The French Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

the radio, which he played even louder to drown out the noise of the television.  Paul Simon’s Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover competed for volume with Luke and Laura’s troubles.  But I stayed put in the small room because without Anais, I had no reason to go out.
    Mrs. Galloway stopped by the morning of Maman’s funeral. I stood close by the door and could hear she and Mrs. Lavasseur talking in the living room.
    “She barely eats,” Mrs. Lavasseur said.  “She must eat soon.”
    “I’m sure she wills once the shock of all this wears off.  Perhaps after today…”
    “And then what?” Mrs. Lavasseur asked.  “I cannot have her here for long. My son requires a great deal of attention…”
    “I understand.  We have located a relative, a cousin; however there are some unusual circumstances…”
    “Oh?”
    “Still, it is a possibility.”
    I could not understand how I could have a cousin when Maman had no brothers or sisters and Papa’s family was all in Canada.  Surely they were not going to send me there? I would never see Anais again.
    “And the sister?”
    “There are special circumstances there, too.”
    “Is it true?” I heard Mrs. Lavasseur ask, “What everyone is saying? That Anais…”
    “Yes.”
    “ Incredible !”
    “I think it is best we don’t talk about that with her,” Mrs. Galloway said.  “She has enough to try and understand as it is.”
    I ran back to the bed just as Mrs. Galloway knocked on the door.
    “How are you, Etoile?” she asked.
    She was wearing a different dress, a maroon dress with short sleeves that accentuated her fat arms, but my eyes immediately jumped to the necklace dangling at her throat with its big ruby center stone and the diamonds all around it.
    “I hope you are getting along alright,” she said patting my knee, but I shrank away and clutched the pillow against my chest and stared at the necklace.
    “I will pick you up in a few hours and we will go to your mother’s funeral together, along with Mrs. Lavasseur.  That will give you some time to get ready.”
    “Will Anais be there?” I asked.
    “Yes.”
    “She will?” I jumped up.  “Can I please go with her?”
    “Anais will be brought over by Detective Brody and will stay with him, but you will see her for a little while.  The police are not done talking to her yet.”
    “But it has been two days,” I said.
    “Etoile,” she began, her hand touching the necklace, “there are a lot of things the police still have many questions about.”
    “But why can’t they just ask her the questions and then let her go?”
    Her hand stroked the chain of the necklace up and down as she spoke. She suddenly seemed to be aware of my staring at it and quickly dropped her hand into her lap. “Because they can’t.  You, on the other hand, may have a new place to go, but I’ll tell you more about that later on.”
    ***
    The funeral was held at St. Michel’s Church. There were many more people there than I expected. Luc Paul showed up in a suit jacket, but he still smelled like fish.  Monsieur Segal came and patted my head as he took his seat.  Madame Duvais was there.  Mrs. Galloway sat next to me.  She was not wearing the necklace anymore.
    Shortly before the Mass began, a black car drove up and Anais was let out of the back seat by that same detective.  I ran to her and threw my arms around her.
    “Anais, Anais!”
    Anais looked very tired and had dark circles under her brown eyes.  She smiled feebly at me and touched my hair.  “How are you, Cherie ?”
    The detective with the big, bald head stepped closer.  “We should go in now.”
    “Can’t you come back and take care of me?” I asked. “Why won’t they let you come and be with me?”
    “It is complicated, Etoile,” she said. She stroked my hair.  “You must be very brave.  Maman would have wanted that.”
    I felt my heart begin to sink. “But I will see you soon, yes?”
    She looked over at the detective before