Canadien’s Story Part Seven
Sweet Surrender
The man scrambled through the park, running into trees, bushes and knocking over unsuspecting pedestrians. Always, only a few steps behind, the young woman in the red and white uniform; Canadiens. His desperation for escape was a costly one, as he kept his focus on his pursuer and not what was in front of him. He didn’t hear the police until he’d almost run into them. He stopped, searching for an escape, a costly decision at best. Part of him expected the upcoming tackle.
Dom rushed him, slamming her shoulder into the small of his back as he shifted from side to side, looking around desperately. Suddenly his concentration turned from escape to fight. Dom had trapped him like an animal, and like any animal cornered, when scared and desperate they usually turn on the one who trapped them. Unlike an animal, this man had to be captured. He’d already attacked several women on the McGill campus, this latest attempt showed his desperation.
Canadiens didn’t care if there was some mental imbalance in the man, didn’t care if he needed counselling, she only knew that he had to be stopped. She would do whatever was in her power to hold him fast so he wouldn’t hurt anyone every again. Besides, she had backup. The police broke through the bushes, surrounding the man as Dom held him firm to the ground. He continued to struggle, but slowly stopped as the officers closed a circle around him.
“Alright, Canadiens,” one of the officers announced. “We’ve got him.”
Dom let go, didn’t give him one shot to the head that she so desperately wanted to. She just let them take him away, even though a slow rage built up inside of her. She didn’t know the details of each attack this man may have committed, all she knew was she prevented a girl from becoming a negative statistic. She looked around the park for a moment as police hauled the man away. A few officers stayed behind to calm and reassure everyone, including Frechette and Kowalsky. Dom notice Able, with the young girl hanging right behind him. Both of them would have to give a statement at some point.
She walked over to them, noting the look in Able’s eyes. There was a mix of awe and respect, with a tinge of anger that sat in the back somewhere. She could only assume that it was meant for the man who had unsuccessfully tried to hurt his friend. The girl with the pink hair stood close behind Able, peeking out from time to time to watch the goings on.
“You two are gonna ‘ave to give a statement, you know,” Dom announced as she approached them. The girl in the pink hair shrank back a bit. “It’s okay. See dat officer dere?” she said as she pointed to a female officer, Jocette Frechette. The girl nodded slowly. “Dat is Officer Frechette. You should go talk to her, an’ she an’ her partner can get you home. Okay?”
The girl hesitated a bit, then began to walk toward Frechette. She stopped a moment, then looked back to Canadiens. “My name’s Claire.” Dom nodded as she forced a small smile. The rush from the fast take down and the anger that had built up in her was still there, so it was a bit of an effort to try to convey a friendly face. Claire tried to smile in return before she slowly walked over to Frechette.
“You gonna ‘ave to talk to de police as well, you know,” Dom said to Able as she watched Claire. She turned to look to the young man, and took note of the small smirk on his face. “What? What you smilin’ for?”
“Ye called me by me name, luv,” Able said as he inched a bit close and spoke in a low voice. Dom sighed and closed her eyes as she realized what was coming. She felt like an idiot. “Plus I saw ye a few blocks back, lookin’ after these two as they went down the street. Ye musta ducked outta sight ‘cause I never saw ye again after that. Well, never saw ye ‘til someone pointed ye out on a rooftop.”
Dom relaxed a little bit, but felt that she needed to bring up her defences. She didn’t mean to be so sloppy. The knowledge of her dual life could be a burden to Able. But on the other hand, she’d mentioned it to her band mates, and Able was going to be a part of that life so he deserved to know. “I was gonna say somet’ing, you know. At practise t’night. But was gonna work up to it. Yves, Jacqueline an’ Michelle all know.”
“They know? Ye mean, they’re cool with it?” Able asked with some curiosity. Dom only nodded in reply. “Anybody else?”
“Frechette,” she said as she pointed out the officer talking to Claire. “An’ Kowalsky. My parents. An’ my sister, Chloe.”
“Wait! Ye’ve got a sister?”
“Oui, she’s comin’ ‘ome from Paris…” Dom stopped abruptly as she began to remember all the day’s events that she had planned. One of which was to get a gift for her sister, a welcome home present. “Merde! I almost forgot! I gotta pick up dat gift, I need to get my books from de campus book store, need to get my backpack!”
