I never noticed before but Mary got real pretty eyes. They brown like daddy's- like most I know- an' before I really looked at 'em I figured that was it. There ain't nothin' mo' in brown eyes. But I was wrong. Seein' her up real close- when she talkin' 'bout somethin' that she real enjoy- they sparkle and glow. They like a moon in a real dark sky- a ring around it's surface sendin' its light into the world. And they also like the grass, the line where it meets the dirt. Brown but somethin' more- green- silver, even blue. Lookin' at them I don't see why everyone favors mine.
Today 'stead of lessons, Miss. Lizabeth took us out to the pasture for ridin'. We don't got much horses. Mista Granger got more- but we do got some. My favorite is a brown mare- real plain and simple. Sometime the best things in life are the simple things.
I wish I could ride like them men, but Miss. Lizabeth said a lady always goes side saddle. It real hard and embarrassin' with Mista Johnston bein' our teacher and all. I fell twice- missin' the dirt and fallin' right into 'es open arms. Mary got a real knack for it though and after it over, she talks about it like in the best thin' the whole wide world. Her eyes like stars when she tells me the way it made her feel- like she could be out there fo' hours. I let 'er speak, not interruptin' once. She don't get to shine with daddy, so I let her shine with me. I'm keepin' my promise on bein' a better sister.
Mary laughs, pullin' me back inta the present, throwin' her head back and snortin' real bad, much unlike a lady. Luckily it only us a few slaves in here- no one who really cares.
"When you fell on Mista Johnston- I almos' died laughin'," she says, livin' the memory, "Your face was real bad."
Despite myself I giggle a little too, tryin' my best to hold it in. She ain't sayin' nothin' nice 'bout me- I should be angry not joyous. But within seconds, I'm holdin' ta my side, both of us in identical fits of un-tamed laughter. Sometime it real nice to let go.
"Yeah, that may be so-" I start to say, tryin' to think of somethin' she did wron' today. I can't think of nothin'- 'cept maybe that she can't read but that real touchy and ain't relevant. I jus' decide not to even finish my sentence. But it don't matter anyways- cause she jumps in to finish it fo' me.
"But the second time was even funnier."
I may have golden hair, skin kissed by daddy's angel and eyes so blue like diamonds in water- but as Mary laughs she look the most like our mother.
Today 'stead of lessons, Miss. Lizabeth took us out to the pasture for ridin'. We don't got much horses. Mista Granger got more- but we do got some. My favorite is a brown mare- real plain and simple. Sometime the best things in life are the simple things.
I wish I could ride like them men, but Miss. Lizabeth said a lady always goes side saddle. It real hard and embarrassin' with Mista Johnston bein' our teacher and all. I fell twice- missin' the dirt and fallin' right into 'es open arms. Mary got a real knack for it though and after it over, she talks about it like in the best thin' the whole wide world. Her eyes like stars when she tells me the way it made her feel- like she could be out there fo' hours. I let 'er speak, not interruptin' once. She don't get to shine with daddy, so I let her shine with me. I'm keepin' my promise on bein' a better sister.
Mary laughs, pullin' me back inta the present, throwin' her head back and snortin' real bad, much unlike a lady. Luckily it only us a few slaves in here- no one who really cares.
"When you fell on Mista Johnston- I almos' died laughin'," she says, livin' the memory, "Your face was real bad."
Despite myself I giggle a little too, tryin' my best to hold it in. She ain't sayin' nothin' nice 'bout me- I should be angry not joyous. But within seconds, I'm holdin' ta my side, both of us in identical fits of un-tamed laughter. Sometime it real nice to let go.
"Yeah, that may be so-" I start to say, tryin' to think of somethin' she did wron' today. I can't think of nothin'- 'cept maybe that she can't read but that real touchy and ain't relevant. I jus' decide not to even finish my sentence. But it don't matter anyways- cause she jumps in to finish it fo' me.
"But the second time was even funnier."
I may have golden hair, skin kissed by daddy's angel and eyes so blue like diamonds in water- but as Mary laughs she look the most like our mother.
