Southern Lies

By Kimberly Perdue-Sims

Southern Lies is a fictionalized historical romance of three generations of the Hopkins family. From the settling dust of the Civil War in the green hills of Elberton, Georgia to the murky shores of the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Southern Lies tells the drama of lust, societal lies and misplaced love as they fulfill their most primal desires. Consequences be damned! 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kimberly Perdue-Sims
• Release date: Mar 3, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223905790

Book preview

ELBERTON, GEORGIA

1863

One falsehood spoils a thousand truths.

Ghana Proverb

Niggers always have a way of finding out things Josiah. You may as well tell them now and get it over with.

Damn it all Grace, I don’t have to tell them anything, I’m the head of this household!

Josiah Alexander Hopkins! How dare you speak to me in such a manner! Grace stood so abruptly; her needlepoint fell to the highly polished wood floor.

I apologize dear. I'm just so gosh darned upset about this Emancipation Proclamation. He crumpled and then viciously shook the papers as if the act would remove the intent of its words.

I understand dear, but what will happen if you don’t tell them? Will the Yankees be able to take our home? Our land? Our niggers? How would we survive Josiah?" Her needlepoint forgotten she set down in her chair trembling.

Josiah remembered the fragility of his wife and patted her shoulder.

Don’t worry Grace. No one is taking anything from us. I have two sons fighting in this war and I'm not freeing one nigger until they come home victorious. My family has been in Elbert County since the day the Georgia legislature created it back in 1790. We helped build this county! My great-great grandfather William Hopkins cleared this land with his own hands. His wife bore seventeen children, fourteen boys. They all worked this land and added to this house. The Hopkins family been buried on this land since then and will be for the next two hundred years! Ain’t nobody going to run us off my land! Besides, planting season starts in a few months and I have over a hundred acres need to be cleared and planted. Not to mention all the other work needs to be done around here. Who gonna do it, that pasty-faced, nigger-lover Lincoln? I don’t care what these papers say. Nobody is gonna tell me what to do with my niggers on my land!

The Hopkins plantation was one of the few left intact by the North. Many plantations were able to survive because of their self-sufficiency, isolation and the ability to pay off crooked officials.

Josiah, calm yourself. As I said before, they find out everything.

You’re right Grace. Now if that shiftless, no-good brother of yours would manage these slaves and quit trying to poke every piece of black tail he sees...

Josiah!

Sorry dear. It’s just that I hired him as an overseer because he’s your brother. Yet he does nothing all day. He’s shiftless, just shiftless. Josiah pulled out a leather pouch of tobacco and began filling his pipe.

Just talk to him Josiah. Robby's a good boy. He moves slowly because of his bad eye. That’s why he couldn’t fight in the war.

He sees and moves mighty fine at night when he heads down to them slave quarters.

Grace let out a loud sign as she retrieved her needlepoint.

Can we please talk about something else Josiah?

Yes dear.

We have to finish planning Abigail’s wedding. It’s in five months.

Out of all the gosh-darned things you could talk about you bring up the fact your daughter is marrying a foreigner!

He's not a complete foreigner Josiah. He was born here.

But his family was born in Italy.

France dear.

France. Italy. Rome. What’s the difference? They weren’t born in Georgia so that makes him a foreigner to me!

Josiah, please keep your voice down. Abigail may hear you.

Josiah walked over to the fireplace and lit a small piece of kindling. He set it to the tobacco and stoked his pipe a few times.

In all my born days I never thought a man had to keep his voice down in his own home because of his daughter and a bunch of niggers.

The one who throws the stone forgets, the one who is hit remembers forever.

Angola Proverb

Pollum, wait a minute. Stop Pollum. Wait. Becca attempted to push her sweaty lover away.

What we got to wait for? You know we ain’t got much time. Pollum tried again to enter the squirming woman.

Pollum, I got to tell you something first. Stop it now. It’s mighty important.

Pollum sighed heavily as he rolled from Becca. He loosely tied the cord around his cotton britches.

