Imari Jade Bayou Babe

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Sugar and Spice Press

www.sugarandspicepress.net

First published in 2010

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Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

CONTENTS

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Sugar and Spice Press

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Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Bayou Babe

Imari Jade

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Copyright (C) April 2010, Imari Jade
Cover art by Anastasia Rabiyah (C) April 2010
ISBN 978-1-936110-68-1
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events

portrayed in this novel are fictitious or used fictitiously. All
rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or
portions thereof, in any form.

Sugar and Spice Press
North Carolina, USA
www.sugarnspicepress.com

* * * *

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter One

The sound of the drums led him away from his stalled car

and down the lone dark stretch of road. The rhythm pounded
a haunting and mesmerizing tune unlike anything he'd heard
before. A bongo beat riveted through his body as he walked.
He continued to a clump of woods that ordinarily he wouldn't
dare venture into but his curious nature often talked his mind
into doing foolish things. A big white barn appeared, sheltered
beneath the limbs of old gnarled oak trees that seemed to
touch the sky. The moon and billions of stars illuminated the
structure.

A young black woman, dressed in white appeared and

walked toward the barn. He could not see her face clearly
from where he stood but she held her head high and proud
like a Nubian princess. Long braided plaits hung down her
back and peeped from beneath a red bandana tied around her
forehead. She was a delightful sight at two in the morning.
Her lithe body and graceful walk reminded him of a wood
nymph frolicking in a forest. The sight held him captivated
and enchanted until she disappeared beyond the barn door.
Langston scanned the area for a few minutes, just listening to
the music and waiting for someone one else to appear. He
stepped from behind the tree once satisfied no one would
jump out at him. He walked over to the side of the barn and
peeped through one of the windows. There were twenty
white-dressed African Americans inside. He looked around for
the young woman. He had to get a good look at her. He

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

gasped when he found her. She had stripped away some of
her clothes. He sighed. She was simply lovely.

Langston's eyes stayed glued to the young woman as she

danced, half-naked, across the barn floor. His temperature
rose several degrees when she turned and faced him. Their
eyes met but not once did she acknowledge his presence or
call attention to the fact that he spied on them. Nothing short
of a shotgun blast could pull him from that spot anyway and
he felt she knew this. Breasts like melons shook erotically
with each movement she made. A snake slithered
possessively around her curvaceous body. He gulped as he
watched her roll her wide hips to a haunting drum beat. The
people chanted, egging her on. He sighed. It made running
out of gas in the middle of nowhere worth it. He stepped
backwards and ran into something solid. Langston turned
slowly. A behemoth of a man blocked his path. He was
dressed completely in white, like everyone else in the barn,
and carried one of the sharpest looking machetes he'd ever
seen. The other man stared with a high level of contempt.

"What are you doing here, stranger? This is a private

event." He had skin the color of dark chocolate and shoulders
so wide Langston could not see around them. Not in his
wildest imagination could he fathom taking this man on in any
kind of fight.

Langston stammered. "My car broke down." Even at six

foot, the man still towered over him. "I ran out of gas and
started walking down the road. I heard the music and it lured
me here."

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

The man looked at him skeptically. "You're pretty far off

the highway. We don't get many tourists out here."

"I was trying to find a place called Madison. My boss sent

me out here to do a documentary on the wetlands. I think I
took a wrong turn somewhere." He nervously ran his fingers
though his short blonde hair. "I've been driving around for
hours trying to get back to the main road." He wondered if
the behemoth bought it.

The man looked him up and down as if trying to make up

his mind whether to believe him or not. Langston had to
admit that he would be a bit suspicious, too, if he caught
someone snooping around his barn.

"Where is your car?"
Langston pointed down the dark road.
The man stepped back. "Wait here. I think I have enough

gas to get you into town."

Langston breathed a sigh of relief. The sooner he got the

gas, the sooner he could find his hotel room and get some
sleep. He didn't know where he got the idea that it would be
easy driving from New York to Louisiana alone.

The man walked away and Langston turned his attention

back to the activity inside the barn. The dancing had stopped
and some kind of ritual was about to take place. Moments
later roosters and chickens were slaughtered right before his
eyes. He blanched from the shock. He didn't think he'd ever
eat poultry again. He forced himself to look. The young
woman from earlier had returned, completely nude this time,
leading a shackled black man into the middle of the room.
This is interesting. His forehead beaded with sweat and

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Langston knew it had nothing to do with the heat or the
humidity. She had an ass that he would kill to touch and hips
so wide they begged to be stroked. He shook his head to
clear his thoughts. He had no right to fantasize about her like
some sex starved teen. He felt ashamed. He was trespassing
on private property and spying on something he had no
business witnessing. The guilt quickly went away as soon as
he felt his penis rise. Like his mind, his penis could be talked
into doing very foolish things. He glued his eyes back on the
scene. The others continued to chant as she smeared both
their bodies with blood. The sight appalled and intrigued him
at the same time. He might have been an uptown boy from
New York but he'd been around long enough to know a
voodoo ritual when he saw one. He jumped at a sound behind
him. The man had returned with a red plastic gas can.

"This should be enough to get you to town." He still carried

the machete and he still looked pissed.

Langston thanked him. "How far is town?"
"About a mile in the same direction you were heading."
"What's the town called?"
"Madison."
"Boy, do I feel stupid." He took the gas can and started to

walk away. An agonizing scream pierced the night. He
stopped and turned back to the window. The shackled man
lay on the floor convulsing. Langston attempted to go to his
aid via the barn door.

"Stop," the man with the machete ordered. "It is forbidden

to enter or interfere."

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

"Something is wrong with that man. They've done

something to him."

"There's nothing you can do for him. Go—and tell no one

what you've seen."

Langston backed away and then ran away with the gas can

as fast as he could.

* * * *

Langston pulled into the drive of quaint little bed and

breakfast in the south part of Madison. His body so tense
from what he'd witnessed he didn't think he could get his feet
to move. He was too bone-tired to get a good look at the
place and still pretty freaked out. He registered, got his key
and headed to his room. He opened the door and stepped
inside with his things. The room was decorated nicely, giving
it a homey feel. He shuddered, trying to erase the images
from his mind of the young man in shackles. He wondered if
the poor fellow was dead, floating somewhere at the bottom
of one of the bayous. He'd heard rumors of such things
happening. He just wished he hadn't witnessed it. "What
should I do?" He ran the scenario through his head again,
especially the part with the young woman, as he put his
clothes into the closet. Her beautiful image displaced by a
horrifying scream. His hard-on disappeared.

Langston showered and climbed into to his pajamas. He

used the microwave to reheat a hamburger he had purchased
earlier from a fast food restaurant. The soda tasted watered
down and the fries were so cold that warming them would
only make them harder. He tossed the fries into the

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

wastebasket. They hit the bottom with a resounding thud.
The microwave sounded. Langston took his hamburger out
and carried it and the soda to a desk in the room and sat
down. Fifteen minutes later, he snuggled down under the soft
and fluffy comforter trying to sleep. An hour later he was still
awake trying the get the young woman's image out of his
head. She was unforgettable. Maybe it was her lovely
haunting face, or her sensuous curves. Or maybe it was the
fact that she had murdered someone.

Langston reached for the television remote, certain that he

could find some boring documentary to put him to sleep. He
smirked. Maybe one of his own. He settled for a late night talk
show with a long and unfunny monologue. A few minutes
later, sleep overtook him.

* * * *

"They've found a body in the bayou," the sheriff said to

some men at the gas station the next morning as Langston
pumped gas into his cruiser.

Langston's heart skipped a beat. He put the nozzle into his

tank, squeezed the lever and listened.

"It was a young black male."
Why didn't that bit of information surprise him?
"We haven't positively identified him yet but I don't think

he's from around here."

In just one morning Langston had learned that everyone

knew everyone else who lived in Madison. Gossip ran rampart
around the breakfast table earlier. He had listened without
comment then too while he ate his grits, eggs and fried ham.

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

During that conversation he learned the young woman's
name, Halle Johnson, and that she lived in a cabin in the
woods close to the barn. The owner of the bed and breakfast
filled the visitors in on the city's culture and its Voodoo lore,
and warned everyone to stay away from the woods and Halle
Johnson, who supposedly had a very bad reputation. She was
known to lure men into her cabin and the men were never
heard from again.

Langston removed the nozzle once his tank filled and

attached it back to the pump while he listened as some of the
locals questioned the sheriff. Once again Halle's name came
up.

"That is one bad woman. I heard tell that she had another

one of those rituals last night at Bush's barn."

Bush must be the man with the machete.
Some of the other men laughed after one of them made a

sexual innuendo about Halle.

"You better stop before she puts a hex on you," another

fellow stated.

"I wouldn't mind if she wrapped that luscious body of hers

around mine."

The topic of conversation appeared out of the woods if by

magic. Halle strolled across the street and entered the store.

Langston froze and watched with interest. Luckily no one

needed to use the pump he blocked. The conversation
continued even though they knew she could probably hear
them. Halle exited the store several minutes later which gave
him the opportunity to get a good look at her. Like last night,
he found her simply beautiful from her long hair right down to

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

her bare feet. She was dressed in a bright red blouse that
showed off her ample bosom and a black shirt that
emphasized her wide hips.

"Morning, Miss Halle," the sheriff said.
"Good morning, Sheriff Tate."
Langston shuddered. She had a seriously deep voice that

sent waves through his body. She gazed over at him. He felt
the moment she recognized him. "I see you made it to town
safely."

Langston nodded. "Yes. Tell your friend thanks for the gas

and the directions."

Halle nodded and walked off.
Some of the men whistled and giggled.
"What's your name, stranger?" the sheriff asked.
"Langston Priestly."
"Do you know that young lady?"
Langston shook his head. "My car ran out of gas last night

while I was trying to find this town. One of her friends gave
me enough gas to make it here."

The sheriff looked him over. "About what time was that?"
Langston shrugged his shoulders. "It was late. Why?"
"No reason." He paused. "Did you happen to hear or see

anything suspicious while you were in the woods?"

"No." The lie rolled easily from his lips.
He didn't think the man believed him. "Are you visiting or

passing through?"

Langston took offense to the inquisition. He pulled out his

credentials and presented them to the sheriff. "I'm here to do

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by Imari Jade

a photo shoot and documentary on the bayou for a company I
work for. I'm going to be here a couple of days."

The sheriff looked them over and handed them back to

him. "Well, let me give you a bit of advice. Stay far away
from Halle Johnson and those woods."

Langston put his credentials back into his pocket. "She

looks pretty harmless to me."

"This is one of those cases when looks can be deceiving."
"Do you think she has something to do with the murder of

that man last night?" one of the men asked.

"I don't know yet, Ed." He turned his attention back to

Langston. "Her and her people are into that Voodoo stuff."

"Voodoo stuff?"
"Yeah, black magic and sacrificing chickens. You know the

stuff."

Langston nodded. "I'm not interested in such things. I'm

just here to take a couple of pictures and write a decent story
on the effects that drilling for oil has on the bayou and
wetlands."

The sheriff headed back for his car. "The bayou can get

mighty dangerous at night."

"Thanks, I'll remember that."

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Two

Halle looked back only once at the tall blonde stranger just

before she entered the woods. He was the one from last
night...the one spying on their ritual. She hadn't really gotten
a good look at him but she knew it was him from his spiritual
aura and the fact that they didn't get too many strangers who
were tall, blue eyed and handsome in their neck of the woods
at night. She shook her head to clear away his image. He
wouldn't be around long enough for her to take an interest in
him. From what he had just told the sheriff, he would be
there long enough to take some pictures of the bayou, tape
his documentary and then he would to back to wherever he
came from.

Halle noticed the way the sun suddenly dipped behind

some clouds. "Bad weather on the way." She stepped up her
pace, wanting to be home before it started. She hoped the
stranger had packed some boots and rain gear. The bayou
wasn't a place to be caught in when it rained.

She brushed aside a clump of bush and entered the dense

part of the woods where the trees grew tall and leafy and
blocked the view of her cabin from the prying eyes of the
public. Her grandfather built the place back in the early
thirties. It wasn't much but it had served her family well over
the years. They were all gone now and the place belonged to
her. She didn't know if she would keep up the tradition of
raising a family there. Lately, she had given considerable
thought to moving away. She longed to see the big city and

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

experience life outside the bayou. She even entertained the
idea of enrolling in college and finishing her education. Selling
potions and voodoo souvenirs to the locals and tourists paid
the few bills that she had and kept her fed but she didn't
think she wanted to do that the rest of her life. She wanted to
visit big department stores and eat in fancy restaurants and
most of all, she wanted to get as far away from the past as
she could. She was tired of the rumors, the whispers and the
jokes about her. Halle kept her head high and pretended not
to hear the gossip. It really hurt since they didn't really know
her. If she actually did half the stuff they said she did, she
suspected she would be in jail by now or dead.

