Free Douglass’ Women by Jewell Parker Rhodes

need to be strong together. Your strength is what I most admire about you.”
    “I’m strong. I won’t fall ill again. I’ve always been strong.”
    “Sssh. Lie awhile. Rest.” Freddy’s hand stayed me from getting up. “I know you’re strong, Anna. Were it not for you, I wouldn’t be here. My dreams wouldn’t be coming true.”
    His lips brushed mine and I sighed into the sweetness. “Tell me about your dreams.”
    He smiled like a child.
    “So many have provided me with support. It’s amazing. Time and again, men stepped forward to give me clothes, bread, money. But it is the abolitionists … Mr. Garrison, who writes a fine paper,
The Liberator
, who’ve counseled me and invigorated my pride. I feel more free than I’ve ever felt in my life.”
    He kissed me again then got up, pacing, pulling off his black cravat, taking off his coat. So handsome. There was a fireplace bright against the fall chill, and tallow? no, beeswax candles brightly flaming on the mantel and dresser. It was a fine room with good comforts and warm light making Freddy’s shadow flicker on the wall, making his shadow seem bigger than a giant’s.
    I nearly laughed with joy and stretched my arms out onto the softest, biggest bed of my life. “This house ours?”
    “Not ours. Not yet. Abolitionists have lent it to us. But one day, I’ll have a home like this. No, better than this.”
    “This house be fine.”
    “You think so, Anna?” He turned and looked at me strangely.
    “Well, I haven’t seen it all. But, any house you in be just fine.” I lifted onto my elbow.
    He laughed, his head thrown back, his jaw open. He laughed and I turned my face into the pillow. He sat on the bed beside me.
    “Anna, I’m lucky to have you. Lucky to be here. Lucky to have you here. God has answered my prayers. I went from a life with no joy to one where white men listen, respect me, where I have a home of my own—”
    “Our own.”
    “Where I have an opportunity to help others by speaking out against the ills of slavery.”
    “’Tis a blessing.”
    “Yes.” He got up again, pacing, so much restless energy, I thought. Here be the man I first saw on the prow of the ship, the man looking beyond the horizon, seeing what I couldn’t. Well and good. Time for me to help him with what I knew. I’d not shame this man. I’d be stronger than I’d ever been.
    “Freddy?”
    “Frederick, please, Anna.”
    “Fred—rick.” I tasted the sound. Then rose, wriggling my toes on the bare floor. “Let me have your clothes. I’ll fold them so they won’t need ironing tomorrow. I should draw water, too, for us to wash. Put away our clothes. Lay out our bedclothes. These my wifely duties. I should start as I mean to go on.”
    I stood square with my hands firm on my hips.
    Freddy’s head tilted, his eyes sparkled.
    “I should start, too, as I mean to go on.”
    He blew out the candles and put another log on the fire. “Domestic duties and wifely duties are not to be confused.”
    If I was less dark, I would’ve been red. I touched my wedding band.
    Freddy took off his shirt and his flesh glowed gold. He took my hands and sat us both down, side by side, on the bed.
    “I’m glad to have met you, Anna.” Simple as that. Then, he kissed me sweeter, deeper than ever before. My arms reached round and tried to soothe what I couldn’t see, the crisscross scars on his back.
    “I would’ve perished were it not for you.” His mouth moved down my cheek onto my neck and I felt such yearning, weeks, months, years of yearning banked down, sparking into flames. He undid my many buttons, his big hands so gentle, so quick. Then he stroked my breasts while still kissing me and leaning me deep, backwards onto the bed.
    “Thank you, Anna.” He kissed me fierce. His hands touching, caressing everywhere. I trembled from the sheer joy of it, from having a lawful husband.
    Before I knew it, we were both naked, hot, sweaty, moving our bodies into one. I let myself