I*~*IThe Locket I*~*I
Thank you for your support and reading! If you're interested, I just updated this story with a new chapter. I'm a little behind with updates at FF because it takes time to post and load. And I love having people read this story here, but if you want to read the most up to date chapters now, just click on my profile and then my homepage link. You can find it there. Thanks!
Author Note: At this point the story starts taking on some historical dark issues of this historical time period. Once again this time was labeled The Gilded Age for good reason, because while some prospered others were in deep poverty and worked in conditions that couldn't last. I've researched a lot of this on the net in books and such, so I'll be as accurate as I can be. Of course though it's a fictional piece so it'll reflect that too. And there's always human error. Thanks for understanding.
Note: There are some flashbacks in this part and they're marked by full italics and my little symbols I use.
I*~*I
I*~*I Halen took the stories to two years later, telling of a hard decision his mother had to make, a decision that would deeply affect his father…I*~*I
I*~*I The Locket I*~*I
I*~*I Part V…The Apology I*~*I
I*~*I North Carolina, town area, 1884 I*~*I
She approached the gray building, her footsteps slow, hesitant. They contrasted the determination of her mind. She raised her head, straining her neck to see the top of the building, just as gray. It was almost windowless. Turning around, she saw Tree Hill, all pretty, all full of nature and so many pine cones to collect. In the other direction, she saw her school, at the top of a small hill. It was a reddish brown building, with one big room for all the children. Turning away from both places, she headed up the steps of the gray building.
Going inside, she could hear noise coming from a bit afar. She knew that noise. She had heard it before. Walking over a cement floor, she noticed two rooms off to the side. One said, "The Manager." Biting down on her bottom lip, she headed to it. Turning around nervously, she hesitated. She wasn't so sure about this now.
But as she remembered that morning…
I*~*I "Well Mrs. Brown?"
"I'm sorry Haley Honey. Your Mama's not going to be able to work today. She's too ill. She has fever again."
Haley looked down at the ground, before she nodded her head. "Thank you…Mrs. Brown? Will you please be so kind as to get her some more cloths to cool her down some?"
"Yes Honey…of course."
Haley looked down at her sleeping Mama as Mrs. Brown left the room for a moment to go get some more cold wraps. She reached for her Mama's hand, holding it in hers. "I promise Mama…I'm going to make it better. You won't have to work as much no more. You'll get to rest Mama…I'll make sure of it." I*~*I
"Yes? What do you want girl?"
Haley stilled as she noticed now the man had opened his office door and was looking down at her, an impatient look on his fat face. Feeling even more nervous, she spoke shakily. "S-sir i-if you c-could-
The man frowned. "Well don't stammer girl! What are you here for?" He scrutinized her now, focusing on one part of her features. "Wait a minute…let me see those hands girl."
Haley shivered. He was looking at her with so much interest now, the interest someone would give to a work horse. She brought her hands out and this time spoke much more firmly. "I want to make a deal with you sir…Mr. Manager."
The man's eyebrows came up at that. "Oh you do girl, huh? And what kind of deal are you thinking about? I'm not in the habit of making deals with snot nosed children."
Haley pulled her hands back now, folding them behind her back, not wanting to feel the pressure of his cold rough hands anymore. She didn't like the man that much. He looked to be only about one thing. He looked greedy and mean. But she needed his help. She needed it for her Mama. If she could make this deal with him…
"Sir, I will work for you. I will come days and work for you…I only ask you for this favor. You make it so my Mama can stay home some more, not work so much."
The man frowned, shaking his head. "And who is your Mama, girl?"
"Her name is Lynette James, Sir."
"Hmph. That lazy woman didn't even come to work today."
Before she could control herself, Haley's voice rose, her hands fixing on her waist. "My Mama is not lazy!" Seeing the man's eyes widen now, she bit down on her bottom lip. She knew better. Knew to bite her tongue with adults like this. It was just so hard to stay quiet sometimes, especially when someone insulted her Mama. It was so hard, even at eleven years old.
Still, she knew she had to do what was right…for her Mama. "I'm sorry Sir. Please pardon my rudeness." She bowed her head, her hands clasping together in front of the plain brown dress she was wearing, the material worn, but clean.
"Right you should be girl. Now get on your way!"
She didn't turn around to leave as he told her to do. She instead spoke more plaintively. "Please sir…I only ask you let me work for you. I have small hands…I know for this kind of work small hands are good. My fingers…see them sir. I work good…I work fast sir. I am a child, but I am also eleven years old sir. I learn things fast. I'm good at school." Feeling a tear coming down her face, she furiously wiped it away and moved closer to the man, pulling at his jacket, before letting go. "Please sir. My Mama is not lazy. She is a good worker, but sir…the work is hard. The hours are long."
The man bent down now, his look mean and angry. Haley struggled to not look away. To not run away.
