Olivia's Mine by Janine McCaw Read Free Book Online

and was truly a bi-lingual asset at the mine, Akiko was still
struggling with the language, and because of this, had difficulty
at first finding any sort of work at Britannia. She had managed to
earn some extra income as a night cleaner for J.W. McMichael.
    “What time to do you think you’ll be finished
cleaning the hall tonight, Akiko?” Harry asked.
    “Around two in the morning,” she replied in
Japanese.
    “Two a.m.?” he retorted. “Well, I suppose
it’ll be midnight before the people are gone and you can finish up.
Still, that’s very late. We really have to try to find you another
job.”
    “I do not mind,” she said.
    “Well, I mind. You deserve better than this
Akiko. In Japan, your family was in the silk manufacturing trade. A
very honourable profession. Many people looked up to your family. I
want the same for you here. Perhaps we can work on our English
again tonight, hei?”
    Akiko sighed and went into the bedroom.
    So it would be as it always was, she learning
English so slowly, while her young Jimmy picked up both languages,
Japanese and English so quickly. He could chat back and forth
easily in both, never mixing the two. At least, she thought, he
would have a good future in this strange land.
    Unbeknownst to her, little Jimmy was learning
something else from his father. That love of science had been
passed along from father to son and to son again. Late at night,
when his mother was working and his father was fast asleep, Jimmy
was reading some of his grandfather’s old medical texts by
candlelight. He particularly liked the ones about Chinese
acupuncture and eastern medicine practices his grandfather had
picked up while travelling.
    Harry heard a scream come from the bedroom.
He rushed in to find Akiko standing with her hand over her mouth,
pointing at her collection of little silk Geisha dolls she had so
carefully packed and brought with her from Japan. They all had
little pins sticking out from their heads, arms and legs.
    “It is the devil,” Akiko cried in Japanese.
“It keeps happening. I take pins out, pins go back. This
God-forsaken place. Maybe we should leave.”
    Harry went back into the livingroom and gave
Jimmy a smack across the head.
    “I told you to stop doing that,” he said.
    “I need to practice where to stick the
needles,” Jimmy laughed. “For when I become a doctor. I’m studying
hard, like you want.”
    His father looked at him.
    “Maybe we should practice on you, you think
it’s so funny?”
    They stared sternly at each other for a
moment and then both broke in to helpless giggles.
    Akiko came out and saw them both rolling on
the floor, laughing.
    “Men,” she sighed.

Chapter Five
     
    The Port of Vancouver was busy with container
ships bringing in exotic treasures from the Orient. Situated in
Georgia Straight, Vancouver was the southern most point on the west
coast of Canada, and as such was the gateway to the Pacific Rim.
Victoria, the Capital of British Columbia, was actually situated on
Vancouver Island, to the west of Vancouver, which was a
geographical point many found confusing. Although Victoria was the
political capital of the province, Vancouver was its major centre.
Frenchie figured it was because politicians and businessmen had to
be kept apart.
    “Ye might get a liddle rain,” the Captain
said as the Northern Mary headed out of Burrard Inlet. The stay in
Vancouver had been a short one, as Lucy predicted.
    “Dem North Shore mountains,” the Captain
continued, “dey tend to sock in de wedder. Way o’er der, way east,
dat’s Mount Seymour. De one in de middle, dat’s Grouse, and de one
towards where we’re headed, dat’s Cyprus. I dunna know how de got
dose names, but I do know ‘ow de Couve did. It was named after
Captain George Vancouver, who first came ‘ere. I think he was
Dutch, but ‘e was a Captain for sure, dat’s why I remember. Just a
little ‘istory for ye. Maybe some day, dey will name a piece of
land after Frenchie Cates.