just leave? How could they just pick up and leave, especially when he needed Peter now. Who would he talk to about such things?
Boaz locked up the General Store. His parents had left earlier; they said they had some business to do with Joshua. That was fine; Boaz was used to taking care of the duties at hand, whatever they might be.
Life without Peter and Naomi seemed unbearably bleak. His two best friends in all of the earth really. Well there was Nate, but this thing with Lucy had turned them into rivals and back to friends of course. But the hurt was there. Why did it have to hurt? If she loved Nate, well then why not just say so. If she didn’t love Boaz, well then go ahead on to somebody else.
Ma had a favorite saying, “You have a choice. Complain about what you don’t have, or be thankful for what you do have.” Boaz smiled as he could almost hear her saying it now, even though she was a few doors down. He loved his mama. She was so passionate about serving God.
“Its settled!” he spoke to no one there. Well he thought no one was there, until he heard the sound on the steps behind the store. And then someone run down the alleyway. “Who is that?” he wondered. Then he dropped the broom and took off after them. Up through another back alley, and up the rear stairs, and a slam of a door. Boaz was right behind them in hot pursuit. He banged loudly on the door, but no answer. He banged again and the door slowly opened. Just a crack mind you.
“Well, look who’s sneaking around tonight. What are you up to Julia? You scared the life out of me. And what are you doing in here, and dressed like a boy?”
Julia was scared; she really didn’t want to be noticed. And she knew she shouldn’t be in this room this evening, her master had stepped out to the saloon across the way for some dinner. He told her to wait outside the saloon doors for him. She had run home and stole some clothes from another at the house. Then she took off for the adventure of her life. Or so she thought. But when she ran in this door, she was just hoping no one was here. Turned out to be empty and swept clean.
“Don’t pay no never mind to me Boaz. I’m just out for a walk.”
“Julia what are you up to,” he asked the young black slave girl. He looked at her funny because he just couldn’t believe she was dressed like a boy tonight. She was only 14 or so, close to Boaz’s age.
“Ok, might as well tell ya. I’m running north. I’m running north tonight, and no one is going to stop me Boaz. Not even you! Now let me go!”
As Julia tried to shove past him, Boaz grabbed her by the arms and swung her back into the small room. He smiled at those bright beautiful black eyes dancing in the moonlight as he noticed, she’s a girl alright. “Julia, you know Joe, he’ll whoop your hide. Come on let me get you back home. We’ll think up something to tell him.”
“No I can’t Boaz. You know how he treats me. The only time I eat more than a slice of bread and that soup with no meat is when you or your folks sneak it to me. I sure do appreciate that Boaz. And then when he is drunk he… well he…,” she was stammering but Boaz fully understood. He had found her beaten and compromised many a morning at the front door of the general store, unable to speak what had happened to her the night before. “But I can’t ...,” she straightened her small frame up, and she almost looked like a different person, and spoke with firmness. “I just gotta go north. This is over. I got to be free. You will never understand Boaz. You just can’t.”
“Ok Julia, come on to the store. Let’s make ya something to put in a bag and help you on your way. It’s a long way you’re going to have to go. Probably all the way to Canada. Joe will be chasing you, I am sure of
Boaz locked up the General Store. His parents had left earlier; they said they had some business to do with Joshua. That was fine; Boaz was used to taking care of the duties at hand, whatever they might be.
Life without Peter and Naomi seemed unbearably bleak. His two best friends in all of the earth really. Well there was Nate, but this thing with Lucy had turned them into rivals and back to friends of course. But the hurt was there. Why did it have to hurt? If she loved Nate, well then why not just say so. If she didn’t love Boaz, well then go ahead on to somebody else.
Ma had a favorite saying, “You have a choice. Complain about what you don’t have, or be thankful for what you do have.” Boaz smiled as he could almost hear her saying it now, even though she was a few doors down. He loved his mama. She was so passionate about serving God.
“Its settled!” he spoke to no one there. Well he thought no one was there, until he heard the sound on the steps behind the store. And then someone run down the alleyway. “Who is that?” he wondered. Then he dropped the broom and took off after them. Up through another back alley, and up the rear stairs, and a slam of a door. Boaz was right behind them in hot pursuit. He banged loudly on the door, but no answer. He banged again and the door slowly opened. Just a crack mind you.
“Well, look who’s sneaking around tonight. What are you up to Julia? You scared the life out of me. And what are you doing in here, and dressed like a boy?”
Julia was scared; she really didn’t want to be noticed. And she knew she shouldn’t be in this room this evening, her master had stepped out to the saloon across the way for some dinner. He told her to wait outside the saloon doors for him. She had run home and stole some clothes from another at the house. Then she took off for the adventure of her life. Or so she thought. But when she ran in this door, she was just hoping no one was here. Turned out to be empty and swept clean.
“Don’t pay no never mind to me Boaz. I’m just out for a walk.”
“Julia what are you up to,” he asked the young black slave girl. He looked at her funny because he just couldn’t believe she was dressed like a boy tonight. She was only 14 or so, close to Boaz’s age.
“Ok, might as well tell ya. I’m running north. I’m running north tonight, and no one is going to stop me Boaz. Not even you! Now let me go!”
As Julia tried to shove past him, Boaz grabbed her by the arms and swung her back into the small room. He smiled at those bright beautiful black eyes dancing in the moonlight as he noticed, she’s a girl alright. “Julia, you know Joe, he’ll whoop your hide. Come on let me get you back home. We’ll think up something to tell him.”
“No I can’t Boaz. You know how he treats me. The only time I eat more than a slice of bread and that soup with no meat is when you or your folks sneak it to me. I sure do appreciate that Boaz. And then when he is drunk he… well he…,” she was stammering but Boaz fully understood. He had found her beaten and compromised many a morning at the front door of the general store, unable to speak what had happened to her the night before. “But I can’t ...,” she straightened her small frame up, and she almost looked like a different person, and spoke with firmness. “I just gotta go north. This is over. I got to be free. You will never understand Boaz. You just can’t.”
“Ok Julia, come on to the store. Let’s make ya something to put in a bag and help you on your way. It’s a long way you’re going to have to go. Probably all the way to Canada. Joe will be chasing you, I am sure of
Similar Books
Fearsome Dreamer
Laure Eve
Too Many Men
Lily Brett
His Until Midnight
Nikki Logan
Romance: The Billionaire Alpha Collection
Penny Ward
Timeless Adventures
Brian J Robb
A Writer's Diary
Virginia Woolf
Midnight Vengeance
Lisa Marie Rice
Left for Dead
J.A. Jance
Hypnotic Hannah
Cheryl Dragon
Darkest Knight
Cynthia Luhrs