by Ali Vali
The assembled group downstairs was left stunned by the woman’s declaration, no on more than Rachel. Just like Desi, the young woman felt faint and leaned heavily on Serena. They had never known their mother, who had supposedly died in childbirth with Rachel, and Desi had been a little past one at the time so she had no memory of the woman. Clyde had kept only one picture of her in the house, claiming that it was the only one left after a roof leak had ruined some boxes he was saving for them in the attic. That fuzzy picture of Clyde and June taken on their honeymoon in Biloxi, sat on their mantle for years. Rachel could never really make out her face, it was taken from so far away, but she imagined from the color of her hair, she looked a lot like Desi.
"Madame, I don’t know what kind of game this is, but my daughter-in-law is eight months pregnant and in no position to be thrown this kind of emotional hardball. You had better start praying now, there isn’t anything wrong with her or that baby, because there will be no place on this earth you can hide from Harry if there is." Maria turned and looked at Rachel to make sure she was all right, before turning her attention to the blonde in the foyer of the house.
"Ma’am I know this sounds a little farfetched, but I am Desiree and Rachel’s mother despite what my ex-husband might have told them. I’ve been looking for them since I heard Clyde had died, but haven’t had any luck until now. I had no idea she was with child, and was married to your son Harry." June knew this first meeting was not going to be easy, but it had spiraled beyond what even she could have imagined.
"Harriet is my daughter Mrs.?" asked Maria. She looked at Serena, who now had Butch and Rachel plastered on each side of her. "Sit her down Serena, and Tony, get her a glass of water."
"My name in June Fontaine ma’am, and I am truly sorry for springing this news like this. I just want to find my children." June looked at the group again trying to assess what would happen next.
"Well Mrs. Fontaine, why don’t you have a seat for a moment while I check on Desi. Kenneth dear, make sure she doesn’t go wandering about will you?" With that, Maria turned on her heel and started up the stairs. Maria had never been a woman to be trifled with, especially when it came to her children and her family.
"Did she just say that Harry was a woman?" asked June to no one in particular. Rachel stood across from her wanting nothing more than to start asking the million questions that were running through her mind, but could only manage to stand there using Serena as a lifeline. The shock of the woman’s statement had almost locked her jaw and knees in place. There was a small seed in the back of Rachel’s mind that wanted to just unleash the years of anguish she and Desi had suffered on the woman across from her. How dare she leave them for a better life and abandon the two of them with Clyde. Rachel took in the expensive but tasteful jewelry, the designer clothes and smooth skin and had an overwhelming desire to slap the woman.
"Desi baby, come on wake up for me sweetheart. You’re safe now baby, come on." Harry was kneeling on the bed next to Desi wrapping a blood pressure cuff on her arm. Raul was behind her on the phone trying to find their obstetrician to talk over what had just happened.
When Desi’s eyes fluttered open she found Harry hovering over her with her stethoscope in her ears. The room still looked fuzzy and she wasn’t exactly sure how she had gotten back to their room. "Does this mean you want to play doctor again? Do you remember that afternoon honey?" Desi asked in a scratchy voice. When she started talking, Harry almost passed out from relief, and Raul started laughing at the first thing Desi had thought to say.
"I sure do baby, only let’s talk about that when Papi isn’t in the room ok? How are you feeling baby?" Harry smoothed the short blonde hair away from Desi’s face, and checked the green eyes she loved.
"I feel ok I guess? Did a woman just come in and say she was my mother?" Desi grabbed Harry’s hand and kissed the knuckles, still not sure of the sequence of events.
"Yeah, that would be about right, but don’t worry about that now. I want to make sure you’re ok before we begin to sort that out," said Harry. Behind her Raul had finally gotten Ellie Eschete on the phone. Getting her to hold a moment, Raul handed the phone to his daughter.
"Hello Elli, Desi just fainted on me and I wanted to check in with you. Her pressure’s a little on the low side, but the rest of her vitals are all right. Should I bring her in?" Harry proceeded to explain the events that had just occurred in their home.
