Chapter 80: Chapter 80

Chapter 78: The threat

"Master, have you seen Merri?"

The old man cringed with resentment at the name as he helped Thomas carry the hay into the barn with the other men who were working tirelessly and enthusiastically to impress Mr. Cunningham. He insisted, he loved working as well. Not only watching people work. Removing his straw hat, he rubbed his bald head feeling how sweaty he was.

"Not since the day they announced their foolery and disrespected me in my own home." He responded walking away but Thomas followed. Removing his hat as a manner of showing respect, he lowered his head as he spoke to Mr. Cunningham.

"I'm concerned Master. She hasn't been at the commune for nearly two days, I assumed she was back in the house."

The old man stopped in his tracks putting his hands on his waist. He looked around callously not being able to hide how upset he was. "Austin..." he muttered after a while, under his breath. "Austin, she is with him, those fools."

"You think so, Master Cunningham?"

"If she is not on the plantation where would she be? Which other place does she know? She has never been out there. I know my son, he is stubborn and this won't be the last of his tommyrot!"

With a sigh, Thomas added. "They've been to Manchester together as well..."

"I see..." Mr Cunningham nodded. "What else?"

"This isn't her first pregnancy, infact the first time around she did not know if it was mine or Austin's. She lost it unfortunately."

"Unbelievable? I knew she was an opportunistic hussy, my son is simply desperate for a little bit of love."

"Mhm..."

"Well you better get back to work then. Not to worry, she will return soon. Austin is well aware that I can have him arrested for theft of property considering I rightfully own Merrigold."

"Ofcourse Master." Thomas hunched his back to show him respect before going. The old men looked around, one arm on his waist. He shook his head, his only thoughts were Merrigold was a prostitute. After all they had done for her, she had to be ungrateful and manipulate their son. Even if she had been raped, Mr Cunningham still believed... she had seduced his son. Austin was never ever one to mess around with niggers. This was the least of his worries. Austin had always been a looker who turned heads and had the most beseechingly attractive women at the palm of his hands. For him to chose her... Merrigold, dark and plain with same old nigger qualities. Austin was clearly not in his right mind, even worse to be excitedly expecting with her. It upset Mr Cunningham, his stomach churned with disgusted. Himself he had never ever entertained a nigger, never in his entire life. He respected them as people but he did not want one part of his family, especially not with his son. Giving Austin management of the plantation had been a horrid idea. He would have been better off in his empty home in Manchester. A part of him blamed himself for pushing Austin into marriage into searching for someone to settle with.

—

Clinging onto him, Merrigold did not want to let him go. She felt possessive over Austin. He was surprised considering she had been moody the whole way home. She did not want to talk, letting what Panashe had said sink in. Merrigold told herself if Panashe could go through that and still manage to be happy then so could she. A part of her finally made peace with her feelings for Austin. There was no point denying that she cried herself to sleep the day his father kicked him out because she was worried and scared for him. She felt alive only after he came back, her heart was steady and content before that, Merrigold was miserable. Admitting that she felt a lot of unexplainable things for him.

"I will be back..." He told her.

"What if he was out searching for me? I'm afraid...?"

Staring down at her he laid a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Everything will be alright. He can not do you any harm. Use a bible verse against him. He will go bullocks trying to justify his actions."

Merrigold could only smile.

Austin smiled too.

"This isn't the time to make banters..." She shook her head.

"Yes, it's time for me to kiss you."

Pulling away... Merrigold took four steps away from him. "...not in public...what if someone...especially your father—"

"Everyone knows exactly how we made our children, them seeing us kiss is merely close to nothing."

Merrigold sighed looking around at the acres of land with huge stems of sugar cane surrounding them. The little gravel road in between, leading into the Cunningham Plantation.

"I do not want you to leave..."

"Why?" Austin teased.

"You're annoying." Merrigold added with annoyance. She pushed his chest away but he only came closer making her giggle. Austin's carriage awaited him a few meters away. The man heading the horses out front tried not to look at them. He was just as appalled as this was something he had never seen. He kept peaking here and there. Austin cornered Merri against the mahogany wooden like carriage. Capturing her lips, she smiled against them. He smiled too. Merrigold wished there was more, her body caved for more. Suddenly they both came to a halt. Austin smiled at Merri knowingly, Merrigold smiled too.

"Did you feel that?" Merrigold asked.

"Yes. They like it when we kiss."

"I suppose.." Merri replied. She was trying to adjust to her new reality. Trying to accept that she had two human beings growing inside her and soon they'd be here. It was exciting and just as terrifying. What if she died in the process, twins? twins could she survive that... a lump of fear formed on her throat. As if Austin could read her like an open book. He hugged her and assured her it would be okay. That was until some cleared their throat behind them.