Okay Becca, what is so mighty important you stop our loving? He absently pulled a piece of straw from her short woolly hair.

I’m gonna have a baby.

What? Pollum jumped up Are you sure?

Yeah Pollum, I’m sure. She grabbed his hand smiling.

He snatched it away.

Why you smiling like somebody’s fool for?

Cause I’m having your baby. Becca stood up attempting to hug him.

Becca, you crazy as a loon. How you know it ain’t your husband’s baby?

Pollum, I ain’t had no loving with Samuel in months. Besides, you know he can’t make no babies. He done had other wives before me, Elsie and Weeda. Neither of them had babies. That’s why Master Hopkins put me with him in the first place. He thought something was wrong with them. All the times he tried, nothing happened. We’ve been loving each other since before planting. Now I’m gonna have your baby. She giggled again.

Listen Becca, even if it is my baby, you can’t tell nobody, especially June. She’s my wife and I plan to keep it that way.

Why would I tell June?

Just keep your big mouth shut. I can’t believe you having a baby. June is still upset because Hopkins sent our last two boys to his brother’s place in Savannah. Hopkins always says June and me make big hard working boys. But as soon as they big enough to pick he sales them or sends them off somewhere.

Well, he ain’t gonna send this one off. She rubbed her flat stomach. Cause we heard from Sara’s boy over at the Wilkins’ plantation that the Yankees may be coming here soon. We gonna all be free and we can choose who we wants to be mated with. I’m gonna choose you Pollum. You gonna be my new husband. She threw her arms around his neck and started kissing him. He pushed her roughly away.

Now I know you crazy! You ain’t choosing me for nothing! I got a wife and you got a husband. Quit talking such foolishness. Besides, everybody knows Hopkins didn’t put you with Samuel. You begged to be put with old Samuel. He got that big cabin and gets things from Hopkins cause they half kin on account they daddies were brothers. You thought you were getting something special.

I wanted to be your wife but you were so hog tied to June. I didn’t care about no big cabin or extras.

Well, I ain’t got no big cabin or get extra clothes like your husband do. A lot of times Becca you be all highfalutin around here, nose all in the air.

She pouted for a minute.

Why you talking so mean to me Pollum? She rubbed his arm.

You got me so confused about this baby. Acting like you done got a big old prize.

The rhythmic gyration of her hips, the slow lifting of her homespun skirt exposed her strong, dark thighs.

What kinda prize you think I got ‘neath this skirt?

Pollum licked his lips as he pulled her into his arms.

You got the kinda prize I could stay in all night. But it ain’t gonna change nothing, Becca. Pollum had a weakness for any woman who liked rough, forbidden sex. He refused however to be caught in Becca’s trap.

I understand. Cause you got something Samuel ain’t gonna ever have.

What’s that?

Becca untied the cord around Pollum’s waist and grabbed his penis before his pants hit the ground.

This.

Pollum moaned and Becca laughed as the two lovers fell into the soft thick pile of hay oblivious to everything except their primal lusts. Becca used every part of her body to gratify Pollum.

Satisfaction, exhaustion and the chance of being caught ended the sexual liaison. The two lovers slipped out of the old abandoned shed into the dark cool night, each going in a different direction.

Pollum opened the pine door of his cabin and held his breath. Everything was still. He heard the gentle snore of his daughter Dilly-Ann on her straw mat near the fireplace. After dropping his britches, he eased on to the rope bed he shared with his wife of over twelve years.

June’s hot tears flowed as the familiar smell of her husband’s unfaithfulness assaulted her spirit. Even when he nestled behind her, she stayed still. All the arguing, begging and crying would not stop her husband from sneaking off to what the slaves called the poking shed. Pollum took every woman willing to go, except June. He never asked her to go and she never asked to be taken. Because she was his wife, he thought taking her where countless others had lain would be disrespectful. Hopkins married June to Pollum when she was fourteen years old. Every year until June was eighteen, she gave birth to a boy. Hopkins was pleased because it meant more workers and ready cash when needed. When June was nineteen, she gave birth to a girl, named Dilly Ann. June noticed one of her legs was shorter than the other. She hid it from Hopkins because he often sold children, he deemed unfit to work or unpleasant to look at. June and the slave mid wife, Mama Jane treated the infant with various homemade poultices, remedies and elixirs to strengthen her leg. By the time Dilly Ann was three her limp was barely noticeable.

