Gemini Rain (34 page)

‘Appendicitis,’ Lauren informed David later that evening, ‘she didn’t say anything even though the pain was ni
ggling at her these past few week
s.’

‘
I’ll telephone Joel now, I presume he’s having dinner with Maman
and Papa,’ David sounded concerned, ‘how did the children react? Are they ok?’

‘
Yeah they’re all fine
,’
she half-lied, ‘
j
ust a little shocked
, I guess
.’

Deciding to cut the conversation short
he could feel she was holding back more detail on the children more-in-likely about Pierre, ‘l
isten I’ll try to catch Joel at the farm, I’ll phone this time next week okay.’

Lauren just agreed not knowing what else to say, ‘Okay, take care.’

David sounded more distant than Colombia, ‘Lauren je t’aime, you know that.’

She cheered up a bit, ‘I love you too.’

Chapter 35

Emma
didn’t wan
t to go to school, they were two
week
s
back and it was Monday again. Lauren came into her room for the third time, ‘Come on, Missy we’ll be late!’

‘Mammy, I’ve got a terrible pain,’ she tried her
in agony
face.

‘
Emma
this is the third time you
’ve tried this and you’re only two
week
s
back in school, get out of bed and get dressed!’ Lauren was stern thinking that
Emma
wasn’t going to start this little act anytime she didn’t want to go to school. Helping her to get out of bed Lauren asked was there a problem, did she not like her new teacher?

‘No, mammy no problem,’
Emma
said sullenly, ‘I’m just tired, that’s all.’
Emma
knew if she told Lauren of her problem with that new boy in her class, Sr. Albert would be informed and then the whole school will think she was a coward and a telltale. ‘I’ll dress myself,’ afraid Lauren would see the bruises on her thighs and arm.

Lauren winked, ‘That’s my girl,’ and left to check Keith was eating his breakfast.

‘Michel Fevier is a big pig,’
Emma
stated as she looked at the bruises on her legs. On Saturday morning, he threatened her with a Chinese burner if she didn’t do his homework; she took the books from him knowing he would then leave her alone. But she didn’t do it and hoped Lauren would fall for her pain in the stomach trick. Her plan was that if she didn’t turn up, he’d get into trouble and maybe he’d think twice about forcing her to do it again. 

When Lauren picked up Pierre and Chantal
Emma
glared at Pierre,
he in turn returned the stare.
‘
He saw what happened in the school playground
on Friday and just walked away,
’
Emma
foolishly thought Pierre was actually trying to be friendly with her as he was starting to have conversations with her in the schoolyard during the week but no
w she knew he wouldn’t change.
‘
He’s anoth
er pig
and a tall one at that,
’
Emma
thought.

At lunchtime,
Emma
helped out in the school canteen, delaying the ti
me when she would have to face
the
pi
g
as she now called Michel. She was delighted at the fact he got double the amount of homework as punishment and to write out the entire French reading book but now she was using delay tactics afraid he was waiting for her. Sr. Albert asked why she wasn’t going out into the sunshine, when
Emma
just shrugged the nun scooted her out. 

Emma
looked around, ‘Thank God, he’s not here,’ bursting to go to the toilet she ran to the exterior WC.

As she entered she felt a thump on her shoulder, ‘Got you, you stupid Irish bitch!’ Michel hissed,
Emma
screamed struggling to get away from him. Suddenly she was pushed to the ground and heard a cracking sound which reminded her of the time she broke her arm. She looked up to see Michel lying on the ground screaming and holding his nose, blood was streaming from it beginning to overflow through his fingers.

‘If you ever touch her or anybody else, I’ll do more than break you nose!’ Pierre threatened as he stood over him. A shadow then blocked the light coming from the door. It was Sr. Albert.

Lauren was finished work on her computer and decided to get a late top-up on her suntan after she got something to eat. The phone rang as she was just about to take the first bite of her sandwich, it was Sr. Albert, ‘There’s a problem in school, can you come straight away?’

‘What was the problem?’ Lauren enquired.

‘I
t
’
s
Emma
,’ Sr. Albert stated assuring her that she wasn’t ill but didn’t want to discuss it over the phone.

Lauren was walking out the door when the phone rang again; it was Gabrielle looking for a lift into the school. ‘Oh shit,’ Lauren grimaced.

Both women entered Sr. Albert’s office to find a crying
Emma
and a scowling Pierre.

Lauren was fit to kill him, ‘w
hat the hell have you done now!’ she accused him.

‘Nothing,’ he soberly replied.

Lauren was gob-smacked he actually acknowledged her existence, Gabrielle put her hand on Lauren’s arm to calm her down pointing to the chairs in front of Sr. Albert’s desk.  The principal commenced telling the events of lunchtime ending by saying that luckily Michel’s nose was not broken but badly bruised and bloodied. Thankfully
Emma
broke down and told the truth so Sr. Albert was prepared when Michel’s mother came to collect him.

‘He’s expelled and we’re not the first school to do him that honour,’ she looked at Pierre and then to Gabrielle, ‘Pierre is suspended for two weeks.’

