Restoring Hope

by Smith, C. P.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The last week after Detective King called was a slippery slope of emotions, one minute Hope was in tears, the next she was angry. Nic spent most of that time trying to keep her off balance. He figured if she had too much to focus on she couldn’t stay stuck in her head worrying about John Cummings. He’d called and been briefed by the Detective again, and they had no idea where Cummings was or if he even knew where Hope was living now. Which meant he could be right outside the door or in Canada. The not knowing would eat Hope alive, and Nic knew he needed to do something to take her mind off Cummings, and he couldn’t think of a better place to go to feel loved and secure than his childhood home.

  “Up, out of the bed and get packed,” Nic told Hope as he threw back the covers from the bed. Hope rolled over, squinting her eyes at him and then rolled back. “I’m tired, I want to sleep.”

  “You can sleep in the car; we’re going to Baton Rouge to see Nicky at the summer house. My parents have been dying to meet you for weeks, and I miss my son.”

  Hope rolled to her back quickly, and Nic didn’t miss the look of apprehension on her face.

  “Your parents?”

  “Yeah, sugar, now get a move on.”

  “What if they don’t like me?”

  “Angel—”

  “Oh, my God, what if they hate me?”

  “Sugar—”

  “I don’t have a thing to wear!” Hope shouted.

  Nic grabbed her by the ankles, and pulled her to the end of the bed while she squeaked. He lifted her from the bed, placed her on her feet and chuckled while he walked her to the shower.

  “One thing I’ve learned about women, baby, you’ll never have the perfect outfit,” then he smacked her sweet ass, turned on the shower and got busy relaxing her for the trip.

  The Beuve’s summer home on the banks of the Tickfaw River was a charming cottage that had two stories and a wrap-around porch. There was a dock stretching out onto the river and surprisingly a pool even though the river was at their back door. Nic’s mother preferred to see what she swam with, he’d explained, and Hope decided she agreed with his mother when she remembered the alligators that sunned themselves on the banks. There was a boathouse for their speedboat and houseboat. Nic said they had two because you never know when you’d want to go fast or take it slow and lazy, and it all sat on a full acre. This was so your neighbors weren’t right up your ass—as Nic put it.

  His mother and father were waiting on the steps of their large covered porch when they arrived. Large porches were a necessity in Louisiana to keep the sun at bay. Most houses had them and were frequently utilized on long summer nights while they drank ice tea and welcomed in the night. When Nic parked the car, they both descended the steps with smiles on their faces, waving to both her and Nic. When his parent’s faces melted into loving looks of acceptance, Hope forgot about being nervous and smiled at them both, her worries about the perfect outfit just a memory when she saw smiling back at her.

  Nic’s dad, Nicholas Sr., was as tall as his son was, but with more gray hair than black. His face, an older version of Nic’s, had aged to perfection with just the right amount of laugh lines on his face. Strong cheekbones, heavy brows, and full lips told Hope he’d been a heartbreaker in his youth. He was lean, but not too lean, and the way he curled his wife around the shoulders, tucking her into his side, said his eyes never wandered in all the years they’d been married. And who would even look at another woman when you had one as beautiful and gracious as Tilly on your arm?

  Taller than Hope, most were, she was blonde as well with blue eyes and a cupid’s mouth. She had a full, shapely figure that she’d kept in shape most of her sixty-five years, but just enough softness and curves that you knew her husband enjoyed her. She was dressed in a cool summer sundress, of pastel-green, and rhinestone encrusted flip-flops. Her hair was swept up in a messy up-do and Hope could tell by looking at her relaxed outfit she could care less what Hope had worn. She was the essence of a southern woman who could give a rat’s ass about the latest fashion and more about being comfortable while looking feminine—Hope loved her at first sight.

  Nicky tried to act cool when they arrived, he’d smiled and waved but didn’t rush forward to hug his dad. He gave Hope a grin, and she smiled at him and nudged him in the shoulder. Nic Sr. was the first to address Hope, and he did it in southern style. He walked up to her, grabbed her by the shoulders, drawing her in for a big bear hug.

