“It won’t work, little girl.” Eathen snatched the conversation back into perspective. “This has nothin’ to do with my wantin’ a son. Its got to do with the one child I did have shamin’ me so goddamn bad I can’t hold up my head!”
“Will you answer me somethin’?” Jessie refused to be bullied.
“If I know the answer.”
“Would you have accepted Two Spirits into this family if he wasn’t Indian?”
Charlotte felt her breath catch as she waited for his answer. When he remained silent, she spoke up, “Eathen, I think she deserves an answer. If Two Spirits was white and she carried his baby, would you accept him into this family?”
“All right, I’ll tell you. If you carried a white kid, the boy who fathered that kid’d find himself standin’ before a preacher. But there’s no way in hell you’re gonna stand in front of a preacher with a damn Indian! Not as long as I have anything to say about it, you won’t!”
“That’s not my question. I asked if you would accept Two Spirits into this family, had he not been Indian.”
“How the hell can I answer you? He is Indian!”
“I saw respect in your eyes the day he bested Jake. You can’t deny that.”
“Yeah. I had respect for a man who stood up to a loud mouth and took care of the situation without backin’ down. But we ain’t talkin’ ‘bout his kickin’ somebody’s ass! We’re talkin’ “bout his putin’ his hands on a white girl!”
“You’re not gonna answer me. Are you?”
“I have answered you!” Eathen swiped a tired hand over his face. “I don’t know how I could say it any plainer. He ain’t white! He’s Indian! I can’t say what I’d do if this isn’t so or that isn’t so. The facts speak for themselves!”
Knowing she would get no further on this subject, she switched to another.
“What’s gonna happen to my child? I know you won’t let me keep her here.”
“Jessie,” Charlotte glanced to where Eathen had settled himself in his chair, “your father and I’ve talked it over and we think the best thing for all of us, is for you to go and live with your Aunt Martha and Uncle John until this is all over.”
“And afterwards?” Jessie closed her eyes, breathing deep breaths against her fear. “Are you gonna allow me to come back home?”
“You can come back,” Eathen told her.
“But not my child.” She reached out to a nearby chair before her legs gave out and buckled beneath her.
“Not to my house,” Eathen informed her. “If you wanna stay and raise your kid ‘n Boston, that’ll be up to John and Martha.”
“So what it comes down to is this is a way to get rid of both of us.” The hand squeezing her heart strengthened its grip. “The daughter you never wanted in the first place can now be disposed of too.”
“Get off that goddamn shit!” Eathen threw her a disgusted look. “No one here’s gonna feel sorry for you. You know I’ve always loved you more’n my own life.”
“No, Daddy, I don’t.” She pushed herself with an unsteady hand to her feet. “I’m goin’ to my room,” she told them. “Right now, Daddy, I can’t stomach the sight of you.”
As Jessie walked out of the room, Charlotte turned her attention on Eathen. “Are you gettin’ any insight into how she feels?”
“Yeah, I think I am.” He made his way across the room to the portable bar. Lifting the top from one of the decanters, he placed two glasses upright before him, shoved one back when Charlotte shook her head.
Charlotte could feel her nerves growing tighter as she watched him drink from the glass. “What conclusion have you come to?”
“She’s tryin’ to put all the blame on me.” He refilled his empty glass. “Oh, don’t give me that look, Charlotte,” Eathen told her as she stared at him in amazement. “It’s been a ploy of women for years. But it won’t work this time. I won’t play her game.”
“Are you sure she’s playin’ games, Eathen?”
“Hell yes!” He placed the top back on the decanter, picked up his drink. “That little girl knows how important she is to me. If I didn’t love her, I wouldn’t give a rat’s ass what she did, or who she did it with.” The smug look vanished to be replaced with one of soulful regret. “She’s torn my heart out over this mess. But soon as she has that kid, all that’s gonna change.” Anger etched his face, dragging his lips into a deep scowl. “I’ll have her back where she belongs. Just watch and see if I don’t.”
Heaving a long sigh, Charlotte stood. “I hope you’re right, Eathen, cause I don’t think she is playin’ games. I think she really loves that boy. When a woman loves someone, and that someone’s taken away by force, the pain she’s left with can be a very destructive emotion.”
***
“Miss Jessie, kin ah comes in?” Hattie called outside Jessie’s door.
