A Mahogany Moment

CHAPTER FIVE

Jamie felt better. Much better, actually. He could see fully out of both eyes although they were still black and bruised. He didn't mind as long as he was able to see Olivia. She'd been doing a good job of hiding him in her room for the past few days and he was beginning to feel like he was invading her space. He needed to leave but, he didn't want to not ever see her again.
Jamie inspected the stack of books Olivia had left for him to read in her absence while she was at work. They had worked up a schedule of sorts so that he would remain invisible to the other housemates. Olivia would help him to the bathroom before she left for work and have his breakfast ready. He'd wait until after 9:00 AM when Mr. Stewart, a mortician, would leave for the day and then he'd go downstairs into the kitchen and find something to eat. Mrs. Evans always kept the kitchen stocked so Jamie never really had a hard time finding anything.
At 12:00 PM when Mrs. Evans did her routine grocery shopping, Jamie would sneak off to the bathroom and then sneak a snack or even a meal since Mrs. Evans usually had dinner cooking by then. Jamie acknowledged the long hours Olivia worked and it worried him. She'd be home much later than her other housemates and they were men. Jamie also didn't like that she lived with so many men. She was too delicate a person to fight back anyone who tried to do her harm.
Jamie willed himself to stop thinking about Olivia. He'd be having to leave soon and going back to his life. His fiancé, his weddings planning. His brother and the mess he was in.
Jamie's eyes swept across her small room and he frowned. She shouldn't be living here but that couldn't be his concern. He had a woman. Still, Olivia and her situation bothered him. She shouldn't be working long hours and she most definitely shouldn't be living amongst men. Jamie told himself he'd think the same way if it were any other woman and that made it justifiable.
The lock to the door clicked and Jamie quickly sat up in the bed. Olivia was able to borrow a pair of crutches from the hospital for him to use. He was supposed to hide in the door in the wall Olivia had shown him that once was used as a servants entrance. Jamie grabbed the crutches and struggled to his feet just as the door opened. Olivia entered. She looked tired and Jamie had the sudden urge to go to her. He willed himself to stay where he was as he watched her.
Olivia looked up and startled when she saw Jamie standing before her.
"Jesus, Jamie. I thought you were asleep. Did I wake you?" Jamie tried to ignore the feeling he felt whenever she said his name. It stirred something inside of him that he shouldn't be feeling. She was a colored woman and he was a white man who was engaged.
"I wasn't asleep. I thought you were someone else. I know I'm supposed to hide."
"Oh. Of course. Did you read anything while I was gone?"
She walked over to the stack of books and observed them.
"I can see about getting you more. It's not much but it's better than being cooped up in here with absolutely nothing. Oh, I know I can get a radio for you. That way you can listen to the broadcast." She was so close, Jamie could reach out and touch her. He tightened his grip on the crutches and swallowed the lump in his throat.
"Olivia," he watched as she turned to face him her doe eyes piercing him. She was beautiful. "I have to leave here."
"Leave? But, you're not fully recovered." She touched his bandaged wrist.
"I'm more recovered than I would be had you not found me."
Olivia shook her head. He couldn't leave. She hated to admit it but aside from her tending to his injuries she liked having him here. She found he was easy to talk to and aside from them being different in races they had a lot in common. With Olivia working the long hours she did she looked forward to coming home and talking to Jamie. He never judged her when she told him about the way she was teased for not going out or even courting a man and he listened intently when she talked about her day.
No. He couldn't just leave. But then, she couldn't keep him here forever. She secretly knew this day would come but she didn't think it would come so soon.
"Where would you go?" She asked.
"Home. I can have the family physician look me over." Jamie explained. He looked down and noticed Olivia still held his wrist in her hands she noticed too and quickly let go.
"We both know it's for the best. You've done everything you could but I can't stay. I don't want to get you into any kind of trouble."
"But, your rib." Olivia cried.
"I'll be fine. We both know it would come to this."
Olivia sighed and nodded in agreement. Jamie took a seat in the bed and looked up at her. She stood leaning against the dresser dressed in her nurses uniform.
"You're an amazing nurse. And a great person overall. I'll never forget you."
"I'll never forget you too, Jamie Ross." Olivia replied trying not to let her emotions show. Why was she feeling this way over a man? A white man at that.
"Maybe we won't have to stop seeing each other." Jamie commented and Olivia's eyes met his in confusion. She knew about his fiancé.
"I mean...maybe this doesn't have to be goodbye. We can be friends."
"Friends? Jamie I don't know what world you live in but people like us can't be friends." She pushed off the dresser and opened a drawer before rummaging through it.
"Of course we can. You saved my life that constitutes us as friends. I don't care what society thinks."
"That's because you're not the one who will be on the receiving end of things if people knew we were buddies. It's not like you can introduce me to your family or be seen with me in public hanging out. No. It's best to just say goodbye and move on. This is a small town and I'm sure we'll see each other again and when we do it's best to just nod and move along."
Jamie didn't want that. He didn't want to not see her again but, she had a point.
"Fine. I understand. I'll leave tonight when everyone's gone to bed."
"Are you okay to drive?" The concern in her eyes was enough to pull her close and assure her that he was fine. Jamie didn't know what was going on with him but he knew if he didn't get away from Olivia soon he'd do something he'd regret or maybe not regret.
"I'll be fine, Liv."
Olivia's heartbeat quickened at the nickname. She'd been called that her entire but never had she felt the way she did when Jamie said it. It felt right hearing it come from him. Like it was his to call her and his alone. She nodded and informed Jamie she'd go and get his dinner. She needed space. Hearing him say he was leaving made her feel like she was losing her best friend.
She had looked forward to coming home and seeing his handsome face in her bed waiting up for her. She didn't get out much but he was the next best thing. And now he was leaving. Just like all the people she cared about in her life.

Olivia entered the kitchen and startled when she saw Mrs. Evans sitting at the table drinking her tea. The woman was up in age and had been left the house by her grandfather and she was sharp.
"You're home early, Olivia. Doctor Hayes send you home?"
"I left early." Olivia said as she made her way to the stove.
She could feel mrs. Evans watching her pile her plate. She never realized how much food Janie could eat but having Mrs. Evans watch her pile the plate put it all in perspective.
"You've been eating a lot lately. Something you want to tell me?" Ever since Olivia moved to Mahogany, Mrs. Evans had been like the mother she never had. Her own mother died when she was fairly young and so it was just her and her papa but when died shortly after Olivia left for college she vowed never to return home.
"No, ma'am. Just hungry." Olivia smiled and left the kitchen quickly walking up the steps and down the hall to her room where another dilemma lay awaiting.