The Broussard Sisters Ch. 11

She made sure her large engagement ring was visible as she clutched her microphone. The sight of the engagement ring had quelled some rumors and had generated a great deal of interest. E-Mails and telephone messages from male viewers professing undying love also had tripled since she started wearing the ring on the air.

"Here's what we do know so far. At eleven this morning, a female entered Shapes with robbery on her mind. After shooting two employees, the suspect fled the scene on foot. Unconfirmed sources say that both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. We do not know how much the suspect managed to get."

She switched into high gear with a tearful Sheriff Dick Davis staggered out into the parking lot, pelting him with rapid fire questions.

"No comment, this is still an active investigation," he barked at the girl, but Sonja was not easily intimidated.

"Again, Ms. Doyeski, no comment," Dick barked, sidestepping the reporter and approaching his cruiser.

The cameraman made sure to get the dramatic scene of the two stretchers, their crisp white sheets fluttering in the August breeze, as the Medical Examiner's office pulled them through the door of Shapes Fitness Center.

The camera followed the gurneys all the way to the low slung ambulance until the doors of the van clanged shut.

He swiveled the camera back to catch Cindy as she stumbled out of the door, sobbing inconsolably.

"Step back, you fucking vulture," Sheriff Dick Davis snarled at Sonja Doyeski as the reporter charged toward the grief-stricken Cindy.

"No, Candy, oh please God!" Cindy wailed as the ambulance slowly pulled away from the curb.

Even as egomaniacal as Sonja Doyeski was, she knew no words from her would convey the raw emotions any more than what they had on tape.

----

"Okay, see you tomorrow," Kelli signed and accepted the hug from Sophia.

Kelli compared verbal notes with Vanessa Grodin, the girl that would take the afternoon shift, and gave one last wave to Sophia. She stepped out of the noisy cafeteria.

"And how did it go?" Alicia smiled as Kelli let out a huge sigh.

"Great, great," Kelli smiled.

"Really?" Alicia asked, smiling knowingly. "My first day working with these kids, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd made a wise choice."

"Mrs. Dumas, can I be honest?" Kelli asked and Alicia's smile widened.

"Of course. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want the truth out of you," Alicia said.

"Mrs. Dumas, it's a lot harder than I thought it would be," Kelli admitted. "I mean, its one thing to do this when you're just standing there in class, but when you have to sign for real and have to remember what word means what, and oh my God! I can't believe Ms. Bonham is still teaching! I had her when I was in fifth grade! And she's still just as mean and hateful as...."

Kelli gasped and covered her mouth, realizing she'd said a lot more than she meant to.

"Believe me, I am well aware of Ms. Bonham's, ah, shall we say 'short-comings?'" Alicia patted the young girl on the arm.

"I am so sorry!" Kelli gasped.

"Again, Kelli, I am aware of Ms. Bonham's attitude and her approach toward teaching. She does have tenure, though, so there really isn't much I can do about that," Alicia again patted the girl on her arm.

Alicia turned to walk toward her office.

"See you tomorrow, Miss Mouton," Alicia smiled.

"Yes ma'am," Kelli said, relieved that her careless slip of the tongue had not jeopardized her job at St. Richard's.

Kelli checked her watch and realized she had better hurry if she was going to get to A Touch of Sicily on time. As it was, Mr. Bonani would probably yell at her, but she didn't want to give him a reason if she could help it.

----

"No, no, shooting bottle rockets through the ceiling is well outside of normal wear and tear," Paul told the smirking teenager as he inspected the damage to the upstairs apartment.

Jake entered the apartment, looked around at the damaged carpet, the obscenities scrawled on the walls and grimaced at the tenant.

"Some kids ought to never move out of their momma's house, huh?" Jake said to Paul.

"Uh huh, just lucky he didn't set the place on fire," Paul said.

Paul's cell phone rang and Paul dug it out of his pocket and gave a cheerful greeting.

Jake watched as Paul's face went from the easy smile he always had to a stunned expression.

"Paul?" Dick Davis said into the phone. "You there?"

"What?" Paul asked, sure he had not correctly heard his uncle.

He sat down on the floor, heavily, when Dick repeated the horrible news.

"What?" Jake asked, concerned. "Paul, what is it?"

"Candy," Paul said. "Candy needs me; we got to go."

----

"You Mrs. Broussard?" the smiling young man asked when Emily opened the door.

"Yes?" Emily asked, squinting at the harsh sunlight.

"Got a delivery for you," Rick smiled wider. "Want to sign here?"

"A deliver...Oh my God; you're kidding me," Emily said, suddenly realizing what was being delivered.