"You complaining girl? You should feel darn lucky I give your Mama a job. This is a good place I run here…good place. And what can you do? You know anything about mill work?"
Haley slowly shook her head. "No sir. But like I said, I can learn. And I'll not complain. I promise I won't. I just ask that you let me work days."
"Ain't you going to school?"
She was. She loved school. She wished she could keep going. She wished…
Haley reached for her locket under her dress, squeezing it in her hand.
She wished that Papa hadn't had to go away…too early Papa went to Heaven.
"Yes sir, but I'll not go on days I must work here. I want to work…for you sir. I only ask you one more favor. You not tell my Mama, please sir. You let her work less hours, but give her the money. You pay her sir. I'm not asking you pay me. Just please pay my Mama so we can have food to eat and…I will work for you sir on the days when my Mama can't. I will do what I must to let her rest."
The man frowned. He wasn't moved at all, wasn't much caring. He'd dealt with enough after the war, losing his plantation and then having to start this mill. He was resentful. Resentful of the north for all their meddling in the south's business. Resentful for not having the kind of money he had before the war. Resentful of what he had lost. He felt someone owed him so it made no difference to him that others might be even poorer. He was only concerned about himself. And right now he was more than willing to take advantage of the situation. This little girl had brought up some very important points. This little girl gave him a very interesting…beneficial idea. Beneficial for himself anyway.
"Well…since you're just a child, you will have to work double to get the money your Mama would make. Tell you what…any day your Mama can't work you come here and you do her work. I'll let her keep her job then even after those days she's lazy…SICK. You will just do the work for her, and I'll pay her the money, small as it may be. You're just a child…you want the same amount…you'll have to do as I said before, double the work.. For one or two years we will do this. Then you will come to work for me. You're of age girl. Your hands are still small though, making you good for mill work. You will start working for me then, full time, and I'll have a friend of mine have your Mama work at his factory. No good to have the two of you working together. I'll get to keep you…young one that has small hands, and my friend will be in charge of your Mama."
Haley swallowed hard. "But sir?"
"That's the deal girl or you walk out of here now and your Mama…she has no job."
"BUT SIR THAT'S NOT FAIR!"
The man reached out and grabbed Haley's wrist. She winced and tried to pull away. She was scared now. "I'm sorry sir…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell out. That's just not fair though."
The man smiled cruelly, but let go of her wrist. "You want work? You shut your mouth and you do it the way I say. I can tell you stories about FAIRNESS…stories of that blasted war that took away all my money…took away my family. It's a cruel world girl. Get used to it. Now you want work…you realize one thing. You work for me. You DO what I say. You have NO say. You want a deal…well I've made it. Your Mama doesn't come to work one more time because of her lazy sickness and she will lose her job. And girl…you will have NOTHING to eat. You think about that."
A tear fell down Haley's face. She turned around so the man wouldn't see it…the cruel evil man. She didn't like him. He was so mean, but she knew not what else she could do. She had come to make a deal to help her Mama and instead had threatened her Mama's job. She made a horrible thing happen…not a good one. She could only remedy it in one way. "I'll work for you sir. I'll do as you ask."
"Fine. You start today. Follow me. Pull up those sleeves. And you pay attention. You work too slow, I will find someone else to do your job. You hear?"
Haley's fingers shook, her hands clasped tightly. It would start now. She would help her Mama…
As she walked with the man…entered that place that scared her when she had just been a little girl…she knew it.
She was no little girl anymore.
She held her locket close against her heart. "Papa keep me strong…" She whispered. "Please keep me strong…"
"I hear sir."
I*~*I
"You're good at that."
Nathan turned to the girl. She was the newest girl at school. Her name was Brooke Davis. She had come from the north, lived in New York City actually before moving to the south. She was pretty, dressed more richly than any girl he'd ever seen, and she smiled a lot. At least he noticed her smiling a lot at him. It got kind of…irritating. "Thanks."
Brooke smiled more.
Nathan sighed and picked up the soft leather ball, throwing it in the air and catching it. School was back in, started a few weeks ago. It was the year of his thirteenth birthday. He'd just turned it a few months ago. His parents had thrown him a big party, inviting his friends over and all. His parents gave him a new saddle for Red and lots of new clothes too, and even some money to spend at the general store. He'd bought himself a new ball and got some new shiny horseshoes, including one to hang on his door for luck, from the local blacksmith, Keith Lawson.
"Maybe you can teach me."
He felt the girl actually touch his arm. He grimaced before turning to her. "Yeah…maybe sometime."
He moved away now, going to stand at the edge of the tall hill from where his school stood. His school had two rooms of classes and a room to have lunch too and play activities. The rooms for classes were divided by age groups. The older kids attended class in one room, the younger in the other room. This year was his second year in the room for the older kids. It wasn't too much different now being older. He still for the most part considered school a bore.
