Sugar Doll's Hurricane Blues (24 page)

Sugar Doll and Remy walked to his car and threw in their stuff.

“Let’s go see if Mona went back to the bar before we leave.” Sugar Doll suggested.

“You think she’s there?” Remy asked.

“I can’t imagine Mona staying at the Superdome. Her car is still in the alley behind her bar.” Sugar Doll shrugged.

“Good point.” Remy smiled. “Let’s go.” He turned the car around and headed for Royal Street. There were crowds of people breaking into the drugstore to get food.

“Wow that’s scary.” Sugar Doll exclaimed.

“Yeah but it’s been three days since the storm hit and there is no running water or supplies. What else are people supposed to do?” Remy lamented.

“Some of the people are so poor and really have nowhere to go. You’d think if the government can help all of those other countries when they suffer from disasters they can help right
here at home.” Sugar Doll said angrily while Remy nodded in agreement.

They pulled up to the entrance of Royal Street. Three teenaged boys were roaming around looking into windows for the next place to break into as one carried a small portable television. Remy felt ashamed of them.

“It’s one thing to loot for food and water but damned!” He said under his breath.

He leaned into the car window, “Stay in the car and close the window.” He instructed Sugar Doll. She felt frightened for him. The boys drew closer.

“What the hell you looking at white boy?” One of the boys said.

“Nothing.” Remy said with meaning holding the younger boy’s gaze.

“I thought not.” He said and the other boys giggled with glee. Remy walked past them. They stared after him but soon lost interest as they spotted an antique store down the street.

Remy walked tenuously toward the bar. The bright green neon sign which read Mona’s was broken and a few of the front windows were broken but the bars on the main window had blocked hopeful looters. Remy looked up and down the street. He went to the back of the building to yell up at the window again. Mona’s car remained in the alleyway packed up to the roof.

“Mona! Mona!” He yelled up at the window.

“What you hollering at boy?” Benny rounded the corner.

“I’m looking for a friend.” Remy answered.

“Who?” Benny asked suspiciously.

“My girlfriend’s mother.” Remy answered.

“What’s her name? I might know her, I live right up there.” Benny pointed to the apartments across the street.

“Mona.” Remy answered.

“Oh, Mona ain’t here, she’s at her house on Dauphine Street. I just saw her last night.” Benny answered.

“Really?” Remy said getting excited.

“Benny’s the name. Tell her that I helped you out. I didn’t know she had a daughter though.”

“Thank you sir.” Remy shook the man’s hand and took off running.

“Tell her that Benny helped you!” He shouted after the boy laughing. He looked forward to another free beer.

Remy was strangely relieved that Mona was still in the French Quarters. He ran happily toward Sugar Doll in the car.

“Remy!” Sugar Doll’s voice pierced the air.

As he approached the car he saw that the young boys he’d passed had broken the car window and were trying to pull Sugar Doll out of it. Remy felt his blood run hot. He broke into a sprint toward the car. He ran toward the biggest boy who was tearing at Sugar Doll’s blouse. An animalistic grunt escaped his mouth as he pushed the boy into the window’s broken glass. He released Sugar Doll yelping as he felt the sting of the broken glass in his side. The other two boys came to the aid of their friend and jumped Remy with full force. Remy was like a released bull scrapping with the boy who was unsuccessfully trying to pin his arm. He heard the car door open.

“Sugar Doll! Stay in the car! Stay in the car!” He ordered. He heard another yelping sound and then the crush of the three young men lightened. He fought the remaining boy who was no more than fifteen years old. He clocked one swift right hook to his cheek. The boy fell out cold. He looked up to see Benny
kicking another boy who took off into a swift run. Sugar Doll leaned against the door of the car shaken with sprinkles of blood on her white blouse.

“You alright?” Remy asked jumping to his feet.

She shook her head yes. Benny stooped down to look at the young boy close up.

“I know these boys. Trash.” He spat.

“Thank you man.” Remy grasped Benny’s hand to shake it.

“Don’t thank me, thank
her
, man. She knocked that boy down with the car door. I’m surprised he could still run after that.” He chuckled amused. “I just gave him the extra kick to get him on his way.

Sugar Doll smiled at Remy who turned to her to give her a strong and emotional embrace. “When I saw him with his hands on you I thought that I would lose my mind.” He kissed her urgently. She softened at his touch.

“I know when I’m not needed.” Benny backed away smiling.

Mona walked through the French Quarter and she felt a sense of fear she had never had in the Quarters before. She heard the sirens of police cars and car alarms going off. There were people standing in clutters whispering in hushed voices. The street was darkened as the power was out and there was an eerie feeling in the air. Mona thought of her favorite novel and wondered if the Vampire LeStat was roaming around somewhere. She got a giggle at that thought and felt a bit more at ease.

“Funny that a vampire would actually make me feel safe.” She thought to herself. “These are my streets. My home and
no one is going to mess with me.” She thought bravely even as she passed groups of people breaking into a store. As she drew closer to her bar she saw that the windows had been broken but the inner bars had prevented anyone getting into the business. She looked up and down the street debating whether she should open the gate or return to the safety of her house. Just as she turned toward her house she heard a loud whoop.

