Part 4

Within a few hours, the sun was up. I made us some breakfast and we sat in silence trying to listen for any crying out in the distance. We couldn't really hear it, but we felt it in our spirits. As he was about to put a spoon full of grits to his lips, Daddy paused and sighed some before putting his spoon down.

"I've had some time to think last night and I think you should marry Pastor Abraham's son." he said. I lifted my head to look at him and when I opened my mouth to protest, he raised his hand shaking his head. "Now don't argue with me girl. It's time you get married and start a family of your own."

"I don't know Miles Rockwell." I said and he shook his head.

"Don't matter. You will get to know him and then in a few months' time ya'll be married." he said.

"Is that how it was with you and momma? Did she want to marry you or was she forced?" I asked.

"Yes she wanted to marry me!" he snapped hitting his fist on the table making me jump. I just tucked my hands under the table between my legs just looking down. "Look Velvet, yesterday got me thinkin'. I left you here by yourself and I hated every second of it. If you were married you'd be surrounded by your husband and his kin. You'd be safe when things got crazy." Never if. Always when.

"I can be safe with the man I choose to marry." I protested lowly looking at my plate not wanting to see him frowning at my defiancee. Daddy ran his hands down his face.

"Last year you had five men lined up to marry you. You're not getting any younger, Velvet. Now we can't put this off any longer. Soon you'll be in your thirties. Now how's that gon' look? You in your thirties, no husband or kids?" I looked down in thought of his words not answering. It's true I was twenty-six now. I should have been married years ago, but luckily I still looked young and was still apparently desired by many of young men in our small town. But it's not like I knew a thing about being a wife. I didn't have a mom to teach me and Miss Hattie said it was like being a maid to a man and I definitely did not want to be anyone's maid. And it wasn't like I could speak to my dad about any thing girl related. After a few seconds of not responding, Daddy just shook his head before wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"I'll be talking to Pastor Abraham Sunday after church about this." he said. I just gave a short nod. "Now I gotta head out to the field. Your car runs good now so I put three pies in passenger's seat. Take em over to Forrest Bondurant's gas station. He'll be expecting you. They're from the Conwell family, a thank you gift for some type of exchange. I said you'd bring em to them." I just nodded. After Daddy left, I merely washed the dishes and got dressed in a peach gown. I braided my hair back into two braids and hurried out to my car. I got in and took off down the road. I kept my eyes on the road, literally. I didn't want to look up at the trees and see someone swinging. I saw it once before and even though it was a glimpse, it still haunted my mind. But that was the least of my problems now. Marriage to Miles Rockwell and be Velvet Rockwell? Is this really what Lucinda looked forward to? I'd have to talk to her about this. I was sure no matter how miserable i was going to be, she'd only be excited.

I looked at the pies in the seat beside me. They looked good. The Bondurant's gas station also had a small diner. I've seen it in passing a few times. Usually I'd be walking and the Bondurant's truck would pass me by. All three boys would glance at me, Howard longer than the others. Oh lord now I remembered his question from yesterday. Maybe it was a joke. But who would joke during such a serious time? I shook my head. What if he was there? I groaned now. I arrived at the gas station and I could see Forrest sitting in an old chair out in the front. I cut off my car and got out.

"Morning Mr. Bondurant." I replied to the older man, and he gave me a mild scowl, his eyes saying "don't ever call me Mr. again".

"Velvet." he said after a low hum. I nodded and walked over to the other side of the car and brought out the pies.

"Um, I was told to deliver these pies to you from the Conwells." I replied. He looked at me with disinterest sipping his drink.

"Mmm. Well go on and bring them to Howard." he said, and I looked at the front doors of the gas station before looking around some.

"You want me to bring them in from around the back?" I asked. That's normally where colored folk were supposed to do any business with white business owners. Forrest looked at me with a mild squint.

"Do you see a whites only sign on my buildin'?" he asked calmly. I still tensed and looked at the front of the store. I looked it over and sure enough I didn't see one. I shook my head. "Howard is in the back splittin' wood. You can bring it around the back." I just nodded and moved toward the back.

"Okay." I replied.

"Velvet." he called, and I stopped and looked at him.

"Yes?" I asked and he just sipped his drink calmly.

"This place ain't segregated. Hell we've known each other since we were kids. You go in through the front when you want and no one will bother you." he said. He sounded like Howard. It sounded like a promise. I gave a comfortable smile and nodded.

"Alright." I said and turned and made my way to the back of the station. I looked to my left at the large shed house that had their jalopies and trucks in it. A sign above said auto repairs. Some of the cars were parked outside. I noticed a boy with lame feet, Cricket hobbling out now. He saw me and smiled waving at me.

"Hi Velvet! Those pies?" he asked. I smiled and nodded holding them up.

