The Broussard Sisters Ch. 07

"You'll miss us and you know it," Candy whispered in Cindy's ear.

"Nuh uh," Cindy said.

"I'll miss you," Candy said.

"Me and my farts?" Cindy asked.

"Not your farts," Candy giggled. "But I'll miss you."

"Want me to sleep over tonight?" Cindy asked.

"Yeah," Candy agreed.

"I wonder if she'll be in school on Monday," Pam asked.

"Who?" Paul asked.

"Elaine," Pam huffed.

"Hope so," Paul said. "It was good to see her in church."

----

Daphne pursed her lips and studied the materials logs again. Finally she sighed and hit the speed dial number on her cell phone.

"Mr. Baggett?" she said. "Hi it's me."

Ed smiled as he saw Daphne's number pop up on his caller ID box.

He lost the smile as he listened to Daphne.

"Okay, okay," he finally said. "Can you meet me at the office in ten minutes?"

Bill looked up from the rerun he was watching, but looked back at the television again. Whatever his father was doing wasn't of any real interest to him.

"Son, do you think you could get your lazy ass out of that chair at some point during the day?" Ed snapped.

He knew that it wasn't really Bill's fault that he was angry, but he was still somewhat angry with the boy. Ever since his arrest, all the boy did was sit around the house. He contributed nothing and expected everything.

Even the sight of Elizabeht and her new friend Missy did little to buoy his spirits as the two girls squealed about something and ran out of the house.

"Fucking dyke," Bill muttered under his breath.

Ed pulled up into the parking lot of the mattress factory and parked in his slot. He used his key to open the heavy glass door, and then locked it behind himself.

"Hey handsome," Daphne's sultry voice greeted him.

"Hi Sweetheart," he said and smiled tightly.

"Okay, let's go over the inventory," Daphne said after a quick kiss was shared.

After a few minutes, it was obvious; Doug Jensen, besides being a lousy manager, and lazy, was also a thief.

Ed rubbed his eyes wearily and looked up at Daphne. She was dressed in a black tracksuit with white tee shirt.

"Damn, woman, I bet you could make a paper bag look sexy," he said and she smiled.

"Get me a paper bag and we'll see," she responded.

She then lost her smile and typed on her keyboard again.

"So, what are you going to do?" Daphne asked.

"Fire his worthless ass," Ed said.

"You're not going to have him arrested?" she asked.

"Can we prove that it's him doing the stealing?" Ed asked.

"Absolutely," Daphne answered and hit 'Enter,' on her keyboard.

The printer sprang into life and she waited for the several sheets to finish.

"Inventory log, time sheet," she explained. "Materials usage, production quotas, all in black and white, no one else has the access or opportunity."

"Thank you," he smiled tiredly.

"Now, I'm going home," she said. "Mr. Baggett, it's my day off."

"Hey, hey, you called me," he smiled.

"Uh huh," she said, thrust the papers into his hands, kissed him, then left his office.

"I love you," was printed in forty eight-point type size on the first sheet of paper he held in his hand and he smiled.

----

----"And then he was making us eat with chopsticks," Pam explained to Marie as she speared another piece of the chicken.

"So, how'd you do?" Marie asked.

"Terrible!" Pam, Candy, and Cindy squealed.

"Of course, he's just shoveling it in," Cindy complained. "He's not having any trouble at all!"

"Aw, poor babies," Paul smirked.

"Shut up," Candy giggled and slapped his arm.

"He giving you trouble?" Hashim asked. "You want me throw him out?"

"Yes!" Cindy and Candy laughed.

"No," Pam said and held onto his arm tightly.

"Okay, two votes say yes, one say no," Hashim said. "What you say, Miss Marie? I throw him out, make him eat by dumpster?"

"Better not," Marie laughed. "Might make him cry."

"Okay, okay, but I keep an eye on you, you bother these beautiful women, out to the dumpster you go, Mr. Paul," he warned.

