Rescued (Flowers of the Bayou) (8 page)

She woke around noon and went about her daily chores as normal. Vivian seemed upset and she tried to cheer the woman up to no avail. Before she knew it nightfall had come and it was time to climb in bed again.

It was more than hard to get to sleep that night and the last thing she could remember before finally drifting off was the sound of the grandfather clock striking four o’clock.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Eight weeks, four days, and several hours she deduced—that’s how long Amelia had been back under Lorraine’s roof and rule and oh how the days dragged. Most of her time at home consisted of chores. Lorraine should have just told her she wanted a live in maid, maybe they could have come to a better arrangement and she could have remained at the Bradford house and retained her little piece of heaven. Cleaning, cooking, and weeding the sparse garden before the rooster could even coo was what her days now consisted of, but even when she was dead tired she would find herself filled with joy when nine o’clock came and she cold hightail it out to her home away from home.

She would dread coming back—Morgan would always be waiting and the fancy carriage that brought her home, because Mr. Bradford as well as Vivian maintained she not walk at night, would always get the old coot going. She would climb down, bid Mitchell goodnight and as soon as he drove off he would let her have an earful on their joyless evening stroll. Then when he’d worn himself out, he would try his best to feel on her chest and place sloppy whiskey filled kisses to her lips and cheeks.

Yes indeed the days did drag and after dusk they were torture. Of course her aunt was more than pleased to see that the union of the two respected Negro families would soon be underway. Yet she was more thrilled to know that soon she wouldn’t need to worry over money—between Morgan and Amelia, they would be able to take care of her.

Amelia leaned far back into the rocking chair she was relaxing in, the rhythmic squeaking of the chair was louder than usual but was strangely soothing and Amelia was lulled into near sleep as she listened to her close friend Jesse chatter on about some party.

Seeing her childhood friends was the only pleasure afforded her in her current living situation. Only a week ago she’d gone over to Nina’s and would like to stop by and see her again she’d enjoyed their last visit. Amelia replayed the things Nina had said earlier in her head and felt a lot better than she had in months. It was nice to be around someone so kind. It was also nice to be told you were pretty every once in a while. Amelia sobered a little, what a conceited thing to think.

A picture of all the snobby attractive girls white and black and whatever other race came to mind. All were prudish and rude; well not all but all the same she didn’t want it to go to her head. “Come on. Let’s get out of dis room it’s stagnant in here.”

Amelia jumped up quickly gathering her belongings and shaking off her daze. Walking alongside Lenora, she waited as her friend swung open the door and pulled her outside of the room behind her, still going on about the same thing. She should be at home preparing dinner, Lorraine would expect dinner when she came home. Amelia shook the thought away—the woman would just have to make due herself.

Lenora pulled Amelia behind her as she called out to her sister. The Jacksons were hosting this year’s cotillion and it wasn’t every day a woman got to dress up. She wanted Amelia to come it had been far to long since they’d all had a chance to enjoy themselves together. Amelia of course had a slew of excuses. Mainly Lorraine and how she might not approve. Lenora knew one thing for sure, if Amelia invited that old prune of a man Lorraine would approve quick enough. The man could spoil any occasion, but not this time. Amelia was going to be at that cotillion come hell or high water, and if she had to come with Morgan they’d find a way to avoid him. “Jessie tell Amelia she gotta come! Last years was so much fun!”

“You got to come to da cotillion.” Jessie repeated sassily. “Why wouldn’t ya want to anyway?”

“Lorraine wouldn’t like it. You all know that and if Morgan isn’t going neither am I. Besides I’m not sixteen what do I care about a cotillion.”

They ignored her. “If mama talks to her she will let you go. You know as well as I do mama can be convincing.” Jessie suggested

“I don’t see any reason she wouldn’t let you go in the first place you’re a grown woman.” This was Lenora. “You can’t keep letting her make you miserable.”

“Grown woman or not, Lorraine is Lorraine.” Amelia sighed.

“Come on girl live a lil’—let us dress you up and do yo’ hair, everyone deserves a treat every once in a while in dis life.” Lenora was pulling her friend into a chair next to the stove and a hot comb all the while. Pulling a pin from Amelia’s hair, thick long hair fell down to her shoulders. “You got all dis pretty hair and you always pull it back, never understood it.”

