“What do you think of your new baby sister, Jess?”
“I think she’s ugly.” The reaction of the three year old reminded Irene of his father’s response to the arrival of his twin sisters eighteen years earlier.
“Have you and Madeline decided on a name yet, Benjamin?”
Rose held her breath, expecting Benjamin to explode and to blurt out the truth – that the baby their mother was holding was the bastard child of one of his sharecroppers. Instead he only said “Madeline wants to name her Kate.”
“Hello, Little Kate. Give Grandmama a smile.”
Madeline listened through the open bedroom door. She too was surprised by his restraint. Surely he knew!
“Well, Rose and I will be going now and leave you all to get acquainted with this pretty little girl.” She carried the baby into the bedroom and placed her carefully in Madeline’s arms. “If you need anything, send Tina over. Remember, you need to stay quiet for a day or two.”
When his mother and sister were gone, Benjamin went into his wife’s bedroom. “As soon as you can walk I want you out of here. The children – both of them – will stay with me, but I want you out of my house. I don’t care where you go. You can go back to your daddy’s house. You can go to your lover. You can drown yourself in the creek. I don’t give a damn. I just want you gone. The sight of you makes me sick to my stomach”
“Benjamin, I…”
“Not another word, Madeline. I mean it.” He took the baby from her. “You will go or I will choke the life out of you.” He turned and left the room. He carried Kate into the kitchen where Tina was busy making supper and tending to her own infant.
“Tina, do you have enough milk to nurse another baby?”
“Mr. Benjamin, her mama will be nursing that baby.”
“No, Tina. She won’t.” He handled the baby to the startled girl. “Tina, please…”
She unbuttoned her dress and allowed the baby to find her breast. Benjamin watched as Kate sucked hungrily.”
* * *
“I can’t believe he’s throwing you out.” Rose was sitting on the bed watching Madeline pack her trunk. “I can’t believe he is sending you away without your children. My brother really is a monster.”
“Hold on, Sugar. It’s for the best. Howard will take me in but he don’t want no babies and Tina will take better care of Jess and Kate than I ever could. I never even wanted babies in the first place.”
Rose couldn’t believe what she was hearing. How could a mother just walk away and leave her children without putting up a fight? As if reading her mind, Madeline walked over and put her arm around Rose. “Listen, Sugar. Trust me. This is really the best way. Benjamin can provide for them. I can’t.”
“Doesn’t he know that Kate isn’t his?”“Of course, he knows, but he has too much pride to admit it. You get on home now. I’ve got to make myself presentable for my new man. When I get myself settled in, you’ll have to come over for a visit. We’re going to have ourselves some good times, Sugar.”
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