Sipping with Queens and Angels
written by: Pamela Ebel
Viv turned off 1-10 to the county road that led to her childhood home of Pelican Bayou, Alabama. It was December, and Christmas was racing toward her, and she had yet to get into the spirit.
She glanced at the one-foot-tall rhinestone crown riding shotgun and held firmly in place by the seat belt. An occasional street light would pass over the stones, causing them to glitter and sparkle.
The crown had arrived four days before via parcel post. The last time she had seen it was two years before, when she had attended the sixty-fifth anniversary of the Pelican Bayou Oyster Festival. As the Queen in 1983, she had attended a luncheon for all of those who held that distinction. It was also the first time she had seen Jesselyn Mary Duplessis, Queen in 1984, since graduating from high school.
A short note accompanied the crown:
To Viveca Lindfors Carmouche
Oyster Festival Queen, 1983, and a famous writer
From: Jesselyn Mary Duplessis
Oyster Festival Queen, 1984, and Museum Supervisor, Pella Historical Museum, Pella, Iowa
Subject: Funeral arrangements for Rita Mae Duplessis Parlonge
As you probably know, my aunt, Rita Duplessis Parlonge, my mother’s sister, passed away last Friday. She left specific notes on what was to be done for her wake and funeral. Her husband, Sid, has asked me to see to the same, and I am bound to honor these requests. As a former Oyster Festival Queen, Sis Riri has asked all Festival Queens who are able to come to her wake to serve as her ‘Honor Guard. This entails accompanying her to St. Michael’s Cemetery for burial. Your presence will make twelve of us queens. Mr. Hebert will attend to the details for the wake that will be held on Tuesday, December 5th, at 2:00 pm at his funeral home. Father Leon has arranged for a large tent to accommodate the ‘Honor Guard’ and other guests at the grave site, which is the family crypt. The ‘Queens’ are asked to meet at Hebert’s at 11:00 am to get ready. If you have any questions, I know your mama can answer them. See you soon.
Jess
Viv turned on Old Shell Road to head to her parents’ house when she heard a rustling in the back seat. Looking in the rear-view mirror, she saw Grand Lena and Ma Ve smiling at her.
“I wondered when you were going to show up, Grand. And Ma Ve, I haven’t seen you since your funeral a year ago. But you are both looking well.”
“We are fine, my dear granddaughter. Ve and I have been very busy since Riri passed. Getting everyone together, you know.”
“Ah hum! Excuse me, but can I get in this conversation?”
Looking in the mirror again, Viv saw a third woman who looked familiar, but she couldn’t place her.
“Of course, you can, Retta. Viv, you remember Retta, don’t you? Jess’ mother?”
“Oh, Mrs. Duplessi,s I am so sorry. I haven’t seen you since 1975. I was just a girl then, and mama and Grand didn’t think I should go to your funeral.”
Grand Lena shook her head, and Ma Ve raised her eyes heavenward.
“It wasn’t that we didn’t want you there, Viv, but we knew how upset Jess was, and we needed someone to stay with her. Remember, we sent you both to the Oriental, and you saw a rerun of ‘National Velvet’? Then your grandmother and I picked both of you u,p and we went for burgers at the Dairy Barn. You know, Lena, we haven’t seen that movie in ages.”
“Ve, Lena, please remember we’re here to explain to Viv what the next step is and what we do here in the Bayou now.”
Viv could see Mrs. Duplessis looking at her grandmother and Ma Ve sternly.
“Alright, Retta. No reason to get so testy. We can all explain this to Viv. But first, dear one, don’t go to your folks’ house. Your mama and Jess and some of the other Queens are at Hebert’s waiting for us so we can get Riri dressed.”
Viv suddenly remembered Ma Ve’s passing. She and her mother and Ve’s daughter Tooty had a raucous time getting Ma Ve ready for viewing.
“Don’t tell me I have makeup duty again, Grand. Are you still preventing poor Preston from tending to the departed?”
“Really, Vivie. You should know us better than that. We don’t have anything to do with that decision. That was Tooty’s doing, and she is waiting for us, too. Preston now tends to everyone in Pelican Bayou except for the Mystic Order of Bayou Angels.”
“Your grandmother’s right, Viv. She, Retta, and I, and a fair number of other women born on the Bayou came together years ago and formed our own group. We each get to select one person we wish to serve as Guardian Angel for, and then we draw names for others that we will care for.”
Viv passed the Oyster Festival Grounds and saw Mr. Parlonge’s Giant Plastic Oyster Shell draped in a black mourning wreath. As she passed the Dairy Barn there ensued a discussion in the back seat about whether the root beer float or the banana split was the best summertime offering. She just hoped that these three apparitions were all she had to contend with at the moment.
She passed St. Michael’s Catholic Church and saw the large tent that was erected in the cemetery, ready for the next day’s service. Shortly, Viv pulled into the parking lot of Hebert’s Funeral Home. Turning the car off, she turned to look at the three women who sat smiling at her.
“Oka,y Grand, I’ll bite. What’s this about a Mystic Order of Angels?”
“’ Mystic Order of Bayou Angels, ’ dear and Vera explained it very succinctly. We pass on and are met by those who have gone before us. We explain who we want to guard first and foremost. If everyone agrees, then we move on to drawing the names of others who need us.”
“Well, your grandmother and Vera forgot to tell you that for the first year, we are on a trial basis to make sure we know what to do and are really angel material. Remember Rachel Castle Lena? She got expelled because…”
“Yes, Retta, we remember!” Grand cut her off.
