"Daddy," Mary ventures, twisting her thumbs in her lap, together. She lets the left one win their battle first, then the right, then back to the left. It's a habit she's had since she was a little girl, her thumbs three times smaller than they are now. "Do you think it possible to let us ride more to-day, 'stead of watchin' them slaves?"
Daddy's office door had been closed, but Mary, like a real fool, decided she'd interrupt 'em to ask such a silly question. We ain't gonna get outta slave watchin'- and really I don't wanna- but all Mary can think of is them horses.
"No."
Daddy is scribblin' something on some papers- I dunno what- and he don't even look up at her. I don't even think he was listin'.
"Daddy-"
"No."
Mary sighs, and I think that's that when I see tears in them pretty little eyes. She ain't cryin' yet but she ain't far from it.
"Daddy," I step into his office, surprisin' Mary and myself a little too. I don't normally help 'er like this, 'specially when I don't want she wants, but I'm keepin' to my promise. And now when I look at 'er, at them eyes, I see the mother I've always wanted.
"Daddy," I continue, "I really was hopin' that Mista Johnston could continue his ridin' lessons today. It been real fun, and beside the Mistress can jus' watch over them slaves."
I feel a tinge bad for Cecile for suggestion this, cause the Mistress real ruthless on slaves, but I decide, overall, it fo' the best. An' what's the use of bein' daddy's favorite if I don't put it to use?
He looks up at me- finally puttin' down his pen and studies my face. His eyes are dark like Mary but more grey. Like like a cloudy sky in winter time- real bland and ain't fun to look at.
"You had fun?" He asks, soundin' as confused as I feel.
I nod, "Real great fun." Mary agrees with me but it don't help much. Daddy don't really care what she thinks.
"Well I guess I could get the Mistress to keep on 'em."
I smile- real fake- and thank 'em. My lips are pulled tight, and wide- somethin' I do when I lie. Cecile notices when I do it, but nobody else.
Daddy's office door had been closed, but Mary, like a real fool, decided she'd interrupt 'em to ask such a silly question. We ain't gonna get outta slave watchin'- and really I don't wanna- but all Mary can think of is them horses.
"No."
Daddy is scribblin' something on some papers- I dunno what- and he don't even look up at her. I don't even think he was listin'.
"Daddy-"
"No."
Mary sighs, and I think that's that when I see tears in them pretty little eyes. She ain't cryin' yet but she ain't far from it.
"Daddy," I step into his office, surprisin' Mary and myself a little too. I don't normally help 'er like this, 'specially when I don't want she wants, but I'm keepin' to my promise. And now when I look at 'er, at them eyes, I see the mother I've always wanted.
"Daddy," I continue, "I really was hopin' that Mista Johnston could continue his ridin' lessons today. It been real fun, and beside the Mistress can jus' watch over them slaves."
I feel a tinge bad for Cecile for suggestion this, cause the Mistress real ruthless on slaves, but I decide, overall, it fo' the best. An' what's the use of bein' daddy's favorite if I don't put it to use?
He looks up at me- finally puttin' down his pen and studies my face. His eyes are dark like Mary but more grey. Like like a cloudy sky in winter time- real bland and ain't fun to look at.
"You had fun?" He asks, soundin' as confused as I feel.
I nod, "Real great fun." Mary agrees with me but it don't help much. Daddy don't really care what she thinks.
"Well I guess I could get the Mistress to keep on 'em."
I smile- real fake- and thank 'em. My lips are pulled tight, and wide- somethin' I do when I lie. Cecile notices when I do it, but nobody else.
