Free Washika by Robert A. Poirier Page B

take his eyes off of her. Then she looked at him with her green eyes and he prayed, dear God make it good and let me hang on and not be a fool.
    â€œHenri,” she said.
    â€œYes Lise.”
    â€œClose the door, will you.”

Chapter 15
    I t was ten o’clock. It had stopped raining and the sun was out. Henri smelled the good smell that follows a rainfall as he walked across the yard. He went to the bunkhouse-and-office. P’tit-Gus was sitting at the table leafing through one of the picture magazines.
    â€œAt last,” he said. “Where have you been all this time?”
    â€œWith the nurse.”
    â€œYes, well don’t stand around. I’ve got lots of work for you.”
    Henri did not wish to argue. He stayed away from the man. Her smell was still on him. He could still smell her sweetness and taste her in his mouth. There was still that good flushed feeling and he did not want to lose that arguing with P’tit-Gus.
    â€œWhat’s there to do?” he asked.
    â€œWhat’s there to do,” P’tit-Gus repeated. “I’ll show you what’s there to do. Come with me.”
    Henri followed P’tit-Gus out of the bunkhouse-and-office and across the yard to the main sleep camp. Walking behind the man, he thought about Lise and the last time he had looked at her and how she had stood, naked, behind the screen door.
    â€œNow, first you start at this end,” P’tit-Gus began, “and work your way down to the other end. Clean everything, wastebaskets, ashtrays, anything dragging on the floor. And check under the beds. Here, take these.” P’tit-Gus handed him several black, plastic garbage bags.
    â€œWhen that’s done,” he continued, pointing towards the corner of the room, “there’s the broom there. Start from this end again. And don’t forget to spread the dust bane.”
    In one corner of the common room, next to the broom, was a large green barrel containing the soft, sand-like, green dust bane that was used for keeping the dust down when you swept. Henri liked the smell it made on the floor.
    â€œAnd when you’ve finished, do the same over at your bunkhouse.”
    â€œIs that it?”
    â€œOh no. After, there are the sheets and pillowcases. Come on, get a move on. I’ve got work to do.”
    Henri could not imagine what work there was left to do but he said nothing. He did not want to argue or even speak with P’tit-Gus. It had been wonderful being with Lise. He was feeling so happy and he did not want anything to spoil that.
    Henri spent the rest of the morning doing the jobs assigned to him by P’tit-Gus. He picked up, swept and changed the bed clothes in both sleep camps. But, she was always there. He could not stop thinking about her. What was supposed to have been a simple visit to the infirmary had, in fact, produced a profound change in his life. Prior to his visit with Lise Archambault, Henri had made love only in his dreams. Lise had been most patient with him and guided him and held him until it was time, and after, she made love to him in her way and the experience was one that Henri would remember for the rest of his life.
    At noon, Henri went to the cookhouse for dinner. He avoided the eyes of the older workers who were there. Maybe just thinking about her would show on his face. Perhaps someone had noticed how long he had been at the infirmary. And there was her smell, that sweet smell of her that was still on him. He sat apart from the others at the table. After dinner, Henri stretched out on his bunk to read and wait for further orders from P’tit-Gus. He could not read. He listened to a bumblebee and watched it banging against the screen, trying to get inside. Later, he thought, he would visit Emmett Cronier at the scales. Perhaps Lise might sit on the verandah in the afternoon. He would be able to see her there from the scales. There would be nothing wrong, just walking down