by Julie Dewey
“Being that she was a wench and all, I didn’t think your uppity family would allow you to associate with someone so far below your station.”
“She may have made some errors in judgment, but she was, is a good person.” I wondered how he knew she was a prostitute: he wasn’t on her client list.
“A good girl doesn’t go around prostituting herself and spreading her legs for the men of this town. That makes her a slut, nothing more. She is a sinner and deserved what she got.”
I lay in to the son of a bitch with a solid punch to his jaw, I grabbed his fine leather vest and pulled him to his feet, he was quicker and bigger, but I dodged his first punch, the second however landed straight in my eye, sending me stumbling backwards. “No one deserves to be left for dead, no one, you hear me?” I was screaming now and everyone in the tavern was watching the fight.
The judge hustled over and pulled me to a still position but Josiah came out of nowhere and clocked that deputy knocking him right on his ass. Now everyone could see the blood on his pants, it left a pool on the ground and created a stir.
“I cut myself earlier today chopping wood, stop staring, Jesus Christ; you are all a bunch of no good sinners in this town.” Then he turned to Josiah and said, “You, Nigger, are under arrest for assaulting an officer of the law.”
“I don’t think so, deputy, you assaulted this minor first, tell me that isn’t against the law?” the judge said.
“Well I guess we’ll just call this a wash then, but, black boy if I catch you so much as looking at me again, I’ll bring you in for questioning in Gert’s assault. Got it?” He threatened.
The deputy left the tavern and the ladies sat fanning themselves in disbelief. Jess, the tavern owner, brought me a raw slab of beef for my eye that was already swelling.
“He did it judge, I swear that guy gives me the creeps. I just know it was him, I can’t prove it but I know it.” My intuition was speaking loudly to me.
“You might be right, boy, but we have to prove it we can’t just go around accusing people, especially the law.”
“But it makes perfect sense, that’s probably why the sheriff isn’t doing anything, his hands are tied because it’s one of his own, and that would make him look bad!” Everything made sense now.
“Uh huh, you’re right. Let’s chat with Jess for a bit and see if he has anything to add.”
The tavern owner, Jess, came over and sat at our table for a bit. Josiah, the judge, and I all told him our suspicions. Jess said that Bart came in to his tavern daily for lunch and dinner, always sitting in the same place, never bothering anybody. But he did often leave a pool of blood, which was peculiar.
“If he whipped her, who’s to say he isn’t whipping himself too; he called her a sinner? Could he have been a customer?”
Jess looked like he was in the dark.
“Give it up, Jess, we were her customers too. Josiah here found her and came to me for help, and then I went to the judge. I knew you were a customer because she told me, but she wouldn’t divulge anyone else, I know there were at least twenty clients.”
“Well now that it’s out in the open, I could tell you who her regulars were.”
The men got a pad and pencil and created a list of suspects. They had all twenty regulars and Bart’s name was not on it.
Chapter 24 Mary
“Dearest Mary, my fiance and love,
I have gone west for a time to pan for gold. Pap and Edna won’t ever welcome or approve of me until I am a man of wealth. I have left you half my winnings from the fight so you may prepare for the baby. I have taken the rest as passage to San Francisco. I will be home before our baby is born, hopefully a rich man, worthy of you and your family. I know you love me as I love you, but feel your torment regarding Edna and Pap. I am doing this for you, for us, for our future family. Be well.
Your loving fiance,
Scotty.
I held the crumpled note in my hands, having read it a dozen or more times. Sonya sensing my need for privacy left my bedside and shut the door behind her. How could he do this to me again? He has left me again, in the city no less.
I walked out to the shop seeking Pauli and Candy, holding the letter in my hands, handing it over so they could read it. Candy was shocked, but Pauli knew, guilt covered his face.
“Did you know, Pauli?” I asked
“I begged him not to go; he said Pap told him in no uncertain terms he could never make you happy unless he could provide for you as you were accustomed. He was looking to fight Vladimir, but we both knew that would end poorly. Then he suggested the draft and told me men were being paid now to sign up and fight for the country.”
