Mustard Seed

by Laila Ibrahim

  “Thank you, Lisbeth.” Mattie’s warm hand cupped Lisbeth’s face in affection. “You saved my son.”

  Lisbeth had finally made a substantial payment on the enormous debt she owed her beloved Mattie. Lisbeth beamed at her.

  “All that’s best in me came from you,” Lisbeth said, choking up.

  Mattie smiled and gave her another sweet hug.

  “When I think . . .” Lisbeth shook her head. “I was so close to having that life. So much cruelty and fear would have been inside me, if you hadn’t taught me otherwise. Thank you for giving me my life.”

  “You always had a good heart, Lisbeth. I taught you to trust it.” Mattie continued. “And thank you for givin’ me my life!”

  Confused, Lisbeth asked, “What do you mean?”

  “I always say Sarah wrote our ticket to freedom, so we owe her everythin’. But you’s the one who started the teachin’.” Mattie nodded, looking straight at Lisbeth.

  Lisbeth’s mind whirled. She’d never considered her impact on Mattie’s life, only Mattie’s influence on her. She smiled at Mattie, nodded, and squeezed her hand.

  “I guess we are both fortunate that God brought us together.”

  “Yes indeedy,” Mattie replied. “Blessed indeed.”

  Mattie sat down on the love seat and pulled Lisbeth down next to her. She patted Lisbeth’s leg. Lisbeth slipped her arm through Mattie’s, savoring a closeness she hadn’t experienced in years.

  Lisbeth watched Sadie lead Jordan up the front stairs to the porch, more enthusiastic than careful. Fortunately Emmanuel was supporting the injured young woman on the other side. Sadie directed Jordan to the wooden chair next to Lisbeth and then poured a glass of water for her favorite teacher. Lisbeth watched, touched by her daughter’s desire to be helpful and caring. Jordan smiled at Lisbeth and mouthed a thank-you. Lisbeth wasn’t sure what the thanks was for, but she nodded nonetheless.

  Emmanuel placed something on the little table and said, “Here yo’ prize.” Then he walked away to manage the horses. Sammy ran up to Emmanuel, offering to be of assistance. Lisbeth was touched at Emmanuel’s enthusiastic appreciation of the idea.

  “Whoa!” Sadie squealed. “That’s Mr. Richards’s . . . from his grandpa! It’s broken.”

  “He struck me with it,” Jordan explained.

  “I knew he was a bad man!” Sadie said, sounding outraged, but also proud that she was a good judge of character.

  Jordan continued. “My mama snatched the cane away from him and snapped it in two.”

  Lisbeth was impressed. Sadie’s eyes got big. She looked at Mattie with a little fear and a lot of respect in her eyes.

  “I had to protect my baby!” Mattie told Sadie.

  Sadie laughed. “She’s not a baby.”

  “She ain’t a baby anymore,” Mattie replied, “but she always gonna be my baby.”

  “Can I hold it?” Sadie asked.

  Mattie picked up the top half of the cane and handed it to Lisbeth’s daughter. The little girl held it in one hand and rubbed the eagle with the other. She looked at Lisbeth in disbelief.

  “Mr. Richards said the eagle represents the liberty of being American. He didn’t mean us though, did he?” Sadie said.

  “Why you say that, Miss Sadie?” Mattie asked.

  Sadie thought for a moment, then said, “Well, ma’am, I don’t think he believes my momma should get to vote or you should be free. How can you have the liberty of America if you can’t vote or you aren’t free?”

  “You a wise little girl.” Mattie chuckled. “I see my Jordan been yo’ teacher!”

  Sadie beamed and exclaimed, “My faaavorite teacher!”

  “I wonder how old it is,” Jordan said, still examining the cane.

  “He said it was made in 1788,” Lisbeth replied.

  Jordan nodded. “The year the Constitution was adopted.” The young woman went quiet, then said, “Eighty years old.”

  “That’s old!” Sadie sounded impressed. “Don’t you think so, Momma?”

  Lisbeth nodded. “Older than all of us, even Granny and Poppy.”

  “In eighty years I’ll be eighty-six,” Sadie said. Her eyes rolled up in thought. “That will be in the nineteen hundreds! I think everyone will have liberty by then. Don’t you think so, Momma? Miss Jordan?”

