A Treasure of Gold

by Piper Huguley

  “I can understand if you wish Miss Nettie to not work for me anymore. However, my daughter might not. But, Nettie, you should think about what your family says. You can take off tomorrow and let me know on Sunday. When you come to get Goldie for church. We’ll abide by whatever you decide. Come on, Goldie.”

  Jay disengaged his hand from her arm and turned to walk away. He put an arm around his daughter who started to get upset. Goldie fully understood what he said, but seemed hurt at the confusion in Nettie’s eyes.

  Did she care for him? Maybe he did mean something to her. Meaning something to a woman like Nettie could give a numbers man some serious motivation for getting out of the game. But how?

  Jay was tired of being chased down in alleys because someone proclaimed that he had not remembered a number correctly. He did not want an existence like that for Goldie. Still, outside of the game, what would a different life look like for a Negro man in 1923 Pittsburgh? Where would he go? How could he be worthy of Nettie? All of these questions swirled in his mind.

  Leaving the game might be one way to prove to Nettie that he was worthy. And find a way to make some green space in the Hill. There had to be a way.

  He gripped Goldie’s hand a little tighter as he escorted her home.

  He had never seen it so clearly before now. An idea, and the very notion that it was not too late for him to change, gave him such hope.

  If Nettie couldn’t go to work, she would meditate and reflect accordingly on what the right course of action would be.

  Ruby overdid it completely, trying to be conciliatory at breakfast, joking with her, but she did not crack a smile. She did not mean to judge her sister, but somehow she had to let Ruby know that she took her life’s path very seriously. She ate only a piece of toast and drank a cup of tea.

  She could tell that Ruby had several tasks lined up for her that day because she kept hinting at them, wanting her to say, “Oh, I can help with that.”

  But she wouldn’t say it. She knew the anger in her heart was not right and she needed to pray about it. “I’m going to take some time to think today,” Nettie announced.

  Ruby’s eyes widened a little bit more. Whenever Nettie had claimed thinking time away from the family, everyone, from her father on down to Delie, took her seriously. She expected no less from Ruby.

  “Where?”

  “If it’s all right with you and Adam, I’ll stay in my room.”

  “Of course, why wouldn’t it be?”

  “Since you want to know about my whereabouts, I was informing you.”

  “Oh, I see. Well, let me know what you decide when you are through.”

  Nettie nodded and went up to her room at the end of hall then shut the door. The nerve.

  When she first arrived in Pittsburgh, Ruby had wanted her to have one of the grand guest rooms near the family. However, there was a little sewing room at the end of the hall, and that suited her much better. She was doubly glad she had asked for it now. She did not appreciate the proprietary air that Adam and Ruby had taken toward her, so the less room she took up, the better.

  Nettie didn’t ask for this kind of time much, not since she was younger and would go off into the woods many hours at a time. Her family back in Georgia respected Nettie’s need to be alone.

  There were no woods in the Hill, but Ruby would have to do the same.

  The small sewing room at the end of the hall had a sloped ceiling because of its proximity to the edge of the roof. When she closed the door, the tears came, at first slowly then rapidly. She covered her face with her hands and sat on the small bed, shoulders shaking.

  Spending time alone in the woods, she would ask God to help her feel better and her body to heal from her illness, claiming a closeness with him—had that all been lies? She thought she understood. Given the way she had been saved from the jaws of death, Nettie thought she was meant to devote her life to service.

  She had done that, unceasingly, ever since. Nettie’d two years by herself to go on the revival tour with Brother Carver and Sister Jane. Those two years were like a school education in how to conduct a church service, how to survive on next to nothing until they could get fare to the next town, the next revival.

  While away, Nettie was unable to do anything with her sisters. They’d formed bonds and she was always the lonely one in the middle. The one who wasn’t supposed to live long enough to be a grown-up, so no one had wasted much time on her. Nettie had learned how to be alone, thought she had to be…

  Until she found Jay Evans in the alley. Then, her life had changed and all of the questions—all of the wrong questions—had started.

