Oil of Roses Ch. 32

Still, to leave the families alive, to let them remain in town... what kind of fuzzy, soft-hearted thinking was that?

It worried her that even as sentimental as he seemed to be, he had found out about the killers she'd been bringing in and handled them swiftly and efficiently. At least there was no sign he'd found out about her other plans.

The high-powered round entered the back of her skull and sprayed the contents all over her table at "Hudson's on the Bend", grey matter and blood mixing with her complimentary chilled melon-guajillo soup. Boris drew breath to scream, sucking minute bits of his aunt into his lungs. And then he did scream, the first voice in a chorus that was to fill the street around the patio where they were sitting.

If she'd been able to, she would've approved of Nick Philouma's latest move.

* * * * *

Helen McReady arrived at the Grimes house promptly at 2 PM. Her Mondays were far more open than she liked. A conflict with her supervisors at the hospital over her tattoos was resulting in fewer cases being assigned to her. They had no problem with her tats as long as they were completely covered, but her work involved physical activity with her patients which resulted in her rolling up her sleeves, not to mention therapy in the pool, and so the situation kept worsening. At least she wasn't going to have to worry about that with this patient.

Carol answered the door. "Hello Helen. He's already in the pool, let me show you the way back."

As she walked through the living room it was impossible to miss the smell of pot smoke and she recognized some of the 'specialty furniture', no matter how artfully it had been integrated into the décor. As she had recognized the meaning of the collar around Carol's neck the first time she'd met her, that was no big surprise. That all four of them seemed to be happy together did surprise her somewhat.

But physical therapy allowed her to get to know the people under the masks they normally wore... hard to keep a façade up when you were sweating, in tears, pushed to the point of wanting to quit. And she'd gotten to know his wives as one or another of them came and cheered him on with the therapy during his long weeks in the hospital.

She liked them... liked them all.

"Hello Harry, hard at it I see," she called as she crossed the deck and saw her patient floating in a pool chair next to Kelly.

"Oh yeah Helen... I tell you, there are few things in life harder than lounging in the pool with a beautiful woman." Kelly smiled at him. "I suppose I should hop out and get ready for warm-ups, right?"

"Yeah, by the time you're out and at least somewhat dry, I'll have the mat set up over here in the shade."

An hour and a half later they were finished for the day and even through the physical tiredness, Helen could see that her patient was in a much better place emotionally than he had been at the hospital.

"So, I notice you're still humming 'Ave Maria'," she said as he eased into the hot tub.

"Yep... this shit still hurts and I still need something to keep my mind off the pain... care to join us?" He motioned her towards the tub where he sat with Kelly and Carol.

"Well, the rest of the day is mine to do with as I will... why the hell not?" she said, shucking down to her t-shirt and panties in almost as little time as it took to say it.

While Harry had kept on the pair of shorts he'd worn for his therapy, the other two women were naked and most unselfconsciously so. Carol rose up out of the tub and drug over the hookah.

"Care to share a bowl?" she asked.

"Don't mind if I do," Helen answered. "I'm finished for the day." The casualness of the situation emboldened her. "So Harry, I notice the collar... is Carol yours?"

"Technically, yes, although if we're being truthful, she's pretty much all of ours... and to continue the truthfulness, I'm a pretty lax owner."

"That's not entirely true, love," Carol replied. "You really just don't have a Dom's personality."

"No, no I really don't... oh, I can play the role from time to time, and there is an aspect of me that is, but really, the dominant one among is-"

"Margo!" Carol and Kelly said together.

Harry laughed. "Little doubt about it, is there? She's much more suited to the role than me. And Kelly here does an enchanting turn as a Domme, from what I hear. But as far as who collared our little lovely, yes, that would be me."

Carol cuddled up next to him and passed him a mouthful of smoke with a kiss. "Yes, and I'm quite happy about that... besides, I love you the way you are."

"So if you aren't really a Dom, how did you end up with a Sub?" Helen continued.

As Margo slid into the tub to join them, an abbreviated version of their tale was told, with all parties taking part. Helen laughed through most of it as it came off almost like a comedy routine.

When they were finished, Carol said, "Glad you asked that, Helen... I figure sooner rather than later we're going to need a short-form answer to that question... thanks for giving us some practice."

"I'd imagine so... the four of you are definitely 'together'... no disguising it," Helen replied. "It's bound to engender curiosity... although I'm not sure most people would believe how you ended up together."

