by Adrien Leduc
“Vas-y,” she said.
Godfrey’s expression changed. “Go ahead and what?”
She shrugged, somewhat unsure now, her modesty getting the better of her. “Well...”
“Oh...”
She wanted a kiss. Their first kiss. His heart began to pound in his chest.
“Well?”
She smiled. This made him smile. Those nervous smiles of new lovers.
Trying to maintain his cool composure, Godfrey nodded and moved towards her. She was warm - electric - and he allowed his hand to rest high on her thigh as he pressed his lips slowly to hers. Her lips quivered for an instant - and then it was gentle. Sweet. A first kiss like all first kisses between new lovers.
He pulled away slowly, releasing her.
Antoinette smiled.
“That was...”
She touched a hand to her mouth, lingering over the tingling in her lips, “...nice.”
Godfrey looked pleased.
“It’s supposed to be.”
She smiled.
“Then I suppose we’ll have to do that again.”
Godfrey looked at her.
“I don’t want to move too fast now. I only got your brother’s permission to see you a few days ago.”
“You can blame it on me,” she said sweetly, touching a hand to his cheek.
* * *
It was an hour later when the two decided to head home. Both awoke slowly from their nap, Antoinette sitting up and smoothing out her hair.
“What a beautiful place,” she remarked, gazing at the river as Godfrey brushed the grass from his pants and rose to his feet.
“I know. Reminds me of home.”
“Oh? Is it like this in Saint Timothée?”
“Somewhat, though not as flat of course.”
Antoinette smiled. “Of course. But you know, Saint Dominique looks like this. Flat as the prairies.”
Godfrey was surprised.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t think anywhere in Quebec was like this.”
“Oh, it is. The whole region where I’m from. Les maskoutains. Just like here.”
Godfrey nodded. “You learn something new every day.”
Antoinette smiled. “And you learned it from me! I never get to teach you anything because you know everything!”
Godfrey couldn’t help but blush. “I know a bit, I guess.”
Antoinette made a sound. “A bit? You know more than any teacher I’ve ever had.”
“Well, that’s not saying much because half the teachers in Quebec are nuns!”
“There are still some smart ones!”
“Well if there are, I sure never got any. We were stuck with crusty old prunes.”
Antoinette laughed at his schoolboy talk as she packed up the picnic basket.
“Well, you’re still a smarty.”
Godfrey gave a non-committal shrug and rolled up the small blanket they’d had to sit on.
“Any plans for - ”
The sudden shriek of a small boy interrupted her.
Godfrey looked toward the source of the sound.
“Hey!”
“Sorry,” a giggling boy laughed as he emerged from a patch of trees a short distance away.
“Simon!”
Behind him was a young girl Godfrey recognized from church. Louise Caron. Eldest child of Marie and Lucien Caron.
“How long have you been in those trees?” asked Godfrey, feigning anger.
“Not long,” said a second boy as he too emerged from the patch of trees and came to stand beside his siblings. “But we saw what you two were doing.”
Antoinette looked at Godfrey and smiled, clearly embarrassed.
“It’s not polite to spy on people,” said Godfrey hotly, no longer having to pretend he was angry. “I’ll have to speak to your mother on our way home.”
“No!” Louise cried. “We’re very sorry. Please, mother already gave us a scolding today because Robert let Lucy out of her pen and father had to spend an hour trying to get her back in.”
“So you three should know better then.”
“We’re really sorry,” said the girl, her tone pleading. “Please. Whatever we can do.”
Antoinette looked at Godfrey, her eyes prodding him to be lenient.
“Well...just don’t be spying on us anymore. Is that a fair deal? This is the one and only time. Next time I go to your mother. And I know your mother.”
This part he was bluffing. He didn’t really know their mother, but he’d seen her and her husband in church several times. Not to mention, one had to pass the Caron house to get to where they were.
“Alright?”
Louise and Simon nodded obediently. “Alright.”
Godfrey looked at the older boy - André - who he guessed wasn’t even ten, but who already seemed to have an attitude.
“Let’s go,” said Antoinette quietly.
He nodded. “Alright.”
“And you three - I don’t want to catch you spying on us ever again,” he said sternly, though his anger had dissipated.
