Good Fortune (9781416998631) (47 page)

I sighed. “Mary wouldn't want you to.”

“I know. You hear her too, don't ya?”

“Of course I do.” I leaned over and rested my head against Daniel's shoulder.

“Mary's always gonna be with us,” I said.

Daniel said nothing, but he stood tall, listening to the sounds of the night.

CHAPTER
 
43 

“M
ISS
A
NNA
?”

“Yes, Ned?”

“Why you always readin' those things?”

“What things? You mean, these books?” I asked the young boy, holding up the novel in my hands.

It was a Saturday morning, May 1823. Ned and I sat near Mama Bessie's garden, a wooden toy in his hand, and the book in mine. Ned was taking a break from his chores.

“But you do that stuff all the time! Why?” he stressed in a whine, his way of expressing that my time would be better spent with him and the rest of the children.

“It's important to me, Ned, that's why.”

“But why? That like your job? You get money fo' readin' that thing an' writin' an' laughin' an' talkin' to yourself all the time?” he asked, innocently inquisitive.

I laughed. “No, no money, Ned.”

“So why you do it, then?” he demanded.

“Because there's so many things in this world we don't know. Things we never even heard of. Things that … that teach us folk to be better people.”

“Ain't that what Mama Bessie for?” he asked, quite serious.

I laughed again. “Books tell you things don't know one here in Hadson know! Folks teach us to be scared of reading and writing, Ned. But you know what?”

“What?”

“Being able to read and write is one of the most powerful things you can have as a black person.”

“Why?”

I set my book down and looked thoughtfully at him. “It's the one thing can't anybody ever take away from you once you have it. It's the one thing folks don't want us to have because it makes us smart—real smart. As smart as just about anybody!”

“You mean, we be just as smart as even the white folks?”

I nodded, feeling the power behind the idea. I watched silently while Ned's eyebrows bent inward slightly as he allowed his thoughts to absorb my words. Finally, he looked up.

“Is that really so, Miss Anna?” His eyes pierced my own, trying to see if I was tricking him. As I watched him consider how beautiful education could be, a small light that had been growing within me flared.

“Sure is, Ned.”

“Well, I wanna learn my letters an' numbers too!” he said almost immediately, with certainty.

“Can you teach me, Miss Anna?” The light was growing brighter. I looked closely at this young boy, a small seed
waiting to blossom into whatever society made him out to be.

But what if his young mind were educated? What if all the young minds in Hadson were educated! What if
… Thoughts about teaching spun through my mind as they had done a thousand times before.

“Well, Ned, I'm going to have to see about that,” I said slowly and a bit nervously. Had I learned enough yet myself to be able to teach others?

“Okay!” he shouted gleefully, hopping back up to resume the garden tasks.

I went into the house to fetch him a pail of water, turning the idea of teaching the children of Hadson around and around in my mind. Once I brought Ned the full bucket, I found Florence and joined in helping her fold the clean clothes.

“Anna, you know, I don't think you can keep getting past that Henry for long. He's taken a real liking to you. He's the nicest-looking guy around here,” Florence said. She'd spoken to me before about Henry and me spending more time together. I frowned at her, my fears about Henry's desire for more than a friendship now confirmed.

I tried to change the subject. “I don't think Sebastian would like to hear you say that.”

She laughed and said, “Well, now, he jus' gonna have to deal with that, now, ain't he? But I know that man is splitting wood over you.”

“I wouldn't say so,” I replied, keeping my eyes on my work.

“Well, I sure do believe it! All he talks about is ‘Anna, Miss Anna!' And you'd think he'd have stopped that by now with these other women runnin' around here tryin' to take his heart. But no, he's got his eyes set on you, an' you give him none of your time.”

I shrugged. “It's not like you and Sebastian, Flo. We're friends.”

“Not in his mind, you ain't,” she said. “But since you don't believe me, you can ask him what he really thinks later today.”

“What do you mean, Flo?”

“There's another gatherin' tonight. Folks from Gibson an' Riverside gonna be there. I'm sure your fellow will come by—I don't believe he misses a gatherin'—an' you … you gonna come with me.”

I didn't reply as I placed a white shirt down on a blanket that was lying on the grass. I glanced up toward the road. A tall figure was approaching. I was surprised to see that it was Anita.

“I'll be back,” I told Florence hurriedly as I walked toward Anita. I almost never saw her except at Mrs. Rosa's and, occasionally, church.

Something must be wrong
, I figured.

“You need something?” I asked when I reached her. As usual, she stared past me, her eyes skimming everything but my face.

“Anita, you need something?” I asked once more, determined to get back to my work. She dragged her eyes around to mine.

