Sissy

by Madelyn Bennett Edwards

  "Whenever Sissy is out of town or busy, Lilly can stay with us." Brenda looked at me and grinned.

  "That's a good plan." I looked at Susie. "How do you feel about that arrangement? Lilly will live with me but can stay with the Morrises if I have to be away?"

  "If it's not too much to ask of you, Brenda." Susie looked from me to Brenda, and back at me.

  "Look." Brenda grabbed Susie's hand. "We adore Lilly. We'd love to have her, full-time or part-time. Just consider our home her second home. Okay?"

  "Okay. If you insist." Susie squeezed Brenda's hand. "And thank you. You're such a dear friend. You and Robert, both."

  "Well, I probably need to go." Brenda stood and gathered her purse and sunglasses. "I told Bobby we'd leave here about four, so he'll be back at your house looking for me soon."

  "Thank you for coming, Bren." Susie got up, and they hugged. "It means the world to Rodney and me."

  "I'll come back. And I'm looking forward to having Lilly whenever she wants to stay with us." Brenda kissed Susie again. I hugged Susie and told her I'd be back later to get her.

  When we got in her car, I told Brenda I would be in Baton Rouge for a few days the following week to look for an apartment.

  "Lilly will probably stay with me at the Capitol House." I buckled my seatbelt and breathed the scent of new leather as I sank into the plush black seat. "I'm going to try to make an appointment with Robert for tomorrow afternoon or Tuesday morning."

  "I think he'll be in court all day tomorrow, maybe Tuesday, too." Brenda drove the car out of the garage and onto the street. "Why don't you and Lilly come over for dinner tomorrow night? You can talk to him then."

  "Are you sure it's not an imposition?" I looked at her profile. She was a beauty, yet she was gracious and down-to-earth.

  "We'd love to have you, but only if you agree to play the piano." She laughed and glanced at me, then back at the road.

  *

  We got to the house on Jules Avenue, and Lilly's car was not in the driveway. Brenda seemed a bit peeved, but it was only three fifty, so Bobby wasn't late, yet. We went inside and split off to separate bathrooms. When I came back into the living room, the phone was ringing.

  "Hello."

  "Sissy, It's Lilly. I've been trying to reach someone for over an hour."

  "Are you okay?"

  "Yes. We're fine. I talked to Dad several times, but he said you and Susie and Miss Benda left and he had no way of reaching y'all."

  "What do you need? Are you sure you're okay?" I looked at Brenda, who had just come into the living room. "It's Lilly."

  "Are they okay? Where are they?" Brenda looked worried and reached for the phone.

  "Is Miss Brenda there? Bobby wants to talk to her." Lilly sounded excited, not worried.

  "Okay." I handed the phone to Brenda. "Bobby wants to talk to you."

  "Hi, Son. Where are you? I'm ready to leave." She held the receiver to her ear and listened for what seemed a long time. "Okay. I guess that's alright. Please be home by dark or I'll worry about you and Lilly on the highway." She paused, and a smile crossed her face. "I love you too, Son. See you in a few hours." She handed me the phone.

  "Sissy. We're going to a movie, then we'll come home so I can get my things and tell Susie goodbye." Lilly talked quickly, with lots of breaths. "Bobby is riding back to Baton Rouge with me tonight."

  "That sounds fine. But if you're going to be in Baton Rouge before dark, you'll have to leave here by six thirty, or seven."

  "I know. I love you. See you later."

  "Have fun. Be careful."

  "You sound like my mother!" She laughed loudly, and it made me laugh. We hung up, and I looked at Brenda. "Are you alright with this?"

  "Sure. In fact, I'm happy about it." She smiled at me, and I felt like there was something she wanted to say but didn't know how. "Well, I think I'll get going so I can be home in time to make dinner for Robert tonight. Bobby won't be there, and neither will Jessie. It's rare we have an evening at home, alone."

  "Well, get going, girl. Your man is waiting." I hugged her, and she left.

