My name is Thomas, and I am the son of a slave-owner. We're a well to do family, owning 175 acres of land in Virginia, and we live in a three-story house. I am 21 years old, and my parents are arranging for me to marry one of my Father's friends daughter, who is a snotty, arrogant rich girl named Caroline with blonde hair always kept in tight curls. I never liked Caroline. God. I could only imagine what our marriage would be like. A month from now, we marry, May 3rd, a week before my birthday.
Breakfast came and went. The black maid that we have, Hilda, is a great cook! I love her pancakes. I have barely tried my Mother's cooking, since we've always had maids and servants around. Sometimes I think of Hilda as my own Mother. After breakfast, I had to go with Father to head to the slave market. We got in the carriage and drove about thirty minutes to the city, where there were a lot of auctions going on. Men, women, and even children were being sold. The strongest black males were very expensive, with the women being a bit cheaper.
"Father, why do we need another slave? Don't you think we have enough?"
Father laughed and took out his pipe, "You can ever have enough son. Remember that!" He pat me real hard on the shoulder and told me to follow him. He used his cane to guide him through the streets and we went to an auction post. His tall hat made him look very debonair. The streets were all one big market, at least this time around.
A slave woman who looked no older than twenty-one stepped up to the post, and the white men were examining her like she was one big project. They forced her mouth opened and exclaimed that her teeth were in great health; big and white, never mind the gap she had between her two front teeth.
The other gentleman measured her height, "Five-five", He said, before measuring her waist. 31-35-37, he said to the crowd. Everyone was ecstatic when they heard that. She was built! I couldn't help but notice how big her breasts were, and the V-shape of her dress showed the outline of them. Looking at her made me hard, and I had to compose myself. Next thing you know,they started taking her arms and stretching them, and using their fingers to guide her eyes.
"She can see and hear correctly. She is in perfect health."
A shorter gentleman wearing a black tux came beside her, "This is Anna. She's from the Congo, in Africa. She has been here for a year now and can understand English. She has worked for a Dutch farmer and his family for months back in the continent, and she can cook and clean. She has no children, and she's a very hard worker."
"How much?" Someone from the crowd shouted.
"$2.30", the man answered. Anna looked angry to be there, and looked very upset. She was dark brown, with a short black afro. She was wearing a plain brown dress.
"2.40", Someone else went. The attention went to him until my Father shouted, "$3.00. I will have her for $3.00!"
"Sold!" The man exclaimed. My Father and I walked to the tiny stage, which wasn't even a stage, and the man started to put shackles on her hands and feet, but my Father said no, that was okay.
"What's her name again?" He asked.
The gentleman replied, "Anna."
"That's a nice name", My Father answered, "Come Anna to the carriage."
The man turned to Anna and said, "You do as your told, and your future may be bright. Do whatever they tell you to do."
"Yes sir", She answered.
We walked her to the carriage, and I helped her get in. My Father asked her lots of questions about her background.
"I was born in the Congo. Two years ago, a white man noticed me and asked if I would like to work for him for money. I said yes, and that is how I learned English. It was a struggle at first, but I learned little by little."
"How do you like it in America?" Father asked.
She put her head down, "I like it."
"There's a lot of reasons to like it. One is that it's promising, and we have a lot of opportunities here. You can't find all of that in Africa."
"Father please", I whispered.
Father then asked, "How old are you?"
"Twenty three", She answered.
"You don't look a day over twenty", Father answered.
She smiled a little. Anna was absolutely beautiful. I'm not sure if she knows that.
Once we got to the house, I was instructed to introduce her to Hilda and show her to her room. Anna was beautiful! It hurt me that she was so uncomfortable, so I used that opportunity as a means to make her feel welcome. We went into the kitchen, and I introduced her to Hilda. Hilda smiled and greeted her.
"I could use some help in this kitchen, the more babies the Matthews family makes the more food I have to cook", She jokes.
"I'd be happy to assist you", Anna responded.
"I'll show you to your room", Hilda said.
"Oh no it's okay, I'll show her", I smiled and told her to follow me upstairs. Like Hilda's, it was a small room they made up for her. There was a bed already made, a dresser, and a desk.
"Make yourself at home", I said.
"Thank you", SHe answered quietly before sitting down on the bed.
"Are you okay?"
She shook her head no, and started to cry. I went over and sat down next to her.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I had to leave my family, including my child. They forced