Lillian

By Clarene Evans

CLARENE EVANS grew up in the theater. Not as an actor. Not as a producer or a director. The theater was her babysitter.

In the 1950's, Clarene's mom was the sole bread winner for her family and she worked long hours at Tom's Drugstore in Baldwyn, Ms.  Following her supper break at home with her children, Mrs Evans walked them bac

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: Jan 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685155421

Book preview

THE BEGINNING

R

ealizing the toll the trip was taking on his new bride, Jeremiah considered turning back on several difficult occasions but Victoria had encouraged him each time to keep on keeping on, just a wee bit farther. She knew that they’d eventually find their place and she was right, although in her heart there were times when she wondered if it was truly worth it and toward the end of their journey she began to doubt even herself. Each day seemed to drag on even longer than the day before.

The never endless swaying and groaning of the wagon mixed with the afternoon's warm sun on her face was hypnotic. Today she tried to keep her eyes open but it was futile and she finally laid her head over on Jeremiah's shoulder. The horses hooves making their rhythmic sound, on the soft earth was all she could hear on the prairie and that sound was slowly but surely fading as she drifted off to sleep. Another hour went by before the wagon suddenly jerked her wide awake from her reverie.

Whoaaaa there boys! Jeremiah shouted loudly as he reigned in the horses. He gently leaned over and kissed Victoria softly on the nape of her neck. Looking around from her perch at her surroundings, she realized their journey was finally over. She turned to him slowly as their eyes locked in an embrace and a real kiss that had long been awaited.

I love you Victoria.

And I love you even more sweetheart. Are we truly here for real?

Yes, my darling, we’re finally home!

Now Victoria sat on that ol’ hard seat without saying a word, just smiling at her new husband and drinking in the beauty of this land. Some time passed before the two finally began unloading only the absolute necessities they’d need for the next few days. They’d traveled for months through all kinds of weather and hardships all the way from their homes back in Ohio.

That night they slept outside the wagon on a pallet for the first time since they’d left home.

Jeremiah was a tall rough hewn man, well over six feet, with a head full of soft brown curly hair and deep set blue eyes. He was used to farm work and he had the shoulders and arms to prove it. His voice was deep and carried well when he spoke. Despite his rugged suntanned skin and rough working hands, he was still a very good looking man by anyone's standard and just last week, while on the trail, he’d turned twenty one.

Victoria on the other hand, was the total opposite. She was an eighteen year old petite five foot-two inch little scrap of perfection. Her long auburn hair, done up in a neat bun at the nape of her neck, clear porcelain skin and flashing green eyes were only complimented by her beautiful smile and perfectly straight teeth. Her slender waist showed off her well rounded hips. She was the perfect example of young womanhood at it's finest.

They’d known each other since they were children living on neighboring farms back in Ohio. For them to eventually turn their lifelong friendship into more than just two young kids playing in the hay loft sliding down the piles of hay, or running wild in the backwoods chasing an old coon dog, into a deeper relationship was inevitable. They were made for one another!

He was the first to lay down on the blue double ring quilt under the wagon that night watching her as she was still doing her nightly ritual. First she washed her face then loosening her hair from their tortoiseshell combs. Her long slender fingers took their time as they ran through the heavy wavy locks hanging down to her mid back. A cool night breeze caught in the long white nightgown billowing it out away from her body and with the brightly starlit sky behind her, he could see her shape through the flimsy material. A desire for her, much like the first time he’d seen her, warmed his loins. How in such a short time could that skinny little girl with the long braids turn into this beautiful woman standing in front of him.

When did she stop following him around everywhere and become his wife? He wanted to pinch himself to prove this lovely creature was really his. How could she be more beautiful to him now than she was a year ago when he’d watched her come down the isle to him on her daddy's arm? God had truly blessed him with not only a best friend but a true lifelong partner! His longing for her becoming more and more real by the second.

Victoria turned toward him in the moonlight and he reached out for her hand as she settled down on the quilt, snuggling her tiny frame into his.

Sweetheart, do you think maybe tomorrow…….

