Rescued (Flowers of the Bayou) (21 page)

“Georgia I assure you she will be fine. Besides she’s going to be busy with dozens of chattering women and mindless ninny’s all the same hanging off her skirt tails. Being my sister I know you don’t want to be caught up in that.”

“No but…” She started.

“You and I will go into town instead and get you some of those beignets you like.”

Georgia took in the idea with great thought. “I want a new jigsaw puzzle. I finished the last one.”

“You are spoiled.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

It was dark, very dark. Uncurling her body from its bent position on the ground, Amelia went to the task of pulling away from her hair and clothing the small twigs and leaves clinging to her form.

Rubbing the back of her neck she pushed up from the ground with a wince. How she had fallen asleep with a rock right beneath her side was beyond her. It was a long walk home. “Damn.” She muttered quietly. It would feel like an exceptionally long walk in the dark.

She couldn’t wait until dawn. It would not the best of things to do. The moon would have to serve as her light. And though it shone dully it would have to do. Looking about her, she took up a blunt stick just in case she ran into any trouble. Be it a wild animal, or worse one of New Orleans’ many drunken men who found nighttime the best time to lurk about. Giving herself one more good dusting she stepped onto the dirt road.

She was lucky enough to know the roads and byways well enough that it wouldn’t pose too hard a task to get home. They’d been engraved in her mind from younger years. She had always been off and about with her Leonora, Jessie, and Nina or sneaking off for a little time to herself. She could recall one such time now.

It was the first time Morgan had shown her any real attention and she hadn’t liked his kind of attention even then. He had told her they were going to go fishing by the banks. It was all right at first, she’d even go as far to admit it was pleasant. He allowed her to carry on about what she wanted to be, where she wanted to go and she was sure that she had made a new and dear friend. Then all of a sudden he got this look about him, being young and not knowing men well enough she asked him.

“What’s wrong with you, you look like you just got knocked in the face or something.”

His only response to that was a crooked little grin, then an arm snuggly around her shoulders. She would have ignored this if not for his ever persistent roving arm which went from her waist up to her chest and disgustingly back down to her thigh. She darted off of the soft grass, which served as their carpet and stared at him as if he had turned green and sprouted a second head. “Have you gone crazy?” He just stared at her, a reflection of her own confusion.

“What you talkin’ girl. Don’t you like me?”

There appeared the third head right in front of her eyes. She blinked back her shock and stood back. “I’m going to marry Daniel…I love him.”

Morgan laughed at that. “Love gots nothin’ to do wit it.” He watched her turn her back to him and said almost so quiet he could barely hear. But he did. “It does because I don’t love you, not like that.”

Not long after she felt his now familiar hard embrace, tight and unwavering around her midriff, pulling her into him, and on him roughly. Then she heard his cold whisper. “You is gonna be mines one way or de other cause I want you and I’m gonna have you. If I was you I’d come to terms wit it. You don want me to have to show you how things is done the hard way.”

Of course that had been a long time ago and though she had believed it to be the worse day in her life, now it just ranked as a close second. His fondling and threats all those years ago didn’t compare, couldn’t. She could feel his hands on her still, and never had she felt so dirty.

The memory must have made her quicken her pace. The thought still just as frightening, and disgusting, for she was nearly home. The light of Lorraine’s window could barely been seen in the distance. Suddenly getting home wasn’t so urgent. “Face your fears Amelia.” She told herself gaining only the smallest amount of courage. Sucking up the rest of her anxiety she hastened her step into almost a slow trot until she stood on the squeaky porch of her home. Placing her hand on the knob she didn’t get the chance to turn it. As soon as her flesh touched that of the cold knob it was pulled open.

Lorraine ran her eyes over the form before her satisfied that she was intact and finally accounted for. The anger she was feeling early in the day now only a slight burning replaced by fear of losing the young girl that had become an constant supplier of income in her world.

Lorraine did care about Amelia. Perhaps she even loved her in her own way. At least she tried to. Still most of the fear she felt at the thought of Amelia being hurt stemmed from the simple fact that without her, it would hell trying to survive.

