Family Reunion (90 page)

Now - Manny and Lena rode onward. Manny thought to stop for the night, concerned for Lena but she wouldn't hear of it, she wanted to keep going until they reached Webster Fields. Manny used his elbows to feel the two firing arms tucked snugly into the cummerbund of his waist. There was also a rifle lying by his side, he was ever wary of the unexpected, ultra protective when Lena was with him. "Oh Manny, we're almost home."

"I can't wait."

"Neither can I." She answered. "You getting cold?" He asked concerned. "Just a little chilled but a wonderful chill, a tingling chill I will savor while I can."

Manny smiled, transferring the reins in his right hand to his left to guide the horses as he put his right arm around his wife's shoulder, pulling her into a hug as he kissed her brow through the gossamer veil. He feined a frown looking at her through it, Lena giggled at his expression, seeing him in the glow of the swaying lanterns that hung either side of them. "I think its safe enough to remove that now. I doubt very seriously we'll be running into anyone at this time of the evening. Besides, we're almost home, so do your husband a favor and unveil my beauty."

Lena reached up and pulled the veil up over her jaunty, sherry colored, flat top hat with its sides flipped up as the front and back curved downward, a decorative turquoise plume curving down the side of her face from the wide satin sherry color band.
"How is that?" She asked, looking
at him with love filled eyes. He stared down at her a moment, briefly back up at the road ahead, and then back down at her again.

Manny knew that he could stare into her eyes all night without growing tired. He took in her slight, low ridged, small nose, full shapely lips with small chin beneath and couldn't wait to get home.

"Well? Is that better?" She asked again as he continued to stare down at her. Manny took his eyes from her just long enough to pull the horses to a stop right in the center of the road. He dropped the reins and pulled his wife onto his lap with her head back on his strong arm, where he kissed her long and deep. Squeezing her up against his chest as his head moved over hers, his mouth covering hers with his tongue delving, searching, sapping and drawing every bit of sweetness he might find.

Leaving Lena breathless, wilting with weakness, she could only sigh as his lips finally, after the lingering kiss, left hers. "I swear there is no better heaven, than being here in your arms, being kissed the way you kiss me. We are so much in love…more than ever…it's stronger with each day… at least for me, that is." She admitted in breathless wonder.

"And here I thought it was just me who felt that way." Manny whispered, "I look at you and I thank God that in death there is no longer knowledge of anything. If there was, it would be my one true hell to know I could no longer hold you, and love you as I do now. My ghost would never know a resting place for ever hovering around you, watching you until the day you joined me."

Lena sat up disturbed. "Please, just say you love me, I don't want thoughts of you not being with me on my mind."

"Sweetheart, everyone must go at sometime – even me-…"

Lena covered his lips with her gloved hand. "Let's go home."

He chuckled and nodded, "Yes, let's get home."

She returned to his side as he found the reigns, grabbing them up, they were off again. Lena wrapped her arms around his bicep looking ahead in the dense dark fog, squinting to make out where exactly on Okala they were, but she knew they were getting nearer to the entrance to the driveway.

Glancing up, Lena noticed that most of the trees had lost their leaves, their naked limbs swaying and waving in the wind, the full moon shining up above forcing its night glow through the mist, shedding meager glimpses of light upon the road to see by. Yet the trees only shrouded them in shadows, making Lena draw closer to Manny as she looked around, realizing someone could be watching them now and they wouldn't even know. Such an eerie night would have frightened Lena any other time but that night she traveled with her husband beside her.

While she was ever watchful, something told her, God was now on their side, no matter what might come down the road, that night they would arrive home without mishap, there was no reason to fear in her. Giving the scene a different light, were the low murmurs of her husband’s deep voice as he spoke to her soothingly of things gone by and of things to come.

Her only comment was a low relaxed, "Mm hm." Or nod of her head. "Ach! Almost missed it, whoooa boy, let's back up a bit."

"Oh Manny." Lena softly exclaimed, excited.

