The Last, Long Night

by Ginny Dye

  Soon laughter and talking filled the room. Everyone moved into the dining room when Miles and May, wide smiles on their faces, carried out platters of food. The light of love and friendship forced horror, loss, and pain into the shadows of the background.

  At least for the night…

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Miss Rose! Miss Rose!” Carla came running down the road, her eyes bright from the cold, but her body snuggly warm from the coat Aunt Abby had sent down in one of her barrels the week before.

  Rose stopped, waited for Carla to catch her, and thought how Aunt Abby had become a heroine to everyone in the camps for the constant stream of supplies that came in what everyone called her magic barrels. Other groups sent barrels, but when Aunt Abby’s arrived, everyone crowded around eagerly, knowing they would be full of the things they needed most, as well as the things they wanted.

  Rose was quite sure she had the best equipped school of all the contraband camps. She didn’t know how Aunt Abby kept the supply of paper, pencils and books coming, but all her students had everything they needed.

  Finally, Carla came running up to her and slid to a stop, her breath coming in huge gasps, her eyes wide with excitement.

  “Is there a fire somewhere?” Rose teased. She could tell by Carla’s shining eyes that there was no reason for her to feel alarm.

  “No, Miss Rose, there ain’t no fire.”

  “No, Miss Rose, there isn’t a fire,” Rose corrected gently.

  “That’s what I said,” Carla insisted, smiling slyly.

  Rose merely looked at her until Carla squirmed.

  “Sorry,” the little girl finally mumbled then added, “No, Miss Rose, there isn’t a fire.”

  Rose laughed. “That’s not so hard, is it?” she asked. “It didn’t hurt much to say it correctly, did it?”

  Carla caught her breath and stared up at her. “Why is it so important to you, Miss Rose, that we always say things right? It gets awful tiresome at times.”

  Rose leaned down to give the little girl a warm hug. “I know it does, honey, but when this war is over and you leave the contraband camp, you’re going to be living in a brand new world.” She smiled as she thought about it. “It will be a world where you can be anything you want to be. A teacher. Or a doctor. Or anything else.” Then her voice grew serious. “But it will be hard, Carla.”

  “If it will be hard anyway, what does it matter so much?”

  “Because it will be easier if you speak correctly, and if you can read and write.” Rose lifted Carla’s chin until her eyes met the child’s. “I love you, Carla. I want you to have everything you dream of. It’s my job as a teacher to prepare you to be able to do that.”

  “You’re sure good at it,” Carla said softly. “I hope one day I’m gonna … going to be like you. That’s what I want, you know. I’m going to be a teacher just like you.”

  “And you’ll be a great one,” Rose said, tears misting her eyes. “When it’s time, I would love for you to teach with me.”

  Carla gasped. “Really, Miss Rose? Me?”

  “Absolutely,” Rose said firmly. “I can hardly wait until that day comes. I’ve watched you help the younger students. You’re a natural teacher.” She took a deep breath as she thought of all the things she could hardly wait to have happen. Then she forced them from her mind. She was learning to live one day at a time. Wishing for things she couldn’t have that day only sapped her energy. “Now, why did you come to find me?”

  “Oh, I almost forgot!” Carla cried. “It’s real important!”

  Rose squatted down and met her at eye level. “Then why don’t you tell me what it is,” she said gently.

  “My mama wants you to come for dinner tonight,” Carla said importantly. “I’m to bring you right now.”

  Rose frowned. “Carla, I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. I promised June I would be home in a few minutes. She’s taking care of John and Simon.”

  “June is already there,” Carla insisted. “She and the boys came a little while ago.”

  Rose stared down the road toward their house. She appreciated the kind offer, and rarely a day went by that one of her students’ families didn’t have her for a meal, or drop food by for her and June, but she had to admit she was looking forward to a quiet evening. As much as she loved Carla’s family, Rose longed to sit by her fire and play with John.

