"Breakfast is ready."
I grumble inta my pillow, thinkin' whole words, but sayin' them all wron'. Cecile knocks once more, callin' to me the same sentence. I sit up, wipin' a stray tear from my chin.
"I'll be down real soon."
Her footsteps are heavy on the wood as she clomps back down the stairs, an' I listen to her as lon' as I can. By the time there ain't no sound, I'm starin' back at myself in the mirror above the bureau. I don't look real nice, what with tears and the mark of a necklace on my cheek. It won't be real acceptable to the Mistress, daddy nor Miss. Lizabeth. I don't think Cecile would mind real much, an' I doubt Mary'd even care. She might even be happy that daddy ain't pleased with 'is perfect little girl.
I dab any wet areas away with the sleeve of my pocket and take calmin' deep breaths to try and rid my skin on the red patches. It don't work real well nor real fast, but it the only option I got. Cecile calls me down twice more, from the bottom of the stairs, 'till I ready to leave. And even then it looks as if I've been cryin'. I can lie real nice, but sometime my face can't.
"It 'bout time," Daddy says as I sit, my head lookin' straight at my food. It ain't real often that he eats with us fo' breakfast, but when he does he expects everythin' to run as smooth as supper.
"Sorry daddy."
No more is said on the matter, each of us eatin' our food in silence. I stare in envy and Mista Johntson who can eat as freely an' fast as he want. He don't gotta be no lady.
"When is Lloyd comin' to town?" Miss. Lizabeth asks my daddy, lookin' 'round uncomfortable. She hate when we don't speak, I don't mind myself.
"Real soon." Daddy is smilin' all big at me, but unlike normal I don't return the favor. "It a surprise fo' Corinne. And this time- he gonna stay fo' a real lon' time."
Daddy don't kno' what a surprise is. At least not a good one.
"You hear that Corinne?"
I nod, "Yessir."
Miss. Lizabeth ain't a sir, but I realize that after the word left my mouth an' I don't bother correctin' it. Maybe they'll jus' think I'm talkin' to daddy.
"You as excited as I?" When I smile- it the most fake thin' ever. From the kitchen Cecile gives me comfort with her eyes
I grumble inta my pillow, thinkin' whole words, but sayin' them all wron'. Cecile knocks once more, callin' to me the same sentence. I sit up, wipin' a stray tear from my chin.
"I'll be down real soon."
Her footsteps are heavy on the wood as she clomps back down the stairs, an' I listen to her as lon' as I can. By the time there ain't no sound, I'm starin' back at myself in the mirror above the bureau. I don't look real nice, what with tears and the mark of a necklace on my cheek. It won't be real acceptable to the Mistress, daddy nor Miss. Lizabeth. I don't think Cecile would mind real much, an' I doubt Mary'd even care. She might even be happy that daddy ain't pleased with 'is perfect little girl.
I dab any wet areas away with the sleeve of my pocket and take calmin' deep breaths to try and rid my skin on the red patches. It don't work real well nor real fast, but it the only option I got. Cecile calls me down twice more, from the bottom of the stairs, 'till I ready to leave. And even then it looks as if I've been cryin'. I can lie real nice, but sometime my face can't.
"It 'bout time," Daddy says as I sit, my head lookin' straight at my food. It ain't real often that he eats with us fo' breakfast, but when he does he expects everythin' to run as smooth as supper.
"Sorry daddy."
No more is said on the matter, each of us eatin' our food in silence. I stare in envy and Mista Johntson who can eat as freely an' fast as he want. He don't gotta be no lady.
"When is Lloyd comin' to town?" Miss. Lizabeth asks my daddy, lookin' 'round uncomfortable. She hate when we don't speak, I don't mind myself.
"Real soon." Daddy is smilin' all big at me, but unlike normal I don't return the favor. "It a surprise fo' Corinne. And this time- he gonna stay fo' a real lon' time."
Daddy don't kno' what a surprise is. At least not a good one.
"You hear that Corinne?"
I nod, "Yessir."
Miss. Lizabeth ain't a sir, but I realize that after the word left my mouth an' I don't bother correctin' it. Maybe they'll jus' think I'm talkin' to daddy.
"You as excited as I?" When I smile- it the most fake thin' ever. From the kitchen Cecile gives me comfort with her eyes
