Paradise for a Sinner (14 page)

“Macho will bite his leg off!” Trinity said.

“And Titi will pee on his feet,” Dean added, breaking the tension whether he intended to or not. Teddy gave them a wan smile, and the others laughed in the way of people trying to deflect terrible thoughts.

“Look, son.” Joe ruffled Teddy’s fine blond hair. “Today, we are making you an official member of the family. You, too, Stacy. See that big chest in front of the fireplace?”

The girl trio on the loveseat let loose with an “Ooooh!” full of the reverent superstition their mother tried so hard to quell.

“It’s just a big wooden box with some blankets in it. Nothing to be afraid of,” Nell hastened to say.

But, Joe’s voice lowered the way it did when he told ghost stories around the fire at Camp Love Letter. “The blankets were made by an old
traiteur,
a woman who not only healed but had the sight. She could foretell the future. When Mama Nell and me married in the Church, she sent us this box with a blanket she made for each one of our children. Madame Leleux said we’d have twelve, this way, that way, all ways. We think you and Stacy are the next two members of our family. Go pick out your blanket.”

Before Teddy could turn his chair, Stacy shouted, “Me, first!” She bolted across the room and threw open the lid of the scarred old chest with the reddish finish. Fishing inside, she raised a fluffy, white bundle and shook it out. “It’s beautiful!”

She held up an afghan large enough to envelop her, done in a popcorn stitch with a lacy edging. Each square of the blanket centered around a crocheted pink rose.

“Ours were all pink,” Jude said, talking for Annie as usual.

“Mine had the colors of Mexico,” Xochi shared.

“Want me to bring one to you?” Stacy asked Teddy.

“No, I want to pick it by myself.” He wheeled close to the chest, delved as far as his arm could reach, and drew out a green blanket with a brown border decoration somewhat abstract, but on very close inspection, resembling a ring of teddy bears subtle enough not to embarrass a boy of his age. “That old lady knew I was coming.”

Nell shivered as she always did when the chest came out of storage. “Joe, Adam, you can take it away now.”

“Still two more in there,” Joe said as he closed the lid.

“At least these two came potty-trained,” his wife answered.

Chapter Seventeen

The following morning, Nell sat quietly savoring a second cup of coffee when Winnie returned from the bus stop. Winnie glanced around but no sign of the big, handsome Samoan remained in the room, not even his breakfast platter. Too bad. With the Teddy situation resolved, she thought she might take him up on yesterday’s offer now that she could keep her mind on what they wanted to do.

“If you are looking for Adam, he went out with Joe and Knox to survey that big heap of trash trees they removed to make the beach. Joe wants to see if any of the wood might be useful, then they will burn the rest. He thinks snakes could get established in there if he leaves it too long. I’m all for the big burn in that case.”

Winnie poured a deep mug of coffee for herself as well. “A wood pile like that would be attractive to children, especially your children. No sense in inviting broken legs either.”

Nell did not disagree. “They will be at their manly stuff with chainsaws all morning. I have no appointments. Want to go to the mall?”

“Why?”

“Because you are going to Samoa, girl. This is Louisiana and the new swimwear will be on the racks by now. Wait until the end of March and you won’t find a thing. Believe me, by the time I start thinking of supervising the pool at Camp Love Letter, all the good stuff is gone. You have the perfect shape for a bikini.”

“Skinny, you mean.”

“Lithe and sexy.”

“I’d need to get a wax.”

“You’re on! Maybe I’ll do something special to surprise Joe.”

“The two of you are still so bad!”

“I hope so. You’ll need sandals and backless sundresses in wild colors, too.”

Winnie shook her head. “Actually, Adam told me to bring a modest white dress and a hat for church. Never expected that.”

“Me neither, but we can put a modest white dress on the list. Drink up and let’s go.”

Within the hour, they left Lorena Ranch and the sound of chainsaws behind and headed for the city. First stop, the bikini waxing place, not all that busy on a Tuesday morning well before spring break. They hobbled out, genitals stinging, an hour later.

“Haven’t done this since college. I forgot how much it hurts.” Winnie slid cautiously into Nell’s small car.

“Like childbirth but over much faster. Next time I skip the landing strip idea and leave more fur. Is it noon yet because I could certainly use a mojito to ease the pain.”