A couple of chickens came out to greet her as she walked

up the gravel lane. She shooed them back toward the coop
and then climbed the steps up to her porch. Halle unlocked
the door and stepped inside. A faint scent of pineapple
incense tickled her nose and brought back fond memories of
her grandmother. It was her favorite. She said it kept away
the evil. Halle didn't know if it was true or not but to her the
smell only meant that it might be time to redecorate and buy
some new drapes and furniture. Five years since her death,
and Halle kept everything just the way she left it.

"Good morning," she said to Exotica, the five foot boa, as

it slithered in the cage her grandfather had built so it couldn't
get out on its own. Exotica was the family's pet...beautiful,
loyal, and harmless just as long as no one messed with her.
Halle put down the bags and began to put the groceries away.
She fixed her breakfast at the same time. She had an hour
before her first client arrived which gave her enough time to

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by Imari Jade

eat and then change into her costume. Her clients expected
her to look the part of a traditional voodoo priestess right
down to the bare feet. She didn't mind that part except in the
winter time when it was too cold. She wasn't going to get
pneumonia just to please someone's fantasy.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Three

Langston turned off the engine and opened the car door.

The bayou was quiet as he stepped out. He walked around
testing the wet ground to make sure it was strong enough to
support him and the car. He didn't want to get the rental
stuck in mud. Huge cranes flapped their wings and flew over
him. Other birds joined them just a short distance away.
Satisfied with the stability of the earth, Langston looked up at
the sky. The sun had been out earlier but now hid behind a
cluster of dark clouds. That wouldn't stop him from taking
pictures. He'd brought along the right lights and filters to
emulate sunlight but he preferred natural lighting. Thunder
rumbled off in the distance. Langston ignored it. He'd have
his pictures and be long gone before the rain came down.

He'd always had a different impression of what a bayou

was supposed to look like. He imagined this spooky place with
weeping willows trees, huge iguana lizards, and some
backwoods murderous villain lurking in a shanty in the woods.
Right now it was scenic and beautiful with turtles resting on
rocks, fish swimming beneath the water alongside crawfish,
crabs and shrimps. The willow trees were there, covered in so
much moss it dipped into the water. People sailed by in little
boats and canoes. A couple waved and posed for him. Others
fished from make-shift piers. The mosquitoes made life
miserable for a little while as he worked but they had calmed
to just biting every now and then. It all seemed so peaceful
and beautiful until the first raindrop fell.

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

It came down hard and fast. He tried to get his camera

equipment put away. Strong winds and hail accompanied it.
The water rose so fast he didn't have time to react. It filled
his shoes and weighed down his pants so much that it
hindered his movement. Something splashed in the water
behind him. He turned just in time to see the huge tail of an
alligator descending into the water. From appearances it
seemed that the alligator had jumped from somewhere close
by. He imagined it watching and waiting to sneak up on him
while he took pictures. Langston shuddered. "That was too
close for comfort."

He tossed the remaining camera bags into the trunk of the

car and then ran around to the driver's side. He fumbled with
the electronic key while ducking the hail that was doing some
serious damage to the paint job on the car. The key slipped
out of his hand and sank down into the water. "Shit." He bent
down and fished around for it. He felt a sharp pain in his left
ankle. "Something bit me." He kicked his foot and struck
something solid. The form moved swiftly away from him. Pain
shot up his leg. Langston went down on one knee. The knee
landed on something small and hard. "The key." He fell flat on
his behind when he moved to retrieve it. The water rose to
his waist. He grabbed the key and tried to stand. The pain
nearly sent him back down. "Great, just great." He clicked the
button on the key remote but the lock didn't budge. "It's
wet." He pulled himself up to stand, shook the remote and
tried it again. This time the locks lifted. Langston pulled up,
using the door handle for leverage and then opened it. He slid
inside and closed the door behind him. He started up the car,

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by Imari Jade

thanked God when it didn't get stuck in the mud, and drove
away from the bayou toward the highway. His sight turned
fuzzy. The last thing he remembered before passing out was
a rapidly approaching tree.

* * * *

Halle knew the moment she saw the blue flashing light

through the window that trouble was coming. She pulled open
one side of the curtain and looked out. Sure enough a
Madison City Police cruiser sat on the gravel parking spot
outside her house. The driver of the car turned off the light
and then the engine, opened the door and stepped out. It was
Sheriff Tate in the flesh, alone but armed. Halle closed the
curtain, moved away from the sofa, and walked toward the
door. He rang the bell before she had a chance to open it.

"Who is it?" She didn't want to sound too anxious.
"It's Sheriff Tate."
Halle opened the wooden door and stared at him from

behind the screen. Sheriff Ernest Tate has been a thorn in her
side since childhood. Although he'd grown up with her
mother, he seemed to take a special interest in ruining her
life. As far as she knew she hadn't done anything to him. The
man simply didn't like her and that was his problem.

"Is anything wrong, Sheriff?"
"That's what I've come to find out. Doctor Stetson told me

that a journalist got bit by a moccasin out in the bayou and
you and Bush brought him in for treatment."

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by Imari Jade

"Yes, that's true. We found him laying half in his car and

half out. He must have passed out before he could start it up.
It happened during the storm yesterday."

"Doc says he's staying out here with you."
Here it comes. "Yes, I'm looking after him."
Ernest shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "Is that

wise?"

At sixty-two, Ernest still was an imposing figure as when

she was a child, with his dark aviator glasses perched
strategically on the bulb of his nose. He was a big man about
six feet-one and probably weighed about two hundred
pounds, and all of it was stuffed into a dark blue uniform with
a flashy gold badge.

"He doesn't have any family here. Someone needs to look

after him until he gets better."

"But it's inappropriate for a young, single woman to stay

alone with a young man, especially a stranger."

"What's inappropriate about it? He's ill, full of mind-

numbing drugs and unconscious most of the time. Bush
comes over ever few hours to check on me and him."

"You know what I mean. People are bound to talk."
"I don't care. They talk about me anyway. What's one

more rumor?"

"You bring a lot of it on yourself, you know, with that

hoodoo church of yours."

Halle ignored the mispronunciation of her religion.
"You're a pretty young woman. What will you do if that

young man tries to take advantage of you? He's a mighty big
guy. There's no way you can fight him off."

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Langston taking advantage of her was the least of her

worries, not that the thought hadn't come to her mind. She
opened the screen door. "Would you like to come in and see
him? He's in no position to piss on his own, let alone attack
me."

Ernest removed his hat and entered.
Halle led him in, keeping the door open just in case he

tried something. She opened the bedroom door. "See for
yourself."

Ernest went in, stayed a moment and then exited. "He's

out like a light."

"Told you. The doctor said he's going to be like that a

couple of days. Once he's healed up, Bush and I plan to take
him back to the bed and breakfast where he's been staying."

Ernest headed to the front door. "I still don't think it's

appropriate, him sleeping in your bed and all."

"I'm sleeping in my grandmother's room, if you need to

know. I don't have any intentions on sleeping with him, or
corrupting him or putting a curse on him."

Ernest stepped back onto the porch and donned his hat

again. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Halle put on her biggest 'I don't give a damn' smile.

"Thanks for the concern."

Ernest got back into the cruiser and drove away.
Halle closed both doors and walked back in to check on

Langston. He still slept on his back, oblivious to everything
going on around him. Lucky him. If he knew what was going
on around him while he slept, he'd probably pack his things
and leave Madison as quick as possible.

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Halle walked over to the bed, drawn by Langston's gentle

snores. "Who is this man and why do I care what happens to
him?" She peered down on him. Truth be known, she didn't
know a thing about him and she didn't know why she decided
to bring him into her home when she knew the controversy it
would stir. Maybe she just did it because he was cute or the
fact that her body got all hot and bothered whenever she saw
him. A white guy? She smiled. Her ancestors must be turning
over in their graves by now. She walked away from the bed
and out of the room. Sheriff Tate was wrong, as usual. She
wasn't in trouble. The man in her bed was.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Four

Langston's eyes opened slowly. A ceiling fan rotated slowly

above him. He watched the blades spin for a moment as he
tried to figure out his whereabouts. He knew he wasn't in his
apartment in New York. Nor was he in the room at Maddie's
Bed and Breakfast. Where the hell am I? He smelled
pineapple. He tried to sit up.

"Don't," someone told him.
He knew that deep, sultry voice.
"You've been injured."
"My head hurts like a bitch."
"You have a very high fever."
His eyes adjusted to the room but it was still a bit blurred.

His skin felt damp with sweat. He moved his head around
until he could see the other person. It was her...Halle. "I'm so
thirsty."

Halle moved from where she sat and walked over to the

bed. She reached for something. Ice clinked into a glass.
"Drink this." She bent over and pushed a straw through his
parched lips.

Her breasts were now eyelevel to him hidden behind a

white blouse and probably some kind of bra contraption. He
sighed. He might feel like hell all over but he was still a man.
He sipped on the straw, keeping his eyes focused on the way
her bosom rose and fell with each breath she took. The sweet
taste of tea entered his mouth. It was lemony with a hint of
mint. Langston swallowed and his throat burned. He guessed

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by Imari Jade

it served him right for the sexist perusal of Halle's cleavage.
She moved the straw away. "Thank you." He heard the glass
as it landed back on the nightstand beside the bed. "Where
am I?"

"In my home," she answered. "You've had an accident.

Lucky you missed a tree and only plowed through some
brush. Bush and I found you unconscious in your car."

"Bush?"
"The man who gave you the gas the other night." She

reached back over to the nightstand. The sound of water
startled him. Seconds later she pressed a cool compress
against his forehead. It felt like he had died and gone to
heaven. She put the cloth back into the water and doused his
forehead again. He caught the aroma of eucalyptus on his
skin. Halle dipped the cloth and continued her ministrations
down his face and neck. She lowered the covers and was
about to do his chest. He reached his hand up to stop her.
"This could get embarrassing." His skin might have been on
fire but he knew he was nude beneath the covers.

She looked down at him with those big brown eyes.

"You've been here for three days, burning up with fever. I
think I've seen everything you've got by now." She smiled
revealing a mouth of beautiful white teeth. Her face was
angelic right down to her luscious full lips. Langston felt a
boner coming on.

"Well maybe not everything," he replied.
She playfully slapped his hand away. "I'm just following

the doctor's orders."

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"The doctor?" The pain in his leg suddenly returned along

with his memory of what happened.

Halle went back to bathing him down. "You were bitten by

a snake. If Bush and I hadn't been out looking for the
chickens, you would be dead by now. You lost consciousness
behind the wheel of your car. It was during the storm."

Langston had been too busy thinking about the snake to

notice that she had moved down past his abdomen and was
slowly heading south. His penis wasn't distracted and giving
her a sixteen gun salute.

"What type of snake?" he asked trying to will it down to

normalcy.

"A cottonmouth water moccasin, and from the size of the

bite I would say it was a mighty big one."

"Big?"
Halle nodded as she stroked his left hip with the cloth.

"Enormous."

His Willie jumped.
Halle smirked and went to work on the other hip. "Bush

managed to get your car started again and we drove you to
the doctor's office. He suctioned the poison out and gave you
anti-venom. He told me to keep an eye on you for a couple of
days, in case you're allergic to horses."

"What does horses have to do with this?"
"The anti-venom is made from a horse's blood serum."
She made it past his hips and was working her way down

his good leg. He had a rock hard erection that didn't want to
be ignored.

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"The doctor bandaged up your leg and we brought you

back here."

Langston sat up suddenly. "My boss must be worried."
Halle pushed him back down on the bed. "He knows," she

replied. "Your cell phone kept ringing so I answered it. I hope
you don't mind. I thought it might be a family member."

"No, I don't mind. I'll call my family later." He paused.

"Thanks for telling him, and for everything."

"You're welcome."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Just for you to take all the time you need to recuperate,

and that your documentary can wait. He promised to call back
later on to check on you." She reached for a first aid kit. "I
have to change that bandage now. You might not want to
look."

Why didn't he listen to her? He rose on his elbows and

nearly fainted when he saw the wound. The starkness of the
black and blue mark against his pale skin made him feel
queasy. It also took care of his erection.

"It's healing nicely," she muttered as she washed the

infected area and replaced the bandage. "You'll be up and
around in a week or so."

Langston fell back against the pillows. He didn't think he

could take being around Halle for an entire week. All she had
to do was look at him with those eyes to get him all hot and
bothered. By the end of the week he'd probably be back in
the doctor's office with a serious case of blue balls.

