Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper

Author:Sharon M. Draper [Draper, Sharon M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780689821813
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2006-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

PART SIX

POLLY

25. BIRTH OF THE BABY

EARLY ONE MORNING, ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER, the doorway of the kitchen was suddenly darkened by the unexpected shadow of Mr. Derby. He looked surprisingly agitated. Polly dropped the spoon she had in her hand. She watched as Amari moved swiftly to the back of the small room to try to make herself invisible. Tidbit ran behind his mother. Even the dog hid in a corner.

“Where’s Lena?” Mr. Derby roared.

Teenie looked around in confusion. “She ain’t here, Massa. I ain’t seen Lena since last night,” Teenie said truthfully.

“And what about Flora? I swear I’ll kill her if she’s not back at the house when I return!”

“I ain’t seen her, neither, Massa,” Teenie said as she stirred the kettle wildly. “I been cookin’ all de mornin’.”

“Why is it that when I need a slave, they all disappear?” He strode across the kitchen and swept plates and platters to the floor in a fury. He stopped directly in front of Amari, who cowered at his feet. “Why aren’t you in the rice fields like I ordered?” he demanded.

Polly could see that Amari had no answer. She knew that Amari had learned that, when not given a direct order, a slave’s best bet was to say nothing.

Mr. Derby looked at Polly. “Does the African understand English yet?”

“Yes, sir, a little, sir,” Polly replied. What is he going to do? she wondered, her fear growing.

“Do you know anything about childbirth?” he asked Polly suddenly.

“Sir?” Polly asked, confused. Then she realized Mrs. Derby must be in labor.

Mr. Derby with concern edging his voice, said, “Isabelle is about to have the child. I have sent Noah to Charles Town for the doctor, but it will be several hours before they return.” He wrung his hands. Polly had never seen him look helpless or afraid. “She’s in a lot of pain. Can you help her?”

“Yes, sir. Of course, sir.” Polly breathed with relief, for herself and for Amari as well. Amari would not to be taken to the rice swamps—at least not today.

“And you,” he said, pointing to Amari, “get up and help her! Hurry! I’ll ride to the next plantation for more help.” He stormed out of the kitchen, leaving behind sudden sighs of relief.

“You ever helped birth a baby, chile?” Teenie asked Polly.

“Never,” Polly replied frantically.

“What ’bout you?” Teenie asked Amari.

“Yes, many, many,” Amari replied quickly.

“Both of you get up there and see to Miz Isabelle. Here’s boiled water. Hurry!”

Amari and Polly rushed out of the kitchen and up to the big house—their first trip back since the night of the spilled pie. They climbed the stairs as quickly as they could without splashing the hot water and tiptoed down the highly polished wood floor of the upstairs hallway, searching for Mrs. Derby’s room. Ordinarily, several slaves would be in the house, cleaning or washing, but today, oddly, there were none. Clay was nowhere to be seen either.

“Oh, Lord in heaven!” they heard Mrs. Derby cry out from the first room on the right.

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