Free Bent Creek by Marlene Mitchell

jumped out of the swing and threw the mop on the porch. “You lissen tah me, Nevers Bains, I ain’t been hired on as no slave. Me and Jesse are workin’ for five dollars a week, which we don’t even get tah keep. When the kitchen is cleaned after dinner I am done for the night. I ain’t workin’ on Sunday, except fer cookin’ and every other weekend I want you tah drive us home so that I kin see my family.  You been bossin’ us around like you own us. Well, you don’t and if’n you don’t like what I jest said, me and mah brother will leave right now. I don’t know whar we’re goin’, but it will sure nuf be better than stayin’ here.”
    Nevers glared at her, clenching his fist.  Lily sat in the swing with a horrified look on her face.  She expected at any moment for Nevers to lash out and slap Rachael. Jesse sunk down as low as he could against the wall of the house.
    “You got a mouth on you, Girl.  I should tech you a lessen.”
    Rachael steeled herself for Nevers’ wrath, but instead of hitting her, he dropped his hands to his sides.  “But, I’m sup posin’ that’s fair.” He pointed his finger at her. “You better make sure yer work is done before you start lollygagging out here on the porch. Lily, you come in now, it’s time for bed.” Lily slowly followed him into the house.  Nevers stood holding on to the door, “You two stay out here for a piece. I got some business with my wife.”
    The next morning when Lily came into the kitchen she had a bruise on her left cheek. Rachael noticed it right away. “Did Nevers hit you last night?”
    Lily shook her head no.
    “I know yer a lyin’. I’m so sorry, Lily, I didn’t mean tah get you in trouble. He took his mad out on you. Does it hurt real bad?”
    Once again Lily shook her head and busied herself cutting up bacon. She jumped when Nevers came into the room. “Git the vittles on now! I’m going up the mountain and put out some traps, and I’m takin’ Jesse with me.  Might be gone all night. Ya’ll make sure them animals are fed and put up fer the night. You hear them varmints out there, jest go outside and make noise and they’ll run off. Do you understand, Rachael?” Rachael did not answer him.
    “You two stay in the house. Don’t go wonderin’ off nowheres. You stay in the house and that’s an order.”  He took his jacket off the hook on the wall and motioned to Jesse.
    Rachael waited until the truck was out of sight before she threw her arms in the air and danced around the room. “Yahoo, the old bastard is gone for awhile.”  She turned on the radio and began to sing. Lily watched her.  A smile crossed her face.
    “I swear, Lily, y er like a little whipped puppy. Come here.” Rachael took her hands and pulled her out in the middle of the kitchen floor. “We’re gonna dance.”  Shy at first, Lily began to move her foot in time with the music and in a few minutes they were both jumping up and down.
    Rachael fell onto the floor, holding her side.  “I am out of breath, but that was fun, wasn’t it?”
    A small voice answered, “Yes.”
    Rachael bolted straight up, staring at Lily.  “Oh, my God, Lily, you talked. You kin talk.  Wait a minute, what’s goin’ on? How long have you been able tah talk?”  Rachael looked over at Lily. She still lay on the floor, tears rolling down her cheeks.
    “I shoulda never done that and if’n you tell Nevers, I will say yer a lyin’. He won’t believe you, Rachael. I ain’t talked a loud in over four years. I swear he won’t believe you. You made me do it. I forgot myself.”
    “You kin trust me, Lily. I promise you kin trust me. Jest talk tah me. I am so glad you kin talk. How in the hell have you kept from speakin’ all these yars?  It had tah be really hard.”
    “Hard ain’t the word fer it.  When Nevers was gone I used tah go out in the woods and just stand there and scream until I really lost my voice. But if he know’d I could talk…I have no