"First," I said, grimacing, "Gisselle has a head this big," I said, holding my hands near my ears, "from drinking too much rum."
"This not be the first time," Nina said, smirking. "It don't help her none to make it easier for her."
"I know, but she'll just make things miserable for everyone else if she's miserable, and then somehow Daphne will find a way to blame me."
Nina nodded. "Okay," she said. She went to a cabinet and began taking out the ingredients. "Best if we have a raw egg with a blood spot in it," she mumbled as she began to mix things together. "I been savin' one I found yesterday." I smiled, knowing that if Gisselle discovered what it was she was about to drink, she wouldn't do it. "Here," Nina said after she was done. "Have her drink this in one gulp, no air. That be most important."
"All right."
"What else? You said two things you want from Nina."
"Beau gave me his school ring last night, Nina," I said, showing it to her. "He's pledged his love for me and I've pledged mine to him. Can you burn a candle for us?"
"You need brimstone, not a candle, especially if the love was pledged in this house," she added with wide eyes. "You bring Monsieur Beau to Nina's room later and Nina do it for the two of you while you hold hands."
"I'll tell him, Nina," I said, smiling to myself and wondering what Beau would say when I proposed we do it. "Thank you."
I hurried back upstairs in time to find Gisselle tearing into Martha Woods unmercifully for choosing the wrong clothing and the wrong shoes.
"The woman has no sense of taste. Look! She wanted me to wear this blouse with this skirt and shoes."
"1 just thought she'd want to wear Christmas colors today and . . ."
"It's all right, Martha. I'll help her."
"Oh. Okay," she said with relief. "I do have other duties this morning." She hurried out.
"What's that?"
"Nina's cure. You have to drink it in one gulp. If you don't, it won't work," I said.
She eyed it suspiciously. "Did you ever drink it?"
"I drank something like it for an upset stomach," I replied.
She grimaced. "I'll do anything. I might even cut off my head," she cried and took the glass from me. She sucked in her breath and then brought it to her lips. Her eyes bulged as the elixir rolled over her tongue and taste buds.
"Don't stop," I ordered when it looked like she would stop drinking. I had to admit I enjoyed her discomfort. She drank it all down and then gasped, pressing her hand to her heart.
"Ugh. That was awful. It was probably poison. What was in it?"
"A raw egg, I know. Some herbs. Some powder that might be rattlesnake bone—"
"Oh no. Don't tell me anymore," she cried with her hands up. She swallowed hard. "I think I'm going to vomit." She lunged out of her chair to the bathroom, but she didn't throw up. A few minutes later she emerged, the color restored to her face.
"I think it's actually working," she declared happily.
"Pick out your clothes. They're waiting for us in the living room. Bruce is wearing a Santa Claus costume and beard."
"Oh, how peachy," she said.
When we went down, we found Daphne, dressed in her red Chinese robe and slippers with her hair neatly brushed and pinned and her face made up as if she had gotten up and prepared herself hours ago. She was sitting in a high-backed French Provencal chair, sipping coffee from a silver cup. Bruce was standing by the tree in his Santa outfit, beaming.
"Well, it's about time you prima donnas came down. When I was a little girl I couldn't wait to open my gifts."
"We're not little girls, Mother," Gisselle said.
"When it comes to getting presents, a woman is always a little girl," Daphne replied, and she winked at Bruce, who laughed, holding in his false stomach. "It's time, Santa," she said
"Ho, ho, ho," he cried, scooping up some gifts to bring to us. I sat on the settee to open mine and Gisselle opened hers in her wheelchair as Bruce made frequent trips back to the tree. We got more clothes, expensive designer sweaters and blouses, as well as skirts. We both received new leather half coats with matching boots and fur hats we would probably never wear. Bruce gave us charm bracelets, and there were gift packages of bath oils, talcum powders, and perfumes. As soon as Gisselle ripped one thing open and gazed at it, she was ripping at another.
"This is so much," I said. I was still baffled by Daphne's new generosity.
"There is a gift here I thought you'd like to bring to your uncle Jean," she said, holding up a package. "It's half a dozen of the silk shirts he always loved."
"You'll let me go to the hospital?" I asked, amazed.
"I'll have our driver take you tomorrow, if you like," she replied.
I turned to Gisselle. "Would you like to come along?"
"To the nut house? Are you crazy?"
"You used to go," I reminded her.
"Once in a blue moon and only because of Daddy," she said. "I hated it."
"But . . . just for Christmas."
"Pleeeze," she moaned.
"Take Beau, if you like," Daphne said. I stared at her in disbelief. I was speechless. "There are gifts here from your Cajun half brother, I believe," she said. "Bruce."
He fetched them quickly and brought them to us. They were beautiful diaries with hand-carved Cyprus wood covers depicting a scene in the swamp with Spanish moss, an alligator poking up its head, and terns swooping toward the water.
"A diary!" Gisselle blurted. "Like I would ever write down my secrets." She laughed.
"Well," Daphne said, looking first at Bruce, "we have a secret that we're about to announce. It's another Christmas present," she said. Gisselle widened her eyes and sat back in her chair as Bruce moved closer to Daphne. She reached up to take his hand and then turned to us and said, "Bruce and I are going to be married."
"Married! When?" Gisselle demanded.
"After the proper length of time since your father's death passes." She stared at us, her eyes raking our faces for clues to our true reactions. "I hope the two of you will be happy for us and welcome Bruce to the family as your new father. I know it's a bit overwhelming for you at first, but it would be best if we would be seen as a united family. Can I depend on the two of you?" she asked, and suddenly I realized why she had been so sweet.
This wedding was going to be a major social affair among the upper classes in New Orleans, and it was important to Daphne that it go as perfectly as a royal event. It would be in all the social columns and our family would be the center of attention from the day of announcement to the actual wedding. Important people would be invited to dinners between now and then, and Daphne certainly wanted us all to be seen together at the theater or the opera.
"I know I can't replace your father in your eyes," Bruce began, "but I'd like the chance to try. I will do all that I can to be a real father to you."
"Can you talk our mother into letting us come back home to live and go to school?" Gisselle demanded quickly.
Daphne's smile faded. "Just finish out the year at Greenwood, Gisselle. Bruce and I have a lot to do without worrying about you and your sister's daily needs. I'll give you permission to leave the grounds and I'll see to it that your allowances are increased," she added.
Gisselle weighed the compromises.
"We haven't heard a word from you yet, Ruby," Daphne said, focusing on me.
"I hope you'll both be happy," I said. We fixed our eyes on each other for a moment, gazing across the room like two gladiators considering whether to begin a new battle or settle for a truce. She decided to accept my cold blessing.
"Thank you. Well, now that all this has ended, we can go and have our Christmas Day breakfast." She put down her coffee cup and started to stand.
"Wait," Gisselle cried. She threw a look at me and then smiled at Daphne and Bruce. "I do have a surprise, something I've been saving for my Christmas present to you, Mother. And now," she added, "it can be your first wedding present too."
Daphne sat back cautiously. "And what would that be, Gisselle?'