“Not for two more hours.”

“Then on to bikini shopping—for you, not me. I might have gotten my nip and tuck but nothing quite erases the signs of multiple pregnancies.”

For a moment, Winnie lost the joy of the day. “I thought I’d have a baby by now.”

“You have plenty of time for that. Right now, you have a piece of Samoan beefcake to enjoy. Live for today!” Taking some of her pubic discomfort out on the other drivers by laying on the horn, Nell wove in and out of traffic hastening their arrival at the mall.

Putting aside the always terrifying prospect of searching for a bathing suit, they hit the big department stores in search of the modest white dress and found one at Macy’s. The sleeves were sheer but the neckline high, and the slim skirt fell below the knees. Its fit complemented Winnie’s figure without clinging. Nell brought her a wide-brimmed straw hat with a jaunty sunflower in the brim to top it off.

Winnie regarded herself in the three-way mirror. “I look like my nana heading for all day services at the Baptist church.”

“Then I would say your nana is an attractive and well-turned out woman. Shoes, you need white shoes.”

“Adam says they have a rainy season and a not-so-rainy season, but it is hot pretty much year round that close to the equator.” Nell led the charge to the shoe department where they decided on strappy sandals considering the climate in Samoa.

Coming out of Macy’s they both decided it prudent to try on bathing suits before getting any lunch. “I always have the best luck with the specialty shop that carries swimwear and ballet gear. Yeah, I know. Odd combination, but they are still in business.”

Nell led Winnie to the small store where very reluctantly the divorced nurse tried on the extremely skimpy garments Nell kept thrusting into the dressing room. “You have to get the strapless one in the wild, tropical print and maybe the aqua with the tie around the neck in case you do intend to go swimming. Here’s a cover-up that matches both.”

Still stunned by the whirlwind that was Nell when she wanted to get something done, Winnie checked out her purchases while her volunteer shopping advisor tried on a retro red and white polka-dotted one-piece perfect for family fun that suited her small, perky figure. Nell joined her shortly with the new suit draped over her arm.

“Really didn’t need a wax for this one, but I will think of you and Adam together on a tropical beach every time my crotch itches as it grows out.”

“Please don’t!”

Nell simply laughed and gathered their many bags. “Food court! I am starved.”

Gabbing and giggling about their day, they careened around the corner where the maternity shop sat. “That’s where I got some of my tent-sized clothes when I carried the triplets,” Nell pointed out. She slowed just enough to misjudge the exit of a shopper from the store and plowed right into the pregnant woman.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! Did I hurt you? Maydell?”

Teddy’s mother clutched a large, stuffed bag over her stomach. She wore one of the shapeless flowered dresses that always reminded Nell of Depression-era flour sack garb, but Maydell did have her running shoes on and run she did.

“Winnie, can you stop her?”

Winnie tossed her packages to the ground. Longer-legged than either of the other women she did manage to grab the woman’s arm and bring Maydell to a stop before she managed to flee into the crowded maze of the food court. “I think we both want to talk to you about abandoning Teddy.”

“Please let me go. I did what was best for my son, I swear. Newt’s coming back for me in the truck in half an hour. I gotta be outside waiting.” Maydell’s stringy blonde hair lashed around her thin face as she tried to escape again.

Nell, awash in the morning’s shopping finds, loosened a finger and pointed to an empty table with three chairs. “Then we have half an hour to talk. Sit.”

Winnie escorted her to the chair, knowing Maydell would bolt if she let go. They hemmed her in on either side. As she sat, Teddy’s mom continued to hold her maternity wear sack over her belly as if it were a life preserver.

Nell eyed her suspiciously. “Are you expecting, Maydell? Is that why you deserted Teddy?”

Maydell hung her head and like Teddy, her long bangs fell across her blue eyes. “Yes’m. Only this one is Newt’s, and it ain’t got nothing wrong with it. I had the tests done at the University Medical Center to be sure. Newt has a job offer in North Dakota. He says he will take care of his own kid, but not Teddy. He said if I didn’t dump my son, he’d kill him. We been staying in Lafayette ever since I left my boy with you, Miss Nell. I knew you and your husband would be good to him because of that camp you run.”

“You lied about Joe being his dad.”

