Page 3 of January (New Orleans #1)

K yle’s eyes were closed, but she wasn’t asleep. She had never been able to sleep on planes, so she was just resting and thinking. She’d been doing a lot of thinking lately. From the moment she heard from her father that her grandmother had passed away, she’d been thinking. She wondered what she’d missed by not knowing the woman, what possible lies her mother had told them over the years, and what had really happened so long ago between the two of them to cause them to never speak again.

“Hey,” Jolie said.

Kyle didn’t open her eyes.

“Hey,” her sister repeated. “I know you’re not sleeping, Ky.”

“I’m almost sleeping,” she lied, still keeping her eyes closed.

“Come on. You said we could talk about what I wanted to do while we were in New Orleans once we were on the plane. We’re on the plane.”

“Why do we need to talk about this?”

“Because you said this wasn’t just us breaking and entering, but a vacation for me, too. I’ve made a list.”

“Jolie, we’ll do your list. I just want some time to think.”

“And you’ve had that for days already. I know you want to learn about our family history and everything, but this is a vacation, too.”

“I’m aware. And you are free to do whatever you want to do. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“Oh, no. You’re not getting out of this. You sold me on a vacation to Bourbon Street, and I’m getting that. Don’t think I’m trying to party there solo.”

“I’m not partying every night, Jolie. I’ll go out a few times, but not constantly. Besides, New Orleans isn’t only about partying,” she replied.

“I know. And if you open your eyes, I can show you the list I made that demonstrates that fact.”

Kyle opened her eyes reluctantly and turned her head toward her sister, who had chosen the aisle seat. She looked down toward the tray table and saw Jolie’s phone, which was unlocked and showing her notes app.

“Okay. Go.”

“So, there’s the Garden District, the food, the museums, and the swamps.”

“The swamps?” Kyle asked with a lifted eyebrow.

“Yeah. I was thinking we could do a swamp boat tour. Supposedly, you get to see alligators.”

“Why would I ever want to see an alligator ?”

“Why not? It’s an experience,” Jolie replied. “I heard they feed them marshmallows.”

“Sorry, what?”

“They throw them in the water to attract them. I read about it after we booked the trip.”

“Didn’t we do that with raccoons that one time Dad took us camping? Works for alligators, too?”

“Apparently,” Jolie said, lifting up her phone. “There’s Jackson Square, the riverboat casinos, and I also want to hit up that voodoo shop in the French Quarter everyone always talks about.”

“How long are you planning on being here, exactly?” Kyle asked.

“I don’t know. I took off two weeks, so we’ll go from there. You’re the one who didn’t book a flight back.”

“I’m freelance,” she reminded. “I can work from anywhere. And it just seemed like the right idea, booking an open ticket.”

“But the house is going to be gone. Even if we get the key and can get in to check it out – and that’s a big if, too – it’s not like it’s just going to sit there for us to pilfer or keep going back to. I’m sure it’ll be sold at auction or something. ”

“We’ll find out, I guess. Either way, I didn’t want to book a week only to decide that I wanted to stay longer and then have to change my ticket. This was just easier.”

“Well, not all of us have cushy freelance jobs,” Jolie replied.

“Cushy?” Kyle laughed. “I own my own business and make enough to get by, but nothing is cushy in my life. You know that.”

“Mom again?” Jolie asked. “When did she hit you up?”

“Last month,” Kyle replied. “She played the mom card and talked about how she’d given up her body and life to have me.”

“How many times has she used that one?”

“More than I can count,” she admitted. “I gave her a thousand bucks.”

“Ky, why?” Jolie asked in a louder voice.

“She needed work done on the trailer.”

“That thing is made of cardboard and chewing gum. It will always need work.”

“I know. I actually called the company myself and gave them the money instead of her directly, thinking I was being smart to do that, but then they called me back and told me that she refused the service and somehow conned them into giving her my money in a refund.”

“And they did it?”

“She’s very persuasive. You know that. When I asked her about it, she said she wanted to do the work herself.”

“What did she really spend it on?”

“She went to the bar,” Kyle replied.

“And ran through a grand in a night?” Jolie asked.

“I think she said she bought a round for the crowd, but I was so angry, I didn’t exactly listen.”

