By Way of the Rose (17 page)

After the cotton was harvested, and the debt worked off, Jonas and his family left to go north, as did Isaiah and Jericho. The next season Daniel bought a new team of workers and after the next harvest they went north as well. Year after year, a new group came and went with freedom papers in hand.

It was the summer of 1852 now and Sarah was thirteen years old. Marion's ideas and expectations of the role Sarah must play in life had already begun. Settling down with the right man should be her daughter's top priority. Marion worried that Sarah's
native features
were beginning to show and might become more pronounced as time wore on.
What hope would there be for an Indian female in this place if she didn't find a husband soon

“That Samuel Grey is a nice young man,” Marion urged. “You should see how Jack Taylor looks at you,” she cooed. “Of course, there's
always
Shane Thompson.”

Because of this sudden wave of anxious prodding, Sarah knew she had to make this summer count. She hated the thought of being forced into the plain everyday drudgery of housework. She dreamed of seeing those faraway places she'd read about and having wonderful real-life adventures. She wanted to see the Statue of Liberty, and the big cities. She wanted to see where John lived and experience the grand life that he wrote about. The majestic Upper Falls, the many buildings that lined the cobblestone streets, people, life and excitement, it all called to her. But if she married, she would miss it all. She would never see what lay beyond these hills and valleys.

“Don't worry so much over me. I'll be fine, I've got plans and they don't include being married right now. Just leave me be.”

“You're still young, I know. But you do need to set your mind on someone. There's no one you like?”

“I like a lot of people. But not one of them has what I want.”

“And what do you want?”

“I don't know. All I do know is that they don't have it.”

“Well, you need to start thinking about it, seriously.”

“Yes, Ma'am. I understand.”

Sarah sat on the bank beside Greta dabbling her toes in the cool waters as they indulged themselves in little girl's giggly gossip. Their corks danced on the sparkling water. Shane had found himself a perfect spot under a sprawling water oak down the way.

“You know what I heard?” Greta looked at Sarah.

“What? What did you hear?” Sarah perked up.

“Trissy Eastland likes Shane!”

“Oh, Greta. Everyone knows that already.” Sarah's interest fell. “I thought it was something plummy.”

“Well, how about this... this same someone said that Trissy positively despises you because she thinks you and my brother are sweethearts.”

“That's foolish! Everyone knows we're just friends and that's it!” Sarah smiled slyly, remembering the way she had grasped Shane's arm that day for Trissy to see.

“Well, Trissy doesn't see it that way.”

“That's because her ma dropped her on her head when she was a baby!” Sarah and Greta laughed.

Then all of a sudden Greta stopped. “What in the world is that?” She exclaimed as she pulled Sarah's dress collar down.

Sarah pulled her collar back up to hide the ugly bruise. “Nothing.”

“It is too something!” Greta pulled the collar back to reveal the mark again. “That looks like a hand print on your neck!”

“Its fine, Greta... just stop it! All right?”

“He's still hurting you, isn't he?”

“Greta, don't get so upset.”

“Did he choke you?”

“He just grabbed me.”

“Why?”

“It's Nathan, Greta, do you think he needs a reason?”

“I thought he'd stopped!”

“No, I just got better at hiding it... until today, that is.”

“He's going to kill you if someone doesn't stop him!”

“Greta, I love you... I do. But don't get overly dramatic. Everything is fine. I'm used to it. Honestly, it would scare me more if he didn't smack me around every so often!” Sarah shrugged. Greta looked away. She had tears in her eyes. “Greta, don't! Don't cry... You'll make me cry too and I don't want to. Not today, I'm having too much fun!”

“He's almost nineteen years old! When is he going to grow up? He can do real harm to you now!”

“He can do real harm now? Believe me, Greta... he's done about all he can do to me!”

“I've got one! I've got one!” Shane screeched as he stood up to pull in his line.

“I wanna see!” Sarah ran over to watch him, mostly to get away from the topic. She didn't want to talk about unpleasant things. She wanted to have fun.

That evening, after Sarah left, Greta confided to her brother, “Shane, there's something I have to tell you. But you have to promise not to let Sarah know that you know it.”