"Are you hungry?"

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by Imari Jade

He couldn't recall the last time he ate. She had something

cooking and it smelled delicious. "Yes."

She moved the cover back over his body. "I'll be back in a

few minutes." She left the room with the bowl of water.

Suddenly he felt weak and very alone.

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Five

Halle turned off the pot and walked over to the cabinet.

She pulled out a large white bowl and filled it with gumbo.
She placed it on a saucer that lay on top a large wicker tray.
She got a spoon out of the drawer, grabbed a couple of
napkins, and then placed them next to the bowl. She grabbed
a pack of crackers out of the canister, took the butter from
the refrigerator and buttered them. She would have preferred
to serve a piece of French bread with the meal instead of the
crackers but she didn't think he could handle that yet. French
bread was something that had to be eaten with strong teeth
and she hadn't figured out if his beautiful, expressive smile
was the product of the good hygiene or a very good dentist.

Halle smiled and took a moment to fan herself. The rain

had gone and the heat had returned. In her mind she knew
the sudden rise in her temperature had nothing to do with the
ninety-degree weather outside. The snake that had bit
Langston Priestly had been of formidable size, but he was
packing a serious python between his legs. Another
stereotypical racial myth dissolved. The white man in her bed
was hung heavier than a horse. Not that she'd seen many
penises in her lifetime...just a couple here and there during
the rituals, and usually those were flaccid. Most of the men
kept their clothes on because they feared she would castrate
them. Halle laughed. Now where would they get a dang fool
notion like that?

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Most people had a misconception of what Voodoo really

was. It wasn't black magic or hoodoo. It was more a religious
ceremony, with altars and Loas and a heck of a lot of
chanting. Her family had brought the practice over from Haiti
years ago, so it all seemed natural to her. She didn't put
down any other religions. She had been to both Catholic and
Baptist churches. She found it all interesting and the people
weren't too much different than the ones that came to
worship with her. Ignorance had a lot to do with what people
believed. Sheriff Tate was guilty of being one such ignorant
person. He had come calling the evening that she brought
Langston home from the hospital. He told her that it was just
a routine call but Halle couldn't remember him coming over
when Roscoe had been bitten last summer. He had entered
her home with his nose turned so far up in the air she feared
he'd choke. She might not live in a glorious home like he did
but she kept the place neat and clean. She got rid of him a
couple of minutes later after she convinced him that Langston
wasn't dead and that she hadn't killed him.

Halle picked up the tray and carried it back into the room.

Langston had managed to find the television remote and
propped himself up on the pillows to watch the news. He
turned it off as soon as she entered.

"Bored?" she asked as she sat the tray down on the

nightstand.

"No, just trying to take my mind off my injury. It's stopped

burning and now it's only throbbing."

"That means its healing." She pulled up a chair next to the

bed.

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"What is that delicious smell?"
"Gumbo."
"Never had it."
"Then you're in for a surprise." She sat down and tucked a

napkin under his chin. He had the most amazing blue eyes.
They reminded her of the sky. His body wasn't brawny or
beefy, but chiseled, like he worked out in a gym from time to
time. His chest was broad and he had the cutest little nipples.
She reached for the bowl before he could notice her staring at
them. She scooped up some and placed it between his lips.
He had a hint of blonde five o'clock shadow on his chin. It
made him look devilishly handsome.

"This is fantastic," he muttered in between swallows and

chews. "What's in it?"

"Seafood. Shrimp, oysters, crabs. There's sausage, ham

and seasonings."

"And you cooked this yourself? I love it."
She giggled. "Women don't cook in New York?"
"Not any I know but I did date a girl who could whip up a

pretty good fondue."

Halle smiled. He had a sense of humor. He was going to

need it while he was in town. She just bet that the rumors
were running rampart about them now. "It's my
grandmother's recipe. She taught me how to cook when I was
a child."

"She must have been a very amazing woman."
"She was. A Voodoo priestess has to be versatile." He

didn't choke after she said it. That was a very good thing.

"Are you a priestess?"

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by Imari Jade

She nodded and fed him. "Yes, I was born one. So was my

mother." She ladled another spoonful.

"You're a very good dancer, too...give or take the snake."
Halle blushed. She was smart enough to send Exotica

down to Bush's place for the extent of Langston's stay. She
dabbed at his chin with the napkin. "Not all snakes are bad.
Exotica is a pet. She's as gentle as a kitten."

Langston eyes widened. "You've never been bitten?"
"No, she's defanged. My grandfather made sure of that."

She fed him some crackers and helped him wash it down with
some more iced tea. She fed him two more bowls until he was
full. She took the tray away and left him. He needed a nap
and she needed to clean the kitchen and slow her pulse down.

* * * *

Elnora Jackson was Halle's first customer. Elnora came

quite often to have her fortune told and to buy love potions.
She'd never married and had been trying to woo Jasper
Conners for the last thirty years. Jasper was a teacher and a
deacon of a local Baptist church. He'd been married once for a
short period of time but his wife had died. Elnora attended
the same church and wanted to be his next wife.

"Rumor has it that you have a fine white man tucked in

your bed back there." She motioned toward the back
bedrooms.

Elnora was also one of the town's biggest gossips and shit-

stirrers. According to gossip, Halle was the biggest tramp in
their neck of the woods. She couldn't help it if men liked to

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by Imari Jade

look at her. Deacon Conners was no exception. He offered her
a ride once and he wasn't talking about in his car.

"I know you didn't come all the way out here for such

foolishness, Elnora." She didn't feel that she owed the woman
an explanation. It was just none of her business.

It went in one of Elnora's ears and out the other. "You can

tell me. I know it can get pretty lonely in this bayou at times.
Who is going to know if you have a little tryst with a white
guy?"

Halle sighed. People and their foolish hang-ups. She didn't

care if a person was white or black or Chinese. She wondered
if Elnora would have mentioned anything had Langston been
black. "There will not be, nor has there ever been, any tryst
going on in my bedroom." Halle prepared the altar while
Elnora stared at her like she had just told the biggest lie in
the world. She'd finish up quickly and get Elnora out of her
home as quickly as possible...preferably before Langston
awoke.

"They do things, girl. Things a brother won't."
Halle ignored her. "Let's get started Elnora. I have a pretty

full schedule this morning."

Elnora sat down and gave up. She left thirty minutes later,

clutching her love potion tightly in her hand. Halle had lied.
She only had one other client scheduled and she was driving
up now.

Jasmin Record had a secret that only Halle knew. She had

murdered her step-father when he tried to molest her as a
teenager. That part wasn't a secret. The entire town knew but
what they didn't know was that Jasmin had demons in her

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by Imari Jade

mind that made her think and do stuff with men and women
that would make a porn star blush. She came to Halle
monthly to have the demons exorcised. So far nothing Halle
tried worked. Jasmin just needed a damn good psychiatrist

Halle got them some tea. Jasmin wore a pant suit and

heels that made her appear like a nice young woman who
attended church regularly or taught school. Jasmin confessed
to driving all the way to New Orleans to having a hot and
heavy lesbian affair with a stripper who just happened to
have a boyfriend who was into bondage and being punished.
She didn't keep one sordid detail to herself. Halle's head spun
with information overload. Jasmin cried after describing the
ordeal. Halle consoled her, gave her some soul-healing herbs
and sent her on her way. Halle watched the car as she drove
off. It had started to rain.

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Six

Langston shook nervously as a powerful storm pelted the

roof and windows, but the storm had nothing to do with his
present state of alarm. That was due to Jasmin Record's
erotic lesbian tale which he had accidentally overheard. The
front door opened and closed, followed by footsteps padding
around the wooden living room floor. He sank back onto the
pillows. Halle was probably preparing the doors and windows
against the bad weather. He moved around on the bed. He
had to get himself together before she returned. His balls
ached worse than his leg.

Halle peeked inside the door. She was garbed all in red.

"You woke?"

Langston nodded. Tantalizing aromas filled the air. When

did she have time to cook? The young woman entered,
dressed in an ankle-length skirt and peasant blouse. She had
a red bandana tied around her head. "I hope I'm not
disturbing you. I need to get some clothes and change. I
don't want to get food on this."

She looked so cute in her costume. "Come on in. I've been

awake for a while."

"It's raining. I think we're in for another storm like the one

the other day."

"I'm beginning to appreciate the rain," Langston said as he

watched her dig some clothing out of a bottom dresser
drawer. She was as impressive from behind as she was from
the front. Halle walked into the bathroom and emerged a few

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by Imari Jade

minutes later, showered and changed into a pair of shorts and
a tee shirt. Her hair was still damp.

"Dinner will be ready shortly."
"I'll just watch some television until then." What else did

he have to do being flat on his back and incapacitated? He
supposed he could do some reading but everything he had
with him was in his car. "Can I use your telephone? I think I
better call my host over at the bed and breakfast. She might
be worried that I might skip out without paying my bill."

"It's all taken care of," Halle replied. "We've only got one

hotel around here. Your boss took care of it and Bush went
over and got your things."

"Is that Bush fellow your boyfriend?"
Halle giggled. "No, Bush is my cousin. Our mothers were

sisters."

"He's a frightening fellow with that machete."
"Well, he's very protective. You don't know what it's like

for us...what we go through."

He had a pretty good idea from what he'd heard. They

were ostracized, ridiculed and probably whispered about day
in and day out. It must have been awful for them. So far she
had been the perfect host and took care of his every need.
Well, not every need. He needed to go to the bathroom and
there was that other thing. He threw back the covers.

"What are you doing?"
He tried to stand. "Nature calls."
"There's a urinal," she said, hurrying to his side.
The covers fell to the floor exposing everything he owned,

including the kitchen sink and the plumbing.

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by Imari Jade

"You're not strong enough to walk by yourself." She put

her arm around his waist and braced him with her hip.

He slipped his arm around her shoulder. "I'm a grown man

and perfectly capable of going to the toilet by myself.
Besides, I need a shower."

"Then at least use the crutch. Now sit." She helped him

back down on the bed. "Let me set the chair up for you." She
pointed to a plastic and metal shower chair next to the
crutches against the wall. She disappeared into the bathroom
with the chair. He heard the water hit against the porcelain
and then Halle reappeared. "Try not to get the bandage wet,
hard-head." She stepped away from the door.

Langston smirked. She sounded like his mother. He rose

again and the pain shot through his bad leg. Halle smirked
and he ignored her. He was much too arrogant to let his
anguish show. Dizziness and nausea overtook him as he tried
to walk. Maybe Halle was right but it was too damn late to
admit it. She handed him the crutch. He placed it beneath his
arm and hopped into the bathroom to relieve his aching
bladder. A few minutes later he had figured out how to
maneuver into the tub and onto the chair. He heard Halle
leave the bedroom. He relaxed from exhaustion. It wasn't the
first time he'd be accused of being hard-headed. He wasn't
used to anyone doing anything for him. His father had taught
him independence at an early age, and he guessed it stuck.
He washed quickly, including his hair with some honey suckle
scented shampoo in the stall that reminded him of Halle. He
scowled. He didn't know if he liked the idea of smelling like a

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by Imari Jade

flower but he suspected it was better than smelling of
perspiration.

He found a new toothbrush waiting on the sink when he

finally managed to get himself out of the tub. He hadn't
remembered seeing it there earlier, but he was probably
blinded by all the pain that radiated up and down his leg. He
dried off with a huge towel and then grabbed the crutch. He
brushed his teeth and then left the bathroom. To his surprise
the bed had been changed and straightened. He slid back
beneath the covers and sunk back on the pillows. He was
asleep before he knew it.

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Seven

"The police have been snooping around the woods all day,"

Bush said to Halle as she poured him a tall glass of milk.

"It's been raining. What type of clues do they expect to

find in the mud?" She pushed a generous piece of home-
made peach pie over to him.

"You know Sheriff Tate. He's not one for letting a little rain

stop him."

Halle sat down across from him with her own pie and milk.

"He won't find anything."

"You know that and I know that but it won't stop that

jackass from looking." He cut into the pie. "How's the
patient?"

She smiled. "Feisty. The medicine the doctor prescribed

has him asleep right now."

"Is the leg healing properly?" Bush cut into the pie.
Halle nodded. "It looks like Doc got all the venom out. It's

still bruised."

"He's lucky. A bite like that is often deadly." Bush put the

piece of pie into his mouth and chewed.

Halle agreed. "We were just in the right place at the right

time."

"Has he asked any questions about the other night?"
"No." She paused. "Maybe he won't say anything."
Bush put the fork down. "We can't trust outsiders Halle.

He's a reporter. Don't let your feelings for him cloud that fact.