The tiny cabin soon filled with Pollum’s snoring. June eased from under his heavy arm and stood beside the bed. Every night she wanted to kill the man she loved because of the pain he caused her. Pollum was by far the strongest and handsomest man on the plantation. She rubbed her swollen belly as proof of his virility. Nevertheless, when her pregnancies became evident, Pollum would start his midnight run to that cursed shed down past the slave quarters. There were other men who slipped down there for a little variety with the few women who were either single or hotly whispered about among the respectful women in the quarters.

She wondered who it was this time. There were about thirty women on the plantation of age for Pollum to fool with. They all seemed friendly to her during the day, but when the sun went down and the stars appeared she heard him ease out the door.

Confronting him would do no good. She belonged to him and Hopkins. Every night she prayed he would stop. Until then she kept silent.

June grew weary as she leaned back to accommodate the extra weight. She hoped this baby was a girl. Every boy she had Hopkins had taken away from her. Dilly Ann, her sister Tate and Mama Jane were her only comforts.

As soon as June got in the bed, Pollum pulled her closely to him. June wished he loved her like this all the time.

The next day June delivered a boy. It was still born.

Snowflakes fell gently on the backs of the group of Black men as they lined up at the edge of the slave quarters. Cotton had been picked, baled and sold. All the other crops raised on the Hopkins farm had been canned, jarred and smoked for the long winter months. Regardless of the time of year, the slaves always had work to do.

The men stomped their feet and rubbed their hands together trying to stay warm. Master Hopkins finally appeared on his chestnut stallion to give them their instructions for the day. His brother-in-law Robby, followed beside him on a gray mare.

Last week we had a real bad storm blow through here. I rode around yesterday and noticed quite a bit of damage. I'm gonna divide you all into groups to get this work done before this snow gets too deep. Robby, take Billy, Henry and Griff and start working on that fence where our land connects with the Wilkins place. Jeb, you and Frank go to the smithy shed and get hammers, bailing wire and a sack of nails and then join up with Robby.

Yes sir, Mr. Hopkins. Jeb and Frank ran to the shed to warm up rather than out of a sense of urgency.

Pollum and Samuel y'all gonna work on the roof of the big house, the barns, and the out buildings and if there is enough daylight you can do the slave quarters. I noticed a few loose boards yesterday. Check the chimneys for bird’s nests and holes. Patch up anything you see wrong. I know its cold today and y'all late getting your winter clothes, but those gals ought to be finished soon. We got six babies coming today, maybe more so some of the gals have to fill in for others. I must not be giving out enough work if we got this many babies coming all at once. Alright get started. Hopkins turned his horse and headed toward the house.

Pollum and Samuel headed toward the shed.

It’s colder than a frog’s ass out here. Pollum glanced at his unusually quiet friend.

What’s the matter with you Samuel? You mighty quiet this morning.

Didn’t you hear Hopkins say all them babies coming soon. Becca was feeling kinda poorly last night. She says it’s her time. So, one of them babies coming today is mine. They stepped inside the shed.

Show nuf! Pollum said genuinely surprised. After Becca made her announcement, he never met her in the shed again nor kept account of her pregnancy. There were plenty of other accommodating women.

Congratulations Samuel. Pollum slapped him on his back.

Thank you, Pollum. It was just somewhat strange though. I had two wives when I was younger and neither of them never catched with me. But that Becca, she did almost as soon as we got married. He shook his head as he removed the trowel from the wall.

Babies catch when they supposed to I reckon. Pollum got the ladder.

