Michael Reinhardt stood near the defendants table in the Alexandra Municipal courtroom. He knew that he probably wouldn’t be needed, but it was standard procedure. Looking around he saw Hamilton Dorchester, who stood alone at the prosecutors table. But unlike the case of Sasha and Dante, there were more people in the gallery behind him than behind the defence table.
Austin Kendrick looked younger than Levi Samuels to Michael’s eyes. You could almost smell the wet ink on his law diploma. He was the Legal Aid defence attorney. Beside him was Brett Lancaster, the defendant. He was still bruised and his jaw still healing. All parties agreed that anything Brett needed to say could be written down for his lawyer to read on his behalf.
No one sat directly behind Brett and Austin. Sharon and Nolan Lancaster sat along the aisle on that side but midway to the door and behind even those who had come to support the victim in the case.
Behind Hamilton Dorchester sat Natalie Sokal with Felix, Amelie and Genevieve Beaulieu. As usual, the judge was on the screen and had been listening to the plea bargain. Brett was pleading guilty to attempted sexual assault, as opposed to ‘simple’ attempted rape.
Thanks to the plea bargain Gen and her testimony were not technically required. Ham, however, wanted her present in the courtroom so that the judge could see her face and consider it in her sentencing.
Austin had done his job, but it was his first case and he wasn’t prepared to defend someone who was so obviously guilty. To add to the difficulties, Ham had his witnesses prepare their own statements for the judge … including from Brett’s own brother who had called 911, provided a statement to police at the time of his brother’s arrest and was clearly done with his brother. It also did not help his client that, while searching his background two different police departments had contacted the Alexandra Police Department regarding open cases of girls accusing Brett of sexual assaults. Both were rapes, which made the case he was being prosecuted for seem almost mild by comparison, as Brett was stopped before he could commit the rape.
Brett Lancaster was sentenced to Burnaby Youth Correction Center until the day of his 18th birthday. Because he was being sentenced as a minor, that was the maximum sentence the judge could hand down. The location was selected because Dante Mendoza was in the only other facility and, having them in the same place was asking for trouble, as was pointed out by Dante’s attorney.
Michael stepped forward with the final bang of the gavel and took Brett by the elbow. Unlike Dante, Brett was not allowed days to prepare and say goodbye to his family. He would be going immediately to Burnaby. As Michael led him past his mother, who was crying and his brother who was not, Brett pointed straight at his brother. To Michael the implication of a threat was as clear as day.
Sharon Lancaster looked up through her tears and saw Brett point at Nolan. She had been broken by everything her oldest had done. How had he become this person? She knew part of it but she felt like there was more. Was he just born with some awful capacity for this violence? And her strong and gentle boy beside her. She couldn’t take it, she couldn’t watch him be pointed at. She stood up and shouted at Brett “Don’t you dare point at your brother? YOU did this….you did this to yourself...and ruined all of our lives….and these young women’s. You’re NO son of mine! Stay the hell away from us!” She was beyond hysterical.
Amelie had been leaning forward, holding onto Gen’s hand through the whole sentencing. Her daughter’s bravery made her heart break and burst at the same time. Gen was a stronger woman that she had been. It gave her hope. It gave her hope despite wanting to swan dive from the top of the bench behind Brett Lancaster and claw his little eyes out. Then she heard his mother condemn him and she turned and stared at the woman in total shock. But she also felt a deep compassion. How could any mother live with it? Especially hearing about the cases pending on the rapes her son had fully committed, not just attempted.
Natalie Sokal’s focus was on supporting Genevieve Beaulieu during the sentencing of Brett Lancaster. She was pleased with the outcome, as pleased as anyone could be given the circumstances but in listening to Bret’s other successful offenses she had a new callous on the palm of her hand. This boy needed to be locked away. Hamilton was effective. The judge was on point. Gen had a good and loving family behind her. As Brett was led away Natalie was reaching to pat Gen’s arm when she heard Sharon Lancaster yell at her son. She didn’t turn because she had seen this sort of thing before. Now Brett was truly alone on this terrible path he had forged through violence.
Hamilton Dorchester was satisfied with the trial and sentencing. He had done his job. He actually felt sorry for Austin Kendrick and hoped he had a better case next time. He too had been a legal aid prosecutor when he was new to law. But defence was worse, so much worse, scum of the earth worse. And now the scum was being taken into remand but not before his mother had her say. Hamilton turned his head casually but didn’t stare. He watched Gen and her family react and then looked to see when Brett would be fully out of the court so they could finally feel truly safe.
Outside the court, Sasha stood with Rene, Cath and Elise. Elise’s father had walked down with her to wait since she had been so upset about what had happened to her friend and all she had to face. Andre Girard stood off to the side, ready to head back to work once Elise connected with Genevieve. Sasha was very mature in keeping his siblings and Elise out of the traffic flow of people to and from the municipal building. He was in his Daly Deli work shirt and jeans as he had a shift shortly. There was a woman’s voice shouting from inside loudly.
Nolan saw his brother point at him and did not need a translator to know what Brett meant by it. He was prepared to ignore it and then maybe go to The Gym or play street hockey to get out some of his own frustrations. But then his mother started shouting and he immediately reached for her. "Mom ... Mom ..." he turned her away from Brett and held her until he could see for himself that Brett was out of the room and heading down the stairs. Then he led his mother in the same direction. It was tempting to lead her out the back door of the Municipal Building, but he didn’t want to appear scared to Brett, so he went out the front, where he saw Brett across the street in the APD parking lot being loaded into an official looking vehicle to be taken to Burnaby. Even from across the street, he sat Brett point at him again, as if Nolan could think that Brett would remember his betrayal until the end of his days. He thought his mother might also have seen it, but he still kept his arm protectively around her. In Nolan’s opinion, he had a few years to prepare … for Brett’s release on his 18th birthday.
