Under the Sassafras (24 page)

“I can't talk about him anymore right now. I think I'll go see if there are any herbs left to gather. The swamp seemed to protect our little place from being demolished, maybe it also protected the wild herbs.”

“Joelette, wait. I don't believe you are thinking clearly right now. Give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he didn't leave. Maybe he just went to a hotel to give you time to think.” MaeMae held Joelette's hand in hers. “Trust your heart, Joelette, not your mind.”

“I called the hotels, found the one where he’d been registered and they said he’d checked out early this morning. He's gone, MaeMae. I've been a fool twice; no, three times counting last night. No one person can make you happy. You're the one told me that time and time again. So I'll find happiness with my boys, you and this place. I won't be played a fool again. I have to think with my mind. My heart tells lies, MaeMae. I can't trust it anymore.”

MaeMae said nothing, but sipped her wine, her eyes filled with disappointment.

Joelette returned a few minutes later, boots on and straw hat in hand. “If you don't mind, the boys would enjoy staying around the house today. They have been gone from their things for a couple of days. Possum said he would drop by today. Don't tell him about Mansir. I don't want the boys to know, either. I'll tell all of them about his whirlwind appearance later.”

MaeMae made a clicking noise with her tongue and shook her head. She let Joelette know that she didn't agree with her.

Joelette carried two burlap sacks as she walked down the trail into the swamp. Her black rubber boots made a sucking noise as they stuck in the mud and then released. The sun shone bright and hot and the noise of the swamp helped sooth her soul. No doubt her boys also loved every inch of this land, this was their home, her home. She would do what it took to make a decent living for the boys and give them a future of their choice.

Who needs a man anyway? Certainly not Joelette Benoit.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

MaeMae sat on the porch waiting for Joelette to return. All the things they talked about this morning made her both sad and happy. With Mansir back, everything would work out. Silence interrupted her thoughts like a sonic boom. The boys were too quiet.

“T-Boy? Ozamae? Where are you?”

MaeMae stepped off the porch and started around the house to check the back yard. Where were those two? In the mud on the side of the house were four small footprints. Had they been listening? If so how much had they heard?

“T-Boy, Ozamae, answer me, where are you?” she called.

“We're in the house MaeMae,” T-Boy yelled.

Relief poured over her. They were safe in the house. She decided not to press for information and would allow them to ask questions. Ozamae would have plenty of questions. He always did. She better be ready with answers.

But her grandsons remained in their bedroom the rest of the morning with the door closed. “What are you boys doing? You have been cooped up in that room for hours.” MaeMae tapped on the door. She could hear a scurrying sound and then the door opened.

“Nothing, MaeMae. We were playing. Is it lunch time?” T-Boy asked, smiling up at his grandma.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You boys are up to something. Don't think you can fool your old grandma. I'm pretty smart. Anything you want to talk about?”

“No ma'am. I promise we’re not doing anything bad. Were we, T-Boy?” Ozamae asked his brother.

“Be quiet, Ozamae. We're working on a present MaeMae. Honest. What's for lunch?”

“I fixed us grilled cheese sandwiches and hot chicken noodle soup. How's that sound?” MaeMae knew the boys were not telling her everything, but neither of the boys
were prone to lying, so she let it drop. They would tell her in their own good time.

After lunch, MaeMae settled on the sofa to watch the one soap opera she'd watched for the past twenty years. The boys went back to their room and said they were going to read for a while. She checked on them later and found them curled up in T-Boy's bed, each had a book and their eyes closed.

“Little angels.” They needed their rest. She closed the bedroom door and sat back on the sofa and nodded off herself.

A soft knock startled her awake. She opened the door and found Mansir standing on the porch. He picked her up like a child and swung her around.

“I'm so glad to see you. You look great,” he said.

“Put me down, you fool.” MaeMae laughed. “I thought you were gone. Joelette told me you fled the country. She's very upset with you.”

“I told her where I was going, I even left her a note. She was tired last night. Where is she? I'll set everything straight.”

“No, let her stew for awhile,” MaeMae said. “She needs a lesson in trust. Tell me where you went this morning and what you did. I want to hear everything. I just need to listen to your voice.”

He sat in the large, over-stuffed chair. He grinned. “This feels so good. Who would guess a chair would fit a person so well?”

“You know Joelette sits in that chair every chance she gets,” MaeMae said. “She’s missed you.”

