Family Reunion (44 page)

"Nasty habit that, you biting me! I promised you a good-...." Pointing it again, he stopped, snatching his finger back as it seemed to sneak out of its own accord to point at her. She warned him off with narrowed eyes. Taking a deep breath and crossing his arms over his chest, he asked. "Can we at least discuss this amicably?"

"Most certainly, it is not I doing the threatening, but you!"

"Alright, we'll start over, I asked you to marry me, now, will you do so?"

"No."

Baring his teeth, he tried once more, "I’m going to ask you again, you better answer right, because you will be marrying me, if it’s the last thing you do!”

“
You’re so right, marrying you, is the last thing I’ll do!” She fired back smartly.

Manny paused, feeling his
heat rise at her unfazed stand and expression, “I see what’s going on here, you think you’re getting the upper hand with me? No chance, so pay close attention, not only are you going to marry me, but you will not leave this ship without my permission! And then, you will be escorted by one of your sons, or Leon or Joe! Do I make myself clear? Damn it you want respect, well now you’ve got it!!"

Lena glared so mad her deepest desire was to reach up and punch him right in the eye! She felt herself trembling, as she sputtered. "Who-o-o, do you
think
you are?! You can't tell me what to do! Furthermore, you cannot make - me - marry you! And most certainly, you cannot keep me on this ship. I think you must have forgotten something; I, am no longer your slave! I happen to be a free woman with the right to do as I please as long as I stay ...
husband
- free!"

"Free!!
Free?
Perchance you've forgotten who, exactly it was that set you
free
in the first place!!"

"Oh no, I haven't forgotten, but the fact is, I am. So you have no ties or holds on me, Mr. Webster! In fact, let us be clear on this,
you
did not set me bloody free, I was born
bloody
free, until I was enslaved by your kind. You putting a ring on my finger is just another chain around my
neck
, just another way of saying, look, she belongs to Maynard Webster!” She set him straight.

Manny was burning now. "Oh really, so you think I don’t have any holds on you? Well we'll just see about that!" He said, stepping around her to charge behind his desk where he went to the book case and pulled out a large bible. Slamming it on his desk for emphasis, he flipped it open to a section of the book that was bookmarked. Lena stood watching curiously as he scattered the papers searching for one in particular, which he picked up, and tore from one to which it was connected, turning to her, and waving it in the air asked, "Could this old piece of paper possibly be what you are referring to as proof of you being free; this with my signature on it?" Lena walked up to him looking at the paper as he held it above her head. "Where did you find that?" She asked, surprised.

"Your daughter had possession of it, as well the others that I gave to
you. She passed it onto her brother, and he, back to me for safe keeping. The important point here is this, I have it!"

Lena stared at the paper, then suddenly tried to grab for it but Manny was too fast, and snatched it from her reach.

"Ah ah ah aaah."

"Give me that release Manny, it's mine, you gave that to me."

"You want it? Marry me for it."

"I will not! Now give it to me!" She tried to jump for it but every time she did, he simply took it higher beyond her reach. "Marry me."

"
No!
Why exchange one life of servitude for another? Now give that to me, it's mine." Manny put it behind his back, starting to enjoy the game, Lena reached around him for it with her arms on either side of his waist, trying to pull his strong arms back around front to take it, a position Manny liked.

Lena stopped pulling on his arms as she stood with her body against his, realizing her position. She looked up at him as he did down at her. "Do you know - how childish this is?"

"I rather like children's games." He said, leaning down, hoping to kiss her. Lena jumped back and away from him. "The slave release – I want it Manny." Lena insisted with her hand out to him.

Manny couldn’t believe the change in her, he could see that she had hardened a bit, he had never struggled in their past as he was then. "There was a time when you desired that very much - to marry me."

"Obviously, that time has gone. Now, I want that paper!" She stomped her foot in frustration. Angered at her heartless rejection, Manny smiled, giving into her demand, "All right, you want it, fine. I shall give it to you, piece - by - piece!" He ripped it into tiny shreds and gently placed them in her hand. Lena gaped down at the torn paper lying in her palm and looked up at Manny in disbelief that he had done such a thing. "How very
white
- of you!"

"Lena!" Manny gasped, stunned and hurt feeling the insult in the way she said it.

"Well it was. Only a callous and selfish white person would treat those papers as you just did towards someone
Black
like me, they claim to love. Oh well, you are what you are."

"Lena, oh Lena, you do this to me, make me crazy! I'm sorry, you know that’s not me, I shouldn't have done that." Manny returned, feeling angry at himself that he'd done such a thing.

"No you shouldn't have and doing it hasn't changed a thing. You
see Maynard; I have lived sixteen years of my life without the existence of this paper." With the flick of her wrist the bits floated like confetti to the floor.

"Know what else, in all of these sixteen years we've been apart, you - Maynard Webster, have not changed a bit!" She railed, venting her anger. "You are still the most arrogant bully I've ever encountered! You are still an overbearing, self-serving, temperamental, impulsive
libertine!
"

Manny was thoughtful for a moment as he stared down at her, returning finally, rather casually, "All that you say may be true lady, excluding the impulsive libertine part. Had that still been so, your son would be swimming for shore, that door would be locked, and you, would be flat on your back on yonder desk, with me serving you what you're really in need of, my thick cock, hard, pushing to reach deep and sweet to the center heat of you."

Lena sucked in sharply as her heart skipped a beat and took off feeling his words filling her loins with heat; she was instantly throbbing and wet. Neither could seem to speak after that, and what was worse, Manny was thinking about it more and more as he watched how his words affected her.

Desire strong and sure made her clench her thighs together. She squirmed a bit and knew he was simply too much to do battle with. Even after the passage of so many years, a fight between them would end as Lena was accustomed to it ending if she didn't say something quickly.