“Fine then, I promise. What is it? Is it something serious?”

“It is. Very serious.”

“What's wrong?” Shane's face became sober.

“It's her brother... he's been hitting her.”

“What?”

“He's been hitting her... beating her really. I thought he'd stopped, but I found another bruise on her today.”

“He hits her bad then?”

“Yeah, he does. I'm so angry I could choke!”

“How long has he been hitting her?”

“Years.”

“And you knew about it the whole time and didn't tell me?”

“I knew at first, but then she hid the marks... I didn't know it was still going on. I thought he'd stopped or that their parents had stopped him. I thought it was just kid stuff, but now I know different.”

“You should have told me back then! I'd have stopped him!”

“Sarah asked me not to.”

“I'm going to do something... I'm going to get even!”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don't know yet, but I'll think of something!” Shane's face was on fire with anger.

Greta knew how much he loved Sarah, and that the thought of that big bully of a brother beating up on her made him want to strike out. He wanted to hit something, someone. He wanted to hit Nathan! Even if he was only fifteen and Nathan eighteen, Shane was big for his age and believed he could whip Nathan if he were standing there at that moment.

Shane and Greta were better schemers than fighters. So they worked out a plan. This was the one scheme that they couldn't let Sarah in on. So, alone, they planned it all out. They knew Nathan liked to go for swims down at the water hole when no one was there. That way he could swim in the buff. Even though the boys were known to swim in the buff together, Nathan was shy about it. So, he'd make sure no one was around when he went in. That was the perfect time and place, to carry out revenge.

The “revenge team” picked out their hiding places. Greta was behind the thick clump of bushes and Shane on the other side of the swimming hole behind a tall sweet gum tree. They stockpiled their posts with plenty of rocks and stones. Large enough to hurt, but small enough to chuck at their enemy.

By the time Nathan was ready for his swim, Shane and Greta were ready for him. Shane snuck out and took all of Nathan's clothes. It was the oldest trick in the book, but it was a good one! Then Greta fired the first blow, hitting Nathan right in the middle of his shoulders.

“Ouch!” He yelled out. Next Shane let one fly hitting Nathan on his arm. “Damn it! Ouch! Who's out there?” Then Greta let another one go hitting him in the head. “Son of a bitch!” Nathan started to run up towards the bank where he'd left his clothes. When he noticed they were gone and heard the laughter he rushed back into the water to hide himself. The laughter echoed so that it sounded like it was coming from all different directions. “Very funny... now where in the hell are my clothes!”

Shane and Greta answered him at exactly the same time by firing shots that bounced off his face and his back. Nathan threw his hand up to his head. When he looked at it there was blood in his palm. “I'm bleeding now! Are you happy? This isn't damn well funny! You're going to be in big trouble!”

“Yes, it is funny!” Shane sang out and Greta squealed wildly in laughter. They fired several more blows that left Nathan with a black eye, a busted forehead, a chipped tooth, busted lip and several bruises on his back, arm and shoulder. When they ran out of ammunition, they both skipped off laughing triumphantly.

After a while, when he was sure they were gone, Nathan slowly emerged from the water. He broke a tree limb to cover himself and hunted for his clothes. He found them tied in knots and placed in a stirred up ant bed near Shane's post. They were covered in red ants. With a stick he scooped them up then started home. Ever so often, the ants would make it all the way up the stick to his hand and start biting him. He'd drop everything to beat them off then start out again.
I swear, if I ever find out who did this, I'm going to plant their naked ass smack down in the middle of a red ant bed!
When he got home he threw his clothes down and called out to his mother where she sat on the veranda drinking iced tea.

When she saw him she bounded from the porch, “What on earth? What's happened?” She ran toward him. The girls weren't far behind.

“Will somebody get me some damn clothes before y'all come out to gawk?”

“Sarah, go get your brother something to wear!” Marion called. She began checking him. “What on earth happened to you?” She noticed his busted face and bruised body. “Did you jump off that blasted vine swing and hit the bank? I told you about that, one day you're going to break your neck!”

“No, it was somebody. They thought it'd be fun to hide my clothes while they pounded me with rocks.”