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by Imari Jade

He witnessed a lot of stuff. I can't be sure what but he asked
a lot of questions before I sent him off."

"He won't talk."
"You said it yourself that you saw him talking to the sheriff

at the gas station."

"That doesn't mean he was talking about what he

witnessed. He doesn't seem the type to rat."

"You don't know anything about him. Don't let your heart

and those blue eyes of his cloud your better judgment. He'll
be out of here as soon as his leg heals. Those kind don't hang
around small towns like this. He's just here for a story."

Halle didn't want to hear it. She'd been alone with

Langston for four days and he didn't seem the kind of person
who only did what he did for money.

"Are we still meeting here tonight?"
Halle nodded. Once a month she held a gathering at her

home in the portable building out back.

"Do you think that's such a good idea with the reporter

here?"

"Yes, he's usually asleep by ten. We won't disturb him."
"Maybe we should cancel or maybe choose somewhere

else," Bush suggested.

"It will be okay," Halle insisted. "He'll probably sleep

through the whole thing. Those pain-killers are pretty strong."

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Eight

The drums returned to his head. Langston tossed on the

bed. His body felt hot and sweaty. He tried to open his eyes
but the fever within him raged. His mouth felt dry and he was
very thirsty. Maybe he should have listened to Halle...maybe
the shower hadn't been a good idea. He didn't think a little
water could infect his wound. He dozed back off but the
drums kept right on beating in his mind. Minute later he
heard chickens clucking and rosters crowing.

There was singing. Halle's sweet voice entered. She spoke

in a language he couldn't understand. Langston sat up in bed
remembering. They were performing another ritual and they
were doing it somewhere nearby. He threw back the covers
but could not get himself in motion. He staggered. The
medication had him drowsy and disoriented. Maybe he could
do it if he rested a bit. He closed his eyes and willed himself
to rise.

Langston opened his eyes again after what seemed like an

eternity. The fever had disappeared some and he didn't feel
as dizzy. He threw back the covers and moved his legs
around to the side of the bed. Luckily he'd donned his
pajamas earlier or there was no way he could wrestle into
them now. He pushed his feet into his slippers and used the
mattress to get to his feet. Pain radiated up his legs but he
ignored it. He hobbled across the room to get the crutch and
then left the bedroom, passing through foreign rooms that
he'd take time later to put to memory and headed toward the

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by Imari Jade

sound at the back of the house. It led him to an immaculate
kitchen, decorated in red and white curtains and tablecloth
like he imagined it to be. Huge cast iron skillets hung from a
rack on the ceiling and on the windowsill sat little ceramic
cows and chickens. The room smelled like someone had been
cooking up a storm. His stomach growled.

The sound of drums destroyed the vision forming in his

head of him and Halle sharing coffee in this kitchen. He
limped over to the back door, opened it, and hobbled outside,
looking around for Bush and that machete. He made it to the
side of the garage and peeped in through the window,
prepared for the worst. "Well, I'll be damned." Halle and Bush
were entertaining about fifty people, serving them food and
playing with the kids. "I knew they were wrong about her."
He hobbled back inside the house. "Murderesses don't break
bread with friends and neighbors."

He was winded by the time he made it back into the bed.

The kitchen door opened and closed. Halle peeped into the
room dressed in her white costume.

"Hey, I'm glad you're awake. How do you feel?"
"I'm feeling fine. I had a fever earlier but it's gone."
She came into the room carrying a plate of food on a

wicker serving tray. "I hope you're hungry." She pulled the
foil cover away from the plate, revealing fried fish, potato
salad, hush puppies and corn bread."

His stomach growled loudly. "I guess that answers your

question," he said playfully. "All that is missing is a cold
beer."

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by Imari Jade

Halle dashed out of the room and came back with an iced

Miller Light. "Just this one because you're still recovering."

"Yes Ma'am."

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Nine

Halle said goodbye to the last person and entered the quiet

house. She wondered if Langston was still up. She walked
through the house and peeped into the room. He was asleep.
She walked away smiling. She told Bush they had nothing to
worry about. She didn't know why she felt so sure he was
harmless. Maybe it was the way he looked while he slept at
night or the way he looked deep into her eyes when they
spoke. He hadn't given her a reason to doubt his sincerity and
he always seemed appreciative of each and every little thing
she did for him. She headed toward the kitchen to fix herself
a snack. There was still some peach pie left from earlier and
maybe she still had some Cool Whip in the refrigerator to top
it off. If not, she was sure she had a gallon of vanilla ice
cream buried beneath the chocolate chip cheese cake she was
saving for a special occasion. Lucky her metabolism burned
everything off because she'd had a sweet tooth ever since she
was a little girl.

Her grandmother hadn't made matters any better by

insisting that she learn how to bake from scratch. She sighed.
She missed those times when the two of them used to get
together in this very kitchen and roll out dough for cookies.
Her grandmother let her put the sugared sprinkles on the
finished product. Her mother was also a good cook and she
had taught Halle how to do gravies and soups. She had also
taught her the most valuable lesson of all that didn't have

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by Imari Jade

anything to do with cooking. She taught her how to hold her
head up high in the face of adversity.

The wind pushed against the kitchen door. Halle finished

her pie and milk and washed the dishes. The rain had started
again and it was gently pinging against the windows. Halle
turned off the kitchen light and walked down the hall. She'd
check on Langston first and then hop into the tub.

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Ten

The scent of honeysuckle entered the room even before

she did. Langston pretended to be asleep as she moved
around the room opening drawers and removing clothing. She
tried to be quiet, tip-toeing around so she wouldn't wake him.
She dashed into the bathroom and filled the tub with water.
He imagined her undressing, stripping out of her clothes and
underwear. He conjured up the image of her beautiful brown
body as she stood there nude, preparing to enter the water.

He heard a splash and then a sigh as she entered the

water.

I should be in there bathing her, rubbing the towel against

her skin and lathering her with soap. His penis bobbed
against his thigh. Maybe he should have kept his pajamas on
instead of taking them off when the fever returned.

The water drained from the tub. Langston pretended to be

asleep. Moments later Halle stuck her head out of the door
and then exited, wrapped in only a bath towel. She had
unbraided her hair and it hung loosely down her back like
thick black yarn. She tiptoed back over to the dresser and
bent to retrieve something from a bottom drawer, giving him
a tantalizing look at her sexy brown behind.

Halle rose and turned slowly. "Oh, you're awake?"
"Yes." Everything in him burned with need for her.
"How are you feeling?"
"I think my fever just spiked." He nodded to the towel that

had slipped down to just below her nipples.

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by Imari Jade

Halle looked down "Oops." She adjusted the towel. "I

thought you were still sleeping."

He made an attempt to get off of the bed. "Maybe I should

leave. I've taken over your room and making you feel
awkward in your own home."

"Nonsense." She hurried over to the bed and pushed him

back down. "You're still too weak to go gallivanting around
the bayous and as far as you being in my way, you're not. I
just forgot these." She held up a pair of panties in her hand
and just as soon as she realized what she held onto she
quickly put her hand behind her back. "Maybe I should go
back into the bathroom and get dressed."

Langston smiled at her. "No need to rush on my accord.

I'm enjoying the view."

The rain picked that particular time to beat steadily against

the window and the roof.

Halle noticed it too. "I like the sound the rain makes

against the tin roof. It's relaxing."

He wanted to snatch her into the bed with him. "Are you

trying to change the subject?"

She smiled weakly. "No, just trying to avoid it."
"Why?"
"Because I'm standing here nearly naked, and you are

naked beneath that sheet."

He rolled over to the side to get closer to her and leaned

on his elbow. "You're a very beautiful young woman," he
replied. "And desirable."

She smiled but tried to hide it. "What has brought this on?"
"The rain and the sight of you in that towel."

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by Imari Jade

"Are you're trying to say you're interested in me?"
Langston nodded. "That's exactly what I'm trying to say."
"That's the pain killers talking. You don't know anything

about me, just like I don't know anything about you."

"What do you want to know? My life is an open book. My

name is Langston Priestly. I'm thirty years old, single and
never married. I'm a documentary maker and I'm from New
York." He paused. "Your turn."

Halle adjusted the towel again but all that did was give him

a better view of her long legs and narrow waist. The striking
lightning illuminated the room and her creamy mocha skin.

"My name is Halle Johnson. I'm twenty-seven years old,

single and never been married. I'm a voodoo priestess from
Madison, Louisiana."

"Anything else?"
"Yes. Everyone around here thinks I'm trouble. So if you

know what's good for you you'd pack your things and get as
far away from this place and me as soon as possible." She
turned to go back into the bathroom.

It took everything in his power to hop out of the bed and

stop her. Pain shot through his injured leg but he ignored it
because stopping her seemed more important than any
damage he could do to his leg. "Don't do this. Don't succumb
to the gossip. I don't care about what anyone says about
you."

Halle stopped and turned around to face him. "You should.

They think I'm a murderess. Your life could be in danger."

Langston pulled her toward him and into his arms. The

towel dropped to the floor between them. "What can you

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by Imari Jade

possible do to harm me? If you wanted me gone, you could
have left me in the swamps to die. But you brought me here
and took care of me. That does not sound like the actions of a
murderess to me."

Their bodies pressed against each other. Langston lifted

her from the floor and she wrapped her hands around his
neck.

"Are you a murderess?"
She shook her head. "No, I'm not."
Before he continued he had to ask. "What about Bush? Are

you covering for him?"

"No, Bush never killed anyone, either."
"What about the man from the Voodoo ceremony? He was

covered in blood and I heard him scream."

Halle chuckled. "That was Vern. He's not dead either. It's

part of that particular ritual." She paused. "We do kill
chickens but we cook them later and eat them after the
ceremony."

That's all he needed to know. He ran his hand over her hip

and gently squeezed one of her butt cheeks. She moved in
closer to him.

"I've never been with a man before."
Langston inched them back toward the bed. "Those seven

little words are all I need. I'll be gentle, darling. For one night
stop thinking about this town and the gossip and think about
yourself."

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Eleven

His body is phenomenal, Halle thought as she watched

from a spot next to him on the bed. She slid her finger up his
good leg and watched the pale blonde hair rise from the
attention. Through the corner of her eyes she saw his penis
rise and bounce every time her fingers got close to his thigh.
She'd seen naked men before, all of them black and none of
them half as desirable as the man propped on her pillows.
Hair fell sexily across his forehead as he ran his fingers
through it. She closed her hands around his penis. "Do you
like the way this feels?" she asked as she slowly began to
stroke his shaft.

"More than you'll ever know. Your hands are so soft and

warm."

She lowered her head and took it into her mouth. She felt

the bed move as Langston laid back to enjoy what she was
doing to him. She wiggled her tongue around and tickled the
sides of his penis. She reached down with her free hand and
cupped his balls. They felt heavy with his semen and warm.
She moved that hand around them, cupping them and
weighing them while she continued to suck on his cock.

Langston moaned softly. She'd never done such an act

before so she really didn't know if she was doing it right.
From the sounds he made perhaps she might have some
skills in the area. She concentrated on the head, tickling the
little hole with her tongue until it rewarded her with seminal
fluid. It didn't have much of a taste, kind of bland with a

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

pinch of salt. She lowered her head to see how much of him
she could get in her mouth and stopped when she nearly
gagged.

"Your mouth makes me feel warm and tingly all over."
She let his penis slip out of her mouth and then she put it

back inside, pulling gently on the skin until she felt it bounce
against her teeth.

Langston gasped her name. "Halle."
Her body reacted to the sound of his voice. Her nipples

hardened with excitement. She released his balls and put
both hands around the shaft, massaging him while she drew
her mouth to the head again.

"If you don't stop that I am going to shoot."
Halle lifted her head.
Langston sat up and stared down at her. The stark

blueness of his eyes made her tremble. They were like two
glass marbles with deep blue irises. The sight warmed her all
over. She put her hand on his bad leg and kissed his thigh. "I
didn't hurt you, did I?"

Langston moved around on the bed. "No, you didn't." He

pulled her toward him and lowered his mouth to hers, kissing
her deeply.

Halle melted in his arms, surprised by how lethal his kisses

were. She closed her eyes, trying to enjoy it. His touch was
gentle and boy did he know his way around a mouth. The
next thing she knew she was on her back with those sexy lips
on one of her nipples.

"Um," she purred as the heat from his breath touched her

delicate flesh. He manipulated the other nipple with his

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by Imari Jade

fingers. It tightened and budded with his touch. Her back
arched automatically as she discovered what it would be like
to nurse a baby at her breast.

"You have very beautiful nipples," Langston said as he

switched sides. "I can suck on them forever."

