The Fancy (10 page)

let that baby do what it got t'do t'get here! My mama

say, you got to let go, open yo'body, t'free that baby,

hol erin' and screamin' lock it inside you, the baby

die, you die – 'cause you fightin' somethin' you can't

win. Don't fight – calm yo'self, let everythin' loose so

it can happen – you hear me.” El en smiled, nodding

her head, “I hear you, Suga? That your name?”

“Yes ma’am, Suga my name.”

“Nice to meet you, Suga – pretty name – for a

pretty gal.”

“Thank ya'. An' wha's yo'name?”

“I am El en, El en Udora Murray.”

“Tha's a pretty name too.”

“You stay by my side Suga, don't you go

nowhere.”

“I'mo be – right here. When yo'body start doin'

what it need fo'yo'baby – i's gone take yo'breath

away, but you can't let it – you got's just – keep on

breathin' and let it help that baby to come on out - but

you can't stop it - you hear me? Just keep breathin'

an’ ride that bul – don’ matta’ how it hurt.”

“Okay Suga, I'l do what you tel me.”

“I'm gonna have to look, see if I see it, no

matter what, don't you go pushin' yet. Pushin' too

soon make it harda' on you, on yo' baby - i's got to

get where it need first.”

“Okay Suga...” Suga checked and didn't see

any sign of the baby's head, “I'on like this, but – I'mo

clean my hand, an' do what I see my mama do, I ask

her once, why she do it, she say, to feel where the

baby head at. You gone let me? I's gone hurt a lil' but

I be careful.”

“Yes Suga, I let you. I feel so free Suga, so free

– how odd, how positively strange, yet - good - I ain't

feelin' no pain, nowhere - no ma'am, emmm.”

Suga smiled, glad she came.

Three and a half hours later, Erwin and El en

Udora Murray had a healthy screaming baby boy. As

for his mother, there was little to none screaming

for his mother, there was little to none screaming

from her, the entire time, just barely a few cries as

she pushed him into the world. After al was said and

done, she too was healthy, happy and smiling. She

remained relaxed and at ease and in awe of it al

and more in love with her husband. Suga figured

she'd never heard a woman say she love her man so

much, but it was good stil the same to see, both

were so happy, they were crying over their precious

newborn. El en felt so good, she was hugging Suga,

holding her hand, thanking her repeatedly as if she'd

found her long lost friend – asking if there was

anything they could do for them once she was al

cleaned up and settled in her fresh clean bed -

courtesy of Suga.

As the carriage pul ed away later that

afternoon, Suga sat tal and proud to be in

possession of three more gowns to wear,
new

beautiful gowns that had never been worn; two pairs

of shoes and a ladies matching, winter cloak and

bonnet – which she wore as they left. Quinton

received a promise from Erwin that he'd be there

first thing to get started on a proper chicken coop; no

fox could get through – as wel a reasonable size

smoke house. Quinton and Suga learned that the

Murrays were not poor by any means,
just
starting

out new. Parents of both had sent them off with more

than plenty to get them started on a good footing

where ever they decided to set down and root.

El en was an exceptional seamstress, eager to

get started on her own dress shop there in Weaver

Port.

In journey to their new home, she had sat for

hours, sewing, making new things, two of which went

to Suga. As for Erwin, he was quite the

carpenter/builder – he too would get his start there.

The husband and wife would design furniture

together, as wel as pursuing other plans. They

vowed loyalty to the doctor and his assistant mid-

wife, saying to them as they departed, "Whatever

you need, if it is within our power to provide, we wil ;

that is our promise to you."

With Quinton driving the carriage, Suga sat

back, grinning to herself, feeling proud, stil a tad bit

high from starting the pipe for El en, where instead of

blowing it out, she kept a bit back to relax herself. In

a state of slight euphoria, Suga felt such pride, she

could not stop from smiling; she even giggled once,

covering her mouth bashful y.

Quinton, beside her, leaned down and looked

at her, smiled and then turned back to watching the

road, nodding to anyone he passed on their way

back home. After much thought on the matter, he

spoke up, “Your pride is wel deserved, very wel

deserved – for once, al there was for me to do, was

keep the husband calm, sit with him through it, I

didn't mind that, I didn't mind it at al Suga, not one

bit. I predict, they wil become close associates with

us. Those gowns her husband unpacked for you,

they are quite the way. When might I chance to see

you in one?” He asked, flirting, enjoying the two of

them strol ing back together. He found it a welcome

change from her waiting for him, and him, wondering

if she was okay, home alone.

“One day.” She murmured softly, blushing - she

couldn't look his way for grinning so wide, she

wanted to laugh, but dare not, he might think she had

gone daft on him, when in truth, her joy came from

within. Her happiness stemmed from being with him,

and then to have been taken along and to have

helped someone, al by herself, with him standing by,

not interfering – trusting her to get on with it.