Felix watched the shole thing with one hand on Gens back. She’d been so brave. And hearing that this was not the first time Brett had done this to a young lady … that in fact it was only Gen where he had been stopped .. made him feel somehow both better and worse. But it was over. He didn’t see Brett point at his brother, but he heard Sharon Lamcaster yell at him. It was an enviable position. If there was good from this day it was in Dante’s not being there … as much as he now cared for that young man, he wasn’t sure what his reaction would be. And Dante would be home soon enough. He led his family out of the building and saw Brett point at Nolan this time. To him it looked like a very thinly veiled threat.
Gen could feel her family and Natalie all around her during the sentencing. The news that she was not the first, but the luckiest of several girls made her feel a bit more grateful. But Dante was in jail and he wouldn’t be out anytime soon, unless he did spectacularly. Then she heard Brett’s mom … Nolan’s mom yelling at Brett and looked to see Nolan holding her for a bit and then leading them out behind Brett. With her father, mother and Natalie, she followed and saw the gesture Brett made towards Nolan and sighed. She saw Elise then, and moved from her family to hug her and, if she can move her closer to her family. “It’s over … I guess.” she is still looking around .. at Natalie at her parents, at Brett in the car across the street and even at Nolan and his mother.
Sharon almost collapses after her outburst, both emotionally and physically and leans on Nolan as he leads her out. She sees Brett point at Nolan again as they get outside and just sobs. They would need a restraining order to protect Nolan, the son who had made the right choice. As Brett was loaded into the vehicle and it drove away she felt both raw and somehow numb. As Genevieve Beaulieu and her family came into sight outside she turned to them and weakly said “I’m so sorry…” as her heart finally just shattered.
Elise threw her arms around Gen the second her friend moved towards her and they sort of walk hugged closer to Gen’s family “Oh my god Gen…” Elsie said, in tears for her friend as she held onto her. She was smaller than Cath by about an inch in height. She saw Nolan and his mom and Brett’s pointing at Nolan and it made her freeze. Elise had somehow felt like Brett had gotten Nolan’s help but during the lead up to the trial she had learned that was not the case and now she could see the hatred in Brett’s eyes as he pointed at Nolan and it was frightening. The same hatred no doubt that he had when he had tried to rape her best friend. Now Brett’s mother was apologizing and she just looked up at Gen, wondering how anyone could even reply to that at all.
Amelie had been holding Gen’s hand until she moved to Elise and she released the hand. Then she clutches Felix and watched Brett point at his brother. The day was spinning around them and her mind could barely keep up. Gen moved back closer to her with Elise in tow and she put an arm around both girls as Sharon seemed to be trying to apologize for the actions of her son. “You don’t need to…” She began but couldn’t complete it for her own voice broke.
Cath was shaking with fear and anger as she saw Brett Lancaster emerge in custody and head across the street. Then she saw his mother and brother come out together and his mother looked so not ok and Brett pointed at his brother. Gen and Maman and Papa came right out after and she was relieved but also overcome. Gen was hugging Elise and Cath got right in on the other side and hugged her sister nestled into their mom and possibly their dad too as Mrs. Lancaster said she was sorry.
Hamilton stepped aside a bit as the group exited, giving the big emotions some room and the family some space. He would say his farewells when there was a logical opening. For now he stood to one side of Natalie and commented to her after seeing Brett point and hearing Sharon then apologize. “Many layers.”
Natalie was closer to the Beaulieus but could also hear Hamilton and nodded “More than usual even.” She lowered her voice and stepped a little away from the family groupings too but kept an eye.
Sasha piled himself on to the hug surrounding Gen “Sorry Elise, I’m coming in…” He knew Elise would be fine with it and his mother and youngest sister were on the other side of Gen. He had seen Brett point at Nolan and it worried him. Nolan was a good guy and had done all he could to help, more than that. He hoped it didn’t come back on him later. But for now it was about Gen. Then Brett was driven off and Sasha couldn’t stop himself from flipping the back of the vehicle the bird “Rot in hell Brett…” He muttered at the back of it. Then he looked unsure of how to react to Mrs. Lancaster’s apology. The poor woman.
And after Sharon apologized and felt like her heart was shattered she clutched her chest, physically feeling unwell. It was too much. Her face looked flushed.
Andre watched the whole scene in disbelief. This was not a quiet little island at all. And this situation, his neighbours, his daughter’s best friends, the attempted rape. It was very upsetting to the whole Girard family. He looked at the Beaulieus with compassion and then at Sharon Lancaster in alarm “I think she needs a doctor!”
Gen hugs Elise gratefully and then Cath and finally looks at Sharon Lancaster. She can hear her mother trying to reply and sighs. Nolan then speaks and his words make sense and she is about to reply when Elise's father mentions a doctor.
Nolan watches the car with Brett inside of it and sighs deeply. Then he hears his mother apologize and turns his head to see that she is speaking to Gen and her family. He realizes it may be taken the wrong way, but he looks at the Beaulieus while telling his mom. "It's all on Brett. You didn't make him that monster. Dad did, if anyone is responsible besides Brett." he looks again in the direction the car drove off towards the ferry. Then someone mentioned a doctor and his eyes flew back to his mother. "Mom!" he reacts with alarm.
Felix watches the scene even as he hugs his daughters and wife after Gen hugs her friend. The attempted apology and Nolan's reply hit him, but then it is all swept away when Andre mentions a doctor. He looks at Sharon and moves to her, taking her by the hand and moving her to one of the benches outside of the building. "Sit down Mrs. Lancaster.'' His voice is calming and professional. He takes her pulse and frowns slightly. "I think we should take you to the clinic." he replies as if suggesting they should all go and get some coffee. He then sweeps her up in his arms for the slow short walk to the clinic. This isn't his kind of medicine.
At the clinic, Amelie stops the group before there’s an unsafe bottleneck “They’re not going to let this many of us in there, even with face masks.” She puts a hand on Nolan’s shoulder and gestures that he follow Felix “Andre…..they’re your neighbours...would you…” She points at the Breakfast Nook “Let’s go wait in there everyone.”
