Social Defaults

A breeze that whipped around the winding porch felt more like a hot breathe, then the relief it should have brought. Anna Lee hated the Georgian air compared to her home back in Virginia. Where a breeze was a relief from the violent heat of the sun.  She had came from Virginia to be married to the owner of a large plantation, which had been nearly three year ago now. holding on to the rail she waited out side now for Edam, the slave who drove the carriage into town. There was no time to wait for her husband to get home, his mother was coming into town and she wanted to be sure to make a good impression.1

“Ma’am, yuh ready to go?” Edam asked her quietly while she looked out into the yard , hoping it would be enough to get her attention.2

“Missuhs, I’m here” he said with his soft spoken voice.3

“Oh yes, yes, sorry I had just been thinking of…something.” Anna Lee said when his voice had finally captured her attention.4

“We go to  Yorken to pick up Old Mistress Addison?” The  broad shouldered black man spoke.5

“ Yes. We will have to stay the night as Old Mrs. Addison  wont be there till tomorrow afternoon.” Anna Lee said tying the over sized hat securely over her corn silken hair.6

“ This forsaken heat is going to get the best of me yet!” She exclaimed catching Edam by surprise that he clearly showed from swerving his head back to look at her letting a chuckle slip.7

To hear someone laugh had returned some sort of pride that she lost a while ago. The sun had caught the glistening sweat on his neck that ran down  to the opening of his shirt. Hurriedly Anna Lee looked away  as she noticed she was starting to stare, and somewhere deep inside she began to wonder. To wonder what was below the opening of the shirt.8

Edam had caught the path of her eyes the one time he had glanced back, after she had suddenly went silent. Under the intense stare of her green eyes he felt the urge to wipe the sweat away and start back up the conversation that went silent only moments before hand. 9

“Yuh’ll get use to this heat, eventually…Jus’ takes yuh northerners time to get use to .”  He spoke to her feeling her gaze move from his chest to the back of his head.10

“ I’ve been here for nearly three years and I still feel like these summer months are a wrath of God” She said in reply.11

It wasn’t only the heat she had felt was the wrath God, but her life alone in Georgia had seemed like a curse from the above. William wasn't’t a bad husband, but he had no interest in her, rarely talking to her while he was at home. The times he did spend at him he retreated to his room with his numerous black mistresses. Although he had tried to deny the accusation, there was a vast number of light brown children in the slave quarters. Seeing the women step shyly outside of his doors, had made Anna Lee cry. Partly because somewhere deep inside she wished he’d finally notice her, but more so because she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be forced as a slave.12

Thunder had brought Anne Lee back to the long road to Yorken. Wind gusted slightly with fervent heat, shaking the leaves of the over head trees.13

“ No, no it’s going to rain and we aren't even near Yorken!” Anne Lee spattered out, looking around as if to make sure Yorken wasn't just up the road.14

“ Well yuh did say something ’bout tha heat “ Edam said chuckling.15

“ It’s not funny! Old  Mrs. Addison is going to be there tomorrow and now I’m going to look like a damp dog.” She said forecasting the rain that had started to sprinkle.16

“ Now, now up ahead there’s a empty barn. We’ll stay till it’s done rainin .” Edam said pointing to the barn he had mentioned.17

It was more of a shack, almost hidden by the over grown brush. Stench that animals had once been there lingered as the moister in the air had only strength it. Stepping into the musky place light seemed to fade to a sullen gray as water dripped from random holes in the roof. Truely as if the place had captured the true feeling of loneliness.18

“ Oh wow, how did you know of this place Edam?” She asked peering into all the corners.19

“ When I take Master into town, I go by this place every time.” he said moving a respectful distance away from Anna Lee.20

Thunder sounded in the sky surprising Anna Lee into screaming, backing into Edam.  Turning around she looked into his eyes not able to look away. She felt his body next to hers it was warm as his muscles were tense and very prominent. Lightning flared at the corners of her eyes making her look away. 21

Edam moved away in the split second she looked away. There was something she said in her eyes, he could feel it. What they said was not right. Surely to get him into trouble. She was a woman any man would normally lust over , blonde hair, green eyes and a delicate body that all her dresses fitted well; but her husband seemed immune to those charms. The bastard raped and impregnated the house slaves and then denied all of his off springs. A thought of taking the offer she had in mind as she starred into his eyes crossed his mind but it was not her he had wanted to hurt.22

“ I suppose this is going to do” She said patting down her dress and untying her hair. Letting it fall like a rush of yellow that covered her back.23

“Yes’um we’ll be out of here by early ‘morrow morning” he said watching her hair move with the slightest of movements.24

“ Look, Edam, I want to thank you for showing me this place, keeping me out of the rain.” Anna Lee spoke to him while looking across the room where he sat.25

“ No problem” he said looking at the dirt floor. He couldn't take the sight of her eyes anymore they were so bidding.26

“ Why are you always staying so far away? I’d hope you’d know by now I respect you for being human.” She said as if it had really hurt her, that he’d always wanted be so far away.27

“ Yus, I know yuh do ma’am, but yuh husband doesn't. Jus’ property to him.” he said.28

“ He isn't here now.” She said walking across then room sitting next to him.29

Taking his hand in hers, she pushed her fingers through his. Edam watched her do it. Seeing her take control like so much in their daily lives, he grabbed her shoulders and kissed her deep and long.Bring up his hand to hike up her skirts to revel the cloth that fitted her legs so well. When his lips departed from hers, she didn't scream or reject it, just looked into his golden eyes.  Taking her swollen pout lips into his he moved her onto his lap.30

