Life's Not Black And White

Life's Not Black And White/ Chapter 1- The Not So Happy Life

Setting- 1954 Willoughby Georgia

“How did we all get here?” ( Lilyana screams)

with tears streaming down her face. And her heart reaching and grasping for air for her voice.  “ Man killing man!”. “You would think we were a whole bunch of crazies. ”

then Lilyana collapse on the the cold blood filled streets of what she once called home. As Noble runs to her a shot was fired. This was six weeks ago but you can’t start here, you need to know how this started.

It was a Blazing hot July day, so hot that you could fry an egg right here on the streets on Willoughby Georgia. As I am slowly walking the streets from church to my mama’s house. Well, here is the thing  I have to walk through the Negro part of town which I don’t have a problem with but my daddy would be so pissed he would skin me alive. He is David Smith or preacher Smith to most of the people in this town, and lets just say he is not the most loving person and yes he is a preacher and he does love believe and support God but he with every bone in his body hates negros. But I don’t I love the bright eyed, care free, little old lady that lives right here, she is the sweetest old lady that doesn’t have a care in this entire world  about black or white, she lives by God and doesn’t let this little hateful, old town bother her.

Every time she sees anyone she gets this smile on her face that just melts your heart and she tries to give them one of her famous apple pies, that just sit on her kitchen window  and yes she is black but them savoury apple pies are soooo darn good it makes you want to slap your mama. I don’t know much about her but from what I do know she has a grandson named Noble but I ain't completely sure. So I hurry my little self down this road around the swift corner to my mama’s house cus I don’t want her to worry.

“Mama, I am home.” (says Lilyana) as I walk into the brightly lit sun room I see my older sister and the everlasting love of my life. His name is Ryan Goodman and he is the sweetest, sexyest in all of the Godforsaken town and we will never separate. “ Hey baby” (says Ryan) “Where in the world have you been church ended like an hour ago?” “ oh, my poor, sweet baby was worried about little old me.” ( says Lilyana, playfully) “ And what where you two up to?” “ Nothing” (says Zoe and Ryan in unison) “ Are you sure yall werent smooching?”( Says Lilyana . “No, why on earth would you even say that! It is so revolting!” (yells Zoe). As Ryan and Zoe look at each other nervously. “ calm down jumpy, I was just joking around” “ where is mama?”(ask Lilyana) Then  breaking the awkward silence my mama pranced in. My mama was one of the most beautiful, caring, and extraordinary person I had ever met. She had her hair curled and was wearing a button up sunshine yellow dress. With a rose that look so good you think you could smell it. I was wearing a dress just like it but mine was sky blue.

“Well Mrs Ana, now I know why the clouds are out.” ( Says Ryan). “ whatever do you mean Mr Goodman?” (says Ana). “Well the sun is hiding behind the clouds, because it saw you and it knew that it would never be able to shine as bright as you”( Ryan says with his boyish grin). “ oh, stop boy you will make me blush.”( says Ana).

As my mama walked out my Daddy got home from church. I was hoping he would stay later than that. I could feel Ryan's hand get sweaty, I am not jokin when I say it felt like I was holding a nasty wet rag. Which is strange because my daddy loves Ryan and Ryan loves him too. Lilyana looks at him with a bewildered look on her face. “Are you ok?”(ask Lilyana). “ Yeah, yeah”(Ryan clears his throat). Then he answers calmly. “ Yes, I am fine” “ why do you ask?”(asked Ryan) “Ok, ok I only ask because your palms were sweating up a storm.”(Lilyana states).

I know something is going on. Because Ryan and I have been together since 9th grade and i am 21 and he is 23. So I would say I know him pretty well. There was this one time in the 12 grade year that he had got me a gift but was scared I wasn’t going to like it so we were on the way home and his hands were sweaty, he wouldn’t look at me, and he look so nervous. It turned out that when we got to my Mama’s house and I got to my room there was a little blonde, fluffy, yapping, full blooded, golden retriever on my bed that is now named donut. I remember burstin into tears, and pouncing on him like my daddy pounces on tomato gravy and homemade biscuits. But see this time is different, he is acting like he has something to hide from daddy.

So as my daddy walks in it was like something snapped in Ryan and Zoe. Ryan ran to my other side and held my other hand and Zoe ran to the couch, picked up a book and started to read. They got so far away from each other it was like they were magnets retracting from each other. “Hello Mr David, how are you this fine day?” (frantically says Ryan). “Hello son, it was a good day until I saw the sign at the new school downtown” (angrily David says) “ What did it say daddy?” (ask Zoe) “ It said they were going to start desegregating in August!” “I hate them darn negros!” (says David). “Daddy don’t say that word!” (says Lilyana). “ little girl you do not tell me what I can and can’t say!” ( David screams) “ hey hey hey why don’t we head on out?” (Ryan says as he is trying to change to subject and calm everyone down). So then I go up stairs and grab the rest of my things . Because before all this happened, I was there too get the rest of my things because I was moving out from my Mama’s to mine and Ryan’s new house.  

So my daddy storms out like a stampede and I go up to get my things. As I am getting the last thing and making my way down the stairs I see something that makes my whole heart get ripped out of my chest. I could feel the whole world crashing down. I didn’t even have time to process. When I looked out the window and saw my big sister, the one I have trusted for my whole life kissing the man I planned to spend the rest of my life with. I fell to the ground and the boxes fell down the stairs, as they heard the loud bang they see me. I dropped everything and ran to my daddy's truck and drove off.