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She even thinks that up in heaven. Her class lies late and snores,

While poor black cherubs rise at seven. To do celestial chores.

Countee Cullen (1903-1946)

New Orleans, Louisiana 1872

“Cameron you best hurry your tail up or you’re going to be late.” Bell peered up the stairs and shook her head as her niece could be seen nearly tumbling down them in a crumpled mess, and waited with more patience than she actually felt as she smothered over her dress and went to pinning up a few stray stands of hair away from her face. “At the age of twenty you should be able to keep up with responsibility, you know that J.D. has been waiting downstairs for nearly an half an hour for you to come down. You know what’s going to happen? If you keep this up he will just up and stop coming around that’s what’s going to happen. I swear girl, the man is your fiancée you’d think you’d treat him better than all that.”
Cameron shook her head obediently, agreeing with all the things her aunt said as was expected of her. There was only one problem she had with them. He may have been her fiancé but it didn’t mean she wanted him to be. J.D. was nearly three times her age. She would have minded as much if he didn’t look as if he was seven times that. But the thing that always seemed to get her in the end was the simple fact that she had grown up around the man, she thought of more as a father than anything else, and marry him always seem somehow wrong even if every in her life told her it was the most natural and right thing to do. She respected and appreciated him, and that was what she figured would make the whole marriage work. He was a hard worker and built himself a fine home and had a fine job as a miller. And even though he was old he wanted her. She couldn’t say that for a lot of men in New Orleans, out of all her mere twenty years she’d only had several suitors and none of them had obviously panned out. All were married off now starting a family of their own, or trying to. She had been in love with one of them. Morgan Jackson. He told her he loved her too time and time again. She believe he would be the man she would marry, but one day he showed up on the porch, with this look on his face and she knew it was not to be. He told her he was in love with Nelly Taylor, and he was sorry forever leading her on. After that it she had fallen off of the wagon as her Aunt would say and not many more suitors came calling for her except for J.D. He had shown interest in her from the age of fifteen but she never paid him any never mind for Morgan. He had her now and she would be happy. Even if she died trying he was after all he was the only one who wanted her. She had never been anything to write home about, her looks lacking some how. She would marry him, and make him happy. She be crazy if she didn’t he was her last chance, the only black man in all of New Orleans that could care and inch about her. Cameron peeked around the corner to look at the aging sixty year old. He was indeed the man she was going to marry. Even though no one had said anything yet about it. But it was only obvious the forced parties she had to attend she never went to parties, now it was all she seemed to be preparing to do. Then the picnics there were countless of those damned picnics they were now becoming as routine now as breathing and always with J.D. as her escort.