Halle sighed at the thought. They didn't have forever. In a

couple of weeks he would have his story and be gone.

Langston left her breast area and worked his way down

her sternum, planting gentle kisses that made her giggle.

She reached up and touched his silky soft, blonde hair. It

curled around her fingers.

Langston stopped kissing her stomach long enough to

stare up at her. "I want to taste you."

Halle eyes widened. "Does that mean you want to...?"
"Oh yeah." He lowered his head and then raised her

thighs.

Halle hoped he couldn't see the flush on her face.
"You smell like honeysuckle." He ran his tongue against

the lips of her vagina.

"Uh." Her back arched again. "That feels so wonderful."
Langston continued, egged on by her words. He used his

tongue to part the delicate flesh, gently nibbling on it as she
thrashed above him. His tongue entered her.

"Oh, oh," she moaned. Oddly enough it didn't feel as

strange as she thought it would. His tongue was rough yet
soft as it got personal with her walls. Her body opened and
grew moist as he licked and sucked her into submission. Halle
could not control herself or the situation as he introduced a
finger inside of her and went back to work on the lips.

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by Imari Jade

Her buttocks lifted from the mattress and her thighs

cramped as she tried to take control but Langston just
continued. Her stomach clenched as he worked on her clitoris.
Nothing could compare to the feel of this man making love to
her with his mouth and fingers. Halle bit her bottom lip as
Langston bore down on her clitoris with a little more force and
she exploded. "Oh!" Her hips rose but he held her down,
licking at her juices as they flowed from her body.

"Ah!" Her hand left his head and joined the other on her

stomach, comforting the spasms as they rolled through her.
Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, they quieted and
she lay flat against the bed exhausted and satisfied.

Langston raised his head. "Don't die on me yet. The best is

yet to come."

"Are you serious?" she asked. "I can't move."
Langston smiled down at her. "You don't have to move a

muscle." He maneuvered his way between her legs and
pressed the head of his penis against her wet opening.

"Oh no," she gasped as he entered her. "I'm still a virgin."
He smiled down on her wickedly. "You mentioned that

earlier." He rose over her and his penis dangled over her
thigh. "I want you to close your eyes and don't open them
until I tell you to."

Halle looked up at him skeptically. "I don't like the sound

of that."

"It will all be over before you know it."
"It's going to hurt."
"Only if you fight me. Just close your eyes, relax, and think

happy thoughts." He moved back into position. "Now close

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by Imari Jade

those big brown eyes. We're going to do this on the count of
three."

Halle nodded and closed her eyes.
Langston's hands went to her hips and he lifted her until

their private areas met. "Okay count along with me."

"One."
"One."
"Two."
"Two."
"Three."
He entered her before she could reply. "Ouch." Pain shot

through her entire body. Halle hit against his chest. "You
tricked me."

Langston chuckled. "I didn't mean to. I just tried to lessen

the pain for you. Did it work?"

The pain gradually subsided. She tightened her thighs

around his waist and slid down on him. "What do you think?"

He went in, touching the sides of her vaginal walls,

marking his territory. She didn't hurt but she did itch. As if
reading her mind he moved inside of her to scratch it. Halle
put her hands flat against his chest, rubbing the scant blonde
hair that curled softly against his skin. She bent from the
waist and kissed a blue vein that throbbed just below his
nipple. His body was pale and beautiful, like sculptured snow.
She pushed up and looked down on him. "I've always had a
thing for blue eyes."

Langston put his hands on her hips and moved her up and

down his shaft. She rolled her buttocks around, grinding them
against his abdomen.

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by Imari Jade

"I've always had a thing for sexy voodoo priestesses." He

whimpered. "Roll that butt, girl. You don't know what that
does to me."

Halle stifled a giggled. He sounded so corny, but she did as

he asked, meeting him thrust for thrust. She always felt self-
conscious about the size of her rear and his attempt at sex
talk erased any doubt from her mind that it was adequate
enough to please a man.

Langston rolled her over and curved her legs around his

hips. He buried his penis deep inside of her.

Halle arched her back as he sank into her wetness. He

continued to pound into her, moving in and then out and then
back in again, driving her mad with desire. He withdrew
slowly, teasing her only with the head of his cock. She never
liked to be teased as a child but this she could get used to. He
withdrew again and then eased back in, sinking so close to
her womb her knees shook. "Oh my goodness."

"Is that a good 'oh my goodness' or a bad 'oh my

goodness'."

Halle trembled beneath him. "That was a great 'oh my

goodness'."

"Hold on. I'm about to rock your world."
He raised her hips and sank deep.
"Oh yes," she gasped as the wave of the orgasm tore

through her. She clutched at his back, raking her nails against
it.

Langston held on to her as wave after wave erupted inside.

Her entire body felt alive and so exhilarated.

"That's it, enjoy it."

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by Imari Jade

Her body continued to shake as he resumed his position

and continued to make love to her, gently at first to let her
catch her breath and then with a passion egged on by the
rain that pelted against the window.

Halle closed her eyes and tried to enjoy the moment for

what it was worth, and just when she thought it couldn't get
any better he flipped her over on her stomach and took her
from behind.

She trembled again.
"Don't be afraid," he whispered into her ear. "I won't hurt

you."

"I'm not afraid," she replied. "Just curious. Oh! That feels

heavenly."

He lifted her until she was on her knees and he was

crouched behind her, moving in and out of her slowly. He
took in air as he pulled out and then slowly pushed back in.
"You have no idea how wonderful this feels."

"Should you be putting so much weight on that leg?"
"I don't care. I'll just have to suffer later. Right now all I

can think about is how good you feel. Your skin is so soft and
the view from back here is breathtaking."

Halle blushed. She couldn't see anything but the pillows on

the bed, not that she cared. His movements increased. "Oh,
my. Maybe I shouldn't have chosen this position."

"What's wrong?"
"I'm about to come."
She rocked back on his penis. "You're so silly. Isn't that

what you're supposed to do?"

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by Imari Jade

He laughed with her. "No, I wanted to make this night last

forever. Oh, baby."

He shook above her, holding on to her buttocks with both

hands at first and then his body slid forward until he lay
against her back. "Hold on." He slipped out and then slammed
into her.

What in the world did he do? "Oh shit that feels so

wonderful." Her body responded with another orgasm at the
same time as his. Her knees buckled beneath her sending
both of them spiraling onto the mattress into a heap. Neither
seemed to mind as their organs opened and released like the
clouds up in the sky.

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Twelve

All good things had to come to an end, Langston

discovered a few days later after the doctor arrived and gave
him a clean bill of health. He packed up his things and moved
back to the Bed and Breakfast even though Halle insisted that
he wasn't crowding her if he wanted to stay with her. Luckily
there was still a room at the bed and breakfast. The Browns,
the owners of Maddie's Bed and Breakfast, were out of town
but the young woman they left in charge welcomed him and
gave him back to the keys to his room. The next morning he
decided to take a trip around town to find out a couple of
things before he went back to work. He turned the rental car
into the parking lot of a local diner and climbed out. He hadn't
had time to eat before he left and he was starved.

The diner was clean and very crowded he discovered when

he entered. He had eaten at many such places in his lifetime
but this one had that small town charm the big city diners
didn't have. The place had most of its original fixtures,
including an antique soda fountain and juke box. He walked
over to the counter and hopped up on a barstool and got the
waitress' attention.

"You're the guy who's been staying with Halle."
Langston nodded at the young black woman. "Yes."
She pulled out an ink pen and pad from her pocket. "What

will it be?"

"Donuts and coffee."
"How many?"

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by Imari Jade

"Three if it's not too much trouble."
She looked him over. "No, not too much trouble. Glazed,

chocolate or jelly?"

"Glazed. Hot if you have it."
"Three hot, glazed donuts and a cup of coffee coming up."
Langston watched her walk away wondering who she was.

She returned quickly.

Langston accepted the plate, finding it odd that everyone

seemed to know him. "Thanks." He paused. "Do I know you?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm a friend of Halle's. My name

is Jasmin Record."

Langston carefully picked up his cup of coffee, trying not to

react now that he had a face to fit the voice he'd heard in
Halle's home a couple of days ago. Funny, she didn't look like
a sex addict. This was one of those cases when looks were
deceiving.

Jasmin Record looked like the girl next door, with a creamy

brown complexion, reddish brown bob haircut and big brown
eyes. She was just a tad taller than Halle, but thinner.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Record. I moved out of Halle's

place and I'm back at the bed and breakfast."

Jasmin busied herself cleaning the counter. "Why? Don't

you like her?"

He nearly choked on the coffee. "Yes, I like her very much.

That's why I left. I didn't want to be a burden and impose on
her any more than I have." He picked up a napkin and
dabbed the coffee from his chin and then the picked up a
donut and sampled it. "This is good."

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by Imari Jade

"It's homemade and one of the diner's specialties. Now

don't change the subject. Halle likes you."

"What makes you think that?"
"Well, I've never seen her so happy and out of everyone in

this little psychotic hamlet, Halle Johnson deserves some
happiness."

"Care to elaborate?"
"Don't tell me you haven't noticed how most of the folks

around here treat her."

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have. Why is that?"
"Because they're crazy."
A bell tinkled and the door to the diner opened. Langston

turned at the sound. A middle-aged woman walked in,
dressed from head to toe in what he'd call church clothes.

"Talk about queen crazy," Jasmin whispered to him.

"Watch out for that one. She'll be over here and in your
business shortly."

"Who is she?"
Jasmin leaned forward and re-filled his coffee. "That's

Elnora Jackson, the town's biggest gossip."

The other woman waved at Jasmin and then to some of

the other diners. Elnora then walked over to one of the
tables, clutching her purse under her arm as if she expected
someone to steal it. A few minutes later the noise level rose
in the diner as Elnora and another woman talked.

Langston went back to his coffee and his conversation with

Jasmin. "How long have you and Halle been friends?"

"All our lives. We used to play together as kids and we

went to school together."

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by Imari Jade

"Then you're in a position to answer a question. Why does

everyone in this town seem to hate her, and don't tell me
because they're crazy."

Jasmin laughed. "They don't hate her. They're scare of her.

Most of them think she can cast spells on them. You know
how it is? They're not willing to accept her for her different
religious practices and Halle doesn't help matters much by
not putting them in their place when they confront her with
their accusations."

"When did all of this start?"
"A few years ago, back when Jim Pritchard disappeared."
"Who is Jim Pritchard?"
"A guy Halle used to date. He grew up here, too, and then

one day he just disappeared after the two of them got into a
very loud argument."

He made a mental note not to get into a loud argument

with Halle.

"What was the argument about?"
"I don't know. I wasn't there but he must have started it.

Halle never argues. She's the sweetest, most even-tempered
woman I know." She looked up and frowned. "Trouble's
coming."

Langston looked over his shoulder. Elnora Jackson headed

over his way with her purse still clutched under her arm like a
football. Her cologne got to the counter before her.

"What can I get for you today?" Jasmin asked once Elnora

hitched up her skirts and sat next to him at the counter. She
moved her purse from under her arm and put it beneath the
counter.

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by Imari Jade

"A cup of tea and a piece of apple pie."
Jasmin went off to fill the order, leaving him alone with

Elnora.

"You're Langston Priestly, aren't you?"
"Yes, do I know you?"
"Not really. My name is Elnora Jackson. I'm a friend of

Halle's."

Langston extended his hand to Elnora and she shook it.

"Nice to meet you."

"No, the pleasure is mine. I heard you came to our fair

town to do a documentary on the wetlands and the bayou and
got a less than friendly welcome from a water moccasin."

"Yes, I've had better receptions but to be fair, I invaded its

territory."

Elnora laughed loudly.
He did not think it was that funny.
"Halle failed to tell me that you had such a delightful sense

of humor."

"You've discussed me with Halle?"
"Of course. The two of us are real close, almost like

sisters. She tells me everything."

Langston doubted that. He also caught the expression on

Jasmin's face when Elnora said what she said.

"Huh, that close? Well, I'm glad to know you're such good

friends with Halle. I was beginning to think she didn't have
any friends since she never spoke of anyone. The only person
I ever met during my stay was her cousin, Bush."

He had in fact overheard both conversations Halle had with

Elnora and Jasmin.

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by Imari Jade

"I came by just the other day. Halle said you were asleep

in her bed."

Langston frowned. Halle never said that. "Miss Johnson

was good enough to let me use her room. She's a nice young
woman. I don't know too many people who would go out of
their way to make a stranger feel welcome."

"Our Halle's special that way. She must be very lonely out

there all by herself without a man to take care of her."

"She seems to be doing all right without one. She's seems

very independent to me."

