Sugar Doll's Hurricane Blues (23 page)

Sugar Doll woke up first. Remy was tangled in the sheets next to her. “He’s taken all of the bed coverings”. She thought to herself. It was just as well as the room was blazing. She kissed his shoulder and he moaned. She was very thirsty. She went to the kitchen to get a glass of water and then remembered that Remy was short on supply. She poured herself a half glass and drank it down slowly like one would a fine wine. She couldn’t believe that she was here, in the midst of a storm. Her life had definitely taken a turn.

“Good morning.” Remy had crept up behind her. She jumped startled at first but then leaned into his sexy embrace.

“Good morning honey.” Sugar Doll smiled. He kissed her on the neck.

“Good morning. I wish I had a cup of coffee to offer you.” Remy smiled apologetically.

“What else do you have to offer me?” Sugar Doll looked suggestively at Remy.

“Don’t tempt me. We decided to wait didn’t we?” He smiled as he quickly lifted her and carried her off to the bedroom.

“I know but now I am regretting that decision.” She sighed.

“Don’t.” He dropped her on the bed playfully. “Things are too unsettled now and I want you to know that I wouldn’t take advantage of you just because you are stuck with me.” He backed away from the bed.

“I’m not stuck with you. I wanted to be here.” She sat up on the bed’s edge.

“All the same, when this thing is over we can think more about our relationship and where it’s headed. You are special to me.” Remy smiled and sat down next to her.

“Can we kiss then?” She asked innocently.

“Let’s go back to the living room, far away from temptation.” He took her hand and led her away into the outer room and embraced her in a warm kiss.

“I think I love you Sugar Doll.” Remy breathed in her hair.

“I love you too.” Sugar Doll allowed herself to say the very thing she’d always been afraid of. She’d remained a virgin for so long because her trust had died. Her trust died with her father and her mother’s abandonment. “I’m afraid, but I love you.” She admitted as he caressed her face.

“You should never be afraid of me. I will never leave you baby. I will always love you. Trust in me.” Remy’s bright blue eyes looked into hers and she knew that she was his forever.

Big Ma slipped into a netherworld in which everything was bright. She was fourteen again. She was walking along the levee on a warm summer’s day. The clover was in full bloom. She walked to meet a friend. She saw him sitting on the river’s bank sipping a cup of coffee. She could smell the rich scent quite
clearly and decided she wanted some too. She approached her friend; his face was unusually bright and happy. He opened his red thermos and handed her a little plastic cup. He poured the strong chicory coffee into the cup.

“Now hold on a minute, I know you like cream in your coffee and a little sugar too.” Her friend said and he opened a bag with half and half and a pound of sugar. He took out his spoon and stirred it into her cup and handed it to her. She settled into the soft green clover of the levee and an unexpected cool breeze washed over them both.

“Now this is living.” Big Ma said as she sipped her coffee and poked Bertrand in the side. They both let out a giggle and enjoyed the view of the lazy Mississippi as it passed them by on its way to the city.

The ambulance finally arrived. Big Ma’s entire left side was contorted now. She was unable to talk. She seemed to be smiling. Pastor Han looked over at his wife as they loaded Mrs. Jones into the ambulance and they both knew. He climbed into the ambulance clutching the bible.

The sound of glass breaking woke Remy from his peaceful sleep. The sun shone through the cracks in the boards he had against the windows. He jumped up to see what was going on downstairs. The drugstore across the street was surrounded by people who were breaking out the windows. Remy peeked through the bay windows he had recently de-boarded. He glanced over at Sugar Doll who remained sleeping peacefully.

“Things are going to get bad.” He said under his breath as the realization of it sent his heart racing.

“I’ve got to get Sugar Doll out of the city.” He mumbled as he saw that the people had successfully broken through the glass. He went back to the bed but decided to allow her to sleep. The way her brow furrowed in her sleep made him smile.

“I’m gone man, gone.” Remy smiled to himself and playfully kissed her on the forehead. He decided to go downstairs to find out what the locals were doing. He didn’t get far when he saw Benny walking toward him carrying a shotgun.

“Man where you going with that thing… deer hunting?” Remy asked half joking yet mildly alarmed.

