Ghosts' of November

Prequel: When The Beginning Ends

$ This last year had started with so many promises, how they all seemed to die in this frozen November. She was seven almost eight months pregnant, and more nervous than ever about the future. Her daddy would send a letter once a month, he promised he wasn't angry just sad. She knew her mother would never forgive her, and that is why her voice was always missing in the letters. She was the only child that survived past the age of six, but eventually grew tired of being strangled by her mothers insecurities. She never tried to explain why she ran away, but did her best to apologize in the first letter. Her daddy only met Toby once, but that was more than enough for both of them.

$ She knew Toby could only be loved, but he couldn't really be understood. He seemed to say more than he meant, but he promised he meant every word he said to her. She was realizing how much of a mystery he had always been. His dad was a miner, and expected Toby would die down in those mines too. The year before they had met, Toby had left school and began working. The first month down there, three men died with no remorse. Toby had left home and became a labourer on a tobacco farm. When it was time to leave he said Virginia had the best tobacco farms, so they would go there. He didn't find work as steady as he had hoped, and some days he drank more than the bottle.

$ She sat in the chair watching the clouds darken the pale November sky. In her lap was her favorite book, but worry kept her from being able to read. His father had passed six months ago, and he had changed more than the seasons. This was the second place they worked this year, and it had only been a year. She tried again to read the words on the page as the wind screamed by. She had read "The Wizard of Oz" before. She had even been lucky enough to see it in black and white. The story didn't change, but the characters did behind their gray skin. She was only reading it now, so her son, could hear it before he could see it. There was something special about the book, that not even a colored screen could mimic.

$ Toby never told her how he learned to play the piano, but he was quite talented. He seemed to play more from his memories than he did his heart. He would play every Sunday, at the same time, and always the same songs. He came into view for just a moment, with a look of desperation on his face. This was the first place he had worked that had animals, and he was still clumsy around them. When Toby worked, he worked hard, but when he didn't he didn't. She believed it was more out of pity that he got hired on here. She would meet Albert on purpose, unless you believe in accidents. Albert spoke words as if they were orders, but had a heart of gold. Toby would keep the stalls clean and the animals fed, she would clean.

$ Albert made sure she ate well during the day and made sure she took time to rest. They talked often about life, as Albert had lost his wife just a few years before. Albert had come by earlier this week making sure Toby was ready for this freeze. The day was mostly over, as the mist began to freeze on the ground. It was too cold to snow, so the rain became little bullets. She threw another log on the fire, and hoped that they had enough of those logs to make it through winter. She had no idea that love was blind until she opened her eyes into this new world. They would have a vegetable stew that night, and she hoped it would last at least the next three days. It was just after the sun had finally set that the wind really began to howl, and Toby came in with a bag.

$ He smiled as if he had done something when he announced Albert allowed him a chicken and even threw in the potatoes and carrots. Suzanne smiled to herself, "Toby, was the best at taking credit for both luck and kindness," "Toby, are the animals good until tomorrow?" It shouldn't have been the first question she asked, but fear has a way of changing what we worry about. His smile quickly faded, as he put down the chicken. "Aren't you supposed to worry more about your husband, than some dumb animals." At one time his voice was gentle, but lately it had become sharp and hateful. She surprised herself in their first argument with how steady her voice stayed.