§LÄVÈ

S L A V E ~ 15

FLASHBACK (YEARS AGO)

_No one's POV_

It was as if the sunlight was too bright that Catalina's mother, Casimira Ivana Paine had to blink her eyes a few times.

With a basket on her head and a cloth in her hand, she hurriedly walked to the entrance of the big house where her mother waited for her in the back to start dinner for the Royal Family and their guests. It was the year 1972 , and little Catalina was only seven years of age, growing on a plantation where she barely saw her mother or her grandmother at times ... and so when they did get the chance to be together as a family, they cherished it like no other.

"Come on child, we have to finish this dinner befo' these white folks start walking in"

Casimira's mother, Catherine stated in a hushed tone as she took the basket from her daughter's head and rushed around the kitchen, doing her job.

Casimira stood by the counter where all the food were already cut into pieces and all the vegetables were all separated from each other, she intertwined her fingers in front of her and nervously glanced towards the window or towards the way in which she came - an uneasy feeling soaring through her,

"Give me the-" Her mother cut her sentence short when she turned around and saw the expression on her daughters face, "What is the problem at this time?" she asked with a frown, Casimira gulped and shook her head,

"Mama ... I think they know" she whispered as her voice shook and tears filled her eyes, "I been telling you not to mess with them white boys, now look what you done got yourself into" Catherine hissed under her breath before pointing her fingers at Casimira as she spoke sternly, "Having that little girl should have been a sign for you to take a step back, not ten steps forward"

"Catalina was the best thing that ever happened to me, mama" Casimira frowned, stepping closer to her mother. "Indeed, but you should have known they would start asking them questions as she gets older. That child looks more and more like her father each day, Casimira" She whispered, "And your a fool to think that you will be anything more than a slave in his eyes"

"I - I ... I don't know what to do"

"Does he know you bred his child?"

with a shake of her head, Casimira answered her mothers question with shame, "No, he thinks I laid with another ... that I was unfaithful — that I do not love him as much as I say"

Catherine, shook her in disappointment and sympathy towards her daughter. She could not understand how it was possible that her only daughter could ever love someone that mistreats her so much, day after day she tries to understand her daughter and even try to put herself in her position but ... it is quite hard. The Pierce family was a very peculiar family, very curious - but stern and mean to everyone that was not their color. Catherine was about sixty-five years old and has been working as a slave since she was just a child - which caused her to own her position as an overseer on the Plantation where she basically grew everyone. She was seen as that mother figure and everyone looked up to her and respected her greatly.

"If they knew something, they wouldn't be askin' them questions. You have to be wise, my darling dear and look out for yourself. Mr. Pierce has his family, don't go trying to go in-between them" She turned off the water and turned to her daughter with a serious expression, "This is the last time I warn you, Casimira"

With a small nod of her head, and the tears escaping her eyes, Casimira took a deep breath and brought her lower lip between her teeth, "I don't have a choice..." she trailed off in a whisper.