My New Family

Chapter Fourteen: The History Books

     I run down the stairs to thank mum, but have to wait for a bit, because John, Anna, and everyone else already have their arms around her. That's strange...even Evelyn is there! I hug mum and she smiles. I ask ask the question everyone's been waiting to ask-"Mum, where did you get those?!?" "Your father and I ordered them while we were on our honeymoon. They came late, because of the war; I wanted to save them for when we could give them to you together..." Her voice trailed off. Poor mum! She is so sad!

     Mrs. Lory walks into the room. "Everyone except Madame to my room! There's a contest!" We all run up, and Mrs. Lory follows slowly. She isn't as young as we are, after all. As I stand in her room with the rest, I notice five small pictures on the dresser. One is of a man who I think used to be her father, one is of someone I don't know, two are of two different boys I've never seen before, and one is of a little girl who looks like a small version of Mrs. Lory might have looked when she was young. I need to ask her about those sometime!

     Mrs. Lory closes the door behind her and holds up three gilt-covered history books. "Children, I'm going to give you each a job, and whoever does it the best gets these three for their very own!" We all cheer. "Susanna, you've got the kitchen. Philomena, the dinning room; John, boy's bedroom; Joseph, the bathrooms; Pauline, the front room and front hallway; Evelyn, your room; Anna, the spare room next to this one; Anastasia and Catherine, your room. Everyone ready? You have two hours! If you finish yours ahead of time, you get twenty bonus points per upstairs spare room! Ready...set...go!"

     I run to the supply closet and grab disinfectant, ten rags, window cleaner, a duster, a broom, a mop, a bucket, and some floor soap. Then I stagger to the front room and begin dusting and washing the windows. I take the mat outside and dust it off; where it had been, there's a coin! I pick it up and look at it-it would have been enough to buy some candy, but the prices have gone up 'cause of the war. I drop it into my pocket and start sweeping. Then I disinfect the door knobs, wipe off the outside part of the door, and go outside to the well for some water for mopping. I fill up the pail outside, and duck as some trash goes flying over head. I look up towards the house, and John is dumping trash out the window. That-little-lazy-  "John stop that right now!" I carry the pail of water into the house and pour some floor soap into it, then I mop and start the front hallway.

     Before I know it, I've finished, checking over what I've done, when Mrs. Lory appears. Oh gosh, the timer must be up! She comes and inspects. "Remember, this is the last room I'm checking! Yours is the last one." She comes in and admires the windows, then she lifts up the mat and turns around, grinning. "PAULINE GETS THE BOOKS!" she cheers. "Yay!" I cry. But John isn't so happy.

     "That's no fair! Why does she get them?" I glare at him; he can't read, anyway. Mrs. Lory tells us why. "I hid a coin under each of the mats, and only Pauline found  hers. These are for you, Pauline." I reach out and feel the first beautiful cover, then open it. What? Pierre's name is written inside! I can feel the blood draining from my face, and squeak, "Did these ever belong to..." "Yes, they would have." Mrs. Lory sees my face and leads me upstairs, back to her room. "Pauline, what's wrong?" "It's just that ...I really miss Pierre." "I know you do." She hugs me with her characteristic bear hug, and I remember something. "Mrs. Lory, who are those pictures of?" I point to the dresser. "Those are of my husband, father and children." She picks up the one of the man I didn't know. "This was Mr. DePainne. We had François, Roger, and Simone, but then he and the children disappeared one night, I know not where. This is of my father, who died only last year. Simone would have been your age, right now." "I'm sorry." We are silent for a while, then I get up and hug her again and then leave to take the books to my room. I will treasure them forever.