Flight of Fancy: Cora's Daughters (19 page)

“Somethin’ wrong?” He drawled softly, flirting again.

She readily replied with a shake of her head.

Broc grinned, “I’ah be – never seen that kind’ah look come from a woman before. I – I like that look, promise me, you always look at me that way, Asiza.”

Tugging her hat from her head, she rushed up to him before she lost her nerve. On her tip-toes, she at first lightly touched her lips to his. Using his strong shoulders as leverage, she went higher, needing to be kissed. Without hesitation, Broc’s arms locked around her. His hands grabbing and holding on to bring her tighter against him. This time, the onslaught of his lips meeting hers was without mercy, he covered her mouth full on- his tongue twirling within, mating with hers. Asiza held on for dear life.

It was only so that they could collect themselves and breathe - that Broc ended it. However, it didn’t stop him from holding onto her, close to his heart - as they calmed from the moment of passion that flared between them. Broc slowly lowered her to the ground.

With love filled eyes, Asiza showed the change that was coming over her, “Yo’ turn t’res’ now – i’s my turn to run.”

Broc laughed, “Don’t be silly. What kind’ah husband would that make me, lettin’ you do such a thing?”

Asiza wanted to tell him how she felt – but couldn’t bring the words from her mouth. He bent and kissed her forehead, “What you can do, is dig me out somethin’ to eat, we need to get goin’ again.”

Asiza was nervous, jumpy, unsure of her steps as she turned from him, then glanced back again. Shaking her head, she went to see to his needs first. She rushed to the bags gathering dried vegetables and meat.

When she turned back, he was on the ground in a slight reclining position, examining the area around them. She could tell he was nervous about stopping, as if on guard for daring to take that moment to rest.

He patted the space next to him, “Come, join me.” He directed with his eyes scanning their location. Asiza gladly took the space beside him. Spreading a clean rag, she set the food out for him. Taking his eyes away from the forest and road, he glanced at her, and then down at the food. Grabbing a bit, popping it into his mouth he began explaining while chewing,

“I figure, we keep moving – even with the pace I’m at – restin’ the horses, we should see town, by tomorrow – next day the latest.”

“Then what?” She asked.

“Collect for them two… by us a ticket, ride the res’ of the way north,” he stopped, still thinking and chewing a bit.

“We follow this stream, it’s gone take us right on into town. Tha’s where it meet the canal, that’ah flow to the river.”

“Canal - river?” Asiza asked.

“You’ah see, it’s one of the biggest bodies of water I seen yet. It’s gone take us right on up t’freedom.” He almost sang, smiling and sitting up to gaze into her eyes, “Ain’t that good news. You excited?” He asked.

“Mo’sca'ed than anythang…” She admitted softly.

“You? Afraid? Of what m’darlin’?”

There she was, once more stuck without the right words to say, “I – I jus’ wanna live – I wanna live a full life… wit’ you.” She almost whispered the last part.

He leaned toward her, turning her face to his, “Me too, Asiza – I want the same, with you.”

“What if-…”

“Shhh – we not gone think that way. We gone make it, come hell or high water, we are.” He could tell she wasn’t so sure. His rough knuckles caressed her soft cheek. “Asiza, I’m willin’ to do, whatever it takes for us, you and me – to make it together. Up north, there’s a lot of land that we can buy. I’m gone hire help, build us a house, barn – whatever we need.”

He ate some more, thinking, “…an’ on that lot, we gonna live, a looong long life. Have some lil’ones….” He gazed right into her eyes. “Lil’green eyed babies.” He flirted, smiling at her. “You gonna look up tired o’seeing my face, t’tell me, man - go huntin’ or somethin’.” He teased.

Hearing his words, to have him flirting with her, made Asiza blush. Even so, she shook her head, denying it, “Not never I'm gone say such a thang - not t’you.”

Broc smiled, leaned towards her again, hovering only so close, waiting for her to meet him the rest of the way - she did. This time the kiss was only a tender linger. In a blink, he was back on his feet, his hand out to pull Asiza to hers. A few steps took them to their horses, “Please ride fo’awhile, I can run pretty-…” She started – but was cut off by his hands clamping around her waist, lifting her promptly onto the saddle.

“Leg over,” He waited for her to obey, she had little choice and put her leg over, “...reins,” he handed them to her, “… let’s get goin’.”

That was that.

Asiza adjusted her hat on her head and gripped the reins - they were off again.

Broc once more ran at a determined speed to keep them moving while giving Nik-Nik freedom from his weight. Right before dusk, he lept upon Nik-Nik’s back after having kept a steady pace for longer than Asiza cared for him to. 

Now astride his mount, he turned Nik-Nik back to ride alongside Asiza, coaching her as they went, “Before we know it, we’ah be in town. Remember, if you should address me at any time, Masta’ Broc. Don’t look up at anyone, keep your head down, and play dumb, understand? If you can help it, I don’t even want you speakin’. In the city, there'ah be boardwalks - you keep on the outer side of the hitchin’ posts by the horses. Don’t do anything Asiza, not one thing, to bring attention to yourself – you hear me?” 

She nodded.

“Each time I go from one place to the next, you follow my lead, I’ah come down to get you and the horses. Understan’ why you can’nah go beyond what I tell you?”

Asiza nodded – she knew why, after all, she had been a slave her entire life. However, she had never been to the city, so she listened to his words and prepared to put up her shield of dumbness. 

“I swear Asiza, once we up north - you ain’t gone ever have to go through this again. Not if I can help it.”

Instead of taking one more day, as Broc had figured, it actually took two and a half days to make it to the small city. Riding slowly into a town much larger than the one she’d come from, Asiza was terrified.