He looked down at the valley now, further onto the factories and mills. The buildings were all pretty similar, though the one his father owned, seemed the biggest. He smiled. Soon he would be working there all day. For now, he went to school for four months, and worked with his dad in the other months mostly for about a few hours a day. Soon though, he'd be working more hours. He didn't mind. He didn't like being lazy and most importantly, he'd be working with his father.
He loved his father, rarely saw any reason to not agree with him, to see wrong in him, except that day.
That day…
I*~*I "I'm not dirty!" I*~*I
He remembered now her words, her face. It was the last time, that day when she splinted his arm, he really talked to her. Sometimes he saw her now, going to school, or whatever she did. He would see her mostly when he was with his friends. They'd taunt her and he'd join in. He didn't know why. It was just the thing to do he supposed. She acted all haughty anyway. Those times he would see her, she'd just stick her nose up and not say anything to him. It just made him angrier, peasant girl…ha ha.
Once though, he'd seen her without his friends. And he'd tried…
Tried…
I~*~I "Hey…" He watched her look up from carrying a basket of eggs. He noticed her walk over a bump in the road, her balance failing right away.
"Whoa!"
He ran to catch the basket before it could go falling over.
Then he smiled. "Well, I guess you owe me a thank you now, huh?"
She only turned up her nose at his smirk and went along her way, basket back in hand.
It made him angry.
He reached out for her arm, stopping her. "Why are you so unfriendly? I was helping you out."
She frowned at that. "You tease me when you're with your friends. You're nice one time, when they're not here, and you expect me to be nice because you are. You are such a silly boy. You and your, aren't you going to say thank you? Don't you know, didn't your rich Mama and Papa teach you it's not good to do that? It's not polite. You don't expect things from people. You give acts of kindness…like gifts. You're kind for that person…not for yourself. But if you must…if you insist…fine…thank you. Now leave me alone."
"Peasant Girl."
She turned around at that, walking up to him, and looking upward as he still was much taller than her, even with her bits of growth. "Maybe I am that, but I don't have to be hurtful to feel good about myself. I don't have to have money."
She looked away after that, turned to leave, and he reached for her arm again. He hadn't understood it, but this girl, the way she talked, it was of almost an adult. She made him feel…in a way so new to him.
He started to say something…to make up for what he did, tried to anyway, but wasn't sure really what to say. He didn't want to apologize. He never felt comfortable doing that. It made him feel like he was bad or something…besides, his father never apologized for nothing. He didn't need to either.
"Look…" He hesitated and then…
"Oh forget it. I was nice, but you can't appreciate it so…so…oh I don't care."
He had left it at that, feeling weird and frustrated. He walked away, the first one this time, more than happy to get away from her big brown eyes.
Those eyes…so big… So… I*~*I
He drifted away from his memory now as a loud ringing sound interrupted his thoughts. He heard the bell being rung by the teacher, then felt Brooke holding onto his arm once more as he looked downward again…beyond the school.
"Come on Nathan. Time to go back to class."
He sighed, getting ready to go in and then saw it…saw something that made him stop and stand straighter, made his blue eyes focus sharply.
"Nathan…come on."
He turned back to Brooke now…before he started down the hill, away from the school, quickly. He departed, going away from the ringing bell sound.
"Nathan, what are you doing?" He heard Brooke coming behind him now, calling out.
"Go back to class Brooke."
"But the teacher will be looking for you!"
"I don't care." He didn't, not really. He'd find a way to get out of whatever trouble he might get in. Besides, he needed to find out what this was…about. He wanted to know what was going on.
He kept running down the hillside, ignoring Brooke's pleas to come back. He ran through the dirt, behind some of the taller grasses, and came to an area of a street of tall buildings. Scrutinizing the area, he came to the back of one, walking slowly.
I*~*I
Haley walked out the door now, breathing in and out the fresh air. It was a mostly overcast day, but she didn't care. It was still so much more pretty here outside. It smelled better. It didn't feel so much like she was in a tiny little box that she couldn't get out of.
She looked around now, before putting down the bucket she was carrying. She was supposed to put what she had in it, the multitude of pieces, in a large bin, but it wouldn't hurt to take a short rest. She deserved that much, didn't she?
She turned to look at the dark building, cringing. She wasn't as scared now as she had been that day long ago, but she still didn't like the mill.
She felt bad about her secret. Her Mama would think she was at school. She didn't like lying to her Mama, but she was so sick now. It would be good if she worked at the factory for her a few days. Then her Mama could rest.
The work was how she had thought it would be, hard. She recalled now her first moments of work. She'd met a girl with bright red curls, named Patty. The girl had been nice, showed her how to use the machine…
I*~*I "Patty…show this girl how to use the machine. Girl…"
"Haley sir. My name is Haley." "
Show her Patty."
