Together is All We Need

by Michael Phillips

  ‘‘I told my niece to get rid of them. This is my place now and I didn’t want them around.’’

  ‘‘You fool!’’

  ‘‘Look, lady—I don’t know who you are, but you got no cause to talk to me like that. This is my place, and if you don’t show some civility in that tongue of yours, I’ll run you off too. The truth is, I don’t like you much.’’

  ‘‘I apologize,’’ said Mrs. McSimmons, flustered but obviously realizing she’d let her anger get the better of her. ‘‘Tell me, then, when did she leave—the darkie girl?’’

  ‘‘The little girl was white, ma’am. But I ain’t seen her around the place in a long time.’’

  ‘‘I’m not looking for a white girl. I’m looking for a runaway nigger, skinny as a post. Good-looking . . . with a baby.’’

  ‘‘Don’t know, ma’am . . . yeah, she might have been here. I didn’t pay that close of attention to what they all looked like. All I wanted was rid of ’em. And like I say, they’re gone now.’’

  ‘‘Then, where’s the other girl, the Clairborne girl they say’s not too bright?’’

  ‘‘That’s my niece. I think she’s inside. She—’’

  But already Mrs. McSimmons had turned and was walking toward the house.

  Katie was still watching from the window, praying desperately that Mistress McSimmons wouldn’t glance in the other direction before we disappeared from sight.

  Now Mistress McSimmons was walking straight toward her with a determined look on her face, and Katie began to tremble. She took a deep breath, wanting to appear calm, then went to the door and stepped outside to await her visitor. Katie allowed herself one quick look in our direction. She saw me disappear behind a tree. When she turned back, Mrs. McSimmons’ eyes were on her. Katie swallowed. Mrs. McSimmons looked in the direction we’d gone and Katie held her breath, but then the woman looked back at Katie, eyes narrowing. Whether the wife of little William’s father recognized her at first, Katie could not tell. She just stood for a moment looking her up and down.

  ‘‘You had a darkie girl here,’’ she said in a demanding voice. ‘‘Where is she?’’

  ‘‘Who, ma’am?’’ replied Katie.

  ‘‘Is everyone around this place dense!’’ exclaimed Mrs. McSimmons. ‘‘The colored girl you were hiding.’’

  ‘‘There have been a lot of people here, ma’am. My cousin Mayme was here for two years—she’s half colored.’’

  ‘‘Did she have a baby?’’

  ‘‘No, ma’am.’’

  ‘‘What about the others?’’

  ‘‘There were some others too, but they’ve . . . uh, been gone for a while.’’

  ‘‘Where did they go . . . why did they leave?’’

  ‘‘My uncle made them.’’

  ‘‘How long ago?’’

  ‘‘Uh . . . the little girl’s been gone a few weeks.’’

  ‘‘Where did she go?’’

  ‘‘Home.’’

  ‘‘Another darkie?’’

  ‘‘No, ma’am—she’s white.’’

  ‘‘I am only interested in the darkies you had here! How long have the rest been gone?’’

  ‘‘A while, ma’am.’’

  ‘‘Where did they go?’’

  ‘‘I don’t know.’’

  ‘‘And you’re the only one left now. . . besides your uncle, I mean.’’

  ‘‘Yes, ma’am. I’m the only girl here.’’

  Mrs. McSimmons glanced around in annoyance, seemingly debating inside herself whether she ought to search the house in spite of what Katie said. Then she looked at Katie again and decided not to.

  ‘‘If I find out you have been lying to me, young lady,’’ she said, ‘‘you will regret it. In the meantime, I intend to make further inquiries . . . then I will be back.’’

  She turned and stepped down off the porch.

  Clearly exasperated, Mrs. McSimmons climbed back into her own buggy, turned her horse, and rode back toward town more irritated than ever.

  By this time, Josepha, Emma, and I were around the bend where the shadows of the trees fell across the road. I don’t know why I glanced back again, because I knew the house was out of sight.

  Then I turned toward the road again, and we slowed our pace a bit, to catch our breath. We kept walking, though, because wherever we were bound and whatever our future held, it was high time we got on with it.