They arrived at a time of day when it appeared most everyone was present taking care of their last minute needs. Everywhere she looked there were men galore, whites, Indians and blacks. On the boardwalks, the ones that Broc warned her about, only white men and women strolled about.

The rest, Indians and blacks, stood or walked along with horses or donkeys on the outer thoroughfare. Dust from the dry road was kicked up waist high from wagons and buggies.

While she kept her head low, her eyes darted here and there, spotting little Negro boys sitting on the edge of the boardwalk - others walking - holding the reins of donkeys or other farm animals - leading them through town. The air smelled different there. She couldn’t identify it - the odoriferous scent seemed to come over from the canal. Adding to the scene - dogs were running about, cats up on roof tops looking down, and lane upon lane of different size buildings.

Some really tall – she dare not tilt her head back to see how high.

Just to her right, if she turned her head ever so slightly, and her eyes the rest of the way, she could see the tops of steamboat smoke stacks. That was something else new, she heard talk of them, but never paid that any mind because it meant nothing to her.

There was another discovery she hadn’t noticed about herself before this moment, and that was – she had sensitive hearing. The noise from so many voices seemed unusually loud, with lots of boisterous talk and shouting.

Rushing along gleefully, little white boys and girls could be heard, screaming as they ran amidst their playmates.

Horses were whinnying. Donkeys were braying. Dogs were barking. It was too much - Asiza wanted to cover her ears. She wanted to turn her horse about and dash back into the forest.       

To see such a cluster of so many people, had her guts tied in a knot. She now wished she’d hidden in the forest to wait for him.
‘Lawd why I ain’t say I’ah wait – Lawd please, protect me in this place – all these white folks… lawd’a’mercy, too many of’em.’
She fought back nausea - her fright was so intense. “Le’s go back – please.” She begged low, for Broc’s ears only. They were nearly side by side. 

“We got to go forward Asiza, not back. Uh, darlin’ drop that horse back some, don’t ride up next to me.” He cautioned carefully. With so many people present, few paid them any attention - even so, he wanted to be especially cautious.

She dropped back, but unfortunately, it was too late to also ride off returning to the woods. There were other riders coming up behind and beside them. Asiza made sure to keep the nose of Flower right at Nik-Nik’s rump. She held the reins to the single horse as well, that the other two were tied with, one to the other.

She hated this, hated it so much she was on the verge of bolting. If it were left up to her, she would return to the woods, to the forest where she belonged, never to come out again. She couldn’t talk to Broc. She couldn’t call him to tell him what she was feeling. There were too many people around. Although she kept her head down, she caught sight of a few looking their way. 

She wondered what were
they
thinking?

Did any of them recognize her? 

As far back as Asiza could remember, never had she felt so paranoid. If they were jumped, they wouldn’t stand a chance being this outnumbered.

Her eyes flooded with moisture and resentment - glaring at the back of her husband. She was well and truly caught. Any move she made to turn and head back could be construed as the actions of a slave, running away. 

The problem with Asiza was her fear evoked anger and anger brought about tears. The kind of tears that made her wish to fight her way out of what made her feel that way. She felt like a trapped feral cat with claws that would shred flesh if anyone got too close. In her mind, at any moment she would hiss at them, make them stay away from her. 

Riding in the lead, Broc was anxious, dreading this part. He’d been praying to the Lord God above from the moment he spotted town. His wife didn’t have to tell him, he already knew – that she was in turmoil. He’d spent enough time with her on the trail to know what being in the midst of this crowd was doing to her. It was that, that made this the most dangerous part of their travel. They were on the verge of making it out of the south. With a certainty, one wrong move could cost them and many others their lives. He knew Asiza - she would not go down before she took a few with her. As for him, such a sight would cause him to go berserk.

Broc rode and prayed, “Lord God Almighty –
hold
her down.
Please
, hold her still.” He repeated, fully aware of the consequences if something triggered her. His heart beat so hard and heavy, he was forced to control his breathing. He could feel the pulses of his temples and neck throbbing from pressure. “Lord… please.” He murmured not daring to look back at her and prayed that when he did, she was still there.

If someone started yelling out,
‘Runaway!’
in that instance, he’d know it was Asiza taking off on him. He figured the Lord must be listening to his prayer, because it seemed that He came to him giving precise instructions,
‘See to the tickets for boarding the steamboat first - see to the dead and getting your bounty second!’

“I will Lord, I will,” he replied to himself and then, “Lord make sure there’s room, I’ah give up the horses if I have to, but let there be room for me an’ my Asiza.”

With Asiza, the horses and dead bodies in tow, Broc went directly to the canal dock office to purchase passage for himself, his slave and horses. At the hitching posts, he found a space big enough to tie up all five. He dismounted first, glancing at Asiza.

She immediately followed suit, rolling her back down into a slump squatting between Nik-Nik and Flower by their heads. She had to swat at Flower a couple of times as the animal kept trying to take her hat off - nudging her affectionately. Asiza held her long nose close, stroking it for comfort.

Broc took a deep breath and murmured low, “Stay put, be right back.” He stepped up on the boardwalk, stopping at the door - looking around at the people going to and fro. Most were busy and distracted with their personal matters. Across from the office, over a bit, there was a saloon. It was already full enough for him to be concerned. He looked around a bit more, and then down at Asiza. He needed to get those tickets and get her boarded. Turning into the office, he hoped for a quick purchase – it was not to be, there was a line.

Chapter Thirteen

Standing in line, impatiently rocking side to side, one of the saddle bags over his shoulder, it was a fight to remain calm. He heard a loud sound, a ruckus and immediately turned to check that he could still see Asiza.

Still there – he sighed in relief.

Looking back to the front of the line, he leaned to the side to count how many were before him, there were three. He gave a long exhalation of irritation – his nervous system was taking a beating.