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“Okay, I’ll get your clothes and run on in to town then…” Sam said.
When Sam returned with his clothes, he dressed hurriedly. “Sam…give this to the telegrapher operator. Now—I want to talk to you, first. I want you to listen, and then tell me what you think…”
“Alright.” Sam watched him and glanced out the window.
“It involves your sister. I don’t know if you know this but I-I’m in love with her, Sam…and I want your blessings,” Lee said quietly. “I wanted to talk to you about it for some time, but you’re the man of your family, and I respect you, Sam. Always have.”
Sam studied his words for a long moment, then sat on the edge of the bed. “I knew she was crazy about you, but I never thought you’d feel the same about her,” Sam admitted. “I cain’t believe you are askin’ me…how I feel about it. It pleasures me that you’d come to me and ask.”
“Well of course I would, Sam…” Lee nodded. “I want to know how you really feel. You’re her brother, her next of kin, and I want your blessing.”
“I guess you’d really be family if you and her was to…get together.” Sam smiled.
“Yes, but it will be hard, here…in Alabama. People here haven’t let the war go yet. They still harbor bad feelings for the Negroes and us livin’ together would be near on to impossible,” Lee admitted.
“Yeah, you could get both of you killed.” Sam frowned. “Well, you know I think a lot of you, Mr. Lee. And I guess I cain’t blame her for feelin’ the same. I knowed for a long time how she felt about you. She grieved ever so much when she thought you died. We both did. So I guess I’m alright with it, if you can manage to stay alive. But I shore don’t want no more dyin’.”
Lee nodded. “I’m working on an idea, Sam.”
“Mr. Lee.” Sam shook his head. “It ain’t that. It ain’t that at all I’m worried about. But there ain’t no place on earth that a white man and black woman can live together. My Pa used to say there weren’t no place on earth for a black and white to go. Maybe he was right, but I know how you feel about each other. And…I reckon God does too.”
“There might be, Sam…there might be a place. I know of one place.”
Sam stared at him. “And what if there isn’t?”
“I don’t know…honestly. I love her…do you know what I’m saying? You can’t hide somethin’ that strong, Sam. Sooner or later, people will know how it is. They won’t like it, but they’ll know. They’ll scorn us, call us trash. Like as not we won’t get any credit from the stores in town. We’ll be forced to live in sin. That’s not what I want.”
“Yeah, I know’d all along how it was. She’s gonna be your lady no matter what. Sooner or later. They’ll kill you both…It ain’t safe here the way ya’ll feel about each other. Any fool could see it.”
Lee held out his hand to him. “Thanks Sam, for not being upset about it.”
“Oh, I’m upset but not because you love her, I’m kinda proud of that. Still, I reckon I can’t change your mind. And I reckon if mine was set as hard as yours, I wouldn’t change mine either. I want my sister to be happy, and you make her happy.”
After a long silence, Sam added, “We’re livin’ in your house, a white man’s house. We ain’t your slaves. People gonna talk, then there’s gonna be trouble. I heard my Pa talkin’ once; he said if a man really loves a woman, he does what’s best for her.”
Lee nodded. “He was right. And if my plan don’t work, then I’ll find one that does. I won’t give up until I’ve found a way for us all to be a family.”
Sam nodded slowly, as though the implications lay heavy on his shoulders.
***
Sam had been gone a long time and Lee began to wonder if he was ever coming back with his clothes, but the door opened slowly and there stood Hattie. In the afternoon sun, he could see through the dress she wore, and he gasped. She wasn’t wearing anything under it. Of that he was sure.
Lee couldn’t take his eyes from her.
She didn’t say anything, but turned back to the door, and locked it, then turned around and stared at him. She raised her chin proudly, her lips puckering.
He’d never seen the dress she wore, but he sure liked it. It was a light blue velvet. It dipped low in the front, to show her cleavage, and accented the roundness of her hips.
“I like the dress…”
“Gloria bought it for me, said it was my comin’ out dress.” Hattie smiled. “I wanted to wear it for you.”
He stared, his eyes landing at her cleavage.
“Joe’s tending to the kids,?
? she said slowly, her eyes finally meeting his with a desire she couldn’t hide. “Sam said he had to go into town. Joe…he said it was time for us to be together. I thought he was right, as I can’t work a day without feeling the heat of wanting you. I need this fire I have for you put out so I can concentrate on my work…” she said lowly as though she might be talking about the weather. “It’ll consume me otherwise.”
