Sugar Doll felt suddenly faint and speechless. The woman did look a great deal like her. Her knees grew weak. The older woman sensing that something was wrong grabbed her by the arm and brought her over to the hallway chair.
“Heather go and get her some water. It’s awfully hot outside. Honey please tell me that you are not doing door to door in this heat.” The woman chuckled amused at her little joke.
Sugar Doll recovered herself.
“I’m sorry; I don’t know what to say. Today has been a bit difficult.” She managed to say.
Heather returned with the water. “Here you go ma’am”
“Thank you very much.” Sugar Doll managed and drank the water quickly. She was ready to go.
“Um, I’m sorry to disturb you but there’s been a mistake.” Sugar Doll rose to leave.
“Wait a minute honey. There’s no mistake. I recognize you now.” Celeste said decisively.
“You know me?” Sugar Doll gulped.
“Sure, you are the reason my parents never married. Oh the shame of it.” She said playfully and winked.
“So when did you find out?” Celeste smiled benevolently.
“Today, I guess, I figured it out.” Sugar Doll answered.
“Nothing like a hurricane to stir up the truth dahling.” Celeste stood up straight.
“I’ve always wanted to meet you but I was forbidden by my mother.” Celeste went on grabbing the other chair in the hallway.
“Your mother knew?” Sugar Doll asked surprised.
“Sure she did. They weren’t married or anything. She just got, how do you say, “caught”? Well, she’s from old money and they wanted nothing to do with that gangster gang over there so they sent her away for awhile and then she came back a war widow…except the soldier wasn’t a soldier and he wasn’t a husband. People accepted it because I was so pretty. I felt sort of sorry for you though. I figured that you wouldn’t have all of the luxuries I had being black and all. You don’t look black at all. How did you manage being around them for so long?” Celeste asked sincerely.
“Well, my mother is black. It wasn’t a chore and I see now that Tony did take pretty good care of me, considering the times. Did he ever come to see you?” Sugar Doll asked.
“Now and again, when I was a teenager he came quite regularly as a family friend, but I knew. Just like I know that you are my half sister.”
“Have you seen photos of me or something?” Sugar Doll asked.
“No, not until recently when you started singing in the French Quarters. You look like him, more than I do.” She said appreciatively.
“He had blue eyes.” Sugar Doll winced at the comparison.
“Everybody else in his family had green or hazel eyes, like ours. See.” She grabbed Sugar Doll by the elbow and took her to a mirror. The resemblance was striking. The only difference was Sugar Doll’s tawny complexion.
“Well, thank you so much for your kindness. I won’t bother you any longer.” Sugar Doll prepared to leave. She was embarrassed and needed to see Remy terribly.
“No bother, I’m just surprised that you didn’t know. How did your mother manage that?” Celeste asked.
“My father died when I was young and I lived with my grandmother most of the time.” Sugar Doll said.
“Well Darling, we can’t help where we come from. I’m a bit older than you but let me give you some sisterly advice. Don’t go trying to connect with the Marsalas family, they are bad news and dangerous. You seem to have quite a following from what I’ve been told. I say stick to your own way and you’ll be fine. I’m sorry if I sounded a bit racist back a minute ago. I didn’t mean it. Now that we know about each other come by sometime and let’s chat. If you ever need anything let me know. My mother left me pretty well off.” She smiled kindly at Sugar Doll.
“Thank you, Celeste.” Sugar Doll smiled back.
“Heather’s right, you are pretty, just like me.” Celeste winked.
Sugar Doll left the house feeling disconcerted. Did everyone know? She felt like a fool.
Chapter Twenty-One
The bartender from Iowa received the phone call in his neutral accent. The voice on the other end was immediately recognizable. He hung up after listening to instructions. He gave no response. He looked around but no one was paying him any attention. His job was to watch and report. He wanted to take action but knew that he would only mess things up for everyone involved. There was no sign of Remy. He knew the boy’s habits by now and this was not like him.