  We hadn’t brought along much water, both because it was heavy to carry and there were enough streams and small rivers everywhere that we’d be able to find all we needed. So we stopped every so often to drink and rest. Most of the weight in our bags was food we’d brought along—enough for about a week, we figured, if we didn’t eat too much. We didn’t know how long it would take us to find the folks Josepha knew— probably longer than that.

  I didn’t really care how fast we went, I just wanted to get far enough away from Oakwood and Greens Crossing that we didn’t have to worry about anyone connected to the McSimmons place seeing us. I’d start to feel more comfortable once we were ten or fifteen miles from Rosewood in the opposite direction. Then we could relax a bit.

  We didn’t get along too fast. Lugging William in the heat was a chore because he was fat and heavy. We took turns carrying him, but Emma and Josepha were sweating and tired in less than an hour. I began to wonder how we’d ever make it. William could walk a little by himself, but he tired out faster than the other two and then started begging to be carried again. Even without William, walking like this was mighty hard work for Josepha.

  So we did a lot of stopping and resting and I didn’t know if we’d gone more than three or four miles before ten or eleven or whatever time it was getting to be. And I was still nervous and listening and looking out for anyone who might be following us. Still, I suppose, three or four miles from Rosewood meant that we were six or eight miles from the McSimmons place, and by the time we stopped somewhere to sleep for the night, we’d likely be ten or twelve miles away. So we were probably safe from anyone seeing us who shouldn’t.

  A CUP OF COFFEE WITH FRIENDS

  25

  KATIE WATCHED UNTIL MRS. MCSIMMONS RODE from sight, then turned back in our direction, as if to assure herself—and convince herself—that we were really gone. Katie stood there and cried for a few minutes, relief and grief mingling in her tears. Then she wiped her eyes and walked across the yard to where her uncle was standing while his men unloaded two wagons.

  He glanced up as she approached.

  ‘‘They’re gone, Uncle Burchard,’’ said Katie.

  ‘‘Who’s gone?’’ he said gruffly.

  ‘‘Mayme and the others—they’ve left.’’

  He glanced about, then peered down the road toward town.

  ‘‘I didn’t see anyone,’’ he said.

  Katie said nothing.

  ‘‘Well, no matter,’’ he added, ‘‘as long as they’re gone. I’m glad to see you came to your senses and decided to stay. Be a plumb fool thing to leave a good life here just for some no-good niggers—’’

  A reply that would not have been kind rushed to Katie’s lips, but she held it back.

  ‘‘—I’m offering to let you stay and do as you please,’’ her uncle continued. ‘‘Ain’t too many girls with no family and no money that have it so good. So I hope you’re grateful.’’

  ‘‘I won’t be staying, Uncle Burchard,’’ said Katie.

  ‘‘What are you talking about?’’

  ‘‘I’m leaving too.’’

  ‘‘With the niggers?’’

  ‘‘No.’’

  ‘‘Where are you going?’’

  ‘‘I don’t know, just away from here.’’

  He kept looking at her, then shook his head almost as if in disgust.

  ‘‘Well . . . suit yourself,’’ he said. ‘‘Sounds like a fool thing to me, but I ain’t going to make you stay. Don’t expect me to nursemaid you.’’

  ‘‘No, sir. I don’t, sir.�
��’

  Again Burchard Clairborne glanced toward town and this time frowned. Katie followed her uncle’s gaze and saw Jeremiah walking toward them along the road.

  ‘‘What is he. . . . It’s that colored boy from town—what does he want?’’

  ‘‘He and his father are friends of mine, Uncle Burchard,’’ said Katie.

  ‘‘Friends . . . of yours?’’

  ‘‘Yes, sir.’’

  ‘‘What in blazes . . . are all your friends colored! How’d your mama raise you, girl?’’

  ‘‘To show respect to everyone, sir,’’ said Katie a little crossly, her feelings at last getting the better of her.

  She turned and walked toward Jeremiah. ‘‘They’re already gone,’’ she said to him.

  ‘‘Gone!’’ exclaimed Jeremiah. ‘‘You mean Mayme and the others?’’

  Katie nodded. ‘‘Mayme said they’d already said enough good-byes and thought it would be easier this way.’’

