Yellow Crocus: A Novel Read Online Free

and effectively. Bringing in a field hand to feed Miss Elizabeth had seemed unwise to Mrs. Gray, but there had been little choice after the wet nurse they had rented died suddenly of a high fever.
    Mrs. Gray spoke crisply from the doorway, “Miss Elizabeth is old enough to be away from you for a few hours. As you are fortunate enough to live near your family, you may visit with them on Sunday afternoons beginning today. Instruct Emily on how to care for Miss Elizabeth when you are away.”
    “Yes, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am,” Mattie responded, hiding her excitement from the housekeeper.
    “You must return by supper, though you may be called in earlier,” Mrs. Gray commanded before she left the room.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Mattie’s heart raced. She was anxious to touch and caress her dear son. She yearned to hold him, feed him, and be his mother for a time. Each day she spent hours staring out the nursery window tracking her people. Once or twice a day over the last months she had briefly seen Samuel coming and going. She watched as his cheeks grew fatter and bits of black fuzz formed on his head. She searched for hints of his personality, studying the way he moved his head or looked around. Of course he never saw her. He was nearly twice the age he’d been when she left him. Mattie feared that he did not remember her at all.
    Though Mattie longed to rush out to the Quarters, she attended to Miss Elizabeth’s needs first. Settling into the rocker to nurse, Mattie unbuttoned her dress. Miss Elizabeth arched her back, flapped her arms, and squealed in excitement and anticipation when she saw Mattie’s movements. Nestling against Mattie’s breast, Miss Elizabeth drew out sustenance from her nurse. The baby’s deep blue eyes gazed intently into Mattie’s caramel irises as her pink fingers patted and stroked Mattie’s soft brown skin. Miss Elizabeth grinned up at Mattie, causing milk to dribble out the sides of her mouth.
    “Silly girl,” Mattie admonished the baby, tickling and teasing her. “You gotta pick: eatin’ or smilin’?”
    Turning her attention to Skinny Emily, Mattie gave directions for the infant’s care. “She don’ like to be in a wet diaper so get her a dry one right away. If she fussy, sometimes she satisfied with my finger. She like to be walked round the room, lookin’ out the window and lookin’ at herself in the mirror.”
    Clearly irritated, Skinny Emily replied, “I cared for babies before. How much trouble can she be?’
    “She no trouble,” declared Mattie. “She a good baby.”
    “She a baby. A baby just a baby. They all alike,” said Emily.
    After Miss Elizabeth had her fill, Mattie brought the child up to her shoulder and slowly rubbed the girl’s back. Years of experience had taught Mattie that there was no rushing a baby. It only took longer if you tried to make it go quick. Rocking the baby, looking like patience itself despite her yearning to be with Samuel, a soft song rose from Mattie.
Go to sleepy little baby
Go to sleepy little baby
Your momma’s gone away and your daddy’s gone to stay
Didn’t leave nobody but the baby
     
A soft belch escaped from Miss Elizabeth’s tiny mouth.
     
Go to sleepy little baby
Go to sleepy little baby
Everybody’s gone in the cotton and the corn
Didn’t leave nobody but the baby
     
Miss Elizabeth grew heavy, melting against Mattie’s body.
     
You’re a sweet little baby
You’re a sweet little baby
Honey in the rock and the sugar don’t stop
Gonna bring a bottle to the baby
     
    Mattie moved Miss Elizabeth down into her arms and cradled her close, rocking back and forth.
Don’t you weep pretty baby
Don’t you weep pretty baby
She’s long gone with the red shoes on
Gonna meet another lovin baby
     
    The little one’s eyes glazed over, her eyelids slowly blinked shut and then open, shut and then open, then shut.
Go to sleepy little baby
Go to sleepy little baby
You and me and the devil makes three
Don’t