by Janine McCaw
Frank said nothing.
“You don’t know, do you? You truly don’t know. Do you still talk to your wife at all Frank? Even the slightest conversation in passing? Her father William has agreed to talk the Canadian government into working a deal to extend the north-south rails from Vancouver all the way north to Squamish. The Bowers have agreed to go after the financing. Can you envision what that will mean? Britannia will become bigger than Vancouver. Everyone will want to move up here. We’ll be able to move more ore out, cheaper too. They’ll be able to ship more lumber from the forests. Mills will spring up everywhere. Men will have jobs for life. It will be truly amazing. But its fate all lies with that confounded woman you married.”
McMichael tapped Frank on the shoulder.
“Deal yourself a new hand Frank. If you play your cards right, you could be a very wealthy man indeed.”
Chapter Thirty
Sarah was spending an unusual amount of time in the store, Olivia thought to herself. Not that Sarah didn’t come in often just to browse, but today, Sarah seemed a bit rattled.
It was customary for Olivia to get up early and come and open the store on Wednesday mornings so that Lucy would have at least one morning to sleep in an extra hour. Olivia didn’t have to be at the mine until nine, so it worked out for both of them. They had become so busy that the store was now open from dawn to dusk, every day but Sunday.
“Is there something I can help you with?” Olivia asked her, not wanting Sarah to be late for work.
Sarah looked around the store. Margaret was just leaving with a bag of groceries and finally she would have Olivia all to herself. She approached the front counter and whispered to Olivia, even though they were now alone in the store.
“I know you work here by yourself for a bit on Wednesday mornings, and I wanted to get a chance to talk to you alone. I can’t really do that over at the mining office.”
“It must be important,” Olivia said.
“Well, it’s really none of my business, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but I was wondering how long you went out with Frank before, you know, he popped the question.”
Olivia tried not to smile. Sarah had been seeing a lot of her brother Jason, and although she doubted marriage had crossed his mind, apparently it had crossed Sarah’s. Jason had been finding excuses to come for quite some time but she doubted her eternally wandering brother was ever going to settle down despite Sarah’s letters to him. Olivia saw her drop an envelope in the mail chute every day after work.
“Well, that was a little different,” Olivia began, “we were childhood sweethearts, so I guess in reality, it took him years.”
Sarah looked crest-fallen.
“Oh, don’t give up hope Sarah. Your day will come.”
Sarah was not to be dismayed.
“What about your sister Emily? She didn’t know the veterinarian long before she married him, did she?”
“Well, no, I suppose not.”
“Hmm,” Sarah smiled.
“Sarah, what are you up to?”
“Oh nothing. A girl just can’t wait too long you know, that’s what my mama says. I got a call from Jason after Mr. McMichael left the office yesterday. Jason said he’s coming up with Frenchie for a visit tonight and he’s got a big surprise for me.”
“Well,” Olivia cautioned. “Don’t get your hopes up. My brother has promised me some surprises in my day and they’ve been whoppers. He promised me a pony for my seventh birthday and he got me one all right. One of his broken pieces from his Civil War army toy set. The legs were broken off a horse piece, and that he said, was my pony. I cried for days as I recall.”
“Still,” Sarah smiled, brushing off the warning. “You never know. I’d like to order these white shoes from the catalogue please, in a nine. Yes I have big feet. Mama says it’s a good thing I wasn’t a breach baby. Aren’t they lovely though, the shoes I mean? All smooth satin.”
“Sarah,” Olivia began.
“They’re just white shoes Olivia. Every woman should have a pair of white shoes shouldn’t she, you know, just in case?”
“Just in case?”
“Yes. Just in case.”
Before Olivia could reason with her anymore, the door chimes sounded announcing Lucy’s arrival. Sarah put a finger to her lips to silence any further conversation. Olivia gave her a cautionary nod.
“Thank you so much for letting me sleep in Olivia,” Lucy exclaimed. “I don’t know how you managed to get McMichael to give you the late start, but thank you.”
“Ah, those would be the benefits of being a part-time employee. You remember those times, don’t you Lucy? Not having to show up to work until noon.”
“You look awful,” Sarah commented.
“Thanks for that,” Lucy said.
“No,” Olivia said, “she might not have been tactful, but she’s right. You do look awful.”
“I just can’t get any sleep these days. Frenchie has been coming over more and more and he and Margaret have been staying up until all hours of the night. I used to think his songs were charming, but I’m telling you, I’m ready to kill him.”
“Oh it can’t be that bad,” Olivia commented.
“Oh really? Last night he was teaching her a French song. Something about dancing under a bridge, I gather. They were dancing around the room all night. ‘Sur la Pont D’Avignon’. I can sing the silly thing all by myself now, and I don’t know any French.”
“Oh, how romantic,” Sarah sighed.
“Not at two in the morning! Neither of them has to get up early the next day. Not since Margaret retired.”
“Maybe you should move out,” Sarah offered.