“Easy, Dom. Easy,” Able replied with a reassuring chuckle. “I’ll give me boss, Etienne a call an’ ask fer the afternoon off. I’ve been pullin’ some overtime at work so he should mind. Plus, with this adventure, I’ll need time to calm down.”
“Calm down?” Dom said as she studied the young man. “You look more calm den me. An’ it were yer friend who were attacked.”
“I have incredible inner fortitude,” he responded with a bright smile and then offered his arm to Dom. “Come lass, yer chariot awaits. Well, maybe not chariot. It’s a rusted out ‘76 Toyota Celica.”
Dom chuckled lightly as she took his arm. “Gonna ‘ave to work on dat, you know.”
*****
Chloe sat in the living room of her family’s home and watched the world go by. Already she was missing Paris. Montreal was so bland in comparison. She had to admit to herself, she did make a mistake, but maybe, just maybe, if she worked hard enough here in Montreal she could get recognition to go back. It might happen. At least she enjoyed spending the afternoon with her parents. While Jean Pierre and Monika did try to instill a hard work ethic in both their daughters, there were times that Jean Pierre would spoil them. They were his, after all, and he felt they deserved to live a full-filling life.
Chloe could smell the aroma coming from the kitchen. Her mother’s cooking, the one thing she missed while she was in Paris. She’d never mentioned to her parents that she missed that above all else. Maybe she’d have to start. She was going to have to get used to things in Montreal. Life would be different here.
The first difference she noticed was the vehicle that drove up in front of their home. A real rust bucket, but still retained lines of its once sporty nature. A red headed boy climbed out of the driver’s seat, wearing what Chloe would come to expect of one of Dom’s friends. Except the kilt was a bit of a shock. However, her suspicions were soon confirmed as Dom climbed out of the passenger side. This did not do anything to halt her confusion, however. Chloe had known Dom for her entire life. Seventeen years. She’d always known one thing about Dom.
Chloe got up from the couch and walked around to the front door, stepping out onto the porch and waiting for Dom to finish talking to her friend. She listened to the small conversation the two had, catching bits and pieces of it.
“Show up for the practise t’night?” Dom said in a soft voice.
“Wouldn’t miss it fer the world, luv,” the young man replied. Soon after, the young man went back to his car and drove off. Not quietly either, Chloe assumed that the rust bucket probably needed a new muffler.
Dom stood for a moment as she watched the car drive off, then turned to her home, content in her thoughts.
“So I am confused,” Chloe finally announced, startling Dom with her sudden announcement. “I always was under zhe impression zhat you liked girls.” Chloe smiled cheerily as she watched Dom and waited for an answer.
Dom caught her breath as she stared at Chloe for a moment. “Didn’t know you were dere, sis,” she huffed and shifted her backpack. “As for what you ask, Michelle an’ me fooled around a bit, but we realize dat we just friends. An’ dat’s de way we like it. Beside, what business of anyone’s is it who I date?”
“Zhat makes sense coming from you,” Chloe replied with her forced Parisian accent.
Dom moved onto the steps and looked to Chloe, her expression changing from shock to a much more comforting appearance. “So, how was de flight back?”
“It was alright,” Chloe replied in a small voice as she looked to the ground. “Don’ tell papa or mama, but I cried when I got the news. I kinda screwed up.”
Dom nodded with a smile, noting that Chloe had started to shift her accent back to normal. “I got somet’ing for you. Figure you gonna need dis, so I picked it up for you.” Dom reached into her backpack and pulled out a familiar white box with a light grey Apple logo on it. “I got you an iPhone. It’s got a few apps I downloaded, plus I put some music on it. Added my cellphone, an’ papa’s to your address book.” She handed Chloe the box, who took it carefully with a stunned silence.
Chloe looked to the box, then up to her sister. “T’ank you, Dom.” She smiled and gave Dom a hug.
“Hey, we may fight an’ stuff,” Dom replied as she returned the hug. “But in the end, I’m gonna look out for my sister.” She patted Chloe on the back and pulled back just a bit, adding with a grin. “We better get inside b’fore some o’ our neighbours see us bein’ all civil.”