The girl, Patty, looked at her questioningly.
Haley felt her body shaking as she took it all in, how many machines there were…how scary they all looked.
"Don't be scared." Patty spoke to her sweetly as if she could figure out the kinds of thoughts Haley was having. "It won't be all bad. It not good either, but you'll get used to it. Just keep your sleeves rolled up always. Don't want to get caught in anything. A girl got hurt a few days ago…got caught in the machine…made her arm bleed."
Haley gasped.
"Oh sorry…shouldn't told you that. Now see…you place your hands like this…and you want to twist here…"
"Thank you for showing me." Haley smiled as bravely as she could at Patty.
"Sure…now-
"NO MORE TALKING! GET TO WORK PATTY!"
Haley turned around at the booming voice. She was met with the angry eyes of a man, so many men in charge, most not looking kindly at all.
She turned away quickly and whispered to her new friend. "Can't we talk at all Patty?"
Patty shook her head. "No…not unless it be about work. You think you can learn by what I show you?"
"Yes…I think so." I*~*I
She had learned it pretty quickly. It was tedious work, but also could be dangerous. Patty was right, it was important to remember to keep her sleeves rolled. Letting them fall could be very hazardous. It could cause a hurt arm, like what had happened to that girl. It had surprised her how many children were there in the factory, some even younger than her.
Sure, she knew a lot of kids worked in the factories and mills, but she thought it was only a few maybe in each. Here in this mill there were women yes, but also children, lots of them. They worked all day, and from Patty's in between whisperings when the men weren't looking, Haley had found out, some even worked way late in the night hours.
Those men who watched over everything, and that Manager man hadn't taken her to the part where the women were working. She was glad for that. She didn't want her Mama to know she hadn't gone to school for the day, so she wanted to avoid any women her Mama might know. If one of them saw her, they would tell her Mama about her working there and she'd be in trouble, but most importantly, her Mama might stop her working and then she wouldn't be able to help her. For that reason she was glad she worked in a part of the factory far off away from those women. They would never hear of or see her.
Haley looked up at the cloudy sky, down at the bucket that still needed to be emptied before she returned to the drudgery and darkness of the mill. Slowly she got up now, picking up the bucket.
"What are you doing?"
The voice startled her. Haley dropped the bucket she was holding. She gasped as it fell to the ground. All the cotton pieces scattered, a big mess. Not even bothering to look up, she apologized immediately. She didn't want to see the man's face, whichever had come out and found her taking a break. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry sir!"
"Haley!" Nathan ran to her now and grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?"
Haley looked up and wondered how she hadn't figured it out right away. This was no man from the mill. This was that boy who took her locket, who expected thank you's all the time, like he just couldn't find enough quiet pleasure in just doing something kind for someone. He needed to hear from the person about his kindness. So insecure was he. She focused for a second on his face, then on the beginning broadness of his shoulders. Maybe that was why she hadn't realized it was just a boy speaking to her. Nathan was starting to grow more, his voice a little deeper…maybe. He was still that selfish boy though, grabbing her arm and she had work to do!
She pulled back urgently now, her face angry and determined. "LET GO MY ARM…let me go! Leave me and let me pick this up…go away!"
Her locket fell to the ground at that moment, the clasp once again breaking. She watched it fall and right then and there felt the pain enter her heart of having Papa's locket away from it. It was so much…too much. She looked down at the fallen locket, the scattered pieces of her new work, back at that dismal gray building, thought of the touch of Mama's feverish forehead, and her head fell down. Her hand sheltered her face. She didn't want him to witness her weakness. She didn't want to be teased right now. She couldn't take it.
Haunted eyes…
He wanted to break away from them, but couldn't. Not when it happened, her locket fell. Not when he saw her clutch her heart, probably not even intentionally. After hiding her face from him. His hand lessened on her arm. It reached down now for the fallen locket, holding it carefully in its grip. Why did he have this feeling if it broke anymore it would break her heart? Why did the thought of that make him shudder?
He turned to her, seeing her face still hidden from him. He pondered over her features for a moment. She was a bit bigger, just a bit though. She still was such a small, tiny thing. Way too tiny to be carrying a bucket as big as the one she'd been carrying.
He had stood there for a long moment, watching her pick it up, her arms straining, her back bending more than it should be. It was too heavy for her. Too much. He looked over her dress now. It normally was clean, but now it had smudges, her face too. He had a feeling the work she'd been doing today…had made it dirty. The work…work…what was she doing here? Shouldn't she be at school? She was too tiny a thing to be working in this mill…not when she should be at school anyway. And heck, if she couldn't be at school, if she was one of those who didn't go, then maybe working on the farm or helping with chores at home…but here…she was too small for this.
