Chapter 4 Life in Houma

Sheriff Renee sat twirling a pencil between his fingers. It had been a quiet Monday morning, the Friday and Saturday drunks had all had time to sober up and get back to work this morning. Confessions had been made to the priest on Sunday and forgiveness granted... all was right with the world. But it wasn't in Renee's world. He couldn't seem to shake the depression that had befallen him with the death of his best friend Gene. The site of the blood gushing out of his mouth as he tried to speak still haunted his dreams. Most nights he woke up in cold sweats. Evangeline was coming home today from New York. He hoped she would help him feel better. He had been lonely without her; he missed her body close to him at night and their lovemaking.

Just at that moment Evangeline came bursting through the door. She wore a beautiful stylish beige suit with three buttons down the front and patent leather shoes to match. Her hair was styled in the latest peek-a-boo sweep like Veronica Lake had worn in her latest movie. She was the picture of perfection. Renee found himself surprised and speechless. He stood up quickly.

"Well, hello, darlin' I'm sorry if I surprised you. Your boy out there at the front desk told me he'd tell you I was here...but of course I wasn't going to wait on him." Evangeline flicked her hand quickly across her long bangs, rolled her eyes back and smiled coyishly.

The thought quickly flashed through Renee's mind, she has a lot of gall... that man she's calling a boy is at least 52 years old. Just forget it. He told himself.

Renee ran over to give her a big welcome home hug and kiss but Evangeline brushed him off by side stepping him and flopping herself down in the only other chair in the room. "Is this that old chair that used to be in my daddy's office? Why, I can't believe you don't care anymore about appearances Renee than to keep this old thing. The leather is just about worn out."

Renee walked over to the old brown leather chair that he happened to love and kissed Evangeline full on the lips. "I am so glad to see you. I really missed you."

"Oh, darlin' you will smear my lipstick." Evangeline took her compact out and looked at herself briefly then put it back into her large matching purse. "You just can't believe what a wonderful time I had in New York." she began to rattle on.

Renee didn't hear much of what she said as he sat back down behind his desk. "I'm glad you had fun. I missed you."

"I'll tell you all about my trip when we get home,right now,I'm starving. Daddy dropped me off while he was going to the bank. He told me to tell you to bring me home. I wonder what Maybelle will be cooking for our supper? I hate riding in that old police car of yours but I guess that's the only way I'm going to get home. I'm exhausted. Can we go now?"

"Yes, I'll put things away and let Deputy Pierre know I'll be taking the afternoon off."

The drive home was uneventful. Evangeline continued to rattle on about the war and how it had affected the styles and how she just could not understand this dire need to ration everything by the government.

"Why, did you know that the government is asking us to give up our Nylon stocking for the War Effort? I saw signs everywhere: 'Mend and Make Do." Evengeline gave a loud audible sigh.

"What do they expect us to do? Mend and Make Do...well, I never! I tell you dear, all the ladies in New York were dressed so fine. Why, I felt like a country mouse. I had Daddy march to midtown, that is where all the best stores are located, and we bought a proper wardrobe for the city. We were invited to several parties at Senators' and Congressmen's homes. It was just delightful to mix with real gentry for a while." Evangeline droned on.

"That's great dear. I'm glad you had fun." Renee replied.
"Ohooo, there's our beautiful home." Evangeline squealed just as they rounded the bend in the bayou road. Standing before them was an enormous red brick plantation home built in 1787 in the French Colonial style with six white Doric columns. Large old oaks with their limbs reaching almost to the ground surrounded the front of the property. In back one could see two old wood structures; the remaining traces of what had once been slave cabins back when the Duhon Plantation had been one of the richest sugar plantations in Louisiana.

