P.T. Barnum's Oddities

Chapter 11: Anne and W.D.

W.D. returned once again to the kitchen after leaving Anne and her hoop.
"Now, to prepare dinner." He reminded himself.
He had bought all the ingredients for his Ma's famous pea soup. It was famous in the Wheeler house, for that matter.
As he was cutting the carrots, he found himself remembering a certain moment with his Ma.
Five year old W.D. and his mother were cutting carrots in the kitchen. She was teaching W.D. how to cook. Specifically, his favorite pea soup.
"I know people think woman are supposed to do the cooking, but times are changing, my baby." The mother looked at her son. She knelt down next to him, with tears in her eyes.
"One day, we won't have to hide. You'll be able to go outside and play with the children, black or white. And promise me that when this baby comes," She touched her giant stomach. "You'll protect him or her just like Pa and I did with you. Never let them get hurt. Never let them feel hurt. Protect them, okay?"
"Yes. I will, Ma. I will protect them." He reassured his mother.
"Pinky promise?"
"Pinky promise."
W.D. found tears forming in his eyes as he set the table, putting two bowls at his and Anne's, where they would eat before Mistress and the other children came home.
"Anne!" He called, and in less than five seconds heard her feet fall to the floor and pitter patter down the stairs.
His little sister sat down at the table eagerly and watched as her brother pour the steaming hot soup into her bowl.
"Why are you crying?" Anne asked, tilting her head.
"Cause of Ma."
"Oh."
"Annie, maybe when we get outta here someday... maybe we can go look for her. For Ma."
"Look for her?"
"Yeah."
"How will we find her?"
"I dunno." He said, stirring his soup.
"What if we do find her? What'll we do then?"
W.D. hadn't thought that far ahead.
"We'll be happy, Annie. We'll be a happy family."
"Aren't we already a happy family? Just you and me?" She looked up at him with sad puppy dog eyes.
"I don't know, Anne." He said, a hint of anger in his voice. And before she could ask anymore questions he got up and began to clear his plate. "The others will be back soon. Finish your food."
Anne slurped down the rest of her soup, washed her dishes, and began to head up to her room to get changed just as the children and Mistress Eleanor arrived.
"Mr. Wheeler, I assume you've finished your chores?" The old lady croaked.
"Yes, ma'am." He said; as much as he hated using his manners towards the awful woman he couldn't afford to have another bruise on his face.
After getting changed into her nightgown, Anne stepped into the hallway about to head out to the outhouse. She looked down at her feet as she made her way to the stairs, too shy to make contact with any of the others.
Anne had almost reached the staircase when a little girl about her age stepped out into the hallway.
She was very pretty (Anne had to admit she was jealous of her looks). She blonde hair with dashing blue eyes, and, of course, was as pale as a piece of paper.
"Uh... Hello. What's your name?" Anne asked; she had never really interacted with a person her age before.
"Mistress Eleanor says you blacks don't belong here. She says your ruining our happy house." The girl scowled at Anne's dirty face, tangled hair, and stained nightdress. "My mother used to say blacks were a disgrace to the entire world. My mother used to say blacks were never meant to exist. My mother used to say that blacks are a mistake."
Her high pitched voice gave Anne a headache. She had had enough.
"Y'know what my Ma use to say? You 'whites' aren't any more special than my brother and I are. And one day, blacks and whites will be equal, and everyone will be happy."
Satisfied, Anne turned on her heel and was about to head back to her room when the girl spoke up again.
"I bet your Ma was about as dim witted as you."
Without even thinking twice Anne swung around and dove toward the girl. Knocking her to the ground, she began to throw punches wherever she could. She began to rip out the girls hair aggressively, thinking no girl that ugly on the inside should ever be pretty on the outside.
She thrusted her arms until someone picked her up by the collar of her nightgown. Anne wiggled around in their grip, kicking her legs and swinging her arms in an attempt to get out.
"Little girls who don't behave get their punishments." An eerie voice whispered in her ears.
Shivers were sent down her spine as she knew immediately who the voice belonged to and that she was really going to get a punishment.
W.D. watched from after, his head peering out of the door. He watched as his sister was dragged down the stairs. He heard yelling and screaming. He knew she shouldn't have reacted with violence, but should she be the only one punished?
He quietly closed the door and waited for his sister.
So soon her heard her light footsteps outside the door, followed by the slight cream of it opening.
And there she stood.
Her light pink gown was stained with tears, her face swollen and dark from the water dripping from her eyes.
And her hair.
Mistress Eleanor had cut it off. It was cut as if she were a boy, though longer in some spots than others.
"Anne..." W.D. didn't know what to say, so he knelt in front of her, looking into her eyes. "This is all my fault... I should have stopped her. I should have-"
"I just wanted to protect, Ma." She said, her bottom lip quivering. "I didn't want her talkin' 'bout our Ma like that."
"I know, Anne."
"Promise me... promise me we'll get outta here soon."
"Tomorrow, Annie. Tomorrow we'll leave."