He spoke to her now in a whisper, It's all right. "It's not broken Haley…"
He thought about that. It wasn't totally true. Her locket was broken, just it hadn't gotten anymore broken in the fall. "Anymore than it already was anyway."
Haley heard his voice. It was gentle and yet sort of grown up now. All the grown up voices she had heard for the past hours had been harsh and mean. But his voice now was quietly kind. She opened her eyes, seeing the locket in his hand. He was holding it out to her, a small smile curving his lips, brightening his eyes. She smiled back now too, taking it from him. "Thank you."
He laughed slightly, a bit nervously. It was something new to him, to be unsure of himself. It wasn't totally unsettling though, just…new. "I guess that's the right way to give a kindness."
He remembered her words. That surprised her, but also strangely delighted her. She laughed now too, quietly, before she looked back at the mess she'd made. Turning away from him she started to pick all the pieces up.
Nathan reached for her arm again now, stopping her.
Haley protested, determined once again to pick up the mess. She looked fearfully at the door. One of those men could come out here any minute. They would be angry with her. She turned to Nathan, her expression hard and at the same time needing. "Nathan, let go my arm!"
The quiet moment between them was over now. He wanted to know what she was doing carrying this bucket. She was too small for it. She was too young to be working here all day. "Haley tell me, what are you doing here?"
Haley practically hissed now. "Nathan! Let me go! You'll get me in trouble!"
Nathan was unrelenting. Though he didn't hold her arm hurtfully, he did keep it in his grip, restricting her from moving. He saw how alive and strong her eyes were now, angry almost. He saw how the locket was clenched in her grip. He wanted to know what this was about. That was why he had left school for the day, ran down that hill. He had been looking over the area of the factories and mills, saw a head of cinnamon hair and immediately knew it was her, the image of her so small...carrying a bucket much too large. Too heavy. She should not be here.
He spoke almost fiercely now, confused and frustrated. "Tell me what you're doing! Don't you go to school?"
Haley only strained harder. She strained so hard that her arm scraped against his hand. She winced at the bit of pain.
Nathan let go. He watched the minute he did, she start to desperately pick up all that had fallen. "Haley, what's going on? Why are you here? Why aren't you at school?" Some kids sometimes worked a few hours at the factories and mills, but from the first he'd seen Haley as smart. Even a young thing she had been quick to think, quick enough to even trip him when he had been least prepared. She had to go to school.
And he couldn't stop thinking it, Haley was too small to be carrying this bucket, too fragile to be working here. He thought of her parents…heck. Were they such lazy people they made their daughter work for them? He'd heard that, how some families had the kids out there doing the work. He hated those kinds of parents. He thought they were the most despicable there was. So damn lazy…they couldn't do the work themselves. Heck, they deserved to be poor! They better not be doing that to Haley. He didn't know why…but it made him so angry to think her parents would do that to her. His voice held an edge to it now.
"Haley, tell me, why are you here?"
Haley paid him no mind, just kept picking up all the pieces, now that he had let go of her arm. Her small fingers scrambled to gather every single piece. She fretted as she looked around. They were everywhere…they had scattered everywhere.
"Why are you here?"
The sound of his voice asking that same stupid question made her angry. What was she doing here?…couldn't this silly boy see? She was working! "Leave me be Nathan! Just go away! You've done enough!"
"WHY ARE YOU HERE?"
"OHHHH…I work here!"
He raged at that. "What about your parents, don't they work?" He sneered now, so furious that her parents would allow her to work so hard, straining, while they selfishly laid around "Are they so lazy that they can't-
The moment those words started to come out of his mouth, she dropped the pieces of cotton material she had been picking up. Her arms came out and she sprung at him like an angry cat. Her face reddened with rage and pain all mixed in together. Her voice turned to a screaming one, like a wild banshee. "MY PAPA IS IN HEAVEN! MY MAMA IS SICK! DON'T YOU CALL THEM LAZY! DON'T YOU-
She hit him, hit him so hard she caused him to fall backward. She pummeled at him, before her voice just broke.
Nathan startled as he felt her suddenly on top of him. Her fists were flying and she was just screaming and screaming. His eyes widened, he reached out to grab her hands and then felt it all end, all just come to a complete stop without warning. The anger drained out of her body like a rag having the water soaked out of it. It departed her so fast that it shocked him as her hands fell now, feeble, their strength completely gone. He watched her face sag, her one hand grip her locket again. She had dropped it once more, in her attack on him. Frowning, he started to speak. "Haley, I'm-
"GIRL…WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Nathan's eyes widened once more at the booming voice. He noticed a man that his father knew. He'd come to the factory a few times. His father visited here sometimes. They compared business dealings. That man had looked somewhat friendly then, though Nathan had never really liked him. Now the man was just ugly looking…totally ugly and vicious as he grabbed at Haley's arm, forcing her up on her feet. He watched the motion make her small body swing like that of a rag doll. He watched the fear make her face go white, watched her flinch at the tight grip around her arm, dragging her upward.
