I saw the cloud of dust that Clementine kicked behind her as she ran over to me. She keeled over, propping her heaving torso on my shoulder conspicuously. She clutched her chest and took deep breaths.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned.
“Uh…um, nothing. I just didn’t want to make you wait,” She looked around the large body of people around the town stage. The familiar jingles of clinking metal chains caught my attention. “What’s going on here?” Clementine asked. I didn’t answer as I grabbed Clemy’s elbow and pushed my way through the crowd. Through the grunts and curses I made it to the front to find tired, starving, sallow slaves pulled on to center stage. Their arms and feet were shackled tightly by rusting chains. I looked at Clementine’s face as her confusion dissolved into stone cold disgusts. The slaves that were bought were dragged off the stage as others were carelessly pushed off, their parched mouths crying out in pain. Another group of slaves were gathering to come up to the stage. I decided we’d had enough today and I grabbed Clementine’s hand and attempted to pull her hand back out with me but she was stuck on the spot. I heard a quick gasp as I turned around to see her outstretched arms to a young crying boy with fresh lashing scars.
“Annuli!” Clementine cried out. The crowd looked at the pair with a look of awe and disgust. I loosened my grip from her as she embraced the boy, hugging his small trembling body in her arms, tears spilling from both their eyes. They exchanged foreign words as they studied both their faces. It must have been a relative, I assumed. By that time the slave traders noticed the com motion from their smoking tents behind the stage. One man brandished the thick lashing rip in his hands and cracked once on the wooden stage. He yelled at the boy.
“Back in line nigger! Someone needs to handle them slaves!” The man bellowed as he ripped Annuli from Clemy’s arms. She let out a piercing cry as she fell to her knees By now there was a circle surrounding us and I looked around the amused faces. I scooped up Clemy and held her up by her elbows. She tried to run back but I pushed through the large crowd until at last we made it to the edge of the forest. She fell from my arms, shaking hysterically. I lifted her wet cheeks and cradled her face against my chest.
“Clementine, you scared me so suddenly. You’ve been acting strange today… who was that?” I asked. She met my eyes with a solemn face, her eyes red and puffy.
“Annuli, my little brother. I finally found him and then he was taken away again!” She pounded her fists on the dirt pathway as I grabbed her arms again. She thrashed about, wailing until I steadfastly held her. I leaned down to her ear.
“Don’t worry, you’ll see him again. The good news is that he’s alive and that you were able to hold him in your arms, even If it was for a short time. We‘ve just got to avoid trouble, ya‘ understand right?” I tried to soothe her as she sniffled.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so emotional lately. Some things have come up…”She began.
“What things?” I asked as we walked down the path on our way back to the dock, the bag of candy still swinging in Clemy’s hands. She shook her head as if to tell me it meant nothing. “Come on now! I ain’t gonna get mad, what if I can help?” I offered.
“No, no, it’s alright. It ain’t nothing worth telling. Besides, we’re already back.” She said, pointing ahead where the deck could be seen. I could Hear my sister’s play and splashing in the water. I also heard my father’s booming chuckle but a strange voice followed. It was a man’s deep and throaty voice that made my attention shift. I sped up to the dock, eyeing my sisters quickly and going on the boat. I left Clemy to sit and watch my sisters.
I got passed our small room into my father’s quarters and onto the deck. A puff of smoke blurred my vision, and as I waved it out of my face the man said my name. “Well if it isn’t Jackson Sawyer Jr. in the flesh!” Once my vision was cleared I saw an aging bald man ,with a prominent beard, smiling at me. He put out a hand for me to shake it but I ignored it looking at my father who sat in his chair and looked out at the swamp.
“We were just talking about you.” My father mumbled.
“Oh. Well, I’m back. Clem- I mean the slave is out watching Liza and Mary.” My father nodded silently and beckoned for me to come and join them both. I stood against the ledge of the boat.
“So I hear that you plan on taking over the Sawyer Plantation? Is it true?” The man said. I studied his face before answering. He was so familiar… that was it! It’s Mr. Treelock! He was at Suzie’s funeral, the friend of Mr. Smith! I began to think cautiously about what I was going to say. I was sure it wasn’t a coincidence that he met my father here.
“Well, I’m not set on it but I have considered it. Why do you ask?”
‘Well, I’ve been asking round our parish for any suitable fellows for my daughter , and well, to put it bluntly, you’re the last man standing.” He said wearily, rubbing the back of his neck. What was he talking about? I suddenly heard another shriek and splash as I looked out over the water to see bright red hair- Gladys had come along as well. She looked up at me and met my eyes, she wiped her wet red hair from her face and waved shyly. I looked away, flustered and then glared at my father who continued to look away from me.
“Well, I understand what your saying Sir, but I’m sorry to say I cannot except this offer.” I said.
“What do you mean? What is stopping you? From what I’ve heard, you have not been in any other agreements of marriage.” Mr. Treelock said slyly. I didn’t know what my reason was. My father intervened.
“My son doesn’t have enough time to worry about such matters. If I were you I would wait a bit longer. Jackson needs to get the hang of running a household by himself. He’s hardly prepared to handle marriage on top of all that.”
“But what about our agreement we just discussed?” The man said.
“I didn’t say it was off, I’m just saying right now isn’t a good time.” I looked at my father again.
“What exactly is the agreement you are speaking of father?” I said through gritted teeth.
“Well, marrying Gladys of course. What else would it be?” He said nonchalantly. What? How could he- what did he just say?