Margo curled up in Kelly's arms. "That's alright Helen, most days I don't believe it either."

* * * * *

When Helen left the four of them realized they were all far too mellow to drive, so Carol called around and found a limo company glad to have the business on a Monday night. Then the four of them were making their passes through the shower and sedately scrambling to get ready, with the rest of the party trickling in while they were in the process. Carol was ready first and played hostess, also passing out the keys they'd had made when they went out for lunch that day.

"Now you guys can just come on in," she said when the next-to-last key was given to Nicki, "instead of doing that whole annoying 'knocking' thing."

"Personally I think Edward enjoys annoying you with the knocking and calling out loudly," Tamara said.

"I know Liz does," Patricia added.

"Well, I shall trust the two sensible partners to curtail the mischievousness of Eddy and Karen," Carol said with a smile. "Or I'm afraid I'll have to start letting Princess open the door, naked and inflamed with lust. Things could get... interesting."

"Point taken," Tamara said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Taken indeed," Patricia said, smiling as well. "You are an evil bitch, Carol... I like that."

"Thank you, you are too kind."

"Neanderthal, I think our characters are being impugned," Karen growled.

"Me no know what big word mean," Eddy grunted, "but me think they say bad things about us."

"We will punish them later tonight when we get them home."

"Yes, me like. That we do."

"I live in fear," Patricia said, deadpan.

"As do I," Tamara agreed, equally expressionless.

Harry and Margo walked out of the bedroom into a living room filled with laughter.

The limousine arrived and shortly after that, Kelly joined them in the living room.

"Damn Kelly," Eddy exclaimed, "glad you could finally join us."

"Mongo, don't make me hurt you... it takes time to look this good."

"That's bullshit, pure and simple," Eddy replied. "I've seen you first thing in the morning... it doesn't take much effort at all."

She threw her arms around him and hugged him hard. "For that, you may live," she said.

* * * * *

The ride to Jimmy Claude's was relaxed and cozy with everyone enjoying a round of drinks courtesy of the limo's minibar.

"So, what type of restaurant is Jimmy Claude's? I mean, what's on the menu?" Harry asked.

"Sir, it'll be Cajun food, it'll be superb, and as to what's on the menu, well, that'll be whatever Jimmy Claude felt like cooking today. He has no set schedule, except for certain dishes he prepares on holidays, and so there's just no telling what we'll be eating tonight. But whatever it is, it'll be some of the best food you ever put in your mouth."

As the limo drove east out of town Harry asked, "How far out is this place?"

"Oh, not too far... it's pretty much in the middle of five hundred acres that JC steadfastly refuses to sell."

"How come none of us have ever heard of this place," Margo asked, "other than Tattie and you? What's the story?"

"Well, Jimmy Claude Duvalier was the personal chef of T. Collin Hughes, founder and head of Bayou Petroleum from the time JC was in his early twenties. Hughes ran across him cooking in a little restaurant probably much shabbier than this place looks from the outside when Hughes was tromping through Louisiana looking for oil, fell in love with his food and hired him on the spot. Fast forward about forty years and Hughes was looking to reward his service, so asked him if he wanted to retire back to Louisiana, maybe open up his own restaurant or just sit back and take it easy. JC told him he missed the bayous and the swamps but there was no way he wanted to go back to Louisiana, it was too damn hot and he'd miss Texas. He did want to run his own restaurant though.

"So Hughes bought him this parcel of land out here, they did some extensive landscaping and "Jimmy Claude's" opened up, but with a twist... JC had to know you... hell, had to like you for you to be welcome. So people would come as guests of 'members', for lack of a better word, the members knowing that they were responsible for their guests' behavior, and if JC liked them, they'd get put on the list. Tattie and I got in on Tony's arm, JC liked both of us. That way he's kept his clientele very select, to his own somewhat odd standards and the place doesn't get swamped, pardon my pun. He does enough business to keep himself and his staff comfortable. But since it's not open to just anybody, has sort of a private club feel really, 'members' tend to not talk about it much... avoids hassle that way."

The limo turned onto a well-packed gravel road and proceeded through the thick-packed oak and elm trees that seemed to fill the property until they came around a bend in the road to a large parking area and a ramshackle-looking building that extended out over a very large pond, supported on piers. As large as the parking lot was, it was almost full but their driver managed to find a spot on the side where he could park.

