"You're alive."
I stand in the kitchen, half my body leanin' on the left side of the door frame, my arms crossed over one another. I'm tryin' my best to look real casual, but anyone could see in my eyes that I am an emotional wreck. Seein' Cecile, livin' an' breathin' jus' a few feet away when I was so worried she was dead, is jus' like magic. Brilliant magic of God.
"Yup."
I expected more of an answer- Cecile to smile an' gush 'bout what a scary night it was- how she so thankful I told daddy to let all them slaves- includin' her inside- I expected a hug, somethin' other than jus' a yup. I think I deserve mo' than that. Unless... Unless somethin' awful happened- like Samuel died an' she got no more friends. Her husban' and now Samuel.
"Is Samuel alrigh'?"
"Yup."
My panic is gone, my heart slowin' back to normal. Alrigh' then- Samuel's alive an' Cecile's alive. Then why does she seem so dead righ' now? Why isn't she celebratin' her life with me? Why isn't she thankin' me?
"Are you okay?"
She nods, just once, her back still toward me. I have a sudden urge to run and shake her- make her spit out them words that are casuin' this distress. If she would jus' tell me what's wron'- I could make it better. Or at leas I could try.
"No you ain't," I say, movin' in further to the kitchen, "Please jus' tell me Cecile."
She finally turns, meetin' my gaze, smilin' a real sad smile. It seems real forced, like she doin' it jus' fo' my benefit. I think she is.
"Nothin' you gotta worry your pretty little head 'bout Corinne," she whispers, her tone real upset, "Jus' somethin' I gotta work through on my own."
On 'er own. I feel the tears start to pool in my eyes, so to avoid that humiliation I turn an' run. I run righ' past Miss. Lizabeth an' Mary who still don't even notice I gone- right up the stairs an' into my bedroom. When I collapse on my bed- I ain't tempted to cry no more, I jus' angry.
Life ain't fair. Not fo' the rich, not fo' the poor nor the northerners nor the slaves.
Life ain't fair to no one at all. It a surprise that we all keep on livin' it, even when we miserable..
I stand in the kitchen, half my body leanin' on the left side of the door frame, my arms crossed over one another. I'm tryin' my best to look real casual, but anyone could see in my eyes that I am an emotional wreck. Seein' Cecile, livin' an' breathin' jus' a few feet away when I was so worried she was dead, is jus' like magic. Brilliant magic of God.
"Yup."
I expected more of an answer- Cecile to smile an' gush 'bout what a scary night it was- how she so thankful I told daddy to let all them slaves- includin' her inside- I expected a hug, somethin' other than jus' a yup. I think I deserve mo' than that. Unless... Unless somethin' awful happened- like Samuel died an' she got no more friends. Her husban' and now Samuel.
"Is Samuel alrigh'?"
"Yup."
My panic is gone, my heart slowin' back to normal. Alrigh' then- Samuel's alive an' Cecile's alive. Then why does she seem so dead righ' now? Why isn't she celebratin' her life with me? Why isn't she thankin' me?
"Are you okay?"
She nods, just once, her back still toward me. I have a sudden urge to run and shake her- make her spit out them words that are casuin' this distress. If she would jus' tell me what's wron'- I could make it better. Or at leas I could try.
"No you ain't," I say, movin' in further to the kitchen, "Please jus' tell me Cecile."
She finally turns, meetin' my gaze, smilin' a real sad smile. It seems real forced, like she doin' it jus' fo' my benefit. I think she is.
"Nothin' you gotta worry your pretty little head 'bout Corinne," she whispers, her tone real upset, "Jus' somethin' I gotta work through on my own."
On 'er own. I feel the tears start to pool in my eyes, so to avoid that humiliation I turn an' run. I run righ' past Miss. Lizabeth an' Mary who still don't even notice I gone- right up the stairs an' into my bedroom. When I collapse on my bed- I ain't tempted to cry no more, I jus' angry.
Life ain't fair. Not fo' the rich, not fo' the poor nor the northerners nor the slaves.
Life ain't fair to no one at all. It a surprise that we all keep on livin' it, even when we miserable..