“It’s manageable.” Relaxing her shoulders Amelia decided to give in. She did want to see everyone, and she was after all grown.

“Not too many curls.”

“So dat a yes?” Lenora asked skeptically, but still letting an idea of a hairstyle run through her head.

“Yes.” Amelia laughed.

“Good” Lenora was creating a curl before she finished her statement and within a few seconds pulled the hot iron from her friend’s hair and smiled at the loose coil she had just created.”

“Do the hair later Lena, let’s take her upstairs and find a dress first we aint got much time.” Jessie reasoned. “We need one dat’s low cut ta drive dem boy’s wild.”

“Hush up.” Lenora said once again.

“I don’t want all this fuss done with my clothes and hair. It makes me feel uncomfortable.”

“But it makes ya look lovely don’t ya want that? Besides you can’t go ta no cotillion looking like wat the cat done dragged in!”

“I suppose that’s why I shouldn’t be going at all. Your families are important in the negro classes. Lorraine and I  are not. Why do you think we must work hard for all we have. Though the creole blood running through her veins has convinced her otherwise it still remains true—that’s why she wants me to marry Morgan so badly.”

“I thought you wanted to marry him why you do wat somebody else want ya ta do? Besides you come from respectable folk dat good enough and you talk fancier than anybody else we know so don’t be a spoil sport it’s going to be wonderful.” The woman said heating the comb over the open flame of the stove.

Amelia for her part finally did give in and let the two have their fun. As each curl fell down to her shoulders she would touch the silken spring, only when Lenora started swatting her hand did she stop.

“You can’t touch til I’m done—come on smile or somethin’ it ain’t that bad.”

“I thought I said not too many curls.” Amelia teased. “I just don’t understand all this fuss and buss over a little old cotillion. Besides you know I wasn’t even invited.”

“You don’t understand cause you ain’t never been. And we inviting you so you invited. Stop trying to figure out ways ta get out of it.”

Rising Amelia yawned “I just don’t want to be embarrassed.” Amelia told her friend as she stood up and stretched.

“Sit down, da cotillion tonight we don’t got much time.” Lenora placed pins in just the right places holding straight hair out of the way of the sections she wished to curl.

Amelia thought she was doing well and sat in silence only squirming a little as Lenora placed pins to her scalp sometimes painfully. Her bottom was becoming numb and she longed to get up but they forbade it. Her head was becoming sore as Lenora swooped it to the side so that the loose ringlets she was creating fell in a cascade on one side of her face.

“Oh it looks divine, here use da butterfly clip mama got me fo my birthday it’ll be the perfect touch.” Removing the clip from her own hair Jesse handed it to her sister and grinned as Lenora pinned it in place. “It’s just right now.”

“Yes but we still need to find a suitable dress, but with the way you looking already it can’t be too fine, you  already got you a man aint gonna let you ruin my chances.” Placing her hand on her forehead Lenora faked a swoon, and delighted at the smile she got from Amelia. “See you having fun already.”

Yes she was and that was what she was afraid of. If she was even remotely happy Lorraine saw fit to see otherwise, “What if she doesn’t let me go?”

“She will, mama was already working on it yesterday when we saw her in town. Mama just loves you and want ya to go as bad as we do. ‘Sides you know Lorraine she want to be in the inner circle so bad she walk bareback naked in the streets if mama told her she’d be accepted.” Sadly it was true.

Amelia again relented. “You think of everything don’t you?”

“Of course, now come on stand up.”

Amelia moved from the chair and up the stairs to the shared room of the two women and flopped on a bed watching as her friends went to and fro pulling out this and that. “You both still have to get dressed how could I be so selfish—let me help you.”

“You then us, besides it won’t take that long we already got our hair done.” Pulling up a purple dress Lenora frowned. “This is ugly she can’t wear dis one. You’ve got to have somethin a little nicer.”

“What’s wrong with the dress I’m wearing?” Amelia looked at the dress closely it was her favorite one. Made of cotton and dyed dark green with a white belt that tied around the waste.