“No man, the looters are out in force and I’ve got to protect my place. It’s about to get dangerous in the Quarters. The city is shut down and no help is coming either.” Benny looked over at the drugstore as it was being looted.

“Are there any evacuation areas out of the city?” Remy asked.

“What the floods haven’t blocked the police are. I heard that at a few of the hotels people are paying for a charter bus out of the city.” Benny pointed down the street. “Get out man; I’m only staying to protect my business.” Benny walked away. Remy stood on the street looking as the people were climbing through the windows. The sound of glass cracking pervaded the whole street. He raced up the stairs to get Sugar Doll. She was already sitting up in bed.

“Baby we’ve got to get out of the city. The police are really not around and the worst elements are showing their faces.” Remy said as he grabbed his small suitcase which stood already packed on the dresser.

“I thought that you said that we would be safe in the Quarter’s.” Sugar Doll admonished but rose up quickly.

“I thought we would be but I didn’t think that the storm would be as bad as it was. There is no running water in the city and the government isn’t giving us any help right now. People are getting desperate. We need to try to evacuate. I want to get to the car but I need to find out which routes are available for travel.” He turned the transistor radio on but heard only static.

“Let’s just go. We’ll find a way out of the city. Things are only going to get worse.”

Chapter Eighteen

Patrice, Bobby Joe, Elise and Tommy all banded together as they walked onto the expressway. People littered the bridge. It didn’t even look like the city bridge. Some people lay on blankets sleeping while others fed their children from baby food jars. Elise pressed closer to Patrice. “Why are they just staying here on the bridge?” She asked aloud.

“I guess they ain’t got nowhere else to go.” Tommy said. There were young people holding up signs asking for water.

“I’m scared Patrice.” Elise said.

“Me too. Let’s just keep walking.” Patrice suggested.

“Where are we going to go?” Elise asked.

“My cousin’s house in Harvey.” Tommy suggested. “Ya’ll welcome until this blows over and you find your family. They walked through the people on the bridge oddly separated from them. They had a look of determination and some people began to follow them. When they reached the highest point of the bridge Bobby Joe could see that up ahead there were several police cars at the bottom.

“Look ya’ll, they must be there to help people!” He shouted for joy as he broke into a fast run. The growing crowd of followers began to run behind him. Patrice and Elise kept pace.

As they drew closer to the blockade one of the sheriffs spoke to them on the megaphone: “Now listen! Ya’ll cannot pass!
Gretna will not be New Orleans! Go back to where you came from. You can’t pass here!”

Stunned the crowd of fifty or more people crowded in behind their new leader Bobby Joe. “Ya’ll can’t stop us from going to our families.” He shouted.

“The hell we can’t!” The sheriff shouted. “Now turn around!” He cocked his rifle and shot into the air. The crowd was stunned and began to turn back. Five of the police officers also pulled their guns and shot above their heads.

“Tell the rest of them.” The sheriff shouted as the crowd began to run.

Patrice ran as hard as she could, crying all the while. Elise ran behind her but her face was devoid of any emotion.

“What’s going on when the police shoot at you for trying to go home?” Bobby Joe asked.

They slowed their running when they had managed a safe distance from the police.

“Man, this is crazy! Now where we gonna go?” Tommy asked as he held onto the bridge railing.

“Elise! Elise!” Patricia screamed as Elise fell to the ground.

“Too much running.” Bobby Joe joked as he walked over to the girls.

Tommy approached them but saw the red stain on Elise’s left side. He dropped down to her side.

“She’s been shot!” Tommy shouted. A few people approached to see what was going on.

“Them peckerwoods shot her!” Tommy screamed.

Patricia grabbed Elise’s heavy body in her arms. The young girl was unconscious.

“Help! Help!” Bobby Joe screamed aloud.

“Mr. Renair, I’m going to go back to my bar to make sure that everything is locked down. I’m worried about what’s going on in the Quarters.” Mona said as she tied her shoes.

“Do you think it’s wise to go back out there?” Mr. Renair asked.

“No one is going to do me anything. People are desperate for food and water. Maybe I can help and save my bar.” Mona said as she walked out of the door.