Read Sugar Doll's Hurricane Blues for Free Online Page A

voice rang out smooth and clear into the audience.
    “Why you sure can sing!” Remy took a seat on the stool and let Sugar Doll sing the song. He was impressed. Sugar Doll felt so comfortable onstage that she took it over. Bertrand played the soulful song as she sang. Tonya sat behind the piano rocking back and forth. The crowd was mesmerized by the young beauty who sang so soulfully. As she ended the song the quiet crowd erupted in an enormous cheer.
    “Sugar Doll ladies and gentleman! Sugar Doll!” Bertrand smiled into the mike proudly. Sugar Doll took a bow and walked off of the stage. Remy caught her tiny wrist.
    “Now Sugar you can’t leave us all so unsatisfied. Why don’t you sing one with me?” The crowd seemed pleased with this suggestion. “Do you know, “All of Me”? Remy asked.
    “Of course,” Sugar Doll said and launched into singing it. Remy followed in a slow beat. Bertrand picked up the song and smiled at Tonya.
    “That was one of the best nights ever at the club!” Bertrand said as he was closing his piano. There were still a few couples sitting close to the windows but the club was closing. “Sugar Doll you was something else.” Bertrand picked up his cousin and gave her a big bear hug. “Come and work here, you could make good money.”
    “Now you know Big Ma would have a fit. I would love to but I’m supposed to be going to LSU this semester. I’m almost finished.” Sugar Doll loved the thought of singing.
    “Well, when you finish you should come here and sing.” Bertrand hugged her. Tonya walked over toward them both.
    “Can I have my man please?” She said jokingly to Sugar Doll.
    “Why you sho can ma’am.” Sugar Doll smiled.
    Remy came around the corner. “Hey, what ya’ll going to do now?”
    “Man it’s two in the morning. I’m going to get these girls home.” Bertrand said tiredly.
    “It’s only two a.m. surely ya’ll know that the French Quarters never closes. “Boy you sure can sing. You gave me goose pimples.” Remy smiled smoothly.
    “Those are real pimples blockhead.” Bertrand said tapping Remy on the shoulder.
    “How’d you get a name like Sugar Doll?”
    “Well, they tell me that when I was born my daddy said, ‘That’s my Sugar Baby Doll right there!’ and it stuck. Sometimes I forget my real name.”
    “What is your real name?” Remy asked.
    “I can’t tell you.” She smiled evasively. She looked over to where Bertrand and Tonya had removed themselves slow dancing to the music that was on the jukebox.
    “Why not?” Remy smiled at her.
    “You’ll laugh.” She stepped back from him.
    “Well, if you set me up to laugh it’s gonna be tough not to but it can’t be too bad. Is it Wilamina? Remy stifled a smile. “C’mon, it can’t be that bad.”
    “It’s…” Sugar Doll cringed.
    “Bertha?” Remy offered.
    “No! It’s not Bertha!” She laughed.
    “If you don’t tell me what it is I’m just going to have to start calling you Bertha.” Remy joked.
    “It’s Precious, Precious Bouvier.”
    “Well, okay I can see why you might be embarrassed…” Remy teased. “It’s pretty, like you are though.”
    Tonya walked up, “C’mon girl, we better go. Big Ma is going to whip your hide.”
    “Precious, you gonna go like that?” Remy asked
    “You told him your real name?” Tonya looked sharply at Sugar Doll.
    “What’s the big deal?” Remy asked.
    “She didn’t tell me her real name until last year and we’ve been friends for years. Even the teachers call her Sugar Doll, that’s what.” Tonya said sharply.
    “Oh, then I feel special.” Remy bowed and kissed Sugar Doll’s hand.
    “I gotta go home now but it was real nice meeting you.” Sugar Doll said blushing.
    “Can I call you?” Remy asked.
    “Why?” Sugar Doll asked.
    “Because I like you.” Remy answered
    “But you are white.” Sugar Doll said innocently.
    “Sugar, I like you. Can I please call you?” He said this in a very playful way. He was