Authors: Mercedes Keyes
"Whatever you say ma'am." Manny returned, giving in, heading for the front door with Esteban and Rory behind him. "What do ya' want me ta'do grandma?" Celina asked tugging at Lena's skirt. She looked down smiling, then knelt saying. "Hmmm? Well I don't know baby. Where's your mother?"
"She upstairs cleanin' the winda's, while Felix hold her ladder." Lena's eyes grew twice their size. "Oh no she had better not!" Standing she took Celina by the hand as she marched up the stairs calling as she went. "Maria Louisa Webster! When I find you, you had better not be standing on a ladder cleaning windows young lady!"
So went the events of cleaning the new mansion. Maria was given any duty she wished just as long as her feet were planted flat on the floor. Lena went from one room to the other cleaning, as Manny and the boys set up the table downstairs. Then Lolita and Celina were given the chore of bringing the food up from the cellar with Papo leading the way to unpack it and lay it out. Once Manny had completed his one and only chore, Lena found him constantly under foot, or more so, under her skirt every time he caught her in a room alone, with his hands all over her. "Manny I am trying to get something done! Stop it!" She chided, trying to hold his hands away from her and keep a straight face. "Let me finish what I started and I'll leave you alone…please…just bend over." He asked husky and deep. "Absolutely not! Now stay away from me." She said, backing away from him with the mop handle in hand. "Come on, I was almost there."
"
Maynard Ramsey Webster, now hear this, that's as close as you'll get until Sunday." She said, backing towards the door, with Manny stepping steadily towards her, his expression lecherous. "Manny! Sto-o-op that!" She ordered with a stomp of her foot.
"Madam, I am a man, doing what men do!"
"You know what, it makes no sense for a fifty year old man to be still chasing after it like some lusty young buck of twenty odd years."
That stopped Manny. "I beg your pardon madam and what in Hades has my age to do with anything?"
"Because - by now you should be in control of those urges, that's why."
"Urge hell! No urge is this! I'll have you to know that I'm down right randy! I've been without for weeks now if I may be so bold to state! Don't look at me like that woman! It was before I found you and after my return trip. Now, I have you back and damn it I want you! Close that door and this time lock it!"
"No! If it's been a few weeks, then two more days won't make a difference…now…find something to do with yourself!" Lena started to get a little jealous by his admission, while at the same time, she found herself a little proud that he was still such a lusty beast.
"Fine, keep me from it, but I warn you, you had better quit your teasing! Continue and we're not going to make it!"
Lena's mouth dropped open, "I have not teased you once!" She defended hotly.
"Oh yes you have!" He accused.
"When?!"
"Just a moment past, bending over that way!" He pointed at the floor where she picked up dirt she'd swept into a pile. "Maynard Webster, I was picking up dirt! How in the world is that teasing?!"
He started stalking her again saying as he did. "Close that door, bend over again as you were and we'll see what answer I can come up with."
Lena was out the door in a shot, surprised to find Hope and Maria out in the hall listening and giggling. Lena blushed. "You two stop your listening in and get back to work."
They both turned smiling and heading for the other end of the hallway. "Lena." Manny called, leaning in the doorway. She turned to see him pointing at her mop and bucket. "You forgot them." Lena waved him off. "You use them since they're in there with you." Manny stood from the doorway. "Now you know, I don't do, woman's work."
Lena plopped her hands on her hips and ordered, "Then you, Mr.
Webster go downstairs with your grandsons and leave us women to
'our work'
!"
An hour and a half later, Rory, Esteban, Felix and Papo, were all lounging in the shade of backyard tree with their grandfather who was bellowing out every now and then.
"Are you women finished? We’re hungry! I'm ready to eat!"
The boys got a kick out of that, as Manny sat telling them stories of his travels, trying to ignore his growling stomach. Each time it did growl he would turn and bellow up at the open windows hoping the women would hurry. After the third time, with no response, he turned back shaking his head muttering in despair, "I have ruined these women. They are too damn spoiled. They get away with murder! It's not right a man should be hungry with three women in the house."
The boys laughed all except Felix who sat next to his grandfather rubbing his stomach. "Me too grandpa…I feel faint." Manny looked down at his little chubby gut and fought not to laugh at him as his brother Papo, rubbing his belly as well, added, "My papah don't like it at all when he's ready to eat and there's no food ready."
"Well I can't say as I blame him. A woman was made to clean his home and cook his meals,
before
he's hungry. This way, he can eat. After the eating is done, he should be able to relax in his home, a home made comfortable by a good woman. Her reward for doing things as they should be done for him is to be well loved, thus fulfilling her other duties such as having his babies. Listen m'boys and listen well, keep a firm hand of control on them, if you don't, you'll be like I am now; sitting under a tree, out in the backyard with your guts in a knot. If you keep them in line, keep them in bed and keep them with babe, you'll have no problems."
"Like my dad has my mom?" Felix asked.
"Aye…he's got the idea." Manny agreed.
"
Maynard Webster
! How could you sit there spewing such nonsense to our grandsons – our son!? You ought to be ashamed of yourself, filling their heads with so much dribble!"
Lena's piercing voice cut through the peace and calm, making him wince and draw up. He jumped to his feet to avoid Lena as he ran back saying as he laughed. "Last of all boys, if you get'em mad, stay the hell out of their way!" He ran backwards as Lena stalked him threatening to toss a bucket of dirty water on him. "Lena! You put that down!"
"I'll put it down right over your head, telling my grandsons such nonsense!"
"Well I'm hungry aren't I?!" He asked laughing, still keeping a
safe distance.
"And you can well serve yourself – if you're that hungry!"