“Well nothing honey…but well… don’ you think it’s just a little on the plain side.”

Frowning herself now Amelia shook her head. “Well yes but it’s nice and comfortable and more me than those fancy things you all scrape your money together to buy.” She threw at them offended; she did really like her dress.

“We ain’t saying it’s not nice… it’s just that we have ta find something a little more dressed up. It’s a cotillion not the church picnic.” Jessie said pulling out her own dress. “And there ain’t nothing wrong with dressing nice.”

“What time is it?” Lenora asked

“I don’t know around early afternoon I would suppose.” Jessie told her sister.

Lenora let a small smile creep across her pretty features. “Okay then there’s still plenty of time. I’m going to go and grab some things. I’ll be right back.”

Being right back took at least twenty minutes, Amelia and Jessie were left to their own resources to keep themselves entertained, and lord help them. They went from dancing on the beds to singing on the floor to playing childhood hand games. “What’s she doing in there?” Jessie asked looking to Amelia who shook her head not really caring to know.

“She’ll be back any minute now I’m sure.” Gazing at the door Amelia waited for her to waltz in. She didn’t know her that well she guessed, several more minutes must have passed by in mutual silence before her footsteps could be heard returning.

“A minute my ass.”

“Jessie.” Amelia scolded.

Lenora stepped back into the room, making sure not to drag all her accessories on the floor. “What we need is a little pick me up to add to your whole outfit is all.”

“Like what?” Jessie wanted to know. Looking at the little necklaces and earrings now scattered across the table she raised a brow in understanding.

“I need to get home I never told Lorraine I would be coming to your house.”

“I swear you worry too much, remember mama took care of that.” Taking up a few or her prized possessions Lenora moved to her friend. “You like it.” She said pulling up a dark red dress

“It’s very nice. Are you going to wear it?”

“You are honey.” Jessie supplied the answer.

“Come on now Amelia, get yourself on up on this chair.”

“You’re gonna fit it?” Jessie asked already knowing the answer.

“Yes and you’re gonna finish it off after.” Lenora watched as her sister shrugged in agreement she supposed.

Amelia once again let herself be led to a chair where instead of sitting; she stood stiffly, and stripped down to her chemise while she went through the process of being pinned again in a different sense. “You’re sure we are going to have enough time to get this all put together?”

“It’s not even five yet and everybody knows that nobody can start having fun til it’s good and dark and most important, late. Jessie can fix the dress up as soon as I get it all pinned.”

“And we all know that girl can sew like the dickens—only one best her is Nina.” Laughing Lenora turned her friend around pleased with what she pictured would soon be the outcome. The dress was a crimson red made of soft satin, coming down low at the bodice, in the back the material fell down in a great heap.

It was not a grand dress not embellished with lace or embroidery, but it fit Amelia so well. Better than the plain green cotton. “Go on and step out my part’s done now. Let Jessie have it.” Pulling it down before her feet Lenora let her friend step out of the dress before hurrying it over to her sister where she dropped it unceremoniously in her lap.

Watching Jessie leave, Amelia took a seat on the hard floor folding her legs inward toward herself. She was fast becoming sleepy from all this, which was why she probably never went to any of the small socials that were held.

“No time fo’ a nap girl sit here.” Lenora pointed at the chair.

Yawing Amelia instead went back to the bed, spread her arms out and fell backwards toward it, letting her mind wander away from the here and now.

Tomorrow she would get to go back to Georgia and Vivian and today would be but a dream. She would be happy to see them, but she couldn’t deny that each passing day that she spent with Nina, Jesse and Lenora she felt more and more in her proper place. As much as she loved both of them her status and friendship with them would always have limits.

They understood her because they were like her. Facing the same fears, pains, problems and of course racism, only they could understand this because almost every day they came into contact with it.

Try as she may Vivian couldn’t fully grasp her situation because she was white, and Georgia she was white and a child she was just now starting to learn that there were people in the world who hated others simply because of their color. It was like being torn and it was painful. Everyday she was away from them to told herself it was good. They could never be her real family. Life prevented it. She was who she was and they could not be a part of her life outside of the Bradford walls. For all of their sakes.