Andre nods vehemently “Of course….” He walks with Nolan. He looks back at Elise, Gen and Amelie “We’ll text you. Call your mother and tell her I’ll be there later.”
Cath stays right beside her mother now and follows along with her instructions, just wide eyed at what’s just happened.
Elise nods, just stunned at the whole thing now “I will Dad.” She heads with Gen for the Breakfast Nook as she dials “Hi Mom..….um I don’t even know how to explain this…” She drops her voice and tries to.
Amid the chaos Sasha quickly hugs Gen and then his mother “I’m sorry but I have to go to work….can one of you text me what happens to Mrs. Lancaster? I hope she’s ok….” He gives Gen one last extra hug “Love you.” and then he heads to his shift at the deli.
Natalie begs off the Breakfast Nook but does look worried for Sharon and Nolan “I’m going to head back to the office but I’m a phone call away if you need me, anytime.” She lets her gaze and a hand rest on Gen as she offers that before leaving. There was enough chaos and too many people in the mix for her to in any way be useful at that point.
Hamilton Dorchester follows Natalie’s lead “I’m also available anytime. I’ll leave you folks to it. I do hope for the best outcome here as well.” He briefly nods at the Beaulieus and Natalie and decides to just head for the ferry.
Inside, as she’s carried by Felix, Sharon struggles to get a full breath and feels like the collar of her blouse is becoming constricted even though it was perfectly comfortable this morning. She’s beginning to sweat and feeling disoriented. She’s aware that the dentist is carrying her though and that she’s inside the clinic now. A crew of people flock to them and two of them put her on a stretcher.
Felix walks in with Sharon in his arms and sets her on a stretcher. He’d just made it, if he’s honest with himself. “Possible heart attack.” he explains as he sees a white lab coat. The dark hand that begins to examine Sharon tells him that it is Dr McKinney.
Susan watches Felix as they take Sharon into the exam room. “Thank you, Doctor Beaulieu. She announces and with that sometimes rough professional curtness shoos everyone out of the room except for her, her nurse and Sharon, the patient.
Nolan is about to walk into the exam room with his mother when Dr Beaulieu’s arm stops him. “They’ll give us an update soon, son … come on …” he heads not to the main waiting room, but back towards the ER doors. “Coffee?” he looks both at Nolan and Andre. Nolan nods, even though he is looking at the accordion door that just closed between he and his mother. What a fucking day.
Gen watches her father. He went to Ms Lancaster like she was anybody. She wasn’t the mother of the boy who tried to rape her .. she was just a woman with medical needs and he a doctor. That was the kind of separation she was aiming for and hoped to gain as she heads for the Breakfast Nook wit the others. “Maman … is this because … because of … all .. this?” she bites her lip as tables are moved to accommodate their large party.
Andre Girard is a little shorter than Felix and broader. He had jet black hair a little on the longish side but thinning on top. His facial features and skin tone definitely showed the Indigenous side of his Metis heritage more than the French and he had large brown eyes. He was a bit of a top heavy person, long torsoed with a bit of a middle age paunch under his blue Island Dive shirt. He’s wearing black cut off jeans shorts and black runners and in between the legs of the shorts and the whose are his scrawny bow legged chicken legs. Andre is an oddly proportioned being, taller than some people sitting down than he was standing up. He wore wire framed glasses that he pushed up often and had a wide mouthed grin. “Yeah coffee. She’’s in good hands Nolan.” He patted the kid on the back reassuringly, feeling just awful for him. Then he looks at Felix “You were quick on your feet there Dr. B.” He’s not sure where the dentist knows to get coffee back here but he could trust the process.
Amelie ushers her family and Elise into the Nook and they’re seated immediately as tables are moved to keep the social distancing in check too. She hears Gen’s question and sighs “It’s quite likely. Mrs. Lancaster would be under a lot of stress….” She felt like they watched the woman’s heart simply break before them in all ways. She sits down and accepts a menu as it’s given to her “Girls, and Rene, have something to eat….it could be awhile. How are you doing Gen?” She looks worried for her daughter.
Cath slips right in beside her mother and just listens and looks around at everyone. Was Brett’s mother going to die from stress? She had to ask “Can you die from stress?” She vaguely nods as she’s handed a menu.
Elise was on Gen’s other side and hugged her arm “We’re here for you first Gen. I do want Mrs. Lancaster to be ok…...but wow timing…” she exhales and takes her menu and then looks at Cath “Well you can die from stress related illnesses…..but not just from stress….it’s a factor not a cause.”
Rene blows out a breath when they finally sit. It feels like it's one thing after another today. He takes a menu as Cath asks her question and he sighs. “It’ll be okay, Cath.” he promises, trying to calm her and realizing that is what his father and brother used to do with his mother and .. it was not supposed to be what they did anymore. So he adds on a weak and belated. “Probably.”
Gen looks at those around her, barely registering who is where. Part of her realizes she is being like her mother when she looks at Cath. “Well … sort of, but I’m sure Mrs Lancaster will be fine. They have good doctors and .. the worst is over?” it comes out more like a question than a statement. She looks at Elise and blows out a breath. “I know right.” she nites her lip. “I bet it was that … motion … I mean … it looked like some … Hollywood Mafia movie threat Brett made to Nolan. God .. how can they be brothers?” she marvels.
Felix takes them to what passes for the clinic's cafeteria/break room in the basement. It's a small room with a coffee maker with a pot of water heating on it, microwave oven, mini fridge and various single serve packets of tea, coffee and creamers of various flavors. He motions to the pile of individually wrapped paper cups. "They have quite a selection down here." he murmurs, sitting and taking nothing himself. He looks over at Andre and notices that they have sat themselves on either side of Nolan. "Dr McKinney is a wonderful doctor, Nolan." he echoes Andre's thoughts. Then he is complimented and shrugs. "It just ... I'm still a doctor and can recognise a heart attack when I see one." he sighs "It can happen to my own patients .. and has."