With one hand buried deep in her hair and the other on her lips he said softly, Shhh! Not now, sweetheart. We’ll see about tomorrow…tomorrow. Right now I have plans for us tonight. he whispered into the night air.

She didn’t say another word.

THE WILLOWS

T

hey set out all their property markers in just a matter of a few days and were overjoyed to find a small stream meandering throughout the entire three hundred acres they held claim to. The lack of water would never be a problem unless by some chance they had a drought, but from the looks of this land now, that was not likely to happen anytime soon.

That night after supper they quickly decided that they would build their cabin close to this stream, but far enough back to avoid the flood waters… if any ever came. All along the banks of their stream were tall weeping willow trees; hundreds of them. Victoria decided right then and there to name their little piece of heaven, "The Willows", and Jeremiah wholeheartedly agreed.

The next morning after further examination they found several small ponds on the property and hoped that at least one would turn out to be a good ol’ fishing hole.

Zebulon Grissom's wedding present of this prime three hundred acres of Virginia's finest to his son and new daughter-in-law had been signed, sealed and now delivered from the land office in Richmond. Here they could raise a family and here they could grow tobacco.

Hidden away under his vest in the darkness of his shirt pocket, wrapped in a small paper packet, was the treasure that meant almost as much to Jeremiah as did his beloved wife, Victoria. He quickly unwrapped the brown onion skin paper and there they were; his precious tobacco seeds!

He carefully poured out the small handful of seeds into Victoria's hand and she meticulously planted them in small box beds measuring no more than three feet by six feet that he’d constructed just for this purpose. She hovered over the seedlings like a mother hen on her nest and the moment the seedlings were large enough, they transplanted the plants in long straight rows in the fertile soil and then their life took on a whole new meaning.

It had taken a little longer than he had expected to till the soil and get it ready for planting and he was not real sure the crop would be in the ground in time, but he shouldn’t have worried. Victoria never doubted it for a moment and told him so on a daily basis. In fact she never doubted anything he did; ever. She kept his spirits up by talking about what all they’d be able to do once the first crop was harvested and sold.

Jeremiah had big plans and eventually wanted to cultivate the entire three hundred acres but he knew that venture would have to wait until maybe next year. The Negros that had come with them were as anxious to get to the farming as Jeremiah, and they all worked side by side that first year.

After the planting they got busy and constructed a small cabin alongside their stream. The winters here shouldn’t be nearly as bad as Ohio winters but Jeremiah made sure that everyone got their own lean-to built anyway.

None of them had ever been out of Ohio before and thought it would be a much shorter trip to this new Virginia. That idea was quickly squashed however, after the first three weeks of walking, but quickly forgotten when they saw the new tobacco crop in the ground and the plants flourishing in the warm Virginia soil.

This land was made for farming and was so flat in places that they were almost sure they could get the whole farm tilled this season, but the mules had other ideas! They were just simple Ohio mules. They’d pulled the wagons from Ohio and they were only gonna work from sun-up to sun-down, no matter what, so planting the entire plantation was not going to take place this first year. Next year though, they’d be Virginia mules and then they’d show ‘em!

These lush flat fields gave way at intervals to hills and valleys and these were incorporated into pastures for grazing the few cattle and horses they’d brought along with them. The climate here was much more pleasant than in Ohio and everyone seemed extremely happy with their new home.

Before the second harvest, Victoria gave birth to their first child; a son they named Bertram Jeremiah Grissom. Shortly thereafter a daughter, Eleanor Marie, followed and then all of a sudden, their little cabin was full.

They loved the land and it loved them back and the crops were better than even Jeremiah could have hoped for. After only five years, he was proclaimed to be the most successful tobacco farmer around by anyone's standards.

The following spring, Jeremiah hired some skilled carpenters to come out and build them a proper house. It was a good solid wood structure consisting of four rooms with a porch built around the entire perimeter and was laid out so that it could easily be added on to later if the need arose. That need came sooner than either of them expected.

Before the carpenters could get the roof on, Victoria shared with Jeremiah that another child was on the way. Jeremiah immediately told the carpenters to go ahead and add on a second story before they left. A few weeks before the job was finished, Thomas Van, the third and last child was born into the Grissom household.