  “Come on, Miss Rose,” Carla insisted, tugging her hand. “Mama said to bring you right back and that’s what I’m going to do.” She seemed to sense Rose’s hesitation as her little face screwed up in thought. “I ain’t supposed to say anything…,” she stopped in mid-sentence when Rose lifted her eyebrows. “I mean, I’m not supposed to say anything, but there’s a surprise for you.”

  Rose’s heart melted when she saw the burning excitement in Carla’s eyes. She knew what it was taking for the little girl to keep her secret. Suddenly she laughed, grabbed Carla’s hand, and started back down the road, pushing away her desire for a quiet evening. “Then I suppose we best go find out what it is. We ain’t wantin’ to be late for no surprise.”

  Carla gasped and looked at her wide eyed. “Miss Rose, you didn’t say that right!”

  Rose laughed and kept walking. “How should I have said it?” She let Carla teach her the rest of the way.

  The cold wind whipping through the camp kept most people inside, so Rose was curious why so many of Wally and Diedre’s neighbors were out on their porches in the waning sunlight. Surely they would rather be inside around their fires.

  Rose nodded, smiled, and spoke to everyone as she and Carla hurried up to the house. As soon as her foot reached the first step of the porch, the door was flung open and a well-dressed lady, her face wreathed in smiles, stepped out.

  “It’s about time you got here, young lady. I thought I’d have to go get you myself.”

  “Aunt Abby!” Rose cried as she leapt up the final step and threw herself into the woman’s arms. “I can’t believe you’re here!” She laughed with delight while tears of joy coursed down her face.

  “Surprise! Surprise!” Carla yelled, dancing around and waving her arms. “I told you there was a surprise!”

  Aunt Abby wiped away her own tears and waved to all the neighbors who were laughing and applauding. “We’ve all been waiting the last hour for you to get here.”

  “I had a student who needed some more help…” Rose started to explain.

  “Say no more,” Aunt Abby laughed, waving her hand. “I already suspected that was what was holding you up. I’m just glad you’re here because I don’t think I could have waited one more minute to see you!”

  Rose turned to see Wally and Diedre standing in the doorway, their faces glowing with the fun of their surprise. Wally, needed for supply work at Fort Monroe, had gotten home a few weeks earlier. Diedre had been glowing ever since. “How long have you known?” Rose asked.

  “We got a letter two weeks back,” Wally admitted.

  Rose stared at Diedre. “You kept a secret for two weeks?”

  “I can keep a secret if it’s real important,” Diedre said primly, her eyes dancing with fun.

  Wally snorted. “I told her if she let the secret spill I wouldn’t dance with her at the Christmas dance tomorrow.”

  “My man does know how I love to dance,” Diedre said, smiling prettily. “Of course, since he’s about the only man around the camp, I know I’ll have to share him.”

  Rose laughed and pulled Aunt Abby into the warm house.

  June sat with the boys by the fire. “I told Carla to hint at a surprise if you resisted. I know you can’t stand not knowing about a surprise.”

  Rose gazed around the room, so grateful for all these people who loved her and knew her so well. Sudden tears filled her eyes again, but she blinked them away. She refused to feel sorry for herself that Moses wouldn’t be with her for Christmas when she was surrounded by so much love.

  “You’re looking nervous,” Moses observed, ducking hi
s head against the cold wind, his heart singing with excitement.

  Simon nodded slowly, his body hunched forward in his saddle. “The first thing I’m nervous about is that this here horse is gonna throw me right off.” He shifted in his saddle and gripped tightly to the saddle horn. “How much farther we going to be riding these horses?”

  Moses laughed loudly as he glanced around at the small band of men riding with him. All of them looked equally uncomfortable on their horses. “Would you rather walk to Fort Monroe?”

  “Right about now I would say yes,” Simon retorted. “Of course, the way my legs are feeling I might never walk again.” His grin shone through. “I reckon it’s for a good cause, though.” His eyes glittered brightly above his tightly buttoned coat. “I can’t hardly wait to get my woman back in my arms.” His grin grew bigger. “And to see my baby boy.”