“Who on earth would do such a mean and nasty thing?” Marion cried.

“And they laid my clothes in an ant bed!” He held up his hand. “They bit me all the way home!”

“Oh, you poor, poor child! Did you see who did it? Could you tell who they were?”

“No... but I heard them laughing the whole time.”

“That's it, you can't go back down there by yourself anymore!”

“That's fine, I don't want to go by myself anymore! I thought I was going to die!” He sniffed. The tears washed over his swollen face as Marion wrapped him in her arms.

“Oh, my poor, poor child!”

At the supper table Sarah noticed Nathan was having trouble eating. He looked like what she'd imagined Quasimoto looking like. He had a large round knot over his eye that was turning black, his lip was swollen and his whole face looked distorted. She felt an ache for him. Could she really be feeling sorry for this overbearing tyrant? He looked up at her and she smiled. He huffed. “Makes you happy, does it?”

“No, it doesn't... but it should!”

“Do my ears deceive me, or did Sarah speak up for herself?” Cora gasped.

“What does that mean?” Nathan snapped.

“You know what I mean, Nathan DuVal. You've run over her all these years. It was different when we were little and just picking. But you're eighteen years old now! Grow up, for Christ sake! Be a man! The reason you can't figure out who beat you up is because you've made everyone hate you!”

“Very well, everyone calm down now! Leave the boy alone, he's been hurt.” Daniel frowned. “Let's eat our supper in peace.”

“Everyone is against me now, I suppose!” Nathan slammed his fork down as he glared at Cora.

“You can feel sorry for yourself all you want, but what you got today is exactly what you deserve!” she retorted.

“What?” Marion looked stunned. “How dare you say such, Cora May!”

“Don't act so stunned, Momma! You know how he hits and beats on Sarah. It's about time somebody let him see how it feels! If he doesn't change, this is how his life is going to be... this is just the first beating he's going to get.”

“And just where were you today, Cora?” Nathan glared at her.

“I was right here and as much as I'd like to, I can't take credit for what happened to you.”

“I mean it! Stop this right now or leave the table!” Daniel stood.

Sarah was stunned by Cora's defense of her. This outright attack on Nathan made her wonder, had he done something to Cora as well? Surely this wasn't just about his abuse of her... was it?

That night they sat together on Cora's bed and talked. “You really shouldn't have said those things, Cora. I am glad that you took up for me, but you will make him mad at you. I don't know if I could stand to see him hit anyone else the way he hits me.”

“Like I said, it was different when we were little. Just picking and all. But the more I've seen him hitting and abusing you, the more it turned my stomach. It's not right what he does and the way Momma always overlooks it. I don't want you to think that I agree with it. I hate it... I really do!”

“Cora, were you really here today? You're sounding more and more like the one who did it.”

“Lord only knows who did it, Sarah. Nathan hates almost everyone and everything. Not a lot of people like him. It could have been anybody.”

“Don't say anything else to him, Cora. Don't bring his wrath down on you too.”

“I'm not worried... look, I've got something I want to tell you.” Cora went to her door and shut it.

“Secrets?” Sarah perked up.

“Yes, it's my secret for now. Don't tell anyone, but Tony Slone asked me to marry him yesterday and he ain't talked to Poppa about it yet.” Cora sighed deeply. “I suppose that's what gave me the backbone to speak up. I'm going to do it! I'm going to marry him!”

“But, Cora! He's so much older than you!”

“Love knows no age... that's what Tony told me.”

“Do you love him?”

“Well no. But he loves me and he's as handsome as anything! Not only that, but he's sweet and has a ton of money! Love will come later. There's lots of folks that never even knew each other before their wedding day... and they ended up loving each other to pieces! Like the story about that princess who was betrothed and they had to beat her and everything to get her to marry him and she did fall in love with him! You were telling me how romantic it was. But they had their heads cut off, which was tragic... Anyway, me and Tony could be like that, except we won't have our heads cut off!” She giggled.

By the time Cora and Tony were married Sarah hated to see her go. But to her joy, Nathan soon married Vernon Smith's daughter, Elsie, and he left home too.