"I wish to return to Sandra's, immediately, tonight. I won't be staying here. After all, despite that paper, this is New York, recently made a free state. I don't need that paper or your permission to do as I please. So if you would be so kind, I would like to be on my way; a carriage please." She couldn’t look at him; her body was humming with desire.

"Surely you must be insane? I do not deny what I am, why do you? When ever, have I been able to let you go? If God himself demanded I give you leave, I could not – I would not. No…you will remain here."

"No - thank you." Lena nodded as if to say good day and then tilting up her chin in defiance, she headed for the door again.

"Lena! Come away from that door."

"Goodbye, Maynard Webster…should further discussion be necessary, you can find me at the Sinclair house." She pulled the door open to step out and then felt herself being pulled back, around and lifted without ceremony from the floor and over his shoulder.

"This is it - I'm through arguing with you – it's been a long day."

"Manny, put me down." She demanded, gripping the edge of his waistcoat, levering herself upward.

They were calm and quiet, their voices far from the sound of
two at an impasse. "Ceś alena, we're going to have to get something straight-…" He said calmly, carefully stepping through the door, mindful of her head and shoulders, walking down the corridor, surprised that it was empty. "…-you were mine from the time, God forgive me, you were a young girl of fifteen years-..."

"Manny, where are you taking me? Please put me down." She requested cutting him off, trying to keep her cool.

"...-I was a fool and lost you before. I'll be damned if I'll go through all that hell again." He answered her as he made his way down the hall towards the cabins with Lena not bothering to put up a fight. However, she was a bit concerned over his intentions. "Now you can make this hard on yourself, or easy, but whichever way, my plan is that it turns out, my way."

"Okay Manny, no more arguing…just - put me down."

"No, I cannot believe you'll concede so easily." He said, stopping before one of the cabins, turning the key in the locked door. Lena, trying to look around him to see, suddenly caught sight of the fleeting dash of a mouse running by from the cabin he’d just opened, which he’d missed.

"Manny!" She screeched his name, her heart pounding. "A mouse just ran by!"

A gruff
'Mmm Hmm.'
was his only reply as he opened the door and set her down in the dark room, holding the key in his hand. "Now, until you agree to my terms, here is where you shall stay until I have your word you won't be leaving-…"

"Manny, I'm telling you there was a mouse! Manny what are you doing?" She asked in growing panic as her breathing began to quicken.

"I'm locking you in this room until I feel safe you won't be leaving in the middle of the night." He explained as Lena grabbed his shirt front.

"Manny wait!"

"I'll have Gaitsu bring you fresh water to bathe; the lamp is right on that table."

Lena felt as though her breath was escaping her far too fast to catch and inhale again, she began gulping for air pleading. "Manny...Manny please ... don't lock me in! Please!"

"I’ll have Hope bring you your clothes after I have them sent for ... o
h
no you don't – cute, but it's not going to work!" He thought she was jesting, taking no notice of the sweat beading up on her brow, he began peeling her fingers away to back out of the room. "Manny I'm begging you, ple-e-e-ease, don't lock - me - in here ... don't - lock me - in here ...
Oh
God ...I can't – I can’t breathe ...I can't breathe!!"

She
cried out, afraid, and began fighting to suck air into her lungs but couldn't, turning from him she inhaled in huge gulps, one hand to her throat and with the other she desperately reached out for something to hold onto, afraid she would pass out.

Manny's eyes widened in shock, at first stunned that this was no jest, she was serious and then he panicked. He didn't know what was wrong with her; to see her gasping out of control for air. Reacting wildly about her, he grabbed her shoulders and began shaking her. "Lena what's wrong with you?! Gaitsu!!” He shouted out for help. “Lena breathe! My God what's wrong with you!? Gaitsu-u-u!! Gaitsu-u-u! Goddamn it Gaitsu hurry!! Breathe
Lena
!” He cried hoarsely, shaking with horrors of losing her right then traumatizing him.

Gaitsu rushed into the room with Maria, Mike, Hope and Joe close behind, Rory bringing up the rear.

"What have you done to my mother?!" Was the first thing Mike yelled when he reached the door. Tears were falling from Lena's eyes as she gasped over and over, her head shaking as she stretched her body in its panic to draw her next breath.

Manny ignored him, too frightened about Lena to even hear.

"Gaitsu what's wrong with her!?" Manny implored. "Let go! Let go I say!!" Gaitsu ordered grabbing Lena away from him. Tears were streaming as she shook her head trying to draw a breath. Her heart was hammering harder and more intensely, making her feel that she was about to die, pure fright kept her from gaining control.

"Miss Lena! Listen to me!" Gaitsu ordered, trying to break through to her and quickly asked Manny. "What just happen?"

"I don't know! We argued! She threatened to leave! I threatened to lock her in here! She said she saw a mouse and started doing that!"

Gaitsu yelled to anyone. "Light the lamp, quick!" Hope ran to do it, frightened for her mother.

"Miss Lena! Miss Lena you must listen to Gaitsu! You must inhale one time, hold it, then let it out-…"

"Don't lock me in ... please don't lock me in ... let me out ... please let me out! The mice ... the rats…they'll crawl on me-e-e... please ...they'll crawl on my legs ... up my gown … let me out ...
let me ou-u-ut!
" She wailed hysterically. "No mice miss Lena!! No rats on you!!"

"In my hair... in my hair...ple-e-e-ease, I’m begging you ... ple-e-e-e-se let me o-u-u-ut!!!” Lena screamed in sheer terror, forgetting where she was, raking her hands through her hair, she could feel her scalp tingling, she could hear them squeaking and touching her skin, their small cold feet on her neck.