  ‘‘Dangnashun!’’ said Jeremiah under his breath, glancing about in every direction. ‘‘How long ago?’’

  Katie sighed. ‘‘Just long enough. Mistress McSimmons was just here.’’

  ‘‘So dat’s who was in dat buggy! She din’t see dem, did she?’’

  ‘‘No. They left just in time. Your papa rode out to warn us.’’

  ‘‘So dat’s what my daddy was shoutin’ bout back dere when he passed me on de road.’’

  They walked past her uncle and his men toward the house. Katie felt her uncle watching her from the corner of his eye. She did her best to ignore him and led Jeremiah toward the door. Henry had seen Jeremiah arrive and had been ambling toward them. He now followed.

  ‘‘Wha’chu gwine do, chil’?’’ Henry asked when all three entered the kitchen.

  ‘‘I thought I ought to wait until Uncle Burchard and Mr. Sneed do whatever they’re going to do at ten o’clock,’’ said Katie. ‘‘Then I’ll go to Oakwood and see if I can find a job. My suitcase is all packed,’’ she said, nodding toward the last remaining suitcase on the floor. They all stared at it for a moment, saddened at the sight.

  ‘‘Well, we’s stayin’ wiff you as long as you like, an’ den we’ll go inter town tergether. We’ll carry dat bag er yers, Miz Kathleen. Don’ seem right fo’ a girl like you ter hab ter carry hit yerse’f.’’

  ‘‘Thank you, Henry, but I am sure I will manage. I have to get used to living on my own.’’

  ‘‘Still don’ seem right. But effen you’s determined ter go ter Oakwood, leastways let us take you dere in one ob da livery’s wagons. Dat’s a long way ter walk.’’

  ‘‘Would you like one last cup of coffee here with me?’’ asked Katie as the three of them sat down at the table.

  ‘‘Soun’s right fine ter me, Miz Kathleen.’’ Henry nodded.

  But Katie had barely begun to boil the water when the door opened behind her and her uncle walked in.

  ‘‘What are these two darkies doing in my house?’’ he said angrily.

  ‘‘They’re my friends,’’ said Katie. ‘‘I’m fixing them some coffee.’’

  ‘‘I thought you understood me, Kathleen, that I wanted no darkies around. You said the others were gone, and—’’

  ‘‘Uncle Burchard,’’ Katie interrupted, now getting angry herself. ‘‘This is still my kitchen and my house, or at least my mama’s and daddy’s. And it will be mine until Mr. Sneed tells me otherwise. Then I will leave and it will be yours. But until then, it is mine and my friends are welcome in it. And if you don’t treat them with a little more respect, I just may ask you to leave.’’

  Her uncle stared at her, clearly dumbfounded that she would speak that way to him. He turned around and left, fuming but silent.

  LEGAL TALK

  26

  AT A LITTLE AFTER NINE-THIRTY, MR. SNEED RODE into Rosewood in his buggy.

  Other people also arrived, including Mr. Taylor from the bank, who Katie’s uncle had asked to be present as a witness to the proceedings. Then Mrs. Hammond was there, though what business it was of hers I didn’t know, and a few other people from town that Katie recognized. I’m not sure exactly why, but I guess when things like this happen, they have to announce it to the public to make it legal or something so that people have a chance to speak up or say if Rosewood has any debts they haven’t paid before there is a change of ownership. Some folks were probably there for that, although most, like Mrs. Hammond, were just almighty curious after all they had heard.

  Anyway, that’s something like it, and because of those announcements that Mr. Sneed had posted in both Greens Crossing and Oakwood, and had put in the Charlotte newspaper, there were ten or fifteen other people who came, most of whom Katie didn’t know.

  Mr. Sneed was dressed in his business suit as usual, and carrying his briefcase with the papers in it. After he arrived, everybody gradually started clustering around and moving toward the front of the house, around the other side from the barn where they’d been unloading the wagons.

  Katie got her suitcase and carried it out of the kitchen and set it down outside. She wanted to be ready to leave as soon as it was over, and not have to go back into the house once it officially became her uncle’s. Then she and Henry and Jeremiah followed the small crowd around to the front of the house. Some of the people glanced toward her now and then, wearing expressions she couldn’t altogether understand. Were they glad to see the place taken away from her after she’d fooled everybody, including them? Katie couldn’t tell.

