Emilie Beaumont, Chp. 8, Gen. 2, 1732

  
     It was the spring of 1732 -- MONTHS since the note was placed on the doorstep, the very note that kept Emilie wide awake at the earliest hours of the morning and jumping at every unexpected sound.  Emilie was quite distressed -- and very, very tired.
     Though she had told Bernard of the note, he was not comforting to her at all.  No one could help her feel better.  She had no proof that the letter was from HIM.  But she knew it was.  She had a feeling that made her so sick she wanted to vomit. 

**************************************************************************

     An early April morning brought utter terror, fear, and anger to the Beaumonts...


     A shadow lurked in the dawn, waiting for the perfect time to strike.  As far as the dark figure could tell, the family was asleep, deeply asleep in their beds as that could protect them from him.  But it can't, thought the shadow, bitterly.  They will pay for their wrongdoings.

     But, Bernard had a rough night, and was unable to sleep.  He dressed and wandered around the house quietly.  Even though Emilie denied having any problems with her own sleep, Bernard could tell she was lying.  Emilie was scared stiff.  It cannot be healthy for her and the... CRACK! 
     Bernard whipped around, searchingly.  It sounded like the noise had come from the back porch...Bernard glanced at Exeter, who was cooking at the stove.
     

     Exeter froze.  "Mister Beau-" He called loudly.
     "Shh!" Bernard whispered.  "Did you hear that?"  Exeter nodded.  "Mister," he whispered, "someone's on teh deck.  I'll go and see who."  
     "Exeter! Please be careful." Bernard said.  Exeter turned, surprised.  Inside his broken heart, broken into a million tiny pieces that could not be put together again, he felt a warmth and a feeling of regret that he'd never felt before.  He nodded at Bernard.  "Yes, sir.  I sho' will be careful.  Thank ya, sir."  
     Exeter padded out onto the deck.  And yelled -- at the burning sight before his eyes.

**************************************************************************

     Emilie was awake all night long.  She had a bad feeling about something, although she wasn't sure about what.  The feeling hung over her like a dark storm cloud, waiting to drench her at any unexpected second.  After Bernard left the bedroom, Emilie dressed and stared at her beautiful child, stroking his soft hair.
     Emilie felt the noise before she heard it.  

**************************************************************************

     Exeter almost couldn't hear the yell escaping his own chapped lips.  He saw a dark shadow fall over the edge of the railing, where he landed with a hard thump,  shocked by the sound of Exeter's voice.
     "Ouf!" Gasped the shadow, in pain.  Exeter could vaguely distinguish a dark green coated man staggering up from the grass.  Exeter yelled to Bernard, "A man s'outside, catch 'im, quick!"
     Bernard needed no further instruction.  While Exeter focused on putting out the fire, Bernard ran.  He ran for his son.  He ran for Exeter.  He ran for himself.  He ran for Emilie...

     ... and came face to face with Frederique.

     "Y-y-YOU!" Bernard sputtered in an uncontrollable combination of surprise and anger.
     "M-m-ME!" Frederique mimicked, bored.  "Of cuh-ourse it was me... Who else would it be?"

     "Take a long look around,  Frederique," Bernard spat angrily, "because this'll be the last time you look at the world as a free man.  You're going to jail."
     "What? No!  You can't-"
     "Oh, yes, yes I can.  I'm part of the police force here.  How dare you endanger my family?  And how could you threaten my wife?" Bernard started losing his control.

     Slapping Frederique silly, Bernard sneered.  "THIS-" he slapped Frederique "- is for my innocent family!  THIS is for my handsome SON..."

     "THIS is for Nancy and Exeter..." Bernard continued as Frederique saw stars.

     "And THIS-" Bernard attacked Frederique "-is for EMILIE!"  And Emilie, who had rushed down the front steps of the house to watch, gasped.

     "Bernard!" She cried out.  The thoughts in her head were like fish swimming in different directions.

     "I hope you've learned your lesson, Frederique," Bernard declared.  "Take that." 
     Frederique sat on the ground, a pitiful look on his face.  He slowly stood up, rubbing his aching battle wounds.

     "OUCH!" Frederique complained.  "What if you'd have broken my arm?  Have a little mercy!  You think you're something, Bernard.  You're not.  Emilie had a tough time and you left her.  I  was the only one there for her.  You let her down.  
     "Emilie, you let me down.  I didn't do anything wrong and you gave up on me for Bernard?  I was there and he wasn't.  Yet, I get second place.  YOU, EMILIE ARE THE ONE WHO DESERVES TO PAY.  Your whole dang family deserves to pay.  I know about your mother, how she died.  I thought you should have deserved that instead of her..."

     Emilie was about to retort back with yelling and slapping and insulting, but something inside her stop.   

     What would I want Melatiah to do?  Is this how I want Frederique to remember me, even though with someone as low as him, it probably will not matter later?  How do I want myself to be defined as a person:  an upset woman who calmly says goodbye or an upset woman who yells and screams for revenge?  There are so many things I could say that would be useless to myself and Frederique.

     So, Emilie quietly said, "No one, Frederique, not even the worst criminal on the face of the world deserves to die of fire.  I'm very upset with you.  And although you tried to harm us -- maybe even kill us -- I still don't feel like you deserve to die of fire.  And I chose Bernard because he was understanding to me and didn't talk only about himself.  You were never there for me.  Goodbye, Frederique."  And Frederique was never seen by the Beaumonts again, as he had a new home in jail.

**************************************************************************

     Emilie had a difficult time thinking about the day's events.  She knew she had done the right thing, but there was still a sharp hurt deep inside her heart.  Maybe it was when Frederique had mentioned Elizabeth...  
     There was an eternal gratefulness to Bernard, from Emilie.  She knew that without him the family would have died in the fire... Without him and Exeter, she would have died, just like Maman... 

     ... and so would the child inside her.


**************************************************************************

*The Antique Legacy*

Emilie Beaumont