"Sure are! You should come get you some!" I replied, and he smiled even wider at that. Miss Hattie used to work for Cricket's Aunt Winnie when she was still all there. I would come with her to help clean the house and cook food. She wasn't very nice, but Miss Hattie always kept me out of her line of sight. She said the N word a lot.

As I made my way to the back of the station, I could hear banging. Once I rounded the corner, I saw a white back glistening, the muscles tightening as large arms came down to split wood. I just paused and watched Howard's body move. He was only in pants and black boots. I blinked rapidly my eyes slowly moving over his body. The wood split in one chop. He leaned over and picked up another log, put it up, then split it in half with one swing. I watched him do this for a few seconds as he finally stopped and sways back some wiping his forehead with his arm. He paused for a moment then suddenly whipped his head around making me jump some, but not enough to drop the pies. Howard's eyes seemed to come to life as he smiled.

"Velvet." he said turning to me finally and walking to me. I just looked at his body. He didn't have a beer belly, instead he had muscle. His arms were large too. I'd never seen a man without a shirt before, let alone a white man. Something definitely came to life inside my body.

"You okay?" I looked up at him and nodded.

"Yes. Um, I- I was told to bring you these pies from the Conwells." I replied. He smiled down at the pies, putting the ax down and moving to grab one of his collared shirts. I watched his back the entire time he moved. Once the shirt was on the spell seemed to be broken over me.

"Oh that's great! Betty Conwell makes some good pies!" he said turning to face me again. He gave a suspicious look to me.

"You sure you're okay… you didn't have any trouble at your place, did you?" he asked worried and I shook my head.

"No. We're fine. Here." I replied holding the pies out to him. His smile faded as he reached out to take the pies, his hands resting over mine. I tensed at his hands some as he looked back up at me.

"Why don't you stay and have some with us, meet the new girl here." he suggested. My lips parted to speak, but no words came for a second.

"I shouldn't." I replied. He looked confused pointing back to the door.

"Colored people are allowed in we aren't segregated. No one will bother you." he said. I looked away shaking my head.

"Not until they're in the same room as me." I said moving back, but his hands reached for my wrists to hold me gently.

"Velvet, please." he said gently, and I looked up at him trying my hardest not to look down at his exposed chest. But there were no cars in the front. That meant if anyone was inside, they were from around here. He smiled innocently and begged with his eyes. I couldn't help but notice his begging face was kind of… cute.

"Please. Please. Please." he started to playfully chant. Finally, I nodded.

"Okay fine." I replied, and he gave a big smile before turning and leading me inside through the back. There were spare rooms where I knew the famous Bondurant's slept. I knew Howard had a farm. I would expect popular bootleggers like them had houses. I followed through the hall until we were out in the front. To the left were a few empty tables. One guy was there, but he seemed to be passed out at his table. To my right was the bar where I saw a red-haired woman wiping bar itself. She had an hour glass figure and was really pretty. But most white women were. Howard walked up to the bar.

"Hope you like pie." he blurted to the woman who looked at him and them me with curious eyes.

"Who's this?" she asked. Howard waved me over. I just moved over toward him and he took the pies from me.

"Maggie this here is Velvet Turner. Velvet, Maggie Beauford." he said. I nodded at her with a respectful smile while she shot Howard a smirk.

"Hello." I replied. She smiled warmly at me.

"Hi Velvet. Nice to meet you." she said leaning over the bar to reach her hand out to me. I tried not to look too stunned by the gesture. Not like it was taboo or anything but she seemed out of place here. Was she a city girl? I leaned over and shook her hand and she continued to smile before leaning back over the bar.

"Nice to meet you too." I replied. Howard just smiled at us both and Maggie looked at the boxed pies.

"Well let's get some plates and have some pies. We got some milk in the fridge." she said and walked down the bar and pulled out some white plates. Howard motioned for me to sit beside him and so I did. He just shot me a grin and I just shook my head at his goofiness. Maggie brought us the plates and forks. I looked around the place.

"Well I see two Bondurant brothers. Where's your baby brother?" I asked.

"Probably out causing trouble somewhere." Howard replied taking a plate form Maggie. She handed me one as well. Even though it was just us three, plus the passed-out guy in the back, it still felt mildly strange being here. I still felt like I shouldn't be here. But I did my best to not let my uncomfortableness show too much as Maggie cut some slices of chocolate pie and put them on our plates.

"I'll go see if Forrest wants a slice." she said moving around the bar with a plate in her hand.

"Wait, Maggie our milk." Howard called out.

"You know where it's at." she said. A woman actually wanting to be around Forrest. That was truly a sight. I turned my attention back to my slice of pie and started to take a bite. It was definitely good. Howard got up leaning over me some.

"I guess I will get us some milk then." he said and walked behind the bar. I just looked around some for a moment before going back to my pie. "So now that things are calm now… I was wondering if, I don't know, maybe you'd want to do something sometime." I glanced up at him with an arched brow.

