Gold Raven (24 page)

Jamie stood gulping down the fresh cool water from the dipper at the well. He was hot and tired, his strong young muscles throbbing from exertion. Water dripped from his chin onto his bared chest where his shirt lay wide open while he attempted to cool off. He had just completed the task of thoroughly cleaning out the stables, which had taken him all morning and most of the afternoon.

Jordan was always fussing at him about his laziness, about his half-ass tap at what he had been told to do.
‘Le’s see what he thank now. Dat stable ain’ never been more clean than now.’
He thought smug and proud. Wouldn’t be long now, Henry, Jordan and Amos would be back from the cattle range with Mr. Weston and Mr. Johnson, two of the white overseers now at Webster Fields.

He couldn’t help but wonder if his mama had saved him some dinner? He was mighty hungry. One more turn up of the scooper, and he would be satisfied. Drinking down the last, he lowered it from his mouth and looked down the main drive coming onto the plantation. He reached up closing the buttons of his shirt as he watched a rider and three wagons coming in just as easy as they please. The man on horseback looked like an Indian to him.

One of wagon drivers looked young and dark, and another, older, but unlike the Indians, their hair was short, and they were dressed kind of fancy. He could see the younger one was just a boy, but handled the team of horses like a man. From him he looked to one of the other large covered wagons stirring up dust.

Sitting on top was a man and a lady
; as they drew closer, a pretty lady. She too looked to him like an Indian, a pretty one too – real pretty. As for the man next to her, he held his attention the longest.

Finally they reached the spot where Jamie stood at the well, and passed on by him going further towards the slave quarters, on back – beyond the front yard, driving to where most visitors came to see his Master Morris. Visitors usually just parked along the front of the house…no white folks ever drove to the back like these were doing. He began following in the wake of the dust whipped up around him, keeping abreast of the last Wagon.

Little kids were in the last two, looking down at him, just as curious as he was. On the seat of the second wagon, his eyes grew huge at the young pretty girl sitting there next to another Indian looking man.

Jamie didn’t know what to think, so he ran to the front of the last wagon, looking again at the white man sitting in the seat there. Mike looked down at the young slave staring up at him, then nodded and smiled at him. Jamie’s eyes grew round as saucers.

“
You look like Masta’ Manny! Who is you?! What you want here?” He asked boldly, wondering who these visitors were. He had an inkling concerning the history and events of his home and his absent master, but couldn’t be sure about anything this soon.

Hope and the children were all fixed with fascination at the big beautiful mansion, the green wide open lawns, the weeping willows, maples and mighty oaks hanging with moss. There were dogs running loose as well, barking up at the horses and occupants of the wagons. The small wagon train stopped almost directly in front of Lena’s old cabin.

“
Oh Miguel, your home is so beautiful. I have never seen so much green and flowers. There are so many, and they are everywhere.” Maria whispered in appreciation.

“
Who is home right now?” Mike asked Jamie, having heard his wife but needing to establish what they were to do first, now that they were home. “Ain’ nobody home now. Masta’ Morris gone do his gamblin’. Masta Manny been gone too fo’ awhile. Want me to get Mr. Weston or Jordan for you?”

“
Jordan?!” Mike asked with a surge to his chest.

“
Yes sa’, he here…I go get’em fo’ you if you want? You know Jordan?”

Mike swallowed deeply, again feeling tears rush to his eyes. “Yes…I know Jordan.” Mike whispered. Jamie was backing away about to run and get him when Mike called out, “Wait…umm, Miss Katherine…where’s she?” He asked with dread. Again Jamie’s eyes got big.

“
Miss Katherine? Sa’ Miss Katherine ain’ live here for some years now! She leave here long time ago, ain’ got no plans to return. How you know ‘bout ha’?”

Hearing that, Mike’s heart slammed in his chest. His eyes closed and he fought to collect himself. Seeing his reaction, looking him over good – Jamie knew…it could be no other.

“
You…oh Lawd…you masta’ Manny boy…ain’t you? You Mike – Michael…that who you is?”

Mike looked at him, and nodded a slow affirmation.