What more could a man ask for? Jeremiah knew the answer to that question; Victoria had taught him that. He owned land, had a good warm home and a loving family that had become so precious to them. They missed their own families dearly, but they knew they’d never be returning to Ohio. Their hearts were now deeply embedded in this rich black soil and their sweat and tears had made it flourish.

Only a few days after the birth of their third child, Thomas Van Grissom, Victoria succumbed to pneumonia and in a matter of days, was gone. Jeremiah's world turned upside down for a spell and he was left with an empty heart, a huge plantation, magnificent crops, two toddlers and a baby needing a wet nurse.

With his beloved now gone, he was sure his good fortune would be changed forever; but then he heard about a black woman from his best friend Jody Johnson at Victoria's funeral.

Her name was Allegria and she’d come over on a slave ship from Africa, bringing with her, healing powers, like no one in this part of the world had ever seen before. She could talk to horses and break them for riding just by rubbing her hands along their shiny coats. She could predict the weather days in advance and she had a medicinal remedy for everything!

Jeremiah listened intently to everything Jody had to say about this woman, but the one thing that interested him the most was the fact that she was still nursing her child. Jody continued with rumors he heard about her behavior, but to Jeremiah, they were just that, rumors! This seemed like a perfect solution for him. He could take unusual behavior as long as she could feed his crying baby.

Later that very afternoon he hitched up his horse to a wagon, placed baby Thomas in his basket and set out to find her; it didn’t take long.

As he pulled up to the Mueller house, he wondered how any one man could let a place get into such disarray. An old blue tick hound stood up from the front porch and let out a low howling bark before he stretched and then scratched for at least a full minute. Behind him in a straight back chair leaned against the wall was a scrawny, middle aged man wearing nothing but a dirty pair of overalls. As he stood, Jeremiah could see he looked as badly as his farm. His leathery dark skin was tracked with deep set wrinkles and there was snuff crusted on both corners of his mouth. When he smiled, Jeremiah noticed several missing teeth and upon further inspection saw that the man's bare feet were covered in flea bites; compliments of ol’ Boomer. The man spit his tobacco and it landed close to the end of the porch missing it's intended mark by a good foot. He shrugged his shoulders then rubbed his ol’ mangy dog with his big toe.

Thinking this had to be the filthiest human being he’d ever encountered, his mind quickly changed as the front door entrance was suddenly and completely filled with a short blob of a creature in a dirty white apron.

The fat little woman was holding a meat cleaver in one hand and a dead chicken already missing its head in the other. Blood droplets were puddling on the floor but the woman showed no concern whatsoever.

Jeremiah remembered that Victoria had always insisted on having their chickens killed as far away from the house as possible so that her children would never have to witness it. She would turn over in her grave if anyone had ever even thought about bringing a live chicken into her house.

Josiah Mueller. And who might yea be? the dirty man mumbled through his chew.

I’m Jeremiah Grissom sir, from The Willows plantation. I heard you had a girl you might want to sell. I believe her name is Allegria.

Well, you heered right. She's down in that thar cabin just yonder. You see that’n off to the side by itself?

Yes, I see it. How much are you asking for her?

Well, He scratched his scruffy beard and once again reached out to pet his dog with his big toe. I guess that all depends now.

Jeremiah sat in the wagon waiting for the man to finish his answer but he never did so he asked. Depends on what?

On whether you want that ‘er babe shes got a suckling too.

Mueller, I don’t believe in breaking up families, so my answer is yes, I want them both.

Well… now then. We might be needin’ to set a spell and talk ‘bout you not breaking up no families. They's jest niggers, you know! They ain’t got no feelin's. No sir, why they ain’t right human a’tall.

How much do you want for them, Mueller? I buried my wife earlier today and this boy here needs a wet nurse. This dirty man was beginning to get on his nerves.

Hum! That being the case then, I’d be much obliged to help y’all out thar some. I’ll jest take five hundred I reckon.