Nolan looks around the little room and moves to a seat. He takes nothing but sits, the adults sitting with him between them. He looks towards the door and swallows, then shakes his head. “Jesus fucking Chrst on a chariot driven mother fucking side car … how much worse can it get? I should have told Mom not to go out of town? I should have called the police … before … before…” he can’t think of exactly when he should have called the police, just taking all of the blame on himself. He’d been holding so much back to be strong for his mother. “Fuck you, Brett.” he drops his head on the table and begins to cry in anger, frustration and worry, his own stress taking this time to bubble over.
Andre doesn’t grab a coffee immediately but is glad Felix knew of this spot over the waiting room for Nolan. He nods about the recognition of a heart attack “I’m sure.” Then he watches Nolan and can’t help but give a little half grin at the colourful language but then purses his lips when the kid falls apart. He puts a hand on Nolan’s back like he would if it was one of his “Hey buddy….you did everything you could. Don’t take on what’s not yours to carry.” He looks up at Felix, knowing it was his daughter but also knowing the guy is also a dad.
Amelie tries to look comforting to her children and isn’t sure she can so she just sighs “I’m sure they will do everything they can for her at the clinic. She got in right away and that’s good.” She considers Gen’s question “I don’t know the family well enough to even guess. But you can have siblings who are …..polar opposites. Something is very wrong with Brett for him to….well you know….” She breaks off. Gen knows.
Cath is trying to process it all. She has no idea how Gen is holding together. It’s so much. “Maman, have you got any paper and a pen?” Her mother did have her purse and it was often yes. Drawing always helped.
Amelie absently took out a pad of paper and two pens, with a little smile at Cath. she knew Cath was trying to sort it all out and doing what she did best and what helped her.
Elise shakes her head “I don’t know. I mean something bad must have happened to him….maybe I’m just hopeful but that’s like reverse karma. Something bad happened so he does something bad…...karma needs to wake up again because prison isn’t enough. Sorry if I’m a horrible person. Not everyone can be rehabilitated. And if he just comes back and hurts his brother…..” She slumps “Not helping…..just oh my god…..”
Now Cath retreats into the pad of paper and tunes out Elise as much as possible, and all of it for a minute or two. She’s drawing the room, the tables and chairs and people. The people look like comic book people and she imagines the conversations between them.
Rene listens and watches as Cath does what Cath does. Draw. He hears Elise and nods. "He basically got three years for ..." he half glances at Cath and ends with. "It. That doesn't seem right for it to all go away when he hits 18. Does it?" he doesn't understand how law really works and wonders if he should talk to Mr Reinhardt. Not that it is half an excuse to see Tristan, but Mr Reinhardt would know the law better than anyone else he could think of.
Gen can see where Cath is coming from retreating into her drawing. She hears both Elise and Rene and thinks about what could happen if he got out and came after Nolan. "Can't Nolan get a restraining order or something, Maman?" she wonders. She isn't worried about herself and she can't explain why. "Nolan tried to help, too. He doesn't deserve the brother he got."
Felix smiles at Nolan's colorful language. He had never heard that one before. Then the boy starts crying and Felix recognises it for what it is. Stress. "Andre is right. You had no way of knowing, Nolan." he moves to pat Nolans shoulder.
Nolan fees the hands on him and is sure one of them belongs to Dr Beaulieu. He tries to suck it up and sniffs. "I'm so sorry I didn't do enough, Dr. Beaulieu. I didn't know what he was planning. I didn't know about the other girls. I didn't know..." he starts sobbing again.
Andre keeps his hand on Nolan. “Aw man….get it all out. You could never know that…” He pats him a bit and then just leaves the hand resting. God the poor kid.
Amelie “That is how the system works. It’s meant I think to protect people who fell off their path, so they can turn their lives around...but that’s not the case with everyone. And not the case here. And I would imagine Nolan can apply for that yes...and he should I think. And if we find out Brett ever intends to live here, so should you and Dante, even our family so he can’t come near any place you might live or visit...if you live somewhere else when you’re over 18.” She’s already planning to look it all up.
Cath looks up briefly at all the restraining order talk. Then she watches the waitress talk and laugh with an old man and keeps drawing. It’s becoming very detailed, even the steam from his coffee cup and the coffee pot she’s holding.
Elise sits tall “I’ll apply too, we could get everyone you know too….Brett won’t able to walk a block in a straight line.” She says vehemently “We should get everyone in town to do it….” She knows that’s not likely how it works but the fantasy in her mind of a total ban is motivating. “Seriously though you should Gen.”
Rene listens and nods at the idea of a restraining order. He wonders if Brett would come after any of them, or even all of them. "Hey Cath ... look at this ... waffles!"
Gen blows out a breath. Dante would probably say he could take care of Brett and Gen worried he might have to. When Brett would be 18 they would be also, depending on Brett’s birthday, so Dante would be an adult. “There’s some time. I just want Nolan and his mom to be okay. And .. I don’t want Dante to be worrying. At least they won’t be in the same place.”
Felix feels for this young man and impulsively moves his chair closer, putting his arm around him and possibly pulling him into a hug. Even though he doesn't think the boy should feel the way he does, he understands it as someone who has been overburdened with his own guilt for years. "We don't blame you, Nolan. Nor your mother. None of us does. We blame Brett. Not you. And not your mother." and if the boy needs it, he will hug him as if he were his own son.
Nolan takes Andre's advice, but when Felix speaks .. holds him blameless ... holds his mother blameless he leans into the dentist and cries as if he were a little boy again.
Andre just sighs watching Nolan release his emotions.into Felix. It’s awful abd beautiful as ti was Felix’s daughter who his brother tried to rape. It’s healing and he supports them both. He pats Nolan’s arm but then leans back and let’s Felix take it and just stays present. He gets the sense that the kid doesn’t have a good dad figure but he doesn’t know. It’s just a big release. But he’s never seen a guy around and his wife said she heard a rumour it was a bad divorce. Now they were all hurting in so many ways.
