Sugar Doll's Hurricane Blues

by Lauber, Kalua

  “Now that’s a big word ya’ll, you got to dumb it down for a country boy like me.” Remy flashed his beautiful smile again and continued to sing.

  Tonya ran along the narrow cobblestone street to grab Sugar Doll from behind. “C’mon girl, Bertrand already started. He’s gonna be mad.” Tonya pulled Sugar Doll by the elastic band in her skirt. It started to come down.

  “Ah, Tonya, can I please keep my clothes on? I’m coming okay.” She giggled at her friend’s excitement.

  “I just can’t believe that your grandma let you out of the house. I’m so happy for that!” Tonya jumped up and down in glee.

  “Girl, I’m twenty years old now, she can’t tell me nothing.” Sugar Doll said proudly.

  “You just turned twenty so shut up; I’ve been twenty for six months now.” Tonya pouted as the two girls ran arm and arm toward the nightclub in which Bertrand was playing.

  They could barely get into the door. It was very crowded and the sidewalk was full of onlookers. “I’m part of the band, please let me through.” Sugar Doll lied. She was just here to hear Bertrand play with the popular new singer Remy Gaudeaux. All of the girls down home had a crush on him. Now she would see in person what the fuss was all about. They pushed through the crush of people trying to get to the stage front. Remy was onstage in a clean cut suit with his tie dangling askew in a precarious position. He was imitating an Elvis move but singing blues. He was too young for the mature song but it suited him somehow. There were many alternative types of music but New Orleans was and always would be its own universe. That universe mixes rhythm and blues in a swirling concoction of antiquated and modern. The brew was refreshing and kept people coming to the innovative and fun nightspots on the strip called Bourbon Street.

  “Wow! He’s sexy!” Sugar Doll whispered in Tonya’s ear.

  “Yeah, he is for a white boy, you just remember that.” Tonya admonished.

  “Girl please, it’s 2005! People don’t care about that kind of stuff any more.” Sugar Doll brushed her off.

  “Yeah it may as well be 1965 here in New Orleans. Just cause they mix with us and party with us don’t mean that they want to date us or introduce us to their mommas. You’d best remember that.” Tonya turned around seriously even in the crush of the crowd.

  Sensing her seriousness, Sugar Doll acquiesced, “Okay Super Momma. I was just talking out of my head.” The girls approached the stage. They waved at Bertrand for several seconds before capturing his attention. He waved for them to come up on the stage. Both of the girls went to the side of the stage and climbed up to directly behind Bertrand.

  “Hey now!” Bertrand yelled gleefully into the microphone. “This here is my girl” he pointed at Tonya while he continued playing the piano.

  “And this here is my cousin.” The crowd cheered. “And they both can sing, they church girls ya’ll.” Bertrand winked at the crowd. Remy walked over and grabbed Sugar Doll and began dancing with her while singing.

  “Can you sing Sugar?” Remy asked handsomely.

  As an answer, Sugar Doll turned to Bertrand, “Lover man” in “G”. In her best Billie Holiday impersonation Sugar Doll began to sing, “It don’t matter what I say, it don’t matter what I do, I can’t stop loving that man of mine.” Her voice rang out smooth and clear into the audience.

  “Why you sure can sing!” Remy took a seat on the stool and let Sugar Doll sing the song. He was impressed. Sugar Doll felt so comfortable onstage that she took it over. Bertrand played the soulful song as she sang. Tonya sat behind the piano rocking back and forth. The crowd was mesmerized by the young beauty who sang so soulfully. As she ended the song the quiet crowd erupted in an enormous cheer.

  “Sugar Doll ladies and gentleman! Sugar Doll!” Bertrand smiled into the mike proudly. Sugar Doll took a bow and walked off of the stage. Remy caught her tiny wrist.

  “Now Sugar you can’t leave us all so unsatisfied. Why don’t you sing one with me?” The crowd seemed pleased with this suggestion. “Do you know, “All of Me”? Remy asked.

  “Of course,” Sugar Doll said and launched into singing it. Remy followed in a slow beat. Bertrand picked up the song and smiled at Tonya.

  “That was one of the best nights ever at the club!” Bertrand said as he was closing his piano. There were still a few couples sitting close to the windows but the club was closing. “Sugar Doll you was something else.” Bertrand picked up his cousin and gave her a big bear hug. “Come and work here, you could make good money.”