“I couldn’t think of no other way to get you to take him. A child like Teddy is a fearsome responsibility. I thought it would give you some time to get to know my boy, what a sweet child he is, while you checked. I can’t take him back.”

“He is sweet,” Winnie felt compelled to say. “How could you? Leave that jerk and take your son back.”

“With another ’un on the way and no means to support either kid?” Maydell shook her head. “No, Newt is being real good to me now, careful how he treats me. He give me a debit card to get nice clothes for when I really start showing.”

Nell took Maydell’s very cold hand. “We want to keep Teddy, but the process would be easier if you relinquish him for a formal adoption. I can give you the name of our lawyer here in Lafayette. If you go to him and have him draw up papers giving up your rights to the child, we can proceed from there. As soon as you leave here, I’ll call him and say to expect you.”

“I won’t have to see Teddy, will I? ’Cause I can’t look into his pretty blue eyes and leave him again.” Maydell sniveled into a paper napkin left on the table.

“No.” Nell took another napkin and wrote out the name and address of the lawyer. “Ask Newt to take you over there this afternoon. He should agree since he wants to be rid of Teddy. And if he doesn’t, tell him we’ll hunt him down and have him arrested for child abuse.”

“Newt didn’t mean to hurt him. All that about killing my boy is just talk—most likely.”

“I saw the bruises. We know what he said about harming Teddy. You believed it enough to want your son in a safe place.” Winnie twisted a third napkin in her hands. “I will testify against this man if I must.”

“All right. I’ll get him to take me to the lawyer. Let me go now, please, before he comes.”

At Nell’s nod, Winnie removed her hand from Maydell’s arm and pushed aside some of the shopping bags to make an escape route. The woman took off like a squirrel with Macho on its tail. She went out the door of the food court and frantically waved the paper napkin holding the lawyer’s address. An old, dark blue pickup truck with deep scratches on its side stopped and enveloped her like a dumpster accepting trash.

“You let her go just like that,” Winnie marveled.

“I’ve seen cases like this before. No education, little income, far from any family, she’ll stay with her abuser. You save the ones you can, Winnie, and in this case, that is Teddy. I could really use a drink now. One mojito and some lunch, then we’ll both go back and meet Teddy when he comes home from school.” Nell contacted the lawyer and asked him as a special favor to Joe Dean Billodeaux to draw up the proper papers immediately. She promised some game tickets for next season as an added incentive.

“Sorry to ruin our shopping trip, Winnie.”

“Teddy is worth ten shopping trips, and compared to my ex and this Newt, Adam is worth that and a painful bikini wax.”

Chapter Eighteen

Neither woman told Teddy of their meeting with his mother. In private, Nell discussed the adoption with Joe. Winnie refused to run off to a tropical island with Adam until she met and briefed Nurse Wickersham on her patient, but by Saturday she’d packed her bags and stowed them in his SUV. She waited with all the Billodeaux family for the arrival of her replacement who came within minutes of her stated time.

A former nun, Nurse Wickersham descended with great dignity from the airport limo. Very old school, she wore a starched white uniform, cap, stockings, and shoes—no friendly, fluffy kitty and cute puppy scrubs for her. Her short gray hair combed back severely, her thin lips and stern eyes did nothing to comfort Teddy who clung to Winnie’s hand. “Please don’t go, Miss Winnie. She scares me.”

Trinity, who had knocked his round black glasses askew waving frantically at the new arrival, said, “Don’t be afraid. Nurse Shammy loves little kids. She kept us three alive after we got born.”

Nell gave them a nod, and the triplets raced over to the limo to hug Shammy’s legs before the driver could unload her baggage. She crouched to take them into a strong-armed embrace and kissed each small head. Looking up at the rest of the family, her face changed entirely with the addition of a rather horse-toothed smile. “So glad you are all well. This must be my new patient. I can see you have outgrown your wheelchair young man and need a new one. That will be our first concern.”

“This one is fine, ma’am,” Teddy murmured, wheeling back a little and very nearly crushing Winnie’s toes.

“Nonsense! The next will be even better.”

Nell hugged the woman who had stood by her in childbirth and afterwards when they brought the triplets home. “I kept telling you that you didn’t need to leave when the children started kindergarten. Good to have you back again.”