Mueller had been very disappointed when this last baby of Allegria's turned out to be a girl. He’d already sold off her other four children, all boys, and he was hoping this child would be a boy as well cause they brought a better price, but when this girl was born, he decided he’d put up with her craziness long enough and he was now, at the insistence of his wife, ready to sell her off.

Josiah, you git yoreself on back up here on this ‘ere porch this very minute. The fat lady in the doorway hollered out as she stomped her bare foot on the floor boards of the porch.

‘cuse me a minute, will ya Grissom? The little woman's a calling me.

Little woman indeed, Jeremiah thought to himself.

Mrs. Mueller talked for a minute before her hand holding the clever come up and made a gesture toward the little cabin off to the side. The man quickly turned with a sheepish look on his face and replied, "Uh, Grissom, the wife here just reminded me ‘bout how much we paid fer that gal and I’m ‘fraid I’m gonna have to ask ye for another two hundred for her young’un, just to break even.

Alice Mueller had seen an opportunity to make a good profit on this sale even though only this morning she’d told the ol’ man to get rid of that gal, one way or another. Mrs. Mueller was as mean as the devil himself but she was honestly afraid of Allegria and wanted her off the place, no matter what.

Jeremiah reached in his coat pocket and quickly counted out the seven hundred dollars, never once squabbling about the money. Baby Thomas started his crying again and all Jeremiah wanted was to find someone to feed his young baby boy.

You can write out a bill of sale while I go collect the woman and her child.

Uh, Grissom, you gone have to write that paper out yo; own self then I’ll make my mark. I never did learn no writing or the like.

Jeremiah quickly scribbled something on the back of a piece of paper he found in his coat pocket and then watched as the dirty man made his X. Mueller had pushed his patience to the breaking point.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way. This child needs tending to. He quickly stuffed the paper under the quilt folded on the seat not wanting to have to put his hands on the paper ever again and tipped his hat to Mrs. Mueller. The sooner he got away from these people, the better he’d like it, the smell was about to turn his stomach. They smelled worse than his hogs.

As he drove away he could already hear Alice Mueller giving her husband the what fer from the top of the porch steps. She was chastising him for not asking for more money, when she herself had fixed the price for the slave woman and her baby in the first place. Poor ol’ man Mueller, no wonder the man was so skinny; he probably did a lot of running from that old she devil with the meat cleaver.

ALLEGRIA

A

s he approached the quarters, he noticed the cabin off in a corner by itself and happy to see it was in better condition than any of the others. He hoped the state of the cabin on the outside was a reflection of the woman inside.

He got down from the wagon with his young son and started to knock on the door but it opened immediately in his face. Jeremiah could hardly believe his eyes. Standing in front of him, almost a full six inches taller than he, was the most beautiful black woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

Her skin was as smooth as velvet and the color of dark chocolate. Her slender build only served to accentuate her height. She was thought to be Mandingo, but no one really knew for sure. Most people were genuinely afraid of her but still she was sought out for her medicines and remedies. Baby Thomas had drifted back off to sleep once more but Jeremiah knew this wouldn’t last long, as the child had not been fed since early morning and only then from a rag dipped in warm cow's milk for him to suck on.

She stepped aside and motioned for him to enter. The place was immaculate. Inside were all sorts of pots and bowls lined neatly on a long table down the far wall. They contained such things as chicken claws and feathers, bugs and grass and there was even a tin pot holding nothing but crushed chicken beaks. Hanging from the rafters were pelts from all sorts of creatures and snake skins from poisonous snakes as well as the plain old garden variety kind. One could only guess what had happened to the snakes themselves; probably boiled and eaten by some unknowing poor sick soul that had come down with something or the other. There were also jars and bowls containing all sorts of herbs and roots she used in her remedies. Some thought she had mystical powers but Jeremiah didn’t care about any of this. He just wanted to get her loaded up into his wagon and start for home.

Allegria had not said a word at this point and Jeremiah was beginning to wonder if she could indeed, talk at all. What he didn’t know was that she never talked to anyone. This made most folks around her feel very uncomfortable and it pleased her that people thought her mysterious and left her alone. Her life here was better than most of the other slaves but no one knew that she was really just shy and wanted to keep to herself. She didn’t need a lot of conversation to boggle her mind and she never shared unnecessary words with anyone, not even her own baby daughter.