Amelie nods “I don’t want Dante where he is…..but maybe it’s better he wasn’t here for this today. Not that he would be unkind about Nolan and Mrs. Lancaster. I’m very grateful this province has two facilities…” The waitress interrupts her and she breaks off and looks up “oh i haven’t even looked at it...do you have crepes? No...ok….whatever kind of vegetable omelette with toast and bacon please. And coffee please.” she looks around.
Cath had heard her brother say waffles and let that stick in her head “Waffles please, can I get them with blueberries? Do you have real maple syrup?” she looks at the woman suspiciously and then smiles a bit as she offers to check. Then she leans in to look at the left side of the waitresses face like she had missed something and grabbed her pen again and added to her drawing. She hadn’t noticed the waitress had a prominent mole on that side.
Elise had nodded with Amelie about Dante “Yep...gotta agree there.” She looks apologetically at Gen. “Not that we didn’t want Dante to be here for you….just yeah…” The waitress looks at her and she smiles and then ponders for a minute “Do you do a fried egg sandwich?” There’s a pause “Could you just charge me for the egg and sausage breakfast thing and …..you know what I’ll make it into a sandwich….that one. And so much coffee. I know people say that…..but do you have one of those carafe things you can just leave on the table? Because I have a problem…” She fully admits. Then the waitress walks away and she glances at Cath’s drawing and blinks “Wow Cath….that’s really good.”
Gen nods her head when her mother speaks. "Dante told Nolan that he doesn't blame him, but I'm sorta glad he's not here for this either." she looks at Elise. "No .. believe me, I get it. I got to talk to him last night ... and I'll talk ot him again as soon as I can. I'm not real sure how calls work, except they're really short. If he can only have one a night then Lydia should have her turn." she sighs and looks at the waitress. "Um ... can I have the sausage omlet, please. No pancakes and coffee." she orders. It had been a draining day right after a nearly sleepless night.
Rene nods in agreement with everything that is said and looks at the waitress. "So you have like pancakes made without eggs?" he asks and the waitress answers his question with a disbelieving look. "Right .... then ... um ... can I have the three pancakes with the three sausage patties, please."
Felix just holds Nolan and lets him cry as long as he needs to. The boy was only fourteen and was taking on more than most grown men would ever have to. He looks at Andre with a sympathetic look.
Nolan cries for long minutes, just letting it all out of his system. In time the tears ebb and he backs up with a sniff. "Sorry .." he apologizes, embarrassed at his emotional display.
The elevator dings and the doors open. Susan McKinney steps out and looks around. "Ah, here you are." she moves in, sits down and speaks directly to Nolan. "Your mother has has had a coronary spasm." she explains. "That means a silent heart attack." she looks at him with sympathy. "It's the mildest heart attack she could have had, but I still want to keep her here overnight. Do you have someplace you can stay tonight?"
Andre shakes his head “No no Nolan it’s good. Don’t hold that shit in.” He nods at Dr. McKinney as she comes in and then sighs at the news “Nolan, we’re neighbours. You can stay with us tonight. I insist.”
Amelie looks sympathetically at Gen about the short calls. This must be torture for her, for both of them. Then she blinks at Rene “You eat eggs cheri? Why would you get pancakes without eggs? It makes them fluffy.” She laughs at Elise about the coffee. It was good to have a little humour and Elise was a funny girl. She was glad Gen had her. Then she peeks at Cath’s drawing and looks up at the waitress with a nod “Tres bon. (Very good.”
Cath looks sadly at Gen. She and Dante had practically been living together for the time up to his being taken away and now she got minutes on the phone. She didn’t understand being in love but Dante was family now and it was weird to have him not around. Weirder for Gen and Dante though for sure. Then Rene suddenly doesn’t want eggs and she glances at him oddly and goes back to details on her drawing. The waitress notices and smiles “Hey is that me?” Cath looks up shyly and nods. The waitress looks touched “Can I take a picture when you’re done or leave it here and we’ll put it up?” Now Cath looks overwhelmed “Oh I uh….maybe…”
Elise ignores the egg thing but had given Gen the saddest look about her short telephone times with her man. Then she looks at Cath “Totally let them put it up. It’s like a moment in time.”
The waitress leaves the young artist to think about it and comes back with coffee after having put the order in.
Gen loves the distraction of attention to Cath’s art. She also looks at Rene as he looks for foods without eggs and then promptly orders pancakes. Without knowing what it was about, she also looked to it as a distraction.
Rene looks at his family with a shrug. “I’m looking out for my health.” he somehow managed to make it sound like a statement and not a question. “Why wait for high cholesterol when I can do something about it now?” He looks at Cath’s picture. “That really IS fantastic, Cath.”
Nolan swallows hard at the words 'heart attack', but its a mild one, at least. He sighs and is almost ready to tell the doctor he's fine alone when Andre offers him a place. "I .... um ...." he looks between the adults. The doctor won't let him sleep in his mother's room or home alone. Felix was great but he was still Brett's victim .. the whole Beaulieu family was. "I ... Thanks Mr Girard... I ... thanks." he looks at Susan. "Can I see her or ... just .. come back tomorrow?"
Susan nods, glad that part was easy. "I have her sedated. Her blood pressure is dangerously high. So I'd say you can give her a call tonight and if she is awake, she can talk. If not I am releasing her at noon tomorrow. You can come and get her then and I'll give you instructions to help with her care." she promises.
Felix smiles as Andre offers Nolan a bed before he can. He nods at Susan. "Thank you, Susan." and then looks at Nolan. "You'll be fine. The best thing you can do right now is keep up your own strength. How about we join the others ... you need to eat, young man."
