right here.
“Don’t fall asleep,” she teased.
“Yes ma’am.”
He watched as she disappeared down the hall. After cataloguing all of Millie’s skills, Henry took a seat on the edge of her purple covered bed.
“Who are you?” the voice accused and Henry jumped to his feet.
“Henry Patterson,” he answered the young woman holding a little girl who looked just like her.
Her eyes narrowed. “Why are you in Honey’s room?”
“She’s changing in the bathroom,” he explained.
“Honey!” the woman yelled and Millie appeared a minute later, freshly showered and dressed.
Millie looked at her sister. “Why are you yelling?”
“Why do you have a guy in your room?” her sister accused.
Millie frowned. “Uh, my Momma is at work and I know you’re not talking. Henry is my guest so you can get out.”
Maggie looked over at Henry and smirked. “The only thing that turns Honey on is a baseball.”
“Get out Maggie!” Millie yelled then slammed the door behind her sister and the baby as she left the room.
Turning, she faced Henry who was still standing by the bed. “So, that’s my sister Maggie and my niece.”
“I gathered that.”
Millie leaned back against the door. “She’s always been wild and out of control. She doesn’t do anything my Momma asks and expects us to take care of Amber.”
“How old is she?” he asked.
“Maggie’s twenty-four but she acts fourteen most of the time. She doesn’t go to school or work,” Millie explained. “Momma takes care of her and the baby.”
Millie looked away. “That’s why I’m so focused on nursing school. I’m not going to be dependent on my Momma or have her taking care of my babies,” she vowed vehemently.
Henry took a few steps forward to stand in front of her. He didn’t say anything as she silently studied the buttons on his shirt. Finally, Millie raised a hand to his chest placing her palm over his strong heartbeat.
Henry placed his hand over hers before quietly leading her to the bed where he took a seat and Millie placed her hands on his shoulders as she looked down into his face.
“I don’t want to end up like my sister,” she whispered. “I want to travel, get married and have my own house to live in.”
Henry nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I understand.”
Millie blushed. “I’m not telling you that because I want you to do it Henry.”
He placed his hands on her waist. “But I’m listening because it’s important for me to know.”
“That country boy charm is going to be my downfall, I can already see it.” Millie touched his jaw before lowering her lips to his.
When she lifted her head, he smiled at her. “Tell me what happened today,” Millie said sitting back on the bed and patting the space next to her. Henry joined her stretching his long legs out on the mattress.
“The Legal Aid office helped a lot, because of them I was able to avoid a suspension and get paid for the days that I missed while I was in jail. The plant admitted that the foreman was wrong about my parts being faulty.” He paused then looked over at her.
“I’m sorry you saw me like that Millie. I’ve never been arrested before and I don’t plan on it happening ever again,” he assured her.
“It wasn’t your fault Henry.”
He took her hand again. “I have to always remember that a black man’s life is not valued in this country and I can’t do things that put this life in more jeopardy because… I want to travel, get married and have my own house to live in.”
Millie’s heart fluttered. “That sounds nice.”
“I’m going to make sure I make that happen, but I won’t ever compromise my principles. I’m a man and I won’t be treated less than that…by anybody.”
“I would never want you to do that Henry. As a people we can’t just stand by and allow injustices against us,” Millie said passionately.
“Brother Malcolm said we
“Don’t fall asleep,” she teased.
“Yes ma’am.”
He watched as she disappeared down the hall. After cataloguing all of Millie’s skills, Henry took a seat on the edge of her purple covered bed.
“Who are you?” the voice accused and Henry jumped to his feet.
“Henry Patterson,” he answered the young woman holding a little girl who looked just like her.
Her eyes narrowed. “Why are you in Honey’s room?”
“She’s changing in the bathroom,” he explained.
“Honey!” the woman yelled and Millie appeared a minute later, freshly showered and dressed.
Millie looked at her sister. “Why are you yelling?”
“Why do you have a guy in your room?” her sister accused.
Millie frowned. “Uh, my Momma is at work and I know you’re not talking. Henry is my guest so you can get out.”
Maggie looked over at Henry and smirked. “The only thing that turns Honey on is a baseball.”
“Get out Maggie!” Millie yelled then slammed the door behind her sister and the baby as she left the room.
Turning, she faced Henry who was still standing by the bed. “So, that’s my sister Maggie and my niece.”
“I gathered that.”
Millie leaned back against the door. “She’s always been wild and out of control. She doesn’t do anything my Momma asks and expects us to take care of Amber.”
“How old is she?” he asked.
“Maggie’s twenty-four but she acts fourteen most of the time. She doesn’t go to school or work,” Millie explained. “Momma takes care of her and the baby.”
Millie looked away. “That’s why I’m so focused on nursing school. I’m not going to be dependent on my Momma or have her taking care of my babies,” she vowed vehemently.
Henry took a few steps forward to stand in front of her. He didn’t say anything as she silently studied the buttons on his shirt. Finally, Millie raised a hand to his chest placing her palm over his strong heartbeat.
Henry placed his hand over hers before quietly leading her to the bed where he took a seat and Millie placed her hands on his shoulders as she looked down into his face.
“I don’t want to end up like my sister,” she whispered. “I want to travel, get married and have my own house to live in.”
Henry nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I understand.”
Millie blushed. “I’m not telling you that because I want you to do it Henry.”
He placed his hands on her waist. “But I’m listening because it’s important for me to know.”
“That country boy charm is going to be my downfall, I can already see it.” Millie touched his jaw before lowering her lips to his.
When she lifted her head, he smiled at her. “Tell me what happened today,” Millie said sitting back on the bed and patting the space next to her. Henry joined her stretching his long legs out on the mattress.
“The Legal Aid office helped a lot, because of them I was able to avoid a suspension and get paid for the days that I missed while I was in jail. The plant admitted that the foreman was wrong about my parts being faulty.” He paused then looked over at her.
“I’m sorry you saw me like that Millie. I’ve never been arrested before and I don’t plan on it happening ever again,” he assured her.
“It wasn’t your fault Henry.”
He took her hand again. “I have to always remember that a black man’s life is not valued in this country and I can’t do things that put this life in more jeopardy because… I want to travel, get married and have my own house to live in.”
Millie’s heart fluttered. “That sounds nice.”
“I’m going to make sure I make that happen, but I won’t ever compromise my principles. I’m a man and I won’t be treated less than that…by anybody.”
“I would never want you to do that Henry. As a people we can’t just stand by and allow injustices against us,” Millie said passionately.
“Brother Malcolm said we
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