"Do something? Like what?" I asked as he came back around with some milk and two glasses. He shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe go on a picnic or something?" he asked, yet his tone lowered some as asked. I leaned in some.

"A picnic?" I asked as he poured us both some milk. He shrugged.

"Yeah or maybe go swimming at the lake." he suggested coming back around and sitting down beside me. Now he began to eat his pie. I thought about his words for a second.

"I don't think that would be a good idea." I replied. His eyes sharpened on me.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Why would you want to do anything with me… hell why would you ask to court me? You know you'd have to ask my father and you know he would say no." I replied.

"You don't know that." he said sniffling some as he drank some of his milk. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I finally looked back at my pie sighing some.

"What can we even do together… I mean anything we do in public no one would like." I said. Howard looked at me shaking his head.

"Fuck them. I don't care what they think." he said. I looked up at him worriedly now.

"But I don't get that luxury in my world." I said softly. His eyes softened on me now and I just looked away my appetite gone. "It's just best we stick with our kind." I got up from the bar and headed to the door..

"Velvet wai-" Howard called, but I was already out the door.

"Bye Maggie, bye Forrest." I replied moving to my car and hurrying and getting in and speeding off.

Howard's POV

Hell I was bigger than this girl, I should have been able to chase her down and stop her from leaving. Stick with our kind? I couldn't even think of that. We were both farmer's kids. We worked for everything we had, our families. We were the same. I saw no "kinds" but I knew she… didn't have that luxury in her world. I made it to the front of the bar only to see her driving off. Maggie looked at me confused.

"Fuck." I said under my breath.

"What'd you say to her this time, Howard?" Forrest asked, glancing up at me, and I looked at him and then out at the car.

"I was trying to court her." I replied. Maggie's eyes flexed and Forrest scoffed.

"You know better than that." he said. I frowned at him.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I asked not expecting that from him. Forrest looked at me with his usual glare.

"What I just said. Velvet is a nice girl and I know you have… an affinity for the coloreds here, but you can't go around trying to talk to their women, not like that, not around here." he said. I could feel the rage boiling inside me as I started to walk back and forth on the front porch. Maggie watched me almost looking concerned.

"You really like that girl don't you?" she asked.

"Since we were little kids." Forrest answered for me. "Prettiest girl in their community: not married or with kids. Sooner or later her daddy's gonna get her married."

My nose twitched at the thought. No. Ain't no way I was going to let that happen. I had to see her again. I had to make my move. I finally realized something. She was staring at me a lot in the back, looking down at my body when I was cutting wood. She was staring hard. I looked at Maggie.

"When you like a shirtless guys body, you stare at them don't you?" I blurted and Maggie's cheeks reddened some as she glanced at Forrest then looked down at the ground.

"Yes, women do that sometimes." she replied. My eyes looked out into the distance at the idea I was having. I knew I wasn't seeing things. She liked me. She liked the sight of me, she's just too afraid to show it. I understood her fear and it was time i help shed those fears.

"Howard whatever it is you're thinking, stop. You ain't right when you've been thinking." Forrest replied. But I just turned and headed back inside. With great speed, I walked around the bar not really noticing Cricket eating some pie and drinking my cup of milk. I moved over the phone that was in the back and began to turn the rotary dial. Luckily, I know a lot of the farmer's numbers well of those who had phones. I dialed the Turners. I wasn't expecting anyone to really answer, but low and behold someone did.

"Turner house, Ellis speaking." Ellis responded.

"Hey Ellis, Howard Bondurant here. I don't mean to take you away from your work, but I was wondering if I could borrow some tools of yours, a shovel and axe. I think mines have been stolen and I know your house is the closest. Was wondering if your daughter could bring them by tomorrow in the afternoon, say one?" I asked. It was silent for a moment and I began to hold my breath thinking he would shoot the idea down.

"Who'd be crazy enough to steal from a Bondurant?" he asked before laughing and I chuckled some.

"Yeah well that man will hate to meet me when I finally catch him." I replied.

"Yeah he would… sure I'll send Velvet over tomorrow to you." he said. I smiled wide.

"Thanks Ellis. Good bye." I replied and hung up. I turned and immediately saw Forrest just standing there shaking his head from the other side of the bar.

"Mmm." he replied and began to walk away. I frowned and hurried around the bar following.

"Hey I don't need you to like what I do, but you gon' respect it." I said. There was no way I was going to have my little brother looking his nose down at me. Forrest paused and looked up at me with a frown. "You ain't gotta worry about me." But Forrest shook his head pointing at the door.

"No big brother I ain't ever worried about you. If anything, I'd be worried about her." he said. My body tightened at his words.

"You know I'd never let anything happen to her." I said.

"Yeah? Prove it. Because once you start this, you better be ready for what comes next." he said and turned walking into the back.