Walking Toward Freedom (# 20 in The Bregdan Chronicles Historical Fiction Romance Series) by Ginny Dye

Author:Ginny Dye [Dye, Ginny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-04-18T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

“Daddy!” Felicia’s eyes were bright with excitement as she walked into the house. “San Francisco hotels are spectacular. They’re as wonderful as the ones I’ve seen in New York City!”

Frances nodded eagerly. “We drove all over the city. You should see them. I believe the Occidental Hotel is my favorite. It’s huge! It’s four stories tall and absolutely towers above every other building around it.”

Moses chuckled. “That is a lot of superlatives.” He had not been to the Occidental Hotel, but situated high on Nob Hill, it could be seen from everywhere in the city. At night, he had stared up at its gleaming lights and considered the luxury inside.

“I loved the Occidental Hotel,” Felicia agreed, “but we drove by them so many.” She ticked them off on her fingers. “We saw the Russ House, the Cosmopolitan, the Grand, the Palace, the Baldwin, and the Lick House.” She looked at their hostess for confirmation.

“Very good,” Mrs. Pleasant said with a laugh. “I can’t believe you remembered all of them.”

Felicia shrugged, but her expression was intense. “Do you believe I could own a hotel like the Occidental one day?”

Moses stared at his daughter. He knew she had high aspirations, but he hadn’t known exactly how lofty they were.

“Anything is possible,” Mrs. Pleasant replied. “It all depends how badly you want it.”

“Even for a black woman?” Felicia asked bluntly. “If I own a hotel like that, I’m not going to allow someone else to own simply because I’m a black woman.”

Mrs. Pleasant eyed her evenly. “You know what you have to do, Felicia. Until women have the right to vote and make financial decisions for themselves, you will fight an uphill battle.”

Felicia scowled. “What’s the point of freedom if we’re not really free?”

Mrs. Pleasant glanced at Moses.

“Freedom doesn’t come in a day, Felicia,” Moses told her, knowing even as he spoke that he hated the reality as much as she did.

Felicia shook her head. “How long does it take?”

Mrs. Pleasant smiled. “I think everyone is looking for the answer to that question, my dear. Because we’re black, we see freedom through the eyes of having been slaves. Even though President Lincoln granted us emancipation, it will take time for Americans to see us that way.” She paused. “I don’t know anyone, however, that isn’t striving to be free.”

Frances looked puzzled. “I don’t understand.”

“I believe everyone is chained by something,” Mrs. Pleasant replied. “The white men who try to control everything do it from fear. They’re chained to fear and greed. They believe their freedom will come from controlling everything and everyone around them.”

“That’s stupid,” Frances replied.

“You’ll get no argument from me,” Mrs. Pleasant answered. “Every woman in America is fighting for freedom. They want political freedom, but they also want economic freedom. They want the freedom to make decisions about their own lives.”

“Like deciding whether to stay married to someone who abuses them,” Felicia said thoughtfully. “Matthew’s wife, Janie, had to divorce her first husband because he was abusive.”

“She was lucky to be able to do that,” Mrs.

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