  Who was this man? A man who worked in an illegal racket and did not take part in it? He made sure that everyone had a fair turn in winning, seeing their money back again? And had a little girl who tugged at Nettie’s heart so much she made her wish for what was not possible—a child of her own? Why had these people been put in her life?

  Nettie lay down on the bed and put her hand on the Bible next to her. Unlike previous meditation sessions, she did not open it, but gathered comfort from putting her hand on it. Hot, slow tears slipped silently from her eyes.

  They were a test. That was all. Jay and Goldie were a test that had to be endured. She would do as her family bid her—have less to do with them so that she wouldn’t be tempted anymore. She had done what she was supposed to do. She had saved Jay’s life in that alleyway, and now was paying a price for it. She would stop fighting her sister, go to the charity kitchen and do what was necessary there.

  Nettie tried to block out the thought of Goldie’s hazel eyes and what she might say or think when she learned that her nanny, in effect, was turning her back on her. She had done the wrong thing, going in and firing Eva. She had interfered and she resolved to mind her own business from now on.

  Goldie would find some other nanny, one who was better dressed than she, and Goldie would be fine. There were many other women in the world who would be glad to cook for Jay and mind his daughter for five dollars a day.

  Tired, she lay down on her bed and went to sleep knowing that in her dreams she didn’t have to see two pairs of hazel eyes haunting her, asking her questions.

  In the late afternoon, Solomon brought her a thick roast beef sandwich on a plate and asked if she would come down to dinner. When Nettie took the sandwich and told him no, he seemed very disappointed. Closing the door, she turned from watching her nephew walk down the hall in his dejected way. Solomon wasn’t around when she made her forays into the woods, and so he didn’t understand her need to be alone. Still, her heart caught in her throat when she saw how sad he was at her response.

  They like me. She was pleased to think about Goldie and Solomon fighting with one another about whose house she belonged in. The realization made her feel warm as she ate her sandwich. Still, who would tell Goldie that Nettie didn’t belong in her house anymore?

  The sandwich held her all night long. When she woke the next morning, Nettie felt resolved, as if she could do what needed to be done to distance herself from the numbers kingpin and his daughter. If she just thought about them in that way, it all became easier.

  When she came downstairs in her usual attire and ate a bowl of oatmeal, she decided to preempt all of those questions in her sister’s eyes. “I’ll quit working there, just as you said. I won’t have anything to do with them, but I still believe it’s our job to bring Goldie to church.”

  “It’s the right thing to do,” Ruby agreed. “And, you’ll see, you’ll come to understand that this is the better decision. Being in his house would raise too many questions. They don’t know about you and your health problems. People would still talk. ”

  She nodded even though Ruby’s words stung, but she wasn’t going to let on to her sister as if she were hurt. She was resolved to stick with her plan, which was to make sure that Jay and Goldie did not e
tch themselves into her heart any further. But that voice, the one that she’d trusted all of her life, told her it was probably too late.

  After he dropped the family off at church, Adam gave Nettie a ride up the hill to Jay’s house to pick up his daughter for church. Despite her resolve, her heart lurched a bit when she saw the house. She would not be working there or cooking meals for them anymore, and that realization dragged on her soul a bit.

  Climbing out of the car, she went to the front door to knock on it. When the door opened, she was surprised to see Jay looking much more disheveled and alarmed than his usual cool self. His handsome features were distorted with fear, an emotion that Nettie did not recognize in him.

  “Thank God you’re here.” He ran a hand over his short hair. “I didn’t want to leave her alone. Did Doc Morson bring you?”

  “Adam? He’s out in the car. What’s wrong?” Nettie’s heart pounded hard and heavy in her chest.

  “Goldie’s sick. She’s running a fever and I don’t know what to do for her.”

