28
Later that evening I had gone home and was eating dinner with my family. We were all talking and chatting and were having a wonderful conversation. By now Jack must have delivered the special gift to the deputy. Hopefully he got the message that the Bondurants were no one to mess around with and neither was I. But at this moment something happened that would change things drastically. I could hear the barking of hounds and soon my father could do. Ray and Arliss were laughing about something that I had tuned out and mom's happy smile stared to fade as she looked to the window. My chest tightened and my father slowly got up face serious as ever and my brother soon quit laughing.
"Oh hell naw." I heard father say then look at the boys.
"Arliss get my machine gun and the shot guns. Violet, Eula ya'll stay in the house." he commanded. Never before had I seen the boys move so quickly. Mother was frantic and she stood up.
"Dohn what's going on?" she asked. Dad turned to us with a serious face.
"Ya'll stay in here!" he called out and I stood as well seeing Arliss with daddy's machine. I knew that he only used that gun to shoot down multiple people. Mother moved near the window and she gasped, covering her mouth.
"Oh god." she called out. I slowly moved beside her and she looked at me and shook her head.
"Eula, don't." she called out but I looked anyway and my eyes widened the size of our dinner plates. A group of men were outside with dogs and shot guns. Mother and I remained side by side and I looked to the porch to see father standing on the front porch, cigar between his lips, and he stood strongly. Arliss and Ray stood right beside him, their shot guns ready to use.
"Boys what's this all about?" father asked. One of them, I knew as John Tate. He ran a mill up the road near our house. He had black and white workers, but he was cruel to his black workers. I caught him whistling at me once. I knew he was trouble to African Americans. He glared at my father.
"We heard news that your nigra has killed two white men at the Bondurant bar. Bring her out here so we can question her." he demanded. All of his boys whooped and hollered in agreement. My eyes widened and mother held me in her arms tightly. Father's pose did not falter.
"My daughter doesn't know anything about that business. She works and comes home just like my boys. You go ask those Bondurant boys about that. You know their reputation." he said. Now all of them groaned as if annoyed by his words. Tate frowned even harder.
"That new deputy said he sent two men to get that girl and those men didn't come back and check in. Old Willard here said he found two bodies mutilated up in the mountains." he said and I tensed now. Jack and Howard didn't do a good job at hiding the murders and Deputy Rakes surely wanted me dead now. Dad glared with annoyance now.
"Like I said my daughter doesn't know anything about that. Now all of ya'll get home to ya families." he said. Ray and Arliss had their guns pointed at Mr. Tate and he looked around the house.
"We ain't gonna lynch the woman we just want to ask her a few questions is all." he said. Ray scoffed now.
"With shot guns and nooses?" he asked with disgust. Mr. Tate frowned at him.
"Precautions now you just bring her out so we can talk to her, Dohn. Ain't no one gonna hurt your Negro." he said. I felt my stomach twist and I felt so ill I could hardly explain. Father blew smoke out his nose and huffed.
"Go home Tate. My daughter doesn't know a thing about this business and you all are not going to come around here again." he stated. His black hair was coming out of place in some spots and father looked to be losing his cool. Mr. Tate growled with frustration, his own shot gun beginning to point up.
"Now you give us that girl or we'll drag her out!" he yelled. The men all hollered and began moving towards the porch and in second's father's machine gun exploded with anger shooting a few feet before them. They all jumped and dad's body bounced with the firing and the men backed away. Mother and I both jumped and yelled at the sound and held each other tight. Father stopped and looked at the men now with a crazed yet calm look all at once.
"Gentlemen…I think we both know what you mobs do to colored folks around here when you want to "interrogate" them. You all know that I don't play by Virginia's rules. I know all of ya faces cause I see ya'll every day. Now I will tell you all just once more time to get the fuck off my property and if you so much as come near any of my children I will bring Chicago to your doorsteps and burn this whole area to the ground." he threatened loudly. I had not felt tears come down my face and mother was shaking holding me tight like a small child. The men looked shaken up and I saw the fear in their eyes from the result of my father's words. In seconds they began to back away and disperse down the road. Mother was crying now and father and the boys stayed outside a bit longer before coming inside. Once the men were back in the kitchen we ran to them and we formed a group hug and they held us tight.
"Dohn we can't stay here." mother said and my heart almost sank at her words.
"This area is too dangerous for Eula and those men will come back and she can't be on guard for the rest of her life here." Arliss whispered. Dad sighed and looked down at me and I looked up at him and then he closed his eyes for a long time.
"Let's talk about this later dear. Right now we can't afford to move back so I'll come up with something." he said softly. I felt nauseous again and I moved back from my family.
"I need to go to bed." I merely replied and rushed to my room without another word feeling my food force its way up my throat. I rushed to the bathroom and opened the toilet and threw up everything I had today including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I had worked long today and I guess everything that just happened made me so nervous I threw up. I held my hair back and felt the disgusting fluid come through my nose. After a few more seconds I felt a bit better and I got up and took a shower and brushed my teeth and finished off with getting dressed in my room. There was a knock on my door and I was brushing my hair.
"Come in." I replied and the door slowly opened and it was dad. I looked at him with soft and tired curiosity.
"Did you and mom talk?" I asked. He nodded with a sigh.
"Yes a bit. We do not have enough money to go back to Chicago. But I would pack everything up tonight and move this family away from this place if I have to. I need to know from you and I know I shouldn't even ask, but do you want to stay here?" he asked. I took in his questions and wondered on it for a second. I looked at my reflection in my vanity mirror and sighed softly before looking down then up at my father.
"I am a Kincaid and no one is going to run me from my home." I said with a hard tone and my father smiled with happiness.
"Don't worry. Your brothers will be watching you all the time when you are out. And I know working at the bar, you're safe with the Bondurant boys." he said and with that said he left out the door and closed it softly. I looked down now thinking about the mob. Deputy Rakes sent them. I guess he didn't like the present we gave him. I felt my stomach ache again and I rubbed it softly before frowning. Thing had to change and fast.