Page 17 of Believe
“Shameful,” she scowled. “Hawking their daughters like used pots and pans. They should be ashamed of themselves. Let the girls find their own husbands.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” said Beau sitting closer to Esta. “It gets overwhelming. I want to get married. One day. But not any time soon and I when I do, it will be someone I choose.”
“Good,” she nodded. “Good for you. Stick to your guns. I met my husband at Mardi Gras. We were both working on a float together.”
Beau wanted to hear more but the service started and they both stood, ready to follow along. An hour later, they were walking out of the church, headed to his car.
“Beau! Beau, I know you hear me,” said Mrs. Hymel. “We’d love to have you for lunch today.”
“I appreciate it, Ms. Hymel, but I’m having lunch with Miss Esta. It’s become our Sunday tradition.” He looked down at Esta who gave nothing away. When he nudged her, she spoke up.
“Oh. Yes, that’s right. Every Sunday now for weeks we have lunch together. We go to movies, shop, all sorts of wonderful things.”
“My. Isn’t that nice,” said Ms. Hymel. “Well, the offer is always open.”
“Yes, ma’am, thank you.” He watched the woman walk away and turned to look at Miss Esta who was grinning from ear to ear. “I owe you one.”
“You don’t owe me nothing. Audra Hymel chased her husband until he was exhausted. Why do you think the poor man works seventy hours a week. They don’t need the money. He just wants to stay away from her. I won’t subject you to that.”
“I appreciate it, Miss Esta.” He glanced at his phone and smiled. “Well, it looks like my brother is watching the store. Would you like to have lunch?”
“Why not,” she grinned. “That’ll prevent you from lying fresh out of church.” Beau could only laugh.
“Yes, ma’am. It definitely will.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The team was enjoying a quiet Sunday afternoon of rest, having just finished another amazing meal. Gaspar looked at the ghostly figures of his parents seated with everyone, just like they always were.
“Pops? When did you start all of this?” he asked.
“Probably sixty years ago, maybe more. Your mama and me always gave to those less fortunate. It might have been things from the garden or a new winter coat. Some years it was just one family we could afford, other years it was more.”
“We know it’s the right thing to do, Pops, but what made you start doing this?” asked Jean. He smiled at the men and women, nodding his head.
“You.”
“Me?” frowned Jean. Matthew nodded.
“Do you remember when you were in the second grade and you got that wool baseball jacket you had been begging your mama for?”
“I remember,” he smiled. “Whatever happened to that?”
“You gave it away,” grinned Matthew. Jean frowned, trying to remember the moment he gave the jacket away.
“Wait. I did,” he whispered. “I gave it to Adam Prejean. He didn’t have a coat and I had that new one plus an old one at home.”
“That’s right,” smiled Irene. “You came home freezing that day. It was bitterly cold, the wind and rain blowing. All you kids were huddled together, soaked to the skin. When I asked about the jacket, you said…”
“I said Adam needed it more than me because his mama had just died and his daddy was sad,” said Jean remembering the moment more clearly now. “That made you decide to do something?”
“We were always doing something, son. But that made us realize the need was bigger than we believed. In our free time, we started talking to folks at church, taking long walks up and down the River Road, it was less busy back then. We’d save lists of names of folks that were having a hard time. The church ladies always had the inside information. Made it a lot easier for us.”
“So, all of this,” he said waving his arm, “the toys, furniture, food, all of it was because I gave away my jacket?”
“Pretty much,” laughed Irene. “Jean, your heart was as big as the city of New Orleans. It killed you that Adam was freezing without a coat. And you were willing to give him the jacket you had begged for, for Christmas. When your daddy and me started doing our research, we realized folks were hurtin’ around here.
“The oil industry wasn’t doing as well and many had lost their jobs. Heck, we laid off more than a few because of the slow down. Then it was a recession, hurricanes, it seemed to never end. Your daddy and me realized we had more to give if we just pinched a little harder.”