"LET GO HER ARM!"
The manager gasped as he saw now who this girl had been attacking. Daniel Scott's son? This little brat had the nerve to go after Daniel Scott's son. Little troublemaker, she'd make his dealings with this boy's father go all bad. He hadn't even bothered to hear Nathan's strong order to let go of Haley's arm. He cared now only about appeasing the boy, thinking he would want him to punish his attacker. "Oh Master Scott, I'm so sorry. Are you all right son?" He turned to Haley, grabbing her arm even more roughly. "AND YOU-
Haley's face blanched whiter, her eyes big. She trembled at the man's ugly face and vicious grip.
"LET HER GO!" Feeling a strength fill him, fueled by his anger, Nathan cut down the manager's hand from Haley's arm, releasing her. He didn't even stop to think about how big the guy was. He just wanted to get her away from him.
Looking at her though, there was no gratitude on Haley's face. Instead it was pleading. He heard her whisper low under her breath, heard her beg him. It startled him. He wasn't used to this from her. "Please…just don't interfere…Nathan…"
Nathan let go of her arm and faced the manager. He swallowed. "No she didn't hurt my arm, and you shouldn't grab her." He sneered. "She's all dirty, might have soiled up your hands."
The manager smiled at that comment. "That she is! Her damn lazy mother wouldn't even come to work today! Says she's sick so she can't come…so this little brat came to work for me instead."
Nathan looked sidelong at Haley. Her face was a little less white, but her hands were clenched. The comment about her…her Mama…she had wanted to hit the manager for that. Nathan could tell by her face, but the girl held her tongue. He felt awful right now. That ugly manager could have hurt her, pulling her arm like that. He wanted to shout at him, push him to the ground.
It was Haley who stopped him though, her desperate plea. After he had made her upset by calling her parents lazy. And then she tells him her father is dead, her mother sick. The only thing he could think of doing now was…getting this guy away so he could talk to her, find out more from her. If he could help, right now well…
He wanted to.
Haley listened to that comment about her being dirty from Nathan, not knowing if he meant it or not. She didn't know why it bothered her, if he did mean it. It should bother her none. This boy and how he felt about her was not important. She turned up to the man who was now her…her boss. She wanted to yell at him for what he had said about her mother. She didn't like him even more for those ugly words. She kept silent her anger though, instead painfully apologizing. "I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean to drop all this. I'll pick it up. I'll get back to work right away."
Nathan watched the way Haley talked to the man and frowned. He felt helpless in finding any real defense for her. His parents had completely put her down even. His father had nothing good to say of her.
"You apologize to Master Scott now too. You do it now girl if you want a job."
Nathan looked to Haley's face now after hearing that. He knew why the ugly bastard called him Master Scott. He was a boy, a boy of an influential father. Then he should be called Master Scott…but to hear it directed to Haley that way. It was a command, an unfair command that was not in any way right. He should be the one apologizing. He upset her, talking about her parents so flippantly. And this cretin should apologize. He hurt her arm. All of this was wrong.
"She doesn't have to."
Haley shook her head at Nathan, giving him a pleading look.
Nathan grimaced tighter, his eyes hard. He didn't want Haley to apologize. She shouldn't have to. Seeing the tenseness in her stance though, the worry in her eyes, the shaking of her hands, he amended his earlier words. "I mean…I really don't want her to because I don't want to hear nothing out of her dirty mouth no more…but fine…apologize PEASANT GIRL."
Haley's eyes widened, but she didn't protest. She didn't know why it made her feel so tired and rejected that Nathan might really mean it. She didn't want him to mean it. She stumbled a little, taking a step forward that she could barely control.
Nathan watched her, wanting to reach out and help her. He hated this. He wanted to punch the cold hearted bastard manager for wanting to hurt her so, wanting to humiliate her.
"I'm sorry Nathan."
"SAY you're sorry MASTER SCOTT, girl! You have no right to be so familiar with him!"
She has more right than you! Nathan's fists clenched. He wished he could force this cretin to say HE WAS SORRY
"I-I'm sorry Mas-
Darn Haley…I'm sorry.
"...Master Scott…"
Haley lowered her head even more after she was done.
"Now finish your work!"
Haley picked up the heavy bucket, stumbling a bit, but then righting herself quickly.
Nathan watched how much further Haley's face came down after she was done with the apology. Afterwards, her posture just bent as she picked up that heavy bucket, her face one of a girl tired and defeated. He swallowed hard. He wanted to say something so badly, but she seemed to want him to stay mum about it. He hated that she had been told to call him Master Scott. He understood it had to do with that it was a term for a boy, a wealthy boy like him, but at the same time it reminded him of the terms used by slaves to their…their masters. And that made him feel sick.
