"Then I take it you'll be staying here and you and Joe will be getting married," Helen said in a brooding voice.
"I don't know, but that doesn't make any difference. Joe's still Joey's father and I will demand respect for him. You and the rest of the family don't even know him, yet everyone's made him out to be some kind of ne'er-do-well reprobate. He's a kind, caring man and a good father. How many single men do you think would be willing to spend all the money they had to fight for their infant son? I don't fault him for doing that because I understand the pride he has in his Cajun heritage and how strongly he feels that Joey grows up to have that same pride."
"Joey's only half Cajun," Helen reminded her. "What about his British side? How do you think he'll feel when he's repeatedly told he descends from the man Joe's family blames for sending thousands of Acadians into exile?"
"I think he'll wish he was all Cajun, but Joe's family's not hung up on it the way our family is. They're forgiving people if treated right. The problem with our family and so many others is ever since the Acadians were exiled to this country with only the clothes on their backs they've been treated like beggars even when they've proven themselves capable of taking care of themselves without handouts. In fact, they pride themselves in that."
Helen glanced toward the old barn with its weathered siding. "They do tend to be poor though, with little ambition to better themselves."
Anne sucked in a long breath to stem her exasperation with the direction of the conversation. "Joe's family are ranchers, farmers, and fishermen, and some work in the oil industry, but all of them care for their families, provide for them, and remain in a close community that's always around for each other whenever anyone's in need. Joe paid for this house out of his savings and borrowed money from his brothers to fix it up, but unlike most men his age he doesn't have a mortgage to worry about. He and his brothers also raise grass-fed cattle, which was Joe's idea because it's a growing industry, and they also raise quarter horses. I'd say that's pretty ambitious."
"Honey, I didn't come to get into an argument about Joe. I came to see you and Joey and tell you I hope you'll come home sometime and not cut yourself off from us."
"That's entirely up to you and the rest of the family. You know my conditions now. I've spent the last three years sneaking off to be with Joe and I'm not going to do it anymore."
"If you don't marry him though, what will you do and where will you live?"
"I haven't given it much thought because it's not relevant at the moment."
"You know you can always live with us, and Joey would be here for you to see anytime,"
"I haven't given up on Joe and I won't, unless he makes it clear we could never have a future together because I love him enough to weather anything my family could toss at us."
Helen gave a little shrug. "I think everyone's beyond that now. We've all said our peace. I just wish you'd picked a man with an education who—"
"Stop right there. What you just said is exactly what I mean by you treating Joe like a second-class citizen. He's smart, he's fun, he's hardworking, and he loves me. We just have some issues to work out, which I expect to be resolved in short order."
"What kind of issues?"
"Issues between us and no one else."
"I'm sorry, honey, I just thought I could be helpful."
"If you really want to be helpful, Mom, maybe you could drive me to the insurance company so I can square away the claim for my car and start looking for a new one, and I'd like to go by the cemetery and see Joyce's grave and pay my respects. I don't remember anything after the car skidded off the road, but Joyce was my closest friend and she was the one driving, and it would give me a sense of closure to the accident."
"Of course. We can go there now if you want."
"I do. Just give me a minute to go inside and get Joey and I'll be right back."
For an instant Anne had second thoughts about taking Joey while Joe was away, but deciding he shouldn't care, as long as she left a note for him since he'd placed no restrictions on her, she wrote a note she hoped would make him happy under the current circumstances:
Honey, Joey and I are with my mom, who is taking me to the insurance company so I can place a claim on my car, then I'm going to put some flowers on Joyce's grave. I hope it's okay that I took Joey with me but I didn't feel right leaving him with your mom. I'll probably be home before you. She drew a tiny heart at the end.
Until she placed the note on the kitchen table, Anne didn't realize she'd referred to the place where she was as home, as if Joe's house was her home too. She started to rewrite the note, then decided to leave it, hoping it would get Joe thinking along those lines again.
After situating Joey in his infant carrier in the back seat of her mother's car, they left for the insurance company where Anne completed the paperwork for her car, then they went to the cemetery. There, Anne's mother waited in the car with Joey while Anne made her way between rows of slabs, gravestones, and above-ground vaults, to the family plot where Joyce was buried.
Standing at the foot of the small parcel, she stared at the headstone, a shiny granite memorial freshly carved with the name: Joyce Jean Frye. Centered beneath were the words, Beloved Daughter. There were no headstones for her parents, only her grandparents, so Anne knew both of her parents had outlived her, which was sad. On either side of the headstone were sunken pots for holding vases, and in each were fresh flowers, like someone had been there earlier, possibly that morning.
Anne made a mental note to visit Joyce's parents and share some of her special times with their daughter, like the time they decided to get tattoos on their bums where no one would see them. Joyce's was a small butterfly, but she opted for a tiny pair of cowboy boots with a cowboy hat on top. Before she went to the hospital to have Joey, she had no idea she had the tattoo, until a nurse commented that her baby's father must be a cowboy, which had her nodding in acknowledgement, even though it triggered no memories.
