The Forgotten Past

My grandmother had a saying never to hold on to an item of the past as spirits linger around it. June 16th, 2016 was the day that I and my wife had moved into our Victorian-styled two-story home with the help of family and friends. We spotted a red oak piano in the living room, the ones you find at small churches. There was also a large bookshelf to match and a few flower paintings on the wall. The landlord informed us that anything left was ours to keep. After everything was finished Salley Mae Mother Julie took it upon herself to pops us a few bottles of champagne. As I began to hand out glasses Joseph approached me with a suspicious-looking package wrapped in brown paper in his hand.

“Here, “he said as he handed the package to me

“What this”

“I don’t know I found it sitting in your guy’s fireplace, previous owner must’ve left it”

“Let me see” I grabbed a knife from the drawer as I began to tear the wrapping paper off revealing a box, I pried the box open with a knife I grabbed from the drawer. As I brought out the wooden jewelry box I noticed that everyone had steered from their conversation to see what was inside.

There was a wedding band, 5 envelopes and a lock of hair.

Salley Mae's mother came to check the stuff that was found, as soon as she spots the ring she began to examine it “You guys ought to find and return the owner her things…what a lovely ring”. She says as she places it down.

After three hours everyone was gone. Me and Salley Mae Were in our bed watching some old film with Dracula in it. It was exactly 12:55 pm when I began to hear faint sounds of music coming from downstairs and then the doorbell rung “I am not getting it” I looked at Salley Mae who was already knocked out.

Saturday

The house filled with the smell of Salley Mae’s favorite breakfast ritual eggs, onions and tomatoes. As I came down stairs the jewelry box was opened and two envelopes were already torn into.

Envelope 1

June 1938 /Summer evening

Richard brung home a pretty negro woman today, she goes by the name of Olivia, he said he founded her when he went walking, he noticed her when she was humming a tune. I don’t believe a word he says most time, but I am happy he found someone to help with the baby.

July 1938 /Summer evening

Olivia is officially moving in with our family she fancies me and I fancy her

She expressed to me that when she first saw Mr. Johnson my husband that he had scary eyes.

Envelope 2

November 1938 /Extremely Hot Summer Morning

Our home couldn’t get much better Richard doesn’t go out anymore unless its to make money. He building a room in the back of the kitchen for Olivia. He says it not healthy for her to share a room with Mildred, Slyvia and the baby.

Richard is very attentive to Olivia. She cut a braid of her hair for me to sleep with at night.

“What you think,” I said as I placed the letters neatly back into what was left of their envelopes as I look at Salley Mae

“ I think that it is unique that we have two major things in common with the writer we are an interracial lesbian couple, and that you and Olivia share the same name and are both African American females.”

“I just wonder why the letter doesn’t say who it is for and from.. find that odd” as I quickly threw an egg in my mouth waving bye as I raced out the door for my morning jog. The burn hit hard jogging in the hot heat it was my third lap and I felt like fainting “crap I forgot my water jug” as I thudded into someone's chest it was a man in an old fashion styled suit and hat.

“I am so sorry,” I said while looking at his eyes which sent chills down my spine.

“You promised,” he said as he tilted his hat

“Nice meeting you,” I said in a hurry as I scampered across the street.

On my way home after seeing the man an unfamiliar song began to play at my ears.

“He's a mean love makin’ a heart breakin man !

And when the gals go strollin by Boy!

He rolls a wicked eye!” (Young)

I look to try to find where the music was coming from but the song soon dies out as I reached the front steps of my house. Where I spot Salley seated crying with a cigarette in her hand. She hasn’t smoked in years.“What wrong Salley Mae?” tears stains all down her cheeks, as her eyes began to water, I sat down in between her thighs. As She hands me the third envelope which was already open. I spotted that she was wearing that ring.

“Is it sad?” I say

“It is about us she replied.

Envelope 3

October 1940 / breezy cool evening

Richard has been acting crazy ever since he caught me and Olivia naked together kissing. He threatens to kill Olivia if she didn’t promise to share herself with him. I just couldn’t take his madness today so I cut him with his razor, left him with his left arm bloody. As I consoled the crying Olivia begging her to just do as he says so he could let us be together.