It was going exactly where she wanted it to. His kisses were deep and passionate but some where deep inside it had felt wrong, as if it were a sin. Then again lust was a sin , right? To late for such thoughts he had taken control and was moving fast. She could feel him underneath her, erect and ready. Only one thing she wanted and that she was going to get. Unbuttoning his shirt she saw the muscles of his chest and how they moved like waves. Kissing his neck, lips and ears she couldn't feel enough of the muscles in his chest.31

As lightening and thunder raged outside, so did Anna Lee and Edam taking each other as close to being one as anyone could be. Each getting what they wanted and needed, screaming and moaning, they felt the rushes of lust and passion between their loins. 32

The storm turned to just a rain, and the rain transformed into a drizzle.That slowly died while the sun rose into the early morning sky. Edam awoke looking to his side and realizing that Anna Lee slept there. She was smudged with dirt and looked distorted from the night before. Rising quickly he went out and stood by the carriage, thinking through what had happened from the night before.God only knew what would happen now. Finally he went back in and woke Anna Lee up to tell her to get ready. That they needed to hurry to be sure to make it into town to pick up Mrs. Addison.33

Anna Lee woke to the site of Edam, but it wasn't the same man from last night. His eyes were cold and his actions more so. Proving the feeling was real. Hurriedly she dressed and climbed to her perch in the carriage. If he wanted to be cold about what had happened, well so could she. Tying her hat under her chin, she looked forward  ignoring anything that was in view, except the road into Yorken.34

Although the day had started off cool the heat had gradually excelled through out the day as she waited in the near by Café for her mother-in-law.  Sitting by the window she couldn't help but to look out at Edam in the carriage sweating and starring at the ground.  Anna Lee would of done anything to stop thinking of him To prepare herself for the comments William’s mother would be tossing to her, but it proved to be impossible as the thoughts of Edam returned quickly.35

“ Why Anna Lee, I believe you have glow to that mild northern skin.” Mrs. Addison said with a smile and hollow eyes.36

“ It’s just this blessed heat getting to me, dear.” Anna Lee said putting on the same smile her mother-in-law wore. 37

“ Yes, well that would explain it. Ready to get going? “  Old Mrs. Addison asked walking out the door.38

“ More then you would know.” Anna Lee said under her breath following Old Mrs. Addison to the carriage. 39

The ride home was quite and so was the month that Old Mrs. Addison stayed on the plantation for. Though through out the times of  Mr. Addison’s disappearances Anna Lee and Edam met secretly at the deserted barn, to be together.40

“ Whore! Where would *YOU* get pregnant at, I haven’t been home in over eight months. You’ve been sleeping with that banker haven’t you. I should of known you’d be such a traitorous wife.” William screamed as he came in and looked at her swollen belly.41

She knew who’s child it was but how could she tell her husband that the child would be half black, that she had committed adultery with a slave. He had suspected the banker because he had been the only white man that came to the house while he was away on the over extensive business trips. It angered her that he’d call her a whore when he’d spend his times at home with other women.42

“ Whore? I’m a whore? You unworthy horrid man. I wouldn't’t let you touch me if you wanted to! Come home and spend time with those women, *RAPING* them. Go to hell.” Anne Lee exploded and ran out of the room .43

Running down the stair she missed a step and tumbled down the rest. As she came to a rest blood pooled out from between her legs, pains seized her stomach, letting out a curdling scream Anna Lee realized what was going on. The house maids ran to look at her while William peered from the top of the staircase.44

“ Get her a damn doctor!” William screamed and one of the quieter slaves hurried out of the room.45

In moments she returned with an old black midwife that sat down by her side and held Anna Lee’s hand.46

“Sh, sh, it’ll be okay, women have babies everyday. We just have to wait for this one to be ready to come out.” the older slave said in her dark husky voice.47

With in hours Anna Lee rested in her soft bed after giving birth to a coco colored baby girl. All the slaves looked at her with some sort of new horror and William took off for Yorken. Holding the child in her arms she smiled and knew what good this child meant to her. Kissing the forehead she smiled and fed the baby while it went to sleep in her arms.48

A week later William returned and came into Anna Lee’s room to talk to her about the child, who still hadn't’t been named. 49

“Anna Lee, the child is going to have to go. I can’t keep her here with the slaves knowing it is your kid…She can’t be white you know. For everyone in town you suffered a still.” he said rather rationally for him.50

“ No!! That’s my kid. I can’t give up my baby!” Anna Lee said, thinking of how Edam had been hoping to see their child.51

“ You have to!” William said and took the child from the cradle where the baby girl rested.52

Anna Lee would of ran after him if she thought it would of done any good but instead she ran to the stables and hid in a corner. Edam came from around the corner not expecting to see her so soon after the child birth.53

“ He’s going to sell her! I had a girl, we had a daughter and that bastard is taking her!” She cried into her knees.54

Edam had known that this could happen, after all a happily ever afters never happened for a slave, and now his daughter willto be submitted to the same sort of life. The thought alone brought tears to his eyes. Taking Anna Lee into his arms he knew that their love never could be what it was suppose to be and any result of their love would only end up being looked down upon. Something he couldn't take himself let alone see Anna Lee to be put through it. 55

With in years Edam was sold to a farmer not to far away. Where he ended up being murdered for trying to poison his master. There was no real proof that it was him. Except that his wife had been working in the kitchen and he had access to the shredded metal found in the pea soup. Anna Lee had one child with William, who died in the civil war by a light skinned female ex-slave who was working as a spy for the north.56