Gras, celebration. The food was brought out and set on the tables. There were platters of turkey and roast beef, baked stuffed shrimp in oyster sauce, shrimp Mornay, and stuffed crabs as well as crawfish etouffee. Everyone was impressed with our elaborate spread, and when the desserts were wheeled out on serving wagons, the guests uttered exclamations of joy and hovered about the tarte aux peches, banana nut bread, crepes, pecan pie, orange creme brulee and chocolate rum souffle. My graduation cake was cut as well, and wedges of it were served.
The grand menu added to the festive atmosphere. People were dancing everywhere, even in the hallways. I circulated as much as I could and spoke to many of Mommy's and Daddy's friends. Suddenly, when I paused in the ballroom to catch my breath, I felt someone come up behind me.
'Good time to slip out of here,' Claude whispered, his hands on my hips.
'I can't yet, Claude.' I stepped away.
'Why not? You were here for the big event: your unveiling. And we've all gorged enough on the food.' He paused, his blue eyes fixed on my face suspiciously. 'Didn't you tell your parents you were going to another party?' He waited a moment and then quickly added, 'You didn't, did you?'
'I was going to tell them, but they were so excited about my party, I didn't have the heart. Just give me a little while longer,' I pleaded.
Claude scowled and reluctantly returned to his friends, who, as they had threatened, had spiked some of the punch for themselves. Now they were sharing it with Catherine, Marie Rose, and Diane Ratner. Diane had always been after Claude. I saw she was taking advantage of my having to visit with Daddy's and Mommy's friends. She had her arm through Claude's and was whispering in his ear constantly. Whatever she said obviously pleased him, but he kept his gaze on me. I saw that he was growing more and more furious with every passing moment. It made his silver-blue eyes glitter like stones in a cold stream.
I was going to speak to him again when Aunt Jeanne tapped me on the shoulder. 'So what will you be doing this summer?' she asked me.
'I'm going to work at the hospital as a nurse's aide. Daddy thought it would be good experience for me.'
'You're really serious about becoming a doctor, then?' she said with a smile.
'Yes, very serious.'
She nodded. 'Perhaps that's meant to be,' she said, which made me think of my great-grandmother Catherine.
'Did you know my great-grandmother Catherine, Aunt Jeanne?'
'I knew about her. She was a very famous
'No,' I said. 'I feel good whenever I can help someone who is ill.'
She smiled. 'Then perhaps Catherine's gift has been passed on to you.' She stared at me with wondrous eyes and nodded. 'Good luck, sweetheart, and someday come to see us in the bayou.'
'I will,' I said and swallowed. Mommy and Daddy had never forbidden me to go there, but their reluctance to return to the bayou made it seem like taboo.
'We've got to be going soon, but I wanted you to have this first,' Aunt Jeanne said and handed me a small box. It wasn't gift-wrapped.
'Thank you,' I said, a little surprised. Why hadn't she wrapped it and put it with the other gifts?
'Go on, open it,' she added. I looked across the room and saw how Mommy was staring at us, her face full of fear. Her expression made my fingers tremble, but I finally opened the box to find a silver locket.
'There's a picture inside,' Aunt Jeanne explained.
I pressed the release and opened the locket. There was a picture of Paul holding me as an infant in his arms, and he was wearing that palmetto hat. For a moment I couldn't speak. It was exactly the way I always envisioned him carrying me at the start of my recurring nightmare.
'I thought you would like to have that,' Aunt Jeanne said.
'Yes, thank you.'
'Do you remember him at all?' she asked.
'Just a little,' I said.
'He was very fond of you, and you were very fond of him,' she said wistfully. Then she took a deep breath and covered my hands with hers, shutting the locket at the same time. 'But this isn't the time for any sadness. Put it someplace safe and look at it from time to time,' she asked. I thanked her again, and she went to say good-bye to Daddy and Mommy.
Mommy came over to me immediately afterward. 'I saw her give you something,' she said.
I showed her, and she gasped. 'I just knew it had something to do with Paul.'
'Do the rest of the Tates really hate us, Mommy?' I asked.
'Let's just say we're not on their A-list,' Mommy replied. She gazed at the picture again. 'He was a very handsome man, wasn't he?'
'Yes.'
She gave the locket back to me.
'It was nice of her to give you this, and it's right of her to try to be sure Paul is not forgotten. Keep the locket with your most precious possessions.'
'I will, Mommy.'