Even now she had to keep telling herself over and over that she wanted to marry J.D. That he was a catch that she was in love with him. That it wouldn’t be so bad it would delight Aunty Bell, and it wasn’t as if any one else was interested in her if and if they were that had, had ample time enough to speak up and they hadn’t. In fact he was the only one. She had never been thin like other girls and she didn’t even consider herself very pretty even Aunty Bell admitted to her as much, She was plain and thick and she knew it. But it wasn’t as if she didn’t like him he was sweet and kind but she just didn’t like him that way as much as she tried she didn’t.
Bell stalked up the stairs quickly. She had, had quiet enough. “Cameron Marie…” she nearly screamed.
“Marriott, I know Bell I’m late.”
“Again! If you keep this up you’ll never snag him and we don’t have many more chances.”
Staring down at her feet Cameron hide the slight frown that marred her face. “ I know Aunty Bell, I’m sorry.”
“Go on down now don’t keep him waiting any longer.” Slipping out of the door Bell shook here head. “What were you doing anyways I hope you weren’t daydreaming…”
“Bell please I’m… I’m going go down to see J.D. now.”
“You better hurry at that, I swear no other man’s set their self after you and now it seems that you run the only one that has away.”
It was amazing she thought how Bell could always make her feel two feet tall, she knew that she loved her and only wanted what was best but it was harder and harder to convince her self of that everyday.
“There’s my girl.” J.D. rose from his seat slowly with the help of his cane “ I got ya something special now here.”
“You didn’t have to do that.” Sidestepping around him Cameron grabbed her shawl and started for the door.
“Awe I wanted to, but this gift aint fo’ free girl.”
Peeking her interest she walked over to him “How much is it then.”
“A kiss”
There was nothing worse she thought than kissing an old man with a missing tooth and bad breath who she didn’t really like more than as a friend. But she was going to be his wife, and she had better get use to it, but before she could even prepare herself his hard lips were upon hers prying them apart. She felt his sodden tongue on her teeth and tried in vain to push away. But for all of his ho hum he was strong and held on to her fast for what seemed like ages. All the while his hand roamed over her bottom and chest. She couldn’t think that’s all she knew or breath and she felt dirty and she bit away at his tongue unknowingly.
“Damn it girl!”
“ I… I didn’t mean too” Of course she hadn’t but that was the most unusual unnatural thing ever. Why in the world would he even want to stick his tongue in her mouth was beyond reasoning? The very thought of it didn’t seem to make a bit of sense.
“You act like I have never kissed you before.” Grabbing his cane J.D. shook his head. “Not like that, not ever. Have you? Maybe someone was playing a trick on you cause I have never heard of anything like that being done before. Have you? Or maybe…”
“I’m the only one you ever kiss?” J.D. already knew the answer but just for foolish pride wanted reassurance.
“Yes.” She hated when he asked her that.
“I swear you better ask your Aunty to tell you about the world and how a man and a woman interact, cause is she don’t you are about to be in for some real big surprises.” Closing the door after him J.D. puffed on his cigar. Lord that girl didn’t know the first thing about anything. Bell had better tell her something before they got married because he sure as hell wasn’t. The soft creaking of the door opening drew him away from his thoughts.
“Are we still going for dinner?”
“No, no I think it’s best if we don’t tonight. Go on to bed now okay.”
Nodding shakily Cameron took his hand in her own it would not be wise to let their time together end badly. Leaning into him, she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek hoping it didn’t come of as so. She had promised to head over to the Branford’s early if she could, looking out the window she could see the rain clouds were far enough for her to walk there, all she would really need was a coat to keep off the chill.

The rain was relentless as she made her way on the muddy trail to the large estate. Of course she should have known that it would have started to pour, especially with the rotten luck she seemed to be having all day. God it was cold. The thin coat she wore was soaked through and through. The house was hardly visible through the hard rain. But at least she knew it was there. But it was getting late she sent up a silent prayer of hope that all she would have to do was cook and then sleep
She didn’t want to see anyone when she got there. All she really wanted to do was lay in bed and rest after all her time with J.D. had not gone as planed would need to apologize the next time he came calling. For now though, she just wanted to cook and go to bed she was just so tired. Working all the time, cooking cleaning seemed to be taking its tool.
If she was truthful with herself she’d admit J.D. was taking his toll on her to. He took any and all of her spare time not that she minded to much,. she couldn't complain she was better off than most, She had a home which most couldn’t say she was a black woman with a job, food on the table every single day, though from the looks of her she doubted anyone would think she didn’t and she would soon be married.

In silence she made her way through the back of the house and let out her breath of relief at not being noticed. Sliding down into a chair she grabbed the bowl from it and started pealing away at the potatoes inside.
It didn’t quite make sense to her how such a small amount of people could eat so much in the morning she was sure she cooked enough for a small army at least. She only ever seemed to be cooking for the workers, which included herself, Andrew and Vivian. Georgia never ate and her brother was always gone the poor thing missed him so much.

