin beams. "We should totally try and get sap from the trees here!" she suggests. "We're on 4th. Just go through that garden and that's our house. Well, Thea's giant pirate flag is also a big hint." she gasps of the story of the broken window and then laughs. "Seamus is nice too. He's dating my other sister, Iris." she tells her, innocently enough.
Cath nods “We could...then you just have to boil it for a long long time.” She smiles about the house at the end of a garden with a pirate flag “That sounds like a story house!” Then she hears Seamus has a girlfriend and her smile falls a bit “Oh….ok.” She sighs a bit “She’s probably as pretty as you and Paige too.”
Daphne chimes in “I have Discord too...it’s not just a boys club...and Mabel does too.” She gives Mabel a little hint hint look.
“Oh yeah give him nine too Mason.” Mabel requests as she inhales and takes in Rene’s charming smile “You don’t seem shy to me Rene….”
Daphne waves cotton candy under Mabel’s noses “You need the smelling salts.” She teases her doe eyed friend.
Mabel blinks at Daphne and then eats the cotton candy from her hand “Shush you.”
Tristan laughs “Well you know we’ll just teach each other all the swear words first right?” He gave a second glance at the charming smile but then the two girls were being ridiculous with cotton candy “You two are weird.” He gives Rene his Discord info as he laughs at them.
Dante waves at Siobhan “I’ll be there.” And then he looks at Gen “That’s kinda funny now that it’s done. Jumped the gun.” He sees Gen’s dad looking at them from the other direction and gives him a wave.
Amelie passes Dante and Gen after Thea but doesn’t disturb them again. She’s still looking a little pinker in the cheeks than normal. When she gets to Felix, Greyson and Thea it dawns on her they may have witnessed it and she looks even more sheepish. “Foot in mouth disease.” She self chides and laughs.
Thea lets go of her father and spins around and around in the open space beside the grown ups.
Greyson had given Felix and encouraging look and then looked kindly at Amelie “It happens.” He chases Thea around a bit and catches her, lifting her up in the air until she squeals.
Aislin listens carefully about how to make syrup. She nods about her house. "Thea acts like it's a pirate ship." She looks a little confused about how she means, then she gets it. "Iris? I guess ... she's pretty. Not as pretty as you are, but pretty I guess. I mean ... you're a blond!" she sighs wistfully because all young girls know that the grass is always greener on someone elses head.
Mason rolls his eyes and sends Mabel's information to Rene. "There. Happy?" he rolls his eyes. "Anyway, come on over whenever. I'm usually home on my computer."
Tony gives his info and looks at the girls. "Smelling salts?" he shakes his head and looks at his watch. "You wanna watch the fireworks with us, Rene?" he offers.
Rene Smiles at them all, his gaze lingering the longest on the girls and Tristan. "Putain oui. Fuck yea." he tells Tristan and laughs and then blows out a breath. "I can't. My mom's been kinds .. you know .. I better stick with the family for this." he is clearly disappointed. "But we have Discord now so ... keep in touch?"
Gen nods, watching her mother go. "Yea, it is." she kisses his cheek. "So my man has job now." she bites her lip and double checks to make sure her mother isn't in hearing range ... or her father for that matter. "So you'll be able to …" she giggles. "Use your gun on me soon?"
Felix sees how sheepish Amelie looks and his heart softens. He leans over and kisses her on the cheek. "A simple mistake." he assures her.
…
Amelie sees Felix’s look and it calms her embarrassment. She leans into the kiss a bit and smiles “Thank you. I’m working on less of those. Dr. Henry is making me keep a journal...I have homework.” She admits and rolls her eyes, still smiling. Then she notices Greyson and Thea “He’s really good with his girls. And Aislin and Cath are getting along…” She looks around “Goodness Rene has a whole posse over there….and cotton candy. He better floss.”
Dante pulls back and smirks at Gen “We still talking about tattooing?” He teases her and then puts his arm around her to keep walking the way they were when they ran into Siobahn.
The afternoon in the park ebbs and flows with the heartbeats and heartbeat of the town of Alexandra on Canada’s 153rd year. Three of those had gone amiss on this island, amiss for its connection to the rest of the nation. And now it was whole again.
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