This baby would be her last child. Allegria knew that, so she had left her at the breast longer than need be. It really didn’t matter to her if she had another baby or not, they’d just be sold off too. It was better not to get too attached. It was a miracle she’d even had this baby. She was hoping her child bearing years would soon be over, but Mr. Mueller had different plans and had mated her up one last time with a buck that was full blooded Mandingo from a neighboring plantation.

Jeremiah asked what she wanted to carry with her after he’d explained about him buying her and her child from Mueller. He was dumbfounded that all she picked up was her daughter and baby Thomas in his basket and climbed into the back of the wagon. Little Thomas began his crying again and she immediately picked up the child and put it to her breast. He nuzzled in like a starving puppy and began to fill his hungry tummy. Jeremiah turned his face away but this time it was to hide the tears he could now shed for his wife. Victoria would have understood why he had not cried until now.

He tried his best to draw Allegria into a conversation on the trip back home but she was totally engrossed with baby Thomas. The hungry child didn’t care if she was black or green or even human, he just wanted what she had in her beautiful breasts and once he had his fill, went right off to sleep without even a whimper. Jeremiah suspected by the way she kept pushing her own child away that she was trying her best to wean her and keeping his young son satisfied would definitely help.

It was just before dusk when they arrived at The Willows. He dropped Allegria and the children off at the front steps while he took the horse and wagon to the stable. When he returned she was still standing in the exact spot where she’d landed when she stepped down from the wagon. He ushered her inside where they were met by two small spunky children, a precocious five year old boy, who was immediately jealous that someone else was nursing his baby brother and a shy little blonde haired girl who was three.

Bertie, Marie, this is Allegria. She's gonna be living here with us in the main house and helping out with baby Thomas. Can you come over here and say hello to her?

The two youngsters stood in awe of the tall black woman holding baby Thomas. All of a sudden a crying Bertie bolted out the door and ran off toward the slave quarters.

He misses his mother terribly. He’ll come around though, don’t you worry. Jeremiah offered.

Allegria didn’t acknowledge his words one way or the other and Jeremiah suddenly wondered if she could hear. Maybe that was why Mueller sold her so cheaply. Well, for whatever reason, Jeremiah didn’t care. She would serve her purpose for him quite well.

She was standing directly between them and the moon and it cast a halo effect around her head. Eleanor Marie finally toddled over and hugged her knees as she looked up and whispered, Angel!

Well, Allegria, looks like you just got a new name. Angel, it is then. Angel Allegria Jeremiah laughed for the first time in days.

Look Marie, she has a little girl you can play with. He reached down and picked up the little black girl.

And what's your name, child? The little girl was terrified of the stranger and immediately started screaming for her mother.

SUKEY! Allegria spoke sharply to the child and she was instantly quiet.

Well, so much for you not being able to hear or talk. Jeremiah whispered under his breath.

THE PLANTATION

A

llegria, Jeremiah, Bertie, Eleanor Marie, Tom and Sukey all settled in comfortably together in the main house and before they knew it, twenty five years had passed. Birthdays had come and gone and all four children flourished under Allegria's care.

Marie had finally blossomed into a pretty young lady and Sukey became her own personal maid…of sorts, helping her dress and fixing her hair. Sukey became obsessed with Marie's hair, probably because hers was her nemesis. She could do nothing with it and had decided many years back to just keep it covered with a turban like her mother's. Each time Marie outgrew a dress or a piece of clothing Sukey swooped in to claim it. If it fit her, Marie would let her wear it but it rarely did after they became teenagers so instead of passing it on to one of the children on the plantation it was ripped apart and Sukey made her turbans from the fabric. She also kept the rest of the fabric and passed it on to Ludie who was piecing quilts for the people on the plantation. Marie was short and a little on the pudgy side for years before she slimmed up and became a pretty woman. Sukey remained as slender as ever and just grew taller each passing year.

