Authors: Mercedes Keyes
Standing from the floor,
he noticed her slender frame and broad hips that flared from a tiny waist,
‘Hm, not bad, not bad at all.’
He thought removing his fawn colored, flared sleeve shirt from his muscular torso, tossing it aside. Turning away, he walked over to the washbowl and poured in water, giving her time to sit up and get the blood circulating in her arms and legs again.
Hope immediately turned sitting up to do just that, removing the rags from her wrists and ankles, rubbing and moving her limbs as the blood flow returned to normal. She sat quietly massaging her wrists as she grudgingly watched this large man before her splash his face, wet his hair down and carry on washing his upper body.
Wiggling her toes, she observed his attention to himself.
“
Feeling better now?” He asked, grabbing a cloth to dry himself; not yet looking at her.
Hope could only stare at his bulging biceps and thick arms. He was so tall and possessed such a broad back of muscle, which flexed with movements that were natural for what he was doing. His waist tapered into narrow hips and a well-developed rear end. His legs were long, thick in the thighs and hard with muscle. The tan breeches he wore left little to the imagination.
Sitting from such a low vantage point and looking up at him, made her feel strange. His voice, size and movement gave her feelings of familiarity, as if she somehow knew him, had seen him before. Drying his hair and turning towards her, he noted her silence that had gone on for too long. “Look…(he started, pulling the cloth down around his neck)…I’m sorry about my men bringing – you ... here…?”
Silence………neither spoke for several moments.
Hope stared up at him and could not believe her eyes. Slowly she stood to get a closer look.
‘I know him. How do I know him? From where do I know him?’
She thought, staring at his face, which wore a quizzical expression. She felt even surer that she had seen him before. She knew the size of him; the color of him; that face, those features and his voice was vaguely familiar and now she was coming closer to absolute recognition.
“
My father; you, you look like my father. How can this be?” She spoke in quiet amazement but no more amazed than Miguel. A cold gripping shiver raced up his spine as his stomach tightened into a knot. He swallowed as moisture gathered in his mouth. Both stood illuminated by candle light in the small dwelling, staring at each other as their minds tried to grasp the unbelievable event unfolding.
“
Who are you?” Hope asked. “Why do I know you?”
He couldn’t answer her questions. He was spinning in such disbelief that he felt frozen in time.
He knew his eyes did not play tricks on him, and then she
had said something that pieced together this puzzle.
"My father. You look like my father? How can this be?”
That statement said it all. He knew how it could be, just as he knew beyond a doubt, the woman she would name as her mother. This girl was the exact image that came to him in his dreams, with only two startling differences, her age and her coloring.
'Those eyes…those eyes – the same color as hers!'
With a slight variance. Even more incredible, among his own children, there was his four-year-old who was another copy of the woman who stood before him now; his baby daughter, Celina. Celina had the features and all… the reason he had named her a shortened version of his mother’s name. He could easily see what her future looks would be.
Michael Ramsey Webster slowly stepped back to a chair and sat down, never once taking his eyes from the young woman.
Hope's mind flashed back to a time when a child ran eagerly to a window to look out at such a figure, as this man before her. The same - like eyes had cried tears of joy in his discovery of her. There was a reason that man, her father, had not known about her. There was a reason they had hidden her from him. Everyone had protected her anonymity because they did not want her taken away, the way her older brother, Michael had been.
“
Oh my God!” She gasped. “You…you are him… you – my – my brother… are you not? You know who I am…do you? You must! I can tell how you stare at me? Tell me… are you Michael?”
“
You tell me…are you…Hope?”
“
That is my name! That is what I was called, before my other family! Hope, yes! That is who I am! My mother… Lena… Ceś alena. My father…Maynard - Ramsey - Webster. I remember … you are my brother, you – are my brother.” She gasped as her heart tripped over each beat in her chest. Mike bent over as if he had been punched in the stomach. Of course, he knew it was her the moment he looked at her but to hear those names come from her mouth, gripped him at that hardened core, forcing tears to his eyes…eyes that hadn’t shed any since he was a lost and frightened boy, long ago. He stood turning away from her; and leaned on the table, keeping his face averted as he fought overwhelming tears.
