A Love That was Housebound

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

                  

January 13, 1848              

People started to wonder away as Mr. Tuttle and I began to walk behind stage to finalize the deal. He yells for her to follow us. She just looks from me to Mr. Tuttle and furrows her brows in what I'm guessing confusion.

Not having patience Mr.Tottle roughly grabs my new slave's arms and drags her behind him. I followed not trying to I stare into her eyes that was begging me to help; I give a smirk hinting to her that I didn't care.  

I didn't know if she understood my expression because as Mr. Tuttle walks down the steps with her eyes still lock with mine, still wanting help. She falls back missing the first steps and lands on Mr. Tuttle's back. I lose my smirk as Mr. Tuttle jumps forward letting her finish her fall to the wooden floor with a thump. 

For a moment she seems to be unconscious, and at that moment anger flashed through me towards Mr. Tuttle, I wondering if he just killed my new slave. Yet she flickers her eyes open and she slowly sits up groaning in pain. I loudly put my foot down on the first step to get her attention. She flinches from the sound and snaps her eyes up to mine. Mr. Tuttle suddenly yanks her by her hair, pulling her up from the ground. She yells out in pain and stands on her feet quickly. He lets go of her hair and snatches her arm yet again dragging her along.

'She stupid... yet teachable' I thought, slowly walking behind them.Her eyes were still staring into mine.

Once we were in finally his office, meaning upstairs inside his home and sitting at his kitchen table; Mr. Tuttle sat down as the slave stood behind him silently looking around. 

I started off "So I'm not gonna keep ya' waitin' I know you have others wanting to talk to you about your money, so here's the deal..."

I look up to see if he was listening and he was staring right at me, hands placed on his belly waiting.

"And the deal is...?" He press on, I sigh.

"The thing is that I don't have the money right now, but after this meeting I'm having with one of my cotton buyers today, I will then have your seven hundred dollars-all in cash" I paused to see if he wanted to cut in but he remain quiet so I went on.

"So tomorrow morning I'll come back with the money...is that good?"

I raised my eyebrows unsure of his answer, I knew Mr. Tuttle hated being cheated and I did not want him thinking that was my plan. He slowly nods his head and his thick mustache twitched on his face.

"Isaac...I knew you since you were as high up to my knee" He gave a small smile and relief came over me.

"So tomorrow morning, then?" I asked.

He nodded his head in agreement. "Yea, sure tomorrow...but how about a little bit after noon?"

I chuckle smiling getting up from the table. He stands up as well laughing with me. I glance to my slave and look back to Mr. Tuttle.

"So can I take it?"  Mr. Tuttle nods and backs away from the table.

"Go on ahead! I trust your words"

I smile and walk up to my new house-slave.  As I start to walk around her, my curious question about her hair was answered when I saw that it reaches the lower part of her back. My eyes wonders over her curves that show through the dirty, raggy dress that they gave her to wear. When I was finally facing her front, I look down at her face that held nothing but seemly smooth skin with small scratches and noticeable bags under her eyes.