Oppressed (27 page)

They both glanced up
simultaneously.

“
Cecile! What happened?”
Tante Celeste and Emilie hurried over to me.

I wanted to speak but the words
wouldn’t come out.

Emilie shook me lightly. Her blue eyes
were full of concern and worry. “Cecile, it’s okay,” she said
softly. “Tell us what happened.”

I explained the whole story and my
heart beat faster and faster as I recalled the details and tried to
make sense of the bizarre night.

“
Another attack by a King
or Queen,” said Tante Celeste after I had finished my story.
“They’re using Edmond to get to you. They clearly want you out of
the picture so they can be the official King or Queen.” Anger
filled her hazel eyes and her beautiful face contorted in anger as
she glanced at me from head to toe. “This is ridiculous. This city
can be so frustrating!”

I smiled despite my situation. I had
never seen her get so upset before. It was kind of cute. “But why?”
I asked. “Why would they want to help Edmond? And why would he turn
to a King or Queen? He’s terrified of all things supposedly
savage.”

“
His obsession with you
and lust for domination far outweigh his fear. It’s clear he wants
to regain his control over you and will stop at nothing to do so.
Besides he’s probably not very happy that you’re openly flouting
your little arrangement with his cousin so publicly.” She raised
her eyebrow and gave me a knowing glance.

“
Arrangement! It’s not an
arrangement. Nothing is going on with Lucus; I mean, Edmond’s
cousin.” I made a pathetic attempt at defending myself.

“
According to Pere Antonio
there is.”

“
Oh
Dieu!
Even the Pere? Is there anyone in this
city who doesn’t love to gossip?”

“
Non.”

I let out a low sigh. “What can I do?
What can we do? Do you think it’s Doctor John? Why would he want to
help Edmond?”

Doctor John was quickly becoming one of
New Orleans most sought-after Voodoo Kings. He was
ultra-competitive, very daunting, and wasn’t afraid to resort to
very unconventional methods to get the job done. I had seen him in
the French Market a few times. With tribal scars adorning his
cheeks, intimidating height and ever watchful cat-like eyes, he
played the part of Voodoo King very well. He had been a former
slave but now he owned countless properties in the Vieux Carré
along with numerous wives and slaves.

Tante Celeste took a deep breath. “I’m
not sure if it’s Doctor John but I’ll pay him a little visit
tomorrow to find out. In the meantime we’re not going to let
anything happen to you. He’s not going to hurt you ever again. Go
and take a spiritual bath and get to bed. I’m going to pass some
Goofer Dust over Edmond’s tracks. That will keep him away from the
house. We’ll figure this out. I promise.” She gave me a tight hug
and left to prepare the Goofer Dust.

Emilie placed her arms around me. “I’m
so sorry, Cecile. I’m sorry you had to go through all of that. I’ll
help you prepare the bath.”

“
No. I’m the one who is
sorry, Emilie,” I whispered. “I’m sorry for all of the years I
never. I never.” The words didn’t come out. “Maybe it isn’t safe
for us here. Maybe you were right. Maybe we should leave this city
and go up North. We’ll be safe there. You’ll be safe there. Away
from this world.”

She shook her head. “We can’t live in
fear. Isn’t that what you always say?”

“
Maybe I’m
wrong.”

“
No. I don’t think so. I
finally feel alive, Cecile. I finally feel free.” Her eyes
sparkled.

“
The work of the Devil himself!”
Justine stood in the doorway and made the Sign of the Cross. “I
told you, Ms. Cecile, you shouldn’t have gotten involved in this!
This will kill you! This world will kill you! You should go and
apologize to Monsieur and ask him to take you back. You’ll be safe
with Monsieur.”

I laughed. “Justine. Do you want to go
back to Monsieur?”

Her eyes filled with fear and she
started to crack her knuckles. “No. But I don’t want to go to Hell
either.”

Hell or Edmond. Were our options
really that limited? I wasn’t ready to accept that fact.

