Sugar Doll's Hurricane Blues (7 page)

Chapter Six

It wasn’t long before Sugar Doll was able to convince Big Ma to allow her to sing in the French Quarter. She would be chaperoned by her big cousin Bertrand and her cousin Tonya would stay with her on the nights she had to remain in the city. Big Ma didn’t want Sugar Doll traveling in the rain as the roads were slippery and prone to flood. The club was doing wonderfully and Bertrand was generous with his pay. He was planning on setting up a recording for his cousin. He wanted to be the next Barry Gordie.

Sugar Doll was just finishing up a bluesy set with the band. It was late and she was ready to head home. She didn’t see Tony sitting at a far away table studying her. He got up and walked toward the beauty. “Hey kid, you got some set of lungs.” He said. Slowly recognizing him she froze when she saw that it was her mother’s white lover. “What’s the matter? Surprised to see me?” Tony reached to give her a hug. Sugar Doll instinctively stepped back. She knew the sick relationship he had with her mother and she wanted no part of it.

“What do you want?” She asked hoping that he would go away.

“You mother wonders why you don’t come to her club to sing.” Tony responded.

“I don’t have a mother.” Sugar Doll said bluntly.

“Sure you do kid. She’s doing good too, better than this dump.” Tony looked around as though he were assessing the place.

“Call it what you want.” Sugar Doll shrugged.

“It’s a dump, kid.” Tony shrugged.

“Haven’t you noticed? I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Yeah I noticed, but then your momma wouldn’t like that.” Tony gave a sly grin as he took out a cigarette to smoke. He tapped it against the pack, an old habit, and lit it. With the smoke curling around his head he looked like the devil. He was still drop dead gorgeous.

“Why are you here asking and not my mother? Are you her lap dog?” Sugar Doll said angrily because in that brief moment she had found him attractive. She felt the heat of him in his expensive silk suit with his dark blue eyes. He smiled easily, “Look kid, I’m trying to mend the rift between the two of you. Don’t open up something with me.”

“Then I’m not interested.” Sugar Doll turned away from Tony. Tony walked behind her standing dangerously close and whispered in her ear, “Are you sure about that?” The feel of his whisper coursed involuntarily down her spine awakening something in her that made her feel ashamed. She shrugged and walked away faster to put some distance between them. She didn’t want him to know how he was affecting her. When she reached the stage she turned and looked back but he was gone. He knew. “What is it about that man? Did he sell his soul to the devil or what?” She asked herself shaking off the sexual tension she had just experienced.

“Who was that?” Remy’s voice woke her out of her revelry. “Looked like ya’ll had a lot to talk about down there. Remy
said this pointing to the spot as though the outline of Tony and Sugar Doll was still present. She looked over to the spot and felt a chill come over her.

“No we didn’t nosey. He’s my mother’s boyfriend.” Sugar Doll now back to herself pulled herself up onto the stage to sit. Remy squatted down and brushed her hair off of her face.

“You kidding!” “He didn’t look like he had no other girlfriend but you and if you hadn’t noticed, he was white. I thought you all had a problem about that.”

“Remy, don’t play around. Of course that man isn’t my boyfriend; he’s old enough to be my father.” Sugar Doll laughed. Remy’s usually smiling face didn’t participate.

“He didn’t look old enough to be your father but then you are young and a virgin.”

“I never told you that I was a virgin and besides it’s none of your business.” Sugar Doll blushed as she looked down at the floor.

“You are a virgin aren’t you?” Remy got serious as he cupped her face in his hand. Sugar Doll continued to look down at the floor.

“Well I’ll be.” Remy said gently and he leaned over to kiss Sugar Doll gently on the lips. He lingered there a moment the heat rising between both of them.

“Are you going down home tonight?” He asked her.

Bertrand came out of the shadows like a phantom, “Sugar Doll, get your things, it’s time to go.” Sugar Doll jumped off of the stage guiltily. Remy rose to stand but Bertrand walked past him. He went to Sugar Doll and said, “I told Big Ma that I would look after you so don’t make me break my promise. You hear?” Sugar Doll nodded and headed to the dressing room to collect her things.