  “We’ve been beggin’ Nic to bring you up here ever since we heard about you, sugar,” he crooned like a riverboat gambler, and Clark Gable came to mind from the movie “Gone with the Wind.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too,” Hope answered back. Nic Sr. then shifted her to Tilly who smiled brightly and gave her a genteel hug.

  “Just look at you, why, you’re as pretty as any southern belle I’ve ever met.”

  “She’s got piss and vinegar like one too,” Nic chuckled and then tucked Hope under his arm as he leaned in and kissed his mother’s cheek, “You look especially pretty today, mother. Have you been drinking from the fountain of youth again?”

  “Of course, it’s called Cajun Lemonade. Y’all take a seat on the back porch, and I’ll fetch you both a tall glass.”

  “I’ll get their bags,” Nic Sr. called out as he rounded the back of her Jeep. “Nice car son, kinda girlie for you though.”

  “It’s Hope’s dad, she lets me drive it when she’s in a good mood.”

  “What he means is he never lets me drive it, so I’m confused as to why he bought it,” Hope laughed and then realized what she said.

  Tilly looked at her son and then asked, “You bought it for her?”

  Feeling the color drain from her face, Hope started to apologize and tell them he forced her to buy it, but before she could say anything Tilly wrapped an arm around her and said, “Oh, sugar, you and I have got to have a conversation about how to handle Beuve men.” Then she shouted over her shoulder, “Y’all go fish or somethin.’ Hope and I have some photo albums to sort through.”

  Two hours later and five photo albums sorted through, Tilly turned to Hope as they laughed over a picture of Nic dressed as a girl for Halloween and asked, “Do you love him?” Hope was taken off guard by the question and choked on her Cajun lemonade. As she sputtered, Tilly grabbed a napkin and handed it to her chuckling “Subtle isn’t one of my strong suits, sugar, sorry about that.”

  Hope wiped her mouth and took a deep breath then turning to Nic’s mother told her, “Yes, I do, more and more each day.” The smile that crossed Tilly’s mouth spoke of a mother’s love for her son having found the right woman to love. She beamed and grabbed Hope’s hands and advised, “Then you need to put him in his place from time to time. Don’t let my son walk roughshod over you. He’s like his father, likes to run everything. You let him think he does, but in the back of your mind remember behind every great man is the woman steering the ship.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Hope smiled, and Tilly scoffed, “My mother is ma’am, you can call me Tilly.”

  Right on cue, the men and Nicky came in from the sun, carrying catfish they’d caught in the river. The dark gray fish with whiskers hung from a fish stringer, and Nic’s dad plopped them down in the kitchen sink on their way into the great room where Tilly and Hope were sitting. Both men came to the back of the couch, and both women looked up as they lowered their heads and kissed them sweetly on the lips. When both Nic’s pulled back, smiling sweetly at their women, Hope and Tilly sighed. Young or old, newly coupled or forty-four years married, when a hot guy kisses you, you swoon.

  “We havin’ a fish fry for dinner, sugar?” Tilly asked her husband. Nic Sr. brushed her cheek once with the back of his hand before turning back to the kitchen.

  “That we are, Tilly darling,’ that we are.” The sound of a fish hitting the counter caught Tilly’s attention, and she told her husband, “You make a mess, you clean it up.”

  “Sugar—“r />
  “No you don’t, Nicholas Beuve, my hands smelt for a week last time.”

  “I’ll clean up if you gut them dad. Wouldn’t want momma or Hope’s hands in those guts anyway,” Nic called out to his father.

  At that announcement, Tilly leaned in whispering, “My hands didn’t smell, but really, the guts are just not appealing in the least.” Nic heard his mother and turned, smiled at her and then winked as he made his way to the kitchen.

  After dinner, they all retired to the back porch. Nicky set up a game of dominoes, and they relaxed with drinks as the crickets began their nightly calls. Frogs soon joined them and in the distance, a loud splash from the water indicated an alligator was hunting for his next meal. Croaking calls from a Heron as she fed her young added to the magical evening of just being and it was heavenly.