  She did not care about her long skirt—she clenched it as ran to the car to get Adam. He could help the precious little girl.

  Suddenly, she understood Jay’s fear for his child.

  And prayed as she never had before.

  Chapter Eleven

  When Goldie first started acting strangely, Jay thought she was sad over what happened at Miss Ruby’s house or the possibility that Nettie might not come back and be her nanny anymore. He believed his daughter was taking out her concern by acting differently. Nettie had left the icebox full of leftovers, so there was plenty to eat for lunch, but Goldie didn’t want any of it.

  When Goldie wasn’t hungry, he felt that smothery feeling again. His little girl always had a hefty appetite, but wanted to go to her room instead, a cold hand of fear gripped him in his chest.

  He had not felt that way since Clara died. He hated how it made him feel out of control, unable to swallow. Or that his hands started to sweat. It was a feeling he had been able to avoid for two years now, and Jay liked being in charge of his life.

  Now he wasn’t in control and he didn’t know what to do. He had been up all night, praying Nettie would still come and get her in the morning for church. He had never seen Goldie like this—feverish, thirsty, sleeping too heavily. Sometimes, he wanted to shake her, just so Goldie would wake up so he would know she was alive.

  Please, God, don’t take her from me and leave me here all alone. She’s all I have.

  Even as he repeated his simple prayer, he knew that wasn’t quite true. Still, after what happened yesterday, Nettie’s family might not even allow her to come and get Goldie for church. Maybe they didn’t care for her as much as they said they did.

  He had a phone, but he knew that Adam didn’t.

  I’m going to get one installed for him, to thank him if Goldie comes out of this fever. When she does.

  So it was music to his ears when Nettie knocked on the door. Now she was here and her calm, reassuring presence, along with her brother as a doctor, made him feel better. It wasn’t until they’d come inside to check on Goldie that he realized with a start—God had heard his prayer.

  And he was not alone. He had never been.

  All this time, Jay believed God had turned his back on him. He believed—no, he knew—God had not cared about him or his little daughter since he saw fit to take Clara away. But now he knew that wasn’t true because he had heard his prayer and sent him Nettie.

  Nettie was a beam of sunshine in his life. He had not even realized that he was walking in darkness until she came and picked him up from the gutter.

  Jay was in awe of Nettie as he watched her move quickly to care for his child. She was the definition of all that was dignified and strong, with her straight, beautiful carriage. His heart felt as if it were healing as Nettie went up the stairs, right after Adam, who had brought his bag, ready to help .

  He loved her concern, and seeming as if Nettie loved Goldie. He wanted to weep with joy at the fact that there was someone on this earth who loved Goldie like he did. He hadn’t even thought to ask for that, but now, here it was, like a special gift.

  Jay reached a hand up to his face and was surprised to find it moist. Sweat? Tears? Both? He didn’t know, but the water that was on his face washed him anew. The water cleared his vision and he knew that the dissatisfaction he had been feeling at the policy game had grown. All because of Nettie.

  Nettie. He knew that she would not want him to be part of the game. He had to get out. But how?

  Adam came down the stairs, wiping his hands on a rag. “I gave her some medicine, but she bears watching. Whatever she has is probably contagious, so she should stay here. Nettie says she’ll stay and watch out for her. Too bad it’s Sunday and I can’t hire a nurse, but she’ll have to do for now. I’m going on to church with my family, but I’ll come by later on with more medicine and see if her fever has come down.”

  Jay refrained from mentioning a chaperone. Instead, he asked, “What is wrong with her?”

  “With a very high fever like this, it could be a number of things. We just have to wait and see what it comes to.”

  “What could it be?” He knew he sounded like an idiot, but he couldn’t help himself. Goldie had never been sick…at least not while he was around.

  He sagged against the wall. There were so many times when Goldie was much younger that he hadn’t been around. This couldn’t have been the first time his daughter had fallen ill, leaving Clara to this kind of worry—all alone. I’m sorry, Clara. How could he have been so thoughtless?