“I’ve missed her, but now we’ll have a lifetime to spend catching up on lost time.” He smiled. “So this morning I went to the university in Lafayette. Did you know they built that school around a swamp? It’s beautiful. I talked to several deans about being certified as a teacher. You would be surprised how much it takes, but I'm willing to work hard. The certification might take a year or more but they said I could be looking for a teaching job now. They have a program that allows you to teach while you become certified.”

“I didn't know you wanted to teach. Not that you can’t, I know you'll be a great teacher. Look how you helped T-Boy with his math. He's done so well, Mansir. He works hard and you can tell he's so proud of his grades. Where do you plan to teach?”

“I hope close to here. I want to make this my home. You don't think Joelette will stay mad at me forever, do you?”

“I don't know. She's a very stubborn woman.” Sitting closer to the edge of the sofa, she peered into Mansir's eyes. “I think it will depend on you. Do you love her, Mansir?”

“With all my heart. I also told her that last night.”

“Next time you tell a woman you love her, make sure she is wide awake.” MaeMae giggled. “I have so many questions. You've been very busy. How did you accomplish so much in such little time? How is Sara? I came to like that girl. Never mind,” she waved her hand. “You’ll have plenty of time to tell me these things later.”

“Sara’s fine. She came down with me, but flew to Atlanta to visit the Atlanta Art Institute. She is also working on a dream. Where are the boys? Everything is so quiet. I can't wait to see them.”

“They're going to be so surprised and unbelievably happy. Before I take you to them, you have to promise me you're staying. I can't allow their hearts to be ripped apart again.” MaeMae peered into Mansir's eyes, seeking the truth.

“I'm not going anywhere. I'm here to stay,” Mansir answered.

“Just the answer I needed to hear. Come with me. They were asleep a minute ago.” She opened the door to their bedroom. Two unlikely lumps lay in the beds. Upon investigating, she and Mansir saw that the boys had pulled quilts over their pillows to make someone believe they were still in the bed.

“This doesn't make sense. They’ve never tried to trick me before. You know they've acted strange all morning,” MaeMae said.

“More than likely they’re just outside. I'll go look. You check the other parts of the house.” Patting her hand, he added. “Don't worry. I'll find them.”

The search of the house and yard proved fruitless.

“Maybe they went to meet Joelette,” Mansir said.

“They know better to go into the swamp without an adult. They know better,” MaeMae said.

“Tell me where she is and I'll go find her.”

“No I'll go. I know just where to find her. You wait here in case they return,” MaeMae said. She removed her slippers and donned her boots. “I can't imagine what's gotten in to those two,” she muttered as she hurried off to find Joelette.

Mansir stood on the porch and watched MaeMae hurry off. He’d tried to hide it from her, but he was just as worried as she was. He tried to remember where he would have run when he was a boy. Possum's. Of course, they would go to Possum's.

Mansir scribbled out a note and left it on the front screen door. He would scold them when he found them, after he hugged them.

Joelette will be frantic, he thought. Those boys are her life so he needed to find them before she got back to her house.

Possum met him on the deck. “Well I'll be damned. The boys told me you were back, but I didn't believe them. It's so good to see you again, my friend. You're all dressed up. Did you become a preacher?” Possum slapped Mansir on the back.

“Are the boys here? MaeMae is so worried and Joelette probably is, too, by now.”

“Yeah, they're here. Just wait until you see what they lugged all the way from their house, and listen to the story they have to tell. Come on in. They're in the kitchen drinking a cola. I'll make us a pot of coffee. I know you haven't had a good cup since you been gone.”

T-Boy saw him first. “I knew you'd come back. I just knew it.”

Mansir bent down on one knee and both boys flew into his outstretched arms. “Boy, am I glad to see the both of you. I sure did miss you.”

Ozamae held so tight to Mansir's neck he thought his little arms would break. He pulled Ozamae back a little to arm's length and looked at the little guy's frown.

“Hey buddy, what's going on? Why did y'all run away from home?” Mansir gathered him back into his arms as Ozamae began to cry.

Mansir picked both of the boys up and carried them to Possum's old plush sofa. Hugging Ozamae, he allowed him to cry a little before asking more questions.

“What were you boys thinking to run off that way? I know you wouldn't leave without a reason. T-Boy, what's going on?”

T-Boy got off of Mansir's lap and fetched a paper bag with a rubber band wrapped around the top. It took both of his hands to hold the heavy bag. He handed the bag to Mansir, then he stepped back then squared his shoulders and looked Mansir in the eye.

