Forbidden Love

Chapter One

Song: Longest Time
By: Billy Joel

I finish cleaning the last bedroom, wiping the sweat off my brow. Today was one of the hottest days Baltimore has ever witnessed, opening some of the windows didn't even help. I walk downstairs ready to tell Master Williams that I was finished when someone enters, luggage in both hands. My heart stops, for just a second. It was a male around my age, with nice fair skin, and the brownest of hair, it was wavy to, that sharp jaw, and killer cheekbones so sharp, it could cut the vegetables I usually cut for most dinners, and oh those hazel eyes, look as if they could look right through your soul. He looks like a mixture of my mistress and master.

"Eloise is that you?" The male asks and that's when I realize who it is.

"Elijah?!" I go and hug him, I haven't seen him since we were kids, we would play together, from sunup to sun down, that was until he was of age to head off to boarding school, which was when he was around ten and me around nine, and was when I became of age to work. He used to write to me, and I'd write back for a couple of months but then the letters stopped. Eight years have passed by and I soon forgot about him, as my life was filled with hardship. As I grew older I had realized that humankind isn't as kind as I thought it to be. Master Williams and Mistress Hazel have been nice to my family and I, along with the rest, they don't mistreat us. We were lucky unlike most colored folk, but it doesn't mean I don't wish for our freedom. My parents have at least two more months until they're free, which means the same goes for me, but I don't know if my father is going to last that long. He's been beaten up by years of work and isn't as strong as he used to be, even though he doesn't look it.

"How are you? I haven't seen you in years?" I ask a smile taking over my features, he returns it.

"I've been well, you don't know how much I missed you,mother, and father. Wish I could've written more often but the school work required more attention. How about you Eloise, how have you been?" He asks me.

"Oh well I was working on the plantation for quite some time, I learned how to read and write between, been to a couple of protests here and there, but you know Mama and Papa always looking out for my safety, but eventually I got moved from the plantation to the house. Not much has gone on since you've been gone," I answer.

"I'm sorry about how the world is treating you, its just not right."

"Oh, it's ok, before you know it, Mama, Papa, and I will be out of here in our own little house," I smile.

"Speaking of which, how is the old man and woman doing?" Elijah asks.

"Oh you know, working, they are both doing fine, but I worry about Papa. He's not as strong as he used to be, neither is Mama but she can fool you," I reply and he smiles a sad smile.

"Eloise..." But before he could finish, Master Williams walks in.

"Elijah my boy is that you? You've grown since Christmas!" The man exclaims and brings his son in for a big hug. Elijah smiles wide, and returns it, I never realized how much I missed his smile until now.

"Master Williams sir, you're in early, I have finished cleaning the specific parts of the house that you requested I finish first, shall I start lunch?" I ask, and he lets go of Elijah and turns towards me.

"Yes please, but before you do that, can you please help Elijah bring his luggage upstairs."

"Yes sir," I go to grab some of the luggage but Elijah stops me.

"I can bring them up myself," He says.

"Nonsense let Eloise help," Master Williams says and I nod, not wanting to disappoint Mr. Williams. Before Elijah could say anything else I take some luggage and carry it upstairs. A small smile graces my lips as I hear a huge sigh from Elijah and a chuckle from Mister Williams. I step aside in the hallway so Elijah can lead the way towards his room.

"You know you didn't have to help?" Elijah says as he gets in front of me.

"Yes I did, I didn't want to disappoint him, he's done more than I could ever ask," I reply. We enter his room and I place the luggage beside his bed. I turn to sneak a quick peek at him, only to see him already looking at me.

"Eloise what do you mean my father has helped?"

"I'm sorry Elijah but I need to go and make lunch. It's break time for my parents and if I miss them, then I won't be able to see them until tonight, but it was nice talking to you," I interrupt him and throw him a smile before I quickly make my way downstairs and into the kitchen. After I finish lunch, I go and head to the plantation where my mama and papa were.

"Eloise, you're looking quite lovely this evening, but when don't you?"

"Isaiah, boy how many times do I have to tell you to leave my girl alone?" My mama says and I laugh as I go to join her. Isaiah is one of the hundred slaves that work on the plantation. He hasn't left me alone for months!

"Mama how are you?" I smile and she smiles back giving me a hug as we head over to the break area. Papa joins us as she answers.

"It was good, although with the two of you by my side it would be better,  and if Isaiah would shut that mouth of his it would be amazing," my Papa and I laugh.

"Eloise you're a beautiful bright young woman, Isaiah would be lucky to have a girl like you, why not give that boy a chance?" My Papa asks, Mama and I look at one another, and then back at my father.

"Papa did you not just hear yourself? He's a whole boy," I smile as that earns a laugh out of Papa. It soon disappears as I see that my father looks a little worn out, which is better than how he looks most days, but I'm still worried.

"Don't look at me like that Eloise, you're too young to be worrying about me like that. I'm sorry that you had to be born in a time like this," he apologies and tears fill my eyes, but I don't let them fall, it's not his fault.

"Papa don't apologize you didn't do anything wrong, it's not your fault people see us differently." I help him and my Mama sit and we eat lunch together.

"So anything interesting happen today?" My Mama asks.

"Oh yes, Elijah has returned today, he's returned from boarding school," I tell them.

"Oh how is that boy, I haven't seen him in years," Mama says as Papa nods in agreement.

"He's doing well, finished boarding school."

"If I remember correctly you and that boy were close, you wrote everyday what happened?" Papa asks. I feel the smile I recently have on my face fall a little but then it comes back when I replay the answer as to why he stopped in the first place.

"He was buried in school work, he had to focus more," I reply and he nods along with Mama.

"Well with you being the housemaid, maybe the two of you will become close once more," Mama comments and I smile.

"I hope so Mama, but considering we're leaving in two months..."

"Oh, you two can write to one another, with all the money we have saved up, parchment and paper shouldn't be too expensive," Papa says and I smile.

"But the color of our skin might intervene," Mama says and I frown knowing she's right.

"Damn fools are to blind to see that we deserve as much rights as them," Papa angrily says.

"That's the truth and a sad one at that," I answer and he gives me a sad smile.

"Now Eloise I know you love the compliments I give you," Isaiah says as he takes a seat near me and the gloomy atmosphere was gone and the rest of the break was filled with Isaiah's annoying, funny, and much needed chatter.

***

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