"Ms. Howard? Is it?" I turned to see Gabriel how handsome he is, and how immature he
was I touched my mouth I still remember that tea, turning around I suck in a breath, "You
know who I am, Gabriel Martin. The last time you saw me I was 11 and you put ink in
my tea."
He coughed, "Oh, I believe that was one of my younger brothers, perhaps
Samuel or Nathan." Denial?
"It was you. And it turned my teeth black for a month."
My father was furious and my mother thought I had ate too many blackberries, glad it
actually came out.
"Well…. I…um"
my he hasn't gotten any braver, is he stuttering? Nothing to say. I listen to the fireworks
and my father rave and rally up the people of Boston and South Carolina, my father
Peter Howard had lost his leg and hearing in his left ear to the French Indian war, besides
being deaf and a cripple he and my mother have made it well, I have only one love
Gabriel Martin and that shall remain secret for now. Ever since he first made an
appearance in my life I thought he was handsome but only when I was eleven did he
really make a mark on me, and my teeth, North Carolina is now at a vote, to fight or to
stand, personally I see points in both parties, taxation without representation is wrong as
it is but then having a tyrant three million miles away is like the one who sleeps next to
my mother in bed every night.
But then what must I know I am only a woman and at this point no one's fighting for
women's rights so we as females have no voice, 'feel free to sit in on the meetings ladies
if that but keep your mouths pinned shut' I want to laugh at the man who is saying that
cause one day a woman is going to give her opinion weather a man likes it or not, but it
won't be me, I know I talk like a patriot like I know it all but I'll admit I haven't a clue
sure why not? I mean why lie; it does no justice.
"Hallelujah, now you may be seated" we sat in the church pews in which we had stood in
front of just moments ago, suddenly the doors of the church opened to reveal Gabriel my
heart pounded and my hands got clammy, Reverend Oliver looked at Gabriel from his
high stand in front of the congregation, "young man you have entered the house of god"
Gabriel sighed, "I know Reverend, I have come to South Carolina to recruited any man
willing to serve in the rebel army" whispers went up among the men, "Sir" Oliver looked
at Gabriel, "son none of us want war, hasn't our little town been through enough?"
Gabriel looked hesitant to answer, "Are you guys all cowards?" before I knew it I was on
my feet and the words escaped my lips, "the lot of you talking about freedom and how
you will obtain it in any means possible and now look at ya, bunch of hypocritical
cowards, are ya really gonna sit there when this young man has given you a chance for
you to help in the partaking of your freedom? You guys talk and talk about how if a
chance like this came up you would take it, and now here it is, who's with him?" row by
row men stood, a smile spread to Gabriel's face as he looked my way, have I won his
affections? My father wore a worried look but it gradually faded as he knew what the
reward would be. So there we stood across the room from the other just glancing at each
other.
Outside the church me and my parents stood, Gabriel rode by, "Mr. Howard may I have
permission to write Anne?"
"What was that?" I sighed, "yes" my father looked at me, "does he have permission to
write me?" my father nodded, "As you wish" Gabriel smiled and climbed up on his horse
giving me a little wave, and was off, I stood there looking at him until he was just a speck
in the distance.