Renee just shook his head. This wasn't their home. Mr. Duhon liked to brag that this plantation had been his families since before the Civil War. He especially loved to tell the story of what he called the 'Battle of Houma'. He would tell it to anyone who would listen about the four Union soldiers in route to Houma from New Orleans in a wagon in 1862. They were caught by the Houma 'guard 'and two killed and the other two severely wounded. He would then swear and tell how the Union Army swooped down on Houma with four hundred troops and began a wholesale arrest of residents. They burned the home of Doctor Jennings and two other houses were torn down; the Negroes were set free. The part he liked to tell the best was how they tried to burn this plantation, too, but it didn't burn down completely. All their livestock was run off and they had to survive like the Native Houma Indians and the Creole people...off the land. After the war they restored the fine old home and the Duhon family had fared well in the new Union economy buying up land and raising sugar cane and cotton.

Later that night after a fine supper of Crawfish Etouffee and Tarte a la Bouillie (sweet-dough custard tarts) Renee and Evangeline retired to their bedroom.

Renee waited anxiously in the large four poster bed for Evangeline to finish her bath. He could hear the water splashing in the tub and visualized her white smooth silky skin and the warm water splashing onto her shoulders and breast. It had been a long two months since they had last been together.
Evangeline finally entered the bedroom dressed in a pink silk dressing gown of floral design. Long flowing chestnut hair gleamed in the faint glow of the antique bedside table lamp. Renee reached over to caress her hair.
"Hmm, you smell so good. Come see how much I missed you." Renee whispered into her ear.

"Oh, Cher, I am so exhausted tonight. Would you mind terribly if we just go to sleep." Evangeline whined.

"Yes, I would mind Evie, I need you and want you." Renee replied.

"Well okay, if you're going to be a cad about IT." Evangeline plopped into bed beside Renee and just lay there straight as a board with both feet together.
Renee gave her a sad look and rolled over. "I'll see you in the morning. I love you Evie."

Morning came early to Renee. He had tossed and turned most of the night and even once had gotten up and sat in the forest green brocade wingback chair by the open windows. The cool damp breeze blew the sheer curtains out toward the room and the smoke from his cigarette made hypnotizing twirls up and out the windows. He could smell the musty smell of the swamp, the fields, and distant wood smoke. He had not thought that he would like living in Houma but had found it to be peaceful and a friendly place. A place he could live the rest of his life and raise a family. He had grown up with two brothers and six sisters and hoped to have at least five children of his own someday.

Renee was awake and staring at Evangeline when she suddenly yawned and opened her eyes.

"Were you staring at me? I must be a mess." Evangeline reached up to smooth her hair. "I need some coffee this morning." Evangeline cooed.

"Evie, you know I love you so much. I sat up last night thinking about all that's happened since Gene got killed and our move to Houma. You know I wasn't too keen on coming here. I'm still not too fond of living here with your daddy. I know, I know, don't give me that look. I don't want to start an argument this morning. I just want to tell you that I like it here and hope we can start a family soon."

"Oh, Renee are you going to start on that again?" Evangeline frowned. "I'm too hungry and I need coffee before I can even think about such things. Besides that, babies will ruin my figure and they are a lot of trouble. I hope you're not expecting me to become your breeding cow."

"Evie, my mother had nine kids and I know for certain that my daddy never thought of her in any way but as a loving mother and wife." Renee countered.

"Yes, but just look how she took care of all you brats and then died about the time the last one of you was grown. She spent her life raising kids. Renee, I don't want that kind of life."

"Damn you Evie, my mother loved being a mother. I don't even want you to mention her name. You lied to me. You told me when we first met that you loved and wanted children." Renee got up from the bed and began putting on his pants.

"Oh baby, I didn't mean I would never have children. I just don't want them now, when I'm still so young. " Evangeline cooed.

"Evie, twenty-seven is not too young to start a family. You can't be your daddy's little girl forever, you're my wife." Renee continued getting dressed.

"Don't you even talk about my Daddy!" Evangeline threw a pillow at Renee. "If you thought all I wanted to be was a wife and mother when you married me, well, you were sadly mistaken Mr." Evangeline got out of the bed an walked toward the bathroom.

"Well, let's just not talk about it now. I'm starving, we'll have Maybelle fix us a wonderful breakfast and you will feel better, dear." Evangeline urged. "Then maybe we can drive to Baton Rouge for a Sunday drive. Wouldn't that just be lovely."