Chapter
Twenty-Seven

Puffs of Angry Gray
Smoke

The French Market,
Vieux
Carré

New Orleans, 1853

“
One more. I have to see
if I’m really going to buy an entire pound. ” I crammed the caramel
praline into my mouth and let the sweet taste sink into my
bloodstream. I closed my eyes and let the vibrant voices and sheer
liveliness of the Market sink into my pores and erase the horrific
experience I had recently endured. Wafts of corn calas, hot black
café and the occasional draft of death and horse manure never
smelled so amazing. A light wind combed through my hair and brought
with it a welcome relief from the torturous afternoon
sun.

“
Je t'aime,
Bade
,” I
whispered. “
Merci.”

It had been a week since the hideous
church incident and even though I was still a bit shaken I had
decided I would not live in fear. I would not stay at home and hide
from Edmond, Doctor John, or the hundreds of other Kings and Queens
in the city that were supposedly out to get me. Hiding would only
give them more power. Yesterday, Tante Celeste had confronted
Doctor John and he swore that he wasn’t helping Edmond. Who was I
to argue with him?

Right now all I cared about
was
buying
pralines and taking a walk through the city. “Emilie, these are the
best pralines in the city. You have to try one.”

“
I’ve already had two. I
think we need to pay, Jean,” Emilie said nervously. She wasn’t very
happy being my accomplice and I couldn’t blame her. I was a pretty
obnoxious customer.

“
Cecile! I’m trying to run
a business!”

I opened my eyes and gave the wrinkly
praline vendor a sheepish grin. I felt guilty for shamelessly
“testing” another praline. “Sorry, Jean. I’ll take two pounds.” I
changed my mind. “No, make that three.”

He shook his head and smiled and
started to fill up a cloth sack with pralines. “Here you are.” Jean
handed me the sack.

“
Cecile.” A familiar voice
called my name.

We turned around.

“
Your tomatoes. I know you
asked that I bring them to Congo Square but I couldn’t wait. I
wanted to say thank you. I wanted to let you know how much I
appreciate what you did for me.”

“
Monsieur Grady?” He looked
wonderful. His face was no longer streaked with mud, his green eyes
sparkled, and he was still standing up tall and proud just as Ogun
had taught him to. “Did it work?” I held my breath and prayed that
his boss had been fixed.

“
It worked! He pays us
now!” Monsieur Grady said proudly. He leaned in towards me and
whispered secretively in my ear. “I fixed him good. I put the oil
under his desk and then I looked him straight in the eyes and said
you will pay me! How dare you think you can take advantage of
me!”

“
I’m so happy for you.” I was
ecstatic for him and very excited at the sight of the very
ripe-looking tomatoes. What kind of gumbo was I going to make
tonight?

“
Thank you,” whispered a
beautiful woman with strawberry-blonde hair, aquamarine eyes and a
very pregnant belly. She stared at me shyly for a few seconds
before giving me an awkward little hug.

“
Madame Grady?” I asked,
venturing a guess.

She nodded. “Thank you,” she said over
and over again with genuine emotion. Her eyes swelled with tears of
joy.

“
It was my pleasure! I’m
happy I could help. When is the baby due?” I asked.

“
Next month,” she said
with pride. Monsieur Grady gave her a little kiss and I couldn’t
help but smile at their happiness. Happiness I had helped
create!

We spoke for a few minutes and I told the
Gradys that I would be happy to help them anytime they needed it as
long as they provided me with plenty of fresh tomatoes. In turn
they promised to tell their friends about me and promised to attend
the Sunday dance at Congo Square. After they left I couldn’t help
but continue to smile like a maniac. It was working.

“
It’s working, Emilie.
It’s working. Slowly but surely our plan is working!”

Emilie beamed at my
enthusiasm.

We were helping people let go of their
fears and bringing them closer to one another. Maybe this
revolution wouldn’t take a million years. Maybe it would only take
half a million years.

