Sugar Doll's Hurricane Blues (5 page)

She found her freedom in her singing and as she grew up she realized that she wanted to sing. She did not want to sing gospel music however, she wanted to sing groovy music like Chaka Khan or Patti Labelle. She would sneak off to the music room with Bertrand and they would have jam sessions. He was right; his piano playing had become expert. He was still plump at 15 but handsome and talented and charming.

“Big Ma! Come quick! Kevin’s getting in the police car!” One night Bertrand ran through the sweltering heat to find Big Ma sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee.

“What for?” Big Ma stood up alarmed.

“They said he stole some jewelry from Miss Becky down the street.” He exclaimed.

Big Ma stood wearily and went to the screen door. She saw the police cruiser across the road. The officer was talking to one of the neighbors.

“Go get my slippers under the bed.” Big Ma said over her shoulders.

Big Ma, Bertrand and Sugar Doll walked across the road to where the cop car sat idling. Kevin was in the back seat crying.

“Good evening your officer. May I ask what the problem is with this here boy?” Big Ma asked.

“The problem is ma’am that he got caught.” The officer said.

“Caught doing what?” Big Ma asked.

“Are you his mother?” The officer asked.

“No sir but I take care of him from time to time. His mother died a few months ago.” Big Ma lied.

“Well I’m sorry to hear that but the victim, Miss Becky, has decided to press charges on him sure enough. I was just taking statements.”

“What’s going to happen to him?” Big Ma asked alarmed.

“He’ll go to a juvenile detention center and from there if nobody claims him he’ll probably be placed in a foster home.”

“Could I claim him?” Big Ma asked.

“That would be something you would have to take up with the social workers. “He’ll be arraigned tomorrow over in Point A La Hache. You could come and try to get a bid in then. I’ve got all I need now. I’m taking him now but I wish you luck ma’am.”

“Thank you, your officer.” Big Ma turned then toward the car and put her hand on the window.

“We gonna try to get you Kevin, you hear? Take heart and do not be afraid.” Big Ma said.

Kevin looked out at Big Ma his round eyes full of tears. The car pulled off then.

Big Ma did try to help Kevin but she wasn’t certified as a foster parent and Kevin had committed a felony by breaking and entry so they put him in a group home. He ran away several times but they would always catch him. He kept in touch with Bertrand from time to time but he never came to the Parish again during their childhood. Big Ma prayed for Kevin and worried about him like he was her own lost son and in a way he was. After that first summer Kevin would come over to the house less bashfully and he was always a willing audience to Big Ma’s sermons. She didn’t understand why he had turned bad as he had been so respectful and polite to her. She chalked it up to grief at losing something he never had, his mother’s love.

“We are going to have a selection from the beautiful Precious Bouvier. She is a wonderful singer in the Lord and we here at Mount Bethel Baptist are proud of her. Sugar Doll what will you be singing today baby?” Reverend Howard looked up to the choir stand, “Well done,” Sugar Doll said as she rose to the microphone. “Praise you Jesus, thank you everlasting Savior, be open to the Holy Spirit congregation. Sugar rose and began soulfully and slowly singing her favorite gospel song, “I had a dream the other night, I dreamed that everything was right, he called me by my name, he said “Servant, well done, well done…”
The congregation stood on its feet raising their hands and thanking the Lord. The presence that was in the church was strong and the people felt it. Sugar Doll was only eighteen years old but she had grown into womanhood at an amazing pace. She walked down the steps and leaned on the organ which Bertrand was playing. He sneaked in a jazz rift that the congregation didn’t seem to notice.

After church Sugar Doll and Bertrand and his girlfriend Tonya began to walk the one mile home.

“I knew I should have brought a change of clothes. I hate to sweat out my new suit.” Bertrand sighed at the inevitable probability that he would be fully sweaty by the time he got home.

“It’s not that far baby,” his girlfriend Tonya intoned. She and Bertrand had been an item for the past two years. Everyone bet that they would get married.

“Thanks baby, but that doesn’t make me feel any cooler.” Bertrand joked. “I can make you feel hotter anytime you want.” Tonya rubbed his shoulders.

“Ya’ll need to stop just coming from church and talking dirty.” Sugar Doll responded.

“I’m sorry you still a virgin girl, it will happen for you girl.” Tonya grinned.

“It better hell not! Not on my watch cousin.” Bertrand touched her shoulder. He adored his cousin and protected her at all costs.

“Don’t worry Bertrand, I don’t even have a boyfriend.” Sugar Doll sighed.

“If Big Ma wasn’t so religious I would swear she put a hex of me or something.”

Bertrand laughed at this.

“I’ll tell you what the hex is, it’s your cousin Bertrand promising to put a can of whip ass on anyone trying to get to you for just one thing.” Bertrand wiped the sweat from his brow.

“Why don’t you feel that way about me?” Tonya asked.

“Cause you ain’t my cousin. But I love you baby and I’m gonna marry you, ain’t that enough?” Bertrand kissed her on the cheek.

“That’s more than enough baby.

“Sugar Doll, why don’t we go into the city and make some money with your voice and my piano? Those jam sessions we’ve been having are great. Bertrand looked at her seriously.

“Bertrand, you are dreaming. You know that Big Ma is not gonna let me go into New Orleans, no way, no how.” Sugar Doll’s step quickened. She wanted to go to New Orleans very badly.

“Tell her that you are going to visit your momma.” Bertrand suggested.

“Now you know you are tripping. I would be asking for an ass whipping for sure.” She scoffed.

“Ooooooh, you said ass, right after church. You is going to hell.” Tonya teased her overly religious friend.

“I couldn’t do that if I tried. I been baptized twice, once as a Catholic and then as a Baptist. I’m fully covered in that department.” Sugar Doll laughed at her joke.

“What religion is your momma?” Tonya asked.

“Now SHE is going to hell.” Everyone laughed at Sugar Doll’s joke.

“Why can’t you go and see her? Tonya asked.

“She don’t want to see me. She just wants that white man and he doesn’t want me anywhere in the picture, you dig?”
Bertrand could sense the anger behind the statement. He tried to diffuse the oncoming heated argument.

“Hey ya’ll why don’t we go to Mr. Edward’s store and get a snow cone.”

The thought of cold flavored ice sped up their walking. They walked down the lane toward the store and the conversation was over for now. Bertrand had other plans for his own career whether Sugar Doll came along or not.

Chapter Five

“C’mon now! Ya’ll put your hands together! Who says the blues is dead?” Bertrand was a handsome, imposing young man now. He smiled at the crowded nightclub. The bar was open to the street so that people passing by on Bourbon leaned into the windows to join in the jamming. “Ladies and gentlemen, Remy Gaudeaux!” A handsome young man with flashing blue eyes straddled the stage. He is magnificent in his performance. The club went wild with excitement and dancing. “Boy, you’ve got charisma!” came a shout from the audience.

“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.