The Mystery of Chad Harris: Fate Delivers Us, Chapter Nine
 
 

Chad had his first Sunday family experience. He was downstairs, before the Russells, but, of course, not before Madelaine and Piccola.

Madelaine came over to Chad and began adjusting his tie.

" Well, you do look handsome this morning, Chad."

" Thank you, Mrs. Russell. The clothes and shoes are nice."

" I'm just happy that they are the right size."

Chad looked at Madelaine and Piccola. Dressed perfectly, head to toe, with of course, a Sunday hat and gloves on. He hadn't seen anything like it. He observed them until the Russells came down the stairs. Whitney and Simone looked beautiful, in their conservative Sunday clothes. For Whitney, it wasn't a stretch, but, Chad didn't think Simone  owned anything that conservative in her wardrobe. And, of course, they had on the requisite white gloves. Eve was a vision in lavender, head to toe, including gloves. Chad had never seen Eve with a hat on like that, and for good reason, she didn't usually wear them. But, never again would she be caught going to church around Madelaine Russell without a hat on her head. The last time was 16 years ago, and the 'lecture' she received, in front of Madelaine's churchmates was something that Eve could do without.

They got into their perspective cars and drove to Sunday service. After mass, they all went to Brennan's. Chad thought the restaurant oozed money and charm from the moment he stepped through the door. The Maitre 'D came over to Madelaine as soon as she caught his eye.

" Well, Miz Madelaine. How wonderful to see you here? To what do we owe this honor, and on a Sunday no less?"

" My family is in town, and they happen to enjoy the fine dining of Brennan's. They can' eat every meal at my restaurant. "

" No, I guess not. Let me show you to your table." Madelaine stopped to say hello to several of her regular customers along the way. Once they were seated, Simone turned to Chad, and told him, " the brunch is terrific here Chad. There's so much to choose from, you can't go wrong. But, for dessert, there can be only one thing: Bananas Foster. "

" Ok, Simone. I'll follow your lead. "

Everyone got their meal, and had gotten into eating it, when Piccola spoke up.

" Mr. Harris. What time is your appointment with the professor?"

" Nine a.m., M'am. "

" Quite a long way to come for information that might not be of any use."

" A slim lead is better than none at all, M'am."

" I suppose that you are right. I'm going to go check in at the restaurant. I would appreciate it if Simone, Whitney and Mr. Harris went with me. Theodore, I thought you could use the time alone with your mother, and Eve, every mother needs a break from the duties of family."

" That's kind of you, Piccola.", Madelaine responded sweetly.

" Thank you, Miz Piccola.", TC replied.

They finished their brunch, and received the floorshow for their Bananas Foster. Chad thought it was one of the best desserts he'd ever tasted. When it was time to leave, Madelaine went into the Mini-Van with TC and Eve, while Whitney drove Madelaine's Town Car, with Piccola, Chad and Simone as passengers. They didn't have to go but a little over 5 minutes to get to Madelaine's restaurant, and the car went into the special parking place that Madelaine's parents had built and zoned years ago.

The outside didn't do any justice to the restaurant itself, which was airy and cozy at the same time. The smells knocked you out as soon as you hit the door, and it was so welcoming. Piccola went to every table that they passed, and greeted the customers. Many a customer responded with a 'Hello, Miz Piccola', and those who didn't know her, had an introduction to her. If there was a picture of 'Southern Hospitality', Piccola would be it at that moment.

Simone and Whitney took Chad to Madelaine's regular table. They sat and waited for Piccola, who got a waitress to bring them a pitcher of iced tea. Piccola went to check on the kitchen, while Simone, Whitney and Chad sat at the table.

" This restaurant's got it going on.", Chad said.

" It goes back 80 years. My great-grandparents began it, and then, when my grandmother moved back to New Orleans, she took it over. Though, my great-great grandparents had another restaurant on the other side of town. But, it was our great-grandparents who actually bought this building, and all the rest of the stores on this block, before they died. This was their own piece of New Orleans.", Simone said with pride.