"My God, it does sort of look like we're out in the bayous," Karen said, "sorta..."

"Well, it looks as close as JC wants it to... just enough to feel like home, not enough to be too miserable," Carol replied.

Once the doors were opened there was no mistaking the sounds of Cajun music coming from inside.

"Now I understand the 'comfortable shoes' part," Margo said as Harry, Eddie and Karen found themselves being stared at by the rest of the party. "We're going dancing tonight!"

"Would it matter at all if I said I don't have the foggiest idea how to dance, much less how to dance to Cajun music?" Eddie asked.

"Nope Neanderthal, not in the least," Karen replied. "I know that look... we're going to do what they want us to or the punishment will be severe."

"I have to agree with Sappho, Eddie," Harry said. "The only consolation we have is that the ladies are looking so stunning tonight no one will notice what complete idiots we look like on the dance floor."

"You are wise beyond your years," Patricia said, giving Harry a peck on the cheek. "Now then, let's go inside... even this make-believe bayou has too many mosquitoes for my taste."

Margo grabbed Kelly who then added Nicki, Carol took Harry, Tamara and Eddie paired up, Karen and Patricia too and the group began their dance education with a simple waltz across the parking lot.

* * * * *

That Monday evening, while their daughter and her husband and wives and their friends were being shown to their table at Jimmy Claude's, there was a short, sweet and to-the-point conversation in the Culberson home in Columbus, Ohio.

"Earl, the school in Texas is interested in interviewing us. It sounds like they want us for this next term. Book us a flight for tomorrow, I told them we'd be there on Wednesday."

"Yes darling."

* * * * *

Carol did her shot of Jack Daniels, followed by a long pull on her glass of Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager.

"Alright Harry, time to take it to the dance floor," she said, grabbing his hand. "They're playing a nice slow song so we can get you broke in easy."

"Sounds like a plan," Harry said, getting up. "Come on everybody; let's get the embarrassment of the male-types started."

"I'll sit with the purses and such," Nicki said.

"Next dance it's you and me," Margo said to her as Kelly dragged her onto the floor.

The band, "Boudreaux's Bayou Boys", was playing a Cajun waltz, as the couples took the floor.

"Ya know, this ain't so bad," Eddie said as he carried Tamara above the dance floor.

"True, Edward," she said, giggling. "I'm the only woman here who doesn't have to worry about her partner stepping on her feet," she continued before going back to keeping the count for him until he got the hang of it.

"Alright," Harry said, "I'll allow as dancing with one of my beautiful wives is not the horrifying exercise in making a fool out of myself that I was afraid it might be, in spite of my brave words."

"Harry, you're doing beautifully," Carol replied.

"I wonder what this song is?" Margo mused as she and Kelly swirled by.

"It called 'La Valse De Kaplan'," answered a man's voice from behind them. Around Margo and Kelly came Nicki, dancing with a short, skinny bald man with a pleasant face full of laugh lines who looked to be in his sixties. "It a classic Cajun waltz, make ya dance de night away."

"JC!" Carol said.

"Hey chere, see you brung some peoples. Dey friends o' yours I reckon," he said, "but why you leave dis pretty li'l rose sittin' dere by her own self?"

"We didn't have a partner for her... and before you ask, I was gonna be busy teaching my husband here how to dance to pull off Tony's old trick of dancing with two partners."

"Then it a good thing I come along. And you say he you husband! When you get married, girl?"

"Well, officially not yet or else I would've gotten you an invite."

The song ended and they all headed back to their table. After introductions a few explanations were made, JC said, "So de four o' you, you be married all to each other, you two ladies be together, Eddie de big man be with the tiny girl... you sure you of legal age, chere? And so out o' all dese lovelies, de only unattached woman be dis ravishin' blonde creature?"

"Ahyup JC, afraid so... we only brought you one woman to charm tonight," Carol replied with a grin.

"Oh chere, you know me better den dat, I try my damndest to charm all y'all... but dis de only one I try to convince to come home wit me tonight," he said with a laugh. "Now lemme get back to de kitchen, see what I gots dat I kin feed y'all wit."

After another round of drinks the group headed back out onto the dance floor, Carol leading Harry and Nicki.

"Now, I've never led two partners before, but Tony did it all the time, made it look easy, so here we go," she said, taking Nicki's left arm with her right and putting her right arm around Harry's waist. "You two figure out how you're gonna hold on to each other."