"Johnson's Marine," the man smiled, tapping the patch that was sewn onto the left breast of his uniform.

"Oh, my God. I could have sworn I cancelled that," Emily stammered.

She stepped out the door and watched as the other Johnson's employee unhooked the trailer from the large truck.

"See, my husband; that was going to be his, our, we were going to retire, but he passed away, oh my God, I could have sworn I cancelled that," Emily said and tears began to trickle down her face as the large houseboat sat in the driveway.

"Oh, ma'am, I am so sorry to hear that," the young man said sincerely.

Rick walked back to his coworker and the two whispered urgently.

"Snoop's calling our supervisor to see what he wants us to do," Rick said to Emily.

"Snoop?" Emily asked, looking at the other man as he got on his cell phone.

"Uh, yeah, it's the name I gave him. He thinks he's going to be a rap star, God, drives me crazy, rapping all that junk all the time, so I call him Snoop Puppy. You know, like Snoop Dog?" Rick said.

"Said hook it up," Snoop said. "Office will call her about the refund."

"Again, ma'am, I am so very sorry for your loss," Rick man said.

"Hang on," Emily said and went back into the house.

She came out holding two ten dollar bills.

"For your trouble. Really, I thought I had cancelled that. I'm so sorry," Emily stammered.

The three of them turned when they heard a scream come from Jake and Bobbi Broussard's house.

"Oh my God!" Emily screamed and ran to Bobbi's front door.

More screaming could be heard, and then loud wailing sobs. Emily flung the door open and saw Bobbi lying on the kitchen floor, telephone in her hand.

"Candy!" Bobbi screamed and cried as Emily crouched down to take her friend into her arms.

"Ma'am?" Rick asked from the doorway, cell phone in hand. "Everything all right? Y'all need me to call someone?"

"Oh my God, Candy!" Bobbi wailed, sobbing into Emily's chest.

"Got it, we'll be fine," Emily assured the young man.

Rick hesitated for a moment, then nodded and shut the front door. He and Snoop hooked the large trailer up, then he closed Emily's front door as well.

"Man, some days you just never know what you're going to get, huh?" Rick asked as he started the powerful diesel.

"Man, that would sound great in a song, feel me dog?" Snoop said.

"Uh huh, and hit it, Snoop Puppy," Rick said, rolling his eyes.

----

Richard watched the twelve o'clock news and felt an overwhelming sadness as he watched the pretty red head woman stumble out of the fitness center. He smiled, though when he heard the beep over Sheriff Dick Davis' comments to the snotty reporter. He did not like Sonja Doyeski; thought she was rude and shallow.

Richard Boudreaux did not work; he had been classified 'Disabled' due to the brain injury he received while serving a tour of duty in Iraq. For his service, he received two thousand, four hundred dollars a month from Uncle Sam.

"Oh that is so sad!" Bernie said as she waddled into the living room. "Oh that poor woman!"

"That's that gym right down the street," Richard said.

"Really? Oh my God! Oh that poor woman!" Bernie said, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"You about ready?" Richard asked.

"Yeah," Bernie agreed and grabbed her purse.

Richard turned off the television and grabbed his car keys.

"Oh, remember, we also need to stop off at Babbage's and put down some more on the baby bed," Bernie said.

"I can do that while you're at the doctor's," Richard offered.

"Uh uh, I want to see they got anything new at Babbage's," Bernie argued.

"Why you think I want to go there without you?" Richard teased.

"Ooh, you are so mean to me!" Bernie complained.

"Uh huh, you poor woman," Richard said as he hugged her to himself. "Give me a kiss you poor mistreated woman."

----

Elizabeth Baggett sat, mouth open in shock as she watched the twelve o'clock news. She knew Cindy Broussard; had gone to school with the girl.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she heard Cindy's wail. Her heart was breaking for her former school mate and the loss of her friend.

She knew all too well the pain of losing a loved one. Her Teddy had been taken from her eight years ago and there wasn't a day that she did not mourn his death.

Leah Farmer eased herself from the table and clucked her tongue.

"That is so terrible, isn't it?" Leah asked as she refilled her glass at the sink.

"Yeah; I went to school with them," Elizabeth said.

"Well, I only met her once; she got her car insurance from me," Leah said and eased herself into her chair at the long table. "Had her little sister with her, short girl, short brown hair; added her to the policy."

"Pam?" Elizabeth asked, smiling softly.

"Yeah, Pam Ham Broussard," Leah said and winced. "Baby's kicking up a storm; won't even let me eat in peace, I swear."

"She's due when?" Elizabeth asked.

"September eleventh; I told her that was a terrible day to be born but she won't listen to me," Leah smiled.

