Wading: The Warm Heart Series

By Roe Braddy

It's 1968, and Nezzie Fergerson, a lonely cocktail waitress at Copper Pipe Lounge, finds herself in a new city with a new job and lofty aspirations to find peace and contentment. Nezzie meets the man of her dreams, Mathias Whaley, a hard-working steelworker; even though he seems to be perfect, her feelings of pain and self-doubt hold her back. The young independent loner moves from the past and into Mathias' waiting arms, only to find the road to love and healing is going to be a bumpy one. At the height of the Civil Rights Movement, things were tough for working-class residents of the Hill District in Pittsburgh, PA. Still, despite economic hardships and secrets from the past, Nezzie decides her heart has been captured by an alluring young steelworker with a tender spirit. Together they find themselves wading through the turmoil, uncertainties, and pressures of racism. As ugly scars heal, and the darkness is brought to the surface, Mathias sees his "good thing" is closer than ever before. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: 7th Meadows
• Release date: Nov 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9798223835769

Roe Braddy

Roe Braddy is a retired educator who lives in Pennsylvania. She is the author of ten books. She has a passion for history and the theatre. She grew up in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, which is the setting for the second book in this series, Surrendered. Roe is the recipient of six Emma Awards. (Awarded by Diverse Writers and Readers Inc. for excellence as a diverse romance novelist). Roe is also a playwright. She has written and produced three community theatre productions. Roe also has a love for vintage clothing, antique jewelry, and funky eyewear. You can find her hanging out at coffee shops or at the theatre.       

Book preview

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Mathias and Nezzie Whaley have gone home to be with the Lord a while back ago, but I must thank my dear parents for these stories that they have left for me. As a young girl I can remember my father telling me how he met my mother. They were a wonderful couple who never lost their spark after years of marriage. It’s their words that rest between the pages of all these stories, Scarred, Surrendered, and now Wading.

Somehow my childhood memories have remained clear enough to remember the memories that they share. Their lives were hard ones, but they never forgot that it was God who guided them along the path and gave them the fortitude to continue, and for that I say thank you for being such great examples.

I would also like to thank a tribe of ladies who continued to cheer me on and tell me writing was my thing and not to stop. Thank you for listening to my plot twists, and character drama. Your support has been my strength to continue.

To my readers, thank you for taking another trip down the road with Nezzie and Mathias. I know that you love them almost as much as I do.

Prologue

Mathias

1961

The alarm clock was as loud as a pack of hounds hunting coon. I rolled over and peeled my eyes open and looked at the clock, it was four thirty AM. I rubbed my hands over my face feeling a five o’clock shadow. The sky was still dark, I could hear the rain as it gently pelted the window. I turned my pillow over and rested my face against its cool side. Reaching across the other side of the bed, touching the empty space made me acutely aware of how lonely I was feeling. I thought about her, I wondered if she was feeling as lonely as I was.

I was working from six to two, I had changed shifts four months ago so I could be home before five o’clock. Every night for the last four months Nezzie and I had spent every day together. I walked her home from the Copper Pipe every night. Pittsburgh’s Hill District was thriving, jazz artists were claiming their stardom and getting a little spotlight at the Copper Pipe and the steel mills were producing more steel than ever. I should be in a good place right now, I should be enjoying this with Nezzie, I thought she was my girl.   I rolled over to the side of the bed and swung my feet to the bare wooden floor, feeling the coolness of the floorboards I hunted for my slippers under the bed.  

The events of Sunday were still raw, Nezzie had fled the church like something was on fire inside of her. There was no talking to her when something changed her mind. She was a beautiful, but stubborn woman who I thought was falling in love with me. Little did I know I was the only one falling, falling acting like the world’s biggest fool. Now we lived in the same apartment building, how would I ever avoid that embarrassing feeling of being jilted by another man? I am sure it had to be another man, why else would she just walk out of my life like she did?

I needed to get on with the day. I sluggishly headed toward the bathroom, avoiding looking into the mirror. I didn’t want to see the look of disappointment on my own face. I opened the medicine cabinet and grabbed the little black box. I stood staring at the tiny diamond which seemed to have lost its sparkle. I closed the box and placed it back into the medicine cabinet. Everything in me wanted to flush it down the commode, but common sense grabbed hold of me. It didn’t make any sense to throw four months of hard work down the toilet.

Maybe this was a sign from God I should just move on, maybe move closer to Homestead Pennsylvania. I could leave the Hill District behind and forget about the girl that broke my heart. It would be a shorter drive back and forth to the mill and besides I could avoid looking like a love- sick man who had lost his best friend, because that is exactly who I had become. Once I got to the mill, I could change my schedule back to the night shift. I needed to bury myself in something to release the pain.

Chapter One

Mathias

The last few weeks had been crazy busy at the mill, construction for the Civic Arena had been underway for three year and it was now complete. This mammoth superdome of a building would bring revenue into the sections of the Hill District where black folks lived, at least that was what the plan was. I was excited about the prospects of having first dibs at any shift I wanted now that I had made second foreman. I wouldn’t mind putting in a few more hours and adding some much-needed dollars to my bank account.

When I pulled my truck into the parking lot, I noticed Ed pulling in beside me. I knew that Ed and Mavis had gone through some tough times over the last few months. After Mavis discovered what had happened back in Escambia County her and Ed made up their minds they were going to move forward to try and have a baby. The plans for starting a family didn’t go as expected. Mavis had endured the pain of having two miscarriages, it was taking its toll on both of them.

Ed was working more hours and we were all making more money than ever before. Even though things between him and Mavis were rough, Ed had recently bought himself a brand new 1961 Chevrolet Impala, which had caused even more tension between the two of them. I parked the truck, jumped out to admire Ed and his new purchase.

Man, that’s sharp, I said, giving Ed a pat on the back.

Ain’t it though? It’s sharp, but it done put me in the doghouse with Mavis.

Mavis don’t like the car? I asked, surprised.

"She like it just fine, but all she can think about is how sad she is and how her heart hurts for them two babies she done lost. I don’t know what to do to get her outta this bad place. My old piece of an Oldsmobile done up and died on me.