When I get home from school, John and Francis are playing outside in the yard. They are busy making little dams with the water as it flows all around the driveway and the yard. I stop to watch them and see what the game is. They've already got a system worked out and have connected all of the puddles so that quite a lot of water is being held, and they are busy repairing dams to see how long they can keep the water there. Even though they aren't talking much, I can see that they are working together and have a system worked out. I know I need to be careful and not just jump in to "help", because they have already worked out the "rules" and I need to watch for a while in order to learn what they are.
John and Francis are just a year apart, and I am a little jealous of them. They always have each other around to play with. They don't always get along (who does?) but they seem to have a kind of understanding that I can't explain. If I approach them right then I can usually work my way into their game, or start a new one, but I know that sometimes they just won't let me in.
Mom steps outside the house to throw some crumbs for the birds.
"Monik, come into the house and put your play clothes on!"
I leave them to their work and go inside to change.
Today when I come home from school, the yard is empty. The puddles are drier today, but this morning when I went to catch the bus I stepped on the ice in each one just to hear the ice crunch under my feet. It's still cold at night, but there is no snow left anywhere and there is heat in the sunshine. The birds are back and the tree branches are changing colour as they start to breathe in the spring air.
I go straight into the house to find everyone.
"Mom! Mom?"
There is no answer. This is not right - there is ALWAYS someone home. The kitchen seems so empty, although it looks like it usually does - clean and cluttered - lived in. I walk through the house to see if Mom and the boys are resting - mom is expecting a new baby this summer (I hope she's a girl!) so maybe that's it, but I can't find anyone - not even John and Francis.
My big brothers come in from the bus too and don't seem very concerned. I am worried though - it has been a long day at school for me and I need my mom's presence.... I decide to go to see if she is visiting at the neighbours.
"I'm going to check at McInnes's," I announce, and head out the door.
I arrive at the house next door, go through their dark porch and knock on the big wooden door. As soon as Mrs. McInnes answers the door, I know that my Mom isn't there.
"Do you know where my Mom is?" I ask her.
Mrs. McInnes invites me in and I take off my boots and go into the house. The house is very different than ours; I notice it is darker inside, probably because of all the trees around and close to the house, but it is very cozy. Mrs. McInnes gives me a cookie and asks if I'd like some juice, too. "Yes, please," I say, remembering my manners.
I eat my cookie and drink my juice quietly, while my mind is wandering, wondering, what happened? Mrs. McInnes assures me that my parents must have been "out" and been "delayed" somewhere, but it just doesn't sound right to me. It seems to me that Mrs. McInnes looks worried, too.
I thank her for the cookie and juice, and run back home to my brothers. By this time, the high-school bus has dropped off all the big kids and my older brothers and sister are home now, too. Just then my Dad's car pulls up to the house, and he gets out, carrying John in his arms, with a look on his face that I've not seen before.
"Francis is in the hospital, and your mom is with him," he announces to all of us. I am feeling very small as I sit there in the kitchen listening to this news; I don't really understand, and there's so much going on that I can't take it all in. Everyone is asking questions, and Dad is answering, and all I know is that Something Very Bad has happened, something is wrong with Francis, and Mom isn't home.
***
Two doors down the road from our house, our neighbours have a fish pond way at the back of their yard. John and Francis had wandered over there as they were playing, probably following the neighbour's dog "Punkin" - a black and orange dog that always seems so full of woodticks that we don't really want to pat him too much, but friendly enough. They must have been playing too close to the edge of the pond; Francis had slipped right in and disappeared under the mucky water. John had wasted no time at all in running back home, as fast as his little legs could carry him, to tell mom what had happened... mom ran back following John while Dad got the car. Mom didn't even hesitate but jumped right into the freezing cold water and felt for Francis. She had to try more than once because the water was dark and thick, but finally, the second time, she felt him. She pulled him out and jumped into the car, and they sped away to a neighbour's house, Mrs. Penner, a nurse, before continuing on to the hospital. Mrs. Penner gave Francis mouth-to-mouth all the way to Alkay's store before Francis started breathing on his own. Dr. King met them at the hospital.
***
That night as we say the rosary after dinner I know that everyone is thinking about Francis. We don't know what will happen next, but we know that there is nothing that any of us can do now. John has done all that could have been done, and Dad says a special prayer of thanks, just for John - "p'tit Jean".
As far as I am concerned, John is a Hero. At the tender age of 3, he saved his little brother's life. He was so brave; I can imagine him in his bare feet running all that way and being so worried... yes, he is a Hero. I am so proud of him, mon petit frere Jean.
Very touching.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I was surprised at how emotional I was myself, the first time I read it out loud after writing it.
DeleteWell told - a fantastic collection of little details that evoke so much. But what happened to the illustrations...? :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! Not to worry - the illustrator is busy with exams and will catch up once they're done. Keep checking back!
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