"See what I mean boys?" He pointed out, running as Lena chased him with the bucket around the house, the boys laughing and running behind her. They were entering the back of the house as Lena fussed, "Maynard, you should be ashamed of yourself." She turned in the doorway to be met by her eldest son who'd just turned his wife loose hearing them approach.
"The two of you! One is no better than the other. Maria, if you had heard what I just heard…you would learn to say no! Come so we can get them fed." Lena ordered passing them by. Mike grabbed his mother's arm, pulling her into his arms and planting a kiss to her brow with a hug, as he asked.
"Dad messing with you mama? I'll talk to him."
"You best not worry over him as you should yourself!" She informed him as she slanted a look to Maria's stomach. "You too should learn a bit of control before you can talk to him!" She stated emphatically before planting a kiss to his lips. Mike only grinned. "Yes mama." Lena went on to the breakfast room asking, "Where's Joseph?"
"He had to join his mother for lunch. He'll meet us back at the ship later." He answered, looking around the mansion and going out into the yard where his father and sons were. "Well you'll be eating in a moment!" He heard her call from another room. "Good I'm starved." He replied, joining his father. "How do you like it son?" Manny asked as he walked up. "It's unbelievable. It really is, what have you decided to call it?"
"That is up to your mother. I've done my part, she can call it whatever she pleases." He answered as they stood in the yard looking around at the splendor of the land, and the magnificent distant views of acres upon acres of wooded forest, sloping, dipping and rising in the distance, green untouched grounds stretching as far as the eye could see.
The men all walked toward a small lake that was situated on the property, checking it out as they waited for the food to be served. Rory was quiet as he walked in the wake of his family but he swelled with pride. Finally, he could step inside something so spectacular and be a part of it. He couldn't help his longing for Mailon to see it. Since her father was out of work, he now picked her up from school, so there was no longer a need for him to.
The call went out and all gathered around to start eating. Afterwards, the children wanted to return to the lake, hand in hand, Mike and Maria followed them.
Hope stood and began clearing the table, insisting that her mother
sit, saying she was perfectly able to clean up and pack the stuff away in the wagon herself. It was then that Rory began telling Manny about Mailon and her father; and how good a carpenter he was. Rory realized then as he spoke of him, that proof of his work was right there around them, and told Manny so, the woodwork had all been done by Gydale. Lena and Manny were impressed. Talk of him continued as Rory mentioned that he was now out of work. Manny knew he would need such a worker for his ships in repairs and building, since the deal on the shipyard in Boston seemed to be coming through.
"I'll tell you what Rory, why don't you have him come by the ship so we can discuss my needs and his."
"How about later, I was hoping it would be all right to show Mailon our new home, she's never seen it, she's only heard her father talk about it but when she finds out the mansion is my family's, that will really impress her."
"Impress her?" Manny lifted a quizzical brow in response to hearing that. Lena smiled, wondering about the little girl who had gained her sons loyal protection.
"Well yeah, you know... I mean, it's nothing, just-…" Rory waved it off.
"There is no need to stammer in explanation son when one is not necessary. Maybe through her, you can come to understand a few things about me." Rory understood that statement loud and clear though it left Lena a little inquisitive.
With a sigh Rory wandered over to the tall double French doors leading out onto the patio and stood thinking that statement over. In the distance he could see Mike playing with his kids by the pond, threatening to throw them in as they romped. He then took Maria off guard, picking her up in the air threatening to toss her in as she screamed and held onto him.
Manny turned to Lena telling her about the shipyard he was interested in and she listened attentively to his ideas of expansion, noting his main reasons for doing so. He brought up the fact that Esteban was taking an increasing interest in the workings of a ship. They discussed one topic to another, the last over the travel plans to Makia. The whole time they spoke, Rory listened to them, observing them from a hidden view point as he gazed out into the vast yard. To hear them behind his back, they sounded so normal, so at ease with each other. To hear them, there was no indication that his father was white and his mother black. His thoughts transferred to Mailon and the difference in them.
Admittedly, they were closer in race than his parents but still,
their outer appearance was a strong contrast. Yet, to look at her, he felt her lovelier than anything he'd ever seen before, everything about her. He smiled thinking about her heavy French accent, and how out of place it seemed. He imagined them together, walking down the street, his light skin and red coloring beside her dark brown skin and coal black hair. He also wondered how she would look upon reaching womanhood.
Realizing where his thoughts were, it amazed him that he was entertaining the idea of them together. He tried to picture her with someone else once she became a woman and the only picture that came to mind was of him, holding her, and loving her. That startled him. He wondered how he could possibly entertain such ideas when he couldn't even settle with his own mother. He looked back at his parents. They were getting married.
How in the world was his father going to take his mother about as his wife? By what means would they work it out? He turned around to look at them and saw his mother laughing at something his father had said. A smile came to Rory's face to see her do that, he then saw Manny softly caress her cheek, his eyes full of love for her as he held onto her hand. Rory walked back to the table where they sat, so many questions on his mind he needed answering. "Excuse me, but... can I ask you two a question? I'm serious about this, I'm not trying to get smart or mean, but ... I really need to know. When you two get married, how are you going to do things together?" He looked from his mother to Manny. Lena looked at Manny, who sighed giving his full attention to his son.
''I mean, you won't be able to take her anywhere as your wife, as things are going, it's no longer as accepted; a white man taking a black wife. You won't be able to attend balls, well – unless it's here like last night. But I'm talking about normal ones, you know with people out there who throw dinner parties and stuff. She can't go with you to any theaters for operas or plays, not even for a simple walk in the park, or public picnic. The fair that comes every year, how can you go to enjoy that? Unless you take her in a group of servants and leave her with them, I mean, what will you be able to do together?"