In Search of Satisfaction (36 page)

“Lovey.”

“Hey! What a beautiful name. You’ve got to grow up and live up to that lovely name!”

Lovey laughed, pleased again, even thrilled. They talked a while longer, then he went away to join Luke and Mr. Creed. She looked after him, wanting to follow him to where her brother Luke was. But she would have had to be pulled there in the wagon and she did not want Lincoln to be reminded that she could not walk. She sat there in the hot sunlight, for the shadows of shade had moved with the sun, and thought of when she would be grown up, a woman. She watched him, rubbed her knees, wishing she could walk in beautiful dresses like the other ladies. To him.

h
osanna went to Sally’s room to throw herself across the bed for a short while. Sally had taken the letter from her father’s attorneys out so
Arabella could see it later. She had left it on the bed. Hosanna moved it so she could lay down, and then she read it lazily, without intending to be nosy. “Well, no wonder Miz Sally live up here like a servant. This ain’t right. Something is wrong here.” She put the letter down and started to think about it but fell fast asleep. When she was awakened and called downstairs, she had almost forgotten about the letter, until she saw Sally again. Then when she ran into Russell, the lawyer-banker, she thought of it. She had seen Sally and Russell walking together in the gardens several times, talking softly and laughing. He seemed to care for Sally quite a bit.

Hosanna decided to speak to him. When she pulled lightly on his jacket, he looked around expectantly. When he saw it was only Hosanna, he frowned. “What is it, Hosanna?” Hosanna said in a loud whisper, “One time, when you have time, I want to talk to you about somebody we both like a lot.” Russell was slightly annoyed but good-natured. He thought, “What can this be? I don’t want to be involved and considered a personal friend here.” But he said to her, “Alright. Come to the bank when you can. We will be open after the weekend.” Hosanna smiled and nodded her head yes and was gone.

p
hillip Befoe casually walked around observing everything. He had placed himself in front at the funeral gravesite in the private Befoe cemetary, not bothering to look at anyone to see whether they liked it or not. This was his grandfather! They had noticed him surely, but after the coffin was lowered, he had disappeared and been almost forgotten.

The supper was plentiful, hot food served buffet style, except those Carlene thought were the most important to entertain and these were served seated in a private dining room. Naturally, Phillip was not invited among these important men.

During the buffet supper, Phillip had been quiet, answering when spoken to but preferring silence. Better for observing Carlene, Sally and mostly Richlene, whom he tried to stay close to. He wanted to hold and comfort his mother, but it was not time yet. “In time,” he thought, “in time I will give you all the love I can see you need, that I have been unable to give you until now.” His heart ached for her. He loved her without knowing her except for all the wonderful things his grandfather
had spoken to him about when he talked of Richlene. Her kindness and gentleness were on her face. “She may be slow, but she is definitely not retarded,” Phillip thought. He watched his sister Emily closely, and she watched him, also, as soon as she kept noticing him everywhere she turned. Always around Richlene. She was very protective of Richlene. Phillip noticed she looked at Carlene with something resembling scorn. “Surely the child is too young to feel so strong an emotion for her own grandmother,” he mused. Carlene had long noticed it but chose to ignore Emily, “that child!” It was clear, her favorite was Emily’s older brother, Carlton.

The men noticed Phillip never entered into any conversation, though he listened carefully whether invited to or not. At first they thought, “Must be some of the help.” But his clothes were too good, too well cut, the material was too rich, expensive. “Well,” they mused, “could be hand-me-downs from Richard. There is a resemblance to Richard and the family though. A servant’s child? Some misstep of Richard’s? Ahhh, a distant relative, perhaps?” A few handed him their glasses to test the young man. “Get this filled for me, will you?” Phillip always stepped back with a smile, signaled for some of the real help and indicated the waiting man who still held his glass out.

He wandered around until he saw his mother Richlene going outside looking for someone she called Luke. Phillip followed. The fresh air was clean and clear and felt good to him after the rooms full of smoke, various perfumes and smells of food. Richlene walked over to a colored man and took his arm and waved her arm indicating the gardens; she was smiling. The colored man stepped back from her clutch. “That must be Luke,” thought Phillip. “Ahhh, there’s Lincoln, right in there with them.” He casually rushed over to where his mother was talking to his friend Lincoln and the man Luke.

