Trapper Boy (16 page)

Chapter 46

JW
stood on the hill overlooking Beth's house. He watched as she came outside to start on her way to school. He smiled as she glanced to where he stood. She took a second look and realized that it was him. She dropped her books and ran to meet him halfway up the hill. She hugged him fiercely when she reached him, looking at the books in his arms.

“What? Are you coming to school today?”

“Today and the rest of the year. Da took Red's old job, and he'll get more shifts, so I don't have to work anymore. Except I'm going to have to spend the next month trying to catch up. I sure hope Mr. Cantwell will let me make up the tests I missed.”

“Oh, I'm sure he will. He seemed really disappointed when I told him that you had to quit.”

“That's good.” JW paused. “Uh, I saw you walking with Davey Brown. Is he your boyfriend?” he asked, holding his breath while he waited for her answer.

“Well, he is kind of cute,” Beth said. She looked at JW's crestfallen face and bent forward and kissed him. “But there's only one boy for me, JW.”

JW felt Beth's hand slip into his and took a deep breath of the crisp November air.

The End

Acknowledgements

My sincere thanks to Cape Breton University Press.

I would also like to thank the following people for their assistance: Tom Miller (Director of the Glace Bay Miner's Museum), Wish Donovan (underground guide at the Miner's Museum), Jack Humphries, Shelley Johnson and Donald MacGillivray, who was always available to answer a question or two. Thanks to all the boys and men who toiled underground and the women who awaited their return.

Thank you to Kate Kennedy for all the editorial suggestions and for making such a positive impact on the novel. Most of all, thank you to Joanne for her love and support and for reading everything I write.

H.R.M.

About the author

Hugh R. MacDonald is an award-winning writer of fiction and enjoys the company of other writers. He has been fortunate to belong to a local writing group for years and attends workshops that include renowned Cape Breton and Canadian authors. Hugh has been a member of the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia for many years. His work has been published online and in two anthologies. Hugh is a graduate of Cape Breton University and works in the human service field. He resides in Cape Breton with his wife, Joanne. At the time of printing, he is busy on his next project, a mainstream novel set in Cape Breton.
Trapper Boy
is his first published novel.