Louise and Simon nodded once more.
“Alright then.”
The three Caron children turned and left then, headed down the hill towards the river as Godfrey and Antoinette made their way back along the path that led to the road.
“Thank goodness we aren’t seeing each other in secret,” said Antoinette, turning her head for one last look at the three Caron children.
“Yeah...”
“Wainwright’s a small town - like Saint Dominique. Doesn’t take long for things to get around.”
Godfrey smiled and shook his head. “Nope!”
He knew only too well how quickly gossip spread in Wainwright.
“GODFREY! GODFREY!”
Both Godfrey and Antoinette looked up as the sound of a woman’s shouting pierced the quiet.
“Mrs. Caron...”
Marie Caron, wearing a white blouse and blue apron, and looking rather distraught, came running across her yard and stopped when she reached the fence.
“Godfrey.”
“Hi, Mrs. - ”
“Have you come from the river?”
Godfrey nodded. “Yeah.”
“Yes, Mrs. Caron,” said Antoinette. “What’s the matter?”
“It’s the kids,” she said, craning her neck and trying to see down the trail that led to the river, the trail Godfrey and Antoinette were on. “They were here an hour ago when I looked out. But they’ve gone...and I can’t find them anywhere!”
“They’re down at the river, Mrs. Caron. All three of them.”
“No! They’re not supposed to go down there!”
The woman’s face was etched with worry.
“Why?” asked Antoinette.
“Because! They’re too young to be down at the river by themselves!” she snapped, rushing forwards and yanking open the gate.
“Will you come and check on them? Please?”
She looked at Godfrey, her eyes desperate.
“Sure...I can come with you. We’ll both come with you,” taking Antoinette by the waist with one arm.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
Mrs. Caron hiked up her skirt and set off at a brisk pace, her black shoes crunching loudly on the stone path as she went.
Antoinette looked a little jarred by the woman’s behaviour.
“She’s just a bit protective,” said Godfrey quietly.
“A bit protective?”
Godfrey shrugged and they set off after the woman who was already a good distance ahead.
“And, not to mention,” Godfrey added, a boy drowned down there last year.
Antoinette looked horrified. “No!”
Godfrey nodded grimly.
“Was playing on the banks and the current caught hold of him and swept him away. They never did find him.”
“Jesus...”
“Mrs. Caron knew the family I think.”
�
��Well that explains her fear, I suppose.”
Godfrey nodded.
“SIMON! LOUISE! ANDRE!”
“We’d better hurry,” said Godfrey, quickening his pace and pulling Antoinette along.
“SIMON! LOUISE! COME HERE NOW! YOU ARE ALL IN TROUBLE!”
They reached the hill and followed Mrs. Caron down toward the river.
And then. He heard it. The screaming. It was a girl.
“HELP! HELP! PLEASE! ANDRE! ANDRE!”
“God damn it,” Godfrey muttered, releasing Antoinette’s hand and sprinting the rest of the way.
Louise Caron was in hysterics now as she saw them and ran to meet them.
“MAMAN! MAMAN! ANDRE’S IN THE RIVER! MAMAN!”
Godfrey’s pulse quickened as he sped past a frantic Marie Caron.
“Louise. Where are they. Quickly. Show me.”
“Godfrey!” Antoinette called, racing to keep up. “Godfrey!”
“I’m sorry! Just wait with Mrs. Caron!”
“Godfrey!”
Both Mrs. Caron and Antoinette were yelling now.
“Godfrey!”
He ignored them as he and the eldest Caron child hurried down the well-trodden path to the river’s edge.
“LOUISE! LOUISE!”
It was Simon and he was crying and pointing to something ten yards out. The something was André.
“HELP! HELP ME!”
The frightened boy clung to a rock, submerged in water up to his chin, the raging current working against him.
“HELP ME!”
He spotted them.
“LOUISE! LOUISE! HELP ME!”
“God damn it,” Godfrey cursed, removing his boots.
“Godfrey!”
Godfrey turned to see Antoinette and Marie Caron arriving on the scene.
“STAY BACK!” he roared, tossing his boots aside.