The entire event felt wonderful; she wanted to

soak it up. She felt reborn, renewed, given a taste of

something she was good for, other than being a

fancy for a man’s bed - even though, she'd avoided

being that for Quinton - she was not sure for how

much longer he would let her get away with it, his

hints, looks, brushes as he passed her by, touching

her back, shoulder, hands; al was happening with an

her back, shoulder, hands; al was happening with an

intensity. “One – day? I see – should I be concerned

that you wil hold out the best for someone else, while

I stand by – hoping for the day, you'l – ful y – trust

me?” He asked gently.

Suga sat chewing on her bottom lip, trying to

think of what to say, they were moving through town –

even with the wind chil ing al in its wake, there were

stil people out mil ing about going for things;

regardless of the grey day. Many of them who saw

Quinton's carriage driving by, stopped and cal ed out

to him waving - they al knew who he was by now.

That day, the town folk - noticed that there was

something different – noticed that someone rode

with him; al eyes searched and widened noticing the

black female sitting next to him.

Their curiosity would not be satisfied that day,

because Quinton did not stop, his eyes were on the

road and the woman beside him, his glance was

fleeting to those they passed. Quinton didn't seem to

pay them any mind, but Suga felt them look, and

knew the questions that went through their minds,

who was she? Did they just see a
Negro
woman?

Why was she riding with Dr. Caine? Knowing this,

made her shrink further into the carriage's cover top

and sides to hide herself from those who stopped to

look closely – she was afraid and by her next words,

Quinton knew it.

“Shhh, Quinton – stop talkin' t'me, look at

th'road.” Suga whispered at him, feeling paranoid.

“There's no need for you to hide Suga, they wil

have to learn soon enough that I have a girl, servant,

maid – what have you – there is no way to avoid it.

Come out.”

“Hush! Don't be talkin' t'me – ignore me, talk

t'them.”

He waved to
them
instead, continuing on

home, thinking about Suga's fears once more. Glad

to see his home, his yard and the path, he went

straight for the barn, taking the carriage in, Suga

hopped down, grabbed her new things, not waiting

for him to come around for her, and ran for the

kitchen door to let Moose out into the yard.

Quinton sighed and turning back, he led his

horse inside to unhitch it. While in the barn –

brushing his horse down, he thought about Suga.

He thought about how it seemed that no task

was too great for her, or test of endurance too long,

no matter what she must go through, she went

through it with calm acceptance and steel

determination to survive in a way that would be best

for her. She dealt with life and what things presented

themselves, with a cleverness that did not surprise

him, yet - gave him a sense of pride in her, yes, he

felt it, deep in his chest.

He was learning many things about Suga, she

did not panic or fret. She did not flap or hesitate;

there was no whining or complaints. She was
his

fancy, and now – he wasn't so sure if the term meant

what he'd always imagined it to mean; given, due to

their looks and beautiful bodies - certainly for the

pleasure of any man able to pay for them. If the term

fancy
did mean that, wel , Suga – was so much more

than that – her beauty was second to the strength

and grit within – her looks,
they
were the bonus.

By the time he started walking from the barn,

he noted a few people riding by that end of town,

looking towards his place, towards him. He waved

and nodded; they did the same, but were looking for

more beyond him, visual y deflated when they did not

find what they were looking for. He noted this, and

began to add it up, he was a bachelor, keeping a

'female'
servant was frowned upon.

Entering the kitchen, Quinton spied Suga

standing by the wood store door, Moose excited at

her feet, showing that he wished to go outside. As he

grew to know her, he recognized her expressions

and body language, "You worry - I read you so wel ,

and body language, "You worry - I read you so wel ,

why Suga?"

Instead of answering right away, she nodded

toward Moose, "He gots't'go outside."

Acquiescent, Quinton cal ed to him, "Come

Moose, out boy." The ever growing mongrel made

his way toward Quinton and the door, his paws and

nails scoring the floor, his rear end and tail, wagging,

hitting him as he eagerly tried to race out the door,

ahead of his master.

Outside, Quinton walked the dog toward their

woods - where Suga, made it a point of taking him in

order to keep their surrounding yard clean of waste.

Slowly strol ing, as was becoming his custom, he

found his mind evermore on Suga, but this time, with

the addition of the town-folk who were now aware he

might not be living alone; in fact, it was only a matter

of time before they knew this for certain, then what?

Al inhabitants of the area, were Christian,

supposedly devout fol owers of the Bible. He

wondered how long it would be before his living

arrangement was chal enged, once the word

spread?

If chal enged, then what? Would they try to force

him to let her go, free her to separate living

accommodations? That, he could not bear - not as

dependent on Suga's presence as he'd become.

Because of her, he'd made many discoveries and

steps forward in medicine - his life was unhampered

- light because she had come in and freed him of his

domestic burdens. Besides, he gave his word, he

promised her - that he would never turn her, send

her, or
give
- her away. He'd given his word; it was a

matter of honor that he kept it.

Yet, something told him, that this was not only

about him keeping
his
honor, but seeing to it,

making sure, she - had
her
honor, her
virginity
.

Exhaling, he had to accept what he knew about

such people and how they could be, the community

as a whole - if they began feeling that he, someone

they trusted and looked up to as one of their

righteous members; an upstanding community

leader, was not living
'right'
- they would have to step

forward and remind him of what it meant to be their

accepted physician. When,
not ‘if
‘- that day came,