Trouble's Child Read Free

lollygaggin round heah, cause Mat’s gon be ready soon, ahn, Mat?”
    Martha’s feeling of ease slipped away.
    â€œTell us, Mat, when you gon show yo patten? Tis bout time, yes?” Cora LaRue asked.
    â€œLe’s git Ocie married first.” She didn’t want to talk about marriage to Beau, or to anyone, especially in front of Cora LaRue. So Martha said, “Ocie, le’s see yo weddin dress patten.”
    Ocie was pleased to show her material and pattern. Both were simple, but nice. She had chosen soft white calico with fine lace and tiny buttons. It would be a dress that could be worn many times after the wedding to parties and festivals.
    The women settled to quilting and their talk turned to prices at the commissary. Then they talked about plans for the fishing festival, the biggest event on the island, which came every year at the end of summer. Finally their conversation turned to their children.
    â€œSay, Cam, you’s lookin mighty pretty round heah,” Cora said. “Yo skin like velvet. You ain’t in child way agin, no?”
    There was deep silence broken by Cam’s uneasy giggle. She covered her mouth to hide a missing front tooth. “Ah, Miss Cora, leave me lone.”
    Martha lowered her eyes, trying to relieve the hurt she felt for Cam. Only a few days ago, Cam had come to visit Titay, upset because she felt she was expecting another child. It would be her fifth, and her youngest was only nine months old. She and Titay had talked for a long time. When Cam left, Titay was silent, and Martha knew her grandmother faced a problem she could not solve.
    Just then Tee came through the door. “Look who I brung,” he said, ushering Titay into the room. Everyone applauded. Cora said, “You jus in time t’ tell us bout Cam.”
    Titay gave Cam a quick look, then turned to Cora. “What’s t’ tell?”
    â€œAw now, Miss Titay, look at er. She’s too pretty. You mus know there’ll be a new baby round heah soon, yes?”
    Everyone knew that Cora wanted to take Titay’s place as the island midwife and caretaker, but the women were afraid of her. It was rumored that she practiced hoodoo. Her question now was meant to put Titay on the spot.
    The women were quiet as Cora kept her angry eyes on Titay. In that throbbing moment, Martha wondered how Titay would answer.
    â€œAh,” Titay said. “That need no word from me, no. If it be so, we’ll know sooner or later, ahn?” She moved to place a hand on Cam’s shoulder.
    Martha caught Cam’s eye and responded to her smile.
    Cora’s anger chilled the room, but Titay calmly took her place at the quilting frame to do the work in the center of the final roll.
    Martha smiled again. Even if Titay’s eyes were failing, she still made the neatest, most even stitches, twelve within an inch.
    Just as the frame was being taken down, the men began to arrive. Soon the party moved outside and shouts went up for Ocie and Tee to do the courting dance. Drumbeats and hand-clapping set the rhythm. Ocie stood still, marking time to the music, while Tee did steps that moved from the simple to the most difficult.
    Tee strutted on his toes, moving his shoulders, neck, arms and head. Ocie teased with her eyes and smile while she stood in place, keeping time to the beat. The tempo increased and Tee’s whole body caught the music.
    Martha, fired by the music and movements, clapped and urged the dancers on.
    After the courting dance everyone was ready for cake and lemonade. As they settled and were served, the men began to swap tall tales. The women listened and laughed. Only Cora was bold enough to add a story of her own and sip the elderberry wine that Tee’s father brought out for the men to sample.
    Martha sat on the ground, close to Titay, watching, listening and laughing at the stories. She felt at home, but with an uneasiness hard for her to explain. It was like moving