"Meet me at the office in fifteen minutes, the movie I was in wasn’t that good anyway. And Harry, keep her away from this woman for the time being. I don’t want any more stress put on Desi than necessary," ordered Ellie. The rumpled looking doctor stood in the lobby of the Palace Theater trying to figure out which of the twenty theaters she had come out of. "Give me a minute to find Sam, then we’ll head out."
"Tell her I’m sorry to ruin your evening, but this couldn’t wait." Harry trusted Desi’s doctor implicitly when it came to anything medical, but the absent minded woman usually was kept in line by her partner in life as well as in medicine.
"Are you kidding, I think they just keep changing the name, but it’s the same movie, I’m convinced. You blow up something every ten minutes and kill ten thousand extras, end of story. Maybe I could get you to talk to her about what women expect in a date. Get moving," said Ellie. Standing at the bottom of the darkened theater, Ellie crooked her finger at Samantha to get her up and moving.
"Ellie it’s just getting to the good part," complained Sam, already pulling her car keys out of her pocket.
"I promise to make it up to you later by renting ‘The Godfather,’ parts one through three, but it’s Desi my love. Harry just called and they’re meeting us at the office in fifteen minutes." That cancelled any more complaints from Sam as they walked out to the huge parking lot.
Both of them had been highly entertained when the Basantes couple had first come in, and they got to see the big mother hen Harry had turned into. With Desi, Harry was as far removed from the terror that made residents quake in their shoes, as you could get. Sam and Ellie had met Harry and Kenneth in medical school, and while each had chosen different specialties, they had remained good friends.
The day they found the name Desiree Basantes on their appointment roster, it had made them curious as to the relation to their old school friend. Basantes wasn’t a common name in New Orleans. Located two floors below Harry’s clinic on the Mercy Hospital Clinic Complex, the two partners had to smile when they got their first look at the small blonde dragging Harry behind her. By the look on the tall surgeon’s face, the two could see it was game, set and match as far as Harry’s heart was concerned.
On the way to the clinic, Sam and Ellie discussed what had happened and concentrated on Desi and the baby’s well being. The other issue of what had caused it could be left for later. At the house on St. Charles Avenue, the tension downstairs was thick, as upstairs Harry got Desi ready to go.
"Mami please go down and keep our guests confined to the living room while we duck out the kitchen," said Harry as she placed the receiver back on its cradle. "Ellie’s going to meet us at the clinic in a couple of minutes sweetheart, so let’s go." Desi’s color was returning to normal, but she wasn’t taking any chances.
When Harry picked her up and cradled her against her chest, the small woman protested, just not strongly. "Honey, I think I can walk on my own."
"Humor me will you baby? I’ve had enough excitement for one night thank you. Papi sorry about dinner, why don’t you all go without us?" Harry knew it would be a moot point, but it was worth a shot.
"We’ll be right behind you Harry, so tell the girls to leave the door unlocked. We can all eat some chicken salad sandwiches when we get back, there has to be five pounds of the stuff in the frig." Harry’s father moved closer to them and kissed them both on the forehead. Desi could see the worry in the blue eyes that were twins of the ones she loved, and smiled to reassure him.
"That’s my fault Papi, your grandbaby is on a chicken k
ick lately. I can’t seem to get enough of the stuff," said Desi. Turning to Harry she said, "Vamonos." Let’s go.
Maria walked in to the room to find everyone sitting and no one talking. Butch jumped up from his mother’s lap and ran to his adopted grandmother. All her grandchildren called Maria, Abbi, short for Abuela, which is Spanish for grandmother, and Raul, Papi.
"Abbi where’s my Uncle Harry and Aunt Desi?" Butch didn’t understand what was going on, but everyone sitting around him seemed to be either angry or very sad.
"Desi had to go to the doctor baby, and Harry had to go with her. But don’t worry, you know Uncle Harry won’t let anything happen to her," explained Maria as she held the little boy tight. "The rest of you please go on to the restaurant and enjoy the evening. Raul and I promise to make it up to you, maybe tomorrow."