She sat on a new concrete bench that was positioned several feet from the memorial, and as she contemplated the gleaming headstone sandwiched between bouquets of fresh flowers, tears filled her eyes, a delayed reaction to the reality of what happened. Joyce had been her sounding board. She knew all about Joe and the feud between their families, and she was always ready and willing to give advice and candid opinions when Anne was exasperated, especially with her father. But Joyce had also been a pair of ears when Anne had issues with Joe, not about their feelings for each other, those had never been in question, but other concerns…
Something began nagging at her subconscious. An exchange. A conversation with Joyce that remained teetering on the edge of memory. She hated this inability to recall when something was so close to the surface she almost had the words, only to have them slip away. But this time the words didn't slip away. They came in all their clarity, as if Joyce was silently speaking to her from beyond the grave...
"When I picked you up to go to New Orleans you and Joe were having an argument," Joyce had said. "Is everything okay?"
Anne remembered the conversation clearly now. It was shortly before the accident and they were in a line-up of stopped cars, waiting in driving rain for road crews to clear mud and debris from a section of highway on the way to Morgan City. There had been no accommodations in Raceland, the town they'd just passed through, and none when she'd called ahead to motels in Morgan City. Then she connected with Joe, who suggested they go to the police in Morgan City, who'd direct them to a shelter. That was their plan, except they never made it to Morgan City, and the wait in the line-up of cars seemed interminable.
She'd answered Joyce's question in reference to her argument with Joe, the conversation a break from the frightening drive ahead on roads becoming inundated with water, saying," Joe's putting pressure on me to get married right away and I truly love him, but I'm not a Catholic and I have some serious reservations,"
"I'm Catholic so maybe I can help clear things up," Joyce had said. "I admi
t it's a bit of an intimidating religion when you're an outsider. So, what's your concern?"
"First, I'm not a complete outsider at this point," Anne remembered saying. "I've been attending mass with Joe and taking PreCana online in preparation for converting, but when I got pregnant and started thinking about turning my baby over to the church, that's when I began having doubts. I'd never get in the way of Joe teaching the kids his religion. My issue is that I want our kids to be able to attend my family's church as well, and make their own choice."
"As a Catholic they can't attend both churches," Joyce said. "Part of a parent's role in raising kids Catholic is doing everything they can to be sure the kids stick to that faith and nothing else. Besides, it can hurt kids to have a divide between parents. If Joe goes to mass and you go to your church, the kids are going to ask why, which is hard to explain like, 'Well, Mommy goes to a different church sometimes because she doesn't believe x, y, and z, but Daddy believes it so those things are okay for you.' I take it you and Joe have discussed this."
"No, I've been putting it off."
"You're five months pregnant. How long do you intend to put it off?"
"That's the problem. I can't put it off once I get back. Joe thinks I'm dragging my feet because of our social divide, and I kinda let him think that's the reason because I don't want to start questioning his faith, which he's very serious about."
"Then maybe I can help ease your concern," Joyce said. "The thing is, at the wedding and baptism Joe will vow to raise the kids in the Church, but as a non-Catholic you don't have to do this, only not get in the way of Joe doing it. But there's another sacrament that's received between ages twelve and fourteen called confirmation, when the child chooses whether or not to remain in the Church, and take responsibility for their own faith, meaning continued study of the faith, attending mass, and sticking to the principles. Just be sure your visions are compatible with Joe's before you marry him because divorce is forbidden."
Joyce's words faded as Anne focused again on the headstone. It seemed almost unrealistic that after months with no memory of who she was or where she came from, she now had a past she could connect with and tap into, and what had just come to her was the missing piece she'd been searching for, and with it came a startling realization.
Cajuns were connected because of their long history of banishment and repression, which created close ties between families, friends, and the Cajun community, but the Catholic Church was their common ground in a world that still looked down on them. She also knew in her heart it was right for her and Joe as a family to share the same faith, and since Joey was already Catholic, the issue of turning him over to the church was no longer an issue. It was right.
All she needed now was to convince Joe that she had no doubts, and their love would be forever. She just hoped he'd open his mind to her new awakening and accept it.
CHAPTER 16
Once back at the house, what greeted Anne and her mother as they stepped into the living room, with Joey bundled in Anne's arms and her mother carrying the infant seat, was the sound of water running in the shower, accompanied by Joe's deep rich voice belting out the words to another song, this one in French. Anne had no idea what he was singing, but it was a lively tune, and Joe sounded happy. She also saw that the note she'd left for him on the counter was moved to the kitchen table, so she knew he'd read it, and maybe her endearment made him cheerful.
After setting the infant seat by the front door, her mother's gaze moved slowly around the living room and over the dining and kitchen. Then she gave a little shrug and said, "With the walls painted the house is attractive, well, nicer than I expected. And it does seem larger than before. I suppose you could add on later if… um… you and Joe marry and have more children."
Her tone definitely lacked enthusiasm, and Anne could read between the lines as well as from the fault-finding expression on her mother's face.
