Beyond the Cotton Fields

Chapter 32

Lucy sat on the bank of the river with "Gulliver's Travels" opened on top of her lap. It was one of the books Cora packed in their knapsack when they left and it was slowly becoming her favorite book.

She looked up at the sky, looking at the collage of pinks and oranges that the setting sun painted. She bent the corner of the page she was on, closed the book, and continued to look down the river for a few minutes. She broke her gaze when a series of coos caught her attention. She smiled and looked down, meeting a pair of chocolate brown doe eyes.

"Ya have a good nap, Cheveyo?" She asked her 3- month old son, who was in a sling around her neck and bundled close to her bosom. Ever since his birth, Lucy made it a habit to read to him everyday, whether or not he was awake.

Lucy placed her book on the ground beside her and picked the chubby baby boy out of this sling. His silky black hair was becoming curly and his skin had become a warm brown color with red undertones. She beamed as she looked at her gorgeous son.

"Ya such a beautiful baby. Ya grandma woul' just love ya." She said, thinking about her mother. "Ms. Cora an' Mr. Boone woul' just laugh at how big ya are. They'd love ya, too. I hope they'll see ya one day." She rocked Cheveyo in her arms as he cooed and smiled up at his mama. She smiled back at him, her heart swelling with love.

"There's gonna be a lot a people who won't like ya. They're gonna say ya ain't worth nothin', ya ain't smart, anythin' to keep ya down, just because ya skin ain't white. But, I'm gonna tell ya this: ya special. There ain't nothin' ya can't do. Ya just as good as any white man in this world. No matter what ya do, ya be the best ya can be. Whetha you're chief of the tribe or ya go up north an' be a doctor, ya be the best there is. Don't let nothin' hold ya back. Ya do whateva ya heart tells ya, baby." She kissed his forehead, receiving a giggle from the baby. She laughed and continued rocking him.

"It is getting dark, small one." A voice said from behind her. She looked up as Koi stood over her. She placed Cheveyo back into his sling, grabbed her book, and stood up. She smiled up at her husband as he smiled down at her.

"It's been awhile since I've seen you in this spot." He stated, remembering how they had one of their first conversations on the river bank.

"I know. I like comin' here an' readin' to the baby. I think he likes it, too."

"Do you like it when Mama reads to you, Cheveyo?" He peered into the sling, looking at his nestled son. The baby cooed and gurgled in response, making his parents laugh.

"See? I told ya he likes it." She smiled.

He chuckled, stroking her cheek and kissing her forehead. "I found something as I was walking over here." He went into the pouch around his waist, pulled something out, and held it out to Lucy. She took it into her hand and examined it, a wave of emotions washing over her.

It was a small bundle of cotton that had blown into the woods from a nearby plantation, most likely the Aberling plantation; Lucy's former "home." The small ball of fibers elicited feelings of pain, melancholy, loneliness, anger, and fear. The memories of whippings, isolation, emotional and mental abuse, her mother's passing, being taken away from her brothers ran through her head.

She looked down at the cotton in her hands and looked back up at Koi. She looked at her cooing baby boy and then back down at the cotton in her hand. She smiled and blew the cotton bundle out of her hand. She watched as the cotton flew into the river and was carried away by the current.

"How did that feel, Lucy?" Koi asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind and hugging her into his chest.

"Amazin'." She smiled, leaning into him.

He kissed her temple and laid his head on top of hers. She placed her small hands over his larger ones. They watched the river flow under the purple sky.

"I love you, Koi."

"I love you, too, my sweet Lucy." He tilted her head to the side and placed his lips on top of hers. She turned around and fully met his kiss. As they were being sent into their own little world, a loud grunt pulled them back to reality. They broke apart and laughed, looking down at the baby boy who was becoming agitated from hunger.

"I think someone's gettin' hungry." She smiled.

"Come, let's get back before he releases the power of those strong lungs." He said, chuckling. He grabbed his wife's hand and led her and their son back to their tribe's village.

"Anything you say, chief." She said with a smirk.

He looked back at her and chuckled, shaking his head as he continued to lead his family through the woods.