Andre nods at Susan “Let me give you my card. I’m Andre Girard. My wife is Suzette. We run the dive shop. There’s three numbers on this one, both our cells and the shop line.” He spots a pen and grabs it off the table “Nolan, if they don’t have yours, write it on the back…” He offers the card and pen to Nolan first. “And anything we can do to help after your mom comes home….we’re right across the back. You probably already know my younger kids...Elise and Stefan….well I know you know Elise….”
Amelie shrugs about the egg thing “Alright Rene. We don’t eat THAt many eggs cheri but if you want to stop eating them warn me before I bake them into things.”
Cath blushes a bit at all the compliments and then looks at Rene “Are you going to stop eating quiche….croissants?” She looks a little surprised.
Elise pours a round of coffee “I could live without eggs if I had to. I mean I like them but there are other things. Coffee. Sushi…..pretty much those two...oh and popcorn...which needs butter in my humble opinion. I love buttered popcorn. That’s the good cholesterol right?” She stirs cream and sugar into her coffee and then looks at Gen “Did you ask Dante about the food? I feel like it’s all going to be little trays of gruel or something that they hurl at one another on bad days….I mean not that he’ll have bad days. He’ll give everyone stick tattoos and lift lots of weights and get extra sexy for you…..”
Gen can't help but laugh and it feels good. "You can at least have coffee and sushi without eggs in either." she teases her friend. Then she nods. "He says it's okay, but not like home, of course. It was pretty noisy in the background. I guess it's just a couple of phones in a main room or something." she smiles at Elise. "He's already extra sexy to me ..." and she manages to stop right there. "And he better not break any rules and five everyone prison tattoos." she blows out a breath as she thinks of all the things Dante might have to do to tow the line.
Rene smiles at his mother. "Oui, Maman." he doesn't really want to talk about eggs. Then Cath brings up quiche and croissants and shrugs. "Maybe ... maybe I'll go vegan even. I mean .. I can't cook so maybe vegan is the way for me, anyway." he murmurs and looks around the table, because he can concentrate on food, if only it would come.
Nolan wipes his face and takes the pen and writes his number and his mother's on the back of it. "Yea ..." he murmurs. "I kinda know Elise and I've seen Stefan." he sighs, thinking of his last real 'conversation' with Elise.
Susan nods at Felix and takes the card with the numbers, politely. "Well, Dr Beaulieu is right. You should eat." she makes it sound like an order. "I have other patients, so I will leave you for now." and she does.
Felix smiles at the exchange of information and says his goodbyes to Susan. "Well, you heard the doctor, son." he stands. "Let's go get something to eat, eh?"
“Good day Dr. McKinney. And thanks.” Andre stands up too and pats his belly “I’m always good to eat.” He gives Nolan a little shoulder clap “She’s ok. She’s in good hands. And you get her back tomorrow.” He’ll start walking towards the Breakfast Nook as the others do and once they’re in he’ll wave to the table and zero in on his daughter “Did ya drink them outta coffee yet?” Unceremoniously he just starts grabbing chairs as needed and adding them around the table.
Elise gave Gen a slightly scandalous look at her just stop about how sexy Dante is to her “Oh I know. I’m sure he’ll behave. I swear everything I know about prison is from TV and mostly I’ve watched the women’s prison ones. So I’m assuming it’s a, fiction and whatnots and b different for dudes…..” She waves at her father Felix and Nolan. Her gaze lingers on Nolan but she answers her father “No, but you better hurry. How is she?”
Cath makes a face at Rene “Vegan? Oh mon dieu….Rene that takes out half the food we eat. Besides, you love bacon bits!” She sees her father come in with Nolan and Mr. Girard and smiles shyly at Nolan and Mr. Girard before announcing “Rene wants to be a VEGAN!” to her father.
Amelie shudders “Oh I tried to watch some of those prison shows. They were too violent for me. I hope Dante is somewhere much better than any of those places. I mean it’s for youth so it should be non?” She looks between Cath and Rene and shakes her head “He didn’t say he wanted to eba vegan he said he may as well...oh whatever….Bonjour Felix. Hello Andre, Nolan...yes how is your mother doing? We’ll flag the waitress down so you guys can get some food.”
Gen rolls her eyes. "I wish this was just some stupid television show." she sighs and looks at her father as he walks in with Mr Girard and Nolan. Curiously she waits for Elise's question to be answered.
Rene rolls his eyes at Elise and her knowledge of prisons followed by Cath reporting to their father that he talked about being vegan as if she was turning him in for murder.
Felix comes in and sits near his wife, motioning for Nolan to sit also. "Order whatever you want. It's on me." he tells the young man before addressing the table. "She had a silent heart attack. Nothing major but Dr McKinney is keeping her overnight for observation." he wants to change the subject and that turns out to be surprisingly easy. He looks at Rene with raised brows. "Vegan?" he considers. "Well ... if you can pull it off, more power to you, but it isn't an easy diet, son."
Nolan nods and, after a hesitation, leaves with the men. He looks behind them at the clinic one more time on the street and then they are in the Breakfast nook. He hesitates again, because they're talking about Dante, he can tell. But he sits where Felix motions and tries to look at anything but the people. feeling incredibly out of place. "She's OK ... she's being held overnight for observation so ... yea ..." he glances at Elise and then back at his lap.
Amelie looks visibly relieved that Sharon is going to be ok and nods at Nolan “That’s good news. Very good news as far as those things can go.” She smiles at the waitress as she notices the party has grown and swings by with more menus and coffee cups “Hi, yes thank you...our party grew.”
Andre nods along with Felix and then looks touched by the offer of a meal “Thank you Felix. That’s very kind.” Then he looks across at Elise “Nolan is going to stay with us tonight. I have to go to work after this so for this afternoon he can head home with you and you need to make sure there’s a set of sheets and a quilt for the pullout couch. “ He grins at the waitress and takes his menu “Thanks. Hey what’s your favourite on here?” The waitress points out a giant apple pancake and Andre’s mouth forms an O. “Eyep...that’ll do er. That pancake and the coffee is all I need.”
