No Crystal Stair Read Free Page A

they’ve taught me to fly!”
    Her mother had cried. Her father had tried reason, and Ann Elizabeth’s heart had ached for both, especially her father. He’d been counting on his son to join him in his medical practice.
    But Randy had been adamant. Determined.
    Dr. Carter had tapped a finger to the paper. “Such a waste. They’ll take our best, our finest and brightest. And they’ll never know what they have!” He’d shaken his head sadly.
    But Randy had been excited, eager. He couldn’t waste time being hurt or angry or confused. He was simply going to do what he’d always wanted.
    Downstairs she heard the phone ring, and a moment later her mother called up to say her father was delayed at the hospital. Did she want Aunt Sophie to drop her?
    â€œNo, thanks,” Ann Elizabeth called back. She wanted no more advice. “I’ll study up here and wait for Dad.” Then she curled up on the window seat and opened her sociology book.
    When she heard her father’s car in the driveway several hours later, she gathered her things and rushed downstairs.
She gave her mother a quick kiss and went out to the car. Her father stood holding open the passenger door, and as always she thought how handsome he was. Ann Elizabeth loved everything about her father. She loved his keen dark eyes, the rich brown of his complexion, the few strands of silver in the kinky black hair. Dr. William Randolph Carter was a tall man with a powerful build. The well-cut black suit so carefully selected by his wife was rumpled and the pockets bulged. He took a heavy gold watch from his vest pocket and glanced at it.
    He smiled as he helped her into the car. “I’ll have to stop by the hospital again, but we have plenty of time”
    â€œOh, Dad, Lynn can take me, then.”
    â€œI want to take you. Besides, Lynn’s studying. Biology exam tomorrow.” How did he know? But then, her father always knew each detail of the life of whatever college boy occupied the room over the garage. He always took an interest, gave them pocket money and advice. Advice far more valuable than the room and board they received in exchange for household chores, firing the furnace, mowing the lawn and such.
    â€œSomething bothering you, kitten?” her father asked as the car turned into the street.
    â€œDo you think I should marry Dan?”
    His laughter rang out. “So Dan popped the question, did he? That’s Dan. Trust him to pick the best for himself.”
    â€œI think... he says he loves me.”
    â€œOf course he does. How could he help it?” He threw her a brief appraising look. “How do you feel about him?”
    â€œI... I don’t know. I like Dan. Love him, I guess. We’re good friends.”
    â€œMarriage is more than friendship honey.”
    â€œMother thinks that I—”
    â€œThat you should snap him up before someone else does.”
    She retuned his smile. “Yes. Something like that. You know Mother.

    They both did. And they both knew what the town said about her. That Julia Belle Washington Carter was proudest of three things—her Washington heritage, her fair skin and her husband’s medical degree. They might snicker behind her back, but oh, how they catered to her. They smiled and sought to be included in her clubs, her parties. To be accepted by her was to belong.
    Dr. Carter touched his daughter’s hand. “Don’t’ be too hard on your mother. There’s more to her than shows on the surface.”
    â€œI know.” People forgot certain facts, like how hard Mother and Aunt Sophie had worked to establish a home for Negro orphans.
    â€œShe only wants the best for you.”
    â€œI know. But Mother’s so caught up in ... in things.”
    â€œYes, I guess that’s true.”He hesitated as he parked the car in front of the modest Negro hospital, usually referred to as simply