She peeked inside and tossed the envelope behind her on the bed. “What’s that supposed to be? A divorce settlement?”
“Huh?”
“Did Luc give you the divorce papers?”
“Yeah, but—”
She waved a hand dismissively.
Oh, no! He must have given the papers to her, too. Did she sign them? Without even talking it over with me? Dammit! “We need to talk, Charmaine.”
“No, what we do not need to do anymore is talk. Everybody talks to me. Everybody tells me what I should do. Well, I’m sick up to here of talking.” She sliced a hand dramatically across her neck.
“I haven’t a clue what’s going on here.”
“You gave me the money. It’s a done deal.”
“What’s a done deal? I’ve been worried about you. It’s not safe for you back in Houma, or anywhere away from this ranch. Hell, not even on this ranch. Those Dixie Mafia thugs could show up at any time. This money will buy your safety.”
Tears were welling in her eyes again and there sure as hell wasn’t any smoke in this room… except for that steaming out of her nostrils. “Screw the money. Screw the Mafia. And screw you.”
“Is that an invitation?” he tried to joke.
“I swear, you could be a prime exhibit in the Clueless Hall of Fame.” That’s just what Luc said… except he mentioned the Dumb Man of the Year award. Same thing. With that, she opened the door and stomped out, leaving him standing there, stunned and… well, clueless.
Luc just happened to walk by then, on the way to the bathroom. Spying him standing there in the open doorway like a dummy, he backtracked a couple of steps. “Was that my sister I just saw flying out of here breathing fire, or was it Gypsy Rose Charmaine?”
“I haven’t a clue.” And that was the truth.
“You didn’t tell her that she’s like a lizard camouflaging herself, did you?”
“No! But I feel as if I was just hit by a two-by-four, and I have no idea why. Guess I just don’t understand women.”
“Join the club,” Luc said.
The pilgrims had nothing an the Cajuns…
Tante Lulu’s Thanksgiving feast was a resounding success, to no one’s surprise, least of all Charmaine, and they hadn’t even started.
By four o’clock, everyone was scurrying about with platters or seated on chairs and improvised benches around the backyard—all seventeen of them—waiting for the food to be served.
“Now, wait a minute, everyone. First, we gots to say thanks,” Tante Lulu announced after ringing a dinner bell to quiet everyone down. “Me, I’ll go first. Thank you God fer this fine food and fer our family and friends joined here today. This year I’m ‘specially thankful fer Rusty to be here with us, out of the slammer, and that Charmaine’s got both her kneecaps. Yer next, Luc.”
“Why do I always have to go first?” Sylvie pinched him, and he said, “Ouch!” Then, “I’m thankful this year that I have three healthy little girls and that I got snipped so now Sylvie and I can make lo… ouch!” Sylvie pinched him again, and he sat down, smiling innocently at her.
“I’m thankful this year that Luc has retained his sense of humor,” Sylvie said, “despite his having been snipped.” It was Luc’s turn to pinch Sylvie, who sat down with a soft yelp.
“We better eat pretty soon, or the food will get cold,” René griped. To which, Tante Lulu just frowned. And he contributed, “I’m thankful to be back in the bayou I love.”
“Thass nice,” Tante Lulu said, patting him on the back.
“I’m thankful to have gained a wife this year,” Remy said, leaning down to buss Rachel on the lips.
“Hey, you stole what I was going to say,” Rachel complained. “Oh, well, I’m thankful, too, for having found Remy this year.”
“Found? Found? What? Like I was lying around like a log just waitin’ to be tripped over?”
Rachel kissed him to shut him up, which everyone thought was a good idea.
Tee-John stood to speak, and Tante Lulu yelped, “Whass that you have on? And you, too, Jimmy O’Brien? Fer shame!”
“Oops!” Tee-John said, looking guiltily over to Jimmy, who sat next to him. Tee-John wore a T-shirt with the crawfish logo shuck me, suck me, eat me raw! and Jimmy wore one, probably a gift from Tee-John from one of his Bourbon Street excursions, that read, pinch me, peel me, eat me! Charmaine wasn’t sure who was being the bad influence on whom in this picture.