The Wrong Partner

It's March 15, 1920. The Millers talk, and laugh while they dine. The door is open letting in the heat, and the curtains are drawn letting in the sun. In walks Mary Brown. She is as beautiful as the light from the sun was bright. Her hair hung to her bosom, and today it was in two braids. Her entry caught the attention of the son, Johnathan, instantly.

She avoided the eyes of everyone at the table as she gathered the dishes. She returned with desert.

"Tell Rose it's time to come in." said Sir Robert, the father, "She will eat dessert with us."

"Yes sir, Massa Robert." said Mary.

She left and returned with Grandma Rose. After helping her take a seat she stood by the table awaiting her next instruction. She listened to the chatter for the rest of the evening, and when everyone was done she collected the dishes, and began to clean.

Lady Susan, the mother, walks into the kitchen. She says nothing for a while just smokes a cigarette. When she's done she grabs Mary, forces her to the ground, and puts the cigarette out on the side of her neck.

"You will not stand close while we dine. I care not at all what my husband allows, do you understand me?" she said while Mary cries.

"Yes ma'am." cries Mary.

Susan tosses the butt of the cigarette on the floor, and leaves the kitchen.

Mary sits there for a minute crying. When she looks up she sees the extended hand of Johnathan. She accepts the gesture, then continues to clean.

"I don't like her very much either." he whispers.

Mary says nothing. He continues.

"She dislikes you more than usual because of my father." he says, "She believes he fancies you. I’m sorry for her callousness.”

Mary still pays him no mind. When he places his hand on the side of her neck she closes her eyes preparing to be struck. She slowly opens them while he rubs the burn with his thumb.

She looks at him while he rubs it a few seconds more, then she moves his hand and continues her chores.

"You need not apologize. I did not arrive here yesterday." she said.

"I'm sure." says Johnathan smiling, "You were not present before I left. Why did they replace her?"

"She was dying." Mary said.

"I thought so. She'd been with us since I was child, she raised me. Sad that she left and I didn't get to say goodbye. However I am pleased my father chose you. Though I loved her, she was old, wrinkly, and not nearly as beautiful as you are."

She glanced at him quickly.

"You can not." she said, "Lady Susan will have me hung for even hearing your flattery."

"I'm sorry but I am a man. I'd be blind not to notice your beauty. I imagine that has a hand in why my father chose you. Anyway, I'm sorry."

He leans in putting his lips close to her ear, and whispers,

"I will whisper it next time."

Mary smiles as he leaves the kitchen.

The next day Mary wakes up and everyone is gone. She gets started on her chores, and when she's done she relaxes on the porch. She's never allowed to relax. She hears a noise from inside and rushes to the counter to wipe it down again.

"You can breathe." said Johnathan, "it's just me."

She turns her face covering her eyes from his indecency.

"I have on bottoms." he says chuckling.

"But no top." she says.

"There is no one here but us. Loosen yourself."

She uncovers her eyes and finishes wiping down the cabinets.

"You are hungry, yes?" he questions.

"I've already eaten." she said.

"I'm sure, but I did not ask if you've eaten. I asked if you're hungry."

"Yes sir." she said.

"Please Mary, Johnathan is fine."

He cooks eggs, and makes plates. Then he sits and eats while Mary continues to clean.

"Come." he says to her, "I am not my father, you need not wait until I'm done. Dine with me."

She hesitated before sitting. He began eating. She looked at him a few seconds more before she began. The food was delicious, and she ate it as if she'd never eaten before.

"You will speak this to no one." she said.

"And have you hung?" he said, "I would never."

She stood and washed her plate. Johnathan was not done eating.

"I'm pleased you enjoyed it." he said.

"It was divine." she said.

"You know what else I am pleased with?" he asked.

She cleaned while he talked.

"I am pleased that you learn." he said, "It not only adds to your beauty, but makes it far more interesting to talk to you than the other..." he stopped.

When she turned from the sink he was standing in front of her.

"Slaves?" she said.

He said nothing. She began to turn back to the sink when he grabbed her hand.

"I do not see you that way. Any of you." he said.

"It matters not what light you see me in, that is what I am. What we are." she said.

He leaned to her and their lips touched. It was never that Mary experienced affection like this. She is of the innocent. Her eyes closed slowly and she never wanted their skin to part again.

He released her. He looked her in her eyes, and with one hand on her cheek and the other around her waist he said,

"It does matter."

She turned away quickly.

"You can not do that anymore." she said.

He smiles

"It was a two person act my love." he says.

Then he leaves the kitchen.

Mary wakes up and everyone is gone again, even Johnathan it looks like. She was looking forward to their interaction. Anyway she still tends to what she has to, then she wanders around the house. Going in rooms she's not allowed to go in, touching things she's forbidden to even look at, and thinking about how bad she wanted this to be her life. How she wished this was her house, she had a bedroom that was bigger than a closet, her family was here, people didn't hate her because of skin, and her and Johnathan could be together.

She heard the front door open. Fantasy time was over. She walked to it and there was Johnathan. She tried to contain the smile that was forcing its way onto her face.

“Hello my love.” he says.

“Hi Johnathan.” she says.

“My family’s gone out again.” he said, and he looked disappointed.

He takes her hand and walks to his room.

“Why are we in here?” Mary asked.

