Mardi Gras 1969

Chapter 2

Lincoln pulled up to the Bayou waterfront as they reached the forested edge of the Hollow. "This is my stop," Ebony looked out the window and unstrapped her seatbelt. Lincoln parked the car and got out. Making sure to open the door for Ebony, she looked up surprised. "Well, what a gentleman." He nodded at her, "You sure you safe walking through these parts at night?" Lincoln couldn't lie to himself, he didn't know the Bayou well. Ebony raised her eyebrows at Lincoln, "Of course, know it like the back of my hand." "Ok Miss Ebony, you have a good night. I've enjoyed my time with you." Lincoln leaned in and planted a kiss on Ebony's forehead. He started towards his car when he felt Ebony's small hand grab his arm, "Wait, you want to come see... my treehouse?" "You live in a treehouse?" Lincoln asked amusedly. "Yep, out here on the bayou." I am feeling adventurous tonight. "Hell, why not." Ebony smiled, "Ok, follow me, it's this way." Lincoln's eyes wandered to Ebony's ass as she walked out onto the wooded path. I'd follow you anywhere. Lincoln caught himself in thought. What the fuck am I thinking? I sound like a teenage girl, shit...

Lincoln followed Ebony further and further into the bayou until his car was out of sight. His lack of familiarity with its foggy depths left him tense, and he reached in his back pocket for his combat knife. Good, I've got it with me. Lightly grazing the blade of the knife with his fingers, he closed his eyes briefly. Breathe. He looked up and to his surprise, Ebony had disappeared. Where'd she go? "Ebony? Ebony! Girl you better not be playing a trick on me!" He got no response, so he took out his knife and continued walking. Lincoln peared in both directions as he passed under cypress trees covered in ivy. The boggy ground dampened his military boots and the muddy sensation brought him back to his time in combat in Vietnam.

His train of thought was disturbed by a small pebble bouncing off his shoulder. He turned around swiftly. "HEY! Who's there!" He held his knife out, eyes wide and walked towards the directions that the pebble was thrown. Suddenly a figure darted out from behind a cypress tree and he followed it, tackling them quickly. Gotcha! He looked down to see Ebony in his grasp, laughing wildly. Lincoln rolled his eyes. This girl... "I'm sorry Lincoln, I had to! I surrender, I surrender, I do!" She turned her head and saw the knife is his hand, her eyes opened wide. "Where'd you get that?!" He put it in his pocket, "Don't worry about it." "Damn, I didn't mean to scare you that bad, now I feel kind of guilty." She let a smirk out. "You should feel guilty, I've gotta think of a punishment for you now." Ebony looked up at Lincoln, still confined by his hold. She's so damn beautiful. "You think of something yet?" Ebony teased. "Yea, I got just the thing," Lincoln tensed as he pushed his chest deeper into Ebony's, giving her a passionate kiss. Damn I want to take her right here. Lincoln felt his heart racing as he released his lips from hers. Ebony closed her eyes and inhaled, "Mmm.... C'mon let's get up. We're halfway there." Lincoln released his hold on Ebony and they both got up.

She started out again and Lincoln followed her, the faint sound of music getting louder and louder as they continued. Eventually they passed by a house with a wild party going on, there had to be nearly 100 people packed into the shack-like house. "These are some neighbors, they throw a party every Mardi Gras. I was finna go tonight." Lincoln gave the house a look, "You want to go inside?" "We can go in for a minute, but I don't want to stay too long," Ebony said. "Aight." Lincoln and Ebony made their way to the steps, and as Ebony approached a group of men stood up on the porch. The men whistled and made hooting noises, "Ay ay ay, pretty mama! Sexy mama! Give me a smile!" Lincoln shook his head and was annoyed by the attention she was getting. "Hey what the hell's going on ou- Oh Miss Ebony, so good to see you!" A man came out the house and gave Ebony a big hug, spinning her around as he did. Who is this? "Lincoln, this is my neighbor Jeremiah, we go way back." Jeremiah extended his hand out to Lincoln and they shook hands, "Pleased to meet you, let me get you two something. Drinks on me!" Ebony smiled and took Lincoln by the hand as she led him into the house. He eyed the other men on the porch and smirked. Yea fuck y'all, she's with me.

"Look who I found creepin around out back!" Jeremiah yelled to the party as Ebony and Lincoln walked in. Some girls ran up to Ebony, "Girl where you been? We stopped by your house but-" "Oh I had to stop by Auntie Maya's to drop off some candles and..." Ebony continued to talk to her friends as Lincoln looked around the living room. It was crowded and smelled strongly of weed and alcohol. Jeremiah handed two glasses of rum to Lincoln and and Ebony. "Cheers!" Ebony tilted her head back taking a huge swig of rum, "You not finna wait for me?" Lincoln asked her. Ebony stopped drinking, "Oh shit, sorry..." Lincoln grinned and drank some of the rum. "Nice party." Ebony's friends looked Lincoln over and one of them whispered something in her ear. They both giggled. Girls.

Jeremiah turned on some more speakers and sounds of Marvin Gaye's I Want You filled the room. "You wanna dance?" Ebony asked Lincoln. I can't dance. "I don't really..." "Oh come on, just one song." Ebony motioned for Lincoln to dance with her in a less crowded corner of the room. Lincoln tried to keep up a two step with Ebony and she noticed his discomfort. She turned her back to him and he grabbed her by the hips. He pulled her in close and they swayed together. Her fluffy hair rubbed against his chest. This is nice. Lincoln thought back to the last woman he danced with. Roxy. He tried to put it out of his head, but it still stung how things didn't work out with her. He looked up and saw a man looking angrily in their direction. What's his problem...

After the song ended Ebony turned to Lincoln, "You want to head out of here?" "Sure baby," Lincoln wrapped his arm around her neck and lead her out the house, looking directly at the angry man while he did so. As soon as they left the house Lincoln asked Ebony, "What was that guy's problem?" Ebony scoffed, "You mean my bum-ass ex Clive? Nobody knows what that nigga's problem is." Lincoln laughed. "How long were y'all together?" "All of high school," Ebony sighed. "When you graduate?" "Spring of '65" "So you're twenty-two?" Ebony shook her head, "Twenty-one. How old are you Lincoln?" "Turned twenty-four last month." Ebony grinned, "Now I did always have a thing for older men." Lincoln smiled wrapping his arm around Ebony's waist as they walked.

"Rufus, what's that sound!" The two of them looked up as they heard someone yell out of a window. An elderly black man stuck his head out the window and Ebony waved. "It's nothin Lorna! Just Ebony, with some...heavy footed, Mandingo nigger...Now go back to bed!" Lincoln inhaled deeply. Like I never heard that one before. Ebony stopped in her tracks, "What he say! I'm DEAD!" She keeled over laughing and Lincoln kept on walking shaking his head. Man... "How far away is your house? Feel like we been walking forever." "Whoo, let me catch my breath, it's up ahead."