On Growing Up - Part Two (Continued.)
Annie sat alongside Papa in the front seat. I was in the back, but leaning anxiously against the confines od my lap seat belt, watching Merry get her bearings in the gate yard. She was swaying slightly, and I hoped that the return to school wasn't too much for her.
I glanced beyond the swaying, sweating girl to the dooryard. Merry's mom was standing in the doorway watching, and next to her, the rest of the peanut-sized space was filled with the tall figure of her father. Again, I felt that uncomfortable feeling of seeing him there. Both of them had their gazes fixed on their daughter.
Merry stepped onto the public sidewalk, still bracing herself on the gatepost. I wondered if I should get out and help her inside the car. But Papa never wanted us to leave the vehicle until we made our destination.
Merry leaned forward, bracing her one hand on the side of the car. I held my breath as she slid in and smiled weakly at me. I reached around her to close the door and lock it.
"Good morning, Mr. Beaulieu," she offered.
Papa was polite and correct, typical French gentleman. "Merrilee."
We pulled away from the curb to head to school. Papa had taken to Merry so well when he met her that he wanted to be more informal with her. He hated to be referred to as "Mr. Beaulieu" and had told her once, "Call me Michael."
"Oh, I couldn't do that, Mr. Beaulieu," Merry replied. "That wouldn't be respectful to you. And my parents might not like it - they taught me to respect my elders."
Papa didn't press her, but I knew that he was addressed as "Mr. Beaulieu" all day by his clients and the people in the office that he worked with. He once said it sounded like some old man with a cane and a big bag of money, like the old man in "Monopoly" and he had neither one...I smothered a giggle and picked up Merry's hand.She had removed her gloves, but they were still icy cold and frighteningly white. She didn't respond, just stared out the window.
"We're here.girls," Papa bumped up to the mucky curb. Annie was up and out the door like a shot, spotting a group of her friends on the sidewalk near the door.
"You girls have a good day, now," Papa turned slightly in his seat as he watched me help Merry out and regain her feet slowly.
"We will, Papa," I acknowledged his reply. "You, too."
I propped Merry on the side of the car and closed the car door that Annie had left open. I saw the pitying look on Papa's face as he took a last swift glance at Merry before he pulled away for his real estate office.
(To be continued.)
