The French Girl by Felicia Donovan Page A

hand.  It felt very smooth and for some reason, that surprised me.  I could not imagine what Maman would have said had she been standing there watching me touch a black woman.
    “Welcome, Etoile,” she said.  “What a lovely French name. And is this your mother?” she asked offering her hand to Giselle.
    Giselle smiled and shook Mrs. Spenser’s hand.  “Actually, I am her cousin, Giselle Simone. Etoile will be living with me.”
    I did not bother to correct Giselle because I did not want to be rude.
    A bell rang. The students all stood up.
    “Have a wonderful lunch, Children,” Mrs. Spenser yelled out as they shuffled quickly out the door.  “Would you like to stay and look around the classroom for a few minutes?”
    “If you’ll excuse me,” Mrs. Darby said, “I need to get down to the cafeteria for duty.”
    Turning to Giselle and me, she said, “It was so nice meeting you both.  Feel free to call my office if you have any questions or concerns.  I know you’ll enjoy it here, Etoile.”
    I nodded and strolled around looking at the classroom. On one wall was a poster on “The English Colonies” with a map of New Hampshire and Maine. Below it was a sign that said, “The New Government.”  My eyes ventured to a wall of built-in shelves filled with books including Little Lord Fauntleroy , The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Rebecca, All Creatures Great and Small and several different, but well-worn copies of Anne of Green Gables .
    “Do you enjoy reading, Etoile?” Mrs. Spenser asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Mrs. Darby just said she tested several grade levels ahead,” Giselle quickly added and I felt a funny feeling, but a good feeling, in my stomach when she said it.
    “Excellent.  As you can see, I have many books for you to borrow. We also have a wonderful library.  In fact, we have library tomorrow as our special, so you will get a chance to see it then.”
    “Is there anything she will need to bring?” Giselle asked.
    “Pencil, pens, a book bag and lunch or lunch money,” Mrs. Spenser said.  “We’ll supply everything else.”
    I looked all around the classroom and it seemed so much bigger than my class back in Cote Nouveau, with its sparse shelves and flaking walls.  But thinking about Cote Nouveau made me realize that I knew every single student back there and here, I would not know anyone.  My stomach shifted a little.
    Giselle touched Mrs. Spenser on the arm.  “Her stomach sometimes gets upset.”
    “Oh?” Mrs. Spenser asked.
    “She just had a checkup and she’s very healthy, but sometimes when things upset her…”
    “I’m glad you told me,” Mrs. Spenser said.  “Come here, Etoile,” she said.  I followed her over to her desk and she took out a piece of heavy yellow construction paper and cut it in half.  She took one half and folded it and handed it to me.  I tried not to stare at her hands as she handed it to me, but they were so different from any hands I had ever seen before.  She led me to an empty desk near the door.
    “This will be your desk beginning tomorrow,” she said.  “I want you to keep that card in your desk at all times and should you ever feel that your stomach is going to get upset, just take the yellow card out and place it on top of the desk.  I will see it and let you go immediately to the nurse’s office. That’s Mrs. Whitham’s office.  She is a very nice lady. That way the other students will not know. Will that work for you?”
    I looked at the yellow card and nodded.  I thought back to Mrs. Gordon and the times my stomach had felt upset and tried so hard to hold it in while I tried to get her attention and how sometimes, the other students would laugh at me which would make it all worse. Then I thought of Frankie Lavasseur calling me “Toilette Toussaint” and thought perhaps it would be better to start somewhere new where I was not known.
    “Etoile?” I heard Giselle say.
    “Yes,” I said.  “Thank you.”
    ***
    We got