I guess you right. It just seems strange that after all these years I’m gonna finally have a son. First, I thought Becca was fooling when she said she was pregnant. It had been so long since we had any loving. She was always so shy about loving. Sometimes she cry saying I was rough on her. I wake up during the night and she be gone. I asked her where she been and she say down to Mama Jane’s cabin to get something to help her stop being shy. I guess it must have worked cause she is as big as a barn now.

Pollum remained silent. He knew there was nothing shy about Becca or her loving. He hoped the baby belonged to Samuel. He genuinely considered him a friend.

June rubbed her hands together as she stoked the fire in Samuel and Becca’s cabin. Several women went there to sew because it was the biggest in the slave quarters and the only one with a wooden plank floor. Hopkins had been slow about allowing the women to sew the slave’s winter clothing after the passing of his wife Grace.

A few months after Abigail married and left for Europe, they received news that both their sons were dead. Grace became hysterical. There was no way of comforting her. For days on end, she screamed, cried and begged for her sons, refused to eat or bathe. Hopkins got every doctor he could beg, pay or threaten to help his beloved wife.

Everything from bloodletting with live leeches to laudanum was tried. The opium-based liquid would calm Grace but she often hallucinated. She would talk to her long dead parents, call Thelma the head house maid different names and often forgot who Josiah was. As larger doses were prescribed, the less she ate.

Three weeks later, she went into a coma and never regained consciousness. The doctor stated the cause of her death was a broken heart. Hopkins, stricken with the grief of losing his entire family in a month beat and tortured every slave, animal and object that came within his reach.

After months of drinking and maniacal outbursts, Thelma, whose mother had been a house slave and Josiah's half-sister was able to get him back on his feet. She told him she heard whispers from the quarters about an uprising and that the slaves planned to take over his land. Cold baths, gallons of black coffee and three straight days of sleep put Hopkins in rare form. Aside from his family, he loved his land.

June, Becca and the other women cut fabric for most of the early hours. Every two two years, they supplied all fifty-eight slaves their winter allotment of clothing. Each man was to receive two shirts of cotton drilling, a pair of woolen pants and a woolen jacket. Each woman received six yards each of cotton drilling and woolen fabric, a needle, a skein of thread and half a dozen buttons. Every other spring, the men received one cotton shirt and one pairs of cotton pants and the women received six yards of cotton shirting and the same cotton cloth the men’s pants were made from. One pair of heavy boots were issued in the fall. The children wore two long shirts year-round, nothing else. When someone outgrew a jacket, pair of pants or a dress there was always someone waiting to wear it.

They stacked the roughly cut pieces around the room and soon everyone settled down to sew. They all talked about the high number of births, Robby’s nightly creeping and news of the war.

Becca set on the wooden chair making tiny stitches in a pair of pants when the first contraction hit.

Oh, sweet Jesus! She clutched her stomach.

The other women, seasoned mothers looked at her and smiled.

You gonna be alright Becca. You’ll be able to finish two maybe three pairs of britches before that baby comes. June assured her.

The women all laughed.

I started feeling it last night. This pain is so awful I can’t take it. Somebody go get Mama Jane. Tell her it’s my time.

Sue, a mother of over a dozen children got up from the floor and walked over to the agonizing young girl. She placed her hand on her stomach.

Nah, child you got a long ways to go. That baby ain’t even all the way down yet. Go on and get busy on them britches. We right here with you. Ain’t no need of calling Mama Jane. She gonna tell you to make them britches, drank some hot tea and she’ll see you this evening.

The other women agreed. The contraction subsided. Becca realized she was not getting any sympathy from these women. She thought about how many babies these women had given birth to with no problems. This was her first and she didn’t want to appear weak. She knew many of them sitting here didn’t like her. Samuel told her they were just jealous because of what she had. She looked around at their bowed heads and rough hands. The thoughts of their envy made her contractions somewhat more bearable.