“Because this is where I want to speak with you. Grandma Rose is still home and she need not hear us.” he explained.

“If it is to be a secret then it should not be discussed Johnathan.”

“Listen to me.” he said, “They are in search of your replacements. My mother thought you were too young, and despite my father still chose you. They’ve taken notice in my grown affection for you, and I’m sure you can imagine that is not good for you.”

“Why do you tell me this?” she asked.

“Because I love you. I have no desire to see you go.” he said.

The words almost took wind from her.

“Well we can not do anything about it.” she said with tears in her eyes.

“But we can.” he said, “You will run away with me.”

Her face frowned while she bagged away.

“Have you lost your mind?! My head will be put on a platter!” she says.

“It will not because they will not know.”

“I will not Johnathan.”

“Mary please.”

He took her hands gently with his.

“I am nothing like them.” he said, “I believe it is foolish to have so much hatred for one simply because their skin differs from your own. When I went to war I saw men far darker than you fighting for a country that has such little regard for their life. I was raised by one of you. I know nothing but love for your people, and nothing but love for you Mary.”

She sighs letting her tears fall.

“How can you love me?” she said, “You know if we are caught you will be punished as well. How could you risk it for me?”

He put one hand on her cheek while the other still rested on her waist.

“Oh Mary,” he said, “You think too little of yourself. I am begging you to go through with this with me. I know of your previous attempt to escape this. You tried to get to your family did you not?”

“If you know of it then you know I can’t attempt it again, I will be killed if I am caught.”

“You will not get caught. I am begging you... by the end of the day my father will have arranged your sale. I have never felt a connection as instant as this one, Mary. I wish to father your children, grow old with you, and to be in love with you for the rest of our lives. You cannot leave me.”

She cried.

“I am afraid.” she said.

“I will protect you.” he said.

He wiped her tears and kissed her.

“Then I will go with you.” She said.

And so it was set. Johnathan had planned this not far after his knowledge of Mary being sold. There was a path they’d take, that Sir and Lady Miller were not aware of, and it would lead them to the street. There he’d have a war buddy waiting with papers for Mary to be free, a car to help them get to the train station, and a ticket for each of them. They would leave tomorrow night. Johnathan explained this to Mary before they kissed again.

The next morning Johnathan heard loud sounds coming from outside. He ran to the back of the house and out of the window he saw a crowd gathering. In the middle of the crowd was Mary tied to the oak tree, and Sir Robert readying to to whip her. Without hesitation Johnathan ran out half indecent and stood in front of Mary as his father raised the whip.

“You can not father!!” he yelled.

“You dare publicly shame our family?” said Robert.

“Father please. She does nothing but what she is told, there is no reason for this!”

“I need not explain my reasoning with you, and your disrespect will be tolerated no longer! She will be whipped and you will watch.”

Robert raised his fingers in the air and two men grabbed Johnathan, holding him to the ground. Mary screamed as loud as humanly possible with the crack of the first lick. She screamed the same with each one, and Johnathan sobbed loudly with each of her screams. He felt every lick as if he was receiving them. When it was over Mary was placed in the hot box, and Johnathan was dragged in the house by his father.

He tossed him in the chair and paced.

“You act as if you weren’t raised correctly.” said Robert.

“Who are you to speak of how I was raised when you played no part in raising me.” Johnathan said.

Robert slapped his face.

“You will not speak to me that way, boy!!” he yelled, “You have brought enough shame upon this family to last your lifetime. I am glad your mother did not witness you would’ve killed her with your stupidity.” He stopped to breathe, “it is because you are young that I will not kill you for your indiscretion. But you will not stay here. You are to pack your things and leave at night fall, do you understand?”

Johnathan stood. He walked closer to his father, and began to speak.

“You know I will be hunted by the people anyway as soon as I am out, so you are sentencing me to my death even if it is not by your hands. You are too cowardly to do it yourself!” he said.

“No son.” Robert said with tears in his eyes, “I love you too much to do it myself. I will tell your mother you chose to go.”

Robert left the kitchen.

Night fall was here, and Johnathan’s things were packed. It would work in his favor that Robert would not see him out. This would make it easier to fetch Mary. He sat his things by the door and grabbed his coat. He went out back, looked around, then picked up Mary’s nude wet body and wrapped it in his coat. He thought, bringing bags would only make this harder, so he left them.

He cried while he ran with her in his arms.

“I’m sorry I could not protect you.” He sobbed.

Her eyes opened for a moment.

“Mary?” Johnathan called to her.

“Johnathan?” she mumbled, “ I can walk. I don’t want to make this harder on you.”

“No you can’t. You can barely talk, it is no trouble... What did you do Mary? Why did he whip you?”

“He read my journal. He read of how much I love you Johnathan.” she said.

Then she fainted.

Everything went as planned. Mary was a free woman, and they got away safely. After a few months they were married. Though it was not legalized, they were married. After a few years they were completely settled in Europe. Not long after Mary was with child, and not long after that she was with child again. Now it is 1990. Johnathan’s wishes of growing old with Mary, and being a father to their children came true. Their children were adults, and couldn’t get enough of hearing stories about how their father cared not of color or circumstance when it came to their mother. How he loved her no matter what, and how their love was stronger than any of the hate they received. They taught their daughters to love who they wanted with no fear, and to love who they are no matter what. As everyone should.