Disclaimer:
I own Susana, her friends and family, the jazz quartet on the street...and I
feel that I should explain that there's no continuity here whatsoever. I just wanted to use the characters! Any hotels used in this story are real(god
love the internet) and not owned by me.
The Natchez Hot Air Balloon festival is cool as hell(and oddly enough,
also not mine). Anyone who objects to
the Miss Richelle, Jasmine, and Ruby characters can sod off, I'm plagiarizing
my life here and I don't mean it to be offensive to anyone.
Notes:
sound
*thought*
} telepathic conversation {
Setting: The road in general. Between 9:00 AM on Thursday, July 16th and
9:00 PM on Saturday, July 18th.
Susana woke and was momentarily confused by
the bright light streaming into the room.
As she roused herself more thoroughly, she remembered that they weren't
at the mansion in Massachusetts, but that they were in a B&B in Pittsburgh,
on the way south to see her family.
Which probably meant that the weight across her side was..."Jono?"
}Yes, luv?{
"Are you really awake?" She rolled over to her other side so she was
facing him. "Or are you sleep talking
again?" He'd done that once, and it had
caused quite a misunderstanding- she and Jubilee had waited for nearly an hour
at a restaurant in town before they called him. He'd had no recollection of the conversation with Susana wherein
he'd agreed to meet them.
}I assure you, I'm completely awake and ready
to start the day.{ He looked at her
with those melty brown eyes, and she shook her head.
"I'd like to get home in time for my
birthday, love. As appealing as this
place is, I don't think it compares to home."
She leaned over and kissed his eyelids to take the sting out of her
rejection, then slid out of bed and headed for the shower. "But if you were to happen to join me for a
shower...well, a good time could be had by all." She winked at him, then disappeared into the bathroom.
A short while later, the well-bathed couple
emerged from their room. Susana debated
waking Angelo and Jubilee, then headed downstairs when she heard Angelo's
distinctive raspy voice and Jubilee's giggling. Greeting the inn's owner, she took a plate and filled it, with a
little help from Jono. They joined
Angelo and Jubilee at the end of the table, and planned their route for the
day. They decided that since they were
all up early, they'd try to make it as far as Knoxville, Tennessee, about 10
hours of driving time. Finishing their
breakfasts, Jono, Angelo, and Jubilee repacked the Jeep while Susana took care
of the checkout procedures. Then they
were on the road again.
Susana took on the role of tour guide as they
drove, reading from the guidebook and pointing out interesting sights along the
way.
The route they'd chosen took them through
Charleston, West Virginia, and she seemed particularly impressed with the gold
covered dome of the capitol building.
As they drove, Susana looked up hotels.
When they stopped for a rest stop, she used the cell phone and her card
to get them a reservation at the River Terrace Creekside, which sounded nicer
than it ended up being.
They had another long day the next day,
driving about 10 hours to Natchez, Mississippi. Susana happily pointed out landmarks, including the launch site
where they released balloons during the hot air balloon festival.
"You guys, this is so exciting. I get to play tour guide!"
"Chica, you've been doing that since we
left."
"Shh, Ange.
Let her have her fun. Damn, I
wish I had telepathy."
}No yer don't, gel. It's a bastard gettin' used to it.{ Jono threw the comment in, then lifted one hand from the wheel to
defend himself from a smack that never came.
"I'm too happy to get mad at you. We're only like four hours from home!"
She'd gotten them rooms at a small
plantation-turned-bed and breakfast, and they all were able to sleep until
about 10 the next morning. Susana let
Jono sleep in longer than she did, leaving him in the room while she explored
the grounds. When he woke and went
looking for her, he found her perched on a branch midway up a huge magnolia
tree. }You coming down soon, gel? If home's so close, we should be going.{
"I know...it's just, well...I dunno. I want to go home, but I don't want the trip
to end."
}Well, we've still got t'get back
somehow. So it's not over just
yet. We'll have a good trip back.{ He held a hand up to her. }C'mon, let's go wake Ange and Jubes.{
She hopped gracefully down, then took his
hand. "Sounds good. I know you'll like New Orleans." She smiled brilliantly at him, then dragged
him back towards the plantation house.
