SEVEN

Victoria Day

May 21, 2012

9:43 a.m.

Mathieu had put it off as long as he could, but today he needed to get going on that little girl’s bed if he was going to deliver it in eight weeks. He grabbed a cup of coffee and headed for the garage to go over the plan and materials. He was measuring a slab of cherry when he heard the sound of a coasting bicycle approaching fast. He turned just in time to see Caitlin dismount her bike and drop it on the driveway.

“This is a pleasant surprise,” he said, putting his measuring tape down on the workbench and placing a pencil behind his ear. “What brings you here?”

“I didn’t feel like hanging around our house,” Caitlin said and walked into the garage. “I hope you don’t mind me dropping by like this?”

“Any time,” he said. “You’re always welcome here. Anything going on at home?”

“Not really. Nick is sleeping, mom is doing laundry, and Suzie spent the night at her boyfriend’s like she does every weekend. It was just boring.”

“Well not much excitement here either.”

Caitlin looked at the pieces of wood scattered about. “What’re you making?”

“A bed for a little girl.”

“Like Nadia’s?”

“Pretty much.”

“That little girl is going to love it. Nadia was so lucky you made nice furniture for her.”

“I don’t think she always felt that way.”

“Probably not,” Caitlin said and ran her fingers along a smooth piece of mahogany. “Kids don’t appreciate stuff like that. I should know, I’m one. We always think if it doesn’t come from a store it’s no good.”

“You might be right.”

They stood silent for a moment but it was broken by the neighbour’s irrigation system rising out of the ground like camouflaged soldiers, a half-dozen sprinkler heads on the attack. A lawnmower roared to life in the distance.

“I miss her,” Caitlin said. She wrapped her arms around herself and crunched her face. “I want my cousin back. I really do. It’s not fair.”

Mathieu pulled her into him and felt her shake.

“I wish we could get her back too,” he said. “But we can’t.”

“My heart aches so much,” she said. “I sometimes want to pull it out to stop the pain.”

“I know how that feels,” Mathieu said, barely above a whisper. “Missing someone is just about the hardest pain in the world, especially when we know that person can’t come back. We hurt because she meant so much to us. You don’t hurt for someone you didn’t love, and we sure loved her.”

Caitlin stepped away from Mathieu and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “I miss her more than I miss my dad.”

“I guess things are pretty crappie at home.”

“Yeah,” Caitlin said and stared at her feet. “Dad moved in with some other woman. I think she works for him. He was coming to get the rest of his things today so that’s really why I didn’t want to be home. I’m pissed at him.”

“I can understand.”

“It’s not fair. He’s messing up everything. He doesn’t care about us. As long as he’s happy, right? But what about me? I hate him right now for what he’s doing. Is that wrong?”

Mathieu shrugged. “Does it feel wrong?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe a little. I don’t wish him dead or anything, but I don’t really want to see him either. I just get so mad when I see him. So many of my friends have divorced parents but I never thought it would happen to my parents. I always thought they loved each other.”

“Sometimes, people change. Life can do that.”

Caitlin looked up at her uncle. “Are things better with you and Aunt Lori-Anne?”

How did Caitlin know? Was the family talking, or did she just pick up on it? Kids, especially teenagers, noticed things. How could he explain to his fourteen-year-old niece the loneliness of a shattered marriage? It wasn’t enough to still love Lori-Anne. Something was missing, and every day the emptiness in their house reminded him of that.

“I honestly don’t know,” he said after a moment. “We’re having some difficulties right now but I’m sure it’ll get better.”

“I hope you don’t get a divorce too,” Caitlin said. “It’s bad enough my parents are. I don’t think Nadia would want you guys to. That would so double suck.”

“Things sure seem to suck lately, that’s for sure.” He took the pencil from behind his ear and started to drum it against the thumb of his left hand. “We’re all going through some tough times right now.”

“My mom drinks too much.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“I tried it a while back, to see why she did it,” Caitlin said, a grimace on her face. “It burned my throat like bad medicine. I know kids in my class who get drunk all the time and they talk about it like it’s so great. But I bet they never see their mom drunk and throwing up and falling to pieces.”

“I’m sure they don’t,” he said. “I know things look shitty for you, but it will get better.”

“I guess if Nadia was still here, maybe my parents getting a divorce wouldn’t bum me out so much. But without her . . . it’s like . . . you know. I would feel so much better if I still had her.”

“Yeah,” Mathieu said and swallowed a bag of nails. “We all would.”