Master Gallagher

Called me a friend

He ignored me.

Not just for a day or two but for a week. I should be happy right? I'm not not. He didn't talk to me. He didn't laugh with me. He didn't share crude remarks with me. He acted mutual, like he didn't care if I was there or not. I probably sound stupid for trying to get his attention. I would always expect him to say something when we were alone but he did not, he would dismiss and tell me to close the door behind me. I do not know what I did. Before I went to sleep, I replayed everything I said that day. Did I say something wrong? I probably did. Maybe I came off as rude, I just did not understand why he had suddenly become distant.

It all made sense when I saw her.

I was replaced.

Long curly bouncy hair, green eyes and a lighter skin tone. She was obviously the result of an... unwanted affair. She was much more appealing.

"This is my half sister.. Mary. She will be staying with us for a bit. She will help out around the house.." Lady Tracy informed me.

Half sister?

Lady Tracy's father had absolutely no shame. Infact they all had no shame.

If a white woman was raped by a black man; which happened often. In cases where the black man had refused to solicit the white woman. They would cry rape to spite them. Punishment for rape was castration, with immediate death penalty. On the most part I was glad, I wasn't born male... they had it harder.

We all had it hard, there really was no comparing sufferings.

However white men could rape female slaves without fear of punishment. It was only recently that I was told that, men and boys were also sexually abused by their slave masters. I was baffled, it was indecent and horrible. Men and boys were obviously also forced into unwanted s****l activity but the only problem was they didn't bear mixed race children to document it.

Like Mary..

What saddened me was... white women could legally charge their perpetrators with rape but slave women like me.. had no legal recourse. Our bodies legally belonged to our owners. An English law had recently passed, by which children of slave women could take the status of their father. Some father's freed their freed their children many did not and required them to do minor work like house work but not as severe as a full black slave.

It was really sympathetic of the English to do this. I had listened in on a conversation from Master Williams guest. He mentioned that in the West (USA) they had adopted a new law, where by instead half breed children took the status of their mothers regardless of paternity. The law relived men off responsibility to support their children and restricted the open secret of miscegenation to slave quarters.

"This is Panashe our servant."

"Nice to meet you!" I said, she returned the gesture. I couldn't help but feel intimidated, she was so pretty.. much prettier than lady Tracy herself.

"Show her one of the guest rooms."

She slept in a guest room. Well, good for her.

"How long have you been working here?" She politely asked me as I took her to her room.

"Nearly four months.." I replied.

"Sounds wonderful!"

"Not really.." I cleared my throat.

"Yes, I'm sorry." She added. "That must have sounded insensitive of me. I just assumed working in the house was better than out there.."

"Partly.."

"I hope we can be friends.." She said setting her bags down and looking around the room.

"That would be nice!"

"Tracy is my evil step sister. She is jealous because father loves me more and he just won't say it but he shows it.. come sit!"

I shook my head. "I'm fine."

"You don't have to uncomfortable around me.." She laughed. Honestly I was afraid they would find me seating and that would put me in a bad position since Master William is already angry at me. I figured it was because I said no to his advances. It's not like he ever listened before.

"I always thought Lady Tracy was the only girl.. from her family or so she said."

"She likes to tell people that. It doesn't bother me. Tracy and her brothers are really just bitter people. As long as my father treats me well, I do not care."

"He treats you well?"

"Yes, he loves me to bits. He would tuck me in bed as a child and everything but when we had visitors.. he would have to ton it down a little."

"That's rare!"

"I'm grateful for him."

"What about your mother?" I asked.

She immediately looked away. I realized now I was the insensitive one.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have.."

"That Tracy's Mother had something to do with my mother's death. I just know it."

"I'm sorry.." I repeated.

"Just a small warning. You better not be messing with her husband because her mother probably taught her highlights of murdering slaves."

This left my skin with goosebumps.

"That family is evil except my father of course. Her mother burnt me here—" she showed me a scar on her left leg.

"Sorry.. that's awful."

"My father gave her a beating as well.. she never tried it again."

This made me giggle.

"I think I really like Mr. Durham now."

"He is the best."

"You're lucky!"

"What about you—" that was immediately interrupted by Lady Tracy's screeching voice.

"DINNER MUST BE READY BY THE TIME I RETURN!"

"DiNnEr mUsT bE rEaDy bY tHe TiME, I ReTUrn!" Mary mimicked. "I hope she gets kicked by a horse in the face. I wonder what that William see's in her!"

At this time, I realized I was a loner. All my life, I had been a loner and having a friend would do me some good. Not just a friend but a bold friend who had a better privilege than I did.