  No worries, no deadlines, just family, the sounds of the river and Hope snuggled in next to Nic. If there ever was a perfect day, Hope figured this had to be close to it. Nic was right she needed to relax and not worry so much. He’d notified the police the alarms were always on when they were home, and as Nic had said, John could be in Canada enjoying the fruits of his illegal labor. Nic was running his fingers up and down her arm as she laid her head on his chest. Tilly watched them both, a small smile on her face as Nic Sr. was explaining the rules of dominoes again to Nicky. The sun had lowered in the sky, and Hope decided she’d never seen a more beautiful sunset, when the silence of the night was interrupted by the sound of shoes on the steps of the porch.

  “Well isn’t this just a cozy sight,” Kat remarked sarcastically as she took in the occupants of the porch. “My son, my husband, and the whore. Oh, my apologies, I didn’t see Sister Theresa and Saint Nicholas over there,” she finished with disdain.

  “Momma?” Nicky stuttered, alarmed at his mother words and her appearance. Normally well-kept Kat looked different in a T-shirt and shorts, with no makeup on her face. Tilly stood immediately and put herself between Nicky and Kat, her anger apparent, as she hissed, “Not in front of Nicky.”

  “I don’t hide my feelings from my son,” Kat shouted, “If this is the type of company he’ll be keeping while in your home, I’ll just take him home.”

  Nic had stood and tried to enter the fray, but his mother had put up her hand to stop him, and like all good sons, he didn’t dare cross his momma.

  “We have every right to have whomever we want in our home, and that includes you. That being said, you’ve overstayed your welcome, and I suggest you head on back to New Orleans on your broomstick.”

  “Nicky, get in the house,” Nic barked out, his tone breaking Nicky from his deer in the headlights trance, as he watched his mother and grandmother face-off. He moved quickly to the door, but looked back over his shoulder at his parents, one last time, before walking inside and closing the door. Nic turned back to his mother and told her “I’ll handle this. You go inside and look after Nicky.” His mother crossed her arms and raised her brows, holding her position. She wasn’t moving an inch, and he knew it. Sighing, he turned to Kat and grabbed her arm marching her down the porch and around the house. She struggled the whole way as Tilly, Hope and Nic Sr. stood there and watched, all three in different degrees of shock and anger.

  Hope looked back at the house and wondered if she should go to Nicky. He wasn’t a baby anymore, and his mother being upset at her presence might make him unpredictable, and with no experience with kids, Hope bit her lips unsure what to do. Should she leave it to Nic or try to explain the situation herself? She was just about to turn to the door, and attempt to console him, when Nic’s mother broke the silence.

  “That woman is a bitch.”

  “Now, sugar,” Nic Sr. replied with a chuckle in his voice.

  “I’d use another word for her, but ladies don’t talk like that in polite company.”

  Nic Sr.’s chuckle became a laugh, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest. Hope let out a giggle, and then threw her hand over her mouth as the giggle became a laugh, as well.

  The sound of screeching tires alerted them to the fact that Kat had left, and when Nic rounded the corner, he found his parents and his woman in varying degrees of laughter. Shaking his head, he looked to the heavens and wondered not for the first time if it was just him, or was everyone in his life nuts. He came up the steps, moved past the lunatics, and entered the house calling out to his son.

  “Nicky, we’re goin’ out on the boat. Grab your shoes and life vest.”

  Nicky came around the corner, a wary look on his face and Nic told him, “She’s gone. Your momma’s just dealing with some stuff right now. She didn’t mean what she said.”

  “Why’d she call Hope a bad name?” Nic sighed ‘cause he couldn’t tell his son the truth without hurting him. So, he kneeled down and told him, “Even adults have bad days and say things they shouldn’t. Your mother is a good woman and so is Hope, but sometimes people just don’t like everyone they meet.”

  Nicky rolled his eyes and broke it down for his dad.

  “What you really mean is mom is jealous of Hope, and she called her a bad name to be mean.” Nic’s lip twitched and again he realized his son was too sharp for his own good.

  “Yeah, somthin’ like that.” Nicky nodded and then shook his head as he went to get his shoes, and his mumbled “Grownups, jeez,” made Nic chuckle as he headed back to the porch.