  Lisbeth’s heart hurt for her optimistic and confident daughter. Lisbeth looked to Jordan, hoping she had a good answer, but she too seemed to be searching for the right words to say to Sadie.

  “Yes indeedy!” Mattie interjected. “With little girls like you sayin’ it should be so, ever’body gonna get liberty someday soon.”

  “My brother’s speaking up too!” Sadie said.

  The three women laughed. Lisbeth was grateful for Mattie’s enthusiastic encouragement of Sadie’s naïve beliefs. Someday she’d have to explain to her daughter that it would be a long road, perhaps a very long road, to true liberty for all. But Lisbeth was glad that for today her daughter could hold on to her belief in a better future.

  Sarah and Ella joined their circle. Sadie crossed over to the little girl and asked if she knew the clapping game Little Sally Walker. Ella looked at Jordan and smiled.

  “She does,” Jordan explained to Sadie. “I taught her that recently, but she is very good already.”

  “My momma taught me,” Sadie said.

  “Guess who I learned it from?” Lisbeth asked her daughter.

  Sadie shook her head from side to side. Lisbeth pointed to Sarah. Sadie’s mouth dropped in exaggerated surprise. Lisbeth nodded her head, her eyebrows pulled up in affirmation.

  “Really?” Sadie asked.

  Lisbeth smiled and nodded. “Do you remember that, Mattie? Sarah?”

  Sarah furrowed her eyebrows together and shook her head no.

  “Sometimes I went to the quarters with Mattie. On one of those visits, when I was about six, Mattie asked you to teach me that game. I balked, but she insisted I ‘learn something new, Lisbeth,’” Lisbeth said, imitating Mattie. “It was my favorite game for years. I played it with Mary whenever we had the chance, but don’t think I ever got to be as fast as you!”

  “I kinda ’member that now that you tell the story,” Sarah said. “That was a lifetime ago.” She got a faraway look in her eyes.

  Ella stared at her mother, the woman she hadn’t been close to for so many years.

  Sarah noticed and smiled at the child. Then she asked her daughter, “You and me?”

  Ella nodded shyly. She put up her hands. Sarah started the chant slowly, and they moved their hands in rhythm to the words. Sadie joined in. Lisbeth started to shush her, to give Ella and Sarah their time together, but Jordan chanted along with them, so she let Sadie continue chanting. Soon Mattie joined in, and finally Lisbeth as well. The six of them, mothers and daughters, chanted faster and faster until hands faltered, and laughter broke out.

  “Feels good to laugh together,” Mattie said.

  “It sure does,” Lisbeth agreed.

  “Are you certain you will be safe?” Matthew asked his parents, concern filling his voice.

  Lisbeth sat with her husband, her in-laws, William, and the Freedmans on the front porch. They were squeezing in a quick meal before leaving. The crowd of people ate picnic style, scattered around outside after filling their plates with food inside. Mother Johnson smiled at her son, nodded, and said, “We won’t be intimidated by men who cling to power using violence.”

  “This is our home,” Poppy replied. “It can seem as if we are alone, but many of our fellow Virginians are glad for the outcome of the war. It has been decided that we are one nation. The ballot box has to be more powerful than bullets.”

  Lisbeth appreciated the sentiment her in-laws were expressing in theory, but still she feared for their well-being.

  “But will you be safe?” Matthew asked again.

  “We did not leave during the war,” Poppy reminded him. “We are not leaving now. So many have sacrificed more than we have.”
>
  Mother Johnson took Matthew’s hand, looked into his eyes, and said, “You made your choice. We have made ours. I hope you will accept ours, as we have accepted yours.”

  Matthew stared at his mother, clearly torn, his face showing a mixture of sorrow and fear. Like Matthew, Lisbeth would prefer to have his parents be close and safe, but it was neither Lisbeth’s nor Matthew’s decision. They’d had this very same conversation many times over the years. Her husband exhaled slowly and nodded in consent.

  “If you change your mind, there is always a place for you with us,” Matthew said.

  Lisbeth inserted, “And Mitch too, of course.”

  Matthew’s parents nodded back at them, their eyes shining, obviously touched by their offer.

  “We are blessed to know that we have a safe sanctuary, should we need it,” Mother Johnson said.