“Come in, Hattie.”
Pushing the door open wide, Hattie entered the darkened room. “Miss Jessie, why’s you sittin’ hyrah in de dahk?”
“Ain’t that where people like me belong?”
Hattie switched on the small bedside lamp. Pushing Jessie’s long legs to the side, she seated her large bulk down beside her on the bed. “Miss Jessie, you ain’ a bad pusson. You’s jes’ a girl who let her heart rules her haid, dat’s all.”
“Try tellin’ Daddy that. He thinks I’m the worse thing crawlin’ the earth.”
“Dat ain’ tru, chile.” She rubbed a brisk hand over Jessie’s back. “Yo’ pa loves you mo’n he loves hisseff. Ah thought dat man wuz gwing lose his mine w’en yo’ ma tole him you wez gawn.”
Swallowing deep against the tears threatening to spill forth, Jessie flopped over onto her stomach, cushioning her head on her crossed arms. “He ain’t worried about me, Hattie. He’s afraid of what everyone’s gonna say when they find out his daughter’s pregnant with a half-breed baby.”
Smoothing Jessie’s long hair back from her face, Hattie told her, “Miss Jessie, ah been livin’ wid bad feelin’s b’tween de races all my life an’ ah kin tells you right now, it ain’ gwing ter change.”
“Before I met Two Spirits, I felt as prejudiced against the Blackfeet as everyone else around here. But, Hattie, if they knew him like I do, they’d see what a good person he is. People say they’re heathens. They ain’t. The Blackfeet believe in God just as much as we do.”
“Ah’s real glad ter hears dat, chile.” She patted Jessie’s back. “Dat young man kain he’p bein’ whut he is. But ah does agree wid yo’ pa on one thing. Dat young man nebber should’ve touched our baby chile lak he did.”
“It ain’t all his fault, Hattie. I wanted him, just as much as he wanted me.” Her face grew hot at admitting such feelings in front of Hattie.
“Chile!” Hattie drew back staring at her. “You wuz a fine young lady! Yo’ ma an’ me tole you, frum de fust time you gots de mizry, dat a good girl nebber lets a boy touch her lessin’ she bes mahried. He knowed whut he wuz a-doin’ w’en he put dat baby in yo’ belly. No,” Hattie shook her head from side to side, “you ain’ a bad pusson, Miss Jessie, but you sho’ is a ruint one.”
“Just in the eyes of my family, Hattie” She pushed herself to a sitting position. “Two Spirits ain’t ashamed of me. Besides,” she looked at Hattie with a bold look in her eyes, “I was the one who chased him.”
“Huh!” she snorted. “Dat’s whut da wants you ter thinks. Ah bet he tole you dat he din thinks it bes right fer y’all ter bes wid one ‘nother, din he?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Miss Jessie, all mens is de same w’en it comes ter gittin’ womens on da back.”
Not wanting to hear anymore of what could be the truth, Jessie changed the subject.
“Mama says they’re gonna send me to Aunt Martha and Uncle John.” A deep sadness filled her voice. “I don’t even know these people. The last time we went to visit them; I’d just turned twelve-years-old.”
“You ain’ gots nuthin’ ter bes sceered of, chile. Day bes f
ine people. Effen ah wuz you, ah’d count mah blessin’s.”
“Aunt Martha always acts so snooty, like she’s better’n everyone else. She treats Mama like a poor relation. I can just imagine the welcome I’ll get there.”
“Effen yo’ ma din’ think dis wuz de place ter sends you, den you sho’ twouldn’ bes gwing.”
“Oh, Hattie,” she slipped off the bed, “right now any place would do. All they care about is gettin’ me outta here before someone guesses the truth.”
“Da’s tryin’ ter do whut’s best fer you, chile. Affer de baby bes born, den you kin comes home, an woan nobody knows de diffunce.”
“Except me! I’ll know my baby’s with somebody else. But, Hattie, no one cares ‘bout that!” Her shrill voice rose with fear. “All they can think ‘bout is themselves!”
“Now, Miss Jessie, “she scolded, pulling Jessie over to her, “you lissen ter me! Dat po’ lil baby growin’ ‘neath yo’ heart, din’ ast fer non of dis ter happens.”