Slave women always worked until their contractions prevented them from completing the minutest of tasks. Regardless of the weather conditions or the difficulty of the job, having a baby was no reason to stop working.

Mama Jane normally oversaw the baby cabin, where all the children under seven stayed during the winter while their parents worked. During cotton season all children over four worked. There was always something for hands no matter their size to do.

However, with so many impending births, two older girls were in charge of the fifteen or so youngsters. They led them in quiet songs, played with their few homemade toys and took numerous naps. Mama Jane hurried between cabins to offer comfort to the expectant mothers.

Just as predicted Becca was able to finish a pair of pants, when the first hard contraction came.

Please call Mama Jane. I know this baby is coming now!

Sue stopped sewing and felt Becca’s stomach.

Yeah, she ready. I’m gonna tell Mama Jane so she’ll know, but we probably gonna have to do this one ourselves. Sue said as she slipped on her husband’s hand me down jacket.

You probably right. June helped Becca onto the straw stuffed rope bed.

Becca, take off your dress. Ain’t no need of messing it up and you don’t need it on no how.

Becca lifted her arms while June removed the loose cotton garment.

I’m so thirsty June. Can somebody get me a cup of water? Just as she was easing onto the bed, a contraction seized her. June held her hand until it subsided.

What am I gonna do? Who gonna help me?

I done had a baby every year since I been with Pollum. Don’t even know how many I done had. For a brief moment, sadness swept over June. If anybody can deliver a baby I can. Don’t you fret, we’ll get it born.

June sent one of the younger women outside to fill a metal basin with water.

Becca let out a loud scream. June please go get Mama Jane. She can help me.

"Becca, she can’t do no more for you than I can. Now listen to me babies come with pain.

Miss June, what you want me to do? One of the other young women appeared beside the bed.

Child, I forgot you were here. Go see what’s taking Hannah so long to get that water. We gonna need it.

Yes ma’am. The young woman slipped a threadbare shawl around her shoulders.

Child, put on that old coat of mine. It’s warmer than that piece of nothing you wrapping around you.

Thank you, Miss June.

Now hurry up before this gal has this baby. We need that water.

The girl quickly left the cabin. June threw another log on the fire.

June, where are you? This baby is gonna come now! Becca let out another scream. June went to her side.

Now Becca, I know it hurts. But you gotta just get ready for it. After all is said and done you gonna forget you even had this pain when you see your baby’s face.

June you are so good to me, always have been good to me, even before you got with Pollum and before I got my Samuel. Now here I am doing you wrong.

Becca, what are you talking about? What do you mean doing me wrong?

Becca started to cry. When she tried to speak another contraction gripped her.

June patted her face with a dry rag.

Becca, now tell me what you talking about.

June, I...ah

June, we got the water. The two young women came inside before Becca could finish.

The handle was frozen on the pump. We had to beat it free with a stick. Then the stick broke. So, we had to get another one.

Lord have mercy. Where is Sue? June asked as she put the water on the fire to boil.

She is with old Mama Jane. Seems like Opal is having it hard. She had one baby come backward and now she having another one coming the same way. But Mama Jane was having trouble so she got Sue helping her.

Is my baby gonna come backwards? Becca yelled.

No Becca, just let me feel you and see. June’s experienced hands felt around the woman’s stomach and abdomen. No, you fine, just fine. Now, when I tell you to push, you push like there is no tomorrow.

June and the other two women took turns wiping Becca’s face, stoking the fire and sewing the stack of fabric.

Okay Becca, this is it. You two hold her arms. Now come on Becca, push. Push harder.

Becca pushed so hard she felt as if she were tearing in half. Instead of the pain, she had endured for the last few hours she felt a warm pool of liquid and the immediate cries of her baby.

That’s it, Becca. You did it. You got yourself a baby girl. Hannah, take the baby and clean her up. I still gotta get this afterbirth.

June handed the slippery squealing infant to Hannah.