Bertie grew up to be a shy, tall, lean muscular young man with brown curly hair like his father's. He was soft spoken, and one of the kindest people you’d ever want to meet. He would not only give you the shirt off his back but offer you his coat as well if you were in need. Bertie was instantly loved by any and all who came into his presence. He was definitely Jeremiah Grissom made over.

Tom, on the other hand, was handsome and charming….and cunning. Being the baby of the family and coddled by the entire plantation made him feel a little different, special and somehow entitled. As he grew however, this gave him a presence that made others feel a little edgy when they were around him and more likely than not, their feelings about Tom Grissom never changed.

Allegria had done a marvelous job of raising the entire family and only became more and more beautiful as the years passed. Through it all though, she had remained just as quiet and mysterious as ever. Her thoughts remained her own and her secrets did as well.

The Willows Plantation, located right in the heart of Colton County, had become known as the best piece of farm land available for growing tobacco in the entire state of Virginia. He had started out with just three hundred acres but over the years Jeremiah Grissom had saved and reinvested and the property now consisted of somewhere in the neighborhood of a thousand acres give or take a pasture.

The main house looked like something an artist might want to capture on canvas. Although it had started out as a fine, well built wood frame two story house, over the years, as the family had prospered, it had been completely refaced with bricks that were made right there on the place by The Willows’ own people. The double front door was flanked by four tall large windows on either side and the top floor had the same windows that matched the downstairs. Six large stately round columns commanded prominence across the front with the middle two supporting an upstairs balcony that hung out over the roof on the main floor. This made a very nice impressive entrance.

The shaded road that led up to the house drive was lined with huge willow trees. Their long limbs cascading down like a bridal veil at a wedding; the slightest breeze ever swaying them to and fro. Although it used to be no more than just a packed dirt bed it was now bricked in a herringbone pattern that went right on up the front steps and covered the entire front veranda.

The Willows had the reputation for having the most skilled labor force in the whole of Colton County and perhaps that is why its people took such pride in the way the plantation looked. There were painted barns, and several long sheds built especially for hanging and drying the tobacco and were more than adequate for the needs of this plantation. The property also boasted it's own grist mill, for grinding corn, a livery and blacksmith, a lumber mill with stacks and stacks of boards piled high in the yard and then there were the white painted slave cabins somewhere off to the right of all of this. Behind those structures were the vegetable gardens and of course, you could find the pig pens and chicken coops even further away from the main house.

Whitewashed fences were around the entire perimeter of the house, paddocks and grazing pastures. All in all The Willows was just a beautiful Southern home and although it was by far the biggest and best in the county, it still gave off a very homey and inviting feeling.

MASUKEY

J

eremiah had decided after this last spell with his heart that he should probably go ahead and turn the place over to his son, Tom. He thought once Tom realized he had something personally invested in the place he would settle down and take some responsibly but this proved to be a decision Jeremiah would soon come to regret. Tom quickly proved that he was not a good tobacco farmer or any good at managing the land. In fact, Jeremiah didn’t know anything Tom could do well.

Eventually Jeremiah realized he’d have to go talk to his son-in-law yet once again. He’d tried to convince him somehow that he’d make a better manager for The Willows than Tom, but George Daniels could not see himself being just a manager and drawing a monthly stipend like he’d been doing since his marriage to Eleanor Marie.

Finally, to prove his point, Jeremiah deeded half the place to his daughter and her husband. George immediately took over the land and proved to be an even harder worker than before.

Tom allowed his half of the plantation to be nearly used up and all but worked out; while his sister and her husband had made good use of their half by not farming it to death. George had rotated his crops just as his father-in -law had suggested, and had fared well in doing so.

Tom, on the other hand, refused to listen to anyone about anything, especially his father and he’d sold off some of his land without telling anyone; trying to just break even. If it had not been for Uncle Foot taking up his slack and getting his crops in and harvested, then he’d have lost everything, but as usual the ol’ black man who had come with them from Ohio came to his rescue. He always did.

At one time, The Willows was spread out over a good thousand or so acres, but with these recent sellouts, now and again by Tom, his half barely covered three hundred acres now. This act of rebellion had caused a big rift between father and son and an even bigger one between Tom and his debtors. His borrowing power had all but diminished entirely. Tom's passion had never been tobacco. He liked to play poker and drink. Both of which were about to pull him completely under.