”That is over with, and it doesn’t concern Vivie. But she’s right. We have a one-year apprenticeship, and during that time, we’re like Clarence in ‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’ We have to earn our wings. When we succeed, we get beautiful white or gold wings made with glorious Ostrich feathers.”
“That’s your grandmother’s and my favorite part. Just like a Busby Berkley movie.”
Ma Ve gave her a big smile.
“Eventually, after a certain amount of time, and it’s different with each of us, we earn Rose Gold wings. None of us has them yet, but we have all of eternity to work on it.”
They heard voices and saw Tooty, Ma Ve’s daughter, walking toward the car with Jess in tow.
“Can they see and hear you three?”
“Unfortunately, not Jess.” Her mother, Retta, shook her head.
“I would surely love to talk with her. But apparently not everyone has the sight. You have it and your mama, Tooty, and a few others. Would you somehow let Jess know that I love her and I’m sorry I missed her growing up time?”
Viv nodded as Tooty knocked on the window. Viv rolled it down, and her ethereal passengers disappeared.
“Whatever are you doing sitting out here in the parking lot talking to yourself? Tooty and I and Clara and Sandy, you remember Sandy, Queen after me? Oh well, we’re all waiting for you?”
“For heaven’s sake, Jesselyn, don’t get your panties in a wad. Viv has been driving a while, and I bet you were talking on the phone about some important business. Right?”
Tooty looked at Viv knowingly.
“Come on, dear. Your mom’s inside too. And we were waiting for you to get the party started.”
Viv picked up her crown and joined Jess and Tooty. She saw Jess eyeing the crown and remembered that Grand Lena had gone to New Orleans to get her the biggest one she could find. Jess had to be satisfied with a smaller version the next year. Part of Jess’s problem was that she was seldom satisfied.
Once inside the funeral home, Jess led the way to the main lobby. Mr. Hebert had spent a great deal of money so that it looked like a small version of the lobby in Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. There was a winding staircase with plush red carpet and a handrail of shining brass. Looking up, Viv saw all of the Queens with crowns on, lined up along the stairs, waving at her.
Preston, Mr. Hebert’s personal assistant, smiled at Viv and directed her to follow him. In a side ‘parlor’, Viv found her mother, Elise, and the mayor’s wife putting the finishing touches on Rita Mae Duplessis Parlonge’s makeup. Her hair was done in a 1950’s page boy, and her crown sat atop her head, gleaming in the soft light. Preston smiled broadly.
“I was allowed to do Mrs. Duplessis’ hair. I had never done a page boy, but your mom and Ms. Tooty showed me how. I have a whole book of pictures of almost all of the women in Pelican Bayou to refer to when the time comes.”
Tooty smiled at Preston. She looked at the work that all of the women had contributed to and pronounced that Sis Riri was “ready for her close-up.” That got a laugh from everyone, and Viv realized that all of the Queens had joined them. A tray of champagne flutes appeared, and the group toasted Rita Mae Duplessis Parlonge.
“Preston and the staff will move Riri upstairs this evening. Tomorrow, during the visitation, the Queens will serve champagne. Then the Pallbearers will carry her casket down the staircase with the six Queens of each side of it holding your raised scepters. We will re-form at the tent at the cemetery as they carry her to the crypt for the service. Then, when all is said and done, we are going to the mayor’s mansion for a big party!”
Tooty smiled at Mrs. Mayor, who blushed, uttering something about it being near election time. Everyone laughed, and then people started to leave. Jess lingered waiting for Tooty, Elise, and Viv to leave.
“I think we are going to sit a while with Sis Riri, Jess. We asked your uncle, but he’s too upset. Said he was going to polish up the Oyster Shell so that it would be bright and shiny when the hearse passes tomorrow. Viv and her mama and I would be glad to have you stay for a while.”
Jess was staring hard at her aunt. Then she looked around the room as if she had heard something. Finally, she turned and looked at the three women.
“She looks like mama, doesn’t she? I don’t have a clear picture because she was so sick with cancer for so long. But I think Aunt Rita looks like her. It’s almost like mama’s here in the room.”
Viv looked toward the casket and saw Retta, Ma Ve, and Grand Lena standing there smiling at Rita. And then she realized that they had their wings on. Big, beautiful white Ostrich feather wings that moved gently as they leaned into the casket and spoke softly.
Tooty went and retrieved the bottle of champagne, poured four glasses of bubbly, and gave one to Elise, Viv, and Jess, and kept one for herself. As they spoke softly to Jess about her mother and aunt, the room filled with the smell of gardenias, and they looked up to see Ma Ve, Grand Lena, Retta, and Riri standing in front of them. Jess almost dropped her glass when she cried out.
“Mama? Mama, is that you? And Aunt Rita? And Ma Ve and Grand Lena? I must be hallucinating, or maybe I’m dead?”
Her mother stepped toward Jess with tears in her eyes.
“I’ve waited for years to talk to you, baby girl. You just couldn’t see or hear me until now. I don’t know ’t why. I told Vivie tonight to tell you I loved you.”
Everyone turned and looked at Viv, who held her champagne glass high.
“I decided you needed to tell her yourself, Ms. Retta. Here’s to all of us and here’s to Sipping with Queens and Angels.”
NOTE:
Based on the Prompt – Echoes of Unyielding Voices
- Sipping with Queens and Angels - April 2, 2026
- Spotlight On Writers – Pamela Ebel - March 21, 2026
- The Hart of the Matter - February 14, 2026
