Princess Ces'alena (67 page)

“Let me take her till you calm down. You scarin’ha.”

He let her go as Hope cried afraid, at the same time she wanted to go back to her daddy. Shaking she squealed, “M’daddy cryin’…m’daddy cryin’ - I hoyted’em?” She thought she’d done something to hurt him.

“No darlin. You ain’t hurt him, he be alright.” Mazie comforted her, turning to go to her cabin, when Manny yelled at her. “No!! Don’t take her!! I want her with me!!”

“I’m just gonin’ back to my-…”

“No! You – you leave her …” Manny sobbed, fighting to bring himself under control. He didn’t want her out of his sight. Jordan walked up with a rag for him to blow his nose. Manny did so trying to get his rioting emotions harnessed. Mazie stood looking to Jordan for what to do.

“Manny, she jus’ gon’ take her to her cabin.”

“You hear what I say!? No one is going to take my daughter from me!
No one!!
” He blasted them, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, still holding on to the rag after he’d blown his nose. He stood looking at Hope. She was a golden replica of Lena in a tiny form. “I’m sorry. Daddy’s sorry. Will you come back to me?” He asked holding his hands out to her. Hope didn’t hesitate, with a leap she was back in his arms in an instant. He pulled her back up to his chest and held her there. “Can I just hold you for a little while? Just a little while?” He asked softly clearing his throat. Hope had her head on his shoulder, as she nodded yes.

Manny paced with his daughter in his arms. Every time he thought about the last three years, he wanted to break down and sob again. Lies! All Lies! Trickery and deception from people he thought loved him.

“Manny? Why don’t we go…talk about this?” Jordan tried.

“No! Go! Leave me with my daughter. Leave me!” He barked feeling tears rush him again. He wanted to go lay down and cry his eyes out. The pain was too deep. Equally matched by the final discovery of truth. Everyone had known, he was sure of it. Looking them he asked without wanting the answer,

“How could you all – keep her from me? How could you?! I’m her father! I’m her father!” He repeated, turning from them as he felt his heart break once again. This was his child, and they tried to keep her hidden from him. He felt hurt and betrayed. Manny closed his eyes to cut off more tears threatening to escape. Suddenly he stopped pacing. He looked from Mazie to Jordan.

“And what a good job you did. I thank you, you are now relieved of your duties. I will see to my daughter’s care from here out!”

“What you mean? What you gone do?” Mazie asked afraid. “You ain’t gone take Lena’s baby from her is you?”

“Should I have a care for her feelings? As she did for mine? Did she have a care for me?! No! Three years! Three!!!” He asked, barking the last part.

“You all knew! All of you! And no one said a thing! You can’t keep my daughter from me! I should take her now and leave this place!” He threatened in anger.

“Come on Manny, we ain’t have no choice! How we gone endanger her life, when she Lena chile?!” Jordan tried to reason with him.

“Lena’s and
mine!
Mine as well!!!” Steaming and growing angrier by the moment, Manny, with a tight hold of his daughter strode from the barn heading for the main lane to the mansion. Jordan and Leon followed him as Mazie stood a moment, then turned away sad.

Manny walked down the cabin’s lane on his way back to the mansion, his stride determined, yet careful for the precious find in his arms - his daughter; all those up and out about their chores or duties stopped and stared as he passed them by, carrying Hope. All was shortly abuzz, one woman running to the next. Eager to spread the news to those who were not close enough to witness what they saw. Before Manny made it to the mansion, the news that he’d found out about his daughter, was already at the door of Jacob Weston and Patrick Johnson. The Johnson’s hadn’t gone to the Indian village that morning because Liddy was with child and very sick with the pregnancy, which put them off their usual visit to the Indian village until she was feeling better.

This day, Lena and Thomas had traveled alone. Most knew this as well, and every single thread of possible outcomes was discussed. All did their part to keep the secret, but now that it was out…there was a field day of gossip and speculation as to what Manny would do to Lena?

