The Daughters' Story
Page 28
Snippets of the surgeon’s words echoed in her mind:
… metal fragments from the explosion penetrated the heart area… declared dead on arrival… emergency Caesarean… able to save the child… healthy boy….
She leaned forward, resting her head in her open palms. She’d wait. The surgeon would come back and say Lisette was weak, but that she had made it out alive.
The smell of sulphur still lingered in her sweater and the noise of the explosion reverberated in her head.
A hand touched her arm.
“Papi. You came.”
He took her hand. “I had just walked through the door at Janette’s when you phoned.”
“I hope the news didn’t upset her too much.” She brushed her fingers through her hair. “I didn’t know who to call.”
“She had to know. I made sure she was resting before I left her.”
“I’m still not sure what happened. I remember Lisette running, and that loud noise before the ambulance took her away.”
“I overheard the cops talking with the surgeon earlier. It was another one of those FLQ bombs. They planned the robbery during the lunch hour rush to make it harder for the cops to get there. The explosion would’ve given them more time to escape but one of them bumped against the mailbox and the bomb blew up too soon. One guy got away and the other one died in the blast.”
She rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes. “He was the father, Papi.”
“Who was?”
“The one who died. He was the father of Lisette’s baby.”
He stared at her a moment and frowned. “I heard the cop say that a few witnesses thought Lisette knew the robbers. He wanted to question you but the surgeon told him you were still in shock.” He helped her up. “It’s time to take you home now.”
She shook her head and stumbled back a step. “Lisette needs me.”
“She doesn’t need anybody now.” He put his arms around her and pulled her close. “Let her go. Nobody can hurt her now.”
Nadine dug her face into his chest and let the tears fall. Papi was right. Her beautiful daughter was gone. This time there would be no return. She looked up after a few moments, pushing wet strands of hair away from her face. “The child… we can’t let them take her child.”
Papi reached down to grab her purse from the chair and took her arm. “The baby will have to stay here until he’s been seen to. It’ll be up to Social Services to do their work. I can’t see them refusing your request to be his legal guardian—you are the boy’s grandmother after all. And I still remember how to change a diaper. Holding a baby in my arms again will put a bit of spring in my step. Let’s go see that handsome grandson of yours. We’re from strong blood, you and I. We can beat this.”
Nadine smoothed the wrinkles in her skirt and pulled his arm close. A faint ray of sunshine pushed its way through the heaviness in her chest.
Author’s Note
Although the references to historical names and events are real, this story remains, first and foremost, a work of fiction. October of 1970 was a tumultuous time for the people of Quebec. Emotions ran high, ideals soared and plummeted, yet they emerged from this with a clearer, more confident vision of themselves as a society. I made a creative effort to anchor my novel within the confines of the actual events—but in the end, my characters dictated the ebb and flow of the story.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Author’s Note
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Guide
Page de Titre
Couverture
Page de Copyright
Dédicace