a change of heart | e.k

Chapter Twelve

Don't listen to the song until after you've read the chapter, if you were planning on it. It'll make less sense if you listen to it before.

Elmer came over to her house to collect her.

It was a surprise, no doubt, but she found it wasn't entirely unwelcome. She had a ghost of a smile on her face as the two of them worked to get her sisters ready and out the door, as though they'd been doing these things together for years.

There was also the fact that he had an uncanny resemblance to her late father. Every time Évangéline glanced over at him in the corner of her eye, she would think it was Placide watching her and she would jump. It was stupid. She knew he was gone. But somehow, he was still so present.

Elmer didn't seem to mind, even though she knew he'd noticed her jumpiness at times. He never questioned it, which she was grateful for. It was painful enough just thinking about her father.

"I was thinkin' we could spend tha day togeth-ah," Elmer mentioned when she'd asked about why he'd come. "I've still gotta sell, but I'd like tha company."

So that was that. Évangéline's only job was to keep alert around him, anyway. They probably would've ended up spending the day together no matter what. As it was, the day went by relatively fast. Elmer got into her sisters' good graces and got them to look like the most pitiful children the streets of New York had ever seen. As much as this peeved her, her own sisters lying as a way to gain money, it was also sort of amusing to watch. The girls were natural actresses, and they didn't let a single penny get by them. Elmer, of course, had gotten most of their earnings, but he was kind enough to share a few cents with them.

Évangéline observed as he talked with Madeleine, who was usually so reserved. He had a way with kids, that was for sure. And a part of her admired this about him, even as she found it strange to be admiring someone her age. Was this how friends thought of each other? She supposed she never had many friends, the curse of which had been passed down to her sisters as well. They'd always been seen as the ones to stay away from if you had a reputation to uphold. She figured her father had not been very respected for the work he did in New York, but he'd been a hero. Shouldn't they be glad they had someone who'd made the world aware of their existence? She knew no one had a clue about the Acadians until he came along. How should they?

And yet, his efforts had been futile. All he'd ever ended up making was enemies, and never enough allies. That had been what had gotten him killed, ultimately.

But her father, she knew, was a man she admired greatly.

"Well, we've got two dollars," said Elmer. "Not ta mention it's gettin' kinda late. How 'bout we go 'n get somethin' ta eat?"

"Fine by me," Évangéline replied. She was getting hungry, and she figured her sisters were, too, even if they hadn't said anything while Elmer was selling. She was proud of them for the effort, even as they immediately began cheering and jumping up and down when the topic of supper came up. She didn't snap at them when people came along and gave them funny looks. Let them have their fun, they weren't hurting anyone.

Jacobi's was nice and quiet. That was, until half the newsies came storming in, Dipper among them. The Mi'kmaq girl smiled when she caught sight of the Acadian, instantly breaking her rythmic stride with Albert and approaching them instead. She must've sensed the incredious look Albert had sent her way, because she turned back and flourished a hand in the direction of all the other boys. "You have yer friends! I won't be long."

"Keeping you all to himself, is he?" teased Évangéline.

Dipper grinned mischievously back, but then her expression turned dreamy. "It's really not so bad when you love the guy. But do avoid it at all costs, unless it's..." She trailed off, but her coy gaze flickering between the two spoke words that Évangéline couldn't even begin to make out, and wasn't entirely sure she wanted to. "Well, at any rate, jus see if he seems capable 'a love before gettin' yer-self into somethin' you can't get outta."