Nicole Renard
The childhood sweetheart of Francis that arrived in Monument in the seventh grade. She, after the establishment of the Wreck Centre, also became Larry LaSalle’s best dance student.
Nicole and Francis eventually started something of a relationship but her rape by the hands of Larry made her blame Francis for not intervening and she forced herself into hiding, never telling anyone about that night. When Francis finally meets her again, she seems to be coping well with the tragedy, just about the graduate from parochial school. She forgives Francis but will not rekindle their past love.
Quotes
‘I shouldn’t have said those things to you that day … You weren’t to blame for what happened’
‘Who was I going to tell? My mother and father? It would have killed them, ruined them forever’
‘My eyes sought Nicole, found her joyous face, hands joined together, as if in prayer, eyes half-closed as if making herself an offering to me’
‘Reminded me of the statue of St. Thérèse’
‘Like a small animal caught and trapped’