The phone rang breaking the quiet of the moment. The rain outside was a symphony of water spattering and wind. Remy pointed at Sugar Doll’s purse. “It’s yours honey. Probably your momma. Tell her we are on our way.” Remy said worried for the first time. Miss Mona was no one to play with and he realized his error in judgment.
“Oh, now you’re scared? A mean ole hurricane does nothing to you but now you are scared of Hurricane Mona. That’s funny.” Sugar Doll reached for her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “Hello,” she purred enjoying the moment.
“Hello?” “Where the hell are you gal?” It was Big Ma’s voice shouting angrily through the phone. Sugar Doll knew that the anger was more worry but it didn’t stop her from sitting upright.
“I’ve been worried sick and your cousin Bertrand is nowhere to be found.” Big Ma shouted even though relief flooded her being.
“I’m in the French Quarters Big Ma.” Sugar Doll interrupted.
“The French Quarters? You need to get out of New Orleans. Haven’t you been watching the news? I’m surprised I got you. All of the circuits have been busy. The Lawd has answered my prayer that’s all! We are in Alexandria. You need to get out of there!” Big Ma screamed furious that the child was still in harms way.
“We are leaving right now. We are going to Gonzales.” Sugar Doll tried to soothe her grandmother. Remy made a come here sign and they both headed for the door as she talked to her grandmother on the phone.
“You and Mona?” Big Ma asked.
“No, me and Remy.” Sugar Doll said cringing.
“Put him on the phone right now.” Big Ma demanded.
Sugar Doll reluctantly handed the phone to Remy mouthing “Big Ma.” He nodded understanding and took the phone.
“Hello there Big Ma!” Remy intoned cheerfully.
“Now you looka here Mister Remy Gaudeaux, that’s my grandbaby you got there. You need to get out of town right now. I may not be able to reach ya’ll again but I’m telling you to get her out of there now.” Big Ma demanded.
“We are on our way out of here right now ma’am. You have my word that I’ll take right good care of her.” Remy said sincerely.
“Well, I do hope so, cause I don’t want to know what she is doing with you and not her momma.” Big Ma expressed the concern that had already crossed her mind when Sugar Doll told her who she was with. She knew that it was inevitable. She could see the way they looked at each other on that day they came to visit. “Now put Sugar Doll back on the phone.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Remy handed the phone to Sugar Doll.
“Since you are closer maybe you can try to reach your cousin Bertrand to see what is the matter. It’s not like him to not call or to get word to me. He was in Baton Rouge but he’s not answering the phone. I feel like something bad has happened to him.” Big Ma said.
“Oh, he’s all right. You know Bertrand is afraid of bad weather, particularly lightening. He’s probably hiding somewhere, but I’ll try to call him and when we get to Gonzales I’ll try to call you again, so keep your line open.” Sugar Doll advised.
“Who else I’m gonna talk to anyway? I just got this phone for your benefit.” Big Ma smiled for the first time, her sweet little girl was safe.
“Alright, I’ll call you in a couple of hours. When the storm passes we will drive up there to come and get you.” Sugar Doll promised.
“Be careful. I love you Sugar Doll.” Big Ma hung up the phone praising the Lord for letting her hear her baby’s voice.
The air inside the tugboat was musty. The smell of crude oil was heavy and insistent curling its thick smell up Bertrand’s nostrils and making him feel nauseous. There were ropes strewn everywhere, all over the floor. The boat was a mess. A tool box lay half opened. The place looked like someone had left in a hurry. True to form the key to the cabin was under the mat. Southerners were such trusting folks. Bertrand had never thought once about possibly being locked out of the boat. He didn’t have the criminal bent to break a window. “Yet you can break into a card game full of gangsters and pull a gun.” He said this aloud punishing himself for following Kevin’s desperate plan. So he would have lost the bar, now look at him stuck in a storm. He was a big man but he shivered, not from cold but from fear.
Marsalas arrived at the hospital one hour after Mona had left. His men spread out to search for Tony in the confusion. He would take him to his private physician if necessary. He felt his anger rise as he thought of that bitch.
