Mista Smith with 'is grayed mustache, skin wrinkled above 'is eyes, below them, underneath his lips, ain't comin' in town cause he like Mary. But cause of 'er worth, an' because of 'er daddy. An' in jus' a few months time, she'll be married to 'em, maybe even carryin' 'is first child. She'll be livin' away from us, helpin' look after 'is plantation that ain't nearly as big as daddy's. Her future life ain't up to 'er.
No wonder she ain't happy. Mista Smith is worse than Lloyd.
"When is 'e comin'?" Miss. Lizabeth asks, tryin' to make eye contact with Mary- who's still lookin' at the floor. It may be jus' my eyes playin' tricks on me- but I think I see a tear fallin' from Mary's face.
"Tonigh', should be here by supper."
Miss. Lizabeth 'as a look of horror on 'er face fo' a split second- seemin' to swallow back 'er own tears. Then, she suddenly smile- real big an' fake. She still don't seem to notice that I still here.
"That great, you ain't excited?" Her happy voice is jus' as fake as her smile. But Mary don't see 'er- can't cause she lookin' at the ground, an' think that she bein' sincere.
"I am," Mary lies, "Real happy he comin', I jus' missed 'em that all."
"That make sense," Miss. Lizabeth says, noddin' too enthusiastically. She 'bout as good as a liar as Mary.
"No it dont," I say, 'fore thinkin' 'bout what I doin'. We was jus' calmin' down, an' soon enough we'd go back to lessons, but I jus' gotta go an' stop all progress. What is wron' with me? "You don't gotta be happy 'bout this. Why don' you tell daddy that you wanna get out it? Reject 'em."
Mary laughs, an' keeps on laughin' even when I sputter that I bein' serious. Soon 'nough Miss. Lizabeth joins in an' they both laughin' hysterically, like wha I said was a real big joke.
"No- it's true, jus' tell daddy."
They continue laughin- completely ignorin' me, an' I start to grow increasingly frustrated. It ain't a bad idea, Mary got that right to say no to a husban'. Daddy won't be happy- but he gotta let 'er, I think.
"I ain't gonna ask Daddy, Corinne," she says, "He don't love me like he love you. I ain't that lucky."
Lucky? Lucky fo' wha? I wanna scream at 'er fo' sayin' that, yell at Mary for not tryin' to understand, but instead I jus' walk away.
No wonder she ain't happy. Mista Smith is worse than Lloyd.
"When is 'e comin'?" Miss. Lizabeth asks, tryin' to make eye contact with Mary- who's still lookin' at the floor. It may be jus' my eyes playin' tricks on me- but I think I see a tear fallin' from Mary's face.
"Tonigh', should be here by supper."
Miss. Lizabeth 'as a look of horror on 'er face fo' a split second- seemin' to swallow back 'er own tears. Then, she suddenly smile- real big an' fake. She still don't seem to notice that I still here.
"That great, you ain't excited?" Her happy voice is jus' as fake as her smile. But Mary don't see 'er- can't cause she lookin' at the ground, an' think that she bein' sincere.
"I am," Mary lies, "Real happy he comin', I jus' missed 'em that all."
"That make sense," Miss. Lizabeth says, noddin' too enthusiastically. She 'bout as good as a liar as Mary.
"No it dont," I say, 'fore thinkin' 'bout what I doin'. We was jus' calmin' down, an' soon enough we'd go back to lessons, but I jus' gotta go an' stop all progress. What is wron' with me? "You don't gotta be happy 'bout this. Why don' you tell daddy that you wanna get out it? Reject 'em."
Mary laughs, an' keeps on laughin' even when I sputter that I bein' serious. Soon 'nough Miss. Lizabeth joins in an' they both laughin' hysterically, like wha I said was a real big joke.
"No- it's true, jus' tell daddy."
They continue laughin- completely ignorin' me, an' I start to grow increasingly frustrated. It ain't a bad idea, Mary got that right to say no to a husban'. Daddy won't be happy- but he gotta let 'er, I think.
"I ain't gonna ask Daddy, Corinne," she says, "He don't love me like he love you. I ain't that lucky."
Lucky? Lucky fo' wha? I wanna scream at 'er fo' sayin' that, yell at Mary for not tryin' to understand, but instead I jus' walk away.