At six she was very smart and always wanted to help her and Vivian. She told stories to them for hours about adventures and tales from a book her brother had purchased for her in China and tons of other far of places. She was very proud of him and would brag on for hours about his exploits to all who would listen. Cameron herself had never seen him all that she knew was he was married once when he lived in England, he had married a woman there but it ended unhappily and he moved to the colonies with his little sister to expand his shipping business. Jordan Bradford remained a mystery to her.
“Guess who?” Georgia giggled. She had snuck up on Cameron without her even being the wiser and was pretty proud of herself.
“Let me see, is it Vivian?”
“No try again.”
“Well it certainly can’t be Andrew you don’t have the voice,” She teased.
“Are you sure?”
“Of that I’m sure”
“Guess again”
“If it’s not Vivian, and undoubtedly not Andrew then I can’t be at all sure who it is”
“Yes you can.”
“Well who else is there?”
“Georgia silly!”
“Oh is it, well that just can’t be the Georgia I know, she should be in her studies right now so she can’t be in here with me” Turning Cameron couldn’t help but laugh at the look that came across the small child’s face.
“Your no fun, and I can’t study my brother is coming home today due back any time now.” She said proudly. For weeks and weeks she had been running around the house telling everyone of how her brother was coming home. About all the places he’d been how important he was. She could go on for hours about how handsome, how tall, how smart he was. The list went on and on.

Cameron gave her a stern look. “ And I’m sure he’d like to know that his sister was getting the education he’s been paying a pretty penny for, and Georgia if you should be studying I can’t let you play with me no matter how much I want to” Cameron said flicking the tip of the child’s nose.
Outside of the kitchen the conversation from within hit the ears of none other than Jordan Bradford. He had arrived home sooner than expected not to early just hours, but sooner than expected all the same. The sweet and just a little changed voice of his young sister could be heard within arguing, with what he could only assume to be the help. And he smiled as she tried to bargain and plea her way out of her lessons with the unrelenting woman, using him as a ploy no less. Hearing her whine he laughed as she tried on last attempt of getting out of her studies and decided it was time that he made his presence known. Then find out why his dear Georgie was not taking advantage of education he was paying a ‘pretty penny’ for no less. Pushing open the wide door, he walked into the kitchen he realized unnoticed. Clearing his throat he turned find the short form of his sister and asked. “Why aren’t you studying? That’s the only thing I want to know.”
“Jordan!”
The deep voice pulled Cameron away from her playful position and back to the here and now. She watched in silence as Georgia ran to the brother that she had never seen, not wanting to be caught staring, Cameron gazed down at the bowl that sat in her lap. And listened to him tell her briefly of all the places he had been exploring, while she begged to know exactly what he had brought her from each.

“I see that my whole house has been turned upside down.” Jordan looked around noticing all that had changed in his absence the darker drapes had been replaced by brighter more vibrant colors, and where he had always had the drapes closed they were now drawn open, light now flooded in. He didn’t like it. Things were going to change and soon, there was no getting around it.
“I would be studying honest but Mrs. Calhoun left early today of a terrible headache so I thought that maybe Cameron would let me help her prepare dinner.”
Suddenly her fingers seemed to be the most interesting things she’d ever seen in all her twenty years. She could feel his eyes on her and he did what most did when they seen her look her up and down and then a dismissal. Not that she gave it much thought or even minded it; after all it gave her a second chance to look at him. He was tall that was for sure. At the least 6’4 and even though he was clothed she could tell that underneath he had a body that Zeus himself would envy. His eyes were the oddest things, the clearest sapphire fringed with and dark violet she had never in her life seen eyes reminiscent of those. He had eyelashes so long she was sure that any woman would fancy them her own.
“Can I Cameron”
Snapping back to reality she managed a slight smile and a nod. “If you want of course you can but wouldn’t you rather spend some time with your brother. He’s been gone for so long I know you miss him.”
Watching as she agreed she smiled up at the small girl and found those odd eyes on her once more and just like before she went to examining her fingers “ Bye for now Mademoiselle Cameron”
“ Bye for now Georgia”
“ Are you going to say goodbye to Cameron Jordan”
“Why of course” Jordan looked down at the unfamiliar girl who for the thousandth time was fiddling with the napkin in her hands. “D'adieu amène mademoiselle.”
“Goodbye Mr. Bradford” She managed to croak, and when they had been long gone she was left to wonder why her heart wouldn’t stop it persistent pounding.