He waded into the wet muck. It was squishy and thick, brown mud oozed between his toes. There was quiet now as all eyes were on him and André.
The boy was too far out to swim for. He’d be caught by the current. But if he had a stick or something...
Godfrey whirled around, ignoring Antoinette’s pleading face and the desperation in Marie Caron’s eyes. His eyes scanned the river bank for a branch. And he saw one.
“Antoinette! Hand me that branch!”
He didn’t have to explain which one as she turned and picked it up.
“Give it here!”
She ran to him and handed him the ten foot branch.
“Be careful,” she said, her expression severe.
Her eyes displayed a measure of confidence - confidence in him.
Godfrey nodded and took the branch.
“I will.”
“Hurry!” Marie Caron cried. “Please!”
Godfrey needed no further prodding. Turning back towards the river and poor André stuck clinging to a rock, he waded out several yards.
“GRAB ON!” he yelled, extending the branch toward the boy.
The boy looked doubtful.
“GRAB ON! TRUST ME!”
André took one last look at the raging river ahead of him, the dark water all around, and seemed to decide he was willing to trust the young man with the branch who had reprimanded them an hour earlier. Slowly, one hand at a time, he took hold of the now wet branch.
Godfrey smiled. “ALRIGHT! I’VE GOT YA! HOLD TIGHT!”
The pull of the current - added to the boy’s weight - gave Godfrey a more difficult task than he’d imagined.
Come on...
It felt like a thousand pounds, but little by little, he pulled the boy back towards the bank. The mud provided perfect support for his feet, swallowing his heels so that he wouldn’t slip and thus allowing him to pull with all his strength.
“Oh my God...”
The sound of Antoinette’s hushed voice brought on a surge of energy and every muscle in his body worked in tandem.
Come on...
Hand over hand. A step backwards. Another step backwards. And André was saved. Crying now as he stood up, the water being shallow enough to do so, he staggered towards them and collapsed, crying, into his mother’s arms.
“YOU STUPID BOY! YOU STUPID, STUPID BOY! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!”
Marie Caron swatted her son three times across the head.
“Ahhhhhh, maman!” he cried angrily as she pressed him to her chest.
“DON’T YOU EVER GO NEAR THE RIVER AGAIN! EVER!”
Louise and Simon joined in on their mother’s hug, the youngest Caron patting his older brother’s head.
“That was a really brave thing you did,” said Antoinette.
Godfrey looked at her. His arms ached. His legs ached. His back ached. But the kid was safe and he’d impressed the girl he loved.
“Right place, right time is all,” he said with non chalantly, stepping toward the water’s edge to rinse the mud from his feet.
He kicked his feet and flexed his toes and splashed water across them until most of the mud was gone.
“You’re too modest,” Antoinette said, smiling at him.
“It’s really only brave if you’ve got a choice. I didn’t have a choice. The boy would have drowned.”
“Well, I thought you were brave.”
Godfrey smiled and wrapped an arm around her before taking up his boots with his free hand.
“Thanks.”
“Godfrey! Godfrey Leduc! You’re an angel! An angel!”
Marie Caron had finished scolding and simultaneously smothering André with kisses and was now reaching for Godfrey.
“How can I ever repay you?”
Godfrey shook his head. “Anyone would have done what I did.”
“No! That doesn’t matter! You were here and you saved my son. My André,” she continued, pulling her son toward her as though him being a foot from her was a foot too far. “Please! Tell me! How can I repay you!”
Godfrey gave a nervous smile. “Really, Mrs. Caron - ”
“I’ve got fifty pounds of potatoes my husband dug up yesterday. They’re yours. Strawberries - I can fill two buckets. And you and your friend,” she said, glancing at Antoinette, “are welcome anytime.”
Godfrey exhaled through his nose. Mrs. Caron was being persistent. He wasn’t going to win this one. Not to mention, after the stress she’d just endured, it wouldn’t be nice to argue.
“Alright.”
Marie Caron’s face broke into smile. “Thank you. Oh thank you, thank you, thank you. God bless your mother and whoever brought you up,” she added, wrapping her arms around Godfrey and squeezing him with a strength that rivalled Leo’s.