"I know, finally home." The timbre of Manny's voice broke into the night as he reached over and squeezed her knee. Lena felt butterflies in her stomach. She wished they'd come home in the morning like he’d wanted to. Finally correcting the carriage they turned off the road onto the long driveway that would take them up to the glorious mansion.

"Oh Manny." She said it again, her hand to her stomach. Her eyes were watering and she couldn't even see. Just knowing that she was back was enough to send a riot of emotions through her. Although it was night, she could feel the beauty of Webster Fields around her. The land, the air, the mansion, the forest of trees and all the acres and fields around seemed to flash within her mind instantly sparking off such a feeling of rightness. To her, this place, her man, and the people there, all spelled
'home!'
It
was her kingdom; there is where she would reign, where she truly felt her title of Princess, with her headship, her lord beside her.

Manny looked over at her from beneath his black homburg hat, smiling because he knew what she was feeling, he felt it too. Lena shivered slightly as she slipped her gloved hands into her fur muff, bringing it to her breasts as she shivered again in her sherry colored, empire waist, wool coat.

Jamie stood off in the wooded area, behind them. His arms loaded down with kindling wood. He'd heard the carriage turn in from the road and ran to the end of the lawn from the trees to witness their arrival as they came to a stop a bit from the mansion, the two lantern lights were bright beacons illuminating their presence. Slowly, with wide eyes, he walked up from across the front yard and saw Manny step down from the carriage. A statuesque man in a big black wool frock coat, hat and black gloves. Jamie watched him walk around to the other side to help a woman down. As soon as Lena was on the ground he walked up to them buck eyed and staring. His sudden appearance startled Lena and she gasped in surprise, moving toward Manny, who jerked around at her pointed stare to see Jamie there. He sighed in relief with a chuckle at the look on the young man's face. "Jamie son, you scared me.”

“
Why are you about this time of night, lurking and scaring the unsuspecting?"

Jamie's eyes left Lena's surprised ones as she realized this was little Jamie; no longer so, but now a young man. His eyes went to Manny, silent the whole time, making Manny chuckle with the shake of his head. "Why Jamie, I do believe you were out chasing that cat who stole your tongue. I sure as hell hope you find him."

"Masta' Manny, you done come home on us – sneakin' in the night!?" Jamie exclaimed, as if accusing Manny of doing something wrong, so surprised he could only continue to stare, then suddenly his eyes grew so wide the white all around shined out as they jerked back to Lena. All the wood he carried dropped to the ground. He looked back up at Manny, then down at Lena again.

"Ooh boy! Eitha' I'm color blind, crazy, or seeing thangs...or this here be Miss Lena! Masta' Manny, you said you was and I be plucked all over if you didn't!"

Lena burst with laughter, unable to help herself.

"My Jamie, look at you, I would have never known it was you." She began softly. Manny groaned, he could see it coming; Jamie was on the very verge of exploding with the news. Before Manny could blink, Jamie turned to sprint off but before his vocals could sound off, Manny shot off behind him, catching him by the side of the house with his hand firmly covering his mouth. Lena and Jamie both were shocked not understanding as to why he did it but Jamie didn't move another step as Manny held him and walked a bit away from Lena's hearing range.

"Now Jamie … I need you to do me a favor. Hold still, be quiet and listen to me a minute will you?" Jamie nodded promptly. Manny removed his hand and Jamie turned to face him. "Now Jamie ... Miss Lena and I have come a long way and we're kind of tired. So I want you to do something for me. Something for Miss Lena, she happens to be my wife now Jamie, she's missus here at Webster Fields." Jamie's mouth dropped open.

"No sa'! How you do that? She yo' wife sho'nuff?" He asked in disbelief. Manny could not help himself, happy to be home, he hugged him as he laughed, patting him joyfully on the back, realizing how much he’d missed his people, rubbing his head he turned him loose, trying to calm his laughter.

