Harlem Redux by Persia Walker Page A

under her bosom. “It was fright’ning to lay in bed and listen to them voices. Voices that sounded like the folk they b’longed to was dead. Voices that made you think of ghosts. Ghosts that kept on fighting into the grave.”
    David shifted uncomfortably. He was a lawyer and lawyers like facts. He didn’t like superstition and any reference to it unsettled him. But what unsettled him more, if he were honest, was the way her words echoed inside him. He was frightened all of a sudden, and he wasn’t quite sure why.
    “What happened next was written on the wall,” she said. “Anybody with eyes to see woulda known what was coming.”
    She picked up her cup and ran a finger over the nicks on its rim.
    “Mr. Jameson come home the next day. Miss Lilian was out running errands. Miss Gem come downstairs looking for Miss Lilian and found Miss Lilian’s husband instead. He was in the parlor, sorting his mail. Miss Gem stopped short in the parlor doorway. She was wearing a frock, red like cherries. I seen her. We’d just got some new flowers for the vestibule and I was standing there fixing them. I must say she looked very pretty that day, very pretty standing there. She was watching Mr. Jameson, waiting for him to see her.
    “He was sitting at your daddy’s old writing desk. He didn’t notice her at first ‘cause he was concentrating on a letter. Had his pipe in his mouth. That man smokes a nice pipe. Uses fine tobacco. Actu’ly, Mr. Jameson’s pretty fine hisself. I got to give the devil his due. He’s the kinda man every Mama warns her girlchild about.
    “Well, I could see Miss Gem just licking her lips. She cleared her throat— real delicate-like but loud ‘nough for him to hear. Mr. Jameson looked up, said hello, and went back to his mail. Then he swung his head back ‘round again. His eyes liked to pop right outta his head.
    “‘Lilian, what have you done to yourself?’ he said.
    “Miss Gem gave him time to take in every pretty detail. Then she sort of floated on in and gave him her hand. Introduced herself, real lady-like. Said it was ‘so nice’ to meet him, just as sweet as she could be.
    “Now, I must say, Mr. Jameson’s got the manners of a gentleman. He stood up quick as lightning. And Miss Gem, she broke into a smile as wide as the Mississippi.
    “‘I like tall men,’ she said, real soft-like. ‘You remind me of Daddy.’
    ‘“Do I, now?’
    “‘Yes, you do.’
    “They shook hands for just a li’l too long, if you know what I mean. Then the front door slammed and they jumped apart. Miss Lilian come in. Fresh as a June breeze. Cheeks all rosy. She was a-glowing. Didn’t have no idea of what was coming at her. But when she saw them two together, she got right pale. Her face got all pinched. She tried to act like it was all right, made a big show of hugging and kissing him. Miss Gem stood by, patient-like, her arms folded cross her chest. She kept her face all pleasant and polite. Miss Lilian wrapped her arms ‘round Mr. Jameson’s waist. She said she was happy he and Miss Gem had fin’ly met. But she didn’t sound happy. And she told Miss Gem it was nice of her to keep Mr. Jameson comp’ny while she was out. Miss Gem said it was no trouble, no trouble at all.”
    Annie rose from the table and went to the stove. She picked up the coffeepot. “You want some more?” she asked him.
    “No.” He shook his head. “I’ve barely touched what I’ve got.” He let her pour herself a cup, then asked: “So, did Miss Gem try to …” He paused, searching for the words. “Try to, you know ...”
    Annie nodded and her lips tensed. That look of knowledge and disapproval once more flitted across her face. She brought her cup to the table and eased back down onto her chair. “Once she’d met him, Miss Gem was real polite to Mr. Jameson. She didn’t show nothing of her true feelings. Nothing happened: no fireworks, no nothing. Miss Lilian let out a breath of relief. That was one naive