Sadly, my happy thoughts were
interrupted by an unwanted visitor.

“
I know you’ve done something to
him,” hissed a low-pitched voice full of venom.

I looked to my right. There stood
Edmond’s wife with her arms crossed, hazel eyes ablaze with rage.
Under the relentless mid-afternoon sun she appeared to be horribly
uncomfortable in her blue tea dress and oversized bonnet. Her pale
skin was flushed in anger and obvious hatred.

She marched up to me and then spat on
me and slapped me across the face. My face ached and burned in
shame and frustration. “I know about you and my husband. You
savage! Where is he? I haven’t seen him for days and I know you’ve
done something to him. What have you done with him?”

I yelped in pain and resisted the urge
to slap her back. I looked at her with my mouth slightly agape not
clearly processing what she was saying.

“
Take her. I know she’s
done something with him!”

I felt four arms grip me. Police
officers. My pralines and tomatoes landed on the muddy earth and
were instantly run over by a horse cart.

“
I don’t know what you’re
talking about,” I said softly, knowing very well that raising my
voice would only get me in further trouble.

“
Did you hear that? She
spoke out against me. I want her whipped. I want her whipped now!”
Edmond’s wife was hysterical as she slapped me repeatedly. Every
slap she dished out was dehumanizing and brutal. Tears of
humiliation started to burn my eyes and the end date of my
revolutionary plan was extended to two million years. “I want her
whipped!” Strangely, after a few more slaps, my pain was replaced
by pity. I felt sorry for her as it became clear that for whatever
odd reason she was in love with Edmond.

“
Please. I’m not seeing your
husband anymore. I haven’t been for a long time. I don’t where he
is or what happened to him.” Oh
Dieu
, had Marinette hacked off his head in the
cathedral and carried his body to some other side? “Stop, please,”
I begged. My plea was met was met with another slap.

I cast a glance at Emilie who stood
silently with her lips trembling and eyes on the ground. Movement
at the market seemed to have momentarily stopped and all eyes were
on us. I was mortified and wanted to bury myself in the heap of
lettuce that sat on a nearby table.

“
Elizabeth! What is going
on?”

“
Lucus.” Elizabeth’s tone
was vaguely surprised.

“
Stop. Let go of her.
She’s done nothing wrong,” Lucus said to the officers.

The police officers let go of me.
Though I was mortified he had seen what had happened I was grateful
that someone was on my side.

Elizabeth let out a low, frustrated sigh.
She couldn’t challenge Lucus because, well, he was a man, which
made his word more valuable than hers. The police officers gave
Lucus a low, apologetic sorry.

Elizabeth looked at Lucus in fury with
lips pursed and fire in her eyes. “Where is Edmond? She’s done
something with Edmond!”

Lucus looked at me. I shook my head
and prayed that he would take my side.

Lucus took a deep breath. His jaw muscles
tightened. “You know how Edmond likes to run off for days, and,
well…”

I felt my cheeks burn.

She took several deep breaths and
spoke through clenched teeth. “I know perfectly well where my
husband is at all times. He’s either with me or with her or with
me! Ever since he went to see her he hasn’t been back.” Her
delicate cheeks glistened with tears.

I shook my head furiously. “I haven’t been
with him for weeks, I swear. The last time was the day he…” I
glanced at Lucus hoping that he would believe me. “He challenged
Antoine.” There was no way I was going to tell her about the
strange cathedral incident.

Lucus put his arm around Elizabeth.
“Let me walk you home, Elizabeth. I’m sure Edmond will turn up
soon. There’s no need for any of this,” he said
soothingly.

Elizabeth shook herself free. “You too!
You’re taking her side? Don’t you men have any sense? Can’t you see
that she’s EVIL? I don’t need you to walk me home,” she hissed.
“Find Edmond. Find him now!” After giving me another final
poisonous stare she ran down the street in a huff.

Evil. Wow. I was officially an evil,
ruined, savage heathen. The list never seemed to end.