MULATTO (Iyila) (Editing)

chapter twenty six ~ Dedicated to Christopher my friend

       

 It took Iyila more than ten minutes to muster enough courage to knock on Gabriel’s door. It was the first time she was to see the man after the mild show in the dining room. Iyila dreaded his reaction, added to his rather vague smile that he had offered. Just what she had not expected from a person who had witnessed his father’s negro attempt to run away. She knocked on the door and he asked her to come in. Sighing, Iyila reluctantly grabbed the knob and slowly pushed open the door. Shivering, she gradually stepped in and saw Gabriel standing near the mirror, trying to fix his cravat. He turned to her and smiled. The intelligent-obnoxious-daring-foolish Negro.

“Good morning sir,” she said after a while. “Same to you,” he answered still on his cravat. Iyila didn’t say anything else than that. She didn’t know if she should beg for forgiveness as regards her rudeness, or beg him not to say a word to anybody; that is if he hadn’t already. But she thought he might consider it as insolence.

“Isn’t the world a small place?” he abruptly said. Hadn’t expected that, Iyila became startled but she remained silent. “I never thought I would ever see you again. Talk more to be my father’s Negro, and most shocking my own maid,” he stated again, but she didn’t say anything.

“I know you are just as shocked. Well I am as well as shocked as you are. The world is indeed the a small place,” he added. Iyila couldn’t disagree with him. Indeed the world was a small place, too small to contain both of them and she wished he could just go away except she said nothing.

Gabriel turned to her, she was afraid. He had almost laughed when he saw the horrid stare she gave him as if she had seen a ghost. “Do not try to be docile, it will mean pretence because I already know you are not,” he said to her.

“Master, is there anything you would want me to do for you?” Iyila asked ignoring his question while staring at her shoes. He chuckled and said, “Raise your head when you talk to me and do not call me master, I am not your owner. I would prefer you address me by my first name.”

She stared at him as if the man was insane. She wasn’t so stupid to do that. The master would cut her tongue if she did but Gabriel was serious.

“Master, your father would disapprove and I cannot ca__”

“Ok you may say sir but not master,” he demanded. She starred at him and nodded.

“Yes mas__sir,” she said.

“You look so horrible, as though you have been troubled all night,” he said staring at her black eyes. They weren't as bright as yesterday.

Iyila stared at him. The damned man noticed. She looked away. She hadn’t been able to sleep last night. She had been wide awake throughout the night. She had been able to close her eyes being completely draught with information of what to happened to her. And, when she closed her eyes she saw Zachary dragging her to a stake while Gabriel watched with an amused face. She was so agitated that her nerves where screaming and she had risen with her  head already aching as though a nail had been driven into it.

She noticed him struggling with his cravat. He had been at it since she came in. She was shocked to see him fighting with it like a spoilt child. Every man knew how to fix it, but he obviously couldn’t. He turned to her.

“Do you know how to fix a cravat? I am very clumsy with this thing. Back at Illinios where I stay, my maid Abigail that’s her name, she help me with it,” he said. She shook her head as if she didn’t but he knew she was lying. He was a proffessional at it so he could tell if a person was not being truthful.

“Please, I am preparing to see a lady and I do not intend to appear unkept,” he said and handed over the cravat to her. Unwillingly Iyila accepted it and moved closer. He had a nice scent and was quite taller than her. She was just reached his shoulder, but felt uneasy telling him to bend a little. Gabriel noticed and bent down.

“You are such a brief woman,” he jokingly said and a mild smile appeared on her face. It vanished before he could appreciate it.

“I know you must be wondering why I cannot fix my cravat,” he looked at her as she worked on it. She didn’t reply. “I have been reluctant to learn how to. I haven’t considered it a necessity and I ha__ what is your name?” he asked.

She stole a glance at his green eyes. She wasn’t sure she was awake. She thought she was still in her matteress dreaming about it. She was supposed to be dead and not conversing with the master.

“Iyila,” she answered and flung the cravat round his neck.

“Yi_li_yali. Pardon me. How is it pronounced surely it isn’t English?” he said as she struggled with the cravat. The cursed thing wouldn’t hang the way she wanted.

“Yes it isn’t English. It is African.”

“Hmm. Just as I assumed. How is it spelt?” he asked. Iyila suspiciously starred at him, she already knew too much and disclosing her writing ability was far more dangerous.

“I do not know how it is spelt,” she answered. Gabriel chuckled. He was sure she could spell but he didn’t want to force her.

“What does it mean?” he asked. Iyila stole a glance at his green eyes. No White except Magarita and Cherrie Pricillia had bothered about the meaning.

“Bitterness,” she bluntly replied. “Bitterness? Why would a person bear such a name?”

“Only a negro,” she replied and tied the knot. “I am finished, Mast__sir,” she said. Staring at her oval face, Gabriel nodded. Swiftly he moved to the mirror. “Thank you Liya, if you do not mind me calling you Liya?”

She nodded. He was her master, morever she was used to people pronouncing it the way they preferred.

“Well, I am ready,” he said and picked his hat. “Do well to have a pleasant day and I shall see you by noon,” he said already walking to the door. Iyila remained mute and just as he was to open the door, he halted.

“Liya?” he called. She immediately turned expecting the worst. “You should not fret about your secret. It is safe with me,” he said and went out before she could say a word.

Iyila stood motionless for some minutes before she finally realized what he had said. He wasn’t going to rat her out afterall. The encounter she had so dreaded was just as bizzare as his eyes.

Authors note: Read comment and vote. What do u think? D next chapter wi b up by tomoro.