Wild Swans
Page 28
“Is this what you expected?” Althea whispered as Cally toyed with her food.
“I still feel like a little kid. I’m scared but happy at the same time,” Cally replied. “I never expected him to forgive us, you know. I was scared to death when I climbed up on those porch steps that he’d be upset. But Daddy was never really mad, just worried and scared. He’s glad we’ve come home, you see. He’s been praying all along for us to come home. And now here we are.” She offered Althea a sad smile. “Mon Dieu, I wish I had known. Things would have been a lot different for all of us, if we had just stayed.”
“You know, Cally, we could’ve worked something out,” her father said from the kitchen doorway.
“I know,” Cally replied, wiping tears from her eyes. “But you know how Ruby is.”
“She’s got too much of me in her,” her father said with a deep Cajun accent. “She was always so bull headed.” He paused and gazed down at Althea. “And you pretty fille,” he said, “I bet you’re the brains of this outfit, non?”
“Oui,” Althea replied. “You know someone has to keep them in line.”
“Cally tells me you’re going into the army,”
“Yes sir,” Althea said, “I’m going to be a nurse.”
“Ah bon,” he sighed. “You should get married, chere, have a passel of babies and leave the army for men.”
“Where else am I going to find a handsome army doctor to marry if I don’t go find one? There’s not much to catch out on the bayou.” Althea laughed.
Cally leaned across the table and said, “Now you know where your mother gets the need to match make.”
Chapter Twenty
Cody Rafaela, the state trooper who started finding excuses to drop by and visit Eldred Bend’s grocery store called Cally, who promptly told Ruby, who in turn let Althea know. Althea was shocked at first, but later thrilled, and judging by the calmer happier mother she came home to after basic; she realized her mother’s fears had finally been laid to rest.
For some unknown reason, a commercial airplane crashed not far from Winthrop’s Hardware store, sending out debris for a four mile radius. Jimmy Winthrop, and an unnamed woman whom Althea suspected was the Lana Turner lookalike, were killed, when, of all things, the plane’s lavatory plummeted into the roof of the hardware store.
It was a fitting end, as far as Althea was concerned, and she was certain that Lindt had something to do with that, considering that the only casualties were Winthrop and his mistress du jour. It certainly reflected his cunning sense of humor.
After that, Cally started spending serious time with Cody. They went out nearly every night to the dance hall for the local fai do-do. Ruby even started going with them, finally relaxing enough to enjoy dancing with some of the bachelors to the joyous beat of xydeco music.
On the last day of her furlough before heading to Houston for her nurses training, Althea learned that Cody was being transferred to Shreveport and he asked Cally to marry him. Ruby laughed and cried then offered to organize the wedding.
****
“What are you going to do, Mom?” Althea asked as she stood on the bus station platform.
“I got plans,” she said. “I’m staying with Momma and Daddy till she passes. Then I’ll get me an old dog to keep me company.”
“Wouldn’t you be scared out there on the bayou all alone? Nobody wants to rent those apartments any more. And business died at the grocery store. All you’ll be selling is lunchmeat and bait.”
“That’s all we ever sold,” Cally laughed.
“No, I ain’t going back to the Bend. Didn’t you hear? Mrs. Bristow has sold everything, lock stock and barrel.”
“To who? You?” Althea laughed.
“Not on your life,” Ruby said. “I’ve been stuck out in the swamps too long. I have the money you gave me, my bills are paid and Molly Bristow sold me the Caddy.”
“I’ll be stationed in Germany,” Althea said. “I want you to come and live with me on the base.”
“I can’t do that ma chere. You’ve got your own life to live.” She fussed with Althea’s uniform. “You spent a long time teaching me that lesson, bay-bay. I know I have a hard head but once I learn something I never forget it.”
“I don’t want you to be alone.”
“I’m not gonna be. I’m buying a little house in Shreveport, not far from Cally. I have the car and some money left and,” she paused for effect, “I’m opening a beauty shop.”
“A beauty shop?” Althea laughed. “Are you serious?”
“You’re not the only one who has hopes and dreams kiddo,” Ruby said. “I’m going to beauty school, get my license and open my own shop.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Althea said. The bus pulled up then, and eased down on its haunches, the air brakes squealing as it came to a complete stop. People were disembarking. The bus driver came out, took one look at Althea’s uniform and said, “Where’s your gear, ma’am?”
She hefted the duffle bag to the driver and he stowed it in the luggage berth. Cally and Cody stepped away from the vending machines positioned at the far end of the platform and came up to her, giving her a hug each.
“Make sure these girls stay out of trouble,” Althea said to Cody.
Cody laughed, tilted back his state trooper hat and said, “You can count on it.”
“Good deal.” She opened her arms wide. “Momma? I love you more than you’ll ever know.”
Ruby held her daughter close, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes. “I love you too, baby. I have always loved you.”
“I know, “Althea said, and meant it.
The End
About the Author
Patricia Snodgrass is a freelance writer who lives close enough to Louisiana to smell the gumbo cooking. She is married, has one son, an Akita and varying number of cats. Today there are two. The house mentioned in Wild Swans was inspired by her ancestor's plantation house currently located in Alexandria, Louisiana.
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