  Mr. Sneed and her uncle were already standing up on the porch, and Mr. Sneed had opened his briefcase and began talking to the small gathering of people standing listening. Katie and Henry and Jeremiah stood in back. Mr. Sneed and her uncle paid no attention to them, but every once in a while Mrs. Hammond or one of the other people from town glanced back at Katie. Katie couldn’t tell whether they were sorry for her, or just curious what she was thinking.

  ‘‘. . . all for coming today,’’ Mr. Sneed was saying. ‘‘We are here to comply with certain legalities connected with the papers filed by Mr. Burchard Clairborne for the disposition of the estate known as Rosewood in light of the tragic death of its owner, Mr. Richard Clairborne, brother of the filer in these proceedings.

  ‘‘As part of that process,’’ he went on, ‘‘the law requires that the opportunity be given to any and all persons who may have claims to put forward in the matter of unpaid loans, debts, or other encumbrances on the property or incurred by the owners or his heirs, including, I might add,’’ he said, glancing for the first time to where Katie stood, ‘‘any and all of those, of whatever race, who have been living here and operating the plantation since the unfortunate deaths of Mr. Richard Clairborne and his wife and sons.

  ‘‘This will provide a final opportunity for any and all interested parties to set forth the claims to which they consider themselves entitled, after which time the court documents that have been prepared, along with a new deed to the property, will be enforced as per the instructions of the court, and title will officially be granted and turned over to the brother of the deceased, Mr. Burchard Clairborne.’’

  Mr. Sneed paused briefly, cleared his throat, put on a pair of reading spectacles, and then began to read from the document he was holding in his hand.

  ‘‘Whereas the land and real property known as Rosewood and situated near Greens Crossing in Shenandoah County, North Carolina,’’ he began, continuing on with a lot of legal-sounding talk and descriptions, with words like wherefore and insofar as and lien and deed and encumbrance and encroachment and just cause and due notice and failure to comply. Katie couldn’t understand more than a dozen words of most of it. And if she didn’t understand any more than that, how much less did Henry and Jeremiah understand as they stood there with her at the back of the small crowd.

  Henry leaned close and whispered, ‘‘Don’ seem dat dese yere lawyers kin speak a word ob real English nohow!’’

  Katie nodded, thinking that no matt
er how highfalutin’ Mr. Sneed made it sound, all his fancy words didn’t change the fact that they were taking her home away.

  But the three of them stood patiently listening, waiting for Mr. Sneed to get finished. Then they would leave.

  Nobody said anything, even after Mr. Sneed paused to give them the chance to say if Rosewood owed them anything or if anyone objected or had any kind of what he called a claim to put forward. Katie wondered why they’d all come if they didn’t have anything to say. But if Mrs. Hammond was anything like the rest, they probably came just to get a look at the place and to snoop around, and maybe see the new owner after all they’d heard about Katie and me and what we’d done. They tried to pretend they weren’t interested and didn’t notice, but they stole glances at Katie now and then. Whatever it was they were thinking, the fact was that we’d been written about in the newspaper and those who’d heard about it, and even those who’d just heard all the gossip about us, couldn’t help being mighty curious about the girl Kathleen Clairborne, who had grown up to be a fetching young woman but who, folks said, seemed to take to coloreds more than was natural for any white person. And as she stood there with Henry and Jeremiah, everything they’d heard seemed to their own eyes to be true enough.

  AN UNCLE SEALS OUR FATE

  27

  MR. SNEED PUT DOWN THE PAPER HE’D BEEN reading and adjusted his spectacles. The people shuffled about where they were standing as if they were getting bored with it just like Katie was.

  Then Mr. Sneed picked up another single sheet of paper.

  ‘‘I have here a new deed to Rosewood,’’ he said. ‘‘In the absence of the original deed to the property, which we have unfortunately not been able to locate, and as authorized by the court and the laws of the United States government and the state of North Carolina, a new deed has been executed and duly witnessed, and will now be issued to Mr. Burchard Clairborne, and, with his signature, will entitle him to full legal ownership, and with all the incumbent rights and privileges therein, to the—’’