What Manny might do to Thomas? There was even talk of a possible dog fight between the two men over her. The buzz of excitement and chatter abounded and not one person there could wait for Lena and Thomas’s return.

By the time Manny reached the mansion, he decided to go in through the front door, because Ruby and Cora were sitting at the back, snapping peas. At the sight of him, Cora stood spilling her bowl looking towards him as he walked around. She next looked at Ruby.

“Lord’a’mercy - is my eyes playin’ tricks on me?” Cora asked standing, still gazing in the direction to where he rounded the house. “No sa’ - I seen it too! Now you know there gone be some stuff tonight. I need to go tell Jean!” Ruby stated setting down her bowl.

“Now you know we got to shell these peas!” Cora reminded her.

“Listen heah ain’t nobody, no how – no way gone be concerned ova’no peas tonight. I got to go tell somebody!”

“Oooh-weee! You go on…I’ah do it and listen fo’what I can hear. ‘Cause you know that man gone be doin’ some hollerin’!” Cora said. “Oooh! Ma’ Nicey! I got go tell her, wait till she hear it!”

“Well I tell you, it’s Lena’s fault. Running off with that Thomas, and leaving the chile’ here. Ain’t nobody to blame but herself! That one there get takin’ ain’ nobody to-…” Cora started with her opinion, hand on hip.

“Maybe I should stay, and you go tell Ma’Nicey?” Ruby re-thought, concerned that she might miss something. “Ohhh no, you go tell Ma’Nicey…I ain’t goin’ no where. I said it firs’.” Cora defended heatedly, not about to be moved from her post.

“Ah’right, ah’right…I’ll go. After - I’mo go see Mazie… she was watchin’ Hope! She know what happened… how he found out!” Ruby brightened upon that realization.

Cora’s eyes got big. “Oh! I’ll go!” She changed her mind at the thought of that. Ruby was already stepping off the porch gleeful.

“Oh no suga’darlin’! You said it firs’ - remember!” And off she went, almost in a sprint to get to Ma’Nicey then Mazie, whose cabin was going to be a bustling place today.

Manny walked into the front door, through the foyer, and then the living room with his daughter, gushing with her baby expressions.

“Y’how pre’ee m’daddy.” She smiled proud of her completed sentence. Those words however came to Manny like a blow to his stomach. Here was
his
child, complimenting him on the luxury’s of
his
home and life, when she should have been in the very midst of it all. Again he grew angry; here was his daughter, victim to this worldwide society and their cruel rules and stipulations; that said she was not his true daughter, but a
“get”
of his scattered oats. He called to Kayleen as he made his way down the hall. Trying to disguise the anger he felt. He didn’t want to frighten Hope, but he’d gotten his second wind, and it was ready to blow.

“Look Manny, why’on’t you give that baby to Leon. She’on need to be hearin’ all this.” Jordan asked close behind him. Feeling worse with every step he took behind his friend. He knew the betrayal Manny was feeling; and was trying to find the words to explain his position in it all. Manny walked on without a word in reply. They came to the dining room, and then to the kitchen door. He pushed it open with Jordan and Leon behind him.

Kayleen was in the kitchen mixing dough. She hadn’t heard Manny call for her, but when he walked into the huge room with Hope in his arms, she dropped the bowl with the flour and dough mixture on the way to the center work table. She froze there, her mouth open and her heart leaping and breaking from the hurt expression on Manny’s face when he glared at her with tear filled, accusing eyes. She felt faint and stepped closer to the work table needing it for support, forgetting the bowl and flour spilled on the floor. Here stood a man who might as well have been her own son.
She
had wet nursed him when Royal could not feed him. She had rocked him to sleep on many nights, singing him lullaby’s taking turns with Royal. The heat and move to this land had been hard on her. It had taken her some time to adjust and regain a portion of her strength in order to do the simplest tasks through the day. At night, Kayleen would let her sleep, and she saw to her nephew. That child, was now a man, who stood before her, unable to understand how she could have taken part in hiding his own child from him.

