He ain't too bad at cookin'.
I'm leanin' over his shoulder, wathcin' as he slices some fruit, hummin' a song beneath my breath. It some hymn from Church, cause they the only songs I know. I sing it right in his ear, but he don't seem to care much. Once, I even caught 'em hummin' a lon' with me. When he's like that- I ain't scared of him one bit.
Samuel ain't as good as Cecile, I can tell by the way he ain't real precise but he fast. And with the clock tickin', that's all I need. We've only got a near five minutes fo' the Mistress to come down, and if ain't on the table she'll be real mad. I also hope that Samuel finish in time so he can leave. I don't think the Mistress will be too pleased if she knew that Cecile hadn't done the cookin'.
"You almos' done?" I ask, real quiet. He been real nice and good all while he's been cookin' and I don't wanna disturb it. I like 'em when he nice, cause then I can forget that he colored.
To my surprise- he don't snap at me. "It'll be ready real soon. You can get outta plate if you want."
I don't, cause they real up high and I'd have to reach over 'em to grab it. And then I'd have to touch him. And I don't wanna do that.
"I'll wait," I say, backin' away from 'em, "I'll jus' go stall the Mistress."
He laughs a little beneath his breath, and nods though he don't have to. I ain't askin' him permission.
"Everythin' will be ready when you come back." This time, I nod even though he ain't even lookin'.
I find the Mistress in the Study, jus' finishin' with cleanin' daddy's papers. I kno' he hates when she does that, but I don't say nothin' cause she'll the one who'll get in trouble. It won't be much, but it'll be enough. She smiles, then starts movin' toward the door- probably expectin' breakfast. She don't see me at first, though I only standin' feet away.
"I was wonderin'," I say slowly, gettin' her attention. She looks up, starin' at me with pursed lips. She's waitin' fo' me to continue, but I've got nothin' else to say. We stare at each other fo' a second, neither of us willin' to look away.
"What?" She finally snaps, runnin' a hand down the front of her dress to smooth it.
"Well..." I begin, really unsure of how to continue. "Well, I was wonderin'..."
Silence. The Mistress squishes her eyes down to half their normal size, and puts a hand on her hip.
I'm leanin' over his shoulder, wathcin' as he slices some fruit, hummin' a song beneath my breath. It some hymn from Church, cause they the only songs I know. I sing it right in his ear, but he don't seem to care much. Once, I even caught 'em hummin' a lon' with me. When he's like that- I ain't scared of him one bit.
Samuel ain't as good as Cecile, I can tell by the way he ain't real precise but he fast. And with the clock tickin', that's all I need. We've only got a near five minutes fo' the Mistress to come down, and if ain't on the table she'll be real mad. I also hope that Samuel finish in time so he can leave. I don't think the Mistress will be too pleased if she knew that Cecile hadn't done the cookin'.
"You almos' done?" I ask, real quiet. He been real nice and good all while he's been cookin' and I don't wanna disturb it. I like 'em when he nice, cause then I can forget that he colored.
To my surprise- he don't snap at me. "It'll be ready real soon. You can get outta plate if you want."
I don't, cause they real up high and I'd have to reach over 'em to grab it. And then I'd have to touch him. And I don't wanna do that.
"I'll wait," I say, backin' away from 'em, "I'll jus' go stall the Mistress."
He laughs a little beneath his breath, and nods though he don't have to. I ain't askin' him permission.
"Everythin' will be ready when you come back." This time, I nod even though he ain't even lookin'.
I find the Mistress in the Study, jus' finishin' with cleanin' daddy's papers. I kno' he hates when she does that, but I don't say nothin' cause she'll the one who'll get in trouble. It won't be much, but it'll be enough. She smiles, then starts movin' toward the door- probably expectin' breakfast. She don't see me at first, though I only standin' feet away.
"I was wonderin'," I say slowly, gettin' her attention. She looks up, starin' at me with pursed lips. She's waitin' fo' me to continue, but I've got nothin' else to say. We stare at each other fo' a second, neither of us willin' to look away.
"What?" She finally snaps, runnin' a hand down the front of her dress to smooth it.
"Well..." I begin, really unsure of how to continue. "Well, I was wonderin'..."
Silence. The Mistress squishes her eyes down to half their normal size, and puts a hand on her hip.