“Jesus Christ.” I took the Lords name in vain as I never had before.
“But he heard a group of men talking about heading west. This was before you showed up, Mary, and I guess they were willing to add him to their group. They left today.”
“He knows nothing of mining!”
“I know, I told him that too, but he had a little money and nothing to lose. If he came back without gold, he would be no worse off.”
“But what about me? What about his baby that I am carrying, doesn’t he care?”
“He cares, child, that’s why he left without telling you.”
“He is just unbelievable.” I threw a fit akin to a child before stomping out the store.
Candy eyed Pauli and left the store as well. Only Sonya was left with Pauli, not sure what she should do.
I wandered the city for an hour, and decided to go home to Binghamton, where I belonged. I went back to the store, said my goodbyes to Pauli and Candy who were sad to see me go. I grabbed Sonya’s hand and told her we were leaving. I decided Sonya was in my life for a reason, I had grown to love her over the short time I spent with her, somehow she gave me courage and strength and I hoped I could return the favor.
I would use the money Scotty left for our train fare and pray the whole ride home that Edna was in a forgiving and welcoming mood.
Sonya sat beside me holding my hand, she had never been out of the city and didn’t know what to expect. She was another orphan train rider now just like the rest of us. We did our best to communicate, I taught her the English words for things and she was a quick oral learner, writing her ABCs was another matter.
My belly was now obvious and the note I left Edna was fresh in my memory; I walked in the front door of my home, clutching Sonya for dear life. If no one else at least I had her.
No one was home. I dropped my bags and Sonya and I went to my room for a nap.
Hours later my door creaked open and Edna stood before me.
“You’re back.” Edna was a welcome sight.
“Yes, and I have brought a friend.” Sonya was awake and clasping onto me as Eddie used to.
“I see that, what is your name child?” Edna gave her a bright welcoming smile.
“Sonya.”
“Sonya, would you like something to eat? Mary, are you hungry? Maybe we can talk over lunch?”
“I would like that Edna.” Then I mimed eating to Sonya who took our meaning and nodded her head.
Edna prepared a chicken salad with bits of red onion and celery mixed with mayonnaise and mustard, she placed one scoop full onto each lettuce wrap and set out three plates, a glass pitcher of sweet sun tea sat on the table as always and brownies were baking for dessert. I was able to eat it all and felt no nausea whatsoever.
“How are you feeling Mary?” Edna asked referring to the baby.
“I feel better now, thank you. Edna, please don’t be mad at me! I couldn’t bare it.” I felt so much better with Edna’s cooking, my stomach settled and now I blurted what was causing me the most concern.
“I am just happy you are home now where you belong. I suppose we better set up a room for our friend Sonya, I assume she will be staying here?”
Sonya had wandered from the table into the back yard, picking dandelions and blowing the seeds to make wishes.
; “She was my shadow in New York, never leaving my side once. I couldn’t leave her there; it was pretty awful being back. Her English is coming along, we learned she is German, her entire family died in front of her and were thrown overboard while crossing the ocean.”
“Say no more. She is welcome, and seems to be adjusting.”
“I found Scotty.”
Silence filled the air.
“And?” Edna paused, waiting for my reply.
“And we are engaged to be married. He has gone to California, however, to pan for gold. He is among a group of men from New York that left yesterday morning. He promises to be back for the baby.” I cried when I said this out loud, acknowledging my predicament.
“Shall we talk about the baby then? Have you any idea when he or she is due?”
“I haven’t been to the doctor, but I think I have less than five months to go.”
“A Christmas baby then, that will do just fine.” Edna became lost in thought for a moment envisioning all the booties, blankets, and sweaters she would need to knit.
“Yes, a Christmas baby! I hadn’t really thought of that. Edna, he left because Pap told him he wasn’t worthy of me, he wouldn’t be able to provide for me. Does Pap really think that way?”