"Evening..." Mr Cunningham greeted. Merrigold immediately pushed Austin off her and stood up straight away from leaning into the carriage.

"Father!"

"Son!" He replied. "...Merri..."

"Evening Master Cunningham."

"And where might you be coming from?"

Clearing his throat as well from nervousness. Austin out both his hands in the pockets of his coat. "As you know... Merrigold and I are expecting. William ought to check if everything is going well with child."

"Is it?" Mr Cunningham asked.

"Yes... they're twins!" Austin grinned.

Almost falling back. Austin's father was appalled. "Lord Jesus, what have I done to deserve such. It feels like a punishment. Oh dear lord my savior, what have I done to upset you..."

Austin only rolled his eyes at how dramatic the old man was being. Merrigold stood quiet and afraid. She wouldn't dare say a word.

"It's a blessing stop acting as if it's a curse!"

"A curse? It is a curse! And you little girl, you should be ashamed." He pointed at Merrigold accusingly. "The lord is watching, he knows of all your sins so do I. Dwindling with two men? Disgusting!" He spat.

Three, Merrigold's consciousness reminded her, her body count.

"I will not allow you to speak to her that way...!"

"How sure are you that this is your child as well? Son, you will only be disappointed in the end."

For a moment Austin stood silent. "It's mine, the pregnancy is mine."

"Thomas is claiming it as well or so he tells me."

Austin looked at Merrigold before turning back to his father. "I never thought you'd stoop this low. Father, I've always admired you and rendered you a good man but for you to act the way you have in this past week. I'm losing my respect for you. I hope God is proud of his number one evangelist."

Merrigold let out a sigh of relief. She was afraid that Austin could easily change and be against her.

"Do not use Jesus name in vain!" His father defended.

"No no that's your doing, I wouldn't want to take that away from you now would I? Merri go home." Austin muttered.

"But—"

"Go Merri, he won't do anything."

Refusing to let go of his hand.

"Merri!"

"...I'm scared..." she mumbled.

"Please Merri go."

With that, she finally let go and walked as fast as she could disappearing into the dark. Austin hoped she would be okay.

"You're lucky, I had not reached out to the police."

"Right... I knew you would eventually. You're really good at that."

"Austin!"

"Father, allow me to buy Merrigold off."

"Never!"

"You won't ever have to see my children that you callously called a curse. I wouldn't want to see you either."

With glossy eyes... Mr Cunningham broke down. "But I love you so much my son. Why do you want to make this so difficult? Why?"

"No, you're making this difficult."

"Because you keep embarrassing this family. Let's forget any of this, you're welcome to come home. There's a family willing to—"

"Pardon?" Austin furrowed his eyebrows, clenching his jaw.

"There's a family—"

"And since you're the parent you decided that?"

"Yes, I did. Since I own Merrigold with all her paperwork, I'm very well in ownership of anything that comes out of her. You need my guidance even till this age so, I'm doing you a favor."

"Do you hear yourself? Does that sound right to you? You ignorantly speak as if Merrigold is one of the cattle or horses in your stable. She is a person, she is pregnant with my children."

With a sigh, Austin father replied. "I own Merrigold, I'm not selling her to you. You're not allowed to see her, you will not be allowed to see her kids... either. They're not your kids. You kids would be full born and bread Caucasians. They're her kids because they're black. There is no mulatto. They're black. They're niggers like their mother."

It took Austin everything not to tackle his father to the ground and batter him until he fell into a stroke. He thought of his mother, his sister, they would hate him. As always he would be hated for something that wasn't in his control.

"You will not see her, you will not see her children. You will not step foot on my property without my permission. I will not hesitate to call the county and inform them of your indecent and delinquent behavior. Push me, Austin. Push me. If I hear that you came here without my permission. I will forget our relation."

"I hate you." Austin muttered.

"I love you, I'm only doing what's best for yo—" he tried to comfort Austin who seemed to be crying in the dark but he was pushed so hard he fell back on the prickling gravel stones.

"Do not touch me Walter, do not touch me!" Austin replied, his voice attempting to break.

"You will thank me one day." Walter yelled with a chuckle dusting himself off the ground. The horses made so much noise that inside the carriage, Austin heard nothing. He was afraid he would murder his father, he had to leave.

Returning to the main house. Mrs Cunningham asked if Austin had dropped by and her husband's response was.

"Yes, he also informed me that he has changed his mind regarding kids and that I can gladly give them away."

"He did?" Austin's mother asked shocked.

"I could not believe it either but you know Austin, he can never stick to his word. The poor girl, whom he made so many promises."