  “And I can’t wait to see Rose and June’s faces when we surprise them at the dance tomorrow night,” Moses replied.

  “Don’t know how I’m supposed to dance when I can’t even walk,” Simon muttered.

  “That’s what I been thinking,” another of his men complained. “Can’t we get off and walk for a while?”

  Moses took pity on them and reined his horse to a stop, but he knew they would all be clamoring to get back on their horses soon. He smiled when all of them groaned in relief as soon as their feet hit solid ground.

  “Now this is more like it,” Simon said gratefully.

  Moses looped his reins over his arm and picked his way carefully through the muddy ruts running as far as the eye could see. He thought about the last few days to keep his mind off his misery; he knew it wouldn’t be long before his men begged to be back in the saddle.

  He had been reading a letter from Rose when the summons to Captain Jones’ tent had come. Ten minutes after striding into the tent, he had strode back out, his face bursting with a smile; and went in search of the five men who were now riding with him.

  Captain Jones, who was now as much mentor and friend as he was his commanding officer, had told him his men were being rewarded for their role in the Darbytown battle. All of his unit would receive extra rations for Christmas, but he also gave Moses special permission to spend five days at Fort Monroe and to take five of his men with him. All the men he had chosen had wives living at the contraband camp. Moses grinned when he thought of the ruckus they would cause when he and his men walked into the Christmas dance. Not even the raw, cold wind biting at him as he stumbled in the deep ruts could diminish his excitement.

  “Uh, Moses?”

  “Yep?” It had taken less time than he hoped for the men to get tired of battling the muddy trenches.

  “Me and the fellas think we could ride again now,” Simon said.

  Moses bit back his laugh and nodded, remembering his first long horseback ride after he had learned to ride. “Sounds like a fine idea,” he said evenly.

  “You ain’t even going to laugh at us?” one of his men demanded.

  Moses shook his head solemnly, but he couldn’t hide the glimmer in his eyes or the quirk of his lips. He turned and swung into his saddle. When he turned to watch his men haul themselves heavily on top of their horses, Moses lost control and burst out laughing. Soon the afternoon rang with laughter.

  “I know it will all be worth it when we get there,” Simon admitted, “but I ain’t never hurt like this in my life.”

  “And you’re riding along like this ain’t nothing, Moses,” another of his men groaned. “I can’t believe this can actually get easier. I would rather be heading out on a twenty-mile march in the burning sun!”

  “Down these rutted roads?” Moses asked, still smiling.

  “No. That be the only reason we’re back in these saddles,” Simon retorted. “Of course, if we had to, I would crawl there on my hands and knees,” he admitted as he stood slightly in the saddle to take some pressure off his rear end.

  Moses knew they still had hours of riding before they could stop for the night. He knew of one sure way to help keep their minds off their pain. He opened his mouth and began to sing, his deep bass rising into the cold air.

  Swing low, sweet chariot

  Coming for to carry me home

  Swing low, sweet chariot,

  Coming for to carry me home.

  I looked over Jordan, and what did I see

  Coming for to carry me home?

  A band of angels coming after me,

  Coming for to carry me home.

  Swing low, sweet chariot

  Coming for to carry me home,

  Swing low, sweet chariot,

  Coming for to carry me home.

  Sometimes I'm up, and sometimes I'm down,

  Coming for to carry me home,

  But still my soul feels heavenly bound.

  Coming for to carry me home.

  Swing low, sweet chariot

  Coming for to carry me home,

  Swing low, sweet chariot,

  Coming for to carry me home.

  The brightest day that I can say,

  Coming for to carry me home,

  When Jesus washed my sins away.

  Coming for to carry me home.

  Swing low, sweet chariot

  Coming for to carry me home,

  Swing low, sweet chariot,

  Coming for to carry me home.

