Acadian Star (15 page)
Meg laughed and led Tante Perle to the restaurant.
“I can think of worse things.”
M
EG AND
T
ANTE
P
ERLE CLIMBED THE STAIRS
of Chez Tuck's front deck, which overlooked Picasse Bay. Moonlight skipped over the surface of the water, flecking the waves with a shimmering radiance. A few people sat around on plastic patio furniture, munching on fish and chips and ice cream cones while enjoying the calm evening air.
Meg paused at the door. The neon OPEN sign buzzed and cast fluorescent light against her great-aunt's pale skin. Meg fished something out of her pocket and held it out to Tante Perle.
“Before we go in, there's something I need to give you.” Meg placed the oyster shell in Tante Perle's hand.
Tante Perle brought the shell to her lips. “Oh⦔
“There's a little pearl inside.” Meg pointed to the opening between the shells.
Tante Perle squinted, her eyes almost disappearing in the doughy skin of her face as she brought the shell up to the light.
“
Ma belle
.” Tante Perle reached over and stroked Meg's cheek.
“
Viens
.” The bell jingled as Meg opened the door. Oil crackled and hissed from the deep fryer behind the counter as the cook dropped a basket of french fries into the vat. The sharp tang of vinegar punctuated the air. Meg led her great-aunt past the customers waiting to place their orders at the cash.
“Maybe I should go home.” Tante Perle shuffled a bit behind Meg. “All these young people, I should leave you to your celebrating,” she whispered.
Meg glanced over. Tante Perle looked like a schoolgirl on her first day of kindergarten. She patted her great-aunt's arm to reassure her. “
C'est bien.
”
A dozen or so faces turned to mark their arrival as they wove their way through the dining area.
Meg stopped before the booth at the back where her family was sitting. Madame Deveau had her back turned, deep in conversation with Uncle Vince. Nève, her mom, and Meg's parents stared on, absorbed in the discussion.
“The Acadian Star house band?” Uncle Vince asked. “You mean for the finals in Halifax?”
“Your band is exactly what we've been looking for. We'll be taping the show through to the end of the summer. Interested?” Madame Deveau asked.
Meg's heart quickened. What did this mean? She saw Nève's eyes dart from Uncle Vince to Madame Deveau.
“Does that mean we get to stay?” Nève shrieked.
Everyone at the table fell silent as Uncle Vince stood. He took off his cap and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Wellâ¦the boys in Fort McMurray aren't going to like this.” He glanced from Aunt Dini to Nève and smiled. “But I guess they're just going to have to wait a few more months.” He reached to shake Madame Deveau's hand. “I accept.”
“Yay!” Nève screamed. She caught a glimpse of Meg and jumped out of the booth to hug her.
“That means we can go to the finals together!” Meg squealed.
Mireille looked up from a nearby booth. She huffed and got up to go to the washroom.
“Now I feel kind of bad for that licorice root tea joke,” Nève whispered to Meg, trying to suppress a giggle.
Meg's mom and dad rose to congratulate Uncle Vince while Meg and Nève got lost in excited chatter.
Uncle Vince held up a hand to speak. “Now, you heard as well as I did. It's only until the end of the summer. After that, we'll have to see what happens. But until then, thank you, Madame Deveau.”
“You are very welcome. And pleaseâ¦call me Ginette,” Madame Deveau hushed.
Ginette
.
The name robbed Meg's breath like a northwest wind off the ocean bay. She froze and stared at Tante Perle.
“Ginette?” Tante Perle's jaw slackened.
Madame Deveau turned to face her. A flash of recognition rippled across her face.
With uneven movements, Tante Perle reached out to touch Madame Deveau's face. “Is that really you?”
Meg drew her chin back in surprise. Could it really be?
“Yesâ¦yes, it's me.” Madame Deveau giggled and reached out to take Tante Perle's hand. They stared at each other, smiling.
“It's been⦔ Tante Perle began.
“Too long,” Madame Deveau answered with a smile.
The two women hugged and laughed as Meg and Nève did the same. Could it really be true? Had the curse on the Gallant family finally been lifted?
The front door jingled. A boy with ice cream smeared all over his face waved his arm in the air and yelled, “Come quick, everybody! You're never going to believe this!”
Meg grabbed Nève's hand and filed outside with the others.
“There must be a dozen of them!” The boy pointed out over the bay. Off in the distance an unmistakable spectacle glimmered in the moonlight.
The whole group gasped as the dolphins surfaced and dove.
“Will you look at that?”
“Beautiful.”
People pointed and whispered as if speaking out loud might break the magic of the moment.
Meg's dad and Uncle Vince pulled over some chairs and offered them to Tante Perle and Ginette.
Ginette turned to Tante Perle as they sat. “I'm so glad I came home in time to see this.”
“I'm so very glad you did, too,” Tante Perle agreed.
“This is better than anything in the whole wide world,” Nève whispered to Meg. “I wish I could stay right here forever.”
“Me too. But what's going to happen after the summer?” Meg asked.
Nève smiled.
“Aren't you the one who told me not to worry about stuff until it happens?”
Meg grinned. It felt like ages since they'd had that conversation while waiting to pick up their Ãvangeline costumes. “You're right,” she said.
“That's good, 'cause whatever happens, I'm thinking our matching houses overlooking Picasse Bay would look great right over there.” Nève pointed farther down the coast towards the point. “You in?”
“I'm in,” Meg answered with a smile. Standing there, watching the dolphins dive and surface in Picasse Bay, it seemed to Meg like anything was possible.
Another jangle of bells sounded from behind. Meg glanced over at the restaurant door.
“I can't believe it!” Mireille stood stunned, her mouth half open, as she took in the dolphins' spectacle.
“I can,” Meg said.
She leaned to kiss Tante Perle on the cheek, then gazed across the moonlit water of Picasse Bay and watched until the last dolphin disappeared beyond the point.