"And how does John-John feel about having a baby sister?" Elizabeth asked as the weather girl was earning her ratings, bending and stretching in a ridiculously short skirt and low cut blouse while pointing to a map of the Acadiana area.

Elizabeth had heard rumors that they actually taped Vee Aucoin's part ten minutes beforehand, in case of any wardrobe malfunctions. The station was constantly being deluged with requests for 'blooper' tapes.

"Doesn't care; he's only two," Leah smiled.

Elizabeth nodded in agreement; Eddie, her own son was almost three years old and wouldn't care one way or the other if Mommy came home with a baby brother or sister, just as long as she still had plenty of hugs and kisses for him. She smirked slightly when the television screen 'pixilated' as Vee Aucoin bent over to point to a portion of the Gulf of Mexico on the screen. She suspected the station actually employed that little trick to keep the male viewership high.

Elizabeth and Leah continued to eat their lunch in silence, comfortable with each other.

It had not always been so comfortable; Leah had resented the very young, very beautiful girl that was transferred from the Lafayette office to replace Cecil Coutre. Cecil had suffered a massive heart attack and died en route to the hospital.

While Young Insurance DeGarde branch floundered, Leah Farmer ran the office, kept it going. But instead of rewarding her efforts, instead of recognizing her skills, the Atlanta home office sent Elizabeth Baggett to head the office.

Elizabeth took stock of the situation and after reviewing the employment records of all the employees, deduced that Leah Farmer would be either her closest ally or her worse enemy. She called the older woman into her office and laid her cards on the table.

"I'm the new kid in town, I'm literally just a kid with barely two years of experience and I'm going to need your help," she told Leah. "Can I count on you for help? Or am I going to have to keep an eye on you at all times?"

Before Leah could answer, Elizabeth continued.

"I'm not an idiot; Mr. Coutre died a few weeks ago, yet this office continued to run, continued to produce and I know it didn't do that on its own," Elizabeth said. "I've got a feeling the only reason it did was because you were here, guiding it along; am I right?"

"Yes ma'am," Leah answered.

"Mrs. Farmer, please, Don't call me 'ma'am.' I might be your supervisor, but you and I know I'm not old enough to be 'ma'am.' Just call me Elizabeth, please?" Elizabeth corrected.

"Only if you'll call me Leah," Leah answered, feeling a lot better about working under a twenty something year old kid.

The girl might be a bit wet behind the ears, but she was an intelligent kid.

(Michelle Ruiz didn't agree with Leah's assessment; she hated the new woman from the moment Elizabeth took over the office.

"Young Insurance," Michelle intoned as she played a game of Solitaire on her computer.

"Is that how you answer the telephone when a client calls in?" Elizabeth asked, not identifying herself to the bored receptionist.

"Yes ma'am," Michelle said, not breaking out of her monotone delivery.

"Please come into my office. Now," Elizabeth snapped.

"Uh huh, and this is...?" Michelle asked, still not catching on.

"This is your supervisor, Elizabeth Baggett," Elizabeth snapped. "Get off that computer game you're playing put the phones on automated attendant and get in my office. Now, Ms. Ruiz."

Ten minutes later, a much shaken Michelle Ruiz sat back down at her desk, logged onto the Young Insurance website and sat at attention.

"Young Insurance, how may I direct your call?" Michelle answered brightly.

"Uh, Mrs. Farmer please," Mary Kowalski asked.

"Please hold," Michelle answered.

"Better, much better," Elizabeth complimented as she grabbed the stack of mail out of her drop box.

"Thank you," Michelle said.)

The two women finished their lunches; Elizabeth left the lunchroom while Leah stayed to watch the Sports announcer, her son-in-law, Thomas Kowalski.

Sitting at her desk, Elizabeth glanced over at the framed photograph of Edward William Baggett, her toddler, and smiled brightly.

The photograph had been taken at Eddie's second birthday party; Eddie had found the chocolate ice cream, but found eating with a spoon too cumbersome. So, the bright two year old just used his hands to shovel the gooey mess into his mouth.

Daphne, her stepmother had snapped off the shot of the spectacle.

----

Kelli Mouton brought out the sixteen inch Supreme, add anchovies and the pitcher of beer and smiled as the two handsome young men complimented her skills.

"Didn't even spill a drop! And believe me, a drop would have hit the floor, Wade here would have been crying," one of the men smiled as she poured them each a mug of the beer.

"Uh huh, but Elliot here would have been licking it off the floor," Wade teased back.

"We can always s get you more, you know," Kelli smiled to them.

"Yeah, but why let any beer go to waste?" Elliot laughed.

"So, um, what time you get off?" Wade asked.