"Now Jamie, let me talk – you just listen. Now, since she's now my wife, I kind of want her all to myself. If you go to calling out to one and all, I'll have to wait to be with her because there's a whole lot of people here who love Miss Lena, which means it would be a long time before they would give her up to me-…"

"My mama ain't gone believe it, wait till she hear, oh just wait till
she hear-…"

"Now Jamie, that's what I mean-…"

"Manny what are you doing?" Lena asked from where she stood, about to come over to them. "Nothing hun', you stay right there, I'll be right over, all right? Right over, I promise."

Lena sighed and leaned back against the carriage waiting; one of the horses looked back at her and snorted. "Yes, I'm cold as well, but we have to wait." She answered it.

"Now Jamie, I'm gonna make a bargain with you. You see this gold watch I'm pulling out of my pocket?" Jamie looked down as Manny palmed it, flicking the catch so the face opened up.

"Yes sa', I see it." Manny nodded and went about explaining the time and what he wanted Jamie to do with it. "Now Jamie you understand? Let this hand point there and this long one here point up to the twelve up top here, when both hands do that, I want you to do what I ask, and say it the way I ask."

"How long it gone take fo'them hands to get where you want'em?" Jamie asked impatiently, he was too excited to wait overly long. That kind of news was too good to hang onto, it needed to be told.

"It's gonna take all night long Jamie, till the morning."

"All night long! Oh no Masta' Manny, I can't wait all night. I'be too anxious – I’m wantin’ t’tell somebody now!"

"Jamie, listen to me, you do this for me, and the watch is yours for the deed. The whole thing, gold chain included."

"Mine?!"
Jamie blared.

"Shhh now…yes…yours Jamie, here hold it in your hand."

"Oh Masta' Manny, you makin' this hard fo'me."

"Jamie, I'll take you to Jackson, and have them engrave your own name in there."

"They can put my name in here?"

"Sure can."

"I'a do it! But when them hands hit…I'be hollerin' like a fool!"

Manny started laughing again as he nodded his head, "Yes Jamie, show the roosters how to crow!"

"I sho'will Masta' Manny, you wait an’ see!"

"Um Jamie-..."

"Yes Masta' Manny?"

"Let's try something new, call me Mr. Webster, or just… plain old Manny. You got one master Jamie, and it's not me.”

“
I could never walk in his sandals – remember that?"

"Yes sa', I won't forget Mas-..Manny sa', I won't forget eva'."

Manny nodded smiling as Jamie took the gold watch and stuck it in his jacket pocket, then he walked back where he’d dropped his wood near Lena as Manny followed close behind.

"Miss Lena, you comin' home, is the nicest thing ever…ain't nothin’ this good happen at Webster Fields…not sense I been born."

Lena smiled. "Thank you Jamie, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." She returned as Manny came up beside her placing his arms around her pulling her close to kiss her brow and winking at the watching Jamie picking up his wood.

"Ma'am, me neither…that's fo'sho!" Jamie agreed watching them with wide eyes. The youth went to walk away but stopped and looked back at Manny, staring intently into his eyes. Manny and Lena both wondered at the look he was giving Manny until he suddenly said, "Manny sa'."

"Yes Jamie?" Manny answered.

"You sho' come close though sa'...to fittin' them sandals. You sho' come close." He turned and walked away – soon swallowed up in the mist.

Lena's brows gathered curiously at his words, she turned to look up at Manny to ask what they mean, when she stopped, surprised to see moisture in his eyes. Manny sniffed and cleared his throat, forcing down the lump there as he looked away from his inquisitive wife, widening his eyes to dry them.

"What was that all about Manny?"

"Oh nothing. I just asked him not to go blaring to all that we were back. I hope you don't mind, I kind of wanted you all to myself this first night we're home."

"I don't mind at all, as a matter of fact, I thank you for seeing ahead. I just want to stretch out in your arms and know quietly that we're back."

"Back together, forever." Manny finished as he stooped low and scooped her up in his arms, startling her. "Manny, what are you doing?!" She laughed.