The FBI was so close to breaking up the Marsalas cartel that it seemed a shame that it was already in danger of imploding. As Tommy wiped down the bar the phone rang again. He grimaced knowing that this phone call wouldn’t be about business.
“I know honey; I do want to get married. A lot of things are going on right now. I hate it here, the humidity is horrible. Please be patient. I promise that I’ll make you my wife by springtime. He grimaced to himself knowing that the fellas back at the bureau were going to razz him for this. Giving Marla this number had definitely been a mistake. He never knew how much she whined until the teasing had become unbearable. He loved her in spite of this and took the teasing as a rite of passage.
“I gotta go now, the bar’s filling up.” He hurried his love off of the phone. Sugar Doll walked into the bar and he immediately hung up without saying goodbye. He would live to regret that.
“Hey Tommy, talking to that girlfriend of yours again?” Sugar Doll smiled.
“Fiancé’ and yes I’m sorry, she called me this time.” He apologized.
“That’s quite alright honey. I understand.” Sugar Doll stood by the bar but she was looking out the window. Tommy noticed her distraction.
“Can I get you something to drink?” He offered.
“No thanks, hey listen have you seen Remy?” Sugar Doll asked the question but continued to focus on the street.
“No ma’am I haven’t seen him all day. He usually stops by at this time.” He answered.
“I’m worried Tommy.” Sugar Doll bit her lip.
“It’s okay; he’s probably across the river running errands.” Tommy reassured her but made note of the seriousness of the event.
“It’s not like him to not call and a few weeks ago some men jumped him.” She said this mostly to herself. She turned and headed toward the door to go to the police station.
All of her attention had been focused on ideas to save her mother but now she realized that Remy was the one who seemed to be in the most danger. They had let him go once before so why would they take him again? It didn’t make sense. Sugar Doll wondered as she ran out to the street. She walked quickly up St. Ann hoping to catch a taxi. Tommy remained at the bar but he picked up the phone to call that familiar number. “Stop her,” was all he said.
“I had this system for getting exactly what I wanted out of people. Over the years that changed. I saw that I couldn’t get away with the things I used to so I changed my system.” Marsalas sat on a rolling stool in front of Remy. “I don’t want to kill you boy but I will. That mother of your whore is out there somewhere and she owes me something. I want you to find out where she is.”
Remy shook his head and shrugged his shoulder signifying that he had no idea.
“I know that you don’t know but you will find out if you want that pretty girlfriend of yours to live.” Marsalas threatened again.
Remy shook his head in understanding. It was late evening when they released him again. He was sore from head to toe. He didn’t want Sugar Doll to see him this way. He knew that the police had “ratted him out” to Marsalas. He’d tried to explain the situation to one of the officers down at the station but soon discovered that was a huge mistake. He’d not told of his plans to anyone because he wanted to distance Sugar Doll from any of the trouble.
Remy went to his apartment ready for the barrage of questions but it was empty. He relaxed and took off his shirt. He had a few minor bruises but in all he was okay. He decided that a ho
t shower would set him right. He went to the fridge to get out a cold beer. It was hot in his usually cool apartment. Sugar Doll had gotten into the habit of turning the air off when she left the building. The heat usually descended in a matter of minutes. The humidity stifled everything. He leaned over the sink and turned the air on full blast. He felt his wet cuts open in the breeze and headed for a healing shower.
Sugar Doll sat on a bench in the hallway of the police department. She’d come to file a missing person report and the sergeant in charge had motioned for her to wait. She already knew the twenty-four hour rule but was there to break it quite simply by lying. She wondered silently why anyone who had ever watched a movie had not simply lied about the last time they had seen a person. She was preparing to make her story as dramatic as possible. They would have to send out the cavalry because Remy deserved that much. A handsome man approached her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to look at him. He was in a nicely cut suit. It was definitely designer by the looks of it. Perhaps even Giorgio Armani. She smiled involuntarily at him.