“I know that, Hattie.” She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “I just don’t see why they couldn’t leave us alone to live our lives the way we wanted to. Two Spirits and me had it all planned to live in Canada. We had everything’ planned so well.”
“You know yo’ pa nebber let you do dat, Miss Jessie. He has ter bes sho you’s wahm an safe.”
“The lodges in the Blackfeet camps are warm and safe.” Jessie pushed the memory of her rough treatment at the hands of Two Spirits deep inside. “And believe it or not, they’re clean too.” She leaned over and placed her head on Hattie’s stout chest. As Hattie brushed her long hair with a gentle hand, Jessie whispered, “I wanted to stay with the man I love. He promised he’d take care of us.”
“Ah wish der wuz sumpin ah could do ter helps, but der ain’ nuthin’ ah kin thinks of.”
“No one can help us now, Hattie. As always, everything’ll go the way my father wants it to.”
Unable to argue with what she knew to be true, Hattie lifted herself off the bed.
“Well, chile, ah guess it bes ‘bout time ter gits supper started.”
Jessie patted Hattie’s cheek. “Thank you for comin’ to sit with me, Hattie.”
“Is you fixin’ ter comes ter de table ternight, baby chile? Or does you wants me ter brings you up a tray?”
“I’m not really hungry. If I want somethin’ later, I’ll just fix myself a sandwich.”
“Well, awright den,” she started to turn away, but at the door she stopped, “Miss Jessie, effen you ever bes needen me, ah’ll bes hyrah.”
“Oh, Hattie,” Jessie rushed across the floor to throw her arms around the woman’s thick waist. “I’m so scared. I just wish all this could be over and I could stay here with you and Mama.”
“Ah wish so too, baby chile. Der ain’ nobody in dis world dat’s better at takin’ keer of mah baby den me,” she sobbed aloud, her large shoulders shaking.
“Hattie.” Charlotte stood outside the door.
“Yas’m, Miz Charlotte?” She wiped her eyes then pulled open the door.
“It’s time to start supper, and Eathen and I wanna talk to Jessie.”
Blowing her nose into her apron, Hattie turned to leave. “You keeps yo’ chin up, baby chile,” she whispered.
Jessie forced a brave smile and nodded.
“Your father’s waitin’ for us in our room.” She ushered Jessie ahead of her. “We thought it’d be more private there.”
“I don’t know why Hattie has to be shut out of this. She’s a part of the family.”
“I know she is, Jessie, but you know your father when he gets his anger up. There’s no tellin’ what might come pourin’ outta his mouth. Right now, one of the biggest things on his mind is race. He don’t always think before he speaks, so I thought it best that Hattie not be present.”
“Then I’m glad, ‘cause I don’t wanna see her hurt any more’n she already is.”
Charlotte stopped walking. “What do you mean?”
“Hattie wants me to stay here so she can take care of me. Since we both know that’s outta the question, she’s beside herself with worry.”
“Jessie, we’re all tryin’ to make the best of a bad situation. Hattie’ll have to understand.”
“I understand that, but what would you say to Hattie comin’ to Boston with me? I’d feel a lot better havin’ her there.”
“We can see what your father thinks of the idea. I wouldn’t get my hopes up though. Besides, Martha’ll see to it you have the best obstetrician in Boston.”
“It wouldn’t be the same!” Jessie hung back, trying her best to reason with the one person who could help her. “Havin’ Hattie with me’d be almost like havin’ you there.”
“I wish I could be there.” Charlotte bit her lower lip. “I’ll worry myself sick thinkin’ of you goin’ through all that alone.”
“Mama, does it really hurt to have a baby?” Her voice took on a tone of unease.
“Well, yes…it hurts,” Charlotte stammered, recalling the agony she went through during Jessie’s birth. “But you’ll be at a big hospital with the best of care. They’ll do everything possible to make sure you don’t suffer.”
The thought of leaving familiar surroundings and going to stay with people she didn’t know while waiting to give birth snapped the last hold she had on her taut nerves. “Mama, please don’t send me away! Let me stay here. I promise, I’ll stay in the house where no one’ll ever see me!” She hung on to Charlotte so tight, Charlotte had to pull away.
“Jessie, you ain’t makin’ sense.” Charlotte tried to calm her racing pulse. “You can’t stay in the house for months at a time. We’re doin’ this to protect you!”