She sometimes felt guilty feeling as she did. After all her sister placed Amelia in her care. To love and raise as if she were her own and she tried her hardest to do that, but then the girl went and did what she did and now Lorraine loather her. Amelia had ruined in one day what she’d been planning for years. She was too old to try and catch a man herself and create a chance at something better.

Amelia truly was stupid. She’d let herself be turned into nothing more than a white man’s whore. Weren’t there enough poor souls resigned to that fate? Why did she have to go and become one of them?

Taking a breath she tried to quell the new anger building with in her. “Don’t just stand there like an idiot. You’ve already proved how much of one you can be.” Lorraine said sharply and stood to the side as she waited for her niece to make her way inside.

“Lorraine I never care for Morgan.” She mustered moving to the chair and sat waiting for the storm to begin. “I know I made a mess of things, embarrassed you, hurt you, and Morgan but I don’t love that man. I never have.”

“You as dumb as they come. It aint never about love. It’s about status and being taken care of! How could you do such a thing, did you even get any money for it?”

“I didn’t sell myself!” Amelia screamed hurt at Lorraine’s words.

“Well maybe you should have, at least you’d have something to show for it. I should have known that morning when he’s show his face here! Did he at least pay you then?”

“How can you say that? ” Amelia moved from her position to look Lorraine in the eyes. “I am not a whore.” She said again trying to convince Lorraine.

“Why did you do it, why? You can be a smart girl when ya want to be. Lord knows you can. I just…just tell me why? I could have been alright. ”

Amelia captured Lorraine’s gaze with that of her own. Trying to transfer what she felt, what was in her heart? But when she broke away from her look, she turned her eyes to the floor. “I did it because I love him.”

“Love who?” Lorraine stood back shocked. “I sho’ hope you don’t mean that white man.” Lorraine could have slapped her. “You love him? Well aint that something. And I suppose you think he feels the same.”

“No” she answered back truthfully. And with those words she felt a tiny twinge of pain in her heart.

“Well lord be praised, you aint that stupid.”

“Lorraine.” She began only to be cut off.

“Only thing a black girl got from loving a white man was a big belly.”

“Do you want me to go away?” asked Amelia, tired in her body and soul. “I know Morgan has gone and told everyone. I don’t want to embarrass you, make you feel bad around your friends.”

“He aint told nobody but me. And we need to get on our hands and knees and praise God above for giving that man such understanding. He still willing to marry you. You still got a chance.”

“I don’t want to marry him Lorraine.” Amelia stated sternly. “And I don’t plan to. I don’t love him.” Finally having had a enough.

“You don’t marry that man then you don’t stay in this house.” Lorraine said back just as harsh. “I won’t have you in here being that white man’s tramp.”

“Lorraine, you may believe what you want, but I never have been or will be a whore, tramp, or hussy.”

“You marry Morgan or you aint welcome in this house and that’s final! You won’t be allowed to ever come here or near me no more.” And with that she turned and headed for the stairs.

Amelia took a deep breath before speaking again. “Then I guess there’s just one last thing to say. I wish you happiness and perhaps if you beg that good man enough he’ll marry you.” Walking to the door she turned the knob and headed back out into the dark night. Not once looking back.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Wake up.” Jasper said while pushing his friend out of the bed and onto the hard floor with a resounding thud.

Quickly rising to his feet Jordan hurriedly composed himself. Spotting Jasper he thought better of the first idea that flew into his head, which was to kill the bastard who’d awakened him. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He decided would have to do for now.

“We’ve reason to celebrate.” Jasper moved about the room opening the drapes until the room was flooded with light knowing full well it would serve his purpose of waking and irritating Jordan. “Mr. Jackson accepted.”

Rubbing his head Jordan let his hand drop in front of his eyes shielding them from the offensive sun. He had barely been able to sleep at all. His thoughts straying back to Amelia and that foolish engagement. He’d tried to go to her that night and see if she’d really gone through with it. Her aunt explained that she was not there and was out with the man even as the hour grew unfavorably late. Jordan felt his blood boil.

