A Different Drummer by William Melvin Kelley

Author:William Melvin Kelley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2019-06-19T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

—

SHE WAS BACK IN A WEEK. We all missed her a lot, even Tucker. He didn’t say so, especially not to me, but I could tell. He didn’t seem as crisp as before; he trudged around like a zombie, in a daze, and I said to myself: It serves him right; I hope she never comes back.

But I only said that for her sake and to see him punished. For me, it was bad having her gone.

Then I walked into the kitchen and there she was, cooking. I couldn’t understand why she’d come back, and must’ve looked confused because she looked at me real level and grave for a long while. “I know, Dee. He was right. And when I found out I was wrong and why, I called him and told him to come get me and he did.”

I was still looking at her like I didn’t understand, which I didn’t. But all she said was: “It’s so new and good I want to be selfish about it for a while. I’ll tell you one of these days. It’s better anyway if you figure it out yourself. Try.” And she smiled. But her smile was a little different, like she knew a wonderful secret and she was more than just happy, but contented too.

She got pregnant again. I guess it must’ve been in December because she was just starting to gain weight in April when she came into the kitchen and said, “Missus Willson, Tucker and I have to leave. We’re sorry, but we have to.”

Mother almost cried, right at that moment. “But, Bethrah…”

“I’m sorry, Missus Willson, but Tucker wants to go. He wants to move to the farm.”

Mother’s lashes were already wet. “But, Bethrah, you’re pregnant and it’s much better for you to be in town…isn’t it?”

I just stood there with my mouth open.

“We have to go. Tucker wants it. And I have to go with him.”

I just turned around, went to my room, and cried for hours. I guess I didn’t have a right, but I really felt betrayed because I’d have to be in that house all by myself with my parents. I even thought about moving out, but I could only go into New Marsails to my grandmother’s, Mother’s mother, and she was really primitive. She doesn’t have a modern idea in her head. She’d want me in at nine on Saturdays. So I didn’t move out. I guess I wouldn’t have anyway.

The night before Bethrah left, I sat in my room being really grumpy. It was late and I was feeling very, very sorry for myself. I couldn’t even sleep. I heard a knock on my door and sort of bitterly told whoever it was to come in. It was Bethrah. I guess I knew that before I saw her.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” She seemed very apologetic. “I want to tell you something.”

“Sure.” I wasn’t very friendly.

She sat on my bed at the other end, and stared at the floor between her legs.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.