“May I speak to you for a moment please?” The man politely asked.
“I’m sorry, are you a detective?” Sugar Doll asked but judging from the way he was dressed he was probably a lawyer or something.
“No, I’m not. Would you accompany me outside so that I can tell you who I do work for?” He asked in a slightly lowered voice. The sergeant behind the counter looked up at them but soon lost interest.
“Why can’t you tell me right here?” Sugar Doll asked suddenly unusually afraid.
“Okay, if you insist. I’m with the FBI and I know that your boyfriend is at his apartment as we speak. He is safe but you my dear are not.” He smiled simply at her shocked expression.
She stood then at his request and walked alongside him as he spoke in quiet and hushed tones.
“Marsalas and his crew are looking for your mother. They have roughed up your boyfriend in the hopes of finding out any new information about her but they are considering taking you next and the outcome may not be so friendly.” The man said as he led her down the front stairs of the police station.
“Shouldn’t the police know about this?” She asked.
“They do know, that’s why your boyfriend has been missing all day. He came to them to try to protect you but in case you didn’t already know the police here are corrupt. Were you about to file a missing person’s report?” The man asked.
Sugar Doll only nodded.
“Don’t do one for Remy, request one for your mother and listen to anything they tell you.” The man asked.
“How do I know that you aren’t one of Marsala’s men?” She asked.
“You don’t but here’s my badge to help you to believe me.” The man took out an FBI id holder.
Sugar Doll studied it and returned it. She walked slowly back up the stairs to wait for assistance. This time with a renewed reassurance that Remy was home and fine.
“My only defense is to write down every word they say.” Sugar Doll thought to herself as the police went over the old report about her mother. They had found nothing new, no sightings or anything. Mona had been missing for quite some time. The bar was hers to keep. The officer who went over the report looked at her benevolently. “Don’t worry dahling, this is New Orleans and people always come back here. Your mother’s just taking a break. It’s been quite a year.” Just two weeks later there was a mysterious letter which legally gave her ownership of not only the bar but the house on Dauphine. It was a nice house and close enough to the Quarters to walk to work. There was no return address but Sugar Doll felt that it confirmed that her mother was alive and well somewhere.
Mona sat on the beach thinking about all that she had lost. Her mother was gone, her lover was gone and she had lost her connection to the city that she loved. She held a copy of the Times Picayune. There was a lovely photo of her daughter and Remy beautifully decked out on the wedding announcements page. She cried.
“It’s official, I’ve missed all of the most important dates of your life.” She stood resolved, dusted herself off and headed toward her hotel.
A light tapping on the window frightened Sugar Doll. The tapping came again. She went to the window to look out into the pouring rain. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief as what seemed like the ghost of her mother wrapped in a coat and scarf peered back in at her. She felt a shock go through her.
She ran to the door not bothering to put on a robe. As she opened the door the rain dripped into the doorway. “Mother!” She gripped her mother in the wet raincoat.
“Sugar Doll,” Mona mouthed the words unable to speak. The two women hugged in the doorway. After the initial shock was over they walked to the table.
“Remy?” Mona asked.
“He’s in the apartment over the bar. Appearances, you know.” Sugar Doll smiled. “Let me make you some coffee.” She had already moved into the kitchen to make the brew.
“I’m so happy for you.” Mona cried. “I’ve wanted to come to the wedding but I didn’t want to take away from your special day.
“It has been tough actually with Big Ma gone. My favorite members of the family are all missing. Celeste is coming to the wedding surprisingly enough.” Sugar Doll looked at her mother to see if this would register any reaction.
“So you know?” she asked simply.
“Yes, I know but I have gotten over the shock. She is very nice indeed. She has already given us a really nice wedding present.” Sugar Doll shrugged as she waited for the coffee to brew.