November 1940/ Nice weather

Richard brought home a Kodak 35 a self-held camera. He took pictures of me and the kids, a picture of Olivia, and then he showed Olivia how to take a photo of him and me.

At the bottom of the letter, there were three photos, I dropped them as soon as I have seen the photo of Olivia who not only shared my name but also my face.

“This got to be a joke,” I said

She pointed at the photo I looked again I see that this look-alike had a missing braid in the right side of her head. She then showed me the picture that says Mary and kids Mary looks identical to Salley Mae.

“It's a joke Salley Mae, what a coincidence really,” I say as Salley Mae darts across the porch to the railing throwing up. I rushed to her side rubbing her back.

“read the rest,” she said

Envelope 4

February 1940/ late cool evening

Olivia's nose is bleeding, the children are crying, and my wedding band is gone. I packed some of her things and told her to go before Richard gets back. Richard came home drunk, he rambled about our futures, he said me and Olivia have destined a life together in the future without him. I asked him why he attacked Olivia he didn’t respond.

2 days after/ warm noon

He returned home with Olivia bleeding all over the place, trying to tend to her wounds but five minutes later she died in our arms. We wept, Richard said he found her down the block from our house laying on the sidewalk.

Envelope 5

March 1940/ Bright morning

After Richard and I buried Olivia in our backyard he said he was going to go for a walk to cool off. I never did see Richard again. Three weeks later cops came to my home with news that they found my husband's body in a river 100 miles from here.

Two weeks Later

My brother and his wife came up to live with me to help me raise the kids.

“I need to lay down,” she said as I assisted her to the door I noticed she had her hair pinned up, she always wore it straight. As I entered inside the house I began to hear faint sounds of music being played. The music got louder as I walked Salley Mae to our bedroom. Helping her lay down that when I heard a loud door slam that sent a rush through my veins. As I ran downstairs to my surprise the man I saw earlier was standing right there in a pair of jeans and a plain white shirt. He steps forward towards me and as he touched my chin, everything went hazy everything went dark.

When my eyes became clear, I was no longer inside the house I knew. This house had everything from the past in it, from the way the curtain drape, to the lamping, and furniture. There was the song that had been hunting me it was coming out of this large wooden box and I finally I can hear it. Somehow I knew to hum to each tune.

“They say that gentlemen

prefer the blond hair ladies

Tell me am I out of style

Just because I am slightly shady?

Wait until I won you

And my love drops down upon you

You can’t tell the difference in the dark.” (Hunter)

I felt a hand on my shoulder as I turned around it was the man in the hat and suit.

“ that isn’t true I like all types of dark-haired ladies” he winked

“um,” I said hesitantly not knowing how to reply as he rubbed his hand down my back as kissed me. I tried to scatter away from him in search of Salley Mae lookalike's name was “Mary” I shouted he hit me a feeling of intense anger has awoken me like thunder. This shock has woken me up to being on the floor in my hallway with a bloody nose.

Salley Mae was coming from the kitchen with a wet rag as she began patty my face “Are you okay” she patted my face gently.

“ I could do better Salley I could,” I said

“Mary,” she says

“What about Mary,” I said

“don’t you think you should call me by my birth name,” she says

Come to think of it I was the one who started calling her Salley Mae that I had forgotten that her original name was Mary. “ honey-do you find it weird that not only the women in the box share our name but they share our faces too.

“ must be reincarnation… It getting late Olivia had I not found you knocked out on the floor you be sleeping downstairs,” she says

“It's okay I meet you up there shortly I need to find something to read,” I told her as she climbs the stairs.

As I was sifting through the bookshelf I couldn’t get past the smell of burning firepit it smelled like cooked chicken, As I went to the fireplace I noticed it was blazing as I started sifting through the debris I found fiber cloths and the scorched jewelry box which I quickly tossed out and made it fire-free, I took the stick to open it and inside the three pictures remained slightly blurred now, as I was getting to throw It back in. I noticed that Mary in the photo has had no ring and her hair looks usually straight. Maybe I just going crazy and need to rest. I don’t know, but I hide the photos between the floorboards and made my way upstairs.