Chapter twenty one: Misunderstanding

Setting: Canon after Lost in Paris.

Madeline was usually a good kid. Polite and well mannered as the rest of her classmates.

But even she had her limits with adults if they were rude to her. Sure even the ones she loved were rude sometimes but she still loved them.

The ones who were rude for no reason? They tested her limits on being polite and well mannered.

Luckily Miss Clavel understood, gently washing out the dirt from her student's hair while the other girls were in the backyard playing.

Miss Clavel wasn't furious, Madeline would know if she was, but instead sympathetic.

That was a first.

Had it been anyone else, she'd be in trouble.

"Miss Clavel, what's the matter?" Madeline asked.

The nun washed the last of the dirt out of the child's hair and smiled softly. "Nothing's the matter dear."

"But that lady bothered you with what she said about me staying behind while the girls go home at the end of spring."

"She just didn't know the circumstances of why you have to."

"Are you sure?" Madeline wondered. "I was the one that got mad—"

"Mon cher, I know," Miss Clavel interrupted. "She just thought it wasn't right for you to stay with me while the rest of the girls get to go home with their families."

"Pourquoi?"

"Why? I'm not your legal guardian. But who would take care of you if I were to leave?"

"Leave?!" Madeline gasped at the thought. "Would you really do that?"

"Not until I have too," Miss Clavel assured her, rising off her hair. "You're not old enough to be by yourself and after the Uncle Horst fiasco, I told myself that I would never let anything happen to you again."

"But you didn't get mad this morning or scold me for being rude."

"Madeline, I'll let it slide this time mon petit."

The little girl nodded softly, drying her hair off with a towel.

The lady had been rude first and Madeline had been close to tears before wiping them away.

"Now hurry and get ready. Your friends are waiting for you outside," Miss Clavel smiled softly but Madeline shook her head. "What that lady said is really bothering you isn't it?"

"Qui. She said that you weren't fit to be a mom and that got me mad," Madeline choked back tears. "Je suis désolé!"

"Madeline, just because I may not be your mom, doesn't mean I don't love you."

"Really?"

"We wouldn't had spent thirty minutes getting dirt out of your hair if I didn't!" Miss Clavel assured with a laugh.

"Qui that is true," Madeline smiled for the first time since that morning.

"Are you ready to join your friends?"

"Qui but maybe a little later. They're not going home until next Monday."