The Snake in the Garden by Deborah Hand-Cutler

Author:Deborah Hand-Cutler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Horse Press
Published: 2018-09-06T06:38:13+00:00

“Someday, when we’re married, I’m gon’ take you travelin’ all over the place!” he promised her, kissing her and stroking her face.

“How we gon’ do that? Are we gon’ be hoppin’ the trains?”

“No way! We goin’ first class, ‘cause I’m gon’ be the distinguished senator from Arkansas, or maybe even the governor.”

“Who ever heard of a colored man being senator or governor? You’re gon’ work for the train yard, jus’ like your daddy,” she said, giving him a little tickle.

“I’ll be the first Negro governor of Arkansas, right after I’m mayor.”

“You jus’ dreamin’, that’s all.”

“Ain’t nothin’ wrong with dreamin’, long’s you make your dreams come true. And right now, I’m dreamin’ about being with you.”

They embraced, and soft kisses gave way to passion.

“I think we better go home,” Regina said, realizing they were getting more heated with each other than was proper.

“It’s still early,” Kenneth said. “I love you, Regina.”

“I love you, too, Kenneth.”

They kissed again, and then gave themselves to each other.

She knew she should have felt bad, very bad, about making love to him. Hadn’t her daddy raised her in the church to be a good girl? Hadn’t he warned her about boys? But she was too happy being with Kenneth and being loved by him to care.

She had asked her mother to tell her about sex, but the only answer she ever got was, “Don’t.” She was afraid to ask her friends. She didn’t want them to think badly of her. She certainly couldn’t ask anyone in the church, or at school. Her lovemaking with Kenneth during that summer and fall remained a secret between the two of them.

Once out of high school, they would get married. They would find a way to go to college. Or, at least Kenneth would go and she would work to help put him through. It would all be OK because they loved each other so much. She felt that she would never be able to love anybody else, ever.

Regina was happy being in that place again. She was glad they had made love, and that she had gotten pregnant. It gave her Kenneth, her son, named after his father.

When she confessed to her friends that she was pregnant, her girlfriends were quick to give her all kinds of advice on how to abort it. Sex and how to avoid getting pregnant apparently were secrets in 1963. But self-abortion was common knowledge among the young women of Jefferson Springs.

Regina wanted the baby even more after the tragedy because it was the only piece of Kenneth she had. She loved this baby more than anything in the world. She was now so proud that he had grown into the fine man she knew his father would have been had he lived.

Tired, and finally ready to leave, she noticed another path leading away from this precious spot in the direction of the parking lot. She didn’t remember that one but figured it must take her back to her car. She decided to follow the trail, and after a short walk she came to another opening in the forest.

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