"Ma'am, you sounded like you knew of Ryan when I mentioned him. How is that?"
Moving to a wall, she pointed to several pictures hung there. The first were a couple pictures of Jean Marie. A prominent baby bump swelling her body. The pictures under it took Thaelor and Ryan by complete surprise. Pictures of Monica in the third grade, Travis in his Pee Wee football uniform, and finally a baby picture of Ryan hugging a large plush toy.
"She was my sister after all. Jean sent me pictures of her children soon after you were born, and please...call me Flo. I'm sorry...I have no idea who you are. You say you're Ryan's sister?"
"Yes." Thaelor added. "Robert is my father, but I have a different mother. She was white; and I didn't know about or join Ryan until after his mom died."
"So...your mom was white. You don't say." Flo added half handedly.
Flo led the siblings further into the house, in the kitchen, the older girl they met is sitting with two more younger children, stripping a bushel of greens and placing them into a pot for cooking, while they watch a small television playing a children's cartoon.
"So, did your mother tell you anything about me?" Flo asked.
"Unfortunately, no." Ryan added. Mom never spoke about her life before she was married to Dad. All I ever knew was them. She never spoke of you, this town, her family, nothing. Then again, neither did Dad. They just said they met and fell in love, got married, and had us."
"Good Lord...then you know absolutely nothing." Reaching into a cupboard, Flo grabbed a plate, piled it high with food, and covered it with foil. Turning to the short thick man, she said; "Calvin, you need to get out of here if you're going to get to the mine on time hon. I'll trade you your dinner, if you hand me that clear jar on the top shelf, and two glasses." The man named Calvin smiled, did as he was bid and took the plate of food. Grabbing his white hardhat from the table, he kissed the three children and admonished the older one to behave till her mother got home.
"It's good to meet you guys." He said to Ryan and Thaelor. "But if she asked me to get that...strap in...it's going to be a doozy. Hope to see you later." With that, he turned and left.
The siblings followed their Aunt to the back patio. Sitting at the table, Flo opened the jar. A strong odor of alcohol wafted out when the lid was removed. "Ashley!" Flo yells. The young girl comes marching to the call of her grandmother and stands in the door. "Go into the living room and fetch me that big blue album. The one I used to show you when you were little. Oh...and you owe these people an apology for being so nasty. They are your cousins after all."
"I'm sorry." The young girl says. Then she turns a walks back in the house.
Flo picked up the jar and poured the shots of PGA (Pure Grain Alcohol) and waits for her grand daughter to return. "She's a good girl." Flo remarks. "But she's getting to that age when boys are becoming a little more interesting. My daughter will be home soon, and she desperately wants Ashley to go to college. Boys around here have a tendency of messing up plans like that."
The girl returns carrying a very large photo album in her arms. It was old and worn, bursting at the seams to hold all the memories.
"I guess the best place to start is at the beginning." Said Florence. "You children come closer and learn where you come from." Ryan and Thaelor moved closer, waiting with bated breath to see into the past.
Opening the book to the first page, there were two old black and white pictures. The first of a gruff looking white man. Hair dark as night, peppered with stripes of white, flanked by two younger men, most obviously his sons. All dressed in overalls and white t-shirts.
"This is my Grandfather Cyrus Bailey, and his sons Greg and Brian. They lived on the white side of town as farmers mostly. Though eventually they began working in the mines as well. The second picture was of a young black woman (most likely in her mid-thirties). She was tall-ish for a woman, with long black hair and cheekbones that could've denoted belonging to some tribe of Native American. "This is Black Phyllis. She was my Grandmother. She worked as a maid to Cyrus and his family as for all that was known, she was alone in the world. She lived just over the river here in the black side of town. As was almost normal back then, Cyrus paid her a little bit more for...other services than cleaning. Eventually, she became pregnant with his child. As you can imagine, Cyrus had no intention of taking care of her or his child. But what he didn't realize is that she also worked nights for Mr. Brooks, the mine owner, and while he wasn't exactly fond of black people, he was fond of the work she did for him, and pressured Cyrus to take responsibility for his actions like a good Christian man."
Ryan's brow furrowed. Hearing that his family tree had to endure such tragedy, made his blood boil. But, he had to quell his anger. It was a much different time.
Turning the page again, were two more pictures. The first another black and white picture of Black Phyllis sitting on a porch holding a very light skinned baby. Fat, round, and almost albino in shade, the child's hair was also a mixture of black strands and what might be blond, as it was so light. The next picture under it was also black and white, but this time, the little girl had grown. Most likely in the picture, she was about 10. Her skin had darkened only marginally, but her hair was now a full, flowing black. Her features had smoothed out with time. Becoming more angular, and European in appearance. One might almost mistake her for "white." Only her full lips and high cheekbones gave any indication of not being "pure." The next page showed her in late teen age years. She was stunningly beautiful. Thin, yet full figured. A shade to her skin that looked almost "tan." More importantly at first glance, she could've been a close relative of Thaelor's.
"This is my mother Betty Ann. Child of Cyrus and Phyllis. As you can see...she was very "light skinned." She said, looking directly at Thaelor. "See sweetie...you're not the only one." Thaelor blushed. Her mixed heritage had always been a sticking point for her. Her upbringing among both whites and blacks had caused many nights of hurt feelings and identity hardships. But, being with Ryan had soothed many of those ills.
"Cyrus did take care of his responsibilities; if even they were bare minimum. But Phyllis raised Betty as best she could. Until she was murdered. Found raped, beaten and discarded in a creek bed on this side of the river. No one of course knew anything and the sheriff didn't even care enough to investigate. Betty was 14 years old and alone. Cyrus and his boys took advantage. In order to survive, she moved in with her father. He was a cruel man. Working her mercilessly at the house. While also taking his "liberties" with her young body. His sons Greg and Brian took their turns too. By the time she was 16, Betty Ann had had enough. She wanted to join her mother and tried to drown herself in the river. But she was saved."
"How?" Thaelor asked, scooting even closer. This story was better than anything she had seen in the movies or TV lately. She was dying to find out what happened next.
Turning the page again, revealed the biggest, blackest man either sibling had ever seen. His hands were huge, making the pick ax he held look like a toy. His skin dark as evil, his arms big as tree trunks. His face, chiseled stone.
"This is my father; "Nigger Bear" Henry Morrison. He was the man that saved my mother by dragging her cold body out of the river. The story from my mother goes that he carried her all the way from the river to the other side of black town, where a mixed "medicine" woman lived. He paid her in crops and the little bit of money he had saved. For 2 months, he looked in on Betty Ann, making sure she didn't die. Once she awakened, she began to befriend her savior. Henry gathered enough material to fix her mother's old home so that Betty Ann could live in peace away from her kin. Over time, Betty Ann came to fall in love with Henry. Eventually, she became pregnant again, this time having me and my sister. But, secrets never stay hidden for long. Cyrus found out that not only was my mother alive (he claimed she ran away to other townsfolk), but that she was pregnant too. As far as he was concerned, she was his property. Yet, he didn't have the courage to come over the river and see for himself. Somehow, someone told him that she had twins. One "white" and one black. He became furious! A madman! He just knew the children were his."