"Nine thirty, ten, it depends on how soon we can get cleaned up," Kelli shrugged. "You know, we have to wait until the last customer leaves, then we can clean up."

"So, um, doing anything after?" Elliot asked.

"Yeah, sleep!" Kelli groaned. "I've been on my feet since seven thirty this morning!"

"Really?" Elliot asked, interested. "So, um, here the whole time, huh??"

"Oh, in the morning I teach at St. Richard's..." Kelli said proudly.

"Kelli, we got no time you standing there running your mouth," Mr. Bonani yelled.

"She is talking to a customer!" Wade yelled back. "Unless you'd like these customers to go somewhere else, huh?"

"Uh no, no, I thought she was just standing there bothering you," Mr. Bonani stammered, unaccustomed to anyone talking back to him.

"So, um, what night you got off here?" Elliot persisted.

"Um, Thursday," Kelli stammered, blushing hotly.

"How about this?" Wade jumped in. "We pick you up, what? About seven? Take you to Ruth's Cris; man! I love their rib eye, and then...."

"Ever been up in a helicopter?" Elliot asked the now stunned Kelli.

"Uh, no, never, I uh, I flew once, to my grandmother's funeral, but that was a big old plane," Kelli managed to stammer out.

"After dinner, we'll take you up," Elliot smiled.

"See, we're both helicopter pilots," Wade offered. "Elliot flies for Webb; I used to but got hired on by King."

"You mean, like a date?" Kelli asked, very nearly dropping her tray.

"Exactly, a date," Wade smiled.

"Please?" Elliot mugged, batting his eyelashes playfully.

"Um, yeah, yeah, sure," Kelli managed to squeak out.

----

"So, how was your first day of school?" Alicia asked Jamie as the little first grader tried to remember which bus was her bus.

"Miss Dumas, what bus am I on?" she asked, bottom lip beginning to quiver.

"Bus one forty two, it's the second bus," Alicia smiled reassuringly at the girl.

"Oh yeah!" Jamie said, slapping her forehead.

"So do you like your teacher?" Alicia asked as she walked the girl to her bus.

"Yes ma'am," Jamie agreed. "Oh, and I have a boyfriend now! His name is Trey and we're going to get married and live in a big house and..."

Alicia smiled as Jamie got onto the bus. She waved to the girl, and then went to assist any other children that might need a helping hand.

She smiled as she watched Sophia Campion engaged in a spirited conversation with TeddiAnn Baggett. Sophia would sign, facing a bewildered TeddiAnn, and then Sophia's six year old nephew, Freddy Dumas, would translate.

"Oh my God, I think she's found a friend!" Nicole Dumas, Sophia's older sister and Freddy's mother gasped.

"Looks like it, Alicia agreed.

"I know she's supposed to ride the bus like all the other kids, but I thought I'd stop by, see how she's getting along, see if there were any problems," Nicole gushed, holding her step mother's arm tightly as she watched Sophia and TeddiAnn.

Neither Alicia nor Nicole thought anything of Alicia being Nicole's step-mother, even though the two were very close in age. Alicia was one year older than Nicole, Cris' daughter by his first marriage.

"No, no problems," Alicia smiled. "Kelli, Sophia's signer, showed up right on time this morning, said her classes went well, and Vanessa, Sophia's afternoon signer said there were no real problems."

After Vanessa gave Alicia the synopsis of the first day, Alicia set her jaw firmly; Ms. Bonham was teetering very close to insubordination and bordering on discrimination. Even the powerful Teacher's Union would not be able to protect Ms. Myrtle Bonham if Alicia could get enough evidence that Ms. Bonham had violated the American with Disabilities Act. She hated putting the sweet, defenseless Sophia Campion in the unfortunate situation but there was no alternative that she could see.

"No 'real' problems?" Nicole asked eyes narrowed, ready to jump to her sister's defense.

"Well," Alicia hesitated.

"Come on, Alicia," Nicole demanded.

"Well, Ms. Bonham isn't thoroughly convinced that Kelli and Vanessa aren't giving Sophia the answers to the questions, aren't helping her along," Alicia admitted.

"But, that's stupid!" Nicole sputtered.

"Yes, well, she is a little bit older, a little bit set in her ways and a child with uh, special needs kind of throws her off balance," Alicia admitted.

"Then put her in a different class," Nicole said.

"I wish I could, but there's only one second grade class," Alicia sighed.

"Nicole," Sophia happily signed.

Her sign for Nicole was to put the 'N' sign to her lips, then to her heart.

"Friend, T e d d I a n n," Sophia signed, indicating the small girl that stood next to her.

"Are you deaf too?" TeddiAnn asked Nicole, squinting up at the woman.