  “Now you know Big Ma would have a fit. I would love to but I’m supposed to be going to LSU this semester. I’m almost finished.” Sugar Doll loved the thought of singing.

  “Well, when you finish you should come here and sing.” Bertrand hugged her. Tonya walked over toward them both.

  “Can I have my man please?” She said jokingly to Sugar Doll.

  “Why you sho can ma’am.” Sugar Doll smiled.

  Remy came around the corner. “Hey, what ya’ll going to do now?”

  “Man it’s two in the morning. I’m going to get these girls home.” Bertrand said tiredly.

  “It’s only two a.m. surely ya’ll know that the French Quarters never closes. “Boy you sure can sing. You gave me goose pimples.” Remy smiled smoothly.

  “Those are real pimples blockhead.” Bertrand said tapping Remy on the shoulder.

  “How’d you get a name like Sugar Doll?”

  “Well, they tell me that when I was born my daddy said, ‘That’s my Sugar Baby Doll right there!’ and it stuck. Sometimes I forget my real name.”

  “What is your real name?” Remy asked.

  “I can’t tell you.” She smiled evasively. She looked over to where Bertrand and Tonya had removed themselves slow dancing to the music that was on the jukebox.

  “Why not?” Remy smiled at her.

  “You’ll laugh.” She stepped back from him.

  “Well, if you set me up to laugh it’s gonna be tough not to but it can’t be too bad. Is it Wilamina? Remy stifled a smile. “C’mon, it can’t be that bad.”

  “It’s…” Sugar Doll cringed.

  “Bertha?” Remy offered.

  “No! It’s not Bertha!” She laughed.

  “If you don’t tell me what it is I’m just going to have to start calling you Bertha.” Remy joked.

  “It’s Precious, Precious Bouvier.”

  “Well, okay I can see why you might be embarrassed…” Remy teased. “It’s pretty, like you are though.”

  Tonya walked up, “C’mon girl, we better go. Big Ma is going to whip your hide.”

  “Precious, you gonna go like that?” Remy asked

  “You told him your real name?” Tonya looked sharply at Sugar Doll.

  “What’s the big deal?” Remy asked.

  “She didn’t tell me her real name until last year and we’ve been friends for years. Even the teachers call her Sugar Doll, that’s what.” Tonya said sharply.

  “Oh, then I feel special.” Remy bowed and kissed Sugar Doll’s hand.

  “I gotta go home now but it was real nice meeting you.” Sugar Doll said blushing.

  “Can I call you?” Remy asked.

  “Why?” Sugar Doll asked.

  “Because I like you.” Remy answered

  “But you are white.” Sugar Doll said innocently.

  “Sugar, I like you. Can I please call you?” He said this in a very playful way. He was irresistible.

  Tonya grabbed Sugar Doll by the arm and pulled her quickly from the club. As they ran down the street Sugar Doll looked over her shoulder as she saw Remy standing in the window looking out at her. She thought that she saw him wink.

  “C’mon girl, what you doing flirting with that white boy for? And you told him your born name. I thought that you would never tell anybody but me and your close family.” Tonya scolded.

  “It don’t matter. I’m never going to see him again. He probably flirts with all the girls.” Sugar Doll said this but in that moment she had
felt very special. His cool blue eyes regarding her with admiration and passion and humor had been the sexiest moment in her life. Later that morning as she prepared for bed she could not stop thinking about him and the brief moment he held her on stage in his arms.

  A Cadillac pulled into Big Ma’s yard. “Now who could that be this time of morning?” Big Ma asked Sugar Doll as they both walked out onto the porch to see who their visitors were. “Looks like Bertrand got a ride with some white boy.” Big Ma said again. Sugar Doll’s heart skipped a beat. She held her breath. She was so excited that she ran to the front of the porch. She caught herself when she looked behind her and saw the expression on Big Ma’s face. She realized that she had better calm down or she was sure to be embarrassed by her grandmother.

  “Hey now!” Came Bertrand’s customary greeting. Big Ma waved at him.

  “C’mon in, I just made a pot of chicory coffee.” Big Ma smiled at him.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice, you got any shortbread Big Ma?” Bertrand hustled up the path well ahead of Remy who followed slowly behind looking only at Sugar Doll. She immediately felt self-conscious. She touched her hair absently.