“The girl is right,” Olivia said. “You don’t need to be the third wheel. Sarah, why don’t you ask McMichael if there are any vacancies coming up at any of the houses.”
“It’s a great idea Olivia, but I don’t know about living by myself. I’ve never done it. I went straight from my family home to one with Marty.”
“Don’t you think it’s time you left home?” Olivia asked Sarah.
“It is. But I’ve got my own plans!” Sarah laughed as she exited the shop. “Goodbye now!”
“What was that all about?” Lucy asked.
“Don’t ask,” Olivia sighed.
“Well, thanks but no thanks. Living with Frenchie or living with Sarah? I don’t know which one will put me back in the hospital first.”
“I have to go,” Olivia apologized. “Sorry to leave you on your own.”
“That’s okay. Akiko will be here in a few minutes. She’s teaching me Japanese. Isn’t that neat?”
Olivia smiled.
“You’ll be speaking three languages before I know it. English, Japanese and French. I only wish her husband were as keen to teach. I hear he’s giving McMichael some trouble in that regard.”
Harry had recently been given the task of teaching all the new recruits first aid. McMichael had noticed that quite a few of his seasoned staff were reaching retirement age, and wanted to be well prepared. McMichael had learned a lot from the landslide. He insisted that not only the English-speaking Canadians, but also a selection of men who spoke different languages be trained in first aid. Harry was the most experienced man, having safely attended to the men for years, so the job fell to him. That was a tough request for Harry. Olivia had overheard McMichael reprimanding him about it.
“Yes,” McMichael had said, “you are going to teach Yan Li how to clean a wound. You are going to teach him, and Sam George, and Philippe LaFleur and Carlo Masteroni.”
“But they do not speak English.”
“You clean the wound; you stick a bandage on it. How much talking do you have to do? Do I have to remind you that until recently your own wife did not speak English?” McMichael barked back.
“Okay. I will teach the Indian, the Frenchman, and the Italian. But not the Chinese.”
“This is not open for negotiation Harry. You will teach Yan L
i. Or you will be on the next boat back to Vancouver. Take your pick. You know damn well Yan Li speaks English. He’s Chinese but he speaks English. Stranger things have happened you know.”
Interesting, Olivia had thought. Yan Li was the grandson of old Mr. Li, Jimmy’s friend. The prejudice had not apparently been passed down from Harry to his son. That was a wonderful thing. It must have been Akiko’s influence, and yet, she was the Yada who had not been born in Canada.
“Well good luck,” Olivia said to Lucy. “McMichael sells earplugs down at his store, maybe you should go get some,” she laughed as she headed out the door.
Lucy pondered it for a moment, then thought the better of it.
Over at the mining office, McMichael noticed Sarah pouring just one cup of coffee.
“Where’s Olivia?” he asked. Lately he had been having a cup of coffee with Olivia mid-morning and he found himself looking forward to it.
“Wednesday,” Sarah said.
“Oh yes,” McMichael remembered. He found Sarah staring at him.
“Is something wrong, Sarah?”
“No sir,” she said, smiling.
McMichael realized that Sarah had picked up on the fact that he was enjoying spending time with Olivia. He knew that might have appeared inappropriate to some.
“Would you like to have coffee with me Sarah?” he asked.
Never in all their years together had he asked her to have coffee with him before.
“Um, no, actually. I’m a tea drinker. I don’t think it’s quite the same.”
Sarah, McMichael mused, could be quite the diplomat when she wanted to. She dodged that one with decorum.
“Very well then,” McMichael said. “Just don’t say I didn’t ask.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
That afternoon, Frank asked Olivia if she would like to have lunch with him.
“I beg you pardon?” Olivia said.
“Well, according to the schedule,” Frank said, “we both have lunch today at one. Why don’t we spend it together, out on the picnic table? It will give us a chance to talk.”
What was that all about? Olivia wondered, having agreed to meet her husband. True to his word, Frank was waiting at the table for her. They both pulled out their lunches they had made and bagged themselves.
“Trade you my apple for your cookies,” he said, in a peace offering of sorts. It was the most he had spoken to her in quite some time.
“Okay,” Olivia agreed, making the exchange cautiously.
‘Liv,” Frank began, “I wanted to have a chance to explain. Things have been crazy between us. I want you to try and understand. It was bad enough when you opened the store without telling me. Okay, maybe I didn’t take you as seriously as I should have, but I didn’t know it meant that much to you. I’m sorry for that. You shouldn’t have had to go to your father for the money. That was my fault and I take responsibility for that and the unfortunate wedding incident. And the misunderstanding about the bolts and the drill bits.”
Olivia could feel her eyebrows raising.
“But when you started working at the mine,” he continued, “that was a whole new kettle of fish. The guys are giving me the business. Asking me who wears the pants in the family. I’m looking like a fool.”
“Well I didn’t see you rushing to help me out the other day,” Olivia noted. “I wondered whether you had put them up to it.”
Frank smiled.