"Yes, but she's just too pretty to be without a man."
"Maybe she prefers it that way."
"Well, she's been that way since Jim Pritchard

disappeared." She chuckled. "The two of them used to be
quite an item in high school. Everyone thought they were
going to get married."

"Why didn't they?"
Elnora leaned in closer. "Rumor has it that the two of them

got into an argument and Halle killed him and dropped his
body into the bayou behind her house."

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Thirteen

Langston never thought he'd be driving around town

asking questions like in his younger days as an investigative
reporter. Back then he spent countless hours hunting up dirt
around town for tabloids. His victims were usually politicians
and movie stars. But that was a long time ago and he
wondered if he still had the skills. It also gave him the chance
to see a little more of Madison.

It was a nice place with quaint little houses. Kids played in

parks and in their yards, innocent to all the lies and deception
all around them. To the novice eye, Madison was like any
small town, but to the trained eye of a reporter it was a gold
mine of sordid little stories. So far he had talked to about a
handful of people and all of them had no problem telling him
their rendition of what happened between Bill Pritchard and
Halle Johnson. Each story was just a little bit different but
each led him to another person to talk to.

Myrtle Washington hopefully was the last person. She had

lived in Madison all her life and at eighty, considered to be
one of the most knowledgeable people in the area when it
came to information. In her younger days Myrtle served at
the town's historian, but she had retired and only saw a few
visitors. Langston made sure he called ahead and got the
okay before driving over.

Myrtle's house lay deep in the woods, across the bayou

from Halle's. The mid-sized post-colonial structure sat
sheltered among the cypress and willow trees indigenous to

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by Imari Jade

the area. It also sat on about two acres of land. One
dedicated solely to the raising of sugar cane.

Myrtle's granddaughter, Frieda, answered the door. She

was around his age.

"Come on in, Mr. Priestly." She led him into the house and

to a parlor where Myrtle waited. He saw the resemblance
instantly. Myrtle Washington was a short white woman with
mangled grey hair and blue eyes. Frieda had the same blue
eyes but she was much taller than her grandmother and
outweighed her by about fifty pounds. Frieda left the room.

Myrtle sat in a bentwood rocker with an afghan coverlet

thrown across her knees. She offered him a seat across from
her which he accepted.

He looked around the well-kept room. The wooden floors

where polished and the furniture looked expensive. The walls
were littered with pictures of Myrtle with family members and
some well-known celebrities. One picture in particular caught
his attention. It was a picture of a young Myrtle Washington
and a young black woman who bared a striking resemblance
to Halle Johnson.

"That's me and my best friend, Marion Johnson, Halle's

grandmother."

"They could be twins."
"Could have been," Myrtle corrected him. "But you should

have seen Halle's mother Emma. Now there was a beauty
both inside and out. Marion, too. No wonder Halle turned out
looking the way she did."

"Yes, she certainly is beautiful."
"The only thing she has from her father is those eyes."

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by Imari Jade

"Did you know Halle's father? She's never talked about

him."

"Sure I knew him. His name was Calloway."
"Is he still alive? I'd like to meet him."
"No, I'm afraid not. He was killed in a car accident about a

month before Halle was born."

"That's a shame."
"You said you're a friend of Halle's. Are you from around

here?"

"No, as I explained to your granddaughter, I'm from New

York and I'm here doing a documentary on the bayous and
wetlands for a magazine I write for."

"So what does that have to do with Halle?"
"Well, she took care of me recently when I got bit by a

water moccasin."

"I heard something like that." She adjusted her glasses on

the bridge of her nose. "I also heard that there was a fine
looking white man staying across the bayou near here."

Langston blushed. "Yes, well I moved out but I can't help

but get the feeling that everyone in town is trying to warn me
about something."

"You don't seem like the type to listen to idle gossip."
"Normally I'm not."
"But you're interested in forming a relationship with Halle,

and you're afraid to do so unless you clear the fact that there
are no skeletons in her closet."

Was his feeling for Halle that transparent?
Frieda rejoined them, bringing in a tray of tea and little

cakes.

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"Yes, that's right. I've heard some pretty horrible rumors. I

don't believe any of them but I just can't figure out why talk
like that got started."

"It's simple. Halle is a young, beautiful, and single African

American woman who practices Voodoo in the bayou. It's
fodder for gossip. Everyone is just angry because she refuses
to conform to what they consider a normal life. They just
don't understand to Halle, her life is normal. So they make up
stories that have gotten so out of hand the tellers now
actually believe their lies."

"Like the one about the disappearance of Bill Pritchard?"
"No, that one is true," Frieda replied as she served them

team. "He disappeared about six years ago. No one around
here has seen him since."

"You know everyone I've talked to, including Sheriff Tate,

thinks Halle murdered him and dumped him into that bayou
out there."

Frieda looked at her grandmother and then sipped her tea.
"Don't tell me the two of you believe she could do

something like that?"

"Don't be crazy," Myrtle replied curtly. "Of course not.

Halle Johnson isn't a murderer."

"Then why the side-ways glance just now between the two

of you?"

Frieda put down her tea. "It's because of me. I started that

rumor a long time ago because I was jealous. Both Halle and
I dated Bill Pritchard in high school but he stopped seeing me
and started dating Halle exclusively. Then one day he just
disappeared and no one ever heard from him again. Both

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by Imari Jade

Halle and I were questioned by the police. I guess I sort of
panicked and said maybe Halle killed him and dumped him
into the bayou." She sighed. "I tried to recant the remark
later but by then it had spread all over this part of Louisiana."

Langston frowned. "So Halle is suffering all this humiliation

because of your jealousy?"

Frieda nodded. "Pretty much so. I'd take back what I said

if I could but no one will listen. They'd rather believe Halle is
a murderer."

"So no one has heard from Bill Pritchard? People just don't

disappear from the face of the earth."

"This one did."
"So how can you be sure Halle didn't kill him?"
Myrtle grew tired of the argument. "Because I know Halle.

That girl wouldn't harm a flea."

"How can you be sure?" Langston asked. "How well do you

really know her?"

"Better than you think," Myrtle answered. "Halle is my

granddaughter."

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Fourteen

"Glad to see you made it back here alive," Victor Brown,

the co-owner of Maddie's Bed and Breakfast, said as the two
of them sat in the parlor about to eat breakfast. Victor was a
thin white man who dressed in overalls like a farmer instead
of a businessman. His sparse gray hair lay plastered to the
left side of his head with enough grease to fry fish in it. His
southern twang gave his lineage away.

"Why wouldn't I come back alive?" Langston buttered his

toast and bit into it.

Victor's wife Maddie entered the parlor struggling with a

tray of ham, grits and eggs. It was the first time he'd seen
either of them since he moved out of Halle's place.

Langston hopped up and took the tray away from her and

placed it on the counter.

"Thank you. My arthritis is acting up today."
She wasn't much bigger than her husband but she could

cook.

"I was just telling Mr. Langston that I'm glad he got back

from Halle's alive."

Maddie shook an angry finger in his face. "I think it's about

time we stop gossiping about that young lady. After all, she
took real good care of him. Even the doctor said she did a
great job nursing him back to health."

Victor grinned wickedly. "What else did she do for you?"
"Miss Johnson was the perfect hostess and I'm grateful for

everything she did for me. She's a real fine lady."

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by Imari Jade

Victor hooted. "Ooh, you're smitten with her. The last man

who fell in love with her ended up dead."

The eggs congealed in Langston's gut. "How?" Maybe

moving back in with this man wasn't such a good idea.

"He just disappeared."
Maddie clucked at him. "Jim Pritchard ain't dead. He

probably got tired of this place and got the hell out of here."
She exhaled. "I swear sometimes you men gossip worse than
a bunch of women. And Sheriff Tate is no better," she
sputtered. "I used to believe all that crap too. So I did me
some investigating lately. The dead man they found last week
in the bayou had a heart attack and fell out of his boat."

Victor's smile disappeared. "Who told you that?"
"The coroner. The sheriff knows, too, but he'd rather kick

up mess rather than tell the truth."

Langston went back to his food. Too bad the rest of the

town wasn't as smart as Maddie.

"You sweet on Halle?"
Or conniving. "A little. She'd make some man a fine wife."
Maddie winked at him. "I knew it. I think you're a nice

young man. Halle deserves someone like you after all she's
been through."

"I can't believe the sheriff has been pulling my leg all these

years," Victor muttered under his breath. He picked up his
cup of coffee. "Kind of takes the mystery out of this town
now. Her being a murdering voodoo priestess brought in a lot
of tourist business."

Spoken like a true businessman, Langston mused. Too bad

poor Halle had to suffer because of it.

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Fifteen

The old house seemed empty now that Langston had

moved out. Bush stopped by earlier to see how things were
going and unfortunately he sounded relieved to find out that
Langston had left. Halle sat awaiting Jasmin Record's weekly
visit.

Fond memories of her and Langston's night together

played vividly in her head. He'd made her first time
memorable, making her come over and over again and
exploding inside her with such passion. Then later on the next
day they ended up back in bed again, this time making love
slowly while listening to the last remnants of the storm. He
promised to call her later after he spoke to his editor.

Jasmin blew her horn.
Halle rose, walked to the screen door and stepped outside

onto the porch. The air smelled fresh and clean, mixed with a
little seafood and bayou marsh. Alligators splashed in the
water and pelicans flew overhead. Jasmin stepped out of the
car, looking uncharacteristically comfortable in a pair of
denims, a tee shirt and brown thong sandals. She looked
cute.

Jasmin closed the car door and walked up the stairs and

stood next to her on the porch, looking out at the bayou.
When they were younger they used to swing on a tire Bush
made for them in the backyard. Halle sighed. That seemed
like so long ago.

"The day turned out real nice after all that rain."

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Halle agreed with her. "Sure did. Come on in. I got a fresh

pot of coffee brewing and some pecan pie."

Jasmin hugged her. "Good old Halle. You always know

what I need."

Halle opened the screen door and allowed Jasmin to enter

before her. Once inside they traveled to the kitchen, arriving
just as the coffee maker's alarm sounded. Jasmin sat down at
the kitchen table while Halle got their coffee and pie.

"I made an appointment to see a sex therapist next week."
"What brought this on?" Halle added Splenda to her coffee

while Jasmin added white sugar.

Jasmin chuckled nervously. "Don't you think it's about

time? Come on, even I know I'm sick."

Halle sighed. "I don't think you're sick, and I never did. I

think you're just looking for love in all the wrong places."

Jasmin agreed. "Maybe you should go to school to become

a psychiatrist."

"I've thought about it but I think there's some rule

forbidding the selling love potions on the side."

Jasmin laughed. "Selling love potions is not as bad as

selling your soul for sex." She sighed deeply. "I've taken a
real good look at my life lately and I don't like what I see.
There is no excuse for what I've done." She rubbed at her
hand. "I just stood in the shower this morning for hours
crying and trying to get this dirt out of my system."

"There's nothing dirty about sex. You just haven't found

the right person. You know, someone who makes you feel
special."

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Jasmin raised her cup to her lips. "Do you really think

there's someone like that out there for me?"

Halle nodded. "Maybe not in Madison, or even New

Orleans, but he's out there." She cut into her pie and placed a
piece in her mouth. The flaky crust melted on her tongue.

"Have you found someone like that?"
"I believe so."
Jasmin leaned closer, looking just like the little girl she

grew up with. "Any one I know?"

"I don't think so. He's new in town."
Jasmin relaxed back in the chair. "What's he like?"
"He's funny, kind and he has this New York twang that

makes my knees weak."

"A northerner?"
Halle nodded. "With big blue eyes and thick blonde hair."
Jasmin sputtered. "He's white."
"Um hum and sexy."
"Does he have any brothers at home?"
Halle chuckled. "I don't know. I'll ask him the next time I

see him."

Jasmin ate some of her pie. "This is so good, just like the

kind your grandmother used to make."

"It's her recipe."
"Can I ask you something personal?"
"Ask away."
"How many men have you been with sexually?"
Halle blushed. "Only one."
"Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack. I just recently lost my virginity."

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by Imari Jade

Jasmin laughed. "This town is a bitch. Here you are, the

nicest person in the world being accused of being a slut and a
murderess, and here I am the biggest slut in the world and a
murderess being accused of being an angel. We both need to
get the fuck out of this town before we die a miserable
death."

"Go figure. You make sure you make that appointment just

to clear your conscience. This town won't know what you've
done unless you tell them."

"You're a good friend, Halle Johnson."
Halle agreed. The only thing stopping Jasmin from having

a decent life is herself.

* * * *

Halle's telephone rang later that evening. "Hello."
"Hello, beautiful."
Halle's mouth formed a smile from ear to ear. "Hello."
"I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too."
"Are you busy?"
Her stomach clenched with desire. "No, what's on your

mind?"

