The Unrequited Ch. 12

As dawn broke over New Orleans, the large pink clouds of early morning rushed through the skies as a hot wind blew steadily from the south. All over the bayou the moist warm sea breeze heated up the city up like boiling cauldron. Steam rose from the slick wet cobblestones of the French Quarter as the rain had briefly cooled things down overnight. This slight respite from the sauna like weather was rapidly evaporating under the blazing morning sun as it rose higher in the sky. Sitting uncomfortably on a cold hard metal chair in the very air-conditioned psych ward of Tulane Medical Center, Marie Duchamp grew increasingly irritated as the attending nurse took her vital signs as she shivered.

Calling out to an assistant the nurse said "Ok, blood pressure normal, check." Before slipping off the sleeve of the monitoring device from Marie's arm she looked down at her patient.

"OK Ms. Duchamp, the attending Doctor will be in in just a few minutes to ask you some questions and I think you will be out of here soon."

"Look Bitch I am not crazy! You need to let me out of here right now before I call my lawyer. Get my boyfriend RIGHT NOW!" Marie growled as the nurse turned towards the door.

The nurse had seen this many times before. Looking over at her patient she knew this was a fairly routine situation and her patient would be released in just a few minutes. Seeing her long dreadlocks, she smirked as she thought to herself "Probably shouldn't have dropped all that acid last night and then you would not be in here. LSD seems so like psychosis if you don't perform a blood test."

The nurse had seen Marie raving the day before and the contrast to her state now could not have been more dramatic. The contrast was so stark her thought that this episode had been drug induced seemed perfectly reasonable. Before she had seemed possessed, almost a perfect candidate for committal as a multiple personality disorder patient. Today she seemed as cold stone sober as a nun. How many people had she seen this happen to before and yet it was so avoidable? The fastest way to find yourself under a twenty-four-hour automatic detainment for observation is to have a drug induced breakdown in public in a hospital. Fearing lawsuits, once this was observed they were legally bound to act.

"You will be out very soon Ma'am. All you have to do is have a quick interview with the resident psychiatrist and answer a couple of questions and you can be on your way." Marie, hearing this shook with rage and tried to stand, only be prevented by the restraining straps on her chair. Sighing she sat back down and closed her eyes, focusing on getting out of there as soon as possible.

"See, you are as good as home already." The nurse winked as she went out the door.

Sitting for five minutes, which seemed like five hours, she bit her tongue and forced a fake smile on her face when Dr. Schwartz came into the room. Looking barely old enough to vote, much less be a doctor, she sighed as he came into the room and looked at her chart.

"So, Ms......" he paused while he read her chart and then stopped, remembering his training. "Yes, why don't I ask YOU. Can you tell me your name?"

"My name is Marie Duchamp"

"Good, Good!" Dr. Schwartz answered as he checked a box on her chart. "And if you don't mind answering a few more questions..."

"Yes, let me guess. The year is 2014 and the President is Barack Obama, right? Do I pass? Can I get out of here now?"

Smiling, Dr. Schwartz leaned down and undid the fastener on the restraints and Marie lifted her wrists up and scratched her nose furiously. Obviously whatever episode she had had the night before was not psychosis. Her answers to the questions eliminated any legal threshold they had to keep her and as he turned to update her chart he said that she could go. Turning back to speak to her he only saw a blur as she burst out the door.

Furiously racing down the hall into the lobby when Captain Tony saw her burst through the door, her eyes blazing and hair flying, he was both relieved and slightly unnerved.

"You OK, Boo? I was worried about you!" he said as she stormed into the room. Normally quite reserved and calm, Marie looked like she could spit nails.

"Get the car" she responded flatly and coldly. Knowing better than to argue with her when she was like this, Tony ran out the visitors entrance to retrieve his vehicle. Standing alone on the sidewalk while she waited, Marie felt her head grow light again as another vision was preparing to show itself. Mustering all her strength she fought the sensations and was able to stop it before it began. In all of the years she had had her gift and performed channeling ceremonies, she had never had the experience she had had over the past two days. Normally once in her trance she would glimpse the other side for just a second, perhaps a minute at best and then collapse in exhaustion. This time it was much much different. Far from being brief, she found she could not stop the visions as they kept coming and not from just one spirit source but several. Reliving the humiliation of being in the nuthouse, she fumed as Captain Tony pulled up in his car.

Seeing him arrive she did have to smile as he pulled up and received countless double takes. His car fit his persona perfectly. In keeping with naval attire his 1974 Cadillac looked more like a small boat than a large car. White as ivory with a red leather interior as he pulled up with the top down he definitely was creating a stir.

"Boo, let's get out of here!" he said as he flashed his pearly white teeth in the morning sun. "I am ready to take you home. After what you have been through, you need to rest."

Stepping into the passenger seat she sat down and said "Before we go home, we need to take a trip."

Pulling out of the parking lot and out onto the street he asked "Sure thing, were to?"

"My mother's house."

Uncharacteristically Tony's award winning smile disappeared. "Dear God why? That is at least two hours away."