“
I prayed to find – them again. So many times… I was a small child when we parted but I – I remember. I don’t know how it happened - but I remember – her – our mother. I remember her love. I remember her pain and I remember, her…crying for you. You, oh my god, you are my brother.” Hope mused softly, incredulous, overwhelmed and choked up. “What does this mean?” She asked.
He could finally look at her again. “Come sit down.” He directed her to the chair across from him. She went to it and sat
; her eyes glued to him. Again silence grew as he tried to gather his thoughts. No easy task, when he sat facing the very child he had often felt stirring in his mother’s womb. He remembered nights of them playing with her; trying to get her to kick – and the laughter of victory that followed as he got her to respond when their master could not. The two of them attending her; while she sat, smiling, reclined while they, he and his sire played over her extended belly. Eagerly, they waited for the day she would be born. Cruelly, their happiness and togetherness was to be short lived.
After surviving the nightmare of being sold into a world of people who cared nothing of the destruction they brought into the lives of fellow humans; it changed something in him. He was property, worth only what he could bring to them for the indulgence of their pleasures - he was just “goods” for possible bartering. Michael fought against the memory of being taken from Webster Fields and fought against the tears of joy that something had finally been given back to him. Something more precious than anything he could have imagined. His sister, his Hope!
He needed to think, not give into the tears that kept threatening to flood his eyes. Oh but the bittersweet joy that filled him was one of wonder. For some reason, God had seen to deliver his baby sister into his hands…but, why?
As he did in everything; he would take on this gift and treat it with the same seriousness he treated everything else in his life. As a man; with all that was on him, there was no room for tears…not even tears of joy. They were a sign of weakness.
To survive in this world, took strength; an iron will and unwavering determination. In recognizing that, the contradiction was, he still felt the need to weep as if a small boy. Hope was a link to his mother.
‘My mother - where are you? How did you lose her? Oh mama…I love you, God knows I do.’
“
What are you thinking?” She asked, watching the play of emotions he battled. He took a deep breath and sat back in the chair across from her. At last, he answered, “About your mother - my mother; and the fact that here sits an astounding link to her. I’m shocked.” He answered, finally noticing her eyes glistening with tears as one ran down her cheek. He reached over and brushed the tear away with his thumb, looking at it while rubbing it between his fingers. “When I was there, with her-…”
“
Where?” Hope asked, hungry to learn about her mother.
“
Webster Fie
lds. That’s where you were born; where I was born and from there, I was sold…by your father’s wife. She deceived me. She hated me. Hated, our mother.”
“
Why?” Hope questioned.
Mike laughed. “Why? Why do you think?! Your father, you see could not get enough of her, of our mother. Our mother, Hope …was a Princess, sold into slavery, and owned by your father.” Mike informed her thinking back. He felt tears threatening again and worked his jaw in an effort to draw them back. Hope sat with bated breath waiting for more. He was struggling with memories and bitter resentment. He looked away from her; fighting to gain control of his emotions. “It’s late. We will have much to discuss…you and I, but not tonight.”
“
I wish to learn more, please tell me more.” Hope pleaded softly.
“
Not tonight. I need time.” He looked up at her as a thought occurred to him, his features hardening. “My men…did they harm you? In any way, did they, touch you?”
She shook her head, relieved at the reason behind his momentary look of anger. “No, they did me no harm. Not really…other than take me from my family.”
“
I won’t apologize for that, here with me, is where you belong, with your own family. They, whoever they were, should be forgotten.”
“
I wish to spend time with you, to get to know you, I do; but I cannot forget them, do not ask that of me, I cannot help be worried about them.” She replied.
“
There’s nothing I can do about them. You’re better off forgetting them.” He instructed her coolly.
“
How can you say that? They love me; they are also, my family! They will worry-…”
“
Look! Mothers…Fathers…they lose their children all the time! It happens! It’s done! You must get over it! Fact is, they are not your blood! I am your blood! You are with me now, to stay!”
“
For now you should get some rest, we have spoken enough for tonight.”
He stood from the table looking down at her. By the expression on her face, he could see she was soft. She was ignorant of the harsh realities of life. He would change that look. She would learn and he would teach her. She would never be a victim, caught defenseless and unprepared. “Is there anything you need? Do you thirst? Are you hungry?” He softened a bit, showing concern for her welfare.
“
Yes… I thirst.” She admitted.
