What About Love? A Color Purple Story

Chapter 1 : What's Done in the Dark

4 months after Easter Dinner  (end of the 2023 movie)                       

CELIE

My Nettie being back means a part of my heart has healed. That same part of my heart that makes me want to follow her everywhere around town worried I will look back and someone will have taken her again.

"Sometimes you being here feel like a dream." I say to my sister Nettie as we admire hats like we did when we was young, but this time we inside the store. "It feels like a dream to me too" my sister responds. "But we here now, Celie." She says placing a hat from off the shelf, on my head. I let Nettie's last sentence roam the air before I's speaks again.

"I feel like I got to get to know you all over again."  I tell her while taking the next chosen ugly hat off my head. Then she say "Gots to get to know me? You read my letters! Lord knows Mister never let you write any to me!" She chuckles as she speaks. Nettie continues with "I happily shared a lot with you these last 2 months about my life in Africa. You got all these new peoples in your life since we last seen one another. You told me about most but I have yet to hear about-"

Nettie's attention gets caught. She looks out the big glass window at the front of the Hat Store. Confused I was until I noticed the person she was about to mention is the woman who happened to be walking right outside chatting with her Pa. "Her." My sister completes her sentence. "Oh that's just Shug." "Well yes, I knows her name, Celie. She's quite popular. I meant you ain't tell me how you ended up being so close with a womans like her." I ignore the next hat she hand me to put on.

"Like her?" I's pretended to not understand. "What do you mean?" "A loose woman. I'm not judging Celie!" I can see my Nettie looking for signs of disproval in my face as she tip toes between each word. "Oh Celie, you's know what I's mean now."

"Yes I do. And she's not what you thinking she is. She's not what anyone thinks she is." Just as I began to defend my Shug, I hear the store door open and a whiff of her sweet scent that could make anyone fall in love, hits me.

"Bye Pa!" I hear Shug shout behind her shoulder as she slides through the front door. "Celie!" She wraps herself around me and my entire face flushes red and my butterflies return. She then goes to shake Netties hand. "Hi Nettie! Haven't seen you since Easter! Was real nice meeting you. All Celie ever did was talk about you." "How funny, all Celie talks about is you as well." Nettie lies. I's not so sure why though. To prove a point I's guess.

In a rush, Shug says "Well, I'll let you girls catch up then. I need a new hat for church tomorrow. Pa got me singing these churchy songs. But I love God, and I love my Paul.

"You know Shug..." my Nettie starts and me knowing exactly where I thinks this is going, tightly grabs her arm and squeezes it hoping she doesn't finish what she's gonna say. "Me, Celie and the children are having dinner together tomorrow night. You should join us after church." "Okay! Sounds good. Can I bring my husband?" I's always forget she has one of those. They don't act like married peoples. "Of course!" Nettie answers Shug.

I loves my Nettie, but I worry she will judge Shug too much. I remember how Nettie use to talk about women like her. But I figures since, Nettie is inviting her over then she must have taken on some liking. I didn't think Shug would bring her husband though. They seem to live separate lives.

In a matter of seconds we had split up. Shug still in the store looking for a new church hat and Nettie walking me back to my store, where I open in one hour.