LA FAMILLE Chapter 7 GETTING SERIOUS

Grandfather
courtesy photobucket.com

 

After the trouble Elise had with Jean’s brother and he was gone, things had quieted down but the word had spread around about what happened.

Jean was hoping they would get his order filled and back on the road to him for he needed to fill his shelves.  

 
Then he got some unexpected news from Elise.  She said she and her grandfather felt that her being there was too much of a distraction and he felt it would be better if they returned to their tribe now that the winter was over.  

She went on and said, “You saw how your brother acted with me around and whether it was right or wrong it caused a split between the two of you.  We plan to leave in the morning.  It will only take two days to join up with the others and they will be glad to see us for grandfather is greatly revered.”

Jean was taken aback by this and didn’t know what to say.  This was the last thing he expected or wanted to hear.  

She said, “I will put everything in order and you can use our room for something else.”  

She then turned and went to her room and began to talk to her grandfather about their leaving.  He just looked at her for a minute without saying anything, finally he spoke.  “You don’t want to go do you?”

Her eyes began to water and without saying anything she turned away.  After a while she turned back and said, “I have already told Jean that we are leaving.”

He said, “Well go and tell him that we changed our mind.”

She said, “I can’t do that.”

“Sure you can, just say that I won’t go and you can’t convince me to leave. Tell him I changed my mind after I thought about it, and besides it would be too hard on me.  He said now if you don’t want to tell him we changed our mind then we can still go because it does not matter to me.”

She smiled at him and said, “You’re pretty smart grandfather.”

She went back into the post and saw Jean staring into space without noticing her.  She cleared her throat and he turned and saw her and said, “Are you sure you want to go?”

She just came out with it and said, “No, I don’t want to go, I never want to leave.”

Jean was surprised for he had never seen this kind of emotion from her.  In fact he didn’t think her capable of these feelings.  Jean said, “Now that is settled there is something I need to ask you.”

She said, “What is on your mind?”

He said, “You said you never want to leave what did you mean by that?”

She answered, “What do you think I meant?”

He went on by saying, “Mon Cheri do you want to marry me?”

She said, “Yes! I must tell grandfather first before we plan the wedding.”

He said, “I will tell him along with you for he likes me or at least I think he does.”

They found Grandfather feeding some rabbits and he was talking to them. They listening to him saying, “I am going to have you over for dinner on Sunday.”

Jean said, “ I never knew he had a fun streak in him!”

Elise said, “Grandfather, I am going to marry Jean if it’s okay with you.”

He said, “If that means we don’t move then I’m all for it.  When will you do it?” he asked?

She said, “It will be when Father Luis comes through again.”

He said, ‘Is that the man who wears  dress like squaw?”

Elise said, “Grandfather that isn’t a dress it is like a uniform.”

He answered, “He should join a different army.”

Elise said, “Maybe you should tell him grandfather, but wait till after the wedding.”

Since everything was settled Jean said, We need to become closer while waiting.”

She said, “We could have an Indian wedding while we are waiting.”

He laughed and said, ‘Humm.”

After that she was embarrassed and said, “We better wait on that.”

That night when Jean was alone he rehearsed the day’s happening and thought this is the best day of my life so far.

Elise was having a hard time getting to sleep. She was thinking about what being married might be like.

Grandfather was smiling thinking about rabbit for Sunday dinner.

To be Continued