“I can’t really say anything; I’ve given her more money than you. She just has that way of getting under my skin and somehow convincing me to do whatever she’s asking. I hate it.”

“Me too,” Kyle replied. “But for us to do something about it, we’d actually have to do something about it.”

“Do you think we’re going to actually discover anything about what happened between them there? Why Mom is a total mess?”

“I have no idea. I just feel this pull that I need to explore.”

“And I’m with you, Ky, but we’re both kind of spending money we probably shouldn’t be spending on this, so I at least want to have some fun while we’re here, okay?”

“I know. We will,” Kyle replied.

They talked more about the activities Jolie wanted them to do while in town, and as the plane began its descent, Kyle closed her eyes again, thinking now about Jolie’s questions. Would they discover anything? Would they even get into the house by using that neighbor’s key? Would they get arrested for trying to uncover a little bit about their past? Kyle didn’t know. And she only had a few more minutes to think before they landed. Then, she’d need to start putting those thoughts into action.

◆◆◆

“Hello?”

“Yes, Dear,” the old woman replied when she opened the front door but kept the screen door with an ornamental fleur-de-lis on it closed between them.

“My name is Kyle Schafer. This is my sister, Jolie.” She motioned toward an anxious Jolie, who kept turning around to see if someone was watching them.

“I’m not interested in buying anything.”

“Oh, no. We’re not selling anything. Our grandmother lived next door to you. We heard from a family member that you might have a key to her house, and we–”

“Oh, my word! I see it now.” The woman pulled open the screen door. “You’re Lorraine’s grandbabies.”

“Babies?” Jolie said, looking confused.

“Oh, she showed me pictures of you when you were little. ”

“She had pictures?” Kyle asked.

“A couple. Not many. What happened between her and your mother was a tragedy, but she loved the two of you so much. Come in. Come in.”

“She loved us?” Jolie asked.

“Of course. You were her only grandchildren. She loved you. Of course, she did. Come on in. I’ll make us some iced tea or lemonade. I have both. Which would you prefer?”

“Actually, we still need to check into our hotel. We just wanted to know if you had the key,” Jolie replied.

“The lawyer hasn’t given you one yet?”

“What lawyer?” Kyle asked, stepping inside the house.

“Kyle!” Jolie glared at her.

“Oh, I won’t bite,” the woman said, laughing at Jolie’s strangeness. “And yes, her lawyer. His name is Beaufort, I think. Mr.Beaufort. Nice man. Funny suits, but nice man.”

“Funny suits?” Kyle asked, taking another step inside the modest house to allow Jolie to join her and the door to be closed behind them.

“No man needs to spend that kind of money on suits and ties.” The woman chuckled. “So, tea or lemonade? It’s sweet tea. This is the South, after all.”

“I’m okay, but thank you,” Jolie replied.

“I’ll have sweet tea,” Kyle said.

“Good. Good. I have cookies, too, I think. Shortbreads, maybe? Oh! I’ve got pralines. I just picked those up at Rouses.”

“What’s Rouses?” Jolie asked.

The woman just laughed and left the room through two swinging doors.

“Have a seat. Have a seat,” she said loudly from the kitchen, Kyle guessed.

“Ky, we don’t even know this woman. What are we doing here? We were supposed to grab the key and go,” Jolie whispered.

“She invited us inside. What was I supposed to do?”

“Tell her we just need the key; say we’re from the city, and we’re rude city people. ”

“We need the key. Had I done that, she wouldn’t have given it to us.”

“And what was that about, by the way? A lawyer? An expensive one, it sounds like, according to her.” Jolie nodded to the kitchen, where they could hear the sounds of an old woman milling about.

“No idea. Another reason for us to have a drink.”

“What if it’s poisoned?” Jolie asked.

“Then, you’ll be fine because you didn’t ask for one.”

“Here we go. Here we go,” the old woman said, walking back into the room. “Oh, you didn’t sit down. Have a seat. Have a seat.”

Kyle laughed a little at how their host seemed to repeat things a lot. Then, she sat down on a small sofa in the corner of the room, and Jolie waited an extra second before sitting down next to her, her body language tight and untrusting.