In short order, they'd scared Angelo and Jubilee
out of bed and down to breakfast in the dining room after fast showers all
around. Finishing breakfast, they
packed up and were on the road by 12.
Jono drove until they neared New Orleans, where he turned the wheel over
to Susana since she knew exactly where she was going. Jubilee peered out the windows and exclaimed "Oh, cool!" a lot,
and Angelo nodded mutely every time she asked him what he thought of
something. Susana wove her way slowly
through the traffic, slowing to honk at a jazz quartet playing on the
sidewalk. One of the musicians, a tall
guy with long blonde hair in dreadlocks, waved frantically, then held his hand
to his ear in an 'I'll call you' gesture.
Laughing, Susana gave him a thumbs up, then explained to Jono. "I used to play guitar and sing with that
kid when I was about 15. He's cool,
I'll have to get him to come over.
You'd like him." Jono tried to
squash the unwanted feelings of jealousy her words inspired, then nearly jumped
when she reached across the console to squeeze his leg. }There was none of that, Jono.{
He had the good grace to look abashed. Crinkling at her, he placed his hand over
hers and raised it to his face. She
patted the bandages where his lips would be lightly, then pulled her hand away
to turn the Jeep onto a broad, quiet street full of oak trees and Spanish
moss. The houses on this street
inspired a fresh round of exclamations from Jubilee, which turned into shock as
Susana guided the Jeep into a brick driveway and cut the ignition. "Honeys, we're home." She turned to face the other occupants of
the car, and was greeted by three sets of wide eyes and one dropped jaw.
Pulling her jaw back up, Jubilee
sputtered. "this... what... you're
kidding, right? Ange, tell me she's
kidding!"
"Chica, this place makes the Academy look
like a barn- oversized and ugly."
Angelo slid out of the car, then leaned back in. "Will tu familia mind if I smoke?" She shook her head.
"Good, cause I needed this and I was gonna have it anyway." He slid back out of the car and lit up.
}Gel, this house is...wow. Why didn't yer tell us your folks were
loaded?{
"Sorry, guys...I've lived here so long-until
I was three, and then from 10 to 17- I forget how big it is. Plus, I hadn't seen it for a while, since
before I left for the Academy. It's
been in my father's family for a long time, since like 1910."
"Maybe this is a bit late to be asking, but
what exactly does your father do?" This
from Jubilee, who was still gaping at the house.
"Owns the publishing company that publishes
the Times-Picayune. It's, like, the
paper here. And Mama teaches marketing
and business at Tulane. Look, guys, I'm
sorry I didn't tell you more...but to be honest, it's never really mattered
much to me. And don't worry, no one
will freak out if you walk on the carpet."
She grinned, then shrieked as the front door creaked open. "MAMA!!!!"
She raced around the front of the Jeep and flung herself at a taller,
darker version of herself. Her mother
pulled her close, then pushed her back so she could look at her.
"Dios, hija...look
at you!" She smiled again, hugged
Susana, and turned to the car. "and
you," she held out a hand, "Must be Jubilee.
Bienvenida a nuestra casa.
Come in, come in. Do you need
any help with your bags?" She turned
her attention to the boy smoking beside the car, and smiled. "Hola, chico. Comò està?"
"Muy bien, señora. Y usted?"
"Bien, muy bien. Come on, get your things and come in! And that means that this young man...Must be
the infamous Jonothan who I've heard so much about."
Susana blushed furiously and scolded under
her breath. Jono stepped forward and
extended a hand. }It's lovely to be
here, Mrs. Blaine.{
"Please, dear...call me Laeticia. Susita, you've got yourself a good one here. I'll let you all get settled into your rooms. I thought you and Jonothan here could be in
your room, and your friends can have their choice of rooms-or room, if that's
what they want. Your brother's at a
soccer game, he should be back at about 7, and your father's on his way home
from the office." She gave Susana
another delighted hug. "I'm so glad
you're here. Miss Richelle brought Ruby
and Jasmine with her today because they wanted to see you." She trailed off as Susana raced into the
house to find the woman who'd been her nanny since the day she was born and the
children, who she'd known since they were born. "Well, then...I guess I'll show you to your rooms. If you'll just follow me, we'll get you all
settled- Angelo, Jubilee, and Jonothan."