“Mona! Mona!” someone shouted from behind her. Benny came running toward her.

“Your daughter’s still here.” He smiled triumphantly.

“What are you talking about?” Mona felt her heart sink. Just then Sugar Doll walked from around the corner with Remy on her arm. There was blood on her blouse.

“What happened to you?” Mona shrieked instantly alarmed.

“She wrestled an alligator.” Remy tried to make light of the moment.

Sugar Doll ran to her mother and hugged her crying. Mona cried as well unprepared for this level of emotion from her daughter.

“What happened?” her voice softened.

“Some guys tried to attack her, but we took care of them.” Benny supplied.

“Yeah thanks man.” Then turning to Mona and said, “This man deserves a beer.” Remy supplied.

Mona stood hugging her daughter, “What are you still doing here?” she asked.

“We got stuck because of all of the road closings.” Sugar Doll lied.

“Your grandmother’s probably worried sick.” Mona said.

“Yes, but I can’t get through. All of the circuits are busy.”

“That’s not all, the city has gone crazy. It feels like we are the only ones left on the planet.” Mona sighed. She continued to hug Sugar Doll relishing the feeling.

“Mona,” Sugar Doll came out of the embrace, “We went to Charity Hospital. We know about Tony.” She grimaced as she said his name because even though her hatred of the man ran deep she still felt empathy for her mother. Whatever else the man was he had been close to Mona.

“I can’t talk about that.” Mona said feeling her throat tightening up. The two walked back toward the bar amidst the darkening night sky. Remy came over to Sugar Doll and hugged her from behind. The feeling of love was palpable. Mona studied her daughter. She could see the look in her eyes and knew that she had given herself to the boy. They walked together toward Mona’s house.

Patrice held her sister in her arms. Elise’s breathing was heavy and labored. There was a strange rattle to it. There were people surrounding both girls but Patrice only heard the sound of her sister’s breathing. She could feel her skin which had become cold and clammy. She placed her hand on the side of her cheek. She knew that the death rattle signified the beginning of the end. Someone was talking to her but she wanted to stay in that moment. She wanted to be there when Elise’s spirit left her body. She needed to be there in that singular moment as she had been with her mother. The silence was deafening. The breathing came in and out, in and out. The breathing slowed and became deeper in sound. Patrice opened her eyes and looked at Elise and she blew out a final breath. She did it like one preparing
to swim. Her head fell to the side and she was gone. Patrice let out a wail as she held her sister. Bobby Joe and Tommy stood behind her crying silently and in shock. The crowd that surrounded them began to walk away as though somehow the moment was too private to witness.

Chapter Nineteen

Remy held Sugar Doll in his arms as Reverend Han talked to her quietly. “Mrs. Jones had a smile on her face and I must say that she looked very peaceful.” He wiped a tear from his cheek. His wife stood behind him patting him on the back. They were the consoling brigade. She knew that he’d looked to Mrs. Jones as a mother figure. She felt his deep sadness as well.

“Thank you Reverend.” Sugar Doll managed to say. She fell into Remy’s arms crying inconsolably. There would be no funeral in the lower Parish as it had been devastated by the horrific winds and water of Hurricane Katrina.

“We’ve lost so many, Sugar Doll. I want to go down to bless the ground but unfortunately they are still finding bodies.” Reverend Han stepped back wiping his brow. He was devastated himself. He knew that life would never be the same.

“And Bertrand?” Sugar Doll asked.

A deep furrow appeared on the Reverend’s brow. Mona had told him the details of the robbery. “Well, you know about our young misguided Kevin. Mrs. Han and I always tried to intercede with the boy and your grandmother too but we couldn’t do enough. He got killed trying to do the devil’s work. We can only pray that it’s not as your mother has said.” Reverend Han sighed.

“Bertrand would never be involved in a robbery. He had his own business, his own place. Why would he do something like that? Why would my mother say something like that?” Sugar Doll became freshly angered when she thought of it.

“Sugar, you’ve had enough bad news for today. Let’s go back to the apartment to decide what you are going to do about your grandmother’s funeral.” Remy offered.

“It seems that this hurricane brought only death and murder with it.” Sugar Doll cried.

“That poor young girl Elise…dying like that on the bridge.” Mrs. Han lamented.

“They just shot randomly at people, like they were animals.” Sugar Doll said.

“Sugar Doll, let’s go.” Remy wanted to take her away from all of the pain. He grasped her shoulder and led her to St. Peter’s street. The French Quarters were in remarkably good condition after the storm. They had remained at Mona’s house on Dauphine after the storm until things looked like they had blown over and each day brought fresh pain.

“Oh Remy, it’s too much to handle.” Sugar Doll said as they walked slowly back to his tiny flat.

“I know honey but we will…together.” He smiled weakly, even losing some of his own spirit of mirth in the sadness.