Chapter

Adventure from a Rocking Chair

She loved to read to him and tell him stories. This was his favorite time of the day. This was when he got to escape out of this small room and be a part of the grand world outside, however fantastical, if only in his own mind. She on her rocking chair and he in her lap, they'd go off on the most wonderful adventures together.

She'd tell him of the mountains and deserts and oceans and streams. She'd tell him of seamen and soldiers, farmers and merchants. She'd would describe the most wonderful creatures she claimed to have lived in this world. Some were so fantastical it was hard for him to believe. He wondered if she wasn't just pulling his leg. It was hard to fathom even as she described them.

"How could a creature crawl along the ground with no legs. Impossible."

"No, it's true. They get a long pretty well too."

The creature that had a tail that would whip out and stab men with poison was frightening to him. He pictured men trying to corral this monster and take down the beast the size of this room. He laughed when she told him that they were only about the size of his palm.

He knew some of her stories weren't true though. Sometimes she'd come right out and admit it if he asked her. "No. This one's a fairytale."

He got to learn what that meant pretty quickly. Fake but fun. Sometimes scary, sometimes adventurous but sometimes he wished they were true.

He tried to catch her one day. When she claimed a story to be true but he knew it wasn't. She was trying to describe the bayou which ran through her home district. She said it was a river that didn't move. But she said it was black.

"Wait a minute. How can a river be black? I thought they were all blue." The only personal experience he has had with water was his bath and the water he drank. They were both about the same to him. Clear but the way she'd described rivers and oceans before were all blue. He could believe that. But this one being black had him questioning. That just sent her on another tangent.

"Oh boy, you are missing out. There are all kinds of rivers in this world. Let me tell you about the rivers. There are blue ones, black ones, green ones, brown and white. Some that are so clear you can see straight through the bottom. Other ones like these black ones or green ones you can't see but a foot beneath. Some of the best of them are right here in Louisiana.

"How about the white ones?"

"Oh the white ones are the most temperamental of all. Those are the ones that are the most dangerous ones to little boys like you. Oh they will swallow you up."

"Are they deep?"

"Not always. They don't have to be. You see those ones are usually the ones with the largest stones. You'll try to take a walk in there, thinking that these stones are stable footing. Thinking that they'll support you but don't be fooled by them. Many times the water which runs quick dissolves the ground beneath the stones. You'll wobble and fall in. Other times even if you do find these stones to be quite stable the water itself which flows overtop even though it's only a shallow layer, it's enough to sweep you off your feet. Those very stones which you depended on to get you across will be your undoing. You'll be dashed against them. One upon another."

"It sounds scary."

"It can be very intimidating. When you step in, step cautiously."

"Will I ever get a chance to step in a river?" She breathed out her pity.

"I have a feeling you'll be stepping in a whole lot of them." At his disbelief she turned him to face her. "I know it may not seem like it now. You look around you, you can get to thinking that this is it. This is all you got. But I don't think so. There's a whole world out there full of adventures that's just waiting for you to be a part of it." Her words did not have the encouraging affect that she had hoped for as was evident on his face. She gave up and went back to describing the great wonders of this world. "Let me tell you about the largest one of them all." She said. "You may think its way out there in this big ol' wide world but it's not. It's right here in New Orleans. Runs right through the heart of the city. It's got branches and off shoots. That's not the impressive part. All rivers have branches and off shoots. But this river is so large, it's got ships riding it as if they were out in the ocean and it expands all the way from here to the top of the country. This river can lead you to the rest of the world."

Time went on in that house. Delphe told him many stories. They had many books but Delphe wasn't a great reader. She was better off than many from her village. She at least had been taught the basic concept. When she got stuck or her brain worked too hard she would sometimes make up stories of what she thought a book ought to be about. If there were pictures she'd let them guide her. Sometimes she'd close a book and go off telling him a story from her head. Sometimes she'd make it up on the spot. Other times she'd say it was a story her mother had told her. If Clay didn't ask her which was which often times he wouldn't know the difference. Sometimes her stories would include Princes and princesses, sometimes wild beasts of the land, and sometimes still, they would include mothers and fathers.

"Delphe?" He stopped her one day when he was old enough to understand the roles of these mysterious figures. "Are you my mother?" That question was a painful one on many fronts.

"It would be an honor for me if I was." She answered. "but no."

"Is Madame DeMarigny?"

"No. She's your grandmother." Of course he knew that, for this was what he already referred to her as. Though what the difference was he wasn't sure.

"Do I have a mother?"

"Well, of course you have one."

"Where is she? Why ain't she here?"

"She died son. Many years ago. Right after you were born."

"Do you think she loved me?"

"Oh. I know she did."

"How do you know?"

"It's impossible not to love you." She said with a tap on his little nose.

"I don't think Madam DeMarigny loves me." Delphe considered, reaching for the right thing to say.

"I think she's just sad."

"Why would she be sad?"

"Maybe you remind her too much of what she lost."

"What's that?"

"Their son. He was your father."

"What happened to him?"

"He went away."

"Where did he go?"

"Nobody knows."

"Why did he leave?"

"He was sad."

"Why was he sad?"

"I don't know. Something happened to make him sad."

"Do you know about him?"

"No. I never met him."

"Do you know about my mother?"

"No. Not really. I've seen her just once."

"What does she look like?"

"Oh, she was a beautiful woman. Fair skinned. Hair gleaned like honey. The most beautiful sparkly eyes you ever did see. When I saw her, there was sadness in her eyes too."

"Why was she sad?" Delphe was afraid now that she might be divulging too much to the young mind.

"She missed you and loved you very much." She said simply. Prince didn't understand this but accepted it.

"How did she die?"

"Oh you just got lots of questions today." He stared on ready to imbibe anything she had to say. "Your mama died of the fever."

"The fever?"

"Oh it's a bad thing that comes around here bout every summer. It takes who it's gonna take and leaves again until the next year."

"Why don't people get rid of it?"

"People try son. It's not as easy as all that."

"Will you die of the fever?" She chortled.

"Nobody knows how they're gonna die. I hope not." She resolved. "No. I don't think I will."

"Will I?"

"How do you think you'll die of anything when we keep you tucked up here all nice and protected like? No you'll live around for a long time."

"Is that why you keep me here?"

"Sure. We all just want to keep you safe."

"You don't stay here."

"Watchoo mean I don't stay here?"

"You leave. To get groceries or to visit home sometimes."

"Do you know how often I leave? I'm just as protected as you."

"Not when you go out. What if it gets you then? What if you die? Then I'll be all alone."

"You won't be alone. You'll still have your grandmother." He reflected on this.

"Can I tell you something?"

"What's that?"

"I don't like grandma any more than she likes me. She scares me." This was an admission for the both of them.

"She scares me sometimes too."

"Please don't leave me. If you leave me, who will I have?"

"I won't leave you."

"Don't ever leave me."

"Never ever." He leaned his head into her protective embrace.

"I miss my mama." With that she knew she would never be what he truly needs.

"Now how do you miss someone that you never knew?" Hiding the sting he didn't mean to cause.

"I don't know." He muttered. "I just wish I knew her."