“Well, he worries about you, marrying someone without family ties, without any way to pay bills and provide, let alone provide as we have.” She wasn’t being pretentious just honest.
“He is the love of my life, Edna, can’t that be enough?”
“Ahh, young love, it’s a beautiful thing, but it doesn’t pay the bills or buy clothing for the baby does it? And what of your dreams, Mary, you have wanted to be a teacher…now what?”
“Nothing is more important to me now than this baby and Sonya. But I plan on talking to Miss Kate and getting her thoughts. I wonder if I can graduate through a written exam before the baby’s arrival. I am ahead in my studies and feel confident I will pass.”
The door flew open and a woman carrying a basket full of glass bottles entered.
“Pardon me, Edna; I didn’t know you had company.”
“Gert, this is Mary. Mary, this is our friend, Gert, she is staying with Edmund and Sarah at the moment.”
I felt a funny pang in my gut at the mention of Edmund’s name. I had much to explain to him and owed him an apology.
“Goodness, I am so sorry for intruding; I just wished to share the good news! I will come back!” the beautiful woman turned to leave.
“Gert, stay, join us.” Edna invited her to sit and take tea.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Mary; Edmund, Sarah, and Edna have told me so much about you.” She sipped her tea and I noted her remarkable smell.
“Excuse me if this sounds strange, but you smell lovely!” It was hard not to notice the sweet smell of roses emanating from the woman.
“Thank you, here, have some rose milk for your bath,” she rummaged through her basket to pull out a bottle full of rose milk, and then she gave me rose infused lotion. I could hardly wait to bathe this afternoon. “I have been making these for a while now in Sarah’s kitchen, and you’ll never believe what Edmund has done for me!”
“What?” Edna and I chimed together.
“He has secured a lease on a property in town, with help from his parents, where I can sell my products and live for the time being! Isn’t that wonderful? Now I will have my own kitchen for experiments and an actual storefront. We are calling it Heaven Scents. The young lady before me was strikingly beautiful and very energetic: it was palpable and contagious.
“I can hardly wait to see it; please, Gert, let me know if I can help you get ready.” I needed something to take my mind off Scotty.
“I am going to town now to take an inventory of the space. Would you ladies like to join me?” She asked eagerly.
Edna said she would love to see the space and agreed to take Sonya so I could take a quick rest, and would follow later.
I undressed and added a quarter of the rose milk to the running water. I dunked my big toe in to test the temperature, the water was seething hot, just as I liked it and the fragrant aroma filled the room. I unpinned my hair and sunk into the tub laying my head back on the pillow propped against the porcelain. I relaxed. I didn’t ordinarily care much for perfumes or scents, or even lotions but the pregnancy made my senses more keen and everything more vibrant. The bath felt nourishing and resplendent, normally I was in and out of the water quickly, but today I would relish the luxury. I could feel the baby move, she rather enjoyed bath time. My body was filling out and changing daily, my breasts were full and heavy now, my middle tightening and showing signs of stretch marks already. I thought of baby names, wondered at its sex and closed my eyes, welcoming the quiet. How did I want to raise this child? What kind of parent would I be? Edna was an encouraging influence; she had the patience of a saint. She used to spend countless hours with me while I sewed crooked stitches, or stumbled over words in a poem we were memorizing together. Pap on the other hand was fairly stern, he was a stickler for manners and wanted everything organized and in its place. It took him many years to accept me for who I was. He realized finally that while you could take the girl out of the city, you were less likely to take the city out of the girl. I grew up hungry, even on our farm, we ate what we grew and if we had a bad crop we went hungry. We always had eggs from the hens, but if it was a lean year we butchered our chickens and ate every last bit of them. Da would scramble to find odd jobs to earn enough money for sacks of oats, flour, sugar, and if we were lucky there was coffee. I fondly recalled a Christmas when Mama received a tin of herbal tea; it was her only gift that year. Da made me a wooden top to spin and he went with out, but it was a merry Christmas for him because he knew his girls had something to enjoy. Pap didn’t understand my need