  Father Johnson cleared his throat and said, “Thank you, Son. Now let’s see about getting you all home safely.”

  Nods went around the circle. The conversation was over—for now.

  Emmanuel spoke up. “Matthew, you drive a wagon with all the women and children. Samuel, William and I gonna go get Emily and Willie and meet you in Washington. William says you gonna be safe there waiting for us, right?”

  “Washington don’ take any stock in Virginia lawmen; that’s for sure,” William replied. “We all be safe if we can cross into DC.”

  Matthew sighed. “I can’t say I like being left out, but that seems like a wise plan.”

  Lisbeth looked over at Mattie. The older woman was shaking her head. She looked as doubtful as Lisbeth felt.

  “I have given this much thought,” Lisbeth said, clearing her throat and pulling out her courage. “William, I understand you wish to get Emily and Willie, but it will be safer, for all of us, if I do it.”

  The men startled and stared at her, doubt covering their faces. Matthew started to speak an objection.

  Lisbeth raised a hand to quiet him. “Please hear me out,” she insisted. “We can all travel together to Richmond. You will remain hidden in the public square park while I go alone to my parents’ home, which is only a few blocks away. I will act as if I have returned to nurse my father, and say that Matthew and the children have remained at his parents’ for a few days. Late in the night, after everyone is asleep, I will wake up Emily and Willie. We can leave quietly in the dark without raising any suspicions.”

  Matthew challenged, “Lisbeth, is it wise to put yourself at risk? What if Jack learns that we came for William and Samuel?”

  “I do not believe that Edward will be racing off to another county to publicly share his humiliation with Jack or anyone else. You paid him well. He cares more for money and his pride,” Lisbeth said. “We will be gone from Richmond before the sun rises.”

  Emmanuel looked as if he was going to say something, when Mattie spoke up. “That sounds like a real wise plan, Lisbeth.”

  Grateful to have an ally, Lisbeth smiled at Mattie. Tension rose in the circle.

  Lisbeth looked at Matthew, but her message was for all of the men. “Of course it will be hard for you to hide in a park and wait, but this will be the simplest way to get Emily and Willie without detection, confrontation, or violence.”

  Doubt wrestled with agreement in Matthew’s eyes. Lisbeth looked around at the faces. “Do not let your pride put Emily and Willie, or any of us, at risk,” she declared. “Getting all of us to Ohio without further injury is our goal, correct?”

  “Mm-hmm,” Mattie agreed.

  The two of them stared down the men, until Matthew finally nodded.

  “You’re right,” he said. “Our chances to get everyone out of Virginia safely will be greater if you get Emily and Willie.” He exhaled heavily, then said, “We’ll wait in the park, but if you get detained, I’m coming to get you.”

  Lisbeth nodded.

  “You up for this?” William asked Lisbeth.

  “Absolutely!” Lisbeth said with a smile. She displayed an easy confidence, but she was also scared. This was the best way to move forward—but she was going to be unsettled until they were all in the wagons, driving away from Richmond.

  “Elizabeth, I am so glad you have returned,” Mother gushed, opening her arms for an embrace. Recognizing the sentimental mood that came from laudanum, Lisbeth leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. Mother grabbed Lisbeth’s hand and pulled her down next to her on the davenport.

  Mother looked directly at Lisbeth, her eyes welling up. “Your father has taken on the death rattle,” the older woman said. “The end is soon, likely tonight. I’m so relieved you are here to be with him.”

  Sadness welled up in Lisbeth. Her throat tightened, and she swallowed hard. She was surprised that she was still concerned for the well-being of her parents. It was going to be harder than she had imagined to walk away from them again tonight—this time for good—without so much as a goodbye.

  “I have made a decision,” Mother said, sounding eager, “to accept your offer to live with you after your father’s affairs are settled.”

  Lisbeth’s stomach flipped.

  “While you were away I realized that despite all you have done to me, I find you comforting, as only a daughter can be.”

  Lisbeth felt nauseous. For years she’d longed to have her mother come to Ohio. Now she was willing, just when Lisbeth was going to commit a final act of betrayal—abandoning her mother without explanation. It was unforgivable. What kind of daughter was she? But then she thought of her family, and Mattie and William waiting at the public square. Her own brother had intentionally arrested William and Samuel. Mother would never understand why she had worked for their release. Lisbeth nodded to her mother, pretending to agree with her plan.

