Biloxi by Linda Joyce

Author:Linda Joyce [Joyce, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: women's fiction, short story
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2017-08-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

With a lighthearted bounce in his step, Nick slid into the seat of a shiny new white convertible. The Infiniti’s red leather interior added a sexy vibe. The price of the car was worth every cent just to see surprise on Biloxi’s face when they departed for their honeymoon after the reception.

He’d heard through the family grapevine how she expected they’d take a ride in Captain Jack’s carriage before flying off somewhere, the same carriage he borrowed when he proposed to her, but also the one Branna and James used in their wedding celebration. For his bride, he wanted something unique, something special. After much contemplation, he settled on the perfect wedding gift—and with the help of Biloxi’s brother, Linc, the car would remain out of sight in a storage unit in Picayune until the perfect moment.

Pulling out of the dealership in Metairie with the top down on the car, Nick headed for a barbeque joint famous for its sliders. His mouth watered. He was meeting the PI for lunch at a food truck parked in a permanent spot where the locals flocked. A TV station featured the place on the evening news as a highlight in the rebuilding of New Orleans, which still moved at a snail’s pace. Reconstruction had a long way to go. So many people weren’t returning.

His stomach rumbled. He couldn’t live on a diet of only gumbo, jambalaya, and fried shrimp po’boys. He craved variety when it came to food. Lucky for him, marrying into the Dutrey family meant he sampled the best home cooking in the county. Biloxi once joked that the only reason he proposed was to gain regular entrance to Greta’s cooking at family dinners. He hadn’t bothered to argue.

Navigating surface streets rather than the interstate, he put the car through its paces. Stop. Go. Blow through a yellow light. Exhilaration thrummed through his body. He gripped the steering wheel, then relaxed his hands. Zipping along, shifting gears, Nick headed eastbound. He chuckled remembering his past visits to New Orleans—drinking parties with his college buddies while they roamed Bourbon Street and the times he carried packages for his grandmother on her shopping trips to Magazine. Adrenaline rushed. He couldn’t wait to meet with the PI before heading home. The man had photos of a woman documented to be Catherine Trahan and a scheduled meeting with her next week. The question remained—was this Catherine Trahan indeed his mother?

Certainty beat a steady rhythm in his chest. His spirits soared. Could it be that his grandfather in heaven had worked his charm to bring his father and mother back together again? There could be nothing greater than having his entire family at the wedding. Photographs of his side of the family mingling with Biloxi’s. Together they could field a football team including second and third-string players. Family meant everything.

“But…” he said aloud, “too much, too soon could be disaster.” His enthusiasm for reuniting his family needed tempering. The woman might not be his mother. But if she were—he hesitated to quickly reintroduce her to his father and grandmother.

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