Cecile says somethin' 'neath her breath. I didn't catch any word, but Samuel, standin' right next to her cracks a smile. I glance at him, real quick, when it not lookin' at me. He still as huge as the first day I saw him, still got that lazy hand and them dark eyes. But he don't look so crazy no more. He changed.
"Wha?" I asked, though I hadn't planned on sayin' nothin'. I jus' too curious to keep my mouth shut.
Cecile smirks, knowin' that unlike my daddy and the Mistress and Mary she don't gotta worry 'bout me makin' her tell. She got all the right in the world to secret. I jus' hopes she tells me anyway.
"Nothin'."
I pout, though mostly I don't mean it. I wanna know, but not bad enough to go back to the old me.
"Jus' say it louder."
She turns away from me, back to the fire. She makin' a real big feast, tonigh' with Mary bein' back and all. I surprised she only got Samuel helpin' out. I would offer to help, but I ain't got no idea how to cook.
"It ain't 'portant."
I roll my eyes, laughin' a little despite not knowin'. Maybe it hadn't been real important.
"How 'bout you Samuel? You gonna tell me wha' she said?"
He shakes his head no, still lookin' my eyes. I fidget a little, but don't back down. If I keep his gaze for longest, he gotta tell.
"It can't be that bad," I say, my thumbs wrestin' with each other, neither one winnin'. But neither one is losin' neither.
"It ain't, but I still not sayin'."
Sometime I think his English is better than mine. Say, does he know how to write? Miss. Lizabeth would be hard to convince to teach me, cause she usually do as daddy say. But Samuel- he'd have to.
"Do you know how to write?" I ask, earnin' a real surprised look. Even Cecile stops tendin' the pot for a second, wonderin' why I'd jus' drop the subject that easily. But I don't care what she said no more. I jus' wanna write to my brother, cause daddy can't say no, once I hand him the letter.
"You wanna know if I can write?"
I nod, "When your master taught you to talk all right and read, did he teach you to write to?"
He waits half a beat, before answerin'. Not lookin' away from me the whole time.
"Wha?" I asked, though I hadn't planned on sayin' nothin'. I jus' too curious to keep my mouth shut.
Cecile smirks, knowin' that unlike my daddy and the Mistress and Mary she don't gotta worry 'bout me makin' her tell. She got all the right in the world to secret. I jus' hopes she tells me anyway.
"Nothin'."
I pout, though mostly I don't mean it. I wanna know, but not bad enough to go back to the old me.
"Jus' say it louder."
She turns away from me, back to the fire. She makin' a real big feast, tonigh' with Mary bein' back and all. I surprised she only got Samuel helpin' out. I would offer to help, but I ain't got no idea how to cook.
"It ain't 'portant."
I roll my eyes, laughin' a little despite not knowin'. Maybe it hadn't been real important.
"How 'bout you Samuel? You gonna tell me wha' she said?"
He shakes his head no, still lookin' my eyes. I fidget a little, but don't back down. If I keep his gaze for longest, he gotta tell.
"It can't be that bad," I say, my thumbs wrestin' with each other, neither one winnin'. But neither one is losin' neither.
"It ain't, but I still not sayin'."
Sometime I think his English is better than mine. Say, does he know how to write? Miss. Lizabeth would be hard to convince to teach me, cause she usually do as daddy say. But Samuel- he'd have to.
"Do you know how to write?" I ask, earnin' a real surprised look. Even Cecile stops tendin' the pot for a second, wonderin' why I'd jus' drop the subject that easily. But I don't care what she said no more. I jus' wanna write to my brother, cause daddy can't say no, once I hand him the letter.
"You wanna know if I can write?"
I nod, "When your master taught you to talk all right and read, did he teach you to write to?"
He waits half a beat, before answerin'. Not lookin' away from me the whole time.