“
Lawd Jesus…Lawd Jesus – wait ‘till I tell my mama!!! Lawd Jesus!!! I knew it – I just knew it!!!” He burst excitedly. “Wait till they hear! Just wait! You wait here!! Don’t go nowhere – you hear!! Don’t go nowhere! Lawd Jesus…masta’ Manny’s boy home!!” He cheered and took off like a shot, calling out at the top of his lungs.

“
He home!!! Hey everybody… he back!!! He done come home – masta’ Manny boy Mikey back!”

“
Mikey?” Eugene turned grinning to look at Mike from the top of his horse. “Mikey?”

Mike groaned.

Jamie’s flight did not hamper his shout in the least. He was too overjoyed that he was the one to see him first. There were only a few slaves at the cabins, and those were women out back washing and hanging laundry, his mother was among them with Cora, Ruby and Niá, each contributing to the laundry day. At first when he called out, they thought he meant Manny was back. Then they heard him say,
“Mikey”
All knew that he had to be mistaken, there was no way this could be, they all imagined, dropping their wash to hurry to the main lane to see for themselves, totally unprepared for what was about to greet them.

Jamie ran as fast as his feet could carry him – which was faster than most with the powerful build of his thighs propelling his body forward. He ran, shouting it past the fields, where many slaves were out picking and bringing in the last of the vegetables and fruit crops.

He continued on to the cotton field, where he saw Jordan, Mr. Weston, Henry and Amos; stopping to draw in a deep breath and hike up his energy, then sprinted the last bit of the way to them.

Jordan had looked up hearing the happy, hysterical youth as he came plowing into the side of his horse, making it dance to the side, while Jamie gasped for his next breath almost too excited to speak.

“
Boy - what done got a hold of you, hollering like that! Breathe boy…breathe…crazy as hell – running like that! What boy what?!”

“
He back Jordan! He back!”

“
Manny back!? Why ain’t you say so!”

“
Nooo! Not Manny-…” He gasped.

“
Who - Morris?”

“
Nooo – nooo – his boy! His boy back!”

“
Whose boy?!” Henry interjected.

Jamie swallowed a big gulp of air, and blurted, “Manny’s boy – MIKEY! His boy! His son! He back! He in the yard now!”

Jordan’s eyes grew huge, his heart took off pumping blood faster than his head could handle. “Hop on back boy!” He yelled. Jamie was up as the other three men took off towards the big house, Jordan closing in behind them with Jamie holding on. All rode hard with their minds reeling, believing there had to be some kind of mistake.

Mike hopped from the wagon coming to Maria’s side to help her when he looked down the lane to see three women and a young girl coming from between two distant cabins. Maria’s heart was filled with so much excitement she could barely contain it all.

“
Oh Miguel…you see…this trip was a good thing. I knew that it would be…I knew it.” Her eyes held his, filled with tears of joy.

Hope was down thanks to Juan, with the kids following suit. Eugene and Esteban both standing by, waiting as the girls tried to get down, but Felix and Papo pushed rudely past them, making them squeal. Hope was too overjoyed to scold them for their ill-manners.

No one knew now what to do.

Mike turned and stared at the women gathering before them, who were as transfixed by him as he was by them. Mazie stood unable to believe her eyes. “Oh Lawd God…Lena – your baby don’ come home, he don’ come home.” She murmured low, in shock.

Ruby and Cora turned surprised expressions to each other and then back at him. “Girl would you look’ah here – don’t tell me the Lawd ain’t alive and busy takin’ care of his own.” Cora muttered.

“
Look at that boy…if he ain’t the spit o’his daddy – Lawd have mercy.” Ruby added.

Unprepared as they were for this big event, all hesitated to react; by the time they came to approach him it was too late, the pounding of horses speeding in their direction forced them to turn and move back out of the way.

The four riders came to a stop a short distance from Mike and his entourage. Mike felt his stomach constrict into a tight knot as he watched a salt and pepper haired Jordan pull his mount to a halt. Jamie jumped off right away.

“
See! I told you! It’s him ain’t it!? That’s – Masta’ Manny’s boy! Mikey! Ain’t he?!” Jamie announced pointing straight at Mike. Once Jordan and Mike’s eyes met, they locked. It was true, there he stood…tall and strong – healthy and alive.

Mike gulped unable to fight the tears that flooded his eyes. Jordan was down and slowly approaching him– startled disbelief was clear in his eyes.

