A young couple boarded their flight to New Orleans hoping to spend spring break in an old mansion located on St. Charles Ave. New Orleans was the perfect spot to relax and enjoy some original jazz music and eat some tasty Cajun cuisine. The husband Brad had traveled all over the world but this was his first trip to Louisiana. Brad was excited to finally visit Janet’s hometown. He and Janet arrived at her family’s mansion Saturday afternoon. They were greeted with a huge New Orleans smile, southern hospitality and a Cajun aroma of New Orleans Gumbo that was being prepared by the city’s popular and well-known Chef, Teke Downs. “Hey babies, I’m your chef for the day. Can I get you a cold drink while lunch is being prepared”?
Brad responded “We’ll be down after getting settled in our room”. Brad’s an artist originally from LA, California. He and Janet met on a singing gig where she shared with him her ghost writing skills and charm. The couple went upstairs to put away their things. As they got settled, Janet noticed a piece of linen that caught her eye. She tried to pull it out to look at it closely but the heavy furniture it was under would not move. Brad asked if she was ok. She quickly brushed him off saying “Yeah sure, go on and have lunch without me. I’m going to stay here and rest a little more”. Brad went downstairs. He couldn’t wait to enjoy his first serving of Gumbo. Janet continued to struggle with the linen. She could not get it to move. She felt within herself there was something very special about the linen. The furniture it was under belonged to her grandmother whose death she had never fully gotten over. It was her first time back at the mansion she grew up in 25 years ago. She never knew her mother. She was raised by her grandmother whom she called Maw Maw. She wondered if the linen was a piece from one of maw maw’s clothing but it was something she had never seen before. Plus she had gotten rid of all Maw Maw’s clothing some years ago. The linen finally slipped from underneath the furniture. It was beautiful and smelled like it was recently worn. The smell was fresh and familiar to Janet. She wondered why because she had never seen it before. Brad returned to the room, “Are you sure you’re okay honey”. “Yes Brad. I’m going to take a walk to the family room to relax some more”.
Janet walked into the family room and the scent from the linen was there. It was surrounding her and it felt like heaven to her. She wanted the smell to never leave and she had no plans of leaving it. She laid down on the old sofa and just enjoyed every bit of what she was experiencing. For a moment, the room had become her imaginary playhouse. She pranced around until she noticed a box pushed away under an old desk that belonged to her Maw Maw. Ma Maw would use it to type her work. She was a published author like Janet. Janet pulled the box from underneath the desk and found in it tons of really old Photo books. She paced through them hoping to find a picture of Maw Maw wearing the linen she had found. Instead she found a picture of a little girl. The girl looked to be 13 years of age. She was beautiful with a small lump in the stomach. She was pregnant. Janet wondered, “Who could she be”? Janet never seen her nor the dress before. The picture made her heart race and she began to feel spacey and panicky. She dropped the photo and ran upstairs to Brad. Brad asked “honey are you okay”. Janet said nothing. He rushed her to bed and asked if a nurse would assist him.
Janet awaked at midnight feeling rested but now anxious for more answers. She ran to the family room and the smell was still there but stronger than ever. It felt like a presence was there as well. Janet asked if someone was there but there was no response. Instead, she found a letter. She opened and it read “Mommy says I’m too young to have you but I feel like I already know you”. I believe God created me just to have you”. It addressed “I love you my beautiful unborn daughter”. Janet began to weep without fully knowing why. She knew this letter was connected to her but did not understand all or how. She began to look through more boxes but noticed a document that wasn’t on the fireplace earlier. It was as if it was just placed there for her. It was a certificate of death to a 13 year old girl. Underneath it was a piece of paper from a very old newspaper. It was the girl in the picture. She died at the age of 13 after giving birth to a baby girl. The girl was unnamed.
Janet began to yell, “MOMMY”!!! Mommy!!! Brad ran down the stairs from his sleep asking “What’s wrong honey”? Janet continued to yell “mommy, mommy”. All Brad could do is hold her and he did until morning.
They continued to stay at the mansion the duration of their vacation but Janet was very cold and quiet the entire stay. On the day it was time to leave, Brad called for Janet. “Hey honey everything is already in the car, I’m ready when you’re ready”. Janet walked to the family room for her last goodbye. Chef Teke followed her there. As Janet gazed through the room, Chef Teke said, “Sarah was my friend. When she found out she was pregnant she was so happy. She would be in this room all the time reading stories to her unborn daughter. She believed it was her purpose in life to bring a daughter into the world. She was told she could die having her but she was not afraid. Well your husband’s waiting for you my baby. Come back to visit us more ya here”. Janet whispered “Okay”. As Janet walked away she glanced back at the old room one more time and saw briefly a young girl in the old linen dress pass from one wall to the next as if she was saying goodbye.
Janet left the mansion that day feeling more alive than she had ever been. She knew for the first time she had met her mother.
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