}Actually, it's Jono to m'friends...and if
you had anything to do with bringing Susana into the world, you're a friend to
me.{ He crinkled, and she smiled back
at him. After unloading duffel bags
from the Jeep, they followed her into the house and up the staircase in the
kitchen. Entering the room she
indicated for him, he stopped and looked around it. It was bright and airy, painted in a tropical theme, with a straw
canopy over the huge bed and a multi-layered, opaque net curtain hanging across
the door to the room's attached bathroom.
He dropped the bags by the foot of the bed and followed Laeticia from
the room and down the hall. She was
showing Jubilee and Angelo the rest of the rooms. She showed them a room decorated in stark black and white, and
another decorated in pale green and white.
After conferring for a few moments, Jubilee expressed a desire for the
green and white room, and Angelo headed for the black room. Laeticia instructed them to go ahead and
unpack into the drawers, since they would be staying for over two weeks, and
she assured Jono that he could unpack without asking Susana. "She puts nearly all her clothes in the
closet, anyway. I cleared everything
out of the chest of drawers, so go ahead and use that. I'll see if I can't find her and send her
this way."
}That would be wonderful, thank you.{ he said as he bent to unzip his bag and
unpack the contents. Momentarily,
Susana bounced into the room with a small hispanic child on each hip.
"Ruby, Jasmine, this is Mister
Starsmore. He's a good friend of
mine." The younger of the two girls
squirmed to get down, and Susana put them both down on the floor, where they
promptly curtsied, chorusing "pleased to meet you, sir." She grinned at him over their heads. }Aren't they precious? Their mama, Mrs. Paolo- Miss Richelle- was
my nanny from the time I was born. She
grew up in the same town as my mama- her older sister and mama were best
friends when they were little-, and when mama needed someone to come help take
care of me, she called Miss Richelle cause she'd been to school to study
childcare. She agreed to come help for
a while, and she and her husband have lived in New Orleans ever since. They have a pretty little house outside of
town, cause he's in management at Godchaux's- it's a big department store
here.{ "Girls, shall we go meet
Susana's other friends?" The group
raced from the room, leaving Jono with the distinct feeling that he'd been hit
by a hurricane. He followed them into
the hall at a more leisurely pace, and was treated to the same spectacle in
Jubilee and Angelo's rooms. Susana's
mother called up the stairs about dinner, and they all trooped downstairs to
the dining room, which seemed to have more food in it than any 10 people
needed.
"Susita, your brother's going to be bringing a few friends home with
him, just so you know. They're going to
a game at the superdome later, around 8. You all could go if you want, they'll
be in the box."
"we'll see, Mama. I think I hear Daddy outside."
She pressed her face to the window, then let out another small shriek
and raced to the door just as a tall brown haired man opened it.
"Susana, love, how are you?" He hugged her hard enough to squash the
breath from her lungs, then released her when she pulled back and crossed her
eyes. "Right, sorry about that. How was your trip? How was the time at that academy place? You'll have to tell us all about it...after you introduce me to
your friends." He looked into the
living room, where Jubilee was entertaining the two children with paffs, Angelo
and Jono standing by offering moral support.
"Well, the girl with the fireworks is Jubilee, the grayish one is
Angelo, and the one with the bandages and crazy person hair is Jonothan- Jono. This is my dad, Giles. Now c'mon, I'm hungry!" Grabbing his hand, Susana pulled him into
the dining room, where she began filling a plate.
"Mama, did you want us in the dining room,
the kitchen, or where?"
"Anywhere you want is fine. Tell your friends to go ahead and help
themselves." Susana turned to relay the
message, only to nearly bump into Jubilee.
"Guess I don't have to tell you, do I?" She laughed.
"What is all this?" Jubilee inquired skeptically.