“
Mi-Mikey boy? That you?” He had to ask, just to confirm what he was beholding.

“
Yes…I – I just thought it wa-…”

All that he might have been about to say, was left unsaid when he found himself engulfed by the strongest hug he’d ever experienced in his life. Jordan was squeezing and shaking…holding him so tightly, Mike was forced to squeeze back. “Lord – Lord – Lord – Oh my Lord.” He began to cry. He held him as if it were his own returning son, too stunned to let go.

Hope and Maria stood back with tears streaming down their faces to see Mike being held and welcomed with the love he feared might not be waiting. Suddenly, Jordan started laughing, backing away to look at him. “Boy you bout big as yo’ daddy now! Ain’t no boy no more…can’t call you Mikey no more!” He laughed as Mike shook his head wiping at his face, chuckling along with him. “No sir…I’m pretty much grown up.”

“
Damn right you are! Look at you!” Jordan laughed, giving him a mighty shake and a squeeze. The children were laughing with awe that this man knew their father, calling him Mikey. Henry and Amos couldn’t wait for their turn as Mr. Weston stood back smiling, willing to wait to meet him.

All the racket outside had awakened Ferrus from a nice nap. He stepped outside the kitchen door to see what all the noise was about. With his brushed back slick gray hair, so startling white against his mocha skin, he stood on the porch calling out.

“
What in the blazin’ hell all this racket fa’!?”

“
Old man don’t you know what’s goin’ on?” Henry called, all teeth showing. “Look here! Who this?!” They all opened a path to show Mike to Ferrus, holding him still as if moving would make Ferrus miss him.

“
I’on know! Who’dat! Yah’ll know my eyes is bad! That Manny?”

“
No sa’ – it’s one better! How ‘bout Manny’s boy - Mikey!” Jordan furthered.

“
Speak to him boy.” Jordan nudged Mike.

“
Yes sir, Mr. Ferrus, it’s me.’

“
Mikey boy? Michael Ramsey Webster – that Mikey?”

“
Yes sir…in the flesh.” Mike grinned.

“
Lo-o-ord – boy you don’t get yo’ tail here!” Ferrus ordered, and Mike walked up to the porch so he could get a closer look. “Boy where you been?”

Mike blushed. “Been around sir, took me a while to find my way back…but I’m here now.”

“
You home to stay!” Ferrus ordered.

Mike blushed again, he was embarrassed because he knew his men were watching, and here he was, reverting back to a little boy again. He winced when he caught himself shrugging, knowing that to say he would stay was far from the truth; later was a better time to go through that.

“
No matter – right now, you home, that’s all that matter. Welcome home boy – welcome home.” He said on the verge of tears, pulling Mike close for a hug.

Cora, Ruby, Mazie and Niá were in the midst of the group now, standing before others that were gradually spilling in from the fields to get a look at Master Manny’s son who’d been sold away years before by his missus. They all stood smiling and laughing out at funny things said by the men. Niá however found her eyes straying and locking on the young girl with aureate coloring. She thought her awful pretty, and nudged her mother.

“
Mama, look – look at that girl.”

Mazie turned her smiling face to her daughter. Niá nodded in Hope’s direction. Mazie followed that direction and the smile slid from her face. Mazie stood watching her laugh and smile – thinking how much like Lena were her gestures as well her looks. She was just a light skinned version of her. Tears sprang to her eyes as she made her way to her through the crowd, with an overwhelming realization – she gasped loud enough for Hope to hear her through the laughter around them. Hope stopped laughing and stared as Mazie drew close to her. She stopped with not a foot separating them.

“
Hope?” She asked carefully, knowing she could be no one else but. Mazie’s movement towards her drew everyone else’s attention. Mike smiled and walked through them all to his sister’s side. Now again, Jordan and the others were stunned into silence, staring.

“
Yes ma’am…I am.” Hope confirmed shyly.

Mazie’s hand went to her mouth, then she looked up at Mike.

“
Ms Lena wit’ you too?!” She asked hopefully. After all, that night so long ago, Hope was with her when they left, she had to be. She looked from Mike, back to Hope. They both saddened, because they knew then as well, their mother was not at Webster Fields.