Elise exhales about Mrs Lancaster and smiles a bit “I’m glad she’s ok.” Then she looks taken aback by Felix’s generosity “Oh...um thank you.” She still has coffee in the carafe near her but it’s getting low, not out “Sorry miss can we get more…..oh look at you. You knew. Thanks.” She takes the next carafe and pours into the cups of Felix, Nolan and her father and then looks between Felix and Nolan “You both drink coffee right?” Elise asks this like she’s asking if they breathe oxygen and walk on two feet. Then she nods at her father “OK but Stef’s been on laundry this week. I may have to rewash things. He leaves things just sitting in the washer for like a day or overnight….it stinks.”
Andre shrugs “How else is he going to learn the lesson?”
Elise stirs cream into her coffee “He’s not learning it. He doesn’t care if it smells. I’ll give Nolan some of the sheets from my stash because I can’t deal with Stef’s stink baskets. You need to put him on dishes and garbage again. Give me the laundry job.” She looks around “Sorry…..boring chore wars.” It dawns on her she didn’t have to get into this with everyone.
Cath finishes her drawing and flips the page of the notepad. She begins a new drawing. This one’s of Elise and her father getting into it across the table. The energy of them had drawn her in. She tries to watch them without making it look like she’s watching as she outlines.
Gen smiles as her father offers to pick up the tab for all of them. She hears that Nolan will spend the night at Elise's house and she giggles a little at the chore wars. "Be happy he doesn't start a fire every time he's near the stove." she teases. She wants light and she feels better now that Brett is on his way ... away.
Rene looks glad that Nolans mom will be alright in the morning and when his sister comments on fires, he sort of guesses that she is joking. "Hey not every time!" he protests. "Only whenever I turn it on." he huffs.
Nolan blinks as Felix tells him to order anything. The waitress hands him a menu and he skims it. He isn't hungry, but he also knows the doctors are right. "Um ... the vegetable omelet. Please. And coffee?" he doesn't say anything abut where he'll be sleeping, but does smile a little at the chore wars. "If it needs to be done, I can do it too. I mean you know. Pay my way for the night." he offers, not even able to comment on sleeping on Elises sheets.
Felix only shrugs at his own generosity. Then he chuckles at Elise complaining about how her brother does chores and smiles just to see Gen joking. This must be a load off of her mind. Heene is taking the teasing well, he adds on. "Well, if it weren't for him, we wouldn't have such a grand new stove." he toasts Rene with his coffee and sips.
Amelie hears the stove jibes and can’t help herself and gives Rene’s cheek a little pinch “Our firebug. I do love the new stove. The one that came with the house had uneven heat top to bottom you know….” She gestures at Nolan “A house guest who wants to clean.” She toasts back to Felix and Rene and smiles. This was a good distraction she hoped for Gen, and now for Nolan. What an odd odd day.
Andre shakes his head “Nolan you’ve had a hell of a day. You’re going to need rest too. Especially with helping your mom when she gets home tomorrow. Seriously, don’t be shy to call on us. Although not Stefan for laundry help apparently.” He sniffs at his shirt “OK yeah it’s a bit musty…..”
Elise looks amused by the stove teasing and then nods along with her dad at Nolan and gestures when her father smells his shirt “You see?” She looks at Gen “How have you survived two brothers? Rene sets fires….what does Sasha do?”
Cath keeps drawing with great concentration. The shape of Elise’s toque is harder than she thought it would be. But she hears everything and smiles at Rene and the stove and giggles as her mother’s hand goes past her to pinch his cheek and tease him more.
Gen smiles about the stove. It was a good distraction and she looks gratefully at Rene for not getting angry at her. She looks at Elise. "Sasha is a snake ... I mean he takes his shoes off at the door, but then half the time you find one sock in the living room and another on the stairs. Or he'll go sit on the couch and get up without a shirt .. it's just there on the couch like an unloved child." he looks at Rene. "At least Rene is learning to make meals without having to touch a stove."
Rene smiles at the compliments, even through the teasing. He blushes at being called a firebug and then at having his cheek pinched. "Maman!" he protests.
Nolan glances up with AMelie mentions the houseguest that likes to clean and knows that has to be aimed at him. "I didn't like it at first but I got used to it and it helps Mom..." he nods at Andre. "I'll try, sir." is all he can promise.
Felix chuckles, just glad to see some banter back in the family. He looks at Nolan. "I think I can say the same for my family as well, Nolan." he tells the young man. "If you need help, just let me know. I can send Sasha or Rene over ... depending on which will keep your house in the best shape." he teases.
Amelie laughs at Gen and nods “It’s true. He’s gotten more modest since he hit puberty too thank goodness. He used to be the toddler that went bolting out from the swimming pool change room buck naked. We had to schedule times for swimming when Felix and I could tag team once he and Gen were both walking because I couldn’t catch him and get Gen into the stroller in time. He’d go right back onto the pool deck and dance for the little old ladies in their aquasize classes. They thought it was hilarious until one day he stepped up to the pool and had a big pee right off the side….oh mon dieu...Gen was so calm compared to him. Rene was normal…the fire came later..and then Cath...modest but not calm…..now she can be if you give her a pen….oh hey you’re drawing Elise and Andre...” She notices and then laughs “You never know who you’re getting when they hand you the baby in the hospital eh?” She winks at Felix and then looks at her kids with love “Someday you’ll be calling us when yours drive you insane.” She looks at Nolan and wonders if any part of his childhood with Brett had happy funny stories and feels a little self conscious for talking so much. What if there was something terrible that turned his brother into a monster? “And yes we’re happy to help too.”
Cath giggles about Sasha and nods “He does do that…..he peed in the pool! Yuck!” She turns the notebook and shows Elise and Mr. Girard “I’m not done yet.” It’s a beautiful sketch of Elise and a pretty good likeness of her father. “Don’t send Rene to cook but he makes really good salads now.” She tells Nolan.