  *

  I picked Susie up at the hospital at six o'clock that evening. It was typically Marianne's job to transport Susie when Lilly wasn't available, but Dr. Warner had come by before nine o'clock that morning to take Marianne to the World’s Fair, which was being held on the New Orleans riverfront in the Warehouse District. I explained to Susie that Lilly would be home to get her things at about six thirty and wanted to tell her mom goodbye before she went back to LSU for the week.

  "Lilly and Bobby have been together all afternoon and called to say they were going to a movie," I told Susie when we got in the car. "Brenda went back to Baton Rouge alone, and Bobby is going to ride back with Lilly."

  "That's good. I always worry about her on the highway alone, especially at night." Susie put her seatbelt on and admonished me until I did, too, even though we were only driving one mile.

  "I think Brenda expects them back in Baton Rouge before dark." I started the car and drove out of the parking garage.

  "Was Brenda okay with Bobby staying and driving back with Lilly?" Susie turned sideways so she could look at me.

  "I think she was thrilled." I turned onto Jules Avenue. "But she acted strange, like she was surprised that Bobby and Lilly liked each other."

  "Oh, that's funny." Susie started to laugh.

  "What's so funny?" I drove slowly in case a child or dog ran out in the street. It was a quiet neighborhood with lots of families who treated Jules Avenue as though it were a park where they could throw Frisbees and footballs.

  "That Brenda!" Susie laughed louder. "She's been worried that Bobby might be gay because he didn't like girls. Robert kept telling her she was crazy, but Brenda has been frantic about it."

  "That explains why she acted like she just couldn't believe her son was holding hands with a girl." I turned into our driveway.

  "Oh? They were holding hands?" Susie stopped laughing and sounded serious.

  "You should ask Lilly. It looked pretty innocent to me." I turned off the car, and Susie grabbed my arm to keep me from getting out.

  "They were holding hands? Where? When?"

  "Really Susie. It was nothing. They walked to the car holding hands. No big deal." I reached for the door handle.

  "It's a big deal because Lilly has avoided boys. She says none of them are smart enough or serious enough. She must think Bobby is pretty special." Susie was still holding my arm, and I was ready to get out of the car. I didn't like talking about Lilly, or anyone else, for that matter. It felt like gossip.

  "Lilly's the special one, if you ask me." I opened my car door, broke free for Susie's stronghold, and got out.

  Lilly and Bobby pulled up at about six forty-five. He jumped out of the passenger door and ran around to open Lilly's car door and helped her out by pulling on her hands. They both had red cheeks, as though they were wind burned.

  "Sorry we're late, but we went by the hospital to see Dad." Lilly left Bobby standing in the living room while she went to her bedroom to get her book bag and suitcase. I followed her and told her that I'd washed her clothes that afternoon after Brenda left, and had repacked everything because I knew she'd be in a hurry.

  "You're the best Sissy." She hugged me. "I had the best time ever today."

  "I'm glad, sweetheart." I hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. "He's a great guy, isn't he?"

  "The best. I can't believe there's a boy out there who's smart, serious about his future, funny, and fun to be with." She beamed, red wind-burned cheeks all aglow.

  "Did you know that his mother invited you to stay at their house whenever you want to." I squeezed her shoulder. "I hope you don't mind, but I told Brenda how miserable you were in the dorm."

  "Wow. What did Susie say about that?" Lilly had her book bag over one shoulder, her purse on the other, and her suitcase in her hand.

  "She tho
ught it was an imposition at first, but Brenda convinced Susie that her family loves you and they want you to stay with them."

  "Thanks, Sissy." She kissed me again and headed out of the bedroom. Bobby met Lilly in the hall and took her book bag and suitcase, told Susie and me goodbye, and walked out the front door. Lilly kissed her mom and said she'd call during the week and would be home Friday afternoon. Then she skipped out of the house and Susie and I listened to her engine start up and turn onto Jules Avenue. I heard Susie let out a huge sigh.

  "She's only sixteen, you know," Susie said it aloud, but I think she was talking to herself. I thought Lilly had turned seventeen in August, but Susie said, "No, sixteen."

  "How'd she graduate from high school so early?" I sat on the sofa across from Susie, who was sitting in the chair next to the fireplace.