"Oh dear God," said June through a sob. How had something that was supposed to be a joyous reunion, have turned so wrong? June just sat in the wing-backed chair even though everyone around her was getting up to leave.
"Listen, I’m not really sure what to believe, but here’s our number. If you like, why don’t you give me your number and I’ll call you later," said Rachel. The resemblance between this woman and her sister was too uncanny to ignore, but Rachel’s fist priority was to the person that had taken care of her all her life. June just stared at her like she was in a daze before answering her.
"Thank you young lady," said June with a smile. She didn’t recognized the young woman before her since the last time she had seen her was three days after her birth.
"My name is Rachel Thompson, I’m Desi’s sister." Serena stepped behind Rachel and put her hands on her lover’s shoulders. She would follow any lead Rachel set, but Serena also wanted to insulate her partner from as much pain as possible.
"You both are so beautiful, I never imagined," stated June. She had found Desi, and through her figured to find her youngest daughter.
"We’ll have time to talk later, but we have to go. Let me make sure that Desi is all right then we’ll make plans to call you. For what it’s worth, I really want to believe you," said Rachel. The little girl still trapped inside her wanted nothing more than to cluctch on to what June was saying.
"Thank you, I just want the chance to explain," said June. Rachel nodded her head then walked past June to the door. She couldn’t fall apart now that Desi needed her so no one judged her for Rachel’s lack of emotional response. All that had happened in the months since the girls had come back into their circle had prepared them all to except anything.
Mona led the woman to the front door and locked it behind her. Harry’s parents were waiting for the maid by the car at the back. Because of Mona’s relationship with Desi, there was not question on her coming along.
"Harry what do you want to have, a boy or a girl?" She and Harry were waiting for the parking lot elevator and she had just pressed the floor that would open to the clinic building. Harry as holding her again, and Desi was running the fingers of one hand through the curly hair on Harry’s head. When the doors of the elevator slid open, a rush of hot air blew out into the lot. They rode up two floors then stepped out into the long corridor washed in soft ambient lighting and headed toward another bank of elevators at the end that would take them to Ellie and Sam’s offices.
"I don’t care what it is baby, just as long as you both come out of this ok. Why do you have a preference?" Harry looked at Desi’s face as they moved closer to their destination. They had discussed not wanting to know what the sex was, wanting to be surprised, but they hadn’t talked about what they wanted.
"No, not as far as the sex is concerned, but on looks I have some requests. I look at your two nephews and niece, and that’s what I want. A beautiful baby with thick black hair, blue eyes and chiseled features. They’re young yet but you can tell they’re going to be tall. I guess I just want us to push him or her in the park, and have people know you are one of the parents. I think if it looks like you, then maybe they’ll inherit your personality too." Desi buried her face in the collar of Harry’s shirt to feel a connection with her. The feelings were fading, but Desi couldn’t help but think of the first time they had come to the medical campus together. All that was left of that time was the faint scar on her knee.
"I don’t know baby, a little girl with blonde hair and green eyes would be nice. Even if the kid looks like you sweetheart, people will figure out the parentage from the goofy look on my face. She could grow up to be a surgeon that makes pottery as a sideline, that is when she’s not making the population of the city swoon because of her great beauty," said Harry. The phone clipped to her waist let out a soft ring so Desi reached down and answered it.
"Dr. Harry Basantes’s phone, can I help you?"
"Desi, is that you?" asked Roger Landry. The search team had just sent back news, and it was good and bad.
"Yes, I’m sorry, I don’t recognize your voice." Desi shrugged her shoulders for Harry’s benefit as she waited for the man to identify himself.
"I’m sure you wouldn’t remember, it’s been awhile, but that’s a good thing. In my profession that means Dr. Harry’s treating you right."
"Roger, God how are you? Tell me you are calling to tell me they found Byron?" Desi felt the arms carrying her tighten slightly.
