An Inheritance

Chapter 26

Lauren went about making their snacks, then put on the water for the tea.  Abby waited patiently until the tuna was put in front of her and she buried her face in her bowl.  Putting out some crackers, Lauren put the full tea ball into the pot, then poured the water over it to steep.

“I should have something else … maybe some of that chocolate pecan pie that was brought over the other night.  Abby, don’t give me that eye … if I want dessert in the middle of the afternoon, I’m going to have it.”

Abby jumped down from the chair and left the kitchen and Lauren followed her.  They walked out onto the porch and watched the drive until Sam’s truck came into view.  Trust your instincts.  

As the truck stopped and Sam stepped out, he called out to her.  “Hey, I was leaving school and realized I hadn’t called you with a time for Saturday.  Thought I’d stop by … felt you might want some company.”

Sam walked up and gently grabbed her by the shoulders, bringing her towards him in a safe, secure friendly embrace.  Pulling away from her and holding her at arms length, Sam commented.  “Looks like you’ve been put through the wringer, why don’t we get that tea and you can tell me about it.”  He steered her towards the kitchen and they sat at the table.

“Okay, you can tell ol’ Sam what you’ve been doing to sadden that pretty face.”

Lauren gave a shaky laugh.  “Nothing, except reading my family’s entire life story, parts of which I hadn’t thought about in years, some I’ve never known or have conveniently forgotten.  What do you do when you find out you’re something you didn’t know you were and a part of something so much bigger?”

“Ah, family and relations.  Not exactly my specialty, but my simple answer is:  accept it, embrace it.  Trust your instincts and you can’t go wrong.”

Lauren looked up at him sharply and saw his lopsided smile.  “Wait a minute.  Why did you say that?  What aren’t you telling me?”     

Sam’s face had begun to redden.

“You felt I wanted some company.  Trust your instincts.  What do you know about all of this?  Wait.  Deveaux.  Kathleen Deveaux was here Monday night; is she a relation?  Your mother?  Aunt?”

“My mother.  And she, uh, we, know a great deal about all of this.”

 “Are you part of grandmere’s ‘group’?  Are you like them?  Are you like me?”

Sam spread some tuna salad over a cracker and took a bite.  Lauren could tell he was trying to figure out exactly what to say and how to say it.  Abby had taken the seat next to Sam and he obliged by letting her lick some of the tuna off of his finger.   

“You know I’m a man of science.  But there are some things that you just can’t ignore, even if the science doesn’t back them up.  There too many things, and people, out here by the bayou that defy explanation.