CHAPTER ELEVEN
The team was enjoying a quiet Sunday afternoon of rest, having just finished another amazing meal. Gaspar looked at the ghostly figures of his parents seated with everyone, just like they always were.
“Pops? When did you start all of this?” he asked.
“Probably sixty years ago, maybe more. Your mama and me always gave to those less fortunate. It might have been things from the garden or a new winter coat. Some years it was just one family we could afford, other years it was more.”
“We know it’s the right thing to do, Pops, but what made you start doing this?” asked Jean. He smiled at the men and women, nodding his head.
“You.”
“Me?” frowned Jean. Matthew nodded.
“Do you remember when you were in the second grade and you got that wool baseball jacket you had been begging your mama for?”
“I remember,” he smiled. “Whatever happened to that?”
“You gave it away,” grinned Matthew. Jean frowned, trying to remember the moment he gave the jacket away.
“Wait. I did,” he whispered. “I gave it to Adam Prejean. He didn’t have a coat and I had that new one plus an old one at home.”
“That’s right,” smiled Irene. “You came home freezing that day. It was bitterly cold, the wind and rain blowing. All you kids were huddled together, soaked to the skin. When I asked about the jacket, you said…”
“I said Adam needed it more than me because his mama had just died and his daddy was sad,” said Jean remembering the moment more clearly now. “That made you decide to do something?”
“We were always doing something, son. But that made us realize the need was bigger than we believed. In our free time, we started talking to folks at church, taking long walks up and down the River Road, it was less busy back then. We’d save lists of names of folks that were having a hard time.
The church ladies always had the inside information. Made it a lot easier for us.”
“So, all of this,” he said waving his arm, “the toys, furniture, food, all of it was because I gave away my jacket?”
“Pretty much,” laughed Irene. “Jean, your heart was as big as the city of New Orleans. It killed you that Adam was freezing without a coat. And you were willing to give him the jacket you had begged for, for Christmas. When your daddy and me started doing our research, we realized folks were hurtin’ around here.
“The oil industry wasn’t doing as well and many had lost their jobs. Heck, we laid off more than a few because of the slow down. Then it was a recession, hurricanes, it seemed to never end. Your daddy and me realized we had more to give if we just pinched a little harder.”
“It also didn’t hurt that your mother and me were learning about our gifts and how strong they really are,” smiled Matthew. He kissed his wife, holding her hand against his heart.
“To whom much is given,” whispered Jean.
“Much is expected,” said Gaspar finishing the statement. “We’ve always known that. I guess we thought you started this when we all grew up.”
“Son, you’ve been grown up for more than sixty years,” smirked Matthew. “Then we had grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren.” The all laughed at Matthew’s animated face.
“Your father and I were trying to ensure that we gave what others needed. Y’all were protecting those that needed protection, saving those that needed saving. Your daddy and me, we were ensuring they had what they needed to thrive,” said Irene.
“Pops how did you do all of that by yourselves?” asked Antoine.
“We were never alone,” smiled Matthew. “We had Ruby, then Ruby and Sven, George and Mary, Teddy, and before that, we had Franklin, Martha, and the others that would appear now and then.”
“There are so many secrets to this property we may never understand them all,” said Rafe, shaking his head in wonder.
“Secrets keep dreams alive,” smiled Matthew.
“You get to spend a lifetime looking for them all, with us here to help. It is incomprehensible the gift that we’ve all been given.
To have our ghosts as companions. To be allowed to be a ghost and be seen, touched, and loved.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone who needed to speak to their loved ones, could? ”
“Why can’t they, Matthew?” asked Ian.
“I’m not sure, son. All I know is that we were given this gift and we vowed to never take it for granted. Which reminds me,” said Matthew looking around at the faces. “Ah! Grant, how are we coming?”
“Nearly complete, Matthew,” said the handsome builder. Evie was seated on his lap as always, the loving couple never far from one another.
“Complete with what?” asked Nine.
“Expansions,” smirked Irene. “What else?”
“Expansions!” came the cry from them all.
“Pops, where on earth are we expanding?” asked Baptiste. “We have so much land now we’re not even sure where it begins and ends.”
“You don’t have to be sure,” he said. “I know. Grant knows. Gabriel knows. Claudette knows. In the future, Luke, Ajei, and the others will know. I’m proud to say I’ve never bought land from someone that needed it for themselves.
I’ve bought land from those offering, willingly, to sell.
I’ve expanded our own lands, taking over some of the bayou without damaging it.
We have room to grow and we’re going to need it. ”
“If the Jordans keep having triplets we damn sure will,” laughed Ghost. Angel could only smile, looking over his shoulder at his grandchildren.
“It suits me just fine if they keep having triplets,” he grinned. “Nothing makes me happier than seeing all of them happy. Not just mine, but your children as well.”
Gaspar looked around at the hundreds of people enjoying the cool, crisp late afternoon. The bonfires were burning, hot cocoa, sweet treats, and music playing softly. He nodded at his siblings, then his brothers and sisters not blood related.
“I see perfection. Absolute perfection.”