  If I get there before you do,

  Coming for to carry me home,

  I'll cut a hole and pull you through,

  Coming for to carry me home.

  Swing low, sweet chariot

  Coming for to carry me home,

  Swing low, sweet chariot,

  Coming for to carry me home.

  If you get there before I do,

  Coming for to carry me home

  Tell all my friends I'm coming too,

  Coming for to carry me home.

  Moses was glad the cold winter day was sure to drive any Confederate scouts around a warm fire; the combined voices of all his men rang for quite a distance, but they were smiling again. It was worth the risk.

  When their voices faded away, another would start a new song. The miles faded away beneath their horses’ hooves, the sky growing dark as the icy wind continued to blow.

  Rose smiled brightly as the large barrack filled with people from the camp. She was so grateful the army made this building available to them for their annual Christmas dance. The mass of food spread out on the tables continued to swell as families arrived, dressed in their finest clothes, their faces wreathed with smiles. Children squealed with laughter as they pulled free from their mamas’ hands and ran to join in games with their friends.

  The Christmas dance would be mostly women and children, since all the men were off fighting or serving the army, but the women had learned not to let the absence of men diminish their dancing.

  Rose nodded and spoke with all who stopped to talk to her; which was almost everyone. John babbled on her shoulder, waving his hands in demand to get down, but the room was so crowded she was afraid he would get swept under someone’s feet. He was walking, but he was still unsteady at times. She wanted him where she could keep an eye on him.

  “Will you look at all that food!” Aunt Abby exclaimed. “What a difference from two years ago.”

  Rose nodded happily. “Everyone has a big garden, and the number of livestock has exploded. Almost every family has chickens and pigs, and we’ve got enough cows to supply milk for all the children. Not to mention the army always provides us with ham and turkey for the Christmas dance.”

  “People seem healthier this year,” Aunt Abby observed, gazing around.

  “They are. More medical people have been sent down, but it’s mostly because everyone is eating so much better, and everyone has enough clothes to keep warm. It’s made such a difference.”

  “They’re learning to take care of themselves,” Aunt Abby said with satisfaction. “And they have you to thank for it.”

  “Me?” Rose protested
. “I’m just their teacher. You’re the one who has made it possible to get medical help and supplies, and your mountain of barrels keeps everyone in clothes.”

  “Perhaps, but it’s the fact they are learning that has given all these people the hunger to take care of themselves and make something of their lives. The very spirit of this place has changed in the last two years. I see pride and self-respect on every face.”

  Rose nodded, her gaze sweeping the room. “I know this is a small group compared to the millions of my people who will have to learn to direct their own lives when the war is over, but I believe it’s proof that education will work.”

  “I’m already pulling together women who will help establish black schools when the war is over,” Aunt Abby revealed, her eyes shining with excitement. “When I told them about what you and the other teachers are doing down here they were all eager to help.”

  Rose clapped her hands together with delight. “Oh, Aunt Abby! What would I do without you?” She grabbed her in a big hug. “Thank you so much!”

  Aunt Abby hugged her back. “We’ll be helping each other make a difference for a very long time, my dear. This is just the beginning.”

  Rose felt a wave of sadness sweep over her. “Carrie would love this,” she murmured. She closed her eyes as memories assailed her.

  Aunt Abby squeezed her hand tightly. “We will celebrate Christmases with Carrie,” she said firmly. “Surely you realize the war will end soon?”

  Rose nodded slowly. “Yes. I realize the South has to be so close to losing this war. But what if…?”

  Aunt Abby held a finger to her lips. “Not another word. What ifs will do nothing but suck life from your spirit. I predict all of us will be celebrating Christmas together next year. Can’t you just see it?”

  Rose smiled as new images flowed into her mind.

  A sudden scream from the doorway jolted her out of her dreams. “What was that?” The wild screaming continued, and then cheering and applause broke out. Rose shifted John to sit more squarely on her hip, and then began to work her way through the crowd to find out what was happening.