Lillie said, “Glaidous you might have somethin,’ but what ‘bout da overseer’s, dey' be comin' ta' git' food.”
Lee said with a chuckle in his voice, “I know, I'll ask Bo to ask Massa iffen' we's can have Esta’ Sunday in da’ ta’bacco field, den' suggest he be da' one ta' watch us, he can tell Massa iffen we's do anythang' wrong.”
Lillie looked at her son, “Lee you thankin' bout doin' somethin' I's' see's it on yo' face.”
“Mama, what if slavery be ova,’ I’s got’s ta’ know. Da' overseers come git' dey’ food and leave, dey' always do, we gits’ Bo drunk, he fall sleep, he always do.”
“Yeah, Bo will thank he da’ boss of us. He ask Massa.” Lillie said.
Glaidous said, mm ‘hum, I's' wonda’ whad’ da’ walk-about gonna' say when he sees us.”
Lillie said, “what we gonna' say when we sees him.”
Lee said, “I's' thank' I's' got' it.”
Glaidous asked, “got what?”
“The gate and the forest - we cain't see out or get out and nobody cain't...”
Glaidous finish Lees sentence, “see in or git' in.”
Lee looked at his son, then at his mother, at his uncle, at the magazine, and said “Cush, mama, unk, we's locked up slaves, and it be agin' da' law. And dis brown skin man likes us, be da' Prezdent of da' Souf. And Mr. Doo-noo-man come ta’ set us free.”
Lillie took the magazine and laid the freezer bag next to it. she said, “glory be, Lee say slavery be ova,’ and nobody knows we's here on dis' pantation.”
Cush ask, “I wonder iffen' da' walk-about will help us, I's wont' ta' walk-about...”
Glaidous cut in, “Lawd child, what ja' talkin' bout,' we lib' off dis' pantation like des' brown people in dis' here mar-ja-zine.”
Lilly agreed with her brother and said, “we's won't know how,” Looking at a sofa in the magazine she asked, “what dat' dey' sittin' on?” Looking at a car, she asked, “what des' round thangs,' and dis' thang sittin' on top of.” She turned the page and saw a house, she asked, “is des' big clean beautify shacks, cabins? We's don't know how ta' lib' likes' des' walk-about.”
With deep sorry in his voice, Lee softly said, “mama, I's' willin' ta' learn how ta' lib' likes da' walk-about. Maybe da' walk-about teach us how ta' walk-about.” Lee examined the magazine, and asked, “I's' wonder how dis walk-about find us?”
The candles burned low as the four slaves sat deep in their own thoughts.
“Glory be,” Lillie said. “We may be doin’ what Massa planned. Mr. Doo-noo-man may be a trap fo’ us, we’s meet him, Massa beat us good.”
“We’s neva' be da' same,” Lee said softly. “We’s gotta try.”
Glaidous started leaving, when he got to the door he looked back and said, “you’s right Lee, we’s neva be da’ same, Massa wanna’ beat me, dat’ ain’t he’s first time it won’t be he’s last.” He opened the door turned and said, “We’s neva’ be da’ same.” He left.
Lilley watched him leave, she sat silently staring at the door. Lee asked, “whad’ ja’ lookin’ at mama?”
Lillie answered, “he ain’t gone no whar’s. He just stand der’ tryin’ ta figure it out.”
“Yes, mama, unk Glaidous right, I’s neva’ be da’ same. I’s got ta’ know, beaten or no beaten.”
Cush stood next to his dad nodding in agreement and said, “gotta’ no grandma.” He sat in a chair next to Lee.
The three sat around the table, in front of them was the Essence Magazine laying on top of the freezer bag. Glaidous opened the cabin door, grabbed a chair, and sat next to Lillie, she reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. The four slaves sat quiet around the table. Cush laid his head on Lee’s shoulder. A muffled moan escaped through Lee’s lips.
Tears slid down Glaidous cheeks as he stared at the magazine, he said, “I’s not da’ same.”
Lillie cried.