Pam clutched onto his arm for a few more seconds; his palm rested on her upper thigh, his elbow rubbed deliciously against her breast. He was in no hurry to free his arm from her clutch either. Finally, she gave his arm one last affectionate squeeze and let it go.

He smiled down at her and then leaned over and kissed her lightly on her cheek.

Instead of being jealous, Candy and Cindy sighed; they knew how wonderful it felt to have his lips softly touch a cheek, how exciting it felt to have his hand lightly touch flesh.

Pam felt guilty so she looked away from them and looked toward the buffet table. The line had diminished.

"I want some more of that lamb stuff," Pam announced and got to her feet.

"I used to think, 'Oh, no, here come Mr. Bob and Mr. Paul, they going to clean me out,'" Hashim said as he put a fresh soda down at Pam's place on the table. "Now, you bring Miss Pam, she going to eat my whole kitchen."

"I can't help it," Pam declared. "It's all too good!"

"You like my food, little girl?" Hashim asked. "You eat, you eat. You eat all you want."

----

"Go invite Miss Brown to dinner," Carmen ordered and Elaine and Elise ran across the street. They knocked several times, but there was no answer.

"Car's still here," Elaine mused.

"Move your foot a second, Elise ordered.

Elaine stepped off of the mat and Elise located the spare house key. She went to put it into the lock, and discovered the door wasn't even locked.

Miss Brown lay on the floor where she had fallen on Friday night. In death, she looked so peaceful, almost like she was sleeping.

"Go get Mom," Elaine ordered as she knelt down next to Miss Brown.

Dick Davis smiled sympathetically at the three women that cried over the elderly black woman. The four of them waited for the Coroner's office in DeGarde to send out a Medical Examiner to confirm what the four of them already knew; the woman was dead.

"You um, you know how to get in touch with, um, you know if she had any family?" Dick asked.

"Yeah, she has two sons," Elise said. "One lives in New Orleans, the other lives in Atlanta."

"She did have a daughter, but she died," Carmen said. "Drug overdose."

"That's what I like to see," Dick smiled sympathetically. "Nowadays, people don't know the people that live next door, you know?"

"She was my friend," Elise said.

"Mine too," Elaine said.

"She was a God-send, was right here when I needed her most," Carmen said.

"So, um, you know how to get in touch with her sons?" Dick asked.

"Phone book's in her bedroom," Elise said. "I'll go get it."

Wilfred Brown sighed in despair; his mother's name popped up on the caller ID box. Once she got him on the telephone, she just didn't shut up. Why couldn't she realize he just didn't give a shit about the people that lived in Bender, Louisiana? When People asked him where he was from, he told them 'Baton Rouge.'

"You going to answer it?" Ricky asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Wilfred sighed. "If I'm not off in five hours, come get me."

A few moments later, Wilfred was sobbing inconsolably in Ricky's arms.

Harvey Brown saw the name on the caller ID box and sighed. Obviously Momma hadn't been able to get a hold of Wilfred so she called him. Oh, well. Talking to her for a few hours was a small price to pay. She would probably go on and on about that white girl across the street, the one that got herself beat up pretty bad.

"Um, Sheriff, could you do me a favor?" Harvey asked.

"If I can," Dick agreed.

"Momma was real close to that family across the street, them white people; could you go over there and let them know?" Harvey asked. "It would mean a lot to me."

"The Simones?" Dick asked. "They're already here."

"Good, good," Harvey sighed. "Momma loved them; sometimes I think she thought that the oldest one was Juanita come back."

"Who?" Dick asked.

"Juanita Brown, my sister," Harvey said. "Let them know I'm coming home, I'll make the arrangements."

----

Bill Baggett looked at Cindy's number on his cell phone in amazement.

"Hello?" he asked, wary.

"Hey, I'm bored out of my fucking mind, what you doing?" Cindy Jensen asked.

"Nothing, nothing, ain't shit on, nothing to do," Bill said.

"I want some pizza," Cindy announced.

"Sicily's?" Bill asked, grabbing for his car keys.

"There any other places in this shit hole town?" Cindy asked.