“Well, now that you know I guess you should speak to Gladys. She hasn’t heard the good news! Thank you Jackson!.” He said, chuckling.
“But I didn’t-” He took my hand firmly and shook it, then lead me back outside onto the deck where Gladys, my sisters and Clementine sat drying out. Clementine seemed relatively interested with the man standing beside me. I wanted to tell her what was going on. She didn’t move her eyes off the bald man.
“Papa, are we leaving?” Gladys said in her soft voice.
“No, not quite yet. I’ll be going back down to the market but Jackson has something to say to you Gladys. Promise me you’ll meet me before dawn.” He said.
“Promise.” She smiled. He departed down the road and I stood there, not knowing what to say.
“Jackson, what’s Mr. Treelock talkin’ bout?” Mary asked.
“Nothing, nothing. How about you, Liza, and Clemy go inside and start on supper?”
“But it’s only three!” Liza exclaimed.
“Well, I’m awfully hungry, plus there’s candy waiting inside for you so it’s the least you could do right?” I suggested. They squealed in excitement as they ran inside. Clementine tiredly got to her feet and smiled goodbye as she joined them. There was silence.
“So… What was it that you needed to tell me?” Gladys said. I turned to face her, her hair still dripping and her cheeks flushed. She was as chubby and shy as I remembered her. It really had been a while since I’d seen her.
“Well… the thing is… um…” My tongue was tied and nothing was coming out.
“Jackson? What is it you want to say?”
“Give me a minute.” I asked, thinking about what I might say. I took a look through the boat window to see Clementine stirring something in a large pot. I wanted so much to tell her what was happening right now. Then I glanced over to my father who was looking over the ledge with apologetic eyes. “The thi9ng is Gladys… Well, our father’s have decided to, well, marry us off.”
“Could you be more specific?” She asked.
“Um… we have been arranged to get married and I’m personally not sure I agree.” I explained.
“Well, that is a mighty big prospect… I-I’m not sure I agree either, I’m still, ya’ know, about Suzie…” I nodded in agreement.
“After the funeral things have been tense back down at the parish. Marrying you would cause even more commotion. Now, don’t misunderstand, Its not personal that I reject a marriage between us both-”
“It’s alright Jackson. I understand. Daddy always use to say I was meant to be a wallflower; that no man was worthy enough. I shall pass on the message.”
“Well, thank you, I guess. There is no need to pass on a message,” I hesitated. I wasn’t really sure about what I was saying. It all was sort of spilling out.
“I know about Clementine… You make a lovely couple. My father has been visiting Mr. Smith’s property far often than usual and I believe he is suspicious of you. To do the least, if you’d prefer, I could send you a personal telegram if I ever hear a suspicious notion from my father. Would you accept something like this?” I didn’t say anything. She was so kind I had no way to respond. “Well, it is a lot to agree too… so I shall send to you then? Well, then it is settled. Good day Jackson. I hope to see you around the market.” She began to walk away, waving behind her. I smiled as I walked back onto the boat and joined everyone for supper. It was quiet until Clementine spoke. I had done a good job at avoiding her gaze this evening. I didn’t want to tell her of my father’s agreement that was sure to be brought up again in the future. For now I would set it aside.
“Sir,” She said to my father, “ Who was the gentleman that stopped by this afternoon? He seemed familiar…”
“Well, he lives in our parish! He’s Mr. Treelock, and he had brought his daughter Gladys.”
“Yes, I have met Gladys once before.”
“Oh… did you? When?” He asked. Clemy looked at me then.
“I must have passed her in the market.” She played with her dress as she then excused herself, fanning her rosy cheeks. She cleaned the dishes up out on the water’s edge. As my sisters were set to bed I sat outside with my father. We had many occasion such as these recently since my mother had gone off.
“Cigar?” He offered me a smoking tube of tobacco, with the strong smell of cherry wood and earth.
“No thanks.” I replied.
“C’mon try it. Just once.” I gave in taking the cigar between my lips and letting the smoke curl down my windpipe. I coughed violently. My father laughed.
“You’re a foolhardy young man who can never say no. No wonder Clementine fell in love with you, you are so easily won over.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You, my boy, have a heart, which many men here in the south lack. Including me.”
“No that cannot be true. You have heart father. It’s just your past makes it painful.”
“That’s why I made that agreement today. I have reason to believe your mother has gone to Mr. Smith, and not just for a visit. That mother of yours is a witch, that’s for sure! Do you understand that the arranged marriage between you and Gladys can be broken?” He explained. I didn’t believe him.
“But what if you can’t break it. What about Clementine? I thought you approved of us?”
“I approved of her but not the both of you. Sure, right now you may love her, but what about in the future when you own the plantation. Will she be your wife? No, she won’t, because you can’t marry negroes here in the south, son. I’m helping you out.”
“So you sell me out to some suspicious man you hardly know, while tricking me and Clemy in to thinking we were all gonna get along?”
“No that’s not it-” He cried out but I shrugged off his pleading.
“Don’t tell me that it’s not it!” I yelled. Clemy must have heard us by now. I threw the smoking cigar at my father’s feet. “If mother’s a witch, what does that make you? Huh?” I yelled, stomping off the boat and into the night. My father used me, my life, for his own good? No, it couldn’t be true…
In the distance I could hear my father tell Clementine to leave me be and my blood boiled. I was running now, my lungs burning without enough air as I trampled through the murky waters. What was going on behind close doors back at home?