XXI
Valentine Day
Donovan was up at six o`clock in the morning, he had prepared a delicious breakfast for his sweetheart. During the weekdays before work, the couple took their morning jog through the park. However, after breakfast, Donovan had planned for them to run through their neighborhood. Later that day, he was driving her to Titleburk, to dine in the city’s finest restaurant for dinner.
For Theenda’s Valentine Day [RL69]surprised breakfast, Donovan had set the table for his prissy wife, he thought it was a little girly but then, so was his wife. The centerpiece on the kitchen table was an arrangement of a dozen pink roses, as an extra surprise he purchased online pink placemats and cloth napkins, with a white rose embroidered in the middle.
Theenda entered the kitchen wearing a pink jogging suit trimmed in white, her glance fell on the table, the expression on her face made Donovan feel proud of his effort to please his wife. “Sweetie, this is beautiful,” she ran into Donovan's arms and hugged and kissed him, “perfect,” she said as she turned and went to the table, she sniffed the roses. “My favorite color and flower,” she said, “thank you.” She went to the counter to see what Donovan had cooked. In one serving dish was raisin pancakes, in the other turkey bacon, two omelets, and toast lightly buttered, she stood next to Donovan put his hands in hers and said, “let’s forgo jogging today and eat this delicious breakfast later.” She led him upstairs.
*******
Benjamin “Breeze” Wood was born and lived in Ogville where he was extremely unhappy. He had dreams of getting into the music industry, instead, he was stuck running his dead father’s construction company. Under his father, the company was a booming success, unfortunately, he fell off a scaffold and died. Shortly after the funeral, Breeze mom ran away with the foreman of the company. Leaving thirty-year-old inept Breeze to run the family construction business all alone. Under Breeze unprofessional clutches the company was failing. Breeze was a scheming lying untrustworthy entrepreneur; his deceitful unsympathetic attitude drove good workers away from his employ.
Apart from the construction business that he loath, three evenings a week, Breeze played his tenor saxophone, which was his first love at the Blues Night Club. He felt that the construction company interfered with his progress of becoming a professional musician. Breeze yearned to be emancipated from the entrapment of dust and dirt. He was determined to one day become a music writer and producer. It was the thirst that kept him alive, it was his motivation that made his spirit thrive, the audience applause was his Rose of Sharon, his Lilly of the valley. Breeze was going out of business and moving to Los Angeles. He had a friend that was a filmmaker out there, who had asked Breeze to come out and write a score for the movie he was producing. Breeze said yes, it was a big break and opportunity for himself and his band.
He was working on his last and final construction projects, which was renovating the Brown Family three Mini Malls located in Ogville, Titleburk, and MacCall. It was the job Harriet, Charles Brown daughter, had hired him to do. Breeze took the job; the money was more than enough to move himself and his band out west.
Outside in the middle of each mall on the walkway, was a bust of Harry V. Brown. By 2017, Charles Brown own ninety percent of everything in MacCall and Titleburk, even Sam Stevens, the Chief of Police. In Ogville, Charles only owned the Mini Mall and Harry’s statue. Harry would have been proud of his offspring.
*******
Ogville Chief Of Police, Giddion, was good friends with Inez Paddleton, she was the wife of Charles Paddleton great-grandson, Conley Paddleton. He was named after Charles youngest son.
Conley and Inez had two sons, David and Morgan. David moved to New York married and had children. Morgan stayed in Ogville, he married and had three children. Sadly, his oldest son was born with a birth defect and died. Morgan’s youngest children Phillip and Phillipa were twins born 1977. The twins attended The Ohio State University, Phillip was in the medical field, and Phillipa got a law degree. While they were in college, their parents moved to New York. After Phillipa graduated from OSU, she moved to Ogville to be w
ith her grandmother. Seven years later, Phillip completed his internship and joined his sister and grandmother in Ogville, they lived in the castle Charles built in the 1800s. Though in 2005, Phillipa using four hundred thousand dollars of the family money, had the castle renovated and restored.