  “I don’t know yet,” Adam said in a gentle way, but more insistently. “It could be chicken pox or something more serious.”

  Jay’s heart thudded in his chest, trying to imagine what was worse. Then he knew and voiced it—“Polio.”

  Adam shook his head. “It isn’t warm enough for polio yet.”

  “It’s been nice lately.” He thought of their walk last night back to the house. And the time in the country.

  “There’s so much we don’t know yet. We can’t speculate. That’s why I’m leaving Nettie here to make sure that Goldie stays comfortable. If anything is alarming to either one of you, send Nettie. I’ll come.”

  “Thank you, Doctor. Thank you so much for coming here and bringing Nettie and taking care of my daughter. She’s all I have.” He did not expect his voice to crack, and Jay knew that he should have been embarrassed when it did. Strangely, though, he was not.

  Adam put a hand on his shoulder and spoke to him directly, “Would you like for us to pray for her today?”

  The answer came to his lips, clearly and easily. “Yes, please do.”

  “Then we’ll lift her up in prayer in church for a revelation to know what is going on with her so that I can best know how to treat her. Try not to worry. Take care. You are still recovering from your injury.”

  Jay watched as Adam let himself out of the house, relieved to know Nettie was there. No, he was happy to know she was there. In the midst of his worry about Goldie, the fact that Nettie hadn’t left made everything better.

  He had to stop himself from climbing the stairs two at a time because of the joy he felt in going to Nettie, even as his daughter was ill. Someone was with him. He didn’t know how he would do it, but he was going to let Nettie know. Somehow. He felt no fear in her certain rejection of him, but she had to know what was in his heart.

  Nettie sat in a chair next to Goldie’s bed and bathed her dear brown face with a wet towel. Carefully and with love, she drew the cloth down Goldie’s stick-thin arms. Well, they weren’t as stick thin as they were a few short weeks ago. Her cooking had done that.

  She marveled at all of it. Here she was, someone who was always thought of as the worst cook in the family, the one in the middle—poor Nettie who couldn’t sew, clean right, cook right, have babi
es or anything—all she could do was show her love for the Lord. But this little girl and her father did not seem to care. They accepted her as she was, and the thought that Goldie had gained weight and strength from her cooking and love made her proud. She had given the child what she needed to fight this dreadful disease. Because the last thing she wanted for Goldie was that she be anything like her.

  When she opened her eyes, Jay was standing there, watching her as she prayed. Listening to her. But she felt no shame, no embarrassment. Normally, Nettie didn’t pray aloud; she just felt what she needed in her heart. But Goldie needed special intervention on this Palm Sunday. Though she didn’t believe Goldie was in any real danger, she knew Jay was afraid for his daughter, and the look of fear on his face moved her. Jay hadn’t even looked this fearful when he was shot.

  She knew his fear now, seeing him standing there, watching them. To see him like that tore her heart open. Yesterday’s prayers not to feel for this man had not worked at all. Why had she been pulled her deeper into their situation?

  This moment was the first time Nettie understood. She was the same as any other woman who wanted to be with a man.

  “Is she better?”

  “I’ve been bathing Goldie to cool her down. Let’s hope the fever breaks soon.”

  Jay came and stood next to her, and his close proximity made her feel unsettled.

  “You were praying for her.”

  “I know of nothing else to do at a time like this.”

  “Yes you do. You can be there for her as a woman. She really…”

  She watched Jay swallow and struggle in the moment. And wanted to touch him. She did, before she knew what she was doing, because Nettie could not stand to see Jay suffer.

  “I know. I understand. She means a great deal to me, too.”

  Jay reached down and curled his fingers with Nettie’s, intertwining them. The warmth of their contact marked a magical moment in her life. She sat there with a cold, damp washcloth in her other hand and never felt so torn between two extremes.