Aunt Norrine had told me many times how important it was to take a siesta.
?But I?m 10 and I don?t take naps anymore!? For goodness sakes, I?d thought at the beginning of the vacation; I may be the youngest but I didn?t need a nap. I didn?t want Juliette and Eileesh to think I was just a little kid!
?Oh sweetie, everyone takes a siesta after lunch ? even adults. You don?t need to sleep, just read or draw. It?s too hot out to do anything else. Besides, only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun,? she laughed!
When I looked puzzled about the Englishmen thing, she explained about how the foolish Englishmen worked all day long with no breaks as they expanded the British Empire through India and Africa.
So now, I was used to taking my siesta and was surprised at how often I did sleep. And Juliette and Eileesh did have to rest also. Usually they read books ? thick school looking books. I didn?t really like to read so I drew when I didn?t sleep. Sometimes I?d giggle when I heard my Uncle Jean snoring in the next room.
Today was different. I?d been in Cannelle for two weeks with only grownups and snotty teenagers for companions. But as I was getting water for our lunch at the lavois, I met another kid! He was a boy, but at this point I didn?t care.
His name was Jean Louis and he?d jumped down over the rocks to scare me. Of course, I wasn?t scared, but I was shy. He started speaking French really fast that scared me a little because, except for a few words, I didn?t speak French.
Jean Louis was 11 ? he?d held up ten fingers plus one so I?d know. He was a long, skinny boy and brown like he lived in the sun. Which I think he did since he pointed down the pathway towards the village and said ?maison?. I knew this word ? house.
He seemed pretty glad to see me. I figured he didn?t get to play with many kids in this little village either. We splashed in the washing basins and he showed me a path up to the top of the overhang. It looked a little scary up there ? it was so high.
I pointed to my water jug and made eating motions.
?Ah, dejeuner, oui, oui. Apres, ici, vien ici apre!?
I smiled, confused and made the eating motion again and pointed toward our house.
Jean Louis repeated the French again and I nodded my head, ?Ok, ici? and pointed to the ground where I was standing. I smiled and he smiled and then ran off.
Hurriedly, I carried the pitcher of water down the stone path back to the house.
?Aunt Norrine, I have to go back to the lavois after lunch. Jean Louis wants to show me some secret paths!? I said, breathless with excitement.
?Who is Jean Louis?? she asked, somewhat concerned?
?Don?t you know him? He lives here. He?s 11 and really nice!?
?Oh, hmm no, I don?t know him. Maybe he?s just visiting his grandma today. And sweetie, you have to take a siesta. You shouldn?t be running all over the place in the hot sun, especially with that red hair of yours.? She went back to putting our lunch on platters, getting them ready to carry down to our ?dining room?.
I wished I could have just yanked both my stupid red pigtails right off. I wished I could be blond like Juliette. It was a curse to be a red head, I?d always hated it.
?But please, Aunt Norrine? I?ll be ok. I won?t stay out long. PLEASE?!?
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