" When did your grandmother come back here?"

" She moved back 2 weeks after my grandfather died. ", Whitney contributes. " Strangely enough, she's never visited Harmony again."

" Never? Not even to visit you guys?"

Simone shakes her head. " Never. If we see Grandmere, we either see her here, or at her house at Martha's Vineyard. Or, when she goes on family vacation with us. But, she's never been back to Harmony."

" You don't find that strange?"

" Not really.", Whitney says. " She loved my grandfather so much, that when he died, she didn't want anymore painful memories."

Chad thought he'd let it go. After all, this was the family that let TC have a shed in their backyard that they didn't go into. Chad looked at the walls. There were pictures everywhere. He could recognize some of them. Instead of the usual frames, each one had their own bit of elegance.  Simone noticed Chad looking at the wall.

" I know. Looking along the walls, and it's like taking a history lesson. The ones closest to Grandmere's table are the ones that mean the most to her. See, there's W.E.B. DuBois, Paul Robeson, Martin Luther King, Hattie McDaniel, Adam Clayton Powell, Ron Brown, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald. You name them, and they've probably been in here ."

" That is the truth, Simone.", Piccola says, finally sitting with them. " There's been a lot of history within these walls. Many stories to tell. So many stories."

" Piccola, " Simone begins. " Can you help Chad out with his search?"

" Huh? How can she help me, Simone?"

" Yes, Chile, how can I help Mr. Harris?"

" You can read the cards. You say that they're never wrong. "

" That is true. The cards are never wrong. But, I doubt that Mr. Harris is a believer. Are you?"

" Simone, Chad doesn't need 'the cards.'", Whitney butts in.

" I see that you are still a non-believer, Whitney."

" Miz Piccola, no disrespect, but, no, I'm not a believer of cards, chants, spells and the such."

" Because, you won't open your mind to the possibility of an other world. A world that speaks to us, if we would only listen."

" Yes, Whitney. Stop being such a pooper.", Simone pouts.

" Look, I don't know if I believe the cards, but, I've seen things that make me less of a skeptic than I would have been years ago."

" Charity?", Simone asks, and Chad nods.

" What is Charity?", Piccola asks.

" Charity is a who. A girl back where we live. She has 'visions'. She has premonitions. And, more than often, they come true."

" Has she had any 'visions' about Mr. Harris?"

" Not really.", Chad responds. " But, especially because of her, I'm not as skeptical as I used to be. So, I would welcome the reading of the cards. "

Piccola looks at him skeptically. " If you are certain that I'm not wasting my time.."

" You aren't.", Chad insists.

Piccola gets up. " I'll go get my  cards. " She leaves out of the dining room, towards the back.

" She's going to her office.", Simone explains.

Chad looks around at the wall. There was one picture in a very expensive looking frame. It was of a man and a woman. " Simone, who's that a picture of?"

" That's Grandmere and her brother, Teddy. They were fraternal twins. That's who Daddy's named for."

" That's your grandmother? Man, I thought she looks good now. She was DA BOMB!"

" They say that she was the most beautiful woman in all of New Orleans.", Whitney explains.

" I can believe it." Chad gets up to look at the picture. " Damn. She takes your breath away."

" Yes, she turned many a head in her day.", Piccola says, coming in with a helper, who takes the glasses of iced tea off the table, and puts down her blanket that wraps the cards. Piccola motions for Chad to sit down, and then, she holds his hands. She then puts his hands on top of the cards.  The three of them sit in silence, opposite Piccola, as she  places the cards, one by one and organizes them. She looks at them for awhile and then, she looks at Chad.

" Did you see something, Miz Piccola?", Simone asks.

Chad looks at Piccola. " Did you?"

" Yes. You will succeed on your journey, Mr. Harris. The question is, do you want to?"

" Why wouldn't I?"

" When the truth of your parentage is revealed, it will result in death. "