to clean my plate and ask for seconds or thirds, or why I would pick from his plate or Edna’s. I never felt full. I hated waste and actually grew chunky as a young girl. Pap finally had enough and threatened me with a fork, I thought he was going to stab me for certain but withdrew my hand from his plate faster than he could propel the utensil towards me. “No more,” he said and I got the message. Pap also grew weary of my lack of concern over my appearance. I had given up on my untamed red curls that frizzed whenever it was damp. I never wore a bonnet in town and while women gave me sideways glances, I didn’t care. I much preferred letting my hair flow freely, not fussing over it the way women did. I wasn’t certain why appearance mattered so much, my mama always taught me it was what was inside that truly mattered. I preferred trousers to dresses and wore them around the house whenever I came home from school. Going against the grain of society I took off the layers of dress, corset, slip, and undergarment and donned the holey trousers and well-worn dress shirt Pap lent me years ago when I helped Scotty on the farm. I was far more comfortable this way. Pap rolled his eyes at me when he walked through the door and Edna told him to “leave her alone” but the shake of his head said it all. I failed to please him. When I was younger we would walk through town and I would hack up loogies just like the men, he admonished me something fierce, scolding me in front of the townsfolk for my poor manners. Why was it okay for the men to spit, or chew or smoke pipes but not the women? When I was with Scotty I smoked on his pipe and spit when I pleased and he accepted me with my unruly hair, bridge of freckles across my nose and lack of manners.
I didn’t know if I would be a stickler for rules and organization, but I knew I didn’t want this child to go hungry and ever feel the pangs that came with it. Mama used to brew nettle tea to curb our hunger and Mrs. Canter had her boys eat tissues on occasions when their bellies were growling from lack of food. I would have to work; I would complete my studies and get a teaching degree one way or another in order to provide for my child. Ours would be an atypical household, most of the women in Binghamton that had children stayed home to rear them. The men went off to work after breakfast and came home to a steaming hot plate of food at the end of the day. Our life would be
far less traditional, my child would be reared by Edna, Pap, Sarah, Edmund, and I until Scotty came home, it would be a group effort, I hoped.
The water was getting colder now so I stepped out of the tub and reached for a towel that no longer wrapped all the way around my body. I was startled by a knock on the bathroom door. I knew Edna and Sonya would be gone for hours and Pap was out of town for work. I scrambled to dry off while asking, “Who is it?”
“It’s me. Scotty.”
I dropped the towel, unlatched the door, not caring that I was fully exposed and dripping wet. I threw my arms around Scotty, noting his look of concern.
“You’re back!” I was soaking him thoroughly but neither of us cared. I grabbed him, pulling him into the bathroom and locked the door.
“I am, if you’ll have me.”
“Why did you leave? I was so worried and mad, I don’t want this baby to grow up without its father.”
“I know. I thought going west and striking it rich would be the only way to earn Pap’s good graces, but then you know what? I was sitting at the train depot and thought, screw Pap, screw them all, this is my baby and I don’t give a shit what anyone other than Mary thinks of me.”
“So you never got on the train?”
“No, I sold my fare and pots and pans and headed back to Pauli’s but you had already left. I discussed the situation with them and we put our heads together. I don’t care what Pap thinks of me, but I do want to provide for you.”
Scott took me in; he scanned my growing belling and enlarging breasts, groping them with fascination.
“We will figure it out together. The only thing I truly need is you, all the rest I can live without.”
“Well, you may not have too. I brought Candy and Pauli with me to look at the farm, if they like it they would be willing to sell the shop in New York and help me to purchase and work the place. Candy thinks she would enjoy getting out of the city and they both want to be close to the baby. Pauli got a kick out of the idea of milking cows, mucking stalls and said he was willing to put in the hard work. They think they can get over two thousand dollars for their storefront and all its merchandise. That would enable us to buy the farm outright and they would have extra for travel, which they also want to do.”