He turned to the man that his father knew…a man he didn't like now at all. But he continued his pretense. He looked at Haley cruelly before turning to the man again. "I'll make sure she picks it ALL up."
The man smiled. "Good. Tell your father he can come back…visit anytime."
Nathan smirked. "Yes sir."
Nathan waited til the man left, then reached out to help Haley, but she already was heading to the large bin across the way.
Haley headed to the bin now, her face fallen, dejected. She felt almost positive now Nathan was siding completely with the manager. Well that was fine. She didn't need him to side with her anyway. She kept telling herself this as suddenly she felt the bucket lifted out of her hands. "Wha-
"I'm sorry."
Haley turned to look upward, seeing Nathan's face looking down at her, apology in his eyes, sincere and true. She denied the excitement inside her, not acknowledging that she was so happy to hear him not being mean to her. "It's my work. Give me the bucket. Please…"
Nathan grimaced, not letting her take back the bucket, holding it away from her instead. "I got it." He searched her half astonished face. Earlier he had been thinking since his father never apologized, why should he? But he couldn't help feeling he owed her. He couldn't help the unanswered for feeling that just told him he had to show his sorrow for what she had just been put through. He started to reach for her hand, swearing tightly at the marking of a beginning light bruise on her wrist. Bastard. "You know I didn't mean it, right? I only said it because you seemed to want me not to cause you more problems."
Haley pulled back her hand from him now, feeling Nathan gently let it go. He didn't strain to hold on. He quietly and kindly let go. She stared at him for a moment. His eyes were gentle now too, like his hand. He looked so sorrowful. She reached for the bucket again, anyway though, just to watch him pull it backward more. She closed her eyes. "Nathan please…let me be. I need to do this work."
"I'll take it for you."
"Nathan!"
"I SAID I'LL TAKE IT HALEY."
"Nathan if he comes back out-
He cut her off quietly as he walked with her to the bin. "It's okay. He won't. He thinks I'll watch you. Don't worry. Even if he does come back out, I'll make something up."
She shook her head, thinking something that made her feel sick.
"So now I owe you?"
He flinched at that question, speaking quietly afterwards. "You owe me nothing Haley. I am sorry…about your mother and father. You said your…papa…died?"
Haley turned away, her eyes far off somewhere, haunted. "He went to Heaven."
Nathan nodded his head, speaking again as they reached the bin. It reached up high, way too high for Haley, having to carry such a heavy bucket first of all, and then having to empty it. Crazy people here to think she could do this kind of work. "And your mother…she's sick?"
"She gets fever sometime. She's not lazy. The mill work is hard. She works long hours. It's why I cook supper lots now. I do my best to help Mama as much as I can."
He heard her defensive voice and immediately felt even worse for all his earlier teasing and everything. He reached for the bin now, tumbling the bucket over it. He watched Haley run back over to where they had been standing before, crouching over the dirt.
"Haley…what are you doing?"
"I dropped a lot when you startled me. I need to pick the rest of them up."
He sighed, feeling almost as drained now as she appeared. She belonged somewhere better than here than, doing this kind of unfair work for a girl as young as she, only a few years younger than he. He moved back to Haley now, getting down on the ground too. "I'll help you."
She said nothing.
He gathered a bunch of pieces and from a bit far away threw them in the bucket, laughing as they landed inside it. "Yes…not bad."
Haley said nothing, focused on her work. She stopped for a moment though, reaching for the locket she held in her hand now. She started to put it back around her neck, but couldn't get the clasp to close.
"Here…I'll do it."
Haley shook her head. "No." She struggled once more, finally getting the locket back on. Sighing, she started to pick up the fallen pieces of the mill work. She crawled on the ground to get a few pieces that had scattered far.
"I'm sorry…about your…your Papa…your Mama being sick. Can no one help you Haley?"
She looked up at him, seeing his face questioning. She wanted to just tell him to leave, but she also was grateful for his help. She couldn't deny that. "Nathan I…"
He watched her struggling face. "Yeah?"
"I'm just…I'm not dirty."
He said nothing, just reached out and adjusted her locket. It had turned to its backside. He faced it to the front now, shook his head, but said nothing still. That nod of his head, and the facing her locket back to the front was enough. It was to tell her…he didn't think her dirty…not at all.
Haley smiled quietly and then spoke with a bit of confidence, wanting to help him see something. "Don't you know what happens in places like this, Nathan? Don't you know that women work in them, sometimes men, but also children? There are people not as rich as you Nathan…and they're not lazy."
"Perhaps not, but they're dirty…like you. Dirty Girl."
Haley turned around at the voice, seeing Nathan doing the same too.
Nathan swore under his breath.
"Darn Brooke! Why did you follow me?"