“I wish I had thought of that, but no, I didn’t. You were holding your own all right.”
“I didn’t ask for the job Frank.”
“You didn’t have to take it.”
“I kind of did, Frank.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Well, maybe I wanted to,” Olivia admitted.
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to, but did you have to actually do it?”
“Frank, we’re going around in circles.”
“I know, I’m sorry. Just, try to remember I’m your husband. I need respect from the men. I don’t need them laughing at me.”
“I’m sorry if they do.”
Frank paused.
“One day, I may have to call upon them to save my life. Maybe yours.”
It all made sense to Olivia. Frank was suffering from a bad case of male ego. His pride was bruised.
“Frank, this job is not forever. The installation is almost done. It will be over soon,” Olivia said, offering an olive branch.
“And then what?” he asked.
“And then,” Olivia paused. “I’ll go back to the store, I guess.”
“What about starting a family?”
That was a curve Olivia wasn’t expecting.
“Okay Frank. What is this all about?”
“What do you mean? We always talked about having a family. Liv, we’ve been married a few years now. Don’t you think it’s time to give it some thought?”
“Well, I don’t think that’s going to happen Frank. You haven’t made love to me in months. I seem to recall that is a necessary part of the equation.”
“Sometimes I think you care more about your “jobs” than you do about me. I’d really like a son, Liv. Someone to pass the family name along to. A son with chestnut hair like yours...”
He ran his hands through her hair.
“Frank, this isn’t the time or the place.”
“No, it is the time and the place. Neither of us can make a scene. We’ve been silent to each other too long. Wouldn’t you like that? Wouldn’t you like to become a mother?”
It was something Olivia had wanted desperately, but she had all but given up hope. Tears started to well in her eyes.
“Just think about it Liv,” he said, rising from the table.
It was hard for Olivia to concentrate on her job at all that afternoon. Even Sarah noticed that she was unusually quiet.
“Is something wrong Olivia?” she asked.
“No, I’m fine. Just a little out of sorts. Nothing to worry about.”
“Why don’t you come down to the dock with me at five and meet Jason?” Sarah offered.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Olivia answered. She had a feeling the night was not going to go exactly as Sarah had hoped. Still, she wasn’t ready to face Frank at home yet. She had been thinking about him all afternoon and wondering, why the sudden change of heart?
“Okay,” she sighed. “Maybe I’ll come along for a few minutes.”
Perhaps a glimpse of young love would be inspirational, she thought to herself.
Frenchie’s boat had been right on time. Sarah ran down the dock to meet Jason, who was equally as eager to see her. He threw his arms around her, sweeping her off her feet.
“Maybe I’m wrong,” Olivia thought to herself.
“Oh, Sarah,” Jason said, ignoring his sister completely. “I have the biggest surprise for you.”
“I know, I know,” Sarah said. “I can’t wait until you can tell me.”
“I’ll tell you now. Olivia will find out sooner or later.”
“Jason,” Sarah said, “don’t you think you want to ask me in private?”
“Oh, there’s nothing to ask,” he said. “I’ve already done it.”
Sarah looked dumbfounded.
“Done what?”
“Purchased the old mercantile building. I’m going to open a moving picture house here in Britannia. Isn’t that great?”
“Agh!” Sarah gasped in disbelief. “Olivia, cancel my order.”
Sarah stormed away in tears.
“What did I do?” Jason asked, perplexed.
“Let’s just say the next time you come for a visit, you’d better be bringing white shoes,” Olivia said.
“What?”
“Size nine, I believe. Yes that’s right, nine. Don’t bug her about it and don’t stand there like an idiot. Go after her.”
Jason ran up the dock after Sarah.
As Olivia returned home, Frank had the radio playing soft music and her bath poured f
or her. A glass of wine and soft candlelight was awaiting her arrival.
Olivia’s heart skipped a beat. It had been the first romantic gesture Frank had offered in quite some time. She closed her eyes and held her breath.
“Come here Liv,” he said, in a soft tone she had been longing to hear. He took her in his arms and stroked her hair.
“I know it’s been rough,” he said, “but I love you. I’ve always loved you and I always will.”
They made love like two strangers, having begun to forget the intimacies of their bodies with their estrangement.
“You’ve lost weight,” Frank commented.
“I’ve been under a bit of stress,” she offered.
“You look great, Liv.”
Again they made love. This time the nervousness fell away, and the passion they had experienced as newlyweds returned. The tension Olivia had felt in every bone in her body was cleansed away. She was almost asleep when she heard Frank’s voice.
“So what’s going on between you and McMichael?” Frank asked.
“What do you mean by that?” Olivia asked, desperately hoping that Frank wasn’t going to spoil things.
“I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”
“Nonsense,” Olivia assured her husband. “He has called me every name in the book when there’s been a problem at the mine, but he has never whispered sweet nothings in my ear. That’s your job.”
She tried to cuddle next to Frank but the mood had been broken. What was going to happen next between them, she didn’t know.
Chapter Thirty-One