"Well, it looks like that's roast pork,
that's French bread- make sandwiches, it's the best- , that over there is
jambalaya, and that's crawfish etoufee. Over there is some fried catfish, and that
pan over there is...MAMA! Is that bananas
foster?"
"Yes, hija, it is.
Help yourself, there's vanilla ice cream in the fridge if you want
it." Her mother laughed at Susana's
hyperactive monologue. "I don't know
why I'm giving you sugar, querida. You certainly don't need it."
Susana stuck her tongue out, then headed into
the living room with her full plate.
Setting down beside Jono, she set the plate down on the edge of the
coffee table and leaned forward. She
took a bite of something, Jono forgot what it was called, and hummed in
appreciation. She reached for his hand,
looking at him questioningly. He
extended his hand, then immediately wished he hadn't.
}Think I could persuade you to eat some bread
or something? That was spicier than I'm
used to.{ She shook her head and took a
big bite from the piece of baguette she'd put on her plate. She shared that with him, then dug into her
food in earnest. Jubilee ate lots of
bread, and Angelo ate about half of what was on his plate.
Entering the room with a plate, Laeticia
hurried to reassure their guests. "We
don't always eat like this. It's just
that with this being Susana's first day back here, I thought I'd try to make
things she liked. I swear, dinner won't
be so spicy tomorrow." She grinned at
Jubilee's relieved expression, then turned as she heard the front door scraping
open.
"Is she here??" A broad-shouldered young man with dark hair and eyes stopped in
the doorway, then hurried into the living room to hug Susana. "How are you? Good trip and all that?" 2 other boys stood in the entryway, and
one of them piped up.
"Susana, girl, I swear you look better every
time I see you. What do they do in
Texas and Massachusetts that causes that?"
He pushed a hand through shoulder length sandy blonde hair, pulling it
back out of his eyes, which were even brighter than Jubilee's. "Now get over here and give me a hug, cause
I haven't seen you in nearly a year."
"Derek Thibodeaux, you are so full
of..ungh. Air, por favor?"
She grunted as he squeezed her once more before releasing her. "And Spot Lacontè…how are
you? How's Stacy? Oh, God, have we got catching up to do...But
I'm being horribly rude. This is
Jubilation Lee- Jubilee; Angelo Espinosa; and Jonothan Starsmore. They're students from that school in
Massachusetts that I went to, and very cool kids too. Jubes, Angelo, and Jono, this is my brother, Javier, and his
friends Derek and Scott- he prefers Spot-, who are now doing to disappear and
go fix themselves plates. Javier, how's
soccer going?"
"It's good, I think
we've really got a good team this year."
He said, entering from the dining room with a full plate, fork poised at
his lips.
"Course you do,
silly. You three, Gable, and
Boudreaux...you've been playing together since you were 8. If you can't win by
now, there's no hope for you..."
Suddenly, she seemed to deflate in front of their very eyes. She yawned, stretched, and fought it for as
long as possible, then mumbled something about sleepiness and stumbled up the
stairs. Her leaving set off a spate of
similar comments from her traveling companions, and soon they were all tucked
snugly in their respective beds before the clock even hit 9:00 PM.
In the now-quiet living
room, Laeticia sagged onto the couch beside Giles. "She seems happier than when she left from UT." He nodded, deep in thought. "What do you think of her
friends?"
"They seem nice enough...not
too talkative, but they're tired. It's
understandable. Did you see the girl-
Jubilee, right?- entertaining Ruby and Jasmine? They were fascinated. Did
you get any sort of definite feelings from them?"
Laeticia nodded
slowly. "They're all friendly, all
love her in one way or another.
Jonothan is a bit...friendlier, but we knew that from her letters. I went ahead and put them both in her
room...they're both," she rested a hand on his arm "responsible young
people, and besides, if I hadn't, she would've visited him anyway. You know her, she doesn't abide by
dictates."
He laughed softly, and
she felt it through his chest rather than hearing it. "Yes, I suppose you're right. She's definitely your daughter.
Now, come on, let's put the food away and go to bed." He stood and
lifted her hand to his lips, then pulled her up from the couch and led the way
into the dining room.