She didn't like him; he was no Paul Robichaux, but he was better than sitting at home with Doug and J.R. in her face. She couldn't wait until they graduated and she could leave this bayou, leave J.R. and Dad far far behind.

"So, think you'll go to prison?" Cindy asked, souring the food in Bill's stomach.

"Yeah, the dumb bitch lawyer my old man got for me ain't even talking about getting me off; she's just talking about making a deal," Bill complained.

"You know, in Oakland, there's this Monocle's Pizza, they got this apple and ham pizza; it's the best," Cindy said.

She wiped her mouth clean of any sauce and waited for Bill to finish his pizza.

The waitress shook her head in disgust; they left nearly half the pizza untouched and did not bother leaving her a tip.

"Missy, get out of here!" Elizabeht laughed heartily.

"I'm serious!" Missy whined.

"Really?" Elizabeht laughed. "You really want to go out to the Basin?"

"Yeah," Missy pouted. "Everyone's always talking about going out there, making out, fucking; I want to go out there."

"Okay," Elizabeht shrugged and drove out to the Basin.

There were only a few cars out there. She looked over with some interest; Bill's car was there.

Chapter 70

Doug Jensen smiled in what he was sure was a seductive smile as he saw Daphne sitting at the conference table. Next to her sat that big dumb ass, Ed Baggett. He fought the urge to sneer at the man. Next to Ed sat an unknown man; Doug ignored him.

"Hey," he addressed Daphne. "So, what's up? My shift ended thirty minutes ago."

"Doug," Ed said. "It's come to my attention that materials have been growing legs and walking out the door."

Doug looked at those incredible legs of Daphne's and wondered what it would be like to park him between those luscious legs. He wondered if Daphne was a natural redhead. She had to be; hair that colors would be nearly impossible to get from a bottle.

He'd satisfy that woman, ruin her for other men.

He wasn't paying any attention to Ed Baggett; did not pay any attention to the unknown man when the unknown man got to his feet and produced a badge. He smirked at Daphne, wondered what it would take to get a chance with the beauty.

"You have the right to remain silent," the unknown man was rambling as he hefted Doug to his feet.

"Wait, what?" Doug asked as his hands were pulled behind his back and the handcuffs slapped on him

----

Elaine was nervous and wished for the thousandth time that morning that she had worn her baseball cap. From the back seat, Elise smiled encouragingly at her big sister.

"Have a great day," Carmen said and kissed her daughter's cheek.

"What about me?" Elise asked.

"You?" Carmen teased. "Who cares? Just get out of the car."

"Gee, thanks a lot, Mom!" Elise yelled.

"Love you," Carmen said as the two girls got out of the car in the parking lot of St. Thomas Aquinas High School.

"Need me to carry your back pack?" Elise asked.

Elaine's forearms were still in plaster casts and several of her fingers were still in splints. She hefted the heavy bag with some effort and smiled at Elise.

"No, no, I got it," Elaine warbled.

She was nervous. Bill Baggett would be there.

She was nervous. Her blonde hair had grown only a little; the scars were still visible where Dr. LaPointe, where Charlie had sawed her head open to save her life.

She was nervous. Would her friends laugh at her? Would she be able to fit in again?

"I love you so much," Elise enthused and hugged her big sister before running off to join her friends.

"I love you too," Elaine admitted.

She paused outside of the classroom door, then twisted the knob and entered the room.

Paul was the first to stand and start clapping.

Sister Andrea heard the ruckus all the way down the hall and stormed down the hallway to the Senior Homeroom. She would find out who or what was behind this bedlam and make sure they regretted it.

"She started it," Paul gleefully pointed to Elaine.

"Sit down, Mr. Robichaux," Sister Andrea ordered.

"Miss Simone, I am so very happy to see you here," she said sincerely. "I said three novenas for you."

"Thank you, Sister," Elaine said. "I know it was the prayers that saved me."

----

Marie Soileau answered the phone cautiously. Ed Baggett was an odd bird; you never knew when he would be in a good mood or a bad one.