  “Is he okay?” Hope asked with concern in her voice as he pulled her under his arm.

  “He’s a kid, they bounce back quickly. You ready for your first sunset and night under the stars?”

  “Sounds great, but what about Kat?”

  “She’s heading back to New Orleans. She won’t be coming back if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “Good, I’m uninviting her when Nicky’s here, I’m not putting up with that behavior again.” Tilly replied and then asked “We gonna take Nicky out on the boat and shoot fireworks?”

  “We got any?” Nic asked his father.

  “Always,” Nic Sr. replied as if that question was an affront to his manhood.

  “Then load’em up, Dad, time to blow something up.”

  Nic Sr. rubbed his hands together in excitement and Hope heard Tilly mumble, “I’d like to blow someone up.” Nic snapped “Mom,” in warning, afraid Nicky would overhear.

  “Blow her all the way back to OZ,” Tilly kept on and Nic Sr. barked out “Enough, you made your point espesces de tete dure.”

  Tilly bit her lips and looked at Hope and Hope bit her lips to keep from laughing. There was no doubt about it; Hope didn’t see good things in her future when it came to handling a Beuve man. If Tilly could be silenced, there was no hope for her.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  South Louisiana is humid most days, add in ninety plus degrees and it's humid and hot like a steam bath. Hope was experiencing her first heat wave since arriving in Louisiana on the sidewalks of Louisiana State University or better known as LSU. “Geaux Tigers!” was everywhere on the campus of the university Nic had attended and his father before him.

  Nic and Nic Sr. had decided that a day trip to Baton Rouge, the city of Nic’s birth, and the city that housed the great university, were the order of the day before she and Nic headed back to New Orleans. Though the campus was practically dead, college students were home on their much-needed summer break, Hope could feel the energy of the university.

  They took pictures in front of Mike the Tiger’s habitat, though the LSU mascot was taking a break sunning himself, he did raise his head once and look their way. They toured the dairy store where students raise the cows and make fresh ice cream daily, and they took a walk around LSU Lake as they ate the creamy delight.

  But, the biggest draw for all three Nicholas Beuve’s was the football stadium. Tiger stadium, home of the LSU Tigers football team and arguably the worst place to play if you’re an opposing team, was huge. Under construction, but due to be completed that summer, the stadium will hold 1
00,000 when construction is complete. Hope and Tilly were behind the men as they all three morphed into little kids at the sight of the construction and the coming football season.

  “Dad, can we get Tiger Den seats for next season?” Nicky shouted as they walked the perimeter of the stadium.

  “Only a man would think spending thousands of dollars on season tickets for football was a great idea,” Tilly mumbled.

  Hope bit her lips hearing that ‘cause she didn’t agree. Though she lost her family at twelve, she had vivid memories of watching football with her father. They, however, had been Oklahoma Sooner fans. She always thought it was odd that her father, who’d never lived in the sooner state, had bled crimson and cream. But he’d told her about how they’d had the longest winning streak ever, forty-seven straight games, from 1953-1957, and that he’d been mesmerized by that team as a kid. His enthusiasm for his adopted team had rubbed off on her, and as a tribute to her dad, she watched every game she could when they were on TV. Now she bled crimson and cream, and standing next to the football stadium of the team that beat her Sooners for the national title in 2003, her football hackles went up.

  “Depends on the team,” Hope replied.

  “Indeed it does,” Nic Sr. answered back and she just smiled. Though the smile said, “this team is not one of them.”

  “You don’t like Tiger football, angel?” Nic asked shocked at the thought of his woman not liking his beloved Tigers.

  “Not since 2003.”

  Nic’s brain remembered quickly, and he grinned slowly as he asked, “Please tell me you’re not a Sooner fan.”

  “I may not be sooner born, but I was sooner bred, and when I die I’ll damn sure be sooner dead,” Hope announced and then watched as the three men looked at her with varying degrees of “what the fuck.”

  “Dad,” Nicky chuckled as he looked up at his father, “Saturdays are gonna be interesting at our house.”

  Both big Nic’s threw their heads back and laughed and Tilly and Hope both giggled at the astute kid.