The rooster was just beginning to crow as he stepped down from his horse and up onto the front porch of The Willows. Already there was activity on the grounds as the workers were getting ready to start their daily chores. Standing in the doorway to greet him was their housekeeper, MaSukey.

You just now come’ in, Massa Tom?

Yeah, bring me a cup of black coffee out here, would ya, MaSukey.

Yes sir. You be a needin’ anythin’ else?

Just coffee for now, please, MaSukey, and hurry, my head's about to split open!

When you’d eat last?

I don’t rightly remember.

Massa Tom, when you gonna stop all this carousing round the countryside, playing cards and making enemies. You just needs to git yo’self a wife and settle down like a real somebody?

You think I’m old enough to be marrying up, MaSukey?

Humph…you know you is! Don’t need be asking me. She laughed.

I’ll give it some thought, MaSukey, but right now, I really do need that coffee.

Yes, Sir, I’m goin’!

Tom didn’t even think about going in the house and slumped down in one of the willow rockers on the front porch, waiting on MaSukey to bring his coffee out. He didn’t have to wait long.

When the door opened Tom immediately smelled the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee and could hardly wait for the brew to help chase away the cobwebs that had formed around his fuzzy brain. The boys were going to have to do without him for the next few days. Two days and nights playing poker without sleep was a little more than he could handle any more. He needed a bath and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten a decent meal.

MaSukey set the tray down on a side table and poured him a fresh cup. He noticed there was a plate of gravy and biscuits and he needed no invitation to dig in.

Is Pa up yet? he asked with a full mouth.

Yep, I’m fraid he is. He's a mite peeved this morning too. He's been asking for you ever since late yesterday evening.

"Oh God! Well, that's all I need at this hour of the morning, a raking over by the old man. Damn it, don’t he understand nothing? Why, surely he remembers what it was like to dally with the girls, go drinking, and gamble just a little….Ok, well, maybe a tad more than ‘just a little.’

Boy, you know Mr. Jeremiah never done none of them things; he had too much respect for Miss Victoria and her memory.

Well, what about all those times with your mammy, Angel Allegria?

I don’t know nothing about them times and neither do you, so just hush on up now.

He finished off the first biscuit but the gravy was not sitting too well on his empty stomach. Maybe he’d wait a bit before trying the other one. He leaned back in the rocker a minute and sipped the black coffee waiting for his fog to lift.

Just because his sister, Eleanor Marie had married that soft spoken, mealy mouthed George, who doted on old Jeremiah's every word and took all of his advise, certainly didn’t mean he was going to, good crops or not. He was determined to do things his own way. Why, he was educated, and George Daniels was just a plain ignorant farmer; common as dirt. What in the hell did he know anyway, except how to raise kids, and all of them boys at that?

MaSukey poured him a second cup of the black liquid and his head was beginning to clear somewhat.

Miss Marie tried her best to calm him down last night but he be all ranting and raving ‘bout how he gonna whup the tar outta you when you finally did git home. She chuckled.

Yeah, I’m shaking already. I can just see that now!

Who you talking to down there, MaSukey Gal? Is that my boy Tom done come in? Jeremiah called out through the front windows. His voice boomed all the way down to the front veranda. His bedroom was situated directly over the overhanging front porch and the two large windows gave him a perfect view of everything going on outside, in the front and the back yards.

I told you he was done up and peeved. MaSukey retorted.

Yeah, you gave me fair warning. I should have kept my mouth shut. Seems like his hearing ain’t hurt none.

His sight tain’t neither, I got bruises on my backside to prove that! MaSukey snickered.

TOM? It's about time you come dragging your lazy ass in. Git on up here, I need to take a pee.

As Tom started through the door he looked back at the black woman standing at the porch railing and wondered if somehow she could be right. Maybe it was time for him to settle down.