Suppressing her irritation, she said, "I know you view this house as little more than a starter home, Mom, but I see it as the house where Joey and his siblings will grow up. As for adding on, all we need to do is finish off the upstairs, which is through that door." Anne pointed to a closed door in the living room, beyond which a bank of stairs led to an unfinished attic. "The house has a high roof so by adding dormers the upstairs could easily be divided into a room for girls and one for boys, with a bath in between. Joe's handy at building and at just about anything else. He did all the work here, even installed the kitchen cabinets and counter top. There's also a laundry room with a brand new washer and dryer."
Gazing around, Anne near burst with pride at what Joe had accomplished between the day her parents stepped into the house, and now. Actually, since the day she saw the house jacked up on a lot and wondered at the possibility, not yet knowing how capable Joe was with just about anything he set his mind on doing, and he'd taken on a monumental project just for her.
Her mother eyed the door to the upstairs. "Then you've apparently been thinking about raising a family with Joe," she said in a glum voice.
"Yes, Mom, ever since high school, and nothing's changed." Anne sat on the couch, and placing Joey on her knees, she smiled at him, to which Joey let out a little chortle that had her grinning.
"I guess I'm beginning to understand that now," her mother said, "but your father is not at all happy about it."
Anne put out two fingers for Joey to grab. "I know. He has a mindset against Cajuns and that's not going to change unless he makes an effort to get to know Joe. He might even come to realize the father of his grandson isn't a lazy, irresponsible, uneducated cowboy."
"No one thinks that, and it's not about getting to know Joe. You have to realize, seven months ago we had no idea you were even seeing him, then we get the terrible news that you were probably dead on the same night we learned you'd been seeing him all along, then six months later we learn you're alive on the same day we learn you and Joe have a child, so we're trying to adjust to a lot of changes in your life, and ours."
"You really don't have to adjust at all," Anne said. "Just accept the fact that Joey's a part of the family, and Joe's his father, and if we get married I'll be a very happy woman. We might not live in a big fancy house with servants to cook and clean, but I'll be happy in this house with Joe in a way I'd never be happy with any other man. If he died right now I'd remain in this house and hold onto every memory I could, just to stay close to him, and Joey would be raised here, and he'd go to church with the family, and dance to Cajun music, and be a part of the Cajun community, and grow up to be a good and decent man like his father."
Her mother drew in a long breath and sighed heavily. "I just hope you won't abandon your upbringing. There's nothing wrong with teaching children good table manners and the basics of proper etiquette, all of which make time spent with others around a table more enjoyable."
Anne reflected on her reaction when Joe started to sit at the table without his shirt, and his response to her mandate, which made her smile because he reacted like a puppy who wanted to please. "Don’t worry. I'll make sure Joey wears a shirt to the table."
"I can see you're not taking this seriously," her mother said, "but when children learn the rules early on there's no awkwardness about how things should be done. Besides, you can't know what Joey will want to be when he grows up, but even if he decides to stay here and work on the ranch, he could find himself among people who practice a certain level of protocol, and following that protocol will come natural for him."
"I'll make certain he wears a shirt to the table when he eats with you and the family over there too," Anne said, with irony. "But if I slack off in my etiquette duty, I'm sure you and Nana will make the necessary corrections."
Helen pursed her lips.
"Don’t give me that look, Mom. Just because I intend to marry Joe doesn't mean I'll backslide to caveman manners. The Broussard family does know basic etiquette. They just don't need all the fancy silverware to get through a meal. One fork, one knif
e and one spoon works fine. And just to relieve your mind, I will be teaching Joey and any other kids we have how to behave in polite society, so you can remove that from your list of worries."
Her mother heaved another sigh, but when she said nothing more, Anne got the impression she was processing the information and slowly becoming resigned to things. Then her mother eyed Joey, and her expression softened with affection. "I need to get back to the house," she said, "and I'll tell everyone you'll be coming over soon."
"To visit, not to stay," Anne emphasized.
Her mother gave her a grim smile, then to Anne's surprise, she bent down and kissed Joey on the forehead, and said, "He's a sweet baby, and I really do hope you'll come to the house before too long so the others can get a chance to be with him."
"I will." Anne set Joey on the couch and stood, then kissed her mother on the cheek and opened the front door, relieved she'd be gone before Joe would come out of the bathroom, not only because he could emerge stark naked thinking he was alone, but mainly she was glad her mother was leaving because she wanted time alone with Joe to share with him her revelation at Joyce's gravesite.
It wasn't any time before the water shut off, and a few minutes later Joe walked out of the bathroom, bare-chested and wearing sweats, while rubbing his hair vigorously with a towel. "Sugah!" he said with a start. "I didn't know you were here. I figured you'd be gone awhile."
"We got things done quickly and I didn't want to take Joey away from here too long without talking to you first. I hope it's okay that I did."
"I told you before I wouldn't stop you from having him any time you want, but I'm hopin' we'll work things out because, like I said before, darlin', I'm goin' a little crazy the way things are with us right now."
"Then maybe I can relieve your mind, if you want to sit beside me and listen."
Tall Dark Stranger (Cajun Cowboys Book 1) Page 18
