Nothing In This World (BWWM) ✅

Chapter One

The one thing Charlene has promised herself often is to never marry in misery. Her mother told her to stop judging others when it comes to love but worry about who is going to take care of her when she does settle down. What she didn't know is that Charlene didn't want to be taken care of. She simply wanted to be loved and be independent. She wanted a guy who thought the same and didn't think of her as a childbearing vessel.

For the most part, Charlene was a happy girl. She's watched her parents fall in and out of love yet still stay together for the family. When they sent her oldest brother, Charles, off for college, her father died ten weeks later. The hot sun burned him alive. Had his muscle pulsing out of his arms and legs. The lack of water and coolness killed her old man and there was nothing no one could have done.

A portion of his money went to his funeral and the rest to pay off the house. After that, the women went to work every day and soon after, a note from Charles arrived. He said he found love and he wanted them to come to Oregon for the wedding. A trip no one could afford. That's the last time Charlene heard from her brother.

"You think she's good to him?" Charlene asked her mother while rocking on the porch chair and stuffing the cotton more deeply into the pillows. "Like, do you think she loves him and not because he had an education. Black people up north love niggers with education."

Mrs. McCullough blew a stream of smoke out past her lips while looking at the field of corn across the fence on the other side of the dirt road. "I gave birth to a handsome young man. I think it's more than that Charlene." She then turned to see her daughter's work and scowled. "Don't pack 'em too tough. The case is paper thin. You'll rip it."

Charlene looked down at the basket of cotton as her mom went back inside with her cigarette still in hand. The smoke made Charlene nauseous but she got good at holding it in.

When her mother left, she started slacking on her job. She put the pillow case in the basket and peddled down the porch steps. The chicken coop was a few yards from the house. Good enough for Charlene to get some exercise this hot morning.

One thing that drew her to the chicken coop were the eggs. The fresh ones to be exact. She loved holding them when they're warm and new. She imagined it being just like her own baby someday. Of course she knew it'd be human, less hard, and definitely not born in a shell.

The thing is, Charlene loved to map out her own future. Something different from the norm. She wanted a future with no laws holding her back or societal restrictions. Charlene often imagined finding the love of her life but they don't get married because they have to, but when they want to. They just hold each other and love each other without pressure.

Her mother told her that wasn't love so Charlene hasn't told her about any more of her dreams. It was traditional to marry young to a man who worked hard enough to feed a large family.

When Charlene asked her mother why she didn't have a large family, she learned that her mother's ability to have kids was always rusty. One moment she'd be pregnant and the next she'd lose a child. Her mother told her she was a miracle in fact. Charlene almost didn't make it due to her mother falling ill, but here she is, a healthy sixteen year old.

Charlene didn't want a big family. Maybe a little girl, just one. Never a big family.

The reason love and life was constantly on Charlene's mind is because she's reached that age where she would soon be married off to the guy of her dreams. Once she's finished with high school, college wasn't an option. She either would live the rest of her life bringing income in for her mother. Or the rest of her life bringing income in for her own family. The thought of this made Charlene nervous.

She's never had a boyfriend or known anyone to be interested in her. She told herself it was because she was ugly and soon she'll find an ugly person to match with. Her mother says she's a beautiful girl but she's too quiet. Charlene is shy but that never stopped any of her friends from finding love.

She could dream and plan but in the end, she'd never have it.

"Charlene! Charlene!" The sound of her mothers strained voice almost made her drop the egg. Charlene hassled to put the egg back under the chicken and dust off her hands. She rushed out the chicken coop, closing the door behind her. "Charlene!"

The ends of her house dress collected dust and dirt as she tried to get back to the house before she got in anymore trouble. When her mother locked eyes on Charlene, she put her fist on her hips and stomped her foot.

"What were you doing out there at the chicken coop when you're supposed to be stuffing these pillows!" Charlene hung her head in shame as her mother scolded her. "You think I'm doing this for no reason?"

"No ma'am."

Charlene sat back down in the chair and continued her work. "We're going to need something to sleep on when we stay with the Watson's." That name made Charlene look into her mother's eyes as if she was expecting her to laugh, but the older woman never did. "They're paying us well to take care of things around the house in preparation for her middle child graduating high school."

"The income from our corn and cotton is doing well, ain't it?" Her mother nodded while staring off in the distance as the smoke from her mouth grazed her cheek. "Then why are we doin' house work for them?"

"They're good friends offering good pay so we're gonna do it! Don't question me, Charlene. Now keep stuffing them pillows we leave on tomorrow. Mr. Griffen will be picking us up at noon."

"Tomorrow?!"

Charlene wasn't too joyous when it came to the Watsons. The last she seen of them is when she was thirteen. Gail Watson was marrying her ripe husband, Wallace McLeod. She had to sit in the very back of her own friend's wedding where the whites would feel comfortable.

Gail's husband hated the fact that the Watson's were so close with the McCulloughs. The Watson's desperately wanted their daughter to marry wealth so they did all the McLeod's said. Ever since that day, she lost respect for the Watsons. They smiled in everyone's faces but they were just as racist as what they tried to prove they weren't.

Spending a summer working for them is just what Charlene expected of them. From playing in their yards to cleaning their dishes. Charlene shouldn't be surprised. Even the whites who fight for justice for the black man eventually turn.

"I'll pack your good clothes and you pack the bedding." Charlene sighed as her mother went back inside to do whatever she was doing. "Also, make something for the journey. It's an hours ride," Mrs. Watson called from the open kitchen window which was right behind Charlene's head.

She stuffed the pillow case with a bit more force as she thought about not having a choice in this. Charlene never had a choice in anything but all the things her mother made her do, Charlene enjoyed doing. This being the first of many years that she dreaded leaving the front porch.

Charlene went down the hall to her bedroom and saw her chest packed up and ready to be closed. Her mother even made sure to put in her favorite shirt she wore every summer since it made her breast look bigger. The Watson daughters were never blessed in such a way. Charlene loved proving that they might have had money but never the woman necessities.

"Good night, Charlene. Noon tomorrow. Don't waste Mr. Griffen's time." She nodded once and zipped her suitcase with a huff.

Before going to bed, Charlene said her prayers. She prayed that the visit wouldn't be as miserable as her mind is making it out to be and she prayed the Watson's might have changed a little. The last one was asking for a bit much since they have grown up without a black soul around for years and more to come.

Charlene also prayed that they still treated her as their friend despite being older and meeting new people. Her last hope was that they'd get along. She didn't want to spend an entire summer avoiding anyone. That would be the worse summer ever for her.