“Boss, we found him in a room. It’s pretty bad.” Frank grabbed his arm and led him in the direction of the room.
As Marsalas approached the room he smelled death. He knew that there was no hope. Tony tried to lift his head but his breathing was ragged and raspy. Marsalas approached the bed slowly. His heart beat harder. Tony had been like a son to him.
“Marsalas I did not tell Mona about the operation. I swear on my mother’s grave.”
“You’ll swear on just about everything right now. That’s a serious wound you’ve got there. Do you think it’s wise to protect her now?” Marsalas shook his head.
Tony felt his resolve weaken. He felt the blood seeping into the bed from his side. The bandage was doing nothing. His mind raced. What if she did know? What if she planned the whole thing? It didn’t seem like her. He’d said things in anger but in reality, he trusted her. He didn’t want to hurt her. Marsalas studied him for a long moment.
“I told you to never think of a woman as stupid. For years I thought that you were skimming off of the top but I forgave that, honor among thieves. It’s your nature. I was proud of you.” Marsalas hesitated and looked carefully at Tony. “Maybe you ain’t as smart as I give you credit for – maybe she was doing the stealing?” Marsalas leaned on the bed.
“No, Marsalas, it was me all the way. If it was her I would tell you.” Tony rasped. Marsalas wasn’t buying it.
Tony passed out sweat dripping from his forehead. One of Marsalas’ men grabbed a passing nurse.
“Everyone is vacating the hospital sir. The hurricane is going to hit the city.” The nurse came into the room and took Tony’s vitals.
“He’s very weak and won’t be able to be moved. He needs a doctor.” The nurse said.
“Then get one!” Marsalas ordered. The big goon manhandled the nurse into the hallway. Marsalas watched as Tony’s breath caught and stopped. He put his fingers on his pulse. It was very weak. Marsalas shook his head and nodded to his goon. He walked from the room and into the steady rain. He had one thought, “Kill Mona.”
The rain poured down in a steady stream. Sugar Doll felt free and independent. She had a boyfriend! She looked over the hood of the car at Remy who looked just as free as she felt. Her body still zinged with his touch. She was happy that she had asked him to wait before they became intimate. She was disappointed that he looked relieved. He winked at her rain trickling down his face. The sound of sirens did not cause any alarm because the sheriff’s office was probably still evacuating residents. It was early evening even the color of the sky was a deep angry purple.
“Do you think that Mona and Tony are still at the club?” Remy asked.
“Probably, I know that Mona mentioned a big card game, so I doubt they are leaving until right before the storm hits. They are packed and ready to go. No one thinks that this hurricane is at bad as it sounds.” Sugar Doll said as she got into the dry car. The air freshener smelled of orange.
“Mayor Thompson begs to differ honey. He’s been all over the news telling people to get the hell out of Dodge.” Remy cracked.
“Maybe he’s right, but look at the streets, it looks like a lot of people have decided to ride the storm out right here in the Quarters or at home.” Sugar Doll looked at the street noting all of the people who were running around.
“These are people who can’t afford to go honey. They would if they could.” The couple drove down the narrow street toward Mona’s restaurant. They noticed police tape and a group of onlookers.
; “What the hell is going on?” Remy exclaimed when he saw the crowd.
“Maybe they got robbed.” Sugar Doll said prophetically.
“People are too busy running from the hurricane to rob anybody.” Remy said.
They got out of the car to go to see what the problem was at the restaurant.
“They shot the owner.” A bystander said.
“What?” Sugar Doll cried.
“The owner was shot in the stomach, that’s what they are saying.” The bystander disappeared in the crowd to go to his home to start packing up. “People always got time for violence” he said to himself as he walked down the street toward his own flat in the quarter. He was prepared to go but curiosity had gotten the best of him.
“Oh Remy!” Sugar Doll screamed.
“Now hold on a minute, we are going to go and find her. The closest hospital is Charity so I know they took her there. Let’s go!” Remy opened the car door for Sugar Doll. He looked at the club all dark inside and felt the feeling of shock ebb away from his body. Tony was a gangster after all and this was something to be expected but poor Mona.