  "She's very smart, Sissy." She scratched her eyebrow and put her chin in her hand. "She started school a month before she turned five. Then she skipped third grade. When she got into high school, she was so far ahead that she finished in three years."

  "So she just turned sixteen in August?"

  "Yes. But she's really mature for her age, don't you think?" Susie looked as though she needed someone to agree with her.

  "If level-headed means mature, yes." I wondered why Susie was so insistent that Lilly go off to college when she was so young. No wonder the child was miserable in the dorm with girls more than two years older. Lilly was like an alligator on land. "I think she will be very happy staying with the Morrises. Both their kids are mature, more like Lilly. And closer in age."

  "Yes, I agree. I don't want to impose. Will you keep a close eye on that? I mean, make sure Lilly doesn't wear out her welcome?"

  "Of course." I got up, squeezed Susie's shoulder, and headed towards my bedroom. I turned towards her before I got to the hallway. "In fact, I'll be in Baton Rouge tomorrow and plan to stay a couple days. Lilly can stay with me."

  Susie nodded, but didn't respond, as though she had something serious on her mind and was a million miles away.

  Chapter Nine

  ***

  Arraigned

  LILLY AND I arrived at the Morrises’ at about five thirty Monday. Jessie met us at the front door, and the two girls started up the stairs. I heard Jessie say that Bobby was at football practice and Lilly asked if they could go watch him.

  "He's usually done by five thirty, so it's too late." Jessie stopped about halfway up the stairs and turned to look at Lilly. I watched from the foyer. "But we can go another day. He practices every afternoon except Fridays. That's game day. You should come to his games with us."

  "I go to New Orleans every weekend." Lilly looked down at me, then back at Jessie. "I usually leave right after my last class on Friday, but maybe I could wait and go Saturday morning. I'll have to ask my mom." She glanced back at me, and I winked and gave her a thumbs-up.

  I followed the aroma of sautéed onions into the kitchen, where Brenda stood behind the island wearing an apron over her black dress. She looked like a million bucks.

  "Hi. Robert went to get Bobby at practice." She waved the spoon she was using. "They should be home about six. Want a glass of wine?"

  "Sure." I went around the island to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine that had been opened and had a plug in the top. "What can I do to help?"

  "You can set the table." She pointed to the stack of plates, silverware, and napkins on the end of the bar. "The weather is mild tonight, so we'll eat in the courtyard. Setting the table is usually Jessie's job, but I guess she's with Lilly, right?"

  "Yep. They took off upstairs as soon as we walked in the door," I said.

  "Everything's done and in the oven on warm. Let's go outside." She led the way, and I followed her through the kitchen doors with the stack of dishes in my arms. The back of the house was an L-shape, with the kitchen on the short side of the L, and a huge den with the baby grand piano on the long side. There were wide sliding glass doors from both rooms, which made the outdoors and indoors seamless.

  After I set the table, I joined Brenda, who was sitting in one of the lounge chairs. We talked about the weather and the kids, mostly; just chit-chat. Brenda seemed relaxed and happy.

  "How was your evening with Robert last night?" I remembered she was going to get home to have an intimate dinner with her husband.

  "Divine." She exhaled, and it almost sounded like a whistle. "He's amazing. When I got home, he had dinner started. The kids didn't get back until after eight o'clock. Robert and I were enjoying our evening so much that we didn't realize it was past dark when Bobby came home."

  "Wow. I hope I have someone, someday, who makes me feel like Robert makes you feel." I breathed in and out, and didn't realize I'd said those words aloud until Brenda answered.

  "Oh, Sissy. Don't you have a boyfriend?" She turned towards me with a jerk.

  "Not really." I laughed to lighten the conversation. "I used to date this loser named Warren, but I outgrew him a long time ago. There's not much to choose from in Jean Ville."

  "Well, you'll be moving to Baton Rouge soon, and that will change." She leaned against the back of her lounge chair and stared at the stars that blinked and accumulated into groups resembling clouds. The sky was so clear you could count parts of the galaxies like Christmas tree lights. "In fact, we can fix you up when you're ready. There are lots of young attorneys at the AG's office. I'm sure some of them are single. I'll talk to Robert about it."