Why in the world she chose that man would forever be beyond him. That had been weeks ago however and every time he’d sent Mitchell to pick her up the man returned empty handed. Only recently did he stop sending the chauffeur to retrieve her at all.

Apparently she was happy with her new state and he had no intentions on intruding. But it was annoying that she chose to tuck tail and hide from him. It wasn’t as if he was the only one in the house who might like to see her. Georgia was all but confused at her absence and Vivian blamed him.

Yet if she wanted to marry an old, dirty, nasty, gnarled man well that was her affair. God help her he thought, a frown now forming on his face.

Jasper would have spoken then if not for the silly look on his friend’s mug. That look was a look Jordan hadn’t worn in ages and Jasper could scarcely believe it. “I knew it.” Jasper said smugly.

It was strange he had seen it coming a mile away but he simply couldn’t believe it. Jordan Bradford ensnared by a woman. That was unthinkable, unfathomable, and undeniably funny.

The man with the shielded heart, brought down to his knees by the unattainable maid. “Didn’t I tell you?” he continued mindless of Jordan staring at him with warning. “I have to give her a round of applause. No other woman has been able to evoke such emotions in you if any at all.”

“What are you rambling about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Jasper stated, sure of himself.

“Please enlighten me.” Jordan said while tugging on his boots.

“It’s all over your ridiculous face which is surprising to say the least you’re usually good at masking your emotions.”

“Have you a point—if you do could you please come to it?” Jordan snapped becoming annoyed.

“Of all people to want, you pick the one that’s forbidden to have.” Jasper thought out loud. It would have been easier for him to choose Melanie. Least then all he’d have to bare would be cold stares. “You know this is only going to bring about a lot of heartache.”

“I see.” Jordan said as if just catching on to what Jasper had been alluding too.

“Do you really?”

“I do and I don’t want to discuss your flights of fancy.” He finished pulling on a fresh shirt.

“You’re swimming in a river of denial.”

“Where’s your wife?” Jordan asked not wishing to delve into where the conversation seemed to be swaying any more. “I doubt we can do much celebrating without her in tow.”

“One day she is going to hear the half of what you say about her and beat you.”

“I just asked where she was.” Jordan said a wide smile on his face.

“True but it’s all in the way you ask.”

“Is she downstairs?”

“No,” Jasper said quickly. “At home in bed and that’s where she’ll stay until I get home and we can celebrate the right way”

Jordan cringed at the thought and the action was soon followed with a genuine flush and shiver, Jasper could have kept that to himself, however he could use the information to his advantage. “Why waste time with me when your beautiful wife is at home waiting for you?”

Walking toward the door, Jordan waited for a response. “Besides it’s bound to be more entertaining?”

“True.” Jasper agreed without argument. “But there’s one other point I failed to mention—I’m inviting you along with my, I told Mr. Jackson and his lovely wife Cora I couldn’t celebrate this endeavor without you. Besides there is a treat in it for you. I know you’ve been down as of late.”

With a deep sigh Jordan signaled with his hands for Jasper to continue. “I was just trying to save the best part for last.” Jasper grinned.

“Get on with it.” Jordan pressed growing tired of the speech. “Another lady was invited to this celebration of ours—a Mrs. Nina Banks.”

“Jasper, you sound like a gossiping hen.”

“Just let me finish, Mrs. Banks will be bringing another lady friend, listen this is the best part. This woman is said to be having a bit of trouble recently in the colored world’s circle. Disowned by her aunt and her coming engagement broken, no one is sure of the reasons.” Unmentioned as they might have been, the certain circumstances were now fully understood, at least by Jasper. “Seems that the Jackson’s and Banks are good friends of this Ms. Marriott and hope to see her well again and received by the colored upper crust.”

Walking to the door Jordan pulled it open, barely listening to what was being said. Not truly caring to hear until the last bit was mentioned—a broken engagement, she hadn’t gone through with it after all.