Bertrand turned slowly around to face Remy the anger plain on his usually jovial face. “Looka here Remy, you are a good singer and my friend but I’m telling you plain, you mess with that girl and I’m going to kick your ass and fire you. She ain’t one of your play things. She is my cousin and a good, clean girl. You hear what I’m saying to you?”

Remy looked apologetic, “I’m sorry Bertie, I just lost my head there for a moment. I saw her talking to that guy and then I realized that, well….I like her.”

“What guy?” Bertrand asked puzzled.

“Real smooth looking character, well dressed, good looking, probably rich.” Remy remarked. “Sugar Doll said that he is her mother’s boyfriend which is hard to believe but what can I do?”

“Tony M.” Bertrand muttered.

“Tony M. who works for Marsalas?” Remy asked surprised.

“One in the same.” Bertrand sighed; his attention had been taken away from Remy. He didn’t need Mafioso hanging around his club drawing undo attention to him.

“Bertrand, I am sorry.” Remy said.

“No worries man, just keep it in your pants.” Bertrand gave his trademark smile and ambled off toward Sugar Doll.

Later that night on the drive home Bertrand asked, “What did Tony M. want?” Sugar Doll was pensive thinking about her kiss with Remy and her confused sexual feelings for Tony M.

“He says that my mother wants me to sing in her club.” Sugar Doll answered.

“Then why the hell doesn’t she ask you herself?” Bertrand asked the obvious question.

“That’s what I said.” Sugar Doll answered. “I said no anyway.”

“What’s going on between you and Remy?” Bertrand asked.

“We are just friends.” Sugar Doll answered while looking out the window and the lazy warm rain that hit the windshield.

“Didn’t look like no friends to me. I saw him kiss you.” Bertrand was looking directly at Sugar Doll.

“I don’t know why he kissed me. I didn’t ask him to do it.” Sugar Doll sighed as she thought of the soft touch of his lips. She unconsciously touched her lips with her finger. Bertrand was watching her.

“He is my employee, Sugar Doll, and my friend. Don’t mess that up for me.” Bertrand advised as they neared Big Ma’s house.

“I won’t Bertrand, I promise.” As she opened the door the yard was soaked with water.

Bertrand said, “Wait right there cousin I’ll come get you, let me take off my good shoes. He kicked off his shoes and socks and heaved his heavy body out of the car. He walked through the knee height water and scooped up Sugar Doll in his arms. She hugged him as he carried her. She felt guilty about making him upset. Big Ma stood waiting on the porch; all of the lights were on in the house. Sugar Doll thought that she did this to prevent herself from falling asleep before she came home.

“Ya’ll come on inside out of the rain before you get pneumonia.” Big Ma said invitingly.

“Not tonight Big Ma, I have to go back to the city tonight. I’ll be all right.” Bertrand had stepped off of the steps before she had a chance to protest. “See you Saturday Sugar Doll.” She waved but doubted he’d seen it as he backed out of the narrow
ditch trying to avoid the deep trenches on either side of the lane. They were there to catch the run off water but they too were often full after a simple summer’s rain.

That night after Big Ma went to bed Sugar Doll sat up thinking about Remy and the gentle kiss. Her mind kept interrupting with the strong sexuality she had felt emanate from Tony’s muscular body as he stood behind her. She tried to shrug it off and felt that it was a sick impulse. “What is wrong with me?” She said aloud to herself. She knew that at twenty-one she was too old to still be a virgin. If she went with Remy it would hurt his friendship with Bertrand and Tony M. was out of the question and shouldn’t even be in her thoughts.