“The old man is sick. I was told to come here, that Ms. Bessie would know what to do.”

“How sick is he?” I asked.

“Quite sick, he … he may be about to die.”

I gasped, and ran into the house. When I came out again I was pulling Mama Bessie behind me. After explaining his ailments, Anita stood and waited as I rushed back into the house with Mama Bessie to help her prepare what was needed.

“She care, Anna, she jus' care in different ways than you or I do,” Mama Bessie said in response to my question about Anita.

“Child ain' barely eva bin out that ole man's house since she came up this way. Her soul seems so weary. Musta had it hard, that one.”

I nodded, grabbing the small bag she was handing me.

“Now, you be careful with that. Ole Joshua jus' might make it yet.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

I made my way back out the door, holding her concoction.

“Here, Anita. You be careful with that, hear? Mama Bessie said he just might make it.”

“Let's hope so,” she said simply. I turned away, not even caring to grace her comment with a response.

“Anna.” I turned back to see Anita looking squarely at me. Her face had softened considerably. It looked almost friendly.

“I don't mean …” I smiled, saving her the trouble of apologizing.

“It's all right, Anita. I'll see you when the week starts at Mrs. Rosa's.”

She nodded at me, lingering for a few seconds more, then walked back down the road.

Just as Florence had predicted, the late-night gathering had young men and women streaming in from the Gibson and Riverside communities to partake in the dancing and fun. Gibson was some five miles south of Hadson, and Riverside lay just as far away to the east. The dancing and laughter could clear one's mind after a week's worth of housework or farm work.

But I would have gladly stayed behind had it not been for Florence's insistence that I put my books aside for the night. I hadn't been back to many gatherings, even when Daniel attempted to drag me to one. Tonight, however, I gave Florence the upper hand and put on my nicer clothes. Florence had sewn a dress for me a few weeks before, and I slipped it on, along with the only pair of shoes I had.

Outside, the breeze and music lifted everyone's spirits. Girls and boys were swinging to the beat of the music. And just like before, memories of my first dance came back. I was flying higher and higher in John's arms …

“Anna, stop gapin' at them, wouldya?”

“Gaping at who, Florence? I'm not gaping.”

She laughed. “I know you're not, but those men may
think you are. And why is it you had to carry that book out here?”

I shrugged. “I came here. That should be enough for you!”

Florence laughed again as we made our way over to a small gathering of children. They were watching a couple of young men act out a story. As we stood by, watching, a tall man with a thick beard walked up to Florence.

“Hello, lady.” Florence greeted her old friend from Gibson with smiles and chatter. After greeting me, he motioned her away so that they could talk awhile.

“You'll be all right by yourself?” she asked me.

“Sure,” I said.

I watched her walk away. I watched as Daniel came running into the gathering, searching faces and stopping upon seeing Florence, who was fully engaged, cheerfully, in her conversation with the fellow from Gibson. I watched as he stood there a few seconds then sulked into the crowd of dancers and grabbed a partner, stealing petulant glances at my best friend. I watched as Florence spotted him, stormed over, and started a bout of arguing with him. I watched as their tension peaked and then toppled over into laughter, dancing, and full immersion into a world of love that had been slipping from my own space. As the two of them disappeared into the distance, I sat, turning my eyes to the young men acting out the play for the children. I listened to the children shriek with laughter and gasps, and allowed my thoughts to remain in that moment.

I laughed quietly to myself as one of the young men
whose identity was lost beneath a gray hat fell to the ground as if he'd tripped. A minute or so later, the children were clapping loudly, and soon enough, were being led away from the late-night gathering by older women. I leaned my head against the tree and fell into a light sleep.

All around me I heard a thumping sound, like feet hitting the ground in a rhythmic pattern. Someone was running. Someone was calling my name. Someone was trying to tell me, Let him go, Anna. Let John go
….

“Don't think sleepin' was part of the plan when we decided to have this gatherin' tonight.”

I opened my eyes and let my surroundings wash away my short dream. Henry stood in front of me, removing the gray hat from his head and wiping sweat from his neck and shoulders. His usual smile broadened his face.

“You were good up there,” I told him.

“Thanks!” he said.

“But, I was just about to do some reading.”

“Anna, listen. Now, before you say anything else, you must know how lovely you look. I ain't sayin' that just 'cause I wanna, I'm sayin' it 'cause it's the truth, an' I done turned down three women to come dance with you,” he said dramatically. “Now, all I'm asking for is this one dance.”

He waited with his hand out as I looked at him and pondered. I tried to see someone who caught my interest, someone who made my heart flutter; but I had none of those feelings for him. Nor for anyone else here.