Elise cracks up at the naked peeing toddler stories about Sasha as well as his snake like tendencies. “Well there’s no naked dancing stories about me because I was the perfect child….” She says with mock arrogance at her father. Then she sees cath’s drawing “OK I want that one after please Cath...i love it.
Andre slaps the table as he laughs “You don’t know.” He sighs a bit thinking of Sharon Lancaster “You don’t know…” Then he raises a brow at Elise “You don’t want to open up that chimney floo…” He threatens and then looks at the drawing “Hey that’s good….but it makes me look a bit chubby..” He laughs. “Because I am.”
Elise looks suddenly scandalized and holds up a finger “I was 4…..that doesn’t count.”
Andre just snorts “I don’t think Amelie is trying to say Sasha took a wizz in a pool last week. It counts. But I can save it for your wedding toast someday….or Stef’s since he’s the one you shoved up the chimney.” He looks around “Spoilers….the two year old got stuck.”
Gen laughs about Sasha. Her memory didn't seem to go back that far. "Oh now I can't wait to tell..." she pauses. "Paige." she smiles at Cath and nods. "He really does. I've been thinking of making extra liek chicken or fish to make sure he has the leftovers to put in salads." she looks at her bestie when the subject of the perfect child and chimney floos comes up. She reaches for the closest single male, who happens to be Rene. "Marry him right now, because I want to hear this story." she gets a hint, but wants the details.
Rene looks vindicated. "See ... normal!" he proclaims. He shakes his head. "I'm not calling you because I am the normal one." he proclaims, although at this point and for many reasons, he isn't sure he will ever have children of his own. Then even Cath compliments him on his 'cooking'. "All the more reason for me to eat more vegetables." he explains. Then he looks at Gen. "Would you? That would be awesome!" and then Gen grabs him and bethrothes him to Elise. "Hey ... hold on a minute!" he motions to Andre. "She climbed up the chimney and got stuck. Now I don't have to marry her!"
Nolan smiles softly at the stories. He doesn't share any family stories of his own, because as far as he knows he was the unexpected one and not the perfect child Brett at least pretended to be. He just sits and quietly enjoys the story until his food comes. He immediately dives into it, realizing that he was hungry after all.
Felix laughs. "No .. they hand you this beautiful baby and then you realize it's an individual ... who streaks or starts fires. We got two artists but in different ways." he arches a curious brow at Andre and then laughs. "I am glad all of ours missed that opportunity."
Amelie face palms “Oh Sasha will be grumpy with me but I think he and Paige will both laugh too.” She smiles about Gen precooking salad fixings for Rene “See not vegan but you’re a good sister.” Then she tries to marry off her little brother for a story and Amelie laughs “Sometimes. I think Rene will have his pick of ladies when the time comes.” She jokes and winks at Rene.
Elise looks around mortified now and yanks her toque right down over her face “I’m not here….and I’m not marrying your brother. No offence Rene. I’m sure you’ll make someone a great raw food husband one day.”
The waitress starts dropping off food. Elise makes a dramatic gesture of sniffing through the toque which looks delightfully absurd.
Cath sets her drawing work aside.
As the waitress leaves Andre thanks her “Oh yeah, that’s a giant pancake. OK before we have any arranged marriages and my daughter uses up all her drama here and misses her try outs for the school play...the chimney story. Suze and I we take the kids up to Peavine...the Metis Nation up north from Banff. My uncle has a little cabin he lets us use. It’s got a fireplace. We had let the kids watch good old Mary Poppins in the van. It was hot and our AC was buggered. They were cranky and it kept them busy. Elise got really into the whole chimney sweep idea. She started talking about it non stop. Then when were were unpacking she was chattering at Stefan and playing like they were chimney sweeps. It was adorable until we turned our backs for two seconds and she picked up Stefan and tried to shove him up the chimney. It wasn’t a big one and he got stuck. He screamed like you wouldn’t believe. Suze had to butter him…” He starts laughing “She buttered the baby...oh god……”
Gen snorts, completely unconcerned about Sasha's grumpiness. She looks at Rene. "So maybe just no dairy? Or no eggs or .. whatever you are trying to do to your diet?" and then she rolls her eyes as her food arrives and she picks up her fork. "God just what we need. More flocks of girls all over the damn place. like pigeons in the park. Just like Sasha." then the story comes and she starts laughing. Really, truely, honestly laughing. She drops her fork and picks up her napkin, dabbing at her eyes. "Thank you .. thank you SO MUCH Mr Girard." she manages between guffaws.
Rene shrugs. "I just ... you know .. I know people allergic to eggs and I thought I'd cut them ...." he begins to explain and then his mother and sister start talking about flocks of girls and he turns beet red as his food arrives and he attacks it like a sworn enemy, just to avoid looking at anyone. But then Andre starts telling the chimney story and he looks at Elise. "You act?" he blinks. It makes Elise slightly more palatable, in a way. He laughs at the story. "That would actually make a funny play ..."
Nolan glances up from his food to see Elise, who looks adorable, then returns his eyes to his plate. He hears Rene asking if Elise acts and he sighs, making it sound like he is just enjoying his food. Of course the adorable Frenchman acts too. He couldn't catch a break with a net. He laughs at the story, because it IS funny, after all. And he is glad to see Gen laughing. That helped him a lot, too.
Felix begins to eat and nearly chokes at the story. But it is Gen he looks at. Then he looks at Andre. "Thank you, indeed, Andre."
The food is happily eaten among more stories and laughs. It;s almost hard to believe that the people around this table are the same people who were outside the courthouse not even 2 hours earlier with all that ensued. As the group left, the waitress tacked up Cath’s little drawing of ehr and the old man talking. The old man was Bartley Ferris, the beekeeper. And another drawing went up beside that one, Cath had done the second after eating of the odd gathering of their own table beyond just Elise and her father. It was a moment frozen in time like the other one and both moments would hang on the wall in the Breakfast Nook for years to come like vignettes of Alexandra town life.
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