“So, your grandmother’s attorney should have given you your key.” The woman set the tray down on the table and went to sit down in the comfy chair across from them. “Help yourself. I got you a sweet tea, too, just in case.” She nodded to Jolie.

“You said that he would give us our key?”

“Yes. She told me she had everything ready to go, but if he hasn’t done that yet, he will. In the meantime, you can have the one she gave to me to keep an eye on things, of course. And you mentioned a hotel before?”

“We still have to check in, yes,” Jolie said. “People are expecting us.”

Kyle rolled her eyes at her sister.

“Why are you staying in a hotel?”

“Should we be staying somewhere else?” Kyle asked.

“Yes, in the house.”

“ Her house?”

“Well, it’s your house now, isn’t it?”

“It is ?” Jolie asked. “Kyle’s?”

“She left it to both of you. It’s in good shape. She did her best keeping it up, so I don’t expect it will be much work. You could still sell it, though, and get some decent money for it. We were lucky here: no flood damage for the last several hurricanes.”

“Hold on,” Jolie began. “She left us her house? Why? She didn’t even know us.”

“But you’re her family, her blood.”

“So was our mom,” Kyle said.

“Well, you know that story, I’m sure.”

“ You know it?”

“I know your mom left.”

“Yes. But do you know why?” Kyle pressed.

The neighbor shook her head and said, “She never did tell me. I got the impression it was too difficult for her to talk about, so I left it alone to give her some peace. She was feeling sickly a few months ago and got everything straightened out with Mr.Beaufort, like I said, so I’m pretty sure the house belongs to both of you now.”

Kyle turned to Jolie, who was taking a long gulp of that sweet tea with one hand and holding on to a shortbread in the other while she stared at the woman.

“Anyway, I’m glad you two caught me today. I’m leaving tomorrow for my trip.”

“Trip?” Kyle asked.

“Florida. I go every year to visit my son and my own grandchildren. I even have a great-grandbaby now. I was supposed to leave a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to stay for the funeral and everything. I leave tomorrow, though, so I’m glad you stopped by today.”

“Good timing, I guess,” Kyle replied.

“So, I’ll get that key for you now, if you want. You can drop your things off at the house and tell that hotel you’re canceling your reservation.”

Kyle smiled politely and gave her a nod. She wanted to ask her more questions about her grandmother, but Jolie appeared to be dazed and confused, so when the woman mentioned that she needed to do some last-minute packing, Kyle took that as the opportunity to thank her and leave. Then, she turned to the house next door that had belonged to her grandmother and stared at it. It was a shotgun-style home, which made it significantly longer than it was wide. Kyle had learned about shotgun houses during her own research on the city. They were called that because of their room format. It was said that a bullet shot from the front door would pass through the house without hitting anything and exit through the back door because the rooms weren’t connected by hallways but directly instead.

“We’re homeowners now, apparently?” Jolie said, standing there, looking at the house next to Kyle and snacking on a praline.

“I doubt it. We’ll stay at the hotel. I’m not risking the cops getting called on us because it turned out that she just thought she was leaving us the place.”

“But what if she was right?”

“Then, I guess, we’ll find out. I’ll look up that Beaufort guy later. Right now, I just want to check into the hotel, take a shower, and–”

“Get ready to go out?” Jolie asked, finishing her sentence hopefully. “It’s our first night here. I’ll let you pick the bar.”

“Not tonight, okay? It’s already getting late. Let’s find a place to order in some dinner or something, and we’ll go out tomorrow night, I promise.”

“Fine. But this whole thing is weird now. We met someone who knew her, Ky.”

“I know.”

“And she said Grandma had pictures of us.”

“A couple, yeah.”

“How did she get them? I know Mom wouldn’t have sent any.”

“Probably Dad. I bet he sent her a few back in the day when he was trying to get them to mend fences or something.”

“Seems like something he would do,” Jolie agreed. “I’ll order us a car. Also, do you even realize that we just left our luggage outside of a house in a strange city?” She tugged on her roller bag handle.

“She surprised me when she invited us in. I guess we got lucky it didn’t get stolen,” Kyle replied.

“I’m ordering Uber Comfort. We deserve it,” Jolie said.

Kyle smiled at her sister before she returned her glance to the white house with light-blue doors and shutters.