Both Lauren and Gabrielle let out a gasp, but Sr. Albert continued, ‘I’m sorry but we must set an example, we
cannot condone violent behaviour -
No matter what the circumstances.’

‘And
Emma
?’ Lauren asked.

‘
Emma
was the victim in all this, I’d hardly suspend her for being bullied,’ Sr. Albert was surprised at the question.

Lauren looked at both children guiltily biting her lip, how wrong could she have been. When they were leaving Sr. Albert recommended keeping
Emma
at home for a day or two, especially now they were going to have a chat with all classes on the problem of bullying and what to do about it. ‘We don’t want her to feel uncomfortable when we talk to her class, especially as her classmates don’t know,’ she said softly.

When they arrived back to the farm, Lauren declined an invitation for coffee but g
ot out of the car to catch
Pierre
before he entered the house
. ‘Thank you for helping
Emma
,’ she said softly, ‘and I’m sorry for accusing you without listening to the full story, she smiled to him, ‘I suppose you’re her new hero now.’

‘Well, you’re definitely not,’ he said sharply, ‘perhaps now you’ll spend a bit more time talking and listening to your daughter instead of interfering in other people’s family business!’ he turned away running into the house.

Gabrielle threw her arms up into the air in frustration, ‘What am I going to do with him, he’s worse than my three sons put together!’   

As Lauren drove up to their house
Emma
burst out crying again, ‘Mammy you do listen to me!  Pierre’s wrong, it’s just that I was afraid to tell you!’

Lauren smiled to her in the rear view mirror, ‘It’s okay sweetpea, I understand.’

Lauren gave
Emma
a bath then wrapped her up in Lauren’s
towelling
bathrobe.
Emma
loved wearing it, it was huge on her, thick and soft and it smelt of her Mammy, sitting on the settee she could cover every part of her body and smell the lavender oil her mother used. Lauren handed
Emma
some snacks with a drink; soft music was playing in the background, as they chatted the outside world was forgotten about, mother and daughter became once more ‘girls together.’

When Jean-Pierre called up with Keith he asked how
Emma
was, ‘s
he’s sleeping on the settee,’ Lauren smiled, ‘
we’ve had a long chat but she’s a bit like me,
she’ll survive to see another dawn. How’s Pierre?’

Jean-Pierre told of the long talk he had with his grandson, he hoped he succeeded in getting something through to the child, ‘Pierre is to inform David when he telephones tonight.’

Lauren was surprised to hear about David telephoning but didn’t show it to Jean-Pierre, David last spoke to he
r when she told him Veronique’s medical emergency
and that was over three weeks ago, she left messages on his mobile but he never return
ed her calls. What’s going on
she wondered. Cutting Jean-Pierre short because her telephone was ringing she ran to answer it before it woke
Emma
, ‘Hallo.’

‘Hello, Lauren,’ it was her mother Patricia.   

Chapter 36

‘Oh hello Patricia,’ Lauren’s heart
leaped as she quickly added, ‘i
s there something wrong? Is it Daddy?’

Patricia laughed the usual false laugh, which made Lauren wince, assuring her that everybody was fit and healthy, griping that sh
e was surprised Lauren cared, ‘i
magine you own daughter visiting Dublin for a week and not even a call or a visit.’

Lauren ignored the comment
bluntly asking why she was phoning, her mother had never phoned before
Lauren’s sole
family contact
in Ireland was only with her
dad
.

‘Oh it
’
s the annual audit my dear,’ Patricia said, ‘there seems to be some information missing from last year, any help would be greatly appreciated.
I’ve sent you an email hopefully
you
may know where the files are.
’ 

‘Well it might help if I knew what files you’re talking about,’ Lauren now kn
ew why her mother was phoning. The annual audit my eye, she bitterly thought
that’s done every November and not in
September.
Lauren noticed t
he conversation was over a speakerphone, was someone with Patricia in the office? 

‘Just some work Peter and I did together,’ Patricia replied casually knowing Lauren was familiar with the work she and Peter collaborated on.

‘No, I don’t know of any files like that. Have you checked Peter’s office?’ Lauren didn’t want to give away how nervous and angry she felt.

‘That’s gone my dear, did you not know we m
oved to larger premises,
amazing with all the bad news around but
with
increases in
exports our
business is booming at the moment
,
but you couldn’t handle that, could you?’ Patricia stuck the knife in.

Lauren felt her face flush with rage but tried to
unsuccessfully sound normal, ‘well there’s your answer y
ou obviously lost them in the move. Listen I have to go
Emma
and Keith have just arrived back from school.’

‘Oh how are they, my dear.’

‘Thriving, things have never been better
we’re a true family at last
. Goo
dbye Patricia,’ Lauren hung u
p shaking, ‘Bitch!’ she exasperated
but immediately regretted saying those words.
Is the shit starting to hit the fan or have they only discovered now that the information was missing and are panicking? Lauren sighed knowing who was going to be in touch with her next. She switched the answer machine on and turned off her mobile not wanting any calls tonight.

Patricia stared at the telephone raging Lauren didn’t give her the chance to get the last word then she turned to the man sitting on her
desk, ‘she has the information
I know my daughter.
She obviously copied them and deleted them from our server, it’s what she thinks will be her security.
’