They raced across town to the hospital. The entrance was blocked so they had to find a parking spot on the street. They ran holding hands to the hospital only to experience complete chaos. Nurses and people were running to and fro. People were being taken out of the hospital.
“Excuse me where can I find a gunshot victim?” Sugar Doll asked upset and shaken. She cried as the nurse just walked past her ignoring her completely. An old woman in wheelchair reached out and touched her hand. The touch was familiar and kind.
“Honey just look in the hallways. I’m sad to say that the people here don’t care for us poor folks. They ain’t taking no patients in right now no way.” The old lady’s eyes were gray and watery.
“Thank you, thank you for answering me.” Sugar Doll gently touched her hand.
“Let’s break up and search the hallways and rooms.” Remy suggested. Sugar Doll nodded and took off in the opposite direction. She walked up one hall and then the next. There were many old people in corners. It looked as though someone just put them there for safe keeping. Remy saw a blood soaked sheet. He walked toward it slowly. The body that lay beneath had already been covered by some good Samaritan. As Remy pulled back the bloody sheet he saw Tony’s pale face. The face was so unlike the lively one he had just had drinks with just hours before that he stepped back in shock. Tony grabbed Remy’s wrist sending shockwaves through Remy’s entire being. Whoever had pulled that sheet over Tony had been premature.
“Bertrand did this to me. It was Bertrand.” Tony whispered as loudly as he could even as his life poured out of him. In rasping gasps Tony spoke his last words. “Bertrand.” Remy tried to pull out of the grasp not wanting to believe the words that were spoken but knowing deep inside they were true. The reality of Tony’s impending death made it true. He turned away from that truth. As he did so he saw Sugar Doll slowly approaching, warily wondering if he held her mother. He looked back down at Tony’s face and there was the glassy sightless eyes that spoke only of death.
Chapter Fourteen
The winds picked up and the boat rollicked back and forth. Bertrand felt himself become nauseous for the fourth time. He was deeply regretting those hamburgers he had earlier. He had forgotten about his seasickness. He had forgotten that he wasn’t a strong swimmer. He thought of good old Uncle Charlie fighting the good fight. He was a seasoned seaman. “You are the dumbest niggah I ever did know.” Bertrand imitated Uncle Charlie’s high pitched cackling voice. He thought that this once Uncle Charlie had been right. “I wonder if Tony is all right.” He wondered aloud for the first time. There would be hell to pay if a Marsalas was murdered. He was in enough trouble as it was but when things cooled down he planned to go back to the city and pretend that nothing had happened. He looked at his surroundings and realized that it would be a long hurricane. The wind gust outside was picking up. He needed some fresh air to help quell the nausea he was feeling. He tried to balance his heavy body as he walked to the cabin door. He looked outside of the window; the water had come up on the bow of the boat. He could see that the water level was extremely high and at a dangerous level. He would have to untie from the pier in order to ride the storm out in the first place. He ran outside to the pier and tried to loosen the thick rope but it was as tight as nails. Fear sprang into his heart not for the first time this morning. He went back into the cabin and found an axe. He went back to the rope and began hacking away at it. It began to give. “You stupid old rope, c’mon now.” Bertrand shouted losing his temper. He was afraid. The waves crashed against the boat. The storm had picked up considerably since the hour he had arrived to the dock. The boat was rocking against the rope as though it were a horse trying to get away from its owner.
Bertrand continued hacking away when in success the rope gave. He hopped on the pier to give the boat a push. This really wasn’t necessary because the current was so strong that the boat had already begun to move toward the sea. Bertrand glanced back at his car. He thought for a moment that he should just give up and drive back to the city or Baton Rouge or Tennessee. He turned and jumped on the boat. His fate was set and he would have to ride it out to the end.
“Oh my God Remy, what happened? Did he tell you?” Sugar Doll felt herself grow weak at the sight of Tony’s dead body. Remy closed Tony’s eyes and then pulled the cover over his face.
