The Fancy (9 page)

I'm gone be? Don't wanna be nowhere, but here, wit

you.” She spoke up, looking into his eyes.

“You say such things, yet – you avoid my bed,

why?”

“If – if you – real y want me there, I come – if

you want me to.”

“But you don't want to, do you? I can see it that

you don't – do I not stir you at al ? What is it that you

see in me, that I repel you so? My white skin?”

“What others of my kind have done to you and

your kind? What can I possibly do, that you don't fear

me? Detest me?”

“Wha's – detest?” Her eyes squinted as she

tried to understand. Quinton stood thinking about it –

to give her a meaning she would ful y understand, as

it came to him, he sighed, “The feeling you felt, when

it came to him, he sighed, “The feeling you felt, when

in that ship and the rats bothered you, how you felt

about them.” He explained patiently.

Her eyes grew even more round, “Nooo, that

ain't how I feel 'bout you. I feel – I feel...” She

swal owed deep, took a deep breath and tried to

explain, “...when you talk t'me, I hear yo' voice, my

heart can't be stil , it beat so hard, 'cause you fil me

with, joy – I feel so glad to be yours – I feel so good –

you talk to me, you take care'o'me, so – I got t'take

care'o'you too.”

He stepped closer to her, both hands at her

soft cheeks, “Then why, won't you come to me?”

At first she shrugged and then, closing her

eyes, savoring him so near, she rubbed her cheeks

even more against his palms, “One day, when you

have yo'fil – you gone get rid'o'me. Let otha' men

have me, once you have yo'fil .”

“Ohhh Suga, my sweet – sweet gift – I wil

never, have my fil of you, please believe me.” He

spoke gently, a catch in his throat, because no one

suited him more than she did. Because of her he

was able to get so much more studying done, he

seemed to focus better, was more driven, was not

so bogged down with worries over things he should

get to, but made those things wait. Now, with Suga

around, al things were as if they took care of

themselves, even though, he knew, she did al those

things. In such a short time, she knew – she

anticipated his need for refreshment and was ready

with his preferred brew – he was a tea drinker, and

she kept it ready for him, he'd only had to tel her

once how he liked it, and she had served it that way

ever since.

Not once, had he to worry over food, and yes –

she provided without him realizing how she'd done

so – because he'd slipped in his duties, neglecting

al because she saw to it. He had not taken her

shopping, made her familiar with the ways of getting

supplies from the town merchant, so yes – he

realized, what else could she have done, not to

disturb him? Had she been his wife, his white wife,

she would have had to disturb him because there

would be no food – but Suga had made do.

“Aaah Suga, this is my fault isn't it? Already,

I've taken your presence for granted, and – you have

done – what I forced you to do, provide for us.”

“No, you treat folks, they give, you bring'em

back, and I make do like that.”

He stepped away from her, turning for their

parlor taking hold of her hand to pul her along with

him. Once inside, he sat her in his chair, he took the

stool to gaze up at her, holding her hands.

“Suga, look at me, look right into my eyes.”

His eyes were dark blue, like the blue of the sky

deep into dusk before the dark of night; she could

look into those eyes forever.

“I want you to know, that I wil do better, I

promise you I wil do better. No more taking you for

granted. What are you feeding Moose, he's growing

with quite the speed.”

“He hunt wit me, at – night, while you sleepin'.”

She confessed.

“At night, Suga? You go off into the woods at

night?”

“Got to, I give him firs' catch, so he ful , then

bring back for you too, and me.”

He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he

knew that it was true, days had gone by, he'd eaten

wel , felt great in fact and barely questioned where

the food was coming from – conveniently assuming

most had been from the cupboards where he'd

stored food stuff – figuring if they were out, she

would say so, and since she never murmured a

sound, not the tiniest complaint, he'd been able to

get back to his experiments, his studies, which in

truth is what he wanted, before being cal ed upon by

the town-folk.

“This cannot go on this way; I cannot have you –

out – as I saw you today, and most certainly, not in

the night.” Thunder rol ed, Quinton gazed at her, “You

are a lovely, exquisite creature, and I am blessed –

forgive me please – I have berated you, when it is I in

need of discipline. Do you, forgive me?”

Suga couldn't wrap her head around what he

was saying to her, it didn't make sense to her way of

thinking, “Can't forgive you fo’ somethin’ I can't see. I

done my bit, you do yours – that's al I know.”

“Tel me Suga, tel me what would you have me

do, and I wil do it.” He offered, his conscience riding

him as he looked back over the previous three and

half weeks, seeing his actions and neglect of her as

unforgiveable.

Her eyes looked off over his head, thinking

about his words, “I's gone be col' soon, we gots

t'bring al our meat in, what I hunt – we'ah be okay for

t'bring al our meat in, what I hunt – we'ah be okay for

winta' wit' what I got. If you want, I can bring it in

myself; me and Moose.”

“I won't hear of it, you lead me to it, and I wil

see that it is brought back to store. What else?”

“Hens is layin', again, i's gone be col' soon, we

gotta see ‘bout them so they be okay.”

Quinton nodded, “Whatever you wish me to do,

I'l do. And you, as you say, the climate is fil ed with

chil , it wil soon freeze – you wil need more clothing

for the winter, many more things than you have.”

“Got me three gowns now, three chemise, two

– uh, uh blooma's...” She blushed, looking away from

him bashful y.