I cannot believe I got a little baby girl. Where is she? I want to hold her. Tears ran down Becca’s face.Hold on Becca, we still got some work to do. June delivered the after birth and put it in a clean white rag. Ancient African traditions considered the afterbirth sacred. They buried it to ensure that women remained fertile and their womb would heal. The slave women knew this because it had been passed down from their grandmothers' grandmothers' mothers down to them and they would pass it to their daughters.

"We gotta find a place to bury this before the ground completely freezes.

Look at this! Hannah squealed.

What’s wrong with my baby? Becca tried to rise from the bed.

Ain’t nothing wrong with her, Becca. I was just looking at her little old behind. Look at this June.

June washed her hands and walked over to the fireplace. When she looked down at the wrinkled bottom of the baby, she had to take a step back.

What’s wrong with my baby? Tell me what’s wrong with her? the new mother became hysterical.

I told you ain’t nothing wrong. She just got a little old birthmark on her rump. Looks just like a full moon. I ain’t never seen nothing like that before. Have you June? When Hannah turned toward the fireplace, June was gone.

June ran to the baby cabin as fast as she could. Oblivious to the snow and stinging wind, she only wanted her child. The only thing that stopped her was the latched door, which she beat at frantically.

June what’s wrong? One of the girls asked as she let her inside.

Where’s Dilly Ann? She began searching through the neat little rows of sleeping children.

She’s right here June. Did Becca deliver alright?

June snatched her daughter from the girl’s hands and rushed outside. Dilly Ann began to cry when the cold air enveloped her near naked body.

Hush child, just hush. June wrapped her inside of her skirt. Her woolen hand-me down jacket lay forgotten inside the cabin where Dilly Ann’s half-sister had just been born.

"No matter how long the night,

the day is sure to come."

Congo Proverb

August 1865

June clenched the side of the rope bed as the contraction gripped her body.

You would think after all the babies I done birth this would be easier.

Mama Jane wiped the woman’s face with a damp cloth.Yeah, that’s what we would think. She chuckled.

Mama Jane stood up with her head tilted to one side.

June, you hear that?

Hear what Old Mama Jane?

Sounds like singing.

Who gonna be out there singing this time of day? Everybody working. Ain’t nobody out there but a couple of children.

Hush June, I tell you I hear singing.

June became still and soon she heard the harmonious voices of the slaves getting closer to the cabin. Pollum, who often led the singing while in the fields, was heard over the other voices.

"No more peck o' corn for me,

No more, no more,

No more peck o' corn for me,

Many thousand go. No more driver’s lash for me,no more,no more. No more pint o' salt for me, no more, no more.

No more hundred lash for me,No more, no more

No more mistress' call for me,

No more, no more,

No more mistress' call for me,

Many thousand go."

What you think it means Old Mama Jane?

I don’t know child, I don’t know.

Ma, Ma! Dilly Ann ran toward the cabins as fast as her coffee-colored legs could carry her. Her oversized cotton dress encircled her knees, causing her to slide ungracefully into a mud puddle. Spitting the gritty, leaf filled water out, Dilly Ann continued on her mission. When she reached the cabin, she pushed open the wooden door and came in yelling.

Ma, Ma. . . Old Mama Jane grabbed the running child’s arm so quickly the momentum lifted her off her feet.

Dilly Ann why you run in here like a jack rabbit? What’s wrong with you?

Dilly Ann tried to catch her breath but her enormous smile made it difficult.

Hi Old Mama Jane... Ma, I had to come and tell you Masta Hopkins just read a piece of paper says we free.

Old Mama Jane stood stock-still. The only sign of life was the water brimming up to the edge of her cataract-covered eyes.

Free. A butterfly whisper slid from her mouth.

Yes ma’am. Free. He says all us is free. We can go where we wants and do what we wants. I’m gonna go to Masta Hopkins house and sleep in his bed and eats his food. Dilly Ann twirled around laughing.

Hush that foolish talk child. Old Mama Jane laughed as she walked over to the rope bed where June lay.

You hear that June, we are free. Free! Old Mama Jane clapped her dark gnarled hands.