"Yes, I know, but I need her help. Last night was the first time the spirits ever got into me and would not let go. Hell, I still keep flashing into a trance as they are quite strong. She or my grandmother are the only two people I know that will be able to tell me what to do about this."

Grimacing, Tony nodded and headed north out of the city. The drive to Marie's family's house would be very long as they lived far out in the Bayou seventy-five miles north of New Orleans. He did not look forward to the trip, but as he looked over at his girlfriend and saw the look of concern on her face he knew she wanted to go and perhaps they could help.

Pulling out onto the main highway the suburbs melted away as the landscape was replaced by endless swamp and Spanish Moss encrusted trees. Having the top down made the drive more enjoyable and looking over at Marie he could see she was starting to untense.

Placing his hand on her bare knee Captain Tony smiled and said "You have me real worried at the hospital Boo. Once you went into that last trance and they threw you into the psych ward I was afraid you would not come out. I raised such hell they threatened to arrest me if I did not leave."

Smiling back at him she said "I know. I was in and out of that trance the whole time that was happening and it was very frustrating. I knew when they asked me the three questions and I got them all wrong I was going to be locked up, but know this, they can only hold you for twenty-four hours."

"Three questions? What three questions."

"They can only hold you for psychiatric evaluation if you answer three questions wrong; who is the President of the United States, what year is it and what is your name."

Laughing Tony's curiosity was piqued. "Just out of curiosity, how did you answer."

"For the President I said Thomas Jefferson, for the year I said 1808 and for my name I said Martina Laveau."

"That answer will get you in the nuthouse in no time!" Tony chuckled. "Was that the woman you channeled at Gus's house."

"She was, but then when we were at the hospital I sensed, I saw, it is all so fuzzy, but I remember seeing another vision. This one was much stronger and deeper and was not a remnant but an active spirit. I sense she is dangerous and I think Gus may be in danger. This is beyond my skills, hence the reason for the trip to the Bayou."

"Understood love" Tony replied. "But after you talk to your Mom, I want to get you home and put you in bed for a few days. You really did scare me back there and ghosts or no ghosts I am not going to jeopardize your health."

"Ok but..."

"Ok but NOTHING! I will put up with a lot, but I am not going to have you put at foolish risk again!" Tony barked, his sunny demeanor turning stern.

Seeing his protective attitude towards her so forcefully expressed Marie flushed with love. Holding her hand out to his head she curled a finger around one of his dreadlocks and whispered into his ear. "I love you Boo, I really do."

Back in the French Quarter, in a filthy, pizza box strewn, beer soaked apartment Doug was lounging in his Barcalounger on his laptop. With a cup of coffee in one hand and enjoying his third cigarette of the day in the other, he was in in his normal early morning routine. Today however the pattern was slightly different. Rather than spending the pre-dawn hours surfing for porn like usual, today he was on the internet looking at page after page of ghost photos. Starting his search out of curiosity because of the photo he took he was shocked to find so much bandwidth devoted to the subject. Looking at the picture on his phone and then back at his computer screen he kept comparing his photo to the "so-called" most authentic ghost pictures of all time on the internet. Looking at his phone and then at the grainy, blotchy images on the screen he became increasingly convinced that what he had captured was the real thing and definitely surpassed everything out there.

"Jesus, if all of these orbs and misty images count as "evidence" I got the holy grail here!"

Stumbling onto the Southern Louisiana Occult Paranormal Psychical Investigators (Sloppi) he mused. Reading their website and seeing their requests for evidence and the place to upload pictures he mused. "Well, why not?" he laughed as he attached the jpg and hit upload. Seeing the bar glow and fill, he grinned as the file transfer was completed. Satisfied, he clicked on his browser screen and opened up www.lactatatingmadness.com and sighed. "Now everything is back to normal."

Completely on the opposite end of the taste and socioeconomic spectrum the phone at the Landrieu's home rang. Margaret, always an early riser smiled as the voice of Letucia Vallandingham spoke on the other end. Her voice oozing old money she asked if she could join her for lunch that day. Always happy to hear from one of her husband's largest (and wealthiest) supporters she eagerly agreed. The two wealthy women made the sort of nonsensical idle chit chat so common with those of her class and the call was about to end when Letucia suddenly turned serious and spoke.

"Margaret darling, if you do not mind but might I ask you a personal question?"

"Certainly, of course. We are old dear friends you can always ask me anything." "I must ask that you keep this confidential' Letucia continued. "Sarah would kill me if she knew I was talking to you about this."

"Sarah... I mean, OK, you know you can trust me." Margaret answered nervously, wondering what on earth she could be getting ready to say.

"My daughter is such a shy ninny, and, well, I will just come out with it. She is very taken with your brother. It is all "Gus this and Gus that" around the house these days. Ever since that lunch you had where she met your brother she can talk about nothing else. Such a clean well-mannered good Catholic man, I don't mind saying that her father and I definitely approve."

Now Margaret grew even more worried. She knew her brother well and "clean well-mannered Catholic" were not terms that she would normally associate with him. He was a dog, a well-meaning dog but a dog just the same but thinking back on that day, she knew he was being his extra charming self. Obviously in his zeal he had swept poor Sarah off her feet. She had secretly hoped that she could get these two together but now that it was obvious that Sarah was smitten, she worried that her brother's normal libidinous appetites would cause she and her husband a world of grief. Nodding politely, she continued to listen.