Without a word, he turned and left the dwelling. Hope sat stunned. She was not used to anyone like him. Anna, Alfredo and Cornelius were much different; they were laughter, dance, smiles, joy and music. They were, all that she knew. The memories of her parents consisted of similar happy times but this man, her brother, was different.
She looked around her, at the flickering candles; coming to her feet, she walked to the door where he had made his exit. She leaned there looking towards the roaring fire in the center of the encampment. Wondering where he’d gone. A moment later, he appeared walking back from the group. He spotted her standing in the doorway as he made his way back to her, carrying a trencher, with a bottle under each arm.
Reaching her, he nodded for her to re-enter before him. “Food.” He sat the trencher down. “Wine.” He sat that bottle down. “Water.” He then looked at her. “Do you need to relieve yourself?” He asked her straight forward. Hope sucked in stunned by his blunt question but she did need to and nodded.
“
I will show you where to go. Grab that oil lamp from the corner, I'll light it. Now come along, there are things I need to tell you before I leave you.” He turned from her expecting her to fall in behind him. At the door he glanced back. “Let’s go! I don’t have all night.” He hurried her, turning away again; Hope complied, blushing as she did. “Within this camp, you are never to relieve yourself unescorted at this time of night. Not ever! Understand?” He ordered, taking long determined strides. Hope had to rush to catch up to him. “I said - do you understand?” He pressed again, not even looking at her.
“
Why…no…I do not understand.” She returned honestly.
Without pause, he continued. “This camp is filled with many men, most of them of little honor. You are young and beautiful. I need them. I cannot spare them by killing them off because of you, but I will! So know this and believe me that I will! In order to avoid me having to kill someone concerning you, you will stay where I place you.”
“
You will talk only with my wife and children and you will stay within that group. There are whores in this camp, I do not want to catch you amid them…Understand?” Hope followed reeling from his manner and hardness. “I asked you a question.” He demanded.
“
What do I know of whores?” She asked suddenly concerned about staying with this man…her brother.
“
You will know soon enough but what you must know tonight is this.” He stopped walking and turned before her, she almost collided into him, his stop so sudden.
“
You are Pr
incess Ceś alena’s daughter; I will kill any man, or woman for that matter, to protect you. You are my blood, and God has delivered you to me. You will do as I say, without question. You will learn as I teach you and you
will
– carry yourself, as my mother’s daughter.” Again, she saw the threat of tears in his eyes. She remained silent. Once more, his eyes came back to her, “You-…” He started, but then, stopped, fighting rising emotions.
“
Go. In there to take care of your needs; I will wait here for you. Make sure you look before you sit, and another thing, in the future, when you need to go, a bit of advice, to prevent anyone rushing in thinking the place empty, learn to sing or whistle.” He instructed with his back to her. Because he was close enough for her to hear him, he carried on assuming she was listening. “No matter where you move about within this camp, always be aware of the possibility of snakes, or spiders. You’ll wish not to experience either, especially, the human snakes. When you remove your clothing at night, lay them flat and high."
"When you put them on in the morning, shake them out, and look them over. Do not slip your feet into any shoes or boots ever – that have sat unattended for any length of time, because on putting your foot into them, you may find them no longer empty. Stay away from the men in this camp! Do not talk to them. Do not look at them. Do not respond to anything they might have to say to you. You will wash daily, and you will never again be caught with your hair down as it is now. I will see to it that you have proper clothes to wear as well. For goodness sake – aren’t you done yet!?”
“
Yes!” She bit out coming up behind him. He turned to look down at her. The look on her face brought forth the first smile she’d seen from him. “Very well, come along then.” He strode off, she followed.
“
Did you hear all I said?”
“
Yes…I did.”
He nodded. “Good. I expect you to follow the rules I set and I will tolerate no deviation from them. As long as you understand that, we shall get along fine.”
“
Am I to stay where I was, alone?” She asked, again in a rush to keep up with him.
“
For this night only. You will be safe there, you have food and drink; get some sleep, and tomorrow, we will talk further and you will meet my family.” He said, back at his dwelling with her, turning to gaze at her once more, he murmured “Goodnight.” She stopped in the doorway, looking at the table, with the tray of food, covered with a cloth. “Will you stay with me, and talk more with me?”