Are you for shore Old Mama Jane? Dilly Ann, do you know what you saying? Tears ran down her face.

Yes, ma’am he just read it. Said we is free. That’s why everybody singing. The child had no more comprehension of the word she grew up hearing than she did God, north and faith. Everyone just seemed happy whenever she said it.

June closed her eyes, gripping the clean multicolored heavy quilts as another contraction gripped her worn young body. The same quilt had covered her body during conception, birth and despair. Twelve kids since she was fifteen. All of them gone except Dilly Ann and this one. Two years ago, she gave birth to a stillborn boy. She was almost happy because at least she knew Hopkins couldn't sell him or give him away. She now prayed this one would be a boy to replace all the ones she'd lost. She prayed that free meant she could keep her children. The son she gave birth to three years earlier was sold to one of Hopkins business associate. The man said his youngest son would need a man servant and it was best if the two boys grew up together.

Push June, push. You gonna have the first free born baby on this place. Push girl, you a free woman having a free baby. Of the hundreds of contractions, she had endured over the years June smiled for the first time through the next one after Old Mama Jane’s words penetrated her soul.

By the time the other now former slaves got to their cabins, June was placing the robust infant’s mouth to her milk-filled breast. He latched on with a fierceness that caused her to flinch.

June’s sister Tate walked into the cabin.

It’s another boy ain’t it? I don’t know what you and Pollum do to get so many boys.

June smiled at her sister. Dilly Ann told us we free. Is it true Tate? We really free?Yes sister! We is free! She danced around the room with Dilly-Ann. They all shouted and laughed about their freedom. Dilly-Ann ran outside to join the others.

Where we going June? asked Tate. She patted the sleeping child’s face.

I don’t know and I don’t care. Just as long as it’s gone away from here. June pulled her tattered garment around her.

June, you were born a slave, but you ain’t gonna die a slave, but your body needs a few days rest before you be trying to travel up north. Don’t even know if there is an up north.

Oh, there is an up north Old Mama Jane. I remember my ma and other peoples talking about it when I was a child. You used to talk about it too Mama Jane. Don’t you want to get away from here and have your own place? Your own little garden?

I don’t know. I haven’t thought about freedom in so long. I would like to do something free before I die though. The old woman shook her head wiping away a few tears.

Come on Mama Jane! Me and Griff and the children are gonna head up North and have us a good time. Tate grabbed Mama Jane’s hands and danced her around the small room.

Child let me go. Mama Jane laughed and set down in the chair fanning herself.

Dilly-Ann came back inside still twirling around.

Mama, everybody talking about where they gonna be free. Sue and Billy saying they going up North to some place called Ohio. Miss Hanna says she and her husband and children going all the way up to New York, cause she heard they have rich colored peoples up there and she wanna be rich. Are there such a thing as rich colored peoples Mama?

I don’t know Dilly-Ann. Guess maybe it could be.

Mama?

What Dilly-Ann?

What’s rich?

I don’t know child. She chuckled. Where’s your Pa?

He sent me inside cause Miss Becca told him she wants some free loving and they went down there by the old shed.

Where is Samuel? June whispered.

He gone up to the big house with Mr. Robby and some other peoples.

Mama Jane and Tate exchanged a knowing look.

Dilly Ann, come on outside with me so we can find Griff and your cousins.

Mama Jane went over to June, Now child Dilly-Ann probably got everything mixed up with all this excitement.

Mixed up about what Mama Jane? I didn’t even hear what Dilly-Ann was saying. I was trying to think about what we going to name this here boy.

A million pieces of glass pierced June's heart and then unceasingly sliced into the depths of her soul. She had just given birth to the first child they could claim as their own as free people and Pollum chose to share this moment with Becca of all people.

Mama Jane shook her head slowly as she started to clean up. She knew how June felt. She remembered her husband Wilbur was one of the first ones to use that shed for the exact same thing many years ago.

Minutes later Pollum entered the