  “What you bring that white boy to my house for? You ain’t selling drugs is you?” Big Ma whispered loudly to Bertrand.

  “No! Big Ma, settle down that there boy is a singer. Famous in the French Quarter, he is.” Bertrand gave his easy smile and headed inside for the kitchen which was filled with the sweet smell of coffee and freshly cooked dough.

  “Good morning ya’ll.” Remy drawled. He came up the steps and hugged Big Ma. She was not expecting this and giggled like a schoolgirl. Her eyes glistened as she looked at the handsome young man. Her misgivings were already disappearing.

  “Do you know who Perry Como is boy?” Big Ma asked.

  “Well, not personally, but he’s a hellava singer ma’am.” Remy smiled and sang a bar of a song that Sugar Doll didn’t recognize. Big Ma seemed very pleased with this.

  “C’mon inside and get yourself some coffee and shortbread, the best in the parish.” Big Ma went into the kitchen and put on her apron. She was going to make a new batch. Bertrand was already at the table eating everything in sight.

  Bertrand wiped his hands off on a wash cloth that was still on the table. He stood formally and announced as though he were in the club, “Big Ma, please let me introduce you to Mr. Remy Gaudeaux. He is the best singer in the French Quarter. He’s a better singer than Perry Como, Elvis and the Beatles put together.” Big Ma regarded Remy again.

  “Ain’t nobody a better singer than Perry Como and that’s that.” Big Ma smiled and poured Remy a cup of coffee. He sat down at the small wooden kitchen table.

  “Well although I think that’s high praise Bertrand I can honestly say that I’m not better than any of those fellas, I’m different from them and that’s all.” Remy smiled modestly. “Now Sugar Doll can sing. What a beautiful voice she has.” Remy added looking admiringly at Sugar Doll.

  “Sugar Doll’s singing is for the church, maybe even a gospel quartet.” Big Ma warned, cooling off on her first impression of Remy. “Bar room singing is fine for young men and fast women but not my baby. She is destined for the Lord and a good church going man. Remy, you go to church?” Big Ma sat down across from Remy.

  Feeling the pressure Remy acquiesced, “Well, no ma’am, I was baptized as a Catholic but I had too much soul for their choir and their rules.”

  “I can understand leaving the Catholic Church, I’m a Baptist myself, we follow the bible all the way and I mean no disrespect by that.” Big Ma added.

  “None taken ma’am, my grandmother would differ with you on that. She attends mass every day that she is well and prays the rosary all of the time. She’s always quoting scripture and stuff like that.” Remy looked pleased with himself.

  “Well, the bible says to judge not lest ye be judged so she sounds like a godly woman...eh, what happened to you?” Big Ma rose to go to the stove.

  “Well, my parents happened to me. Drugs and alcohol did them both in and my father was no count from the beginning. I don’t think I ever stepped inside a church after my baptism. I do pray sometimes though.”

  “I certainly hate to break up this church revival and godly talk but we came here to talk to Sugar Doll about some things.” Bertrand interrupted good naturedly.

  “Aw shucks, you ain’t got nothing to talk about son. But ya’ll go ahead while I clean up the kitchen. I’ll be listening though, just so you know.” Big Ma winked and went into the kitchen.

  “Let’s all go out on the porch to get out of Big Ma’s way.” Bertrand laughed and guided Remy to the door. Sugar Doll followed. “She can’t hear nothing no way. Don’t you worry a thing about her.” Bertrand poked Sugar Doll in the side and pulled up two chairs for her and Remy. He leaned against the rail of the porch.

  “Look here Sugar Doll, you sure can sing. We had nothing but questions about you after you left. Why don’t you come on over to Beauchamp’s to make some money with your big cousin Bertrand?”

  “I got a job.” Sugar Doll said flatly. Remy winked at her, she looked away.

  “At the Dollar Store? I’m talking making real money singing the blues or whatever other style you want to sing.” Bertrand knelt on the top step.

  “The blues is for old people. I like alternative rock.” Sugar Doll looked at Remy.

  “That may fly in the studio but for live performance in New Orleans you have to have some sort of background in blues and you have got it baby. Then you can write your own ticket. Do whatever you want to do. I can manage you.” Bertrand was excited; he had really thought this out. “You can sing R & B which is just the stepchild of the gospel music you already sing in church…for free.”