“I’m sorry that I never told you honey. There was shame in it.” Mona shrugged out of her coat and put it on a chair next to the table.
“I wish I would have known while he was alive. I would have treated him differently.” Sugar Doll pouted.
“We are what we are. You were honest with him. He loved you in his way.” Mona looked down at her hands. “We should have been married; perhaps things would have turned out differently.” She wiped away a tear.
“Why didn’t he want me around?” Sugar Doll asked.
“He knew that it was only a matter of time before Marsalas would see the resemblance. You are the spitting image of Celeste, his oldest daughter. When you were younger you looked more like me. We couldn’t be a happy family Sugar. I had to be his whore. That they could accept. Not the mother of his child.” Mona sat down heavily.
“Why didn’t you leave him?”
“I loved him.” Mona stared at her hands.
“What are you doing here? Don’t you know that it is still dangerous for you?” Sugar Doll changed the subject. She poured the coffee.
“Yes, that it is but after two long years things must have cleared up. I knew that Tony was using my club as a front for Marsalas but I didn’t take massive amounts of money. I just took enough for your future.
“Did Tony know?”
“No, he took his own helping and was only too glad not to get caught. The club was very popular back then so any extra money I had seemed good enough to explain to anyone. No one asked. Tony cooked the books anyway so a few thousand here and there didn’t hurt anything.”
“So you stole from them?” Sugar Doll asked surprised.
“No more than they stole. That wasn’t honest money. I didn’t know when Tony would get tired of me and kick me to the curb. I always thought that I’d come back to get you honey and I wasn’t coming broke.” Mona reached over the counter and touched a lock of Sugar Doll’s hair. “After all those years how much do you think you owe Marsalas?”
“It’s not just the money baby. I could be a key witness on many things against Marsalas. He doesn’t know that I don’t want to tell but I will if I have to.” Mona shrugged out of her raincoat, water dripping to the floor.
“Well the police have been hauling us in and even the FBI is involved. I didn’t understand but it’s more than just the club money or the gambling money Bertrand and Kevin tried to take. They just stopped picking up Remy at the end of last year.�
� Sugar Doll sat at the bar to look at her mother. Mona was beautiful and aging very well. “I don’t think that you should be here. It’s dangerous for all of us.” Sugar Doll looked directly at Mona.
“I have no plans for staying. I just needed to take care of a personal matter. I gave the house and the bar to you.” “Mona!” Remy stood at the doorway in disbelief.
“Remy.” Mona stood calmly.
“You shouldn’t be here.” Remy leaned against the door.
“Neither should you, it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.” Mona smiled.
“Well I’m sort of her bridesmaid and lady in waiting.” Remy shrugged off his raincoat. “Isn’t it dangerous for you to be here?”
Sugar Doll pulled out three cups and began to pour the coffee.
“Yes, no one knows that I am here. As a matter of fact I am here under an assumed name. I wanted to see you honey just one last time. I wanted to see your wedding. I’m so happy for you both.” Mona cried.
Remy crossed the room and took Mona into his arms hugging her. She let out a sigh of relief.
“It’s been a really tough year for us all.”
“Amen to that.” Mona gathered her composure and looked at the beautiful couple.
“Quite a ceremony you guys have planned according to the papers.” She wiped her tears.
“Yes, many of the musicians in the city are coming down to your bar and we are going to have a regular old jam session. We don’t need a wedding band”. Remy grabbed Sugar Doll from behind and kissed her lightly on the neck.
“I wish Tony and I could have been as free with our love but that was a different time back then.” Mona sighed again.
“Is it just the wedding that brings you home?” Remy asked.
“Remy, I don’t care what it is. I’m just happy to see family.” Sugar Doll sat down wiping a tear from her cheek.
“Well Remy, the truth is that I’m homesick. One can only take so much of sandy beaches and rock music. I’ve come to make a deal with the Feds to help bring Marsalas down.” Mona confided.
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