Kayleen didn’t know what to say. Her eyes grew moist as she looked into his. She knew that he trusted her more than he did his own father, and now - that would never be again. Right there in that moment, Kayleen doubted her reasons as to why she’d done what she had. At the time, it seemed the only way. Hope rose to look at her, the silence in the room unsettling to the small child. The look on her tiny face broke Kayleen’s heart again, she was afraid she’d done something bad, and her words spoken proved that.

“Mamaleen I so’ry - I’no bad gul’.” She whimpered about to cry. Manny’s face turned scarlet hearing his daughter’s words and sadness. Kayleen walked up to her, “Shh darlin’ Mamaleen-…”

Her words were cut off when Manny turned her out of Kayleen’s reach as she reached up to caress Hope’s little cheek. The gesture was as much as slapping Kayleen. He turned to Leon, “Take her in the other room and go no further - understand?” Leon nodded and reached for Hope. “No! St’ m’daddy!” Hope fussed leaning back from Leon. Manny shifted her and lifted her before him. “Listen. Daddy’s not going anywhere. Go with Leon for now, I will get you in a moment.” He pulled her to him, and kissed her cheek with a solid sucking noise that made her laugh, next delivering another to her neck, which dissolved her into infectious giggles as she drew up from being tickled by the little prickles of his beard and mustache.

He passed her on to Leon, who took her and left the room. Manny could hear her little voice as he carried her away. “Das m’daddy ‘eon…das m’daddy.” And then her little voice tapered off as the door closed and the three of them were left in the kitchen. Manny turned slowly back to find Kayleen sitting at the table now. Jordan had walked to the side counter and was leaning there waiting. He looked from Jordan to Kayleen, who sat unable to look at him, then finally as the silent moments passed, he asked.

“Whose idea — was it to keep my daughter from me? Was it Lena’s?”

Kayleen was still looking at the wall, and shook her head, “No chile, it was my idea. Mine and Ma’Nicey’s.” She admitted softly.

“You?!” He asked incredulously. “Nooo, not you! Oh my God!” He went back against the wall shocked to find that truth. At first he thought her guilt was in just helping Lena hide her. But now - now…he was truly stunned. “Why? - Why? How could you do that to me? I thought you – my God, Kayleen?” He asked in disbelief. She sat silent trying to come up with words he would understand, and wondered if there were any.

He turned to Jordan then, “And you, you had known all along? Do I even know you?!” Manny shook his head spinning, looking to him for the answers, but he kept his face downcast, not sure what to say himself.

“Somebody say something. I need to understand this? ‘Cause I can tell you now, I sure as hell don’t!”

“Manny chile, you wasn’t here when all the hell broke loose; when all was happening, and there was nothing nobody could do to stop it. You didn’t get to see Lena layin’ in that bed, all beat up and close to dead - she fight so hard for that boy.” Kayleen stopped feeling tears burn in her eyes. “We neva’ thought, somethin’ like that gonna happen here. Not here!” She thought back to the shocking afternoon. “I couldn’t find Morris - and Jordan and the rest did all they could to save that chile’, but he gone.”

Manny’s jaw clenched so tightly, the pulse in his jugular ticked visible to the eye. Kayleen looked up at him. “I love you.” He looked away from her.

“Turn yo’head if you want. But the truth is, only power we got, is what we have to do to protect our self.” She waited for some reaction from him, but still he could not face her, steaming in his own anger at the only picture he saw, that was them keeping Hope from him.

She sighed deep and long. Then told him all, “I thought - that day… Lena was gone die and that baby was gonna die with her. And I prayed to God, not to let them die! I already lost Mikey. I made up my mind when we - had to force that baby from Lena that nobody was gone take her away from here. I thought long and hard, and made up my mind that - if didn’t nobody know she was here…she be safe.”

Manny stood hearing, but he didn’t want to listen. He didn’t want to see things from her side. He didn’t want to understand how hard it was for her to have done what she had, all he could see, was that she’d done it to him – just as she had the others, as if he was not apart of them – the slaves – it hurt – because he’d always been on their side. Right then he felt alone, that
no one
, was on his side.