Read The Badger Riot for Free Online

him, in the fashion of girls and women when they are attracted to someone, but not being too forward about it.
    One evening, as she stood on the sidelines, Jennie was concentrating on Tom as he loped across the field when, not paying attention to who was hitting the ball, something smacked her in the head. Jennie knew no more.
    When she came around, the first thing she saw was a pair of grey eyes looking into hers. They were Tom Hillier’s and he had his arm under her shoulders. The crowd had gathered around, everyone offering their advice.
    â€œGeez, Jennie maid, you coulda been killed.”
    â€œDidn’t you see the friggin’ ball?”
    â€œKeep her still, don’t move her.”
    â€œHere’s my handkerchief. I wetted it in the River. Put it on her forehead.”
    Tom told them all to move back a bit and asked Jennie if she could stand up. Oooh, she was so dizzy. She fell against him, discovering, even in her dizziness, that her head just fit into the curve of his chest. “I’m going to take her home, guys. Go on back to your game without me,” he yelled. With that he lifted Jennie effortlessly into his arms and walked across the road.
    The players drifted back to the field, all except Phonse, who tagged along saying, “If Jennie arrives home in that state without me, Mam will give me the sharp edge of her tongue for not looking after me sister.”
    Jennie, whose head was swimming from the crack of the heavy leather ball, thought she had died and gone to heaven. Nestled in Tom’s strong arms, leaning against his chest, she could hear the thudding of his heart as he walked. Every now and then he would look down at her and she could feel his breath on her cheek. When they arrived, Mam was in a fuss. She settled Jennie on the daybed and got a cold face cloth for the bump on her temple. Tom and Phonse stood by uncertainly.
    â€œWell, young Tom Hillier,” said Mam, as she surveyed him, “you’ve grown into quite a big boy.” Bridey was no fool. She’d seen the way Tom had been looking at Jennie as he walked in the door with her, and the way her daughter’s eyes were looking up into his. But Tom was a Protestant. This would not do, not do at all.
    â€œI’m almost seventeen now, Mrs. Sullivan,” Tom answered.
    â€œWell, thanks for helping Jennie home today, but it weren’t necessary.” She turned to her son. “I s’pose you could’ve done it yourself, Phonse, and not have taken Tom away from his game.”
    â€œAw, Mam, she’s me sister. I wudn’t going to lug her all the way up the track. Besides, she’s too heavy for me, sure.”
    Tom said, “It was no trouble at all for me, missus.”
    Mam looked at him and heaved a sigh. “No, I don’t suppose it was.”
    Throughout the conversation Jennie kept her eyes closed. She knew it was because Tom was Protestant that Mam was behaving like this. If Ralph or Vern had helped her home, she’d be getting a glass of syrup and a bit of cake for them. She didn’t offer Tom anything. And that wasn’t like her mother.
    â€œI’d better go,” Tom said. “Take care of yourself, Jennie.”
    She opened her eyes. The room was spinning a bit. “Tom, thanks for helping me.”
    He met her eyes and they looked at each other for a long moment. He smiled, and then gave her a wink and bounded out over the front step. Despite her pounding head, Jennie couldn’t help but smile too. She knew there’d be other meetings – without Mam.

4
    Rod Anderson received a letter from his Uncle Aaron advising him to be ready to join him on the gulf ferry, the SS
Caribou,
on the first of July. He showed the letter to his father.
    â€œSo Rod, my son, I’m not going to ask you if you wants to go, ’cause I know you do. All I’m going to say is you’re all I have left now. The woods contractor job is a good one and you