Phillip smiled, happy to be so near to Richlene and even speaking to her. “Hi, Lincoln. Hello, Mrs. Befoe.”

Richlene looked at the young man. She had noticed him before, the way he looked at her. “Hello, how do … you do?” She smiled. “You know, I … think … I know you … but … I can’t … remember why. You … look so … familiar.”

Phillip did not want to chance her reaction to him there, among all the people. He held out his hand to her, holding back the love from his smile. “My name is Phillip. How are you, Mrs. Befoe?”

Richlene reached out to shake his hand, but her thoughts made her hand hesitant. Her mind was telling her something, but it was not clear yet. Their hands finally touched and clasped, but they did not shake hands; they held hands as Richlene looked wonderingly into his face that no longer smiled. Lincoln coughed meaningfully. Phillip smiled again and gently let her hand go.

Much later, as the guests were leaving, Richard Befoe’s private attorney, Mr. Ways, went to bid good evening to Carlene and express his regrets again. Carlene, tired of her huge performance, glanced at him with a wary eye. “Well. Do you think everything was to my husband’s satisfaction?”

“You handled everything beautifully, Carlene. I’m sure Richard would be satisfied with the services.”

Carlene sighed. “Good.”

Mr. Ways took a deep breath. “However …”

“Yes?”

“I didn’t want to disturb you earlier … because things were so far along. You know, it really would be good if you were to have one of these telephones way out here. I could have reached you in time.”

Carlene turned to look up at him. “Yes? In time for what?”

“Richard, expressly, in writing, wished to be buried on his mother’s estate where he was born.”

“He is already in the ground, Ways. Besides, I am his wife and he belongs here, where I am to be buried.”

“Yes, but … however that may be, he expressly demanded … to be buried in his birth place.”

“Damn! Man! Shall I dig him up? Absurd!”

Mr. Ways placed his hand on his chin, his voice gentle. “If I do not follow his demands regarding his funeral requests and arrangements, there will be a great problem … for you.”

“And just what, may I ask, would that problem be, Mr. Ways?”

“The will cannot be opened. Nor any of his financial business touched. All funds accruing interest, etcetera, will be going to charities.”

Carlene stood without help. “What?”

“Those are his demands … not requests. He specifically said you were to have nothing to do with his final arrangements … and that I will not be … remunerated, at all, from the estate, if I let you have your way. Unfortunately.”

Anger exploded from the bereaved widow. “I’ll see about …”

Mr. Ways held his hands up for peace. “Carlene. Just dig him up when everyone is gone. Send him to his mother’s estate. I will take care of the rest. The tombstone is to be chosen by Richlene and … another.”

“I am not even to be allowed to choose my own husband’s tombstone?!”

“I am only following instructions. It is very nice, and not irregular at all, for the children of the deceased to choose the tombstone for their loved one.”

Carlene chose to have a near fainting spell. She swooned, calling, “Sally! Minna! Help me to my rooms.” Carlton came running.

Richard was dug up the next day and shipped to his mother’s estate, accompanied by Richlene and Emily. They were met at their destination by Phillip Befoe. Richard’s wishes were carried out to the letter. Mother and son were reunited. Richlene was shocked, of course. All the different lies her mother had told her about what had happened to the baby. But the fact that she was reunited with the son she KNEW she had given birth to overwhelmed her, and the flood of love she had held in abeyance for so many years broke through her heart. Tears and love flowed. Emily was hesitant but soon knew Phillip truly loved their mother. Then she relaxed and found her brother Phillip easy to love, too. So different from Carlton.

t
he black widow spider had now been living and settled for many months in the fine plants in Carlene’s room. The spider had learned the room, knew where the window was that led to the tunnel leading to her escape to the outdoors. She had eaten her first set of children because she had grown hungry before she learned all about her living space. She had to eat them. Now she went down the tunnel when she felt the need to find a mate to become impregnated, then she returned to the room. What kept her coming back was there were no predators to fear there. She hated fear. Yes, she preferred the dark, damp earth outside, but in the potted plants she had some darkness and dampness. And privacy. She wove webs, occasionally catching some unwary fly. Food lasted a long time, she did not need to eat every day. Now she was pregnant again, awaiting birth, as she curled her legs around close to her body and watched Carlene.

