A Life Without Wings

Chapter Five
The Acceptance

The sun was just beginning to break through the space between the curtain of the kitchen window when a noise can be heard on the back porch. There stands Abigail naked and wearing nothing but a smile. Her beautiful black skin glistened against the morning sun as she washed down her body from a wash basin sitting on a table. Her dark elongated nipples were standing like two evergreens in the meadow, as the cold water followed the contour of her tight, but firm body. The goosebumps were beginning to take up their place in the formations throughout her body, as the lye soap chased every dirt particle from their hiding place. She pulls back the wool-like texture of her hair in a messy bun upon her head. She dries off her body then pulls a bright yellow sundress over her. In about an hour baby Garland, Soda Pop and herself are back on the dusty road toward Hoots general mercantile to have a sit down with Mr. Ezra himself. Along the way, they come across a honeysuckle tree so she pulls a clump of flowers and sticks behind her ear. They all three arrive at Hoots and enter through the open door. Ezra is standing behind the counter and even before they are visible to him the scent of honeysuckle has filtered into his olfactory senses. It was just then that they stepped into the store and appeared in the flesh. Ezra stopped everything and was caught in a distant stare of her radiating beauty. Mr. Hoot was standing beside him and says, "she is just like a queen defending from her throne." And the observers seem like peasants honoring her by their presences. Mr. Hoot remarks I have never been one for mixing races, but she could rearrange my thoughts concerning that subject matter." He elbows Ezra into the ribs and says, "boy don't stand there like a cow looking at a new gate, get over there and say something!" He clears his throat, removes his hat and remarks to her, "you be about the most beautiful thing or I mean woman I have ever seen and like it says in the good book when you find a good woman, you found a good thing." They both send inviting smiles in each other's directions and she remarks, "well, thank you, my good man." Mr. Hoot stands there observing them and says, "like I said, romance is in the air." She takes several more steps and says to Ezra, "now you listen, I haven't been with a man in over ten years, I come from fine stock, and I am pushing 40 with two youngins on my coattails and were a package deal. You seem to take a hankering to me, and I take one to you so maybe we should go on a picnic tomorrow about one down by Lewis Creek, besides my boys want to take their first ride in a car." Ezra is still a bit dumbfounded and looks more like a horse eating saw briers. Mr. Hoot says, " don't you no nevermind he will pick you up at one o'clock sharp, right Ezra!" He nods his head confirming their conversation. She says, make it three Red Rock Soda's and make it grape if you please." Mr. Hoot says, "let me pay that tab for the prettiest girl in Mc Curtain County as they get their sodas and exit the store toward home. In time they are seeing one another on a semi-regular basis, but he has yet to build up the nerve for a first kiss. It was a cool night as the sat on the front porch swing and the children are fast asleep in their room. There seems to be an uncomfortable silence between them while deep in her spirit she is yearning to feel completely like the woman she used to be, a feeling she had not had since her Clifford. He places his arm over her shoulder and gives her a firm squeeze. She finally can't take any more as she says, "have you ever heard the phrase take the bull by the horns?" He says, "sure who hasn't?" "Good, because you are the bull and I am the one taking the horns!" She places both of her hands on each side of his face, turns it toward hers, and gives him a very passionate kiss on his awaiting lips. They both linger at the moment like they had been taken back to the earlier time when their hearts were opened for the very first time in the passion of early adulthood. She slowly loosens the strap on her yellow sundress that falls to one side exposing the fullness of her ebony breast. He can feel her protruding nipples against his chest like diamond nuggets awaiting his discovery. She pushes from the back of his head until his face is flush into her breast. Their heartbeats seem to be in a full tilt as his lips graze across her succulent, but the elongated nipple. He had finally discovered the precious gem that had been dormant for many years. His teeth bite slightly against the rough exterior and his hands gather them together in perfect symmetry. They had only begun the exploration of the new found territory when a scream comes from inside the house. They both know little Garland is up needing to be taken to the outhouse. A disappointing look comes across both of their faces, but when nature calls one must answer the call. She pulls up her sundress and ties the strap as he follows every movement of her hands. It was just then that little Garland comes walking out the front door to his awaiting mama. Ezra had just taken one step as to leave when Abigail grabs him by the hand and pulls him back to her for one last final see you later kiss. Garland says, "mama, I need to go and talk to a man about a horse." As he breaks away from her and runs to the outhouse. Ezra can be seen driving away toward the north highway or old number 10 as the old-timers would say, as a shortcut across the Straight Fork mountain. Standing at the corner of the house is a hazy spirit of of Clifford as he says to Abigail though a memory, "Sometimes we come back." She looks down as she starts up the rickety old porch steps after returning from the outhouse and notices a nickel standing on its edge.

The end of chapter five