"Sorry kid, there is some news though. Three of the guys took one look at that hellhole of a swamp and turned themselves in. As for the others the search crew found one of the escapees about three miles from the gate they left out of. His partners in crime left him to die from an alligator bite, and damn if Chuck didn’t accommodate them. They have another fifteen or so miles of the same kind of terrain, and believe me, I wouldn’t want to wade through it in my underwear. I just wanted to keep you posted, and I’ll call back if there are any new developments." Roger and his new partner were out running down leads as to where the men on the run might end up if they made it into the city.
"Thanks Roger, I’ll let Harry know and please stay in touch." Desi explained the new developments to her partner, surprising herself in that she was so calm about the whole thing. It seemed absurd all of a sudden, like she had a starring role of a soap opera, all they needed was dramatic organ music in the background. "When we tuned in yesterday, Desi had just fainted as her long dead mother walked through the door. Her abusive ex-husband, and five other prisoners were heading back to get her, dressed only in their underwear. What will happen today? Even we don’t know, so stay tuned to ‘As the Beignet Fries’ to find out." Desi laughed harder at Harry’s arched brow after finishing the silent monologue in her head.
Snapping the rubber gloves off and throwing them in the trash Ellie concluded her examination. Sam had assisted through the whole thing watching the fetal heart monitor closely. Desi could in all probability deliver a healthy baby, but the more time spent in the womb the better. "Everything looks fine Desi and soon you will feel junior here start to drop. We’re in the home stretch now. While I’m not thrilled you passed out, I don’t see any complications from it. I have to ask though, are you going to be meeting with the visitor you got tonight?" asked Ellie. They all followed her back to the large office Ellie shared with Sam.
"I’m not sure what to expect, but the answer to your question would have to be yes. Don’t worry though, I’ll have my big teddy bear with me, so I’ll be ok," said Desi, as she grabbed Harry’s hand. Harry noticed the delighted look that crossed Sam’s face, and figured the nickname would be all over the building by nine Monday morning. The noise coming from the waiting room got them all to get up and head back in that direction.
"Ok, but I want you to cut off contact if you start getting upset. Call me old fashioned, but I don’t think it’s good for the baby," said Ellie. The two of them walked together, as Harry and Sam followed behind them bumping shoulders and doing a little shoving. "Don’t make me turn around Sam Casey," said Ellie in a threatening voice. The two behind them had a way of turning into three year olds when they got together.
"Everything is great you two." Desi stepped up to Rachel and opened her arms. They would have to deal with the events of the evening eventually, but there was still time to enjoy a family dinner that night.
"I say we call the restaurant and ask if they’ll still take us," said Harry. When she got nods from everyone, Harry started dialing. She added two more to the list and reached for Desi’s hand.
"I’m starved," said Desi, getting a laugh from everyone in the hallway.
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"Well I am."
"Try and not think about it stupid. We’re all hungry, but there ain’t shit to eat out here," said Byron. Mike had been complaining about food for the last hour.
They were now down to five, and were making steady progress through the swamp. They hadn’t gotten a hundred yards from where they had left Chuck when a water moccasin had sunk its fangs into Roland’s upper thigh, knocking him off his feet. Gazette had pulled it off and tossed it against one of the cypress trees, but not before it had injected a lethal dose of venom into his partner. Roland had tried keeping up with them, but the swelling in his leg was making it difficult. Without his knowledge, Roland’s fear was driving the poison through his system that much faster.
"Wait up you guys, Roland can’t go anymore," called Gazette. They four men looked back to see Gazette holding Roland’s head above water. From where they stood he already looked dead, so had no intention of stopping. It had been six hours since the snake had done its deadly job.
"Either just let him go, or stay here with him, but I’m not stopping," said Tyrell. This would not the place he would want to be buried, so he had no intention of dying out there.
"I’m with the black guy," said Byron Sr. Gazette kissed the forehead of the man he had known since they were children and let him go. If he wasn’t dead, the water would finish the job. As they moved away, there was a stream bubbles that rose from the water before Roland was no more.