Godfrey couldn’t help but laugh - and Antoinette let out a laugh as well - as the grateful mother showered her affections upon the young man.
“If you hadn’t been here today,” she said, releasing him and signing the cross, “Lord knows our André would have been meeting Saint Pierre right about now.”
“Honestly, Mrs. Caron,” Godfrey said, his face growing redder by the second, “I just did what any good man would have done.”
“Oh, quit talking!” she snapped, swatting him. “You’re too damn modest!”
She turned to Antoinette. “Isn’t he just too damn modest?”
Antoinette smiled as she looked up at him with love in her eyes. “He is.”
Author’s Notes
Azzano: While I made up the character of John Azzano, I drew inspiration for his character from the real Azzano family of Edmonton and Vegreville.
Francesco (Frank) Azzano-Frank came to Edmonton in 1913/14, at age 15, from Udine, Italy. He was a baker by trade, but worked laying railroad tracks (Spruce Grove and Dunvegan Line). Frank also farmed in Vegreville from 1929 to 1943, and then returned to Edmonton to work for the North Western Brewery. Frank finally did a stint as a baker with workmen building the Alaska Highway.
Source: https://wayback.archive-it.org/2217/20101208160602/https://www.albertasource.ca/abitalian/background/ed
m_pioneers.html
Barouche - Barouche is a version of /the same game as Two Hundred. Barouche is an old French word for a type of wagon. The game was presumably played off the back of a barouche by early pioneers, settlers, and traders, hence the name. Two Hundred is popular in Atlantic Canada - in particular among the Acadian (French) population of New Brunswick. It is a point-trick game whereby two teams square off against each other, both teams trying to win the most “tricks” or “trump cards”. The game is known as Ruff in Quebec. The Metis in Saskatchewan and Alberta also know the game as Barouche. For a full set of rules, Google “Two Hundred”. It’s a great game and one that I’m sure you’ll enjoy!
Caron - A Caron family lived in the Wainwright area at this time.
Euphemie Sinotte-Loiselle: I am fairly certain that Euphemie Sinotte-Loiselle, Antoinette’s mother, left Joseph Lapalme, Antoinette’s father, and moved to New Hampshire to live with her relations sometime after 1900. Antoinette was born in either 1898 or 1899. An online source notes that an L J Sinotte from Saint Dominique, born to Louis Sinot/Sinotte and Marie Maurice resided in Massachusetts. L J Sinotte was Euphemie’s brother and thus Antoinette’s maternal uncle.
Source:
Belanger, Albert. Guide Officiel des Franco-Americains. Fall River, MA: 1922. https://archive.org/stream/guideofficieldes00bela/guideofficieldes00bela_djvu.txt
Marie Rosa Lapalme. Marie Rosa Laplame. 1878/1879 - 1898. Sister of Antoinette Lapalme, my great-grandmother. She died at the age of nineteen.
This entry in the Parish Registrar’s book of Saint Dominique Catholic parish announces her death and burial.
In English it translates to: January 20, 1898. We, the undersigned, Priest Vicar(?), buried, in the cemetery of this parish, the body of Marie Rosa, who died the night before, aged nineteen, legitimate daughter of Joseph Lapalme, farmer, and of Euphemie Sinot, of this parish. Present were, Joseph Lapalme, father of the deceased, Victor Brunelle, her godparents(?), and the undersigned friends below --
Joseph Lapalme, Urgel Lapalme (Joseph’s brother), Victor Brunelle, L. Brunelle (presumably Victor’s wife), Wilfrid Lapalme, Frederic Lapalme. J.M.M. Cadienne, Pretre Vicaire (Vicar Priest / Pastor).
Pawling - A Pawling family lived in the Wainwright area at this time.
Worker Bee - Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, farmers would get together for worker bees. Food was provided and as many as fifty people (men mainly), though women had their own worker bees - for quilting and canning and such - would come out to assist. One week was one farmer’s turn to have everyone over to help. Another week was another farmer’s turn and so on and so forth. In this way, labour was provided and exchanged to make farm life a little easier. (Bear in mind that these were times where very few things were mechanized and thus manual labour was pretty much the only way to get things done!)
