Sisters

•Chapter 18•

On my way back to the farm early one morning, I bump into Wesley as if he had been waiting for my arrival. He hands me apples to feed the horse and I silently take them. Unsure of what to say considering I deliberately defiled him the last time we had an encounter.

"Dehlilah u must stay far away from that man".

I continue marching to my horse, "Wesley you must mind your buisness like I do mine".

He grabs my shoulder and spins me around, "you is my buisness. Remember when I told you that I've got you?"

I scoff, "and then you fell in love with my sister and made me a fool?"

His eyes soften, "Delilah my intentions was neva to hurt ya-"

I shrug his hand off of me, "yes Indeed, I know. The heart wants what it wants Wesley. I found peace over your rejection and moved on. Now you must find it in yourself to have peace about my decision to be with-"

"A white man", he finishes.

I carelessly shrug, "his color means nothing to me-"

He grips his curly locks, "perhaps because youa bewitched-"

"This is not a case of witchcraft, this is a case of love. And since you're questioning me, Wesley is Daphne not as white as Augustus?"

His jaw tics, "I ain't fear the punishment of loving a white women-"

"Nor do I the punishment of loving a white man-"

"But", he stops me. "Yous a black woman Delilah. All they'll do ta me is hang me upside down, death ain't nothing but an easy way out of hell on Earth. Now think 'bout how low I stand on dis hierarchy and consider where you stand. Cause ya ain't just black but yous also a woman, Delilah".

I swallow before answering, "Lower than you. I'm aware I'm at the bottom-"

He nods, "right, so why would ya set yo self up to be a with a cracker when you now it's finna end how it always ends for black women like you? He gonna get ya pregnant, yo baby gonna get taken away from you after birth and sold off, then he gonna get married to a white woman and you'll be bitter for the rest of ya life. That's how the story goes Delilah. Ya want dat for yaself?"

I wipe away the tears burning my eyes, "I'm in love Wesley. Nothing else matters like the way being with him does. Look, I know you ain't got faith in me but I's got a plan-"

He squeezes his eyes shut, "forgot ya plan Delilah and start lookin at reality. No matter how bad Daphne wants her and I to work out, you and I both know it ain't. And no matter how bad you want yo thing with ole white boy to work out, I know and you know deep inside, that it aint".

I back away from him slowly, "no, Augustus said that reality can be whatever you want it to be as long as ya creat it and fight for its existence. I'm going to creat my reality Wesley. I'm tired of people doing it for me".

He reaches for my arm but I dodge him and move the horse out of its stall. Climbing up on it, I ignore his call and take off into the foggy morning. Hopping to disappear from my current reality.