  I didn't respond because I wasn't sure I wanted to be set up on a blind date. I was too old for that, but too young not to be. I thought about Warren, and I was disgusted with myself for wasting so much time on him.

  Robert and Bobby walked into the courtyard a little after six o'clock. I told Bobby I thought Lilly was upstairs with Jessie and he headed into the house.

  "Get the girls and y’all come down, okay son?" Robert called after Bobby, who seemed in a hurry to get upstairs.

  "Yes, sir." He turned around and faced his dad when he spoke, then continued on his mission.

  After dinner, I played the piano—at the request of everyone. They gathered around the baby grand, and I took requests. We all tried to sing along, and Robert and Brenda danced to Don't Stop Believing by Journey.

  The kids disappeared into the house, and I sat in the courtyard with Robert while Brenda finished up in the kitchen.

  "What happened today?" I had been eager to ask him about the case.

  "Judge DeYoung went to the parish jail in Jean Ville this morning and held a bond hearing." Robert sat in a lounge chair, and I was at the iron table in a straight chair, facing him. "He set bail at $500,000 for each of the accused."

  "Do you think they'll bond out?" I was worried about what Thevenot and Rousseau might do to get back at Susie, Rodney, and me if they were out on the street.

  "I don't think either of them can come up with ten percent, do you?" He crossed his ankles and folded his arms behind his head.

  "I hope not." I didn't tell him my fears. "What happens next?"

  "We filed a bill of information, and they'll be arraigned Wednesday." He took a sip of his drink and stretched. "They will plead guilty or not guilty, and we'll find out whether they've hired their own lawyers or accepted public defenders," Robert said. "There will be motions filed and, eventually, a trial date will be set. It's a process. We'll know more after Wednesday."

  *

  I drove to the Toussaint Parish courthouse early Wednesday morning. I heard an announcement on the car radio that said a special bank account had been set up at the Confederate Bank and Trust in the name of "People for the Rights of Men," to help pay the legal expenses for Tucker Thevenot and Keith Rousseau. The announcer said that donations should be made in person or mailed directly to the bank. I wondered why the defendants were soliciting donations, but I discovered the answer when I was in court and saw that both of the accused had hired private attorneys to represent them.

 
Keith Rousseau was represented by Steven Regard, a young lawyer who had recently opened a law practice in Jean Ville. It was well known that Reggie Borders helped Regard financially, both with college and law school expenses as well as setting up his practice.

  Tucker Thevenot showed up at the arraignment with John Perkins, an attorney from James's law firm. I found both of these affiliations odd.

  The lawyers entered pleas of "Not Guilty." Rousseau’s attorney, Regard, asked the judge to consider the letter requesting a motion to sever. The state had no objection, and the judge ruled that Rousseau and Thevenot would be tried separately. DeYoung set a trial date for six months out and gave the defense fifteen days to file pre-trial motions.

  The defense attorneys argued that the defendants should be released on their own recognizance. DeYoung told the defense attorneys they should file a formal motion to reduce bond, and he would schedule a hearing to decide.

  *

  James pulled into his driveway just as I drove up to his house. I followed his car and parked outside the garage while he parked inside. When he got out of his vehicle, he turned around and saw me getting out of mine.

  "What are you doing here?" He turned and walked through his garage to a door that led to his kitchen. I followed him in a half-run and made it inside just before he shut the garage door.

  "I came to see you." I put my purse on the counter in his kitchen and looked around. It was a new house he'd lived in less than a year. The kitchen was spotless, as though he'd never cooked in it or had guests over. "Do you have a maid? It's so clean in here."

  "Once or twice a week. Yeah." He hung his keys on a hook near the door to the garage and loosened his tie. "Want a beer?"

  "No thanks. You go ahead." I walked around the kitchen and admired the tiled countertops and white appliances with stainless-steel trim. James opened a beer, removed his suit coat, and hung it on a large hook near the back door. He led the way to the back porch, and we sat and studied the pecan and pear trees for a while.