MaSukey was a tall statuesque woman, standing at least five foot eight and weighing about one hundred and thirty pounds. Her skin was as dark as the ebony keys on a piano and her eyes were as black as midnight and glistened like two shiny black pearls. Her teeth were perfect and her smile quite striking. She had beautiful hands and her fingers were long and slender and very graceful. She always had on bracelets she’d made from dried beans or dried corn painted with vegetable dyes and strung on a string. She wore several on both arms and there was always some type of necklace around her neck. This was usually a cloth bag that held the secrets to the universe tied to a leather cord of some sort. The contents in the cloth bag changed from time to time but was always there, nonetheless. Her ears were pierced and sticking through the holes were tiny pieces of a broom straw about two inches long. Her hair had never been seen by anyone because she kept it covered with a turban style cloth made of madras fabric she’d dyed herself, again using berries and vegetable dyes.

No one else on the entire plantation looked like MaSukey; in fact no one in Virginia looked like MaSukey. Her grace and poise is what set her apart from the others. She’d learned all these things at a very early age from her mother, Angel Allegria.

As he helped his father squat down over the chamber pot, Tom wondered how much longer he would have to do this. He knew there was really nothing wrong with his father but the old man seemingly had no intention of ever leaving this room again. He’d decided that since his heart was weak, he’d just take to his bed and wait for it to stop beating. That way, he’d already be laying down when it happened. Tom wondered if there was really any logic to this way of thinking. Probably not, but as long as he was upstairs then he was not out and about and in his way.

Good Lord, Pa, you need a bath. You stink! Tom turned his face away from his father.

Naw, I had one back before winter and besides that's just them beans MaSukey fed me last night.

Well, I’ll make sure you don’t have them again for a while.

Now boy, you know I like my beans and corn pone so you just mind your own business and leave MaSukey alone. You hear me? She knows what I like and how I like it cooked. She's been cooking special for me ever since my own Angel Allegria died. Lord, I sho do miss her.

He drifted off with his thoughts as he had begun to do a lot lately. Allegria had been dead for nearly five years now and Jeremiah hadn’t stopped talking about her yet and probably never would.

He’d left her standing at the railing on the veranda one night to go and check on a new calf being born and when he returned he found her sitting in her rocker. When he sat down beside her in the dark, he reached out to hold her hand lying on the table in between them but she didn’t respond. Her hand was cold and he asked if she wanted him to go in and get her shawl. She never responded and he knew then without even getting up that his companion was gone. She must have died shortly after he left to go down to the barn. Tears streamed down his face as he remembered the first time he laid eyes on her. A rare thing of beauty all wrapped up in the skin of this Mandingo woman.

She’d been the only real mother that Eleanor Marie and Tom could even remember. She’d even won over young Bertram very soon after that first night.

Angel Allegria was the only black person ever allowed to sit on the front veranda of The Willows plantation. She and Jeremiah often sat on the porch after getting the children down at night and smoked their pipes and talked about what was going on around the place. She’d been a Godsend to him in more ways than one. He never even looked for another wife after Allegria came here and Tom and MaSukey both knew that the two were secretly in love with one another, although that sort of behavior was not permitted in the South, at least it was never talked about if it did occur. She and Jeremiah had raised their children together and when she passed away, a part of Jeremiah passed right along with her.

She was buried just one lot over from Miss Victoria in the family's plot and Jeremiah just dared anyone to make a comment about that. He’d saved the lot in between the two for himself and left instructions with Uncle Foot to that effect.

After her mother's death, everyone immediately started referring to Sukey as MaSukey as she took over the duties of her mother. Although she was just a year younger than Marie and only two years older than Tom in their eyes she suddenly became older, and truth be known, she was wiser as well. MaSukey was one who kept her eyes open and her mouth shut! Her mother had taught her that a long time ago and also how to cook and ‘do’ for the house hold to make them all feel special.

MaSukey definitely ran The Willows from the inside of the ‘big house’ and the rest of the place was run by Uncle Foot!

UNCLE FOOT

N

orfolk, Virginia was hosting a big tobacco auction the next weekend and Tom was bound and determined to go. He didn’t have any tobacco to sell, nor could he buy any, but he did have other motives for taking the trip. He’d just had his twenty ninth birthday and MaSukey had almost convinced him that he was ready to settle down.

Tom had