Title: Trouble comes in Twos - Part 9

Dan wasn't pleased at first when Nora told him what was happening down here. Of course, now that it looks like I'm not a prime suspect anymore, I think he's settled down a bit.

I think he was more mad at my Daddy and his asking Nora to come down to help me out without so much as a by-your-leave. Or maybe he's just so used to seeing her every day and doesn't like it that she's run off to help her new partner. For some reason that just makes me smile.

Right now I'm letting Nora drive her car.

While I told her that I wasn't mad that she drowned my Mustang, I am enjoying tormenting her a bit about it. Fair is fair, after all. I get to torment her about my car and she gets to torment me by just being here.

"Comfortable?" she asks looking over at me.

I'm sitting back, enjoying her chauffeuring me around.

"Yes, thank you. Take a right here, James," I quip, pointing a finger at the crossroads.

I actually giggle when a low growl comes from the driver's side. She's really fun to tease.

"So where are we going again?" Nora asks sulkily.

"We're going to help me keep a promise," I reply mysteriously.

It doesn't take us too long to get where I want to go. When we turn into the cemetery road, Nora asks, "Your mother?"

"I come here every time I'm at the house. I hope you don't mind. I could have had Darius take me, but his mother isn't buried here and I didn't want to depress him," replying as I point out a spot that's surrounded by an old wrought iron fence. "This is it, the Lacour family plot."

We pull up and get out. I grab the flowers that I had Nora stop at Folsom's one and only florist shop for and begin walking to the gate.

Not hearing a second car door opening, I duck down to catch my partner's eye and smile encouragingly, "Coming?"

"Are you sure?" she asks tentatively. My heart warms at the thought that she's willing to give me alone time with my Mama. Time has healed the gaping wound my Mama left inside me, but I find I want Nora's company.

"Come on," I reply still smiling. "They won't bite."

She gets out and comes to walk beside me. I open the iron gate and make my way past the statues of angels and the numerous headstones.

"Mama's gravestone isn't complete. There's room for Daddy beside it. He wants to be buried next to her, even though it's the Lacour family plot," I point out for Nora and lay the purple and white lilies at the base of the headstone.

It's pretty here, although I hated it when I was ten. Now, it's just peaceful and quiet, like the country house.

Clearing my throat nervously, I reach back and pull Nora forward to stand next to me.

"Mama, this is Nora, my new partner." I've always talked to Mama when I come visit, but right now I feel a bit silly doing it in front of her.

Glancing over to Nora, I see she's not amused by it, just standing there, my hand still on her arm. If anything, she looks content to be here with me. Letting her arm go with a light parting squeeze, I sit down on Mama's grave and arrange the flowers in the permanent vase set at the base. Pulling my knees up, I wrap my arms around them.

"She was so beautiful, Nora," I whisper, knowing she could hear me. "I wanted to be like her when I grew up. A Southern Lady." I turn my head and peek up at her with a wry grin. "I wonder sometimes if she would approve... of my job. My lifestyle." I say the last word somewhat condescendingly towards those who use it as a matter of course, with finger quotes in the air, and then wrap my arms around my knees again.

Nora lowers herself to sit near me, but turned so she can see me better. She makes herself comfortable as I watch her. Why am I so scared of this? I can't help but think of the other night in her house.

"Tell me about her," Nora asks, her glorious green eyes meeting mine. One of her thighs relaxes and touches mine and my mind focuses on that pressure and the warmth of it.

"Well, to know my Mama, you have to know the Lacours in this area. It's an old name here, as you can imagine, since a lot of the land has stayed in the family since before the Civil War. A pretentious lot, the Lacours, until my grandmother, my Nana. She was the last of the Lacours and very sassy and definitely had her own mind about things.

"Nana and Mama had the family home in New Orleans, so that's how Mama and Daddy met, apparently at some dinner party. Nana didn't approve of Daddy at first, thinking that his family were a bit showy. However, once she saw how much the two really loved each other, she quit protesting.

"Daddy had a painting of Mama and him done, in their wedding clothes, and it's still up in the parlor on the wall. She was so beautiful," I swallow the lump in my throat and continue, "I used to play in her dressing room. She had this fabulous dressing table. It was big, but I was a bit smaller back then, everything was big to me."

Nora smiles encouragingly, "I can imagine."

"I used to sit on the chair in front of it and play with the makeup for hours. And her shoes! I used to spend hours in her bedroom trying them all on," I reminisce torn between sadness and happiness as I sift through the memories. "She had the best taste."

"Something you definitely got from her," Nora chuckles softly. I know she's trying to keep me thinking about the brighter memories. "I would have liked to have met her," she says soothingly.

Now that makes me return her smile, "Mama would have liked you, I think. She didn't really care about a person's family or how much money they had. I remember hearing that she had dressed down the son of the Governor at his friend's wedding because he'd had a bit too much to drink."

We laugh together at the image, the sound doesn't seem out of place here oddly enough. Maybe it's just the company I'm keeping.

I start standing up, but Nora beats me and holds out a helping hand. Taking it tentatively in mine, I let her pull me the rest of the way up, only letting go of her hand after a gentle squeeze of thanks.

"I love you, Mama," is all I say before we walk back to the car. "Nora... thank you."

A bright smile adorns her face as she looks at me over the hood of her car. "No, thank you for letting me bring you."

As we get in and drive away, I can't help but think how comfortable it is to be around her. I can't imagine walking away from this partnership... I can't imagine walking away from her, period.

Have I been a fool about this entire situation between us?

What would Mama say?

TBC