Cora Mae

Weymouth Falls Nova Scotia 1917

"You know dat there chile gots the gift right? you knows it you seen it. Walked right up to Isabel Pritchard an told her matter o fact she was lyin an wasn't no baby in her belly an if there had of been one, it sure weren't Wills child and she knew damn well why. Wonder what she meant by that last part?" Grannie lee chuckled tapping the tobacco down into her pipe she flicked a wood match up against the wall and lit it, taking a long haul as she leaned back in the rocker and stared up the road, watching Cora mae fade from view as she crested the hill heading into town. 

 "You need to get that chile married off and quick before she scares all the men away with it." "She doesn't want to marry mama" Margaret stared after her daughter. She wants to be a writer. You ever hear tell of such a thing. Most young women her age want to settle down get married and have them some babies an here she is talking all kinds of foolish. You ever heard tell of a colored writer? Go on name me one if you can."  

Grannie lee let out another chuckle along with a smoke ring and watched as it wafted up into the air.  "She reminds me o' you stubborn as de day is long.  She took another draw and let the smoke out slowly enjoying the moment. "Oh no you can't go pinning that one me that's her daddy through and through and did you know I caught him teaching her how to stack cards? "Uh huh" Grannie lee cocked one eyebrow. "What you expect from a gambler he gonna teach what he knows right? "

"You know, seems to me I remember someone who wanted to run off and be a dancer, until you saw ole big n tall come waltzin into da spring social, damn near swooned at his feet." She grinned like a Cheshire cat only with less teeth and one gold one sitting prominently front and center. "I did not!" Margaret denied "Did too" she teased "But that one there is gonna need some coaxing and the right man to settle her down."  She said bringing the subject back to her grand daughter. "No sir not just any man gonna be for her neither, not with that gift of hers. If she fall for one of them wand 'rin eyed high yella, Jenkins boys she aint gonna have it easy for sure."

"What about her gift then mama, won't it help her find the right one?" "Chile you know better than anyone, don't work for personal do it, no sir if her heart gets took she won't be able to see clear, until the bloom is off da rose, n by that time she be knee high in diapers." "Alright, mama what you tryin to say then, quit beating the bush n spit it out"

She watched her mother for a moment then her eyes narrowed in suspicion "You got someone in mind don't you mama who you got all hog tied to marry Cora?" Grannie lee began to rock slowly the smile back on her face. "You gonna see soon enuff, aint you bout to get dinner started?" "Oh Lord," Margaret looked up at the sky judging by the sun it was nearing four o'clock. She was up and heading into the house as Grannie lee hollered, "Best set an extra place fo dinnah we havin comp'ny."

 She took her pipe and tapped it against the railing letting the ash fall on the ground. She looked up the road and in her minds eye she could see Henry Dodd come riding out of the backwoods tall, handsome, sturdy, steady stock. The boy could sit a horse like a cowboy she thought, as she raised one hand in the air and held it palm outward towards the hilltop. She mumbled a few words under her breath then placed her hand on her heart. 'Yes chile" she hollered into the house, "Set dat place an you best make extra. "  "I bet dat boy can eat," she whispered smiling