Quinton rocked back on the stool laughing from

the gut, “Oh Suga, you bring light and laughter into

my dark world, for this true gift, I must have done

something right. Yet, I've neglected you, no more –

this I vow as a gentleman, no more. We have things

to do, as the day clears, the next three, I give solely

to you, unless of course there is a matter of urgency

that takes me from you, otherwise – my time has

come – to repay you.”

The very next day, before dawn as the rain

continued to drizzle, Quinton was wide awake - his

mind on many things from the night before, he

searched through al of his books, taking those he

would use in teaching Suga to read; she’d slept in

his bed the previous night, because he had insisted

upon it, refusing to take no for an answer. She would

be up soon, he could hear Moose excitedly moving

about, as if trying to wake her - no doubt he needed

to go out. Sure enough, the door opened and down

the stairs he barreled, his growth was startling, one

could guess his solid weight by the sound of his

movements – even though he was stil a young pup,

his size was showing what he would one day be. No

sooner had he reached the hal way when he stopped

by their front door to bark at it - aware of a presence.

Quinton and Suga barely said good morning to

each other before a banging started, Moose had

known. A young male came cal ing – beating upon

their door. Quinton had never seen him before; he

appeared to be a man in his mid-twenties. His wife

was now in labor and suffering terribly, according to

him, it was her first and the child was not coming -

she had been in labor al night.

Suga rushed to let Moose out, splashing her

face and rinsing her mouth out as she listened to the

men down the hal .

She was trying to keep up with what Quinton

was doing, rushing to gather al that he needed. After

cal ing Moose back in, putting him in the wood store,

Suga stopped Quinton, “I'ah help, if you wan' me to?”

Looking at her, something told him, take her.

Nervous and fearful, the young man had

confided that he and his wife were alone, strangers

to al as they were new to the area and just settling

in. “Yes, Suga - come along – please. Take my

cape, cover yourself with it, the season has grown

brisk.” Eager, Suga gathered what she had col ected

of her own herbs and remedies – and slipped her

feet into the moccasins she'd made for herself from

animal hides. Once more, Quinton felt his face burn,

he'd completely forgotten that she didn't have shoes

and once more, she never made a complaint.

They were soon off – al three in the carriage –

with Quinton driving it as fast as he could. When they

arrived, the laboring wife was screaming out in fear

as they rushed through the door. The husband,

Erwin, hurried to his wife's side behind the curtain in

their quaint dwel ing – it was rustic and showed they

hadn't been there long, but it was clean and warm.

“I'm here; I've brought help, the doctor! His

servant girl came – she says she can help you with

the pain.” He rambled off to his wife and then turned

to Suga, asking immediately, “Is it true, can you help

her not to hurt so much?” He pleaded, obviously very

much in love and frightened for her.

“Ain't nobody can make it not hurt, but I’ah help

to make it mo'easy.” Suga explained, taking over,

never looking Quinton's way after entering the home.

The wife was trying to relax – but she was afraid of

the next wave of contractions, they were growing

steadily stronger, giving her a sensation to push.

“Gone – move! Make sure we got lots of clean, hot

water to clean up wit' – gone!” Suga ordered, the shy

woman that Quinton knew was left behind in the face

of what had to be done.

She sat next to Erwin's wife, whose eyes were

intensely upon her, “It hurts so bad, I've never known

such agony, what am I doin' wrong?” She begged.

“You been pushin'?” Suga asked.

“I feel like I have to, to get it out.”

“Ain't too sho' it's ready to come out yet, gone

have to look and see – you gone lemme look?”

El en eagerly nodded, glad to have a woman

with her.

with her.

Outside of the curtain, Quinton stood

wondering should he step forward, and thought he

would ask, cal ing out, “Suga?!”

Of course being in the same room she heard,

“Yes sa’?”

Hearing her address him that way froze him,

then it occurred to him, they were before others, he

sighed in acceptance, “You gonna need me?”

“I'mo need me a bowl o'fire, string, need that

now.” She answered. Both men looked at each other

and then at the fire place roaring and crackling.

“Wel ?” Quinton posed the question to spur the

husband, Erwin, on. He rubbed his face – a nervous,

looking around the room. As an idea came to him,

he quickly took a baking pan and grabbed a smal

chip of burning wood – flames clinging and licking

the air; immediately finding his wife's store of wicks

he brought the items to Suga, “Here you go.”

“Put’em down, now gone!” She ordered him

away.

Taking out her pipe, she stuffed it with a strong

smel ing herb; lit it with the wick she’d used to pick

up the flame, puffed on it to get it going, and handed

it to El en.

“Smoke that, inhale al it, til i's gone an' ain't no

more.” El en looked at the pipe, then at Suga,

steeling herself, she took it, she hadn't a clue why –

but she was wil ing to do anything she was told not to

hurt so much, however the herb caused her to cough,

she looked up at Suga.

"Don't matta', it'ah do that, keep smokin' it."

Obediently, El en finished it, Suga emptied the pipe,

cleaned it out and set it back in her bag of tricks.

“How you feelin' now?” She asked El en.

“Ever so strange – something coming over

me.”

“Good, let it, hopin’ it get in ya' fo'that pain

come back. When it do, don't get scared, just let it.

You gots’ta’ride it like you on a big'o'mean bul – an’