The Boy She Illegally Brought To The Lavender Field (bwwm)

Page 77

"Are you gonna pace the entire time?" Daniel asked. He laid in Annie's bed while staring up at the ceiling.
Annie stopped and looked at him. "Well what would you do if both of your parents were missing longer than they were supposed to be?"
"Throw a party."
Annie rolled her eyes and continued pacing.

"Come on, I'm sure they're alright." Daniel sat up.
Annie didn't respond.
"Come here. Talk to me."

She walked over slowly and sat on her bed with her back facing him.

"Maybe the trial is taking longer than they thought. I'm sure your daddy is alright." Daniel assured her.
"I don't think so..." Annie shook her head.
Daniel questioned her pessimism.
"No colored man is gonna win a fight against a pair of white men. Not a legal one. My daddy doesn't stand a chance."
"Don't say that."
"It's true."
"Come on, Annie."
"No." She looked at him.

The two stared at one another.

"You can pretend to be blind all you want. I don't have the luxury. I know how this works. My daddy won't win. He won't. It's two white men's word against his and I don't even think my daddy has a white lawyer."
He sat there and listened.

Annie turned to face him completely. Her hands held Daniel's cheeks lightly.

"Daniel..." she called.
"Yea?"
"Hear me good."
He didn't respond.
"I love you so much."
"Yea? I love you too...?"
"But you are blind."
He was visibly confused.
"You are blind and I don't expect you to see the way that I or my mama and daddy do but I do expect you to not question me when I tell you what I'm seein'. My world is different. Just take my word for it because I wouldn't lie to you but it's different. It's so different, so unnervingly different that you can't fathom when I tell you what I'm seeing because to you it sounds insane but it's true. Do not argue with me. My daddy lost." She gently removed her hands.

Daniel said nothing. He just stared at Annie while she looked into her own lap.

"I'm sorry." he spoke up.
"Thank you. But I don't need your apology." she replied. "I need to know where my mama and daddy are."
"Did you ask their friends or other family? Maybe they made a stop over there first and are saving you for last."
Annie hadn't considered that because her mama said she'd be back right after the end of the trial. But she hurried up and ran to the phone. Daniel got out of the bed and followed behind her.

He watched her dial with the device against her ear.

The two stared at one another while she waited for someone to pick up the phone.

"Hello?" said Louise.
"Louise! Is your mama home?"
"Hey, Annie. Yea, my mama's in the kitchen."
"Is my mama there?" Annie asked.
"No."
"Has she been there at all?"
"Um..."

Annie listened to Louise call for her mama.

"Was Ms. Diana here today?!" Louise yelled.

"No." she answered back to Annie.
Annie sighed.
"Is she supposed to be?" Louise wondered.
"No, it's alright. Thank you, Louise."
Annie hung up.

She took the phone and began dialing again.

"Hello?"
"Hi, mawmaw."
"Hey, baby. How you?"
"I'm okay. Has my mama been over there today?"
"No, she hasn't. Why?"
"Well...she was supposed to be home some time ago and I still haven't seen her. I was hoping maybe she stopped by at someone's hou-..."
Annie heard the door open behind her and turned around.

"Never mind, mawmaw. I found her."
"Okay, honey."
"I love you, bye." Annie hung up and stared at her mama.

Daniel stood leaning against the hallway walkway frame with arms crossed like a disappointed father.

Diana held a small teddy bear in her hands. She looked up from the toy and saw the couple staring at her like upset parents confronting their tardy child.

"Where have you been, mama?" Annie asked.
"We lost." Diana replied. "I couldn't bring myself to share the news with you so I went to clear my head. Dinner will be ready in an hour. You can stay if you'd like." Diana walked past the two and down the hall.

Annie and Daniel watched her slip into her room and shut the door.

Diana sat on her bed and stared one last time at the teddy bear Stephen had bought her while they were out before she set it on her nightstand.

Her eyes watered again. She'd grown so tired of crying.

"Do you feel better now?" Daniel asked.
"No. My daddy is in jail, Daniel." Annie walked off back to her bedroom.

Daniel sighed and followed.

The two made it inside and Annie laid down.

Daniel sat beside her.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." he stated.
Annie didn't respond.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked, ready to do whatever she asked that would get her out of her slump.
"Bring my father back."

Daniel wished he had the power.