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The war was over, the Negroes were free, but Lee knew taking a Negro wife would be cause for real trouble. There was still too much hate. And he wouldn’t make a tramp out of Hattie. Besides, from the looks of things, she was married. So he needed to keep his hand off of her. Somehow, but how did a man go about doing that when all he really wanted was to love her?
He thought about Hattie, about the hug, and his reaction to it. It felt so right to be with her again. That shouldn’t be. But it was. He sighed heavily. He’d have to guard himself from endangering her. She probably had a husband somewhere.
Hattie had shown a combination of bravery and grit. She carried trouble with her too, and Lee wanted to know more about that too. She lived in his home and that shocked him. After tossing and turning half the night, a storm came up and it began to rain hard. The sound of the rain hitting the tin roof of the shed lulled him to sleep.
Before dawn, someone came in. Lee moved to the darkened corner to wait to see who it was. He’d drawn his gun, just in case.
But when Ole Joe snuck up on him and tried to bang him in the head, he barely jerked the hammer out of his hand fast enough.
“Joe…Joe…it’s me…Lee,” Lee cried.
“Mister…Lee…it can’t be. Mr. Lee is dead…” he cried out, holding the lantern in the other hand high so he could see his face. He squinted and pulled the lantern closer. Ole Joe’s eyes widened like huge saucers, as though seeing a ghost.
“Lord have mercy…it is Mr. Lee.” He set the lantern down and grabbed Lee in a bear hug. Lee suspected the old man was crying and tried to console him. But the moment Ole Joe hugged him, he masked his emotion. Ole Joe cleared his throat and gave Lee another all over look. “God almighty Mr. Lee, it’s good to see you.”
Lee smiled.
“We all thought you was dead.” Ole Joe smiled as he pulled away to look at him. His eyes fell on the nub of his arm and tears welled up in Joe’s eyes. “And look at you, you done got muscles, and got a beard too. Nobody would recognize you like that. Nobody but me that is…”
Lee smiled at his old friend noting the gray in his hair, and lines in his face, the loyalty in his smile. “You old rascal, I wasn’t sure you’d still be around.”
“I told you I wouldn’t leave this place, I meant it.” Ole Joe laughed. “It’s the only home either one of us have ever known.”
“Well, sit down, we’ve got some catching up to do.”
“We shore do. Oh my, you gave me a fright. You ain’t been up to the house yet, have you?”
“Not exactly. Sorry, you shook me up a little too, you know. No, I figured I’d better check in to some things before I went barreling inside. So, tell me, what is going on around here these days? Is the land still in my name, or do you know?” Lee asked, holstering his gun once more.
r /> “Not exactly. But since you was dead, it, well, there’s things you should know about before you go bargin’ in at the house,” Ole Joe insisted.
“Fine, fine, I’m all ears.”
Joe fretted for a moment. He started to say something several times, but clamped his mouth shut. “Look, why don’t I get you some coffee and grub. Then we can talk. You look like you need something to eat. You’ve lost some weight boy even though you got more muscle, maybe that’s where it went, to muscle.”
Lee felt a little uneasy at Joe’s staving off the main conversation. What had gone on here? What had changed, aside from the fact that Hattie was here, somehow, with three beautiful little girls in his house? And Sam.
Realizing Joe’s age, Lee waited patiently. He was apt to be a little slower in telling him everything, he indulged him. “I am hungry. Haven’t had anything in a couple of days. My stomach is making all kinds of noise.”
Joe chuckled staring long and hard. “It’s good to see ya Lee, real good. I’ll rustle us up some breakfast and bring it back here and then we’ll talk.” Joe nodded as he grabbed the lantern and headed for the shed door. He paused at the door, as though Lee might suddenly run off somewhere. “You stay here, I’ll be right back.”
Lee nodded. Joe worked this place longer than anyone, and Lee respected the old man for his loyalty and stubbornness to stay on when no one else did. Lee knew he’d tell him sooner or later what went on, but Lee felt uneasy about the way he put it off. He stood up and looked out the window of the shed. He couldn’t see anything, it was too dark.
Lee waited anxiously for Joe’s return. He wasn’t disappointed when he brought fresh eggs, biscuits and gravy with a pot of coffee to share. Lee’s eyes were huge and he honestly couldn’t wait to eat. He hadn’t had food like this in a long time. The coffee was especially welcome since there hadn’t been any since the war began.
Six eggs and a half a pan of biscuits later, Lee rubbed his tummy and smiled with satisfaction. “That was great, thank you. Did you make it?”
Joe’s face fell a little, his jaw opened, but words didn’t come for a few seconds. “No sir, Mr. Lee, I didn’t. And that’s what we gots to talk about.”
“Sure, Joe, I’m listening. What, did you go and get yourself married or something?” Lee asked jokingly.
“I wish sometimes I had, I truly do, but no sir. You see, things around here have changed a bit.”
Lee eyed Joe carefully, knowing there was something going on, and not able to figure it out. He would wait ‘til the old man spilled it all.
“I figured a few things might. Do the Jeffries own this land now? Is that what you are trying to tell me?”
“No, not yet at least, but they are working on it, in a way,” Joe said, his face studying Lee for a while.
