His lips pause on my hand, as always, lingerin' way past the time it needed. They feel unwanted 'gainst my skin- the opposite of the waters kiss. He the man that makes me wanna run an' hide. He's worse than them slaves. He worse.
He looks up at me, through 'is eyelashes, smilin' a smile that means mo' than 'is happiness.
"As always, it is well to see you Mista Smith," I say as pleasantly as I can, sntachin' my hand back. Lon' enough is lon' enough. I wipe the collected spit on the back of my dress, not carin' that he see me as I do it. Miss. Lizabeth ain't payin' no attention to me, an' daddy ain't lookin' at my hand. Mista Smith don't say nothin' 'bout my rudeness though, which gives me great annoyance. He don't like me no less.
"As it is to see you."
I nod, pull up a fake smile fo' less than a second, an' back away. It Mary turn now. I done. There ain't no way I gonna stand near this slimy man no mo'- I ain't the one marryin' 'em. I shouldn't gotta be as nice as I am.
"I hear you perhaps gettin' married Corinne," he says, not as much done with me as I him. I only answer cause I can see daddy o'er 'is head, given me his look. I ain't afraid of much, but flashes of past daddy wearin' that same look flood my mind an' I give in. I don't wanna get no beatin'.
"You hear righ'."
"That is a shame Miss. Corinne."
"I don' see why- I marryin' age after all," I say, "An' you marryin' my sister beside- a lucky catch fo' you."
It soun' ruder than it is with the tone in my voice- but I ain't able to hold it back. What a slime of a man- he don't got no right talkin' to a lady like that- 'specially if he marryin' 'er sister. An' everythin' I said was true, Mary is a real great lady- the best a slime will get. Even with all my good, real points I don't got the guts to look up at daddy. I don't wanna kno' what'll happen in my future.
Mista Smith jus' stare at me fo' a real lon' minute, forcin' me to drop my gaze. Once I do, he lean in close, 'is breath righ' in my ear.
"I wouldn't say no stuff like that to me, Miss. Corinne," he whispers, "You don' kno' nothin' 'bout me an' your daddy's agreement."
Then, jus' 'bout when I as confused as I thought possible, my heart beatin' so hard in my chest- almos' burstin'- he laughs. He pulls 'way from my ear, laughin' from deep within 'is gut.
"Now where is my Mary?"
He looks up at me, through 'is eyelashes, smilin' a smile that means mo' than 'is happiness.
"As always, it is well to see you Mista Smith," I say as pleasantly as I can, sntachin' my hand back. Lon' enough is lon' enough. I wipe the collected spit on the back of my dress, not carin' that he see me as I do it. Miss. Lizabeth ain't payin' no attention to me, an' daddy ain't lookin' at my hand. Mista Smith don't say nothin' 'bout my rudeness though, which gives me great annoyance. He don't like me no less.
"As it is to see you."
I nod, pull up a fake smile fo' less than a second, an' back away. It Mary turn now. I done. There ain't no way I gonna stand near this slimy man no mo'- I ain't the one marryin' 'em. I shouldn't gotta be as nice as I am.
"I hear you perhaps gettin' married Corinne," he says, not as much done with me as I him. I only answer cause I can see daddy o'er 'is head, given me his look. I ain't afraid of much, but flashes of past daddy wearin' that same look flood my mind an' I give in. I don't wanna get no beatin'.
"You hear righ'."
"That is a shame Miss. Corinne."
"I don' see why- I marryin' age after all," I say, "An' you marryin' my sister beside- a lucky catch fo' you."
It soun' ruder than it is with the tone in my voice- but I ain't able to hold it back. What a slime of a man- he don't got no right talkin' to a lady like that- 'specially if he marryin' 'er sister. An' everythin' I said was true, Mary is a real great lady- the best a slime will get. Even with all my good, real points I don't got the guts to look up at daddy. I don't wanna kno' what'll happen in my future.
Mista Smith jus' stare at me fo' a real lon' minute, forcin' me to drop my gaze. Once I do, he lean in close, 'is breath righ' in my ear.
"I wouldn't say no stuff like that to me, Miss. Corinne," he whispers, "You don' kno' nothin' 'bout me an' your daddy's agreement."
Then, jus' 'bout when I as confused as I thought possible, my heart beatin' so hard in my chest- almos' burstin'- he laughs. He pulls 'way from my ear, laughin' from deep within 'is gut.
"Now where is my Mary?"