That night she fell into sleep uneasily. She dreamed that she was in a white room. The sun gleamed through the windows. The air was soft and warm. The ceiling fan turned overhead. Remy sat down on the bed and began to caress her softly, her body responded to his touch. He leaned over to kiss her. His hair brushed softly against her face as they began to kiss, he gently lowered the sleeves of her nightgown softly kissing her shoulders. The feeling was exquisite. He nuzzled her breast gently teasing them with his tongue. As he mounted her and parted her legs something changed. His body was heavier more demanding. He kissed her with more urgency, she felt as though she would explode from the inside, his lips trailed down to her neck taking his time sensuously kissing and just when she thought she could take it no more he lifted himself and entered her. She opened her eyes to look at him and Tony looked back his smoldering blue eyes boring into hers. Sugar Doll woke up her body still tingling from the dream. Her heart was still racing. She felt ashamed of herself and her dream.

Chapter Seven

Beauchamp’s became the most happening place in the French Quarters; it was second only to Mona’s. People of all races came into the club. When that sort of success happens it is only a matter of time before dirty hands want to shake the clean ones. Bertrand had long been expecting it so was surprised that he had gotten away with nearly four years of success before anyone came poking around. The first visit was from a well dressed man calling himself Moe. Moe came in early one morning when the only people up were the tourists who couldn’t wait till the evening to come down into the quarter. St. Peter’s street was filled with travelers from colder climes. You could tell who they were by the way they dressed. They wore Bermuda shorts and ugly plaid shirts or wife beaters and sun hats. It was Christmastime in New Orleans but it was 75 degrees. Most of the locals still wore clothes better suited for the fall, just in case it got cold as the city was prone to do being so close to the river the temperatures could drop fast.

Moe sat down at the bar and ordered a Bloody Mary. The bartender obliged and smiled at the generous tip the man gave him. It was a good take on a Wednesday morning. Bertrand came in to work on his books and he noticed the man when he walked in but he didn’t take any special interest in it until he
walked to his back office and saw a man standing there. “Can I help you sir?” Bertrand asked. The man did not answer but he pointed in the direction of the bar. Bertrand picked up his meaning and steeled himself for the shakedown he was about to experience.

Moe stepped down from his barstool and motioned for Bertrand to sit down. Bertrand did as he was asked. He sat down quickly ready to hear what he would have to do or what he would need to get out of in order to keep his business. He had been expecting this for a very long time. “How can I help you?” Bertrand asked deciding to keep things light.

“The question is, how can I help you?” The man asked in return.

“I’m Moe Turtsodky, and I’ve been sent here to talk about your insurance plans.” Bertrand felt relieved, he quickly got up to leave saying over his shoulder, “Look man, we’ve got insurance, fire, flood, hurricane, building collapse, life…you name it, we got it. But thanks for stopping by.”

Moe Turtsodky stood then, “Do you have the type of insurance that Marsalas can provide?” Bertrand was instantly deflated. He knew then he was going to have a problem. A real problem because he owed Marsalas money.

“Let’s go to my office and talk.” Bertrand gave in and the tall Moe followed him to his back office.

“Let me spell it out for you Bertrand. Mr. Marsalas will cover all of your debts down in Biloxi for a share in Beauchamp’s. He would hate to see you run such a successful business into the ground. That is unless of course you have his money which is compounding interest daily.” Bertrand, a true gambler, did not even want to know the amount that Marsalas placed on his debt. He had been paying through a liaison but he couldn’t keep up
with the interest. He had no one to tell because everyone was so proud of him.

“How much of a share?” Bertrand asked voice trembling.

“Well you can still be the face of the club but we will run it and a few of our other business interests through the club.” Moe whatever the fuck his name was just too calm and as jovial as Bertrand was he wanted to choke him to death.

“Don’t give me an answer now; you have twenty-four hours to come up with the money, a substantial down-payment or the deed of sale. It ain’t rocket science.” Moe got up and brushed off his pants as though he had sat in something dirty.

“Goddam!” Bertrand thought. “This shit is like a bad movie. I can’t believe that I’m in This kind of trouble.” Never one to be religious Bertrand raised his head with his eyes closed, “Lord, if you can hear me, please send me some help. I don’t want to lose my place because of my stupidity. Help me Lord or send someone to help me. It’s time I was dealt a good hand.” He removed a handkerchief and wiped his brow. His help was on the way but it would prove more than he bargained for in the first place.