  “Girl you saw that crowd in the French Quarter the other night.” Remy said lazily.

  “Sugar Doll ain’t going nowhere near that filthy French Quarter.” Big Ma appeared at the screen door.

  “What’s wrong with the French Quarter? They got nuns who live there and St. Louis cathedral.” Bertrand said laughing. “Maybe the Pope will put Sugar Doll up until she becomes famous.”

  Big Ma came out from behind the screen door, “Ya’ll can laugh if ya’ll want, and her momma turned out bad enough.”

  “Big Ma!” Sugar Doll reacted to the slight.

  “Now, don’t get hurt but you must realize how bad things turned out for your momma.” Big Ma responded.

  “Why you always have to talk about my momma?” Sugar Doll jumped up from her seat and ran toward the levee behind the house.

  Remy instinctively got up in concern and followed her. Big Ma and Bertrand looked at each other. “Why’d you have to embarrass that girl in front of Remy?” Bertrand asked disgustedly.

  “She has to remember who she is and where she comes from so that she never goes there, that’s why. I saw how she was looking at that boy and what’s more, I saw how he was looking at her.” Big Ma sat down heavily on a chair.

  “Hold on now! Hold on cher!” Remy called after Sugar Doll who slowed down but didn’t turn to face him. Remy reached out and touched her shoulder.

  She flinched at his touch. She turned around abruptly and blurted out, “What do you want? Are you looking for a good time? You want to see what it’s like to be with a black girl so you can have something to talk about with your redneck buddies?”

  Remy was visibly hurt by the comment but the slight was only temporary. His good natured grin returned just as quickly. “No darling, I think you got talent.”

  “Then what’s all the flirting about?” Sugar Doll asked confused.

  “I’m a natural born flirt darling. Now you are pretty, I’m not gonna lie but I got a girlfriend. I wouldn’t talk about you to my buddies either.” Remy smiled easily holding her at arms length and regarding her carefully. He had a sexy way about him.

  “Why? Because I’m black?” Sugar Doll continued with her bravado. She was deadly attracted to the man and she was trying to
do anything to insult him, to alienate him, to get him away from her.

  “No Sugar, it’s not because you’re black, it’s because you are a lady and you’re right, my friends are rednecks.” Remy laughed at this and rubbed Sugar Doll’s arms in a brotherly fashion. He released her as she stood there speechless. He gave her a playful punch on the arm and they both relaxed and laughed.

  “You got a girlfriend?” Sugar Doll asked playfully.

  “I sure do.” Remy responded proudly.

  “What’s her name? What’s she like?” Sugar Doll couldn’t help herself from feeling jealous.

  “Candy and she sure is sweet.” Remy laughed.

  “Now I know you lying. You making fun of my name?” Sugar Doll asked.

  “Yeah, you right again, I am lying. But you wrong about that name thing, I can see it on a record now. Sugar Doll!” He mimicked a movie director setting a scene.

  “You were jealous for a minute though, weren’t you?” Remy teased.

  He grabbed her affectionately.

  “I don’t date white men.” Sugar Doll said defiantly.

  “Well, I ain’t white, I’m Creole baby.” Remy grabbed her hand.

  “No you ain’t.” She smiled hopefully.

  “Sure I am. C’mon now, let’s go on and get some chicory coffee before your grandma gets mad!”

  Chapter Six

  It wasn’t long before Sugar Doll was able to convince Big Ma to allow her to sing in the French Quarter. She would be chaperoned by her big cousin Bertrand and her cousin Tonya would stay with her on the nights she had to remain in the city. Big Ma didn’t want Sugar Doll traveling in the rain as the roads were slippery and prone to flood. The club was doing wonderfully and Bertrand was generous with his pay. He was planning on setting up a recording for his cousin. He wanted to be the next Barry Gordie.

  Sugar Doll was just finishing up a bluesy set with the band. It was late and she was ready to head home. She didn’t see Tony sitting at a far away table studying her. He got up and walked toward the beauty. “Hey kid, you got some set of lungs.” He said. Slowly recognizing him she froze when she saw that it was her mother’s white lover. “What’s the matter? Surprised to see me?” Tony reached to give her a hug. Sugar Doll instinctively stepped back. She knew the sick relationship he had with her mother and she wanted no part of it.