"Dinner and a movie."
"Huh?"
"Dinner and a movie. Would you like to go out with me

tomorrow night?"

"That's original. I thought you were tying to sneak over

here tonight for a little sex."

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Langston chuckled. "That thought has crossed my mind

but I don't want to add fuel to the gossip fire."

"You think they won't be gossiping if they see us out on a

date?"

"That's good gossip, anyway. I really don't care what

people say about me, I never have."

"Me either, well, not lately."
"What's the finest restaurant here in town?"
"McDonald's."
"I'm serious."
"So am I. That's the name of the place. It's just off the

main highway. You don't have to wear a tuxedo to enter but
it's nice, or so I've heard."

"You've never eaten there?"
"No, never saw the need to."
"Find the need to. Let's get gussied up and have a

wonderful night out on the town just you and me." He
whispered some sexy endearments into the receiver that
made her all wet between the legs and then he hung up.

"What in the hell am I going to wear?" She ran over to her

closet and fished through. "Nothing is right. I'll just have to
go to the mall tomorrow and to the salon to get my hair
done."

"Red is definitely your color," Langston said to her when he

showed up at her door the next day. Halle let him in, glad he
liked her new hair color. He handed her a bouquet of flowers
and then handed a box of golf balls to Bush who stopped by
to check on her.

"How do you know that he likes to play golf?"

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by Imari Jade

"He looks like a golfer."
Bush laughed. "He stopped by to see me the other day and

we got to talking."

"Your cousin is a really nice fellow when he's not carrying a

machete."

"Langston stopped by and asked my permission to take

you out on this date."

Halle nearly dropped the flowers. "He did what?"
"He's an old-fashioned guy," Bush explained as he admired

the balls. "Since I'm your only living male relative, he asked
to court you and I gave my permission."

Halle eyed her cousin suspiciously. "What changed your

mind about him?"

"You can learn a lot about a person just by talking with

them."

"And it had nothing to do with those golf balls."
Langston laughed. "No, we got around to discussing sports

and that's when I learned that Bush is a golfer. I just happen
to like to play a round or two myself and I just happen to
have a friend in New York that's a professional golfer. I called
him up and he shipped those balls by FedEx for Bush."

Halle grinned. "You traded me for golf balls?"
"No," Bush said innocently. "He's sending me a set of

autographed golf clubs, too."

Halle hit him playfully on the arm.
"Don't keep her out too late."
"I won't," Langston promised. "We're just going into town

to McDonald's and then to a movie."

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by Imari Jade

"I hope you're talking about the restaurant and not that

fast food place."

"It's the restaurant. I even made reservations."
"Sweet. Hey, Halle can't have any strawberries, she's

allergic to them."

Halle punched him on the arm again. "I'm not six, Bush. I

think I'm capable of controlling my allergies."

He kissed her on the forehead. "I know."
"Would you like me to bring you something back to eat?"
Bush shook his head. "No, I'll just raid your refrigerator."
"There's still some gumbo in the freezer and some pecan

pie."

Langston perked up. "Did you say pecan pie?"
Bush nodded. "Halle makes the best in the south. I'll save

you a piece."

"I'll hold you to that," Langston said as he held the door

open for Halle.

"I'll bake two more tomorrow," Halle said as they walked

down the stairs.

"You'll be too tired."
She slid into the rental car and Langston ran around to the

driver's side and got in. "Really, it's no trouble. I don't have
any clients scheduled tomorrow to tire me out."

Langston reached over and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm

not talking about that. I plan to bring you back here later and
make sweet, sweet love to you, darling, until the crack of
dawn."

* * * *

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Sixteen

McDonald's was a quaint little restaurant and not at all

what Langston expected to find in the tiny little town. The
owner, Mercedes McDonald, ran a very classy establishment
with well dressed waiters and waitresses and served a five
star menu from seafood to steak. Langston eyed his date
while perusing the menu.

She looked absolutely adorable with her new short hairdo

and snazzy blue pants suit. She even wore heels that brought
her height nearly eye level to him.

"See anything you like?"
"I sure do," Langston answered watching her eyes as they

moved around the menu.

Halle looked over and caught him staring at her. He

winked at her.

"I mean on the menu?"
Langston looked back down at his menu. "I think I'd like to

try the steak."

"Red meat will kill you."
"Yes, I know, but what a way to go. How about you?"
"A nice big, thick piece of meat doesn't sound bad at all

now that you mentioned it."

She removed her shoe and used her toes to stroke his leg

all the way up to crotch. Thank God for tablecloths.

He lowered the menu. "That can be arranged but only if

you'll allow me to butter your brown buns."

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by Imari Jade

Halle giggled and it warmed his heart. It also drew the

attention of several of the diners who'd been staring at them
since they walked in. One in particular...Sheriff Tate.

Halle followed his eyes to the officer's table. "Don't look

now but we're about to have company.

Langston frowned. "I thought we could enjoy a meal

without a disturbance."

"Good evening, folks."
Halle nodded at the man.
"Good evening, sheriff."
"I'm surprised to see the two of you here."
"Why?"
"No particular reason except I thought you were

recovering from snake bite."

Langston stuck out his leg. "It's healing nicely. Miss

Johnson took good care of it."

Tate looked at Halle. "I guess you heard about the body

we found in the bayou near your home."

"Yes, you know there are no secrets in this town. "What

about it?"

"Just thought you'd like to know that the man died of a

heart attack. So you're cleared this time."

Halle smirked at him. "It's nice of you to come all the way

over here to tell me that."

The sheriff frowned at her. "You know, it's only a matter of

time before you and your people slip up."

Halle shrugged his shoulders. "Let me know when you find

something but until then, I plan to enjoy my date with Mr.
Priestly if you don't mind."

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

The sheriff didn't hide his emotions well. Sweat beaded on

his forehead. "So the two of you are dating now?"

"Yes," Langston answered. "Do you have a problem with

it?"

"No, I don't but there may be a few in town that might."
"Is it illegal for a documentary maker and a voodoo

priestess to date?"

"Don't be a smart ass. You know what I mean."
"Oh, you mean because I'm white and she's black?"
"Exactly."
"Well you can tell those people to kiss my butt."
Halle giggled.
"Be careful in the wetlands, Priestly. The next time you

might run into something deadlier than a snake."

"Thanks for your concern, Sheriff, but I've already alerted

my people that if anything should happen to me or Miss
Johnson while I'm down here they should tear this town apart
until they find out what happened."

"You don't have that much power."
"Did I neglect to tell you that my father works for the

FBI?"

Sheriff Tate backed away. "You're bluffing."
"Try me and find out."
The sheriff walked away from the table in a huff.
"That's the first time I ever saw him back down from

anyone. Are you telling the truth?"

Langston nodded. "He's retired now but they call him in for

cases from time to time."

"Must be nice to have a father to get you out of trouble."

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by Imari Jade

"I don't need my father, darling. I know how to handle

people like Sheriff Tate. I could write a story that would bring
every journalist in the country down here."

Halle gasped. "You wouldn't really write that story would

you?"

"No, not unless you want me to. I'd be just as him,

spreading tabloid gossip without any proof."

The waitress finally arrived to take their orders. Her hand

shook because she was nervous. Halle ignored all of it,
pretending not to notice.

"How can you stand it?"
"They're afraid of me. They think I can put a hex on them

or something."

"Can you?"
Halle rolled her eyes at him but didn't deny it.
"Why do I have the feeling that there's more to Halle

Johnson than meets the eye."

"Because there is."

* * * *

Sheriff's Tate's little visit did not put much of a damper on

their dinner as Langston thought. Halle held her own, wolfing
down a sizeable amount of her steak, following up with a
baked potato, and a piece of bread pudding for dessert. After
dinner they went to the movies and watched a vampire flick
Halle just had to see. He found it funny but didn't really get
why she seemed so enamored with the lead vampire. He
wasn't anything special with all that dark hair and big blue
eyes.

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by Imari Jade

"What is that noise?" Halle had just finished explaining to

him why women fall in love with fanged fictional characters.

"Sounded like an accident," Langston replied. "A bad one."
He hadn't seen much traffic on the dark highway since

they left the movies but there was certainly something
happening up ahead of them now.

Halle tried to wiggle forward to get a better look but her

seatbelt held her in place.

Normally he didn't chase ambulances but this looked

serious. A woman frantically tried to get his attention by
standing in the middle of the highway, waving her hands. He
pulled over to the side of the road and parked. One car lay
flipped on its right side near the edge of the bayou, and the
other car behind it hadn't fared much better. The impact
forced it sideways in the road.

"Call 911," Langston said, handing Halle his cell phone. He

stepped outside his car to see if he could help.

Halle joined him a few seconds later.
"The police and ambulance are on their way."
Three bodies lay in the road, a male lay trapped and

unconscious in the flipped car. The hysterical woman kept
trying to tell him something but she only spoke Spanish and
he didn't understand her.

The woman repeated herself.
"It's her baby," Halle said, kicking out of her shoes. "He's

in the bayou."

Before he could stop her, Halle ran toward the bayou and

jumped into the water. "Halle! Oh, my lord Halle!"

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Langston ran back to his car and pulled a flashlight from

his trunk and then ran back over to the bayou and trained it
on the water. Halle resurfaced for a moment and then the
dove back into the murky bayou.

Two police cruisers and an ambulance arrived. Sheriff Tate

stepped out. He ran over to the car. "It's my son's car." He
ordered the other officers to help get his son out of the car.

The young Spanish woman hurried over to him. Sheriff

Tate's body shook and he ran toward the bayou, recognizing
him. "What's going on, Priestly?"

"There a baby in the water. It must have been thrown on

impact. Halle's in the water trying to find it.

"That's my grandson." He began to remove his uniform.
Langston never felt so useless in his life. His leg still wasn't

completely healed and afraid it would go out. "I'll help try to
extract your son while you help Halle."

Tate agreed. "Have my men call for divers."
Halle resurfaced again at the same time the other

policemen freed his son. This time with the small child in her
arms. The paramedics ran over to assist her, taking the
infant, and began performing CPR on it. Sheriff Tate fell to his
knees crying.

Langston pulled his soaking wet date into his arms. "You

scared me half to death."

Her teeth chattered. Langston removed his jacket and

slung it around her shoulders. "You could have been killed."

"Sometimes I react before I think. All I know is that I had

to find him."

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Other emergency vehicles arrived. One of them insisted

that Halle let them examine her. "I'm okay, just a little cold.

One handed her a blanket. "You're a hero, miss. The little

fellow's fine and breathing on his own."

"I'm so glad."
Sheriff Tate walked over to them once he made sure his

son and grandson were okay and were taken to the hospital.
"I've been wrong, Ms. Johnson, for the way I've treated you
all these years. You did a very heroic thing tonight and I
wouldn't have blamed you if you hadn't tried to help."

"I didn't have time to think about it. I just reacted. I

couldn't see a thing in the dark water but then I felt this little
hand. I scooped him up and place him on my chest and swam
to the surface."

"I'm so glad you speak Spanish," Langston replied.
"It's part of my culture."
Sheriff Tate shook her hand. "Thanks again. I better get to

the hospital."

Langston watched him walk away. "Miracles do happen."

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Seventeen

Halle watched as the worshipers paraded the oufo flags at

the beginning of the Voodoo ceremony. The people danced,
warming the air along with the rhythms of the drums around
the poteau-mitan. Others carried in food for the Loas to eat
so they could recover their strength from their long journey
and to enable them to grant favors to their servants.

Exotica rested contently around her waist as the serpent's

power entered her body. By doing so spirit, wealth and
happiness was supposed to possess everyone present.

The dancing continued. Halle's hips swayed rhythmically as

she connected with the spirit world. It had been a long day of
giving advice, healing, and distributing herbs to those who
sought her out. She also evoked a few spells for those who
asked. A woman came to her for a healing spell, while
another wanted one to help her fall in love. The biggest joy of
the day was when a little old man came to her for a spell to
put a little joy in everyone's lives.

While she danced the other worshipers who weren't

dancing continued to enter the hounfort with offerings for the
spirits. They carried things like eggs, tobacco, and
liquor...small things that they could afford to offer. An
assortment of symbolic articles lay on the altar. Candles,
money, food, necklaces and amulets sat next to pictures of
Catholic saints, ceremonial rattles, bottles of rum and other
items in no logical order. She would perform the ritual of the
altar once the spirits arrived. Halle continued to dance to the

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by Imari Jade

sound of the chanting, of the drumming, calling up the
immortal spirits to come down from the cosmic plane to visit.
She grazed her foot across the ground and hopped as she
performed the Dyouba, an ancient dance from Haiti. The
worshipers came today for guidance from their ancient
ancestors, and at the moment she sought some divine
intervention for herself. Her life was at a two lane junction
and she did not know what road to chose.