“I don’t know Sugar Doll. He said that Bertrand did it. Bertrand.” Remy repeated unbelieving.
“What? That ‘s ridiculous, Bertrand doesn’t have a violent bone in his body and why would he kill Tony?” Sugar Doll asked outraged.
“I don’t know Sugar Doll. I don’t think Bertrand would do such a thing. He was in a lot of debt though. Maybe something happened. There is only one way to find out and that’s to find Mona.” Remy deduced.
“I’ve looked everywhere and she doesn’t seem to be here. They are transporting people to another hospital. The hurricane is getting closer and it’s dangerous. Oh Remy, I’m scared.” Sugar Doll cried and fell into his arms.
Mona walked up Canal Street searching for a taxi but it was a fruitless search. Her bar wasn’t too far away but the stinging rain made her uncomfortable. She still had on her high heels. Too many things were going on for her to change into more comfortable attire. “I wonder if that bastard is dead.” Mona thought to herself. She let out an unexpected wail. She cried bitterly as she realized that she had loved that man. She couldn’t see but this time it wasn’t because of the rain, it was her grief and her tears that clouded her vision. She stumbled into the French Quarter crying against a gray stoned building. She fell to the ground crying uncontrollably. For the first time in her life she was utterly alone. She thought of Tony’s blue flashing eyes and his charming smile and she cried even harder. She realized that what she had felt for him all of those years was pride. Pride that he had chosen her. He was addicted to her as she was to him. No matter what fights they had they always came together in passion and love. There were many women who loved Tony but only one who he loved and that had been Mona. He had set her up with her own business and then frequented the place so much because he loved being around her. Her energy was wonderful. He had loved her beauty but it was her intelligence that kept him coming back to his caramel colored lady. The guys laughed at him for his guma but he never had a wife to cheat on and he rarely cheated on Mona. When she found out about any affair he would drop the woman and deny her completely. Theirs had been a love story. Even the way Mona walked out on him in his final moments was what Tony considered class. A clingy, sad woman made him sweat but Mona with her steely reserve had left him just the way that he liked it, independent and alone. Now here she fell on a street corner crying for the man she realized she had always loved. She didn’t weaken and turn to the hospital. She straightened herself and wiped her eyes as she stood in the pouring rain and she ran toward home, toward safety.
“Katrina has
been upgraded to a Category 4 Hurricane.” The news report droned on and both Elise and Patrice hugged each other. The Superdome was so hot that it felt like a sauna. Patrice and Elise found themselves wishing they had gone with Sugar Doll. Rain had begun to leak through the ceiling and the sense of fear was palpable. The wind gusts outside had picked up considerably and both girls held onto each other although some of that wind would be welcomed in this dank hole. They moved from their high spots because the water was dripping down on them.
“Is that woman dead?” Elise asked pointing to an elderly woman who seemed to be propped up clumsily to the chair.
“Quit it! She ain’t dead, she’s just sleeping stupid.” Patrice responded annoyed.
“Then that’s a deep sleep honey.” Elise answered cynically.
The girls both openly stared at the old woman. Bobby Joe and Tommy both approached the girls interested in this new sport, “What are ya’ll staring at?”
“That lady over there looks…well she looks… Patrice stammered feeling faint.
“She looks dead.” Bobby Joe finished her sentence.
“Let’s move ya’ll. We found a spot that isn’t wet and smells a hellava lot better. We been looking for ya’ll for a minute.” Bobby Joe said taking Patrice’s hand.
“For True?” Elise reached for Tommy’s hand who promptly avoided her touch.
“Yeah, like it’s dangerous here man. All of the homeboys from the 9th ward and Algiers are here and we thought about ya’ll all alone and stuff. We gonna protect you.” Bobby Joe said winking back at Elise.
“Why thank you.” Elise said stepping forward between Patrice and Bobby Joe. “It’s a scary place and we were starting to be afraid.” She took Bobby Joe’s hand, who was much too polite to take it away. He glanced over at Patrice. The four of them walked down the long stairway of the stadium to the east side of the dome. Tommy turned on his radio.
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