EATON'S During The 1960's Second French Revolution

Chapter 74

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR

Still reeling from his January 3rd encounter with Christine, Ricky gingerly stepped from the Eaton's escalator onto the basement floor. His first troubling observation was his staff standing in groups in deep conversation, paying no attention to the fact that the opening bell was about to sound.

"What the hell is going on Andrea?" he addressed his millinery manager. "The store is about to open, and everyone is just standing around talking. They haven't even taken the night covers off the tables and displays. Get it handled!"

"Ssssooo Sorry, Mister Livingston," she stammered. "Everyone is stunned by the Lasalle explosion that...."

"Lasalle explosion?" he cut her off curtly.

"No, it's just..."

"Never mind, just get the bloody store opened," he commanded, walking towards his office. "The friggin' FLQ set another bomb and the whole world stops," he muttered.

Passing teens fashions, he asked Cindy Valdez, "Where is Misses Guillaume, it's not her day off today, is it?"

"No, Mister Livingston. She was just so upset over Rose Anne that she went into your office to try to recuperate."

"Thanks, I'll catch her there," he replied, concerned about Christine's situation.

When he entered his office, Christine was seated in a chair, her head in her hands, crying. He threw his coat on the coat rack, quickly closed the door and grabbed Christine into his arms. "What's wrong, Princess?"

"It's just so awful, Ricky," she sobbed. "He was just a little baby, and..."

"Hold on Sweetheart. 'Ya got to calm down. Nothing we can't fix. Remember?" he placated.

"This can't ever be fixed, Ricky."

Ricky locked his office door, then gently guided Christine back into the chair. He pulled another chair close to her and took her hand. "Okay, catch your breath and tell me, from the beginning, what is so terrible." He put his arm around her quivering shoulders.

"It's about the explosion in LaSalle...It...it is so terrible! I can't believe it!" she stuttered.

"Sorry, but I didn't hear any details about the LaSalle FLQ bombing, I just..."

"Not an FLQ bombing, Ricky. A gas explosion that leveled two whole apartment buildings. They say more than twenty people were killed including eighteen children. Rose Anne's baby was...," she couldn't finalize her statement, and again broke down.

"What about Rose Anne's baby. Was he hurt... was she hurt?" concern crept across his face. "Please Christine. Try and calm down and tell me the whole story," he commanded.

Getting her emotions under control, she continued. "According to Rose Anne's mother, at around eight o'clock this morning she ran down her apartment stairs to get the milk from the from porch, leaving baby Sean in his crib. She bent down to get the milk when the whole apartment complex exploded around her. She was propelled thirty feet, onto the front lawn. When she regained consciousness, the paramedics were there and she screamed about finding her baby. They told her that search and rescue was underway, but they needed her to get into the ambulance. Her mother said that she passed out from severe lacerations to her arms and back before she reached the hospital. She's in stable condition, but graciously still unconscious."

"And, the baby?" Ricky asked, apprehensive about the answer.

"The baby didn't make it...he was only seventeen months old. And after all Rose Anne has gone through getting a divorce from that drunken creep, I don't know how she will survive this. She wasn't only my best salesclerk, she was my friend," she sniffled.