Page 44 of The Lady on Esplanade
She didn’t argue, so I reached inside and pulled the newspaper out from beneath several empty beer bottles of Beau’s favorite brand.It was still folded, as if it had just been left on a doorstep, then placed directly in the recycling bin.
“I can look through it here and pull out what I need if you think you might read the rest of it.”
“Considering it’s a few days old, not likely.Take it—it’s yours.”
“Great.Thanks.”I tucked the paper beneath my arm, then washed my hands in the sink.“There was one more thing I wanted to ask you.”
“About Beau?”
“What?No.Although if you’re wondering what Beau and I were doing outside the theater—”
She held up her hand.“Don’t bother.He already told me.About your mom.I hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course not.It’s not really a secret.But it does help knowing someone who has faced similar issues.It’s hard to explain what I’m feeling to someone who was raised by two parents in a happy household.”
“I get it.No explanation needed.I’m just sorry I overreacted.”She gave me a warm smile.“I’m a little sensitive when it comes to Beau.I know that he’s ‘the one’ for me.I’ve felt that since the first time wemet.Trust me—I kissed a lot of frogs before I found Beau, so I almost feel like he’s the dessert, you know?”
I nodded in agreement so I wouldn’t have to tell her that I knew exactly what she was saying.
“I want us to be friends,” she said, “after all we went through to find Sunny.Not that mistakes weren’t made, but I thought we made a good team.”
“We did.We do,” I added, not mentioning how Beau almost died because of the plans that Sam and I put into motion.“And that sort of brings me to the second thing I came here for.Sunny’s phone number.I’m hoping you still have it.”
She seemed surprised.“Of course I do.We talk.Regularly.”
It was my turn to be surprised.“Oh.It was my understanding that she’d blocked Beau’s number and was only speaking with Mimi.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not Beau.And no, Beau doesn’t know that we talk.I think it would hurt his feelings—you know how men are.”She gave a small laugh.“It’s hard, because I don’t even know why she’s okay talking with Mimi but won’t talk to Beau.It’s not like he had anything to do with her kidnapping.I think it’s because she truly loves the family who raised her and she thinks it’s disrespectful to want to know her biological family.And yes, Mimi is her biological grandmother, but Sunny and Beau share the same parents.”
I looked at Sam with disbelief.“Have you tried pointing out to her that the family who raised heristhe family who kidnapped her, regardless of their intentions and how much they actually knew?”
“I’m not an idiot, Nola.Of course I have.But you of all people should understand her point of view.For the last thirteen years of your life, you’ve been welcome in a new family who didn’t know you existed.I’m sure there have been times when you’ve felt angry with your mom for not telling you that you had a father and that he hadn’t abandoned you, because he didn’t even know you were born.”
At my blank look she said, “I’m sorry.Beau and I talk about anything and everything.Even you.”
I wasn’t sure if I should be pleased or alarmed to know that Beau talked about me.Or that he even thought about me when we weren’t in the same physical space.
Sam continued.“I’ve been trying to get Sunny back to New Orleans—just for a visit—but I haven’t had any success.”
“Well, then.This kind of makes it easier.If I’d known that you were still communicating with her, I would have approached you before now.”
“Wow.Now I’m intrigued.”
I hesitated, remembering the repercussions from the last time we collaborated behind Beau’s back.But this was different, I assured myself.This wasn’t a plot to extort information or to feign affection with an ex.This was about the reunion of a brother and sister and the hope that they could work together to find out what happened to their parents.Surely nothing bad could happen with such honorable intentions.
“I think we need to force a meeting between Beau and Sunny.”
I waited for Sam to shake her head or hold up her hand or do anything else to make me stop, but she only nodded.“I agree.They’re siblings, and it’s not their fault that they’re estranged.”
“To be fair,” I went on, “this was Jolene’s idea, and after seeing Madame Zoe today—”
“Wait—you went with Beau to see Madame Zoe?”
“Yes.He didn’t tell you?”
“He said he was going to see the fortune teller, but he didn’t mention that he was going with you.”
My face flushed as if I were lying, even though I wasn’t.“I guess that was because Madame Zoe approached me first and told me to bring Beau to see her.He didn’t take it seriously anyway.Maybe he didn’t want to waste your time.”
