Chapter 17: Chapter 17
The house smelled delicious when Leigh opened the door.
"Hi." Jim waved at her from the kitchen. "We got more fish at the detachment."
"Smells good," Leigh put the tea in the cupboard.
"What's that?"
"Some tea, Kohkom gave me."
"Kohkom?"
"The old Cree woman who sits at the coffee shop; she's Anna's grandmother."
"And she brings her own tea to the coffee shop?"
"I wouldn't think so, Anna took me to visit her at home. She has this lovely tent down the hill from the Grid."
"The old trailer court," Jim turned the fish and nodded to himself. "I didn't think many people were living there still."
"Only a couple of trailers, but they looked well kept up and the yards were nice."
"We haven't had a call down there since I got here, Kohkom must keep things quiet."
"I imagine that her people wouldn't want to upset her. She's like a wise woman. Would you believe that she's going to teach me a healing path for my anxiety and depression?"
"You aren't planning on going off your meds, are you?" Jim looked concerned.
"No, she seems to have some respect for the medications. She takes heart pills according to Anna. Kohkom said the one doesn't have to fight with the other."
"Good." Jim came over and hugged her. "I have a great deal of admiration for the Cree teachings, but even more for the medication that keeps you, you."
"Me too." Leigh gave him a kiss. "Now you mentioned something about fish? I'm starving."
***
"Tom asked to check if you'd seen his Dad," Leigh said as they did the dishes.
"Saw him today," Jim said, "I gave him Tom's message and got a huge grin in return. I didn't smell any drink on him either."
"That's good. I'll let Tom know tomorrow."
***
Leigh gave Anna a smile and wave when she came into the class. Then turned to welcoming the other students. She watched Tom sit at his desk and pick up the note that Leigh left there. He grinned when he read it then folded and put it in his pocket.
Leigh continued the four groups in gym, but she added passing to dribbling. There was lots of shouting and running after missed balls. She saw Mr. Ryckle in the door for a moment, but she just waved and went back to watching the class.
This time she showed them a few different ways to pass the ball then sent them off to practice. By the time they trooped back to the classroom they were missing a lot fewer passes.
After school Leigh went to the coffee shop. Fran begged off saying she had some other things she needed to do. Dr. Kwali was there and they talked about Nigeria and Enji's new enthusiasm for his home country.
Tom's Dad came in and sat in a table near Leigh. When Dr. Kwali left, Leigh went and sat with Joe.
"Tom was very happy to hear that you're OK," she said.
"Tom is a good boy," Joe said, "Did you mean what you said about learning to read?"
"Yes," Leigh said, "You can learn to read anytime."
Joe pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it.
"Teach me to read this?"
Leigh moved around so she was sitting beside the big man.
"Here," she said, "You read what you can, and I'll help with the rest."
"Dear Joe," he looked at Leigh and she nodded.
"It isn't good for Tom to see his Dad drunk. It sc....ar...es me too. I k..."
"That's a hard one," Leigh said, "the 'k' is silent. You don't speak it."
"know you thin.."
"You pronounce that 'k', Joe."
"think I'm a tra....tor."
"traitor," Leigh struggled to focus on the words not the feelings they were causing in her.
"for wan...ting Tom to learn sch...."
"school,"
"school like the white kids. He needs to be ab...le to read words as well as moose tracks."
"You read that very well, Joe." Leigh said, "What you need to do is practice."
"Practice?" Joe looked at her.
"Did you learn how to hunt in one day?"
"Nope." Joe put the letter back in his pocket. "I'm still learning."
"Reading is the same way. The more you read, the better you get, but you're always learning."
"So where do I get books to practice on?"
Leigh pointed to the library.
"They won't give books to me," Joe said.
"Why not ask?" She got up and headed toward the library. Joe followed her.
"Hi," Leigh said, "My friend here is looking for a book to read. Something not too hard to start, but not a children's book."
"Hmm," the librarian said, her nametag read, Alecia. "I think I might know just the book. Wait here." She went into the shelves and came back with a dusty old book. "This was written by an old trapper named Marc Dupuis, about his life in the woods. He doesn't use many long words and I think you'll enjoy the stories. Do you have a library card?"
"No," Joe said, "I can't afford one."
"It doesn't cost anything, just bring the book back on time, or let me know you want to keep it longer." She went behind the desk. "Name?"
"Joe McCrey."
"Address?"
"I'm living at the apartments right now."
"Do you know which number?"
"Apartment four."
"Do you have a phone?"
"No."
"OK then," she hit some keys on the computer and a machine behind her spat out a card. "Here's your library card. You will need to bring it with you any time you want to borrow a book. Keep it safe."
"Thanks," Joe looked at the card before putting it in his pocket. Alecia scanned the book out and handed it to him as well.
"You have the book for three weeks. If you want it longer, just come in and tell me."
Joe held the book for a long time, then tucked it inside his coat and left the library.
"Well," Alecia said, "I'd like to see a lot more like him."
"Maybe we can work on something," Leigh said, "I'm sure there are others who would like to practice their reading skills."
"I'm Alecia," the librarian stuck out her hand and Leigh shook it.
"Leigh Dalrymple."
"Oh, I know you," Alecia said, "Macky pointed you out. I'm his big sister, all grown up and come home with a shiny certificate in Library Science."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Alecia." Leigh said, "Now that I've been in here, it will be hard to stay away."
"Do you want a library card too?"
"Definitely." Leigh leaned across the counter to whisper, "Do you have any really trashy crime novels?"
Jim rolled his eyes when Leigh arrived home with a pile of novels.
"Just as long as you realize that solving crime doesn't really work this way." He helped himself to the top book on the pile. Leigh picked her own book and started in. She kept one ear open for Jim's comments. He had a way of tearing apart how the heroes solved the crimes Leigh found hilarious.
"Oh, right," Jim muttered, "the SOC officer would have your head for that, and whose department has all that equipment just standing around with someone ready to use it?"
It must be an especially good book: he wasn't even past the first chapter. Leigh giggled.
"You should know," Jim looked at her over the top of his book, "everything takes time and costs money. Nobody would use forensic tests to prove that their girlfriend's mother's boyfriend was cheating on her. They'd just go take photographs."
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