"My husband and I are having a big soiree this weekend and I know Sarah would love to have him attend. Now she is far too embarrassed and shy to ask him, so... could you..."

Laughing Margaret exclaimed. "Of COURSE!" Lying she added "Gus is quite shy himself, and did not want to appear to forward. I am positive he will love to attend."

Finishing up the conversation and getting the details once the line went dead she immediately dialed Gus.

Back at Magnolia Grove Jasmine fluttered her eyes open as the bright sun streamed in through the window and shone in her eyes. Smiling she looked over at Gus, snoozing away, completely naked beside her. Giggling as she ran her fingers over his Scooby Doo tattoo she saw the marks of her nails and teeth all over his body. They had had a quite eventful evening, her reward for him saving her cellphone being presented multiple times all night to both their mutual satisfaction. Stretching her long chocolate legs out on the edge of the bed she wriggled her toes as her pussy still tingled from the long tongue lashing he gave it for hours. Cuddling up next to him she kissed his mouth and smiled as her scent and juices were soaked onto his face. Seeing him stir, she crawled down to the bottom of bed and slowly spread his legs as she began to kiss her way up his leg.

Reaching his cock, which already was responding to her touch even though he was still asleep she felt him start to moan.

Slowly opening his eyes, he gazed down his body and smiled as he saw Jasmine lick her lips as she hovered over his very erect penis. "Well now... This is a WONDERFUL way to be woken up."

Sitting up partially on his elbows he threw his head back in ecstasy as she began to slowly lick a tiny circle around his purple cockhead. His sighs turned to groans when he heard his phone ring. By the third ring, which he fully intended on ignoring, Jasmine stopped her loving treat and sat up. Seeing her large breasts jiggling he grew even harder as she smirked.

"You probably should get that. You know, it is quite early and it might be some kind of emergency."

Irritated he moaned as he picked up his phone and saw that it was his sister. Frowning he answered "Margaret, God knows you have the most spectacularly bad timing!!! This had better be good!"

"What are you talking about?" Margaret said on the line.

Watching Jasmine roll her eyes and pull back from his crotch, Gus grimaced as he answered "Never mind. So, what do you want Margaret?"

"Are you in town next Saturday?"

"Yes... why?" he answered as he tried to wave his hands and get Jasmine's attention who was now off the bed and pulling her shorts up.

"Great!" she answered. "You are going to the Vallandingham's estate for a party. You must be quite the charmer; Sarah is quite smitten with you."

"Sarah? Oh, well look I said I would..."

"No arguments Gus, you are going. Now this is no ordinary party, it is the prime social event of the year. Do you still have a white dinner jacket?"

Hearing Gus call out the name Sarah, Jasmine rolled her eyes again as she pulled her t-shirt over her spectacular breasts. Ignoring Gus's increasingly frantic gestures as he sat naked on the bed and talked to his sister, she blew him an air kiss and walked downstairs. Hearing the one sided conversation of Gus trying to weasel his way off the phone she suppressed a laugh as she waved and walked out the door. Seeing Angeline in the hall, yawning as she passed, she stooped down to pet her as she went downstairs.

Following after her, naked and throbbing as he continued to talk to his sister on the phone, Gus was quite the sight. As Jasmine stood at the top of the stairs and playfully ran her hand down his chest she mouthed "I will call you later". Seeing this he sighed, knowing he was stuck.

As Jasmine disappeared out the front door, Margaret finished her long drone Gus spoke. "Well Sis, of course I will help you out, but honestly, you owe me BIG, AGAIN!!!"

Thirty minutes later Jasmine exited the trolley and walked up the steps up to her apartment. She had smiled the whole way home, the taste of Gus still on her lips, the feel of his cock still throbbing in her body. Stripping down as she entered her home, she walked into her bathroom to shower. Entering, her mood changed instantly and suddenly she felt very unsettled.

This was the room where she had the incident the day before, and now in the bright sunshine of late morning it seemed far less threatening but something still did not seem right. Glancing quickly over her shoulder she definitely had the sensation that she was being watched. Shaking her head, she sighed. "I must be cracking up! Come on Jasmine, snap out of it!"

Seeing the room empty she smirked and returned to the sink. Holding her toothbrush under the stream of water, as she stood up straight to brush her teeth her body broke out in innumerable goosebumps as she caught sight of her own reflection. Looking closely at her face in the mirror, she felt odd and started to shiver. It was definitely her face but it oddly looked different. Shivering wildly, she felt the temperature in the room plummet as she noticed that her reflection oddly seemed out of synch, her movements not duplicating in the mirror. Staring intensely into the glass, suddenly her large brown eyes bugged out of her face and her shivers turned into wild convulsions. Now her reflection scowled menacingly back at her, definitely with an expression completely different from her own.

"Don't you ever see him again! HE IS MINE!" the image screamed as Jasmine collapsed to the floor from sheer terror.