It had been a busy few days at the theatre, all week P.T had construction men delivering and building things.
Now the theatre was almost complete and ready for use, it had a large performing ring, a working rig with trapeze equipment suspended in the air, curtains they could open and close and lots of props, cages filled with animals, things needed for each oddities' acts.
P.T had asked W.D, Constantine and this really strong German guy Klaus to help him set up the theatre that day and so P.T stood in the ring ordering the boys around.
Anne was there of course, sat out of the way in one of the chairs as she watched W.D lifting heavy props and moving them behind the curtain at the back of the theatre.
Lettie had decided to join her and keep her company, she had tried to initiate a friendship with Anne that week but Anne was not making it easy.
It's not that she didn't want to be friends with Lettie, she didn't mean to be rude, she was just nervous around new people especially ones of pale complexion.
She wasn't supposed to look at white folk let alone befriend them. She didn't know what to make of Lettie, she was loud and confident and bubbly and Anne was the opposite.
Lettie didn't appear at all put out by Anne's shy, refined nature, however.
The two girls sat side by side Anne focussing on W.D and fidgeting with her shirt nervously, she listened to Lettie as she told Anne about what she and Charles had heard P.T telling Charity about the show.
Anne hummed distractedly as she watched W.D, "Anne?" Lettie asked.
"mhm?" Anne asked, still turned away from Lettie, "you still haven't told me, where are you from?" Lettie asked.
Anne's face changed to a slightly troubled expression, she didn't like opening up to anyone about anything, even something as small as her ethnicity. It was pretty clear she was African, revealing where in Africa shouldn't be a big deal but for Anne it was.
Anne lowered her head, her hands shifting to the underneath of the chair she sat on. She gripped the seat tightly and furrowed her eyebrows, "Africa" she said shortly.
Lettie nodded, "yes, but where?" She asked, Anne glanced at W.D, he was looking over in confusion.
He had spotted Anne's discomfort, he was contemplating going over but Anne shook her head.
He gave her a look that soothed her immediately, restoring her shaking confidence.
Lettie noticed Anne's hesitation, "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that if you do not wish to".
Anne shook her head, raising it slightly, "it's okay, you didn't mean anything by it. The truth is I'm not entirely sure, W.D told me our mother is from Zimbabwe, so there I suppose" she said quietly.
Lettie leaned forward, "Zimbabwe, what an exotic name" she marvelled.
Anne laughed lightly, "Zimbabwe represents a contracted form of dzimba-hwe, which means venerated houses in the Zezuru dialect of Shona, Shona being the spoken language of Zimbabwe, it usually references important chief's huts", she turned and looked at Lettie, her eyes focussed on a fixed spot just past Lettie's shoulder.
"Do you and W.D speak Shona?" Lettie asked, Anne nodded, "we speak Shona, English and French, we grew up in New Orleans where-" she stopped herself, "where most people speak French" she covered quickly.
Lettie cocked her head, "can I ask you something?" She asked.
This statement sent anxiety coursing through Anne's chest, squeezing her lungs but on the outside she looked calm and indifferent, "okay" Anne nodded.
"Why won't you look me in the eye?" She asked.
Anne's heart stopped, her mouth ran dry, her head dipped once again, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude I just- I can't" she whispered.
Lettie bent to look at Anne, "what do you mean you can't? Why not?" She asked.
Lettie had never met a black person before, she hadn't grown up around racial stereotypes, she didn't have the built-in conception that black people weren't as good as white.
She was confused by Anne's refusal to look anyone in the eye, she had noticed whenever Anne would look at someone she would look just past them, over their shoulder or above their head, Lettie didn't understand why she did this.
Anne frowned in confusion, "what do you mean why? You're white" she said.
Lettie pulled her head back, "yes?" She urged.
Anne looked at the woman's face, not her eyes but she looked at the puzzled look Lettie held, "black folk aren't supposed to look your kind in the eye" Anne said as if it were obvious.
Lettie frowned, clearly having never heard of this rule, "why?" She questioned.
Anne wasn't sure to answer that, she had asked her brother plenty of times herself. Why wasn't she supposed to look white folk in the eye?
"We're not as important as your kind, we don't have the same rights, we're barely considered people" Anne said darkly.
Lettie gasped and covered her mouth, "that's horrible, why?" She asked.
Anne sighed in exasperation, she didn't have the answer to these questions, "I don't know, it's always been this way".
Lettie took Anne's hand, she flinched slightly but didn't pull away, "Anne, I don't care how you're treated out there, in here you are safe and loved. You're my friend and you matter to me, so please. Just look at me" Lettie said softly, there was such passion in her voice.
Anne swallowed thickly and slowly raised her eyes to meet Lettie's. They were so different to how she imagined they would be, she had imagine piercing harsh eyes but instead she was met with a gentle caring gaze held by warm hazel eyes.
Anne's palms sweated and her breathing increased as her heart raced, "I'm your- friend?" Anne asked.
Lettie smiled, a genuine kind smile, "of course you are, if you would like?", Anne allowed herself to smile too, "I would love that, I've never had a real friend before".
The two women sat together sharing an intimate moment that Anne would never forget before the silence was broken, "Anne?" W.D called.
His voice was hard and defensive, he had seen Anne looking at Lettie in the eyes, he stood a few feet away.
Anne turned to look at him, her smile dropped when she saw the serious look on his face, he looked between Anne and Lettie, his arms crossed over his chest, "it's time to go" he said harshly.
Anne looked at Lettie, "but-" she protested, W.D uncrossed his arms and pointed at the floor, "it's time to go" he repeated louder.
Anne stood, "goodbye Lettie" she said quickly before hurrying over to W.D, he grabbed her by the arm and tugged her away in the direction of their room.
"What the hell were you thinking? What did I tell you?" He asked.
Anne lowered her head in shame, "never look a white person in the eyes" she mumbled.
"So what were you doing?" He asked angrily.
Anne shook her head, "W.D, Lettie is different, she wants to be my friend" she argued.
W.D stopped in his tracks and looked at her with an angry look on his face, "she isn't different, white people are all the same. They just want to hurt us, I told you to keep your guard up. You are not to be friends with that woman".