play.” She asked pointing towards the water. “I won’t get wet or tear my stockings I swear it.” She pleaded.
“Georgia I can’t really see you down there. I’d like for you to stay here with me.” Amelia knew her pleading look was lost on Georgia.
“Rubbish, let that child play Amelia.”
Georgia smiled down at the older woman but still looked up at Amelia for final approval. “Alright but be careful.”
“I promise I will.” Hugging Amelia about the waist Georgia soon was running down the embankment.
Lorraine watched as the girl took off and then turned her attention back to her niece. “You look like a tramp. Where did you get that dress, Nina?”
Amelia knew her face was aflame with anger and embarrassment. Sitting down next to Lorraine she struck back the only way she knew how and removed an envelope from the small purse she carried. “Here Lorraine I know your funds are as stretched as mine but I thought this might help.” Amelia gave her best smile.
Both Lorraine and she knew that every week when she received her earnings, she would turn more than half over to Lorraine. The elder woman had no means of real income and depended on her niece to survive but that was a secret she’d rather die than have anyone know. The embarrassment she must feel was as apparent as Amelia’s own.
“All this pretty hair and you barely give it a thought.” Running her fingers through Amelia’s hair Lorraine was through quickly. “We were just wonderin’ what you’d think about coming home for good? No more nights working that way you’d be closer to both of us.”
“I’m as close as I can possibly be; we live in the same city.” Confusion crossed over her face as she looked from Morgan to Lorraine.
“Dat’s true but I ain’t hardly ever get da chance ta see ya.” Rising up from his position Morgan sat down closer to Amelia. “It’d be nice ta see ya more often?”
“No.” Amelia began. “I mean yes and no—Georgia needs me and I don’t know how Mr. Bradford would take to me just leaving.”
“You ain’t got much choice though do ya.”
“I do have a choice.” Amelia countered. “I like the way things are now I can’t see any reason to change them.”
“Look girl you ain’t no spring chicken. Now Morgan and I done told you that you’re to come home every night and that’s what you gon do!” Lorraine lashed out.
“I’m da only one who eva’ wanted you an I’m doin Lorraine a favor.” Once more rising up with the help of the cane, Morgan waited for her to follow and seeing that she wasn’t, reached down to yank her up. “Come on.”
It wasn’t like there was a chance for saying no, with Lorraine’s persistent stare and Morgan pulling her behind him. All she could get out was “Please keep an eye out for Georgia.”
“You gonna quit the job at the Bradford’s as soon as possible.” Morgan informed her as soon as they were out of hearing distance.
“I won’t.” She hadn’t meant for her voice to be so low and small when she spoke but she couldn’t get it much louder than that. “It’s my only means of support.”
“You givin me sass? It ova’ dat’s tha end of it. Know how many colored women kill ta be you. Don’ got ta’ slave over some white man’s household you is dumb as dey come.” Morgan slumped down on the bench and pulled her down with him sure that the whole ordeal was done with.
“I will not quit… I am a grown woman.”
“You what?” Tightening his grip on her arm he knew that he was probably hurting her but he didn’t care. “Don’ talk back ta me Amelia. You gonna be my wife soon nough and dat ain’t gonna happen!”
Glancing at the fingers that were now biting down into her skin Amelia looked up at the man and tried to shake it free but was only presented with more pain for her effort. “I won’t do it.”
His answer was a hard hand to the back of her skull which both jolted her forward and rendered her speechless.
“You
“Georgia I can’t really see you down there. I’d like for you to stay here with me.” Amelia knew her pleading look was lost on Georgia.
“Rubbish, let that child play Amelia.”
Georgia smiled down at the older woman but still looked up at Amelia for final approval. “Alright but be careful.”
“I promise I will.” Hugging Amelia about the waist Georgia soon was running down the embankment.
Lorraine watched as the girl took off and then turned her attention back to her niece. “You look like a tramp. Where did you get that dress, Nina?”
Amelia knew her face was aflame with anger and embarrassment. Sitting down next to Lorraine she struck back the only way she knew how and removed an envelope from the small purse she carried. “Here Lorraine I know your funds are as stretched as mine but I thought this might help.” Amelia gave her best smile.
Both Lorraine and she knew that every week when she received her earnings, she would turn more than half over to Lorraine. The elder woman had no means of real income and depended on her niece to survive but that was a secret she’d rather die than have anyone know. The embarrassment she must feel was as apparent as Amelia’s own.
“All this pretty hair and you barely give it a thought.” Running her fingers through Amelia’s hair Lorraine was through quickly. “We were just wonderin’ what you’d think about coming home for good? No more nights working that way you’d be closer to both of us.”
“I’m as close as I can possibly be; we live in the same city.” Confusion crossed over her face as she looked from Morgan to Lorraine.
“Dat’s true but I ain’t hardly ever get da chance ta see ya.” Rising up from his position Morgan sat down closer to Amelia. “It’d be nice ta see ya more often?”
“No.” Amelia began. “I mean yes and no—Georgia needs me and I don’t know how Mr. Bradford would take to me just leaving.”
“You ain’t got much choice though do ya.”
“I do have a choice.” Amelia countered. “I like the way things are now I can’t see any reason to change them.”
“Look girl you ain’t no spring chicken. Now Morgan and I done told you that you’re to come home every night and that’s what you gon do!” Lorraine lashed out.
“I’m da only one who eva’ wanted you an I’m doin Lorraine a favor.” Once more rising up with the help of the cane, Morgan waited for her to follow and seeing that she wasn’t, reached down to yank her up. “Come on.”
It wasn’t like there was a chance for saying no, with Lorraine’s persistent stare and Morgan pulling her behind him. All she could get out was “Please keep an eye out for Georgia.”
“You gonna quit the job at the Bradford’s as soon as possible.” Morgan informed her as soon as they were out of hearing distance.
“I won’t.” She hadn’t meant for her voice to be so low and small when she spoke but she couldn’t get it much louder than that. “It’s my only means of support.”
“You givin me sass? It ova’ dat’s tha end of it. Know how many colored women kill ta be you. Don’ got ta’ slave over some white man’s household you is dumb as dey come.” Morgan slumped down on the bench and pulled her down with him sure that the whole ordeal was done with.
“I will not quit… I am a grown woman.”
“You what?” Tightening his grip on her arm he knew that he was probably hurting her but he didn’t care. “Don’ talk back ta me Amelia. You gonna be my wife soon nough and dat ain’t gonna happen!”
Glancing at the fingers that were now biting down into her skin Amelia looked up at the man and tried to shake it free but was only presented with more pain for her effort. “I won’t do it.”
His answer was a hard hand to the back of her skull which both jolted her forward and rendered her speechless.
“You
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