“No! No, you ain’t!” she screamed. “All you and Daddy care ‘bout’s what people’ll say!” Jessie flailed her balled fists in the air. “You only care about yourselves.”
“Jessie, calm down.” Charlotte tried to grab her flying arms. “You’re gettin’ yourself all upset.”
“What the hell’s goin’ on here?” Eathen growled, coming down the hall towards them.
“Jessie don’t wanna go to Martha and John’s. She wants to stay here with her family,” Charlotte told him, raising her voice to be heard over Jessie’s screaming.
“The decision’s already been made. Jessie is goin’ to Boston, and that’s that!”
“Please, Daddy! Please don’t send me away!” She threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“Jessie, you can’t stay here. You shoulda thought about what’d happen before you got yourself into this mess!” Eathen pulled her arms away from him.
“Then let me go back to Two Spirits! At least he loves me!”
“Don’t mention that red trash in this house! He’s the one to blame for all this in the first place!” Eathen placed his hand on her back, trying to guide her down the hall.
Jerking backward, she screamed at him. “No! I love him! I’m gonna have his baby! Just let us be together!” she sobbed, dropping to her knees.
“Jessie, get up. Come on.” He tried pulling her to her feet. “Get up off the floor.”
“Please! Oh God, please just let me go!” she moaned, curling into a ball as Eathen tried to pick her up.
Out of patience, he picked her up in his arms to carry her downstairs and lay her on the couch. “Pour me some brandy.”
“Eathen, she can’t drink that. It could hurt the baby!” Charlotte spoke up.
“I said, bring me some brandy, goddamnit! I ain’t planin’ on givin’ her the whole bottle!”
With shaking hands, Charlotte poured a small amount of brandy into a glass. When she handed it to Eathen, he lifted Jessie’s head.
“Drink some of this, sweetheart.”
“No!” she screamed, knocking the glass from his hand. “I won’t allow you to give me somethin’ that’ll harm my baby. Just get away from me! Both of you!”
Grabbing hold of the couch, Eathen pushed himself upward, gazing at the
young girl glaring back at him. “You can rant and rave all you want to, little girl.” He whipped a handkerchief from his back pocket, mopped the sweat from his face. “The fact remains, you are goin’ to Boston.”
“You…unfeelin’…son-of-a-bitch!” She leaped from the couch. “You don’t care about me! All these years you’ve pretended!” She shoved her wild hair out of her face. “Why don’t you have the guts to say what you really feel? I will go to Two Spirits and you can’t stop me! If you try, I’ll tell everyone whose baby I’m carryin’.”
His patience at an end, Eathen drew back his hand and slapped a startled Jessie across the face so hard she fell to her knees in the middle of the floor.
Starting to go to her, Charlotte felt Hattie take hold of her arm.
“No, Miz Charlotte doan do it.” Hattie pulled her back.
“Now you listen to me!” Eathen leaned over her. “You ain’t goin’ anywhere, little girl! If I have to, I’ll lock you in your room to see to it! I’ll tell you somethin’ else. That red son-of-a-bitch’ll never get the chance to put his filthy hands on another white girl either!” He yanked Jessie to her feet.
With one hand wrapped around her arm, Eathen pushed Jessie ahead of him up the stairs.
As Charlotte and Hattie stood transfixed, they heard the loud slamming of her bedroom door and Eathen yelling at her.
When he came back downstairs, Charlotte’s hand went to her throat as she watched him strap on his gun. “Eathen, where are you goin’?”
“You don’t wanna know,” he breathed, walking out the door.
Jessie lay on her bed slamming her fists again and again into her pillow. The cries coming from her throat sounded as if they came from someone in the very depths of despair. Jumping up, she ran to the window. Lifting up on the handle, she pushed the window open wide, leaning out as far as she could and searching the grounds. As she spied Eathen striding toward the corrals, she called for him to come back. Begged him to come back. But he kept on walking, ignoring her screams of pain.
For many days no one in the Thornton household dared wonder where Eathen had gone. Then, late one evening, he walked through the door. Jessie sat at the dining room table, and as he walked past her chair, he dropped something into her lap. As her hand clutched the fallen object, her head snapped up. Her stricken eyes locked with those of the man watching her from across the room.
Fated Memories Page 34