Haley focused on the girl now. She was wearing a blue dress with lace, shiny white shoes, and white stockings. She stared at all her richness before she looked up at the girl's face. It was very pretty, yes, but her expression was mean right now. It gave the girl an ugliness.
Nathan was angry. Why had she gone and followed him?
Haley looked at the girl one more time, before she bent down to pick up more pieces. She stopped though as suddenly that girl in the lacy dress walked over, her white heeled shoes hitting the ground with a clopping sound. The girl gave her a false smile before she took a bunch of the pieces Haley and Nathan had gathered, out of the bucket, and dropped them down on the ground.
Noticing what Brooke was doing, Nathan reacted angrily. "Brooke, stop!"
Brooke smiled flippantly. "Oh Nathan…it doesn't matter." Then she turned to Haley, reaching in a pocket in her dress for something. She brought it out and graciously handed it to Haley, with a cold smile. "Here Dirty Girl…so you can clean your face…or at least try."
Haley pushed the handkerchief back at the ugly girl, ugly for her being ugly inside. She pushed it hard so it hit the girl's face. "Use it for your own. Might just be a little hard to wipe all that ugly meanness away."
Nathan chuckled inwardly, before he noticed the anger on Brooke's face. Oh no, this could be bad. He saw Haley's tired expression and knew she didn't need any more trouble for the day.
"Dirty girl…have no manners!
Nathan got up after that, advancing on Brooke quickly. He wasn't going to cause Haley any more problems.
"Must have been raised in a pig sty-
Brooke stopped as Nathan suddenly latched onto her arm, holding it with his so their arms were linked.
"Come on Brooke. You followed me and now you're going to be in trouble too. We should just go back to school. Come on." He saw that she didn't want to let Haley's actions and comments go, but he could also tell she was happy about him linking arms with her. He felt her reach for his upper arm with her hand to hold it even closer. It made him roll his eyes as he looked away from her, but he said nothing. Turning back to Haley, he watched her for a moment before he felt Brooke start pulling him along with her. Sighing, he followed.
Haley watched them start to leave and then realized how long she'd been outside. She panicked. "Nathan!" She called out.
Nathan turned back quickly. "Yes?"
Haley didn't want to need his help, but she did need it. He had good relations with the manager it seemed…
"What is it?"
Haley looked at Brooke, seeing that she was waiting impatiently, a cold smile still on her face. "It's…oh…nothing."
Nathan searched Haley's face for a moment, before he spoke. "I'll tell him you picked it all up. He depends on my father for helping him with his business. He'll listen to me. Don't worry. You won't lose your job."
"Nathan!"
Nathan rolled his eyes at Brooke's insistence to leave, but all the same, started to go with her.
Haley quietly whispered, "Thank you."
So quiet Brooke couldn't hear it.
But Nathan did. It made him smile…just a little.
It made what would come…grow...
I*~*I
More to come…
I*~*I
So this part had one of the big issues of this story, child labor. It too will deal with slavery and the after effects of the war, because you can't write about the south during this time and not deal with that. But the big part of this story is child labor, the forming of unions, the fight against unions, and the lack of labor laws.
It was typical during this time for very poor families to have the children working, the parents, all of them in the mills and factories. School was not seen as important as it is today. It was not until 1943 in just North Carolina, that the school year was expanded to nine months. Before that, children only went to school for four months, and many barely attended at all, and this was the semi-norm in other parts of the country too. The south was known for having mill villages where the workers lived and worked. For the mill work, a child like Haley in this story, was especially wanted, because she would have small hands. The north too though had major factories. And many of these mills and factories, in both parts of the country, had, compared to what we expect today, horrible conditions to work in.
Now the manager probably seemed awful, and he isn't written as a very nice person, but he also isn't a very happy person. He lost pretty much everything during the war, which was what happened to many families. The south, even this many years after the war, was still recovering. Think of it like 911 or Pearl Harbor. This scarred the country for years, and especially the south. They tried the tenant farming to replace the plantations, but it mainly was a big failure.
As for NH, when we watched them get married on the show it seemed very young. But during this time, the concept 'teen' and 'dating' hadn't even been invented yet. You went to school sporadically and then you went to work. You were a child for some years and then you were an adult. It was not rare to get married at 16, after some 'courting'. It's interesting to me because it's almost like on the show NH did it the old fashioned way, becoming adults so quick, and yet even with their trials, remember the therapist telling them to have fun and 'be' young, they've gotten through it all.
Also about Haley's mother, she will realize in the next part that Haley is working in the mill and she will allow it. She will warn the manager to treat Haley respectfully. It would seem weird or negligent to us now for a mother to allow their child to work in such a place, but at this time, even though it will not be something Lynette is happy about, many parents or widowed mothers, etc, had no choice but to allow their children to work too. It was the only way to survive really.
Mara