Sisters

•Chapter 28•

We run downstairs to where Mrs. Jones is screaming over Daphne's passed-out body. There is water on the floor and blood stains on her white dress.

Augustus runs out the house while I try to pick up Daphne and move her to one of the downstairs guest bed chambers. Mrs. Jones finally snaps out of her hysterical episode and helps me move Daphne. Miss. Lucy comes in the room with a pail of water and clean towels. She quickly rinses her hands with water lift's up Daphne's dress to feel under. Overcome with shame and awkwardness, I can't help but look away.

Mrs. Jones looks at my state and points to the door, "Go find ya Daddy and tell him the babe is comin".

I rush outside and ran straight to the back of the house where Augustus was puking his guts out.

"Oh please there wasn't any blood for you to be this overdramatic about", I tease him.

He stands straight and wipes his mouth, "blood? Delilah I couldn't give a damn about blood. I'm throwing up because at any moment that child will be born either looking like him or looking like me".

I swallow as his words hit reality.

He pulls me into his embrace and leans his head against mine, "we ought to be real. This determines our future-"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry I-"

He pulls my face into his warm chest to stop me from talking. His heart beats loud and proud against my ear and I can almost feel the fear and excitement that he feels. After what feels like an eternity, like a goodbye even. I pull away and squeeze his hands.

"We're going to be just fine! And even if the baby does pop out white as snow, we'll find a way, Augustus".

A smile tugs on his lips as he gently kisses my cheek, "your right, we have to bella. Because no other woman will ever make me feel the way you do".

A gut-chilling scream comes from inside the house reminding us both of the urgent matter at hand.

"Augustus go find my father",

"Where ya going?" he calls after me.

"Back inside!", that's the first time I've ever lied to him, and most definitely my last. Augustus is open-minded and slow to anger. But I can't tell him I'm going to see Wesley because I know how the two men feel about each other.

I stop in front of the slave cabinets and call a young boy to me, "mind getting Wesley for me please?"

He nods and heads back inside the house, returning with Wesley who doesn't even have his top on.

He gives me a sloppy smile before pulling me in for a hug, "how's my favorite-"

I push him away, "look Imma need ya to sobber up because Daphne's up at the big house pushing your baby out".

His face drops and he stiffens, "so soon? I've been counting and watching her belly, she only-"

I roll my eyes, "baby's gonna come out regardless, time ain't gonna save you".

He gives me a look, "ain't nobody give a fuck about time, I'm worried about my baby being healthy!"

Is he being serious?

"Yeah? Well while you're at it also find time to worry about the baby being as dark as you?"

He throws his head back and laughs, so loud I'm scared the overseer will wake up.

"Oh sweetpea that's been my prayer ever since".

I narrow my eyes at him and move in closer, "you got Daphne pregnant in spite of Daddy?"

He shrugs, "sure that may have been the original plan. But shit I did fall for her, she told me she loved me, I told her I been knew. Asked me to run away with her, cause said she was pregnant with my baby. We planned everything out, down to the last damn detail but something always stood our way".

"Augustus a black man planning to run away with a white woman is the stupidest think I've heard".

He scoffs, "oh so your the only one allowed to dream Delilah? Aint no use in acting stupid I know you and that Frenchie got a plan to run soon as my baby comes out black".

I shrug, "Daphne may have ruined his life for a little while but you two won't ruin our happiness-"

"Fuck your happiness, that shit dont exist for people like us, baby. I almost died for you Delilah, you sure that white man will risk it all for you? When shit goes south will he still take blows for ya? Ya Daddy ain't give ya to me cause he thinks you above me, but are you ready for the world to tell ya that youse bellow the man you love?"

I dont realize I was crying till he wiped a tear away, "if that baby comes out dark, that means God heard my prayer he does in fact listen to the prayers of a nigger. If the baby comes out white, then God doesn't exist because I'll spend every day on this plantation listening to my own child call a white man his Daddy".

"I oughta go back in-".

He grabs my elbow, "Delilah wait. Promise me that you ain't gonna let em kill an innocent child-"

"Wesley-"

"Nah I'm being for real. Take it with you and white boy when you run up North. I want my baby to live free, be better and do more than I could. But you better remind it every day that white boy ain't it's Daddy. That I am, and that I loved it more than anything in this whole world. Sacrifice, that's what ya do for the people ya love."

He slips me his gold compass and a small notebook, "tell it this a gift from ya Daddy. It'll be the only gift I ever give but the best gift either way".

I wipe my eyes before shoving the compass and notebook in my pocket and giving Wesley one last long look. We seem to freeze in time like a photo, him taking one of me, and I taking one of him. Memorizing one another like the last goodbye.

And that's when the guilt hits me. I've been maliciously hoping that this baby comes out dark so I can throw it back at Daphne and have Augustus but what if Daddy really does kill it? I don't know what he's capable of but I do know his pride is stronger than anyone else's I know.

"Goodbye D. I know it's late and ya moved on and all but I is sorry I broke ya heart. That shit kills me everday....Ima bury it with me".

He turns his back to me and walks back to the cabinet. The last thing I see is the overlapping scars marking his back from the beating he got for me.

The only words ringing in my head are, 'Sacrifice, is what ya do for the people ya love'.