Halle stopped dancing momentary to trace veves on the

ground with flour chalk to honor the visiting Loas. She began
dancing again as one of the spirits possessed her. No one
came near her because touching her while the trance rode her
was dangerous enough to kill the person. Halle's head went
back as the spirit entered her. All the stress and anxiety left
her. Through it all she still heard the chanting and the
drumming in the dark spot in her mind. It was the last thing
she remembered before she blacked out.

When she awakened, the second part of the ceremony, the

manje-lwa, or the sacrifice had begun. One of the worshipers
responsible for buying the animals directed the ceremony.
Grilled corn and cakes sat at the foot of the poteau-mitan,
along with the animals to be sacrificed. The animals were
adorned in blue, the favorite color of the Iwa.

Later the Loa spoke through her. Halle felt no pain as it

gave advice and cited prophecies of future events. The Loa
rebuked some worshipers for failing to perform their duties to
him, their community and their families. The Loa departed
somewhere close to midnight, leaving Halle giddy and very
tired.

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

* * * *

Halle's telephone rang early the next morning. It was

Langston.

"You're going where?"
"To Mobile, Alabama."
"What are you going there for?" Did they now have that

type of relationship where she could ask such personal
questions?

"I'm trying to get some information."
"For your story on the wetlands?"
"No, for personal reasons."
"Oh."
"Are you still there?"
"Yes," Halle replied. "When will you come back?"
"In a day or so."
"Will I see you when you get back?" She hated herself for

sounding so needy but she missed him.

"Sure, I'll call you." He hung up.
Halle pursed her lips and blew out a breath. "What the

heck was that all about?" She stretched and climbed out of
bed, tired and sore from last night's dancing. Being a
priestess was easy. Understanding men mentally exhausted
her. She stretched again and grabbed a pillow from the left
side of the bed and brought it to her nose. It still smelled like
him. She tossed it back. "Let him have his little secrets. I
have things to do." It was festival time again in their area of
Louisiana and Halle planned to display some of her potions
and set up a booth for fortune telling like she did every year.

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

People went for that sort of stuff when they came to visit the
bayou. There would be music and dancing and plenty of food.
It was the one time of year she actually enjoyed living in
Madison. Although the locals shied away from the booth most
of the time, the tourists seemed to love it. She usually went
home before dark but this year one of her favorite bands, the
Rowdy Boys were scheduled to play and she wouldn't miss
them for anything in the world. She hoped Langston got back
from his business trip in time. He'd called her earlier to
explain he had to leave to get more information for his story
but promised he'd be back before the festival ended.

* * * *

Halle sat alone at a table, eating her seafood while trying

to ignore the stares. She'd changed out of her costume and
dressed casually in a pair of slacks and a short-sleeved blouse
to try to blend in with the crowd. Several other people joined
her at the table but left a couple of seats in-between them
and her so they wouldn't appear to associate with her.

She looked around. The high school students really did a

nice job on decorating the gymnasium for this part of the
festival. The theme for this year featured all the types of
seafood that made Madison famous. Halle picked up a
crawfish and pulled off its head. She sucked out the insides
and then put it on her plate. Then she pulled off the tail and
extracted the meat from it. The hot tangy spices burned her
tongue just the way she liked it. She washed the seafood
down with a bottle of beer. After eating she went to the ladies
room and scrubbed the seafood from her hands and checked

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by Imari Jade

her makeup. Her seat was still vacant when they walked back
inside the gym. Couples were dancing on the floor to recorded
music while waiting to for the band to return. Halle sat back
down, thinking about all the things she had to do tomorrow
for the second day of the festival. She planned to bring out
more love potions since she'd sold out what she'd brought
with her this morning. The voodoo dolls also sold out midway
through the festival, so she'd have to get more down from the
attic where she stored them.

Elnora Jackson entered on the arm of Deacon Jasper

Conners. People stopped what they were doing to stare at
them and then went back to their conversations. Elnora led
the good deacon over to the food line and then they
disappeared into the crowd.

Halle kind of hoped that Jasmin would put in an

appearance but Jasmin told her beforehand that she wouldn't
be there. She stayed closer to home now that she was in
therapy and didn't need to be around all that temptation.
Halle understood and hoped the therapy worked.

A loud gasp sounded through the gymnasium right after

the end of a song. Halle looked up and saw people heading
toward the door. Two people had entered but she could not
see them clearly except that one was a white man and one
was black. She squinted until she recognized them. "Oh
crap."

* * * *

[Back to Table of Contents]

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

Chapter Eighteen

Bill Pritchard stood in door of the high school gymnasium

looking robust and healthy. Langston stood beside him
looking like the cat that just swallowed the canary.
Conversation ran around the gym so fast that the loud sound
muddled her brain. People stood around her in disbelief, some
were literally stunned and confused by seeing the supposed
dead man standing before them. They were even more
stunned to see him walk up and give her a big bear hug like
he used to do when they were in high school. The band
returned and began to play again, blocking out their private
conversation from the others.

"Surprised?" Bill asked her.
"I sure am. In more ways than one." She looked over at

Langston for an explanation.

"I thought it was time to put the last rumor to rest."
"But how did you know where to find him?"
Bill removed his arm and allowed her to breathe.

"Langston is one cracker jack investigative reporter. You've
got yourself a good man here. He came all the way to Mobile
to find me with nothing more than some gossip from this
place."

"But you weren't lost. I knew where you were."
Langston looked pissed. "Then why didn't you tell anyone?

Why did you allow these people to assume that you murdered
him?"

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by Imari Jade

Halle put her hand on her hip. "You've been here nearly

two months and you know how they feel about me. Do you
think they would have believed me?"

Bill chuckled. "Halle has always been a handful. Broke my

heart to have to leave her the way I did but my grandfather
was dying and there was no one else to look after him but
me. I really didn't have time to say goodbye or explain
anything to anyone once the hospital called me. Had I known
Frieda started that rumor I would have come back sooner and
straightened everything out." He touched Halle's hair
intimately. "I've talked to you hundreds of times since I left.
Why didn't you tell me what had happened?"

"Well, it didn't seem important. You have a new family and

a life in Mobile and it really isn't important to me what others
think of me."

Bill had finally married and had two kids. "I'll bring Emily

and the kids the next time I come for a visit."

"You didn't bring them?"
"No, her folks are having some kind of big super sale at

their store and Emily and the boys stayed to help out. She
sends her love."

Their conversation was cut short by the arrival of Sheriff

Tate.

"Bill Pritchard, is that you?"
"Ernest?" Bill hopped up and shook Ernest's hand. "Look at

you. Man you haven't changed a bit."

Ernest had arrested Bill a couple of times for minor

offenses...mostly teenage pranks.

"We thought you were dead."

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by Imari Jade

"So I've heard. No, I'm very much alive. I have a farm in

Mobile, a wife and two sons, so you can back off of Halle now.
I'm surprised at you. Halle's no murderer." He chuckled. "In
fact, she's afraid to step on a roach."

Ernest scratched his head. "Yeah, I'm beginning to find

that out." He turned to Halle. "I'd like to apologize to you
again for all the trouble I've caused. I also want to thank you
again for saving my grandson's life."

"How's he doing?" Halle asked not used to all the kind

words from Ernest.

"He's growing like a weed. The doctor said he didn't suffer

any damage for being in the water. We were just lucky that
you did what you did and we'll forever be grateful."

"How's your son?"
"He's recovered and went back to work."
"Nice to hear that."
"Do you mind if I steal Bill away from you for a few

minutes. There are plenty of folks here waiting to speak to
him to see if he's real."

"Sure," Halle replied. "Mr. Priestly can keep me company if

it's not too much trouble."

Langston smiled at her. "No trouble at all."

* * * *

The sight of his naked body lying upon her bed made her

feel warm inside. He looked real natural there...something
she could get used to. He finally got a chance to finish his
documentary with her by his side, just in case another snake
decided to take a bite out of him, and he was helping her

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

write a book about growing up in Madison. While out in the
bayous, he taught her how to use his fancy cameras and she
taught him all that she knew about the wetlands. They even
stopped in to see her grandmother after he told her that he
had snooped in her life and accidentally found out about their
relationship. Of course everyone in town knew that they were
related but tried to hush it up since her father had been white
and had an illicit affair with an African American Voodoo
priestess. Everyone had conveniently forgotten the fact that
her parents had gotten married and that she wasn't the
bastard child they made her out to be.

Since Bill's arrival a couple of weeks ago their narrow-

mindedness was starting to change. He'd gone back to Mobile
but had stopped in to see Frieda before he left. She did not
know what he told her cousin but she seemed changed...more
alive. She probably finally got the chance to get rid of the
guilt she'd been harboring all these years. All the ghosts were
now put to rest.

People who hadn't given her the time of day since she'd

been born spoke to her now when they saw her. It had only
been a little over two months since Langston Priestly drove
into town and made things change. She would be forever
grateful to him too since she didn't have to worry about the
police knocking on the door and carting her off for some
fictitious crime.

Halle hopped upon the bed. "I suppose you'll be heading

back home soon." She crawled into the crook of his arm and
pressed the back of her head against it.

"Sooner or later."

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

"I suppose they miss you back in New York."
"I suppose they do."
"What's New York like?"
"Big, over-crowded and polluted." He reached over and

touched one of her breasts, hefting it in his hand and then
gently massaging the nipple between his fingers.

Halle's back arched in response. "You don't sound like you

miss it that much."

Langston reached over and kissed her on the forehead.

"It's home but if you've seen one big city you've seen them
all."

"I've never been outside of Madison."
Langston stopped rubbing. "What? Are you kidding?"
"No. I've wanted to go to New Orleans all my life but I

never have."

"What's been stopping you?"
"Me. I don't think I'd fit in."
Langston chuckled. "What do you mean by that? You're a

lovely young woman."

"I'm a voodoo priestess who sells love potions and spells in

the bayou."

He pulled her on top of him. "You're exotic and beautiful

and I think you'd fit in a place like New Orleans. The place is
multi-cultural and has a legendary Voodoo background." He
folded his arms around her and kissed the top of his head.
"I'll take you there this weekend."

Halle reached between them and touched his rapidly

growing erection. "I thought you had to get back to New
York." She moved around a little until she positioned him

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

against her in just the right spot. Halle slid back, taking him
deep inside of her. "Ooh." She rocked her hips until she grew
wet.

"They can do without me for a couple more weeks. I have

amassed a lot of vacation time over the years."

"I bet they're sending you there for a story."
He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her and

moved his hips. "Yeah. I'm doing a story on the city's
recovery since Hurricane Katrina."

He grew thicker inside of her as they talked. She pushed

herself up to a seated position and ground her vagina into his
pelvic area. "Too bad it's not Mardi Gras time there. I've
never been to a parade before."

"We could do that next year...make a vacation out of it."

His hands roamed up and down her back."

"You'd come all the way back here from New York to take

me to Mardi Gras."

"No, we'll come all the way back from New York to visit

New Orleans for Mardi Gras."

Halle stopped grinding against him even though her body

was alive with lust. "You're taking me to New York?"

"Yes. I can't leave you here. I'm in love with you, Halle

Johnson."

"But Madison is the only home I've ever known."
"Are you saying that you don't love me and you don't want

to go with me?"

"No, I'm not saying that at all." She went back to riding

him. "This is all so sudden."

"Are you worried about something?"

Bayou Babe

by Imari Jade

"We're so different."
"No we're not. You're a beautiful young woman whose

vagina is so tight that my penis is finding it hard not to shoot
inside of it."

Halle giggled. "You're so crazy. I don't know if I can leave

my church."

"Bush can handle it. He is a Voodoo priest. He told me it

was okay to take you away."

"Did you explain to him that I might not come back?"
"Honey, he knows. So does your grandmother. We have

their blessing."

Halle rolled her buttocks around. "Oh," she moaned. "I

hardly think my grandmother gave us her blessing to run off
to New York to shack up."

"Who said anything about shacking up? I've got a ring in

my pants pocket that I planned to give to you tonight at
dinner when I propose to you but being balls deep inside a
hot young thing has blown the fancy proposal to hell."

Halle laughed as Langston turned her over on her back and

entered her again. "Yes."

"Yes what?"
"Yes I will marry you and follow you to New York."
He thrust deeply inside of her. "You're not saying that

because I've promised to take you to New Orleans first."

Halle wrapped her legs around his waist so she could take

him in even deeper. "No, I'm saying it because I love you,
Langston Priestly."