“We heard what Mom said about you coming over last night and why you up and left this morning,” T-Boy said.

“What did you hear, T-Boy?” Mansir asked.

“We heard all about you being rich and how you’re used to having money, lots of money. And when you came back and saw we didn't have money you decided not to stay.” T-Boy held his arms rigid with fists on the ends by his side.

Ozamae crawled off Mansir's lap and chimed in. “Yeah, she said you were from another world. Are you Mansir?”

“That's not what she said, dummy,” T-Boy said. “She said that he was from a different world. Don't you know anything?” His voice began to shake, but he kept eye contact with Mansir.

“We decided to make you stay. We have money. More money than you have, I bet. Look in the bag.” T-Boy crossed his arms over his puffed out chest.

Mansir opened the bag and couldn't believe his eyes. He pulled out a small piggy bank. “That's from me,” Ozamae said. “It’s got a gazillion dollars in that bank.”

Then Mansir pulled out a drawstring bag that revealed a lot of dimes. “Those are from T-Boy. He's been saving them since ’fore I was born,” Ozamae reported.

Mansir looked up at Possum. A lump lodged in his throat.

“Go on, there's more.” T-Boy said.

The next to come out of the bag was MaeMae's large jar of beans. “We don't think MaeMae's going to be too mad, on account of she likes you a lot too.” Ozamae came closer and peered in the bag. “Look what else.”

Mansir removed the last item: a large wad of bills neatly stacked together and secured with a shoestring that he was sure T-Boy had tied.

“I told you there was a lot of money. Will that do?” T-Boy's voice broke, but he held back the tears. “Is it enough to make you stay?”

Mansir swallowed back his own tears. “Come here, you two. I don't need money to make me stay. I need the two of you. I love both of you. Don't you know that? Money can't buy a family. Only trust and love can do that.” Mansir looked up at Possum again and saw the tough Cajun wipe his face then turn around and blow his nose.

“Can you believe this, Possum?”

Possum just shook his head.

“Let's go straighten this out with your mom. I know she is so worried about the two of you. I don’t think she’ll still be mad when we explain everything to her.” Mansir placed the treasures back in the bag and shook Possum's hand. “These are the two greatest boys in the world, don't you agree?” Mansir put his hands on Ozamae and T-Boy’s shoulders. “Come on boys. I'll give you a ride in the new truck. I'll see you later, Possum.”

“You be careful, my friend. Joelette is a very strong-willed person. She’s a Cajun woman with quick tongue.” He popped Mansir on the back. “It's good to see your pale face again, and if Joelette scares you, don't forget you can stay at my house anytime.” He called out as they drove away.
Mansir could barely hear Possum’s offer over the boy’s excited praise about the new truck.

###

“What do you mean they're gone? Where can they be? You looked all around the house?” Joelette ran, then slowed when she saw MaeMae trying to keep up with her.

“You go ahead. I'll catch up,” MaeMae said out of breath.

“I'm going to ground them for a month for pulling this trick. Just you wait until I find them.” Joelette said and then took off running again.

“Mansir’s waiting at the house,” MaeMae yelled.

Joelette stopped in her tracks and spun around and waited for MaeMae. “What?”

“Yes. He was telling me about his dealings when we realized the boys were missing.” Trying to catch her breath, she bent over and put her hands on her knees.

What could he want now? The coming and going would be the death of her. Joelette hurried off again and left MaeMae behind.

Joelette arrived at the house and thought she would be sick in the stomach from worry. This was so unlike her boys.

“T-Boy! Ozamae! Where are you? If you boys are hiding, so help me when I find you.” She ran to their room and found nothing but the disguised beds. Racing toward her bedroom, she could hear blood pulsing in her head.

“Come on, boys. This is not funny. Where are you?” Her bedroom was also empty. Joelette bent down and looked under the bed, Ozamae's favorite hiding place, but he wasn’t there. In fact the only thing that was there was her sewing box that Mansir had made for her. It was opened. She never left it opened.

Her hands shook, but she removed the sewing and notions out of the box and opened the little trap door. The money was gone. All of it, gone. Every last hard-earned dollar.

But why? Didn’t he have enough money in California? He had to come here and take hers? He was just like Otis.

She threw the box on her bed and ran to the bathroom. She was going to be sick.

“Joelette, where are you?” MaeMae called.

She came out of the bathroom shaking. “I know why he came back,” she whispered.