"Well, if there are extenuating circumstances, yes we can speed up the divorce proceedings," she agreed.

"Or at least get a legal separation," Ed asked.

"Sorry, Mr. Baggett, Louisiana no longer has such a statute," Marie said. "But I'll do what I can."

Ed replaced the telephone and looked at Daphne as she made her way across the production line to the soda machine. Nearly every male eye in the building watched as she hit the button for the diet cola, then bent over to get the can of soda from the tray.

Ed smiled; she made a production out of the way she bent over, knowing that there were several eyes on her. She turned and walked back toward her office. Her eyes drifted up to Ed's office window and she smiled. Not her mysterious little smile, but a wide smile of happiness.

Ed saw several of the men look up at the same window, saw the envious looks on their faces and smiled widely.

----

Cindy Jensen pasted a smile on her face and approached the table. Elaine was the center of attention and was thoroughly enjoying her mini-celebrity status.

"But after they stapled my head up again, I was still unconscious," she was telling Cindy Broussard and Candy Broussard and Pam Ham, who were spell-bound by her graphic description of err cranial surgery.

"Hey, Elaine, how's it going?" she asked.

"Great, great, you?" Elaine smiled.

"Oh, you know," Cindy Jensen, said.

"Yeah, want to sit down?" Elaine offered, pointing to an empty seat next to that little midget, Pam.

"That's Paul's seat," Cindy and Candy and Pam shrilled when Cindy tried to take the seat to Elaine's right.

"Don't see his name on it," Cindy Jensen sneered at them.

"That's Paul's seat," Elaine said tersely. "There's a seat next to Pam."

"Oh, well, um," Cindy said, surprised. "Well, um, I just wanted to say 'hi,' you know?"

"Hi," Elaine said.

"Um, okay, well, I'll um see you later," Cindy Jensen said and started to walk away.

"Hey, how come you never came to see me?" Elaine asked loudly.

"Oh, well, I uh, I hate hospitals, you know?" Cindy stammered.

"Yeah?" Elaine said angrily. "Well, I wasn't too fucking crazy about it either, you know? But it sure would have been nice to see that you gave a shit about me."

Sister Theresa pursed her lips, but did not see a need to give Elaine Simone a Detention for profane language.

"And I um, I didn't have a way to get out there," Cindy weakly offered.

"They came to see me," Elaine pointed across the table to the Broussard sisters. "Could have caught a ride with them."

"Yeah, well, I uh," Cindy said.

"And I've been home over a whole week now," Elaine went on. "A half a mile too far for you to carry your ass to my fucking house?"

"Miss Simone," Sister Theresa warned.

"Yes ma'am," Elaine said.

"Oh, well, I didn't know you were home," Cindy lied.

"Bull shit," Kay said as she walked past, carrying her lunch tray. "They made an announcement over the speakers."

"Go away, Cindy," Elaine spat. "Just go away."

Bill Baggett watched the tableau play out with mild interest. It actually excited him, watching Cindy Jensen's humiliation.

Across the table from him, Elizabeth sat with Teddy on her right and Missy on her left. The three of them ignored him.

Cindy Jensen turned to walk toward him, saw Missy Webber at the table and turned and left the cafeteria.

----

Doug Jensen stared, uncomprehending, and the gray walls of the jail cell. Yes, he'd been stealing from the job; who didn't? But how did they find out, how did they catch him?

----

Carmen's heart stopped when the school's phone number popped up on the caller ID box.

"Hi Mom," Elaine's voice bubbled through the phone.

"Elaine, what's wrong?" Carmen asked, reaching for her purse.

"Nothing," Elaine laughed. "No, no, just wanted to let you know, the Broussard sisters are giving me a ride home; you don't have to leave work early to come get Elise and me."

"The Broussard sisters? Those girls that came to see you in the hospital?" Carmen asked, putting her purse away again.

"Yes ma'am," Elaine smiled. "They're going to give Elise and me a ride home."

The End of 'The Broussard Sisters 07.'