Leaving Gee's Bend Read Online Free Page A

thinking straight. So I looked around the log walls of the cabin that was plastered with pieces of newspaper Daddy brought back with him from Camden. The Wilcox Progressive Era , it was called, on account we lived in Wilcox County, Alabama.
    Wasn’t enough paper to cover all the cracks in them walls, but I got to tell you, every little bit helped to cut down on the wind that liked to creep in when you was least expecting it. Daddy said soon as there was a little extra money, he’d bring us home some more newspaper so we’d have something new to look at.
    My favorite picture was the one just behind Mama’s head. It was an ad for “LADIES COATS As Low As $1.95” at W. E. Cook’s Department Store in Camden. The lady in the picture was tall, and she was wearing high-heeled shoes. Wasn’t hardly nobody in Gee’s Bend that had shoes at all, much less ones fancy as that.
    And that coat. I ain’t never seen nothing like it, not in Gee’s Bend. It was some sort of fur that went from the lady’s neck all the way to her ankles. Could be rabbit or fox, Daddy said.
    “Ludelphia!”
    I jerked my eye away from the wall. Mama’s face was scrunched up just like a rotten chestnut. She grabbed her belly and started to pant like a yard dog after it’s been chasing a squirrel.
    The pains was getting worse. I wrapped my arms around my middle and squeezed ’em tight against my dress. I ain’t ready for this, is what I wanted to say. My throat tightened and my lips was trembling. Slowly I began to take tiny steps backward.
    I had to get help from someplace. If only Mama wanted Etta Mae! She was right there on our porch ready to help.
    Wasn’t no getting Daddy and Ruben or the Pettways, not with them cotton fields a good two miles away. Looked like the baby was coming too fast for that. The Reverend Irvin and Mrs. Irvin? They’d sure come if I asked ’em to, but wasn’t no telling where they might be. If only I knew whether they was at the church or someplace else. Wasn’t no telling how long it might take me to find ’em.
    I scratched up under my eye patch. That left only one person. Not a real doctor, but the closest thing we had in Gee’s Bend.
    “Mama, I’ll be right back. I’m just gonna run fetch Aunt Doshie.” Even though I didn’t really want to. Aunt Doshie was the one that came with her potions them other times when the babies died. Her potions that seemed about as worthless as the visions she was always going on about.
    Mama grabbed my arm. “Ain’t no time for that. Ain’t got nothing to pay her with, nohow.” I glanced over at Mama’s apron. For a short second I was glad about the broken eggs. I was glad there wasn’t no time and nothing to pay Aunt Doshie with.
    “Then, Mama, we ain’t got no choice. I’m bringing in Etta Mae.”
    “Ain’t having no witch in my house, Ludelphia!”
    Witch? I stomped my foot in frustration. “Mama! It’s just Etta Mae!” Now was not the time to be taking Aunt Doshie’s rumors for truth.
    At the sound of her name Etta Mae poked her head inside the door.
    “Mrs. Bennett,” she said, “least let me bring up a pail of water. You gonna need it.” Etta Mae didn’t wait for an answer.
    “Lord, Jesus!” Mama leaned her head back against the wall of the cabin as the pain eased up for a moment. She took two big breaths. “You trying to kill me, Lu?”
    I gritted my teeth and pressed my lips together. “No, Mama.” What I was trying to do was save her. And the baby.
    Mama didn’t say nothing more. Just lay there quiet for a minute with her eyes closed. I stroked the hair back from her damp forehead. She was burning up.
    As Etta Mae came through the door, water sloshed out of the bucket onto the floor. She didn’t pay it no mind, just set right to work dumping the water into the iron pot.
    When she was finished, she wiped her hands across the front of her dress. “Lu, you stoke the fire while I check on your mama.”
    I jumped right up and started poking the