  “Go sit with your father. You will be a comfort to him. Even if his mind is not aware of your presence, his soul will be,” Mother commanded. “I will send Emily with a tray when she has finished making supper.”

  Walking up the stairs, Lisbeth realized her mother was so selfish that she hadn’t even noticed that Matthew, Sadie, and Sammy were not with her.

  Father had changed dramatically. It was hard to believe they had left Richmond only yesterday morning. His eyes were sunken into his head, and his arms were abnormally thin. With each jerky breath his lungs gurgled disturbingly loud. A sickening smell of decay filled the room, despite the open window. Lisbeth took shallow breaths through her mouth to avoid the stench.

  She sat down in the chair next to her father and took his hand; it was cold and flaccid.

  “It’s Lisbeth, Father.” She cleared her throat. “Elizabeth. I’m being brave again. Though I’m not so sure you would approve this time, but I’ve made my choice.”

  Lisbeth studied her father, hoping for some sign of awareness, but nothing changed on his face. She’d have to just imagine that he’d approve, though his blessing was not something she used to make choices.

  She reached for the book sitting on the marble-topped side table and resumed reading out loud, despite the distractingly loud sounds coming from her father. She’d made it through two more chapters of A Tale of Two Cities when Emily walked in with a tray. Lisbeth’s heart leaped. She stood to take the tray from Emily and set it down. Then she leaned in so close their shoulders touched.

  Lisbeth whispered, “Please stay calm.”

  Emily’s eyes went wide with terror. “You have news of William?”

  Lisbeth nodded and quietly confirmed, “Yes, good news.”

  Emily’s hand flew to her mouth. It was shaking. Her gaze bored into Lisbeth.

  Lisbeth’s eyes darted to her father to confirm that he was not aware of their conversation.

  “We lied about the reason for our visit to Matthew’s parents.” Lisbeth continued in hushed tones. “We went to secure Samuel’s release. We found William as well, and he has been freed.”

  Emily gasped, and her eyes welled up with tears. “Truly?”

  Lisbeth nodded.

  Emily closed her eyes and ti
lted her head back. “Thank you, Lord.” She took a slow, steady breath, her eyes still closed.

  Lisbeth took Emily’s hands and watched the jerky movements under her lids.

  Emily slowly opened her eyes. “I thought I would never see my husband again.” She shook her head as if to clear it. “Thank you! Lisbeth, I . . . don’t know what to say.”

  Lisbeth smiled at Emily. Her gratitude was palpable.

  “Where is he?” Emily asked.

  “We believe he will continue to be targeted,” Lisbeth explained. “I’ve come back to get you and Willie.”

  Emily looked confused.

  “We are all going to Oberlin,” Lisbeth whispered. “Tonight.”

  The door opened, startling Lisbeth and Emily. Mother walked in, wiping her eyes on a handkerchief.

  Quickly Lisbeth said, “Thank you, Emily. That is all,” and signaled with her eyes. Lisbeth hoped Emily got the unspoken message to pack up and be ready to leave in the night. They wouldn’t have a chance to speak again before it was time to escape.

  Emily left, and Mother settled into the chair on the other side of the bed.

  “I’ve informed your brother that I will be leaving with you,” Mother said with a sigh. “He was quite upset, but I must take care of my own needs. He can attend to your father’s affairs and manage disposing of the household goods to pay the debts,” she explained.

  Lisbeth’s mind and spirits reeled. Mother studied her face. Lisbeth took a long, slow breath, struggling to appear calm so as not to raise any suspicions.

  “You think me callous, but I am not. I am sensible,” Mother practically shouted, trying to be heard over the sounds of the dying man’s jerky breaths. “Your father and I had a practical marriage. I am fond of him, and I will miss him, but I will not wallow in sentimentality.”

  Mother’s red-rimmed eyes betrayed the struggle within her. Suddenly it was quiet. Lisbeth and Mother looked at the man in the bed. Lisbeth’s heart squeezed tight. Had Father just taken his last breath? She placed her hand on his chest, sending him a blessing on his way. His head lurched back, and he took in another loud breath. It was not over yet.