After a few turns it was evident the arrangement wasn't going to work. Harry said, "Nicki, you take this dance with the adorable one, I'll go have a seat and watch all y'all look gorgeous."

He'd no sooner sat down when a waitress passed by and he ordered another beer. Before it arrived, a plate of appetizers made it to the table and at the sight of food, all thoughts of dancing left his friends' and family's minds.

* * * * *

"Oh my God, JC, that was incredible!" Carol said, pushing herself away from the table. "If you even think about offering us dessert I'll explode."

"Me too... I've been to New Orleans and I didn't eat nearly this well," Margo said.

"Well t'ank you ladies and gentlemen, it was my pleasure." Jimmy Claude had pulled up a chair when dinner came out and had sat talking with them while they ate. "You know, seein' Miss Karen and Miss Tricia together remind me o' my Aunt Jeanette."

"Uh oh, here we go," Carol whispered sotto voce, a big grin on her face.

"You be polite li'l girl or I turn you over my knee an' no spank you," Jimmy Claude replied, the matching grin on his face giving the lie to his words. "Now Aunt Jeanette, she live out on de Bayou du Morte, or like we called it, de Bayou du Merte, way back some ways northeast o' Baton Rouge. We used to go visitin' her about onest a year, maybe twicest. She dindint have too much use for mos' peoples, an' since she scare de hell outta dose dat know her real well, much less dem dat dindint, mos' peoples dindint have much use for her.

"She was a big ol' woman, used to hunt de gator all by her own self an' I ain't talkin' dem li'l ol' gators you see 'round de cities an' such, where gators been hunted damn near till dere ain't none left so dey all small an' puny. I'm talkin' big bull gators had nottin' to do but eat anyt'ing and everyt'ing dat get close to 'em for years and years. Well, she go off in her boat at night, she come back wit one o' dem, we say "yes ma'am" no mattah what she tell us to do and we go do it.

"Well, eve'ybody in de family done knowed for years dat she ain't got much use for de mens, not to say dat dere was many dat would get too close to her anyway cause she scare dem so much, bein' so big and strong, although dey nevah admit dat, dey just say she too damn ugly, an' it true, she weren't no bathin' beauty but she was a handsome enough woman long as you wasn't scared of her. But anyway, de way I heared it tell, one day she went down to Baton Rouge and about t'ree or four days later she showed up at my cousin Moline's house wit de prettiest li'l girl you ever seen, name o' Polly Ann. Frail, delicate li'l ol' thing, an' Aunt Jeanette say to eve'yone "Dis is my wife, Polly Ann, y'all treat her right or I'm'a whomp you." And, like mos' t'ings where my Aunt was concerned, dat settled de matter.

"She started comin' to de family get-toget'ers and holidays and such, an' always pretty li'l Polly Ann be with her an' pretty soon de family got over itself an' eve'ybody jus' accepted dat dat was de way t'ings was gonna be, and it dindint hurt none dat Polly Ann was de sweetest, kindest li'l ol' t'ing, always helpful an' polite an' jus' a joy to visit wit.

"Well, even back in de bayous de attitudes o' de times, an' dis woulda been de late fifties, done be stickin' dey nose in an' one Sunday when Jeanette an' Polly Ann was visitin' wit my family, we was all out in de front eatin' some big ol' slabs o' gator dat she had done brung, up drives de parish priest in his pretty car, come to visit wit his parishioners de Duvalier family.

"Don' nobody t'ink too much about nothin' cause we all used to Jeanette and Polly Ann but onest dis priest get it figgered out in his head dat dey be livin' together like dey was married an' all, well he commenced to preachin' an' yellin' an' tellin' dem dat dey was gonna be goin' to Hell an' it was startin' to upset li'l Polly Ann, cause she was real religious. Well we all knowed de signs but de priest he dindint an' so when Jeanette ast him "Father Mondragon, is de Good always gonna triumph over de Evil?" he says "Yes." And she ast "And de Evil, it never, ever, never ever gonna defeat de Good?" an' he answer "No."

"Oh my God, I couldn't have watched," Eddie whispered.

"We was kinda sorry we did, Mr. Eddie, cause she reach down and picked up a big ol' length o' 6x8 dat we had got to replace a porch post, swung it lickety-split an' she damn near chop his leg in half wit dat board, she hit him so hard. Dey prolly heard dat thigh bone break all de way in New O'leans.