On this morning after the funeral, after her toiletries were taken care of and while she was having her coffee, Carlene asked for Hosanna to be sent to her. Carlene had slapped Minna a few times in the past week for some small mishap. Minna was sullen. She planned to leave as soon as
she could find a new job. But she still became a little alarmed when she was told to fetch Hosanna for Carlene. She did so grudgingly. “Yes, mam.”

“Minna, do you know the girl well? I don’t know of her, her family. That was not any regular food menu from around here. I want her here.”

Minna felt only a little better. “Yes, mam.”

“And, Minna, stop looking so absurd. My nerves are gone. I have been through a great tribulation these last few weeks.”

“Yes, mam.”

“GO!”

w
hen Hosanna was informed, she was watching Little Wisdom with the children she was teaching, putting in a few words here and there because she knew so much more than Little Wisdom, whom she liked a lot. But she went right away to Mrs. Befoe’s summons.

She entered Carlene’s rooms and waited for Carlene to invite her to sit. Carlene didn’t.

“I understand you did the cooking for the funeral supper.”

“Yes mam, I did.”

“It was very … passable. I want you to work for me. It’s been years since I’ve had some of the things you prepared. I must say, usually only in New York or Europe. Now, your salary. I will pay ten, no … eight dollars a week. You will live in, so you will be here when I want you. And we will find some other things you can do to fill in the empty time.” She watched to see the pleasure in Hosanna’s face. There was none.

Hosanna was looking down at the floor and thinking. Then she looked up, smiling. “Miz Befoe, I have my own business. I do special jobs. I do special cooking for special events. I even do lingerie, special lingerie. For special prices. But I work at home, alone. And I get paid that way. Every time. I charge ten dollars for cooking, depending on the job. I charge by the garment. Here is my card.” She reached out to hand Carlene the homemade card she had printed and Lovey had drawn flowery designs on.

Carlene looked at Hosanna like she was out of her mind. “Girl, you are refusing? Me? Steady employment? A home? The city has made you stupid!”

Hosanna smiled. “I am working for myself.”

Carlene sat up. “If I don’t want you to work for anyone else, you will be out of business for yourself! Now! Enough. You will work for me … for ten dollars a week. Girl, do you realize what year this is and what people are making who do what you do?”

Hosanna’s smile faded. “No mam, I will not take your job that way. And I think I will make it. I do professional work. And I’m good at it. You said so yourself.”

Carlene sat back. “Not here, you won’t. What I say goes in Yoville. You had better reconsider my offer before I change my mind.”

Hosanna turned to leave, opening the door. “Miz Befoe …? I lost my mother when I was very, very young. I have lived and done without my mother. I can sure live and do without you.”

Carlene was livid! After Hosanna was gone, Carlene thought, “Well, I’ll see about you when I return from the reading of the will. I’ll get rid of the Indians from my school and stop that little Indian girl from coming on this side of the river. Teaching Negroes. When they learn too much, they think too much of themselves. Anyway, it’s the blind leading the blind. Where did I hear that? Never mind. I’ll stop the school and everything else that makes them so independent. I’ll take that land back I sold them! Imagine a snippet, a nigger, talking to me like that! Minna! Minna!”

a
fter leaving Carlene, Hosanna decided to stop at the Befoe bank and see Russell Moore. He saw her looking in the window and beckoned her to come in. When she entered, he said, “Good morning, Hosanna. It’s good you caught me. I’m about to leave for Philadelphia. They are going to read Mr. Befoe’s will in a few days. Have a seat. Now what may I do for you? More money to save from that good job you did yesterday?” He smiled.

Hosanna sat in her little cotton dress, looking intently at Russell. “Mr. Russell, when a lawyer … writes you a … writes a letter to
somebody … don’t they usually say, ‘Call us if you have any questions’ … or something like that? Least, the ones I have … seen did.”

“Yes, yes, I believe that is true most of the time. I always do, anyway.”