Conley rented a house while the restoration took place on his castle. One year later, Paddleton castle was magnificent and ready for the family to move in. Conley had been diagnosed with cancer the year before the renovation began, he made the decision to keep his illness from his family. However, he shared with Ogville’s Chief Giddion that he knew he was dying, he asked the Chief to look after his family once he had died. [RL70]Conley departed the world ten days after moving back into the castle, his death was a throbbing shock to his family. Conley never complained or appeared ill, he said nothing about doctor’s visits, he had energy, ate a lot, nor did he lose weight.
The week the family moved back into the castle, Conley was overjoyed. He helped Inez cook a big dinner, the family sat around the table laughing and talking. Two days later, he said to his wife and children, “I have a doctor’s appointment.”
Cancer had spread throughout Conley’s body, he was immediately admitted in the hospital, the next day he expired. Mrs. Paddleton, Phillip, and Phillipa were devastated after Conley’s death. Losing her father hit Phillipa the hardest, she was the most traumatized, she was his little princess. In the hospital, Conley said goodbye to his wife and son, but to Phillipa, he said, “be good my little princess.”
The Paddleton’s became an extended family to Chief Giddion and his wife and children. Except, Mrs. Paddleton only shared with Giddion the secret about the slaves. She and Giddion began working on a plan to free the men and women wrapped tightly in bondage. They could not find anyone they trusted to recruit until Donovan moved to town.
*******
Charles Brown music preference was the fusion of Blues, Jazz, and country. Charles preferred shows was the Cosby's, and the Voice, the main judge was his favorite country singer. Besides those two shows he watched the news to keep up with what was going on in the world, and the travel channel, and the Property Brothers. When he saw on the news that his favorite TV character was accused of drugging women and having his way with them, Charles sided with the actor, his respect for women was none existent. [RL71]
His reading consisted of multiple newspapers and travel magazines, as Harry had said in 1865, “the master of the plantation would be bound to H. B. Metropolis for life.”
Charles wanted to escape the confinement of the plantation. His wife Barbara shared his dream, she was her husband doormat, hitman, housekeeper, cook, slave, lover, and mother of his children who he did not like, though he used them as well.
Charles first two children were daughters, this broke his heart, however, in 1993, he had a son. He christened the boy Harry V. Brown II. At first, he kept the family business a secret from his wife and daughters, only the boy was trained. Before getting married Charles renovated his uncle Duke's home in Titleburk, which was where he was living when he got married.
Charles was the most successful of all the plantation masters, he focused only on the tobacco plants on the plantation and one other tobacco field. He sold the field near Ogville and started a cigarette and cigar company, the cigars were manufactured in Cuba though written on the package was, made in America. His cigars were expensive, each one was wrapped in gold foil and came in wood boxes made from African Blackwood or Sandalwood. He made one thousand boxes on even years, each box held forty cigars, the cost per box was fifteen thousand dollars, the cigars were not sold individually. The tobacco field that he kept, had several acres of land which Charles purchased. On the new property, he built a couple of buildings to manufacture his cigarettes.
The slaves were not having enough children, so the mass production of furniture and tobacco picking was dwindling. Thus, in 1985, Charles illegally apprehended over eighty children of different races along with the Black children, ranging in the ages of four and three-year-old from across the country. When the children turned fourteen, Charles personally delivered them to the slaves, who had never seen an Asian, Indian, or Latino. Being a slave, they had no rights or choices, they nervously took the strange child given to them and believed that God had cursed their home. Fortunately, as time passed by, the adults learned that everyone is Gods people, thus they grew to love the new addition in their family.
Charles needed help running the plantation and mini-malls, his son was no assistant. Out of desperation in 2008, he brought his wife, Barbara, a blond with light blue eyes, and his two daughters to the plantation house. Charles walked in his uncle Duke's shoes who had also married a poor woman, he traveled to Ogville to find his wife. Against his father’s wish, he married a girl who had nothing. Before they married, he changed her name from Mable to Barbara. In Titleburk was a school that taught proper decorum, when she learned to be a woman of his taste, he sent her to the city community college.
Barbara knew they were rich but was not aware of where the money came from. Charles showed her the accounting books, she had an associate degree as an accountant. The first thing she noticed were several flaws, Charles made her the accountant of H. B. Metropolis. His youngest daughter Harriett turned out to be interested in preserving H. B. Metropolis and the malls, it was Harriett’s idea to shut down and renovate the malls outside and in. Unfortunately, his oldest daughter was against the secret and had threatened to report the whole family. Barbara picked up on her husband’s stress, she told him that she would take care of their daughter. Charles told her about Chief Stevens.
Barbara got her scarcity of feelings and restricted emotion from being raised by a drug addict mother and non-existing father. She had taken six months of karate classes, she worked in a shady hotel where too often she had to fight off pimps, drunks, and drug dealers. She also loved watching movies about the Mafia which she gained knowledge on how to terminate a person. But her all-time favorite movie was Hoodlum, she adored the smooth ease of the main character. He never allowed his emotion to get ruffled out of control, he calmed his people, thought things through, turned his decisions into a strategy. Barbara took on his character, she stayed calm, even when things got out of hand. Watching the main character of Hoodlum, she learned how to create a solution. Craving to get out of poverty and away from her life, she said, “yes,” to all of Charles demands. She loved her new life and fell deeply in love with handsome Charles.
Barbara had the opportunity to copy the Hoodlum character, excitement stirred within her. She gave Chief Stevens a call, she talked and listened. That evening she arranged to have a barbecue but didn’t have the sauce, she sent her oldest daughter to the store. She knew exactly what her daughter was going to do.
She stopped at the store first then went to MacCall Police Station. Four of the deputies did Chief Stevens dirty work, though he did not tell them about the plantation, Stevens had one of the officers to cut Barbara’s daughter gas line. Driving up and around the mountain that led to H. B. Metropolis, she had a fatal accident. Charles was calm again, the Brown family secret, still intact.
*******
Harriett had shopped at the malls but never knew the bronze bust was her granddad. She hired another group of men to polish and shine the bust. Harriett and her father made a perfect team, she was over the malls, he took care of the plantation.
Charles took Barbara to the castle, he was hoping she would like it. Even though it needed work, weeds, leaves, and trees had taken over, the big beautiful structure blew her mind. Barber spent fifteen million dollars on renovations and furniture, the work took fourteen months, after which the family moved in. Harry II was beginning to show and interested in the family business since they were together. That's when Charles realized the reason his son was acting out, he wanted the family working on the business together. Barbara, on the other hand, kept a close watch on her son. Something about him she did not trust.
The inaudible deception that
enclosed around Harry V. Brown twenty-seven-square-mile Metropolis, was affecting Barbara, her devious heart grew rigid.
Charles could see that she was turning into something evil, he said to her, “this place is wrapped around the rule of Satan’s selfishness, hate, lies, strife, seditions, heresies, envy, murder,” he paused for a moment before continuing, “Barb, we just killed our daughter and thought nothing of it.”
She said, “I like the castle it’s peaceful here, the mansion has an evil spirit, like scary movies on TV.”
*******
In Titleburk, Breeze crew was completing the work on the mall. The malls in MacCall and Ogville was completed and ready to open.
One afternoon, Breeze was preparing to check on the mall in Ogville; he was excited, in one week the malls were going to open and he was leaving. Before leaving, Breeze was outside talking to the Foremen about the Titleburk mall, while they were talking a construction worker ran up to him and said, “Breeze, a section of the mall's roof caved in, two workers got hurt.”
Breeze said, “we're so close to being finished, what happened?”
The construction worker said, “the roof caved in, several of the men got injured.” Breeze took a deep breath, then said, “the Browns will blame me for this mishap,” he started to leave.
The worker said, Breeze, “what about the workers that got hurt.”
“Do what you can! I have to call my lawyers.” Breeze quickly went towards the construction trailer.
The foreman still standing in place, yelled at Breeze, “are you going to the collapsed building to check on the men?”
Before entering the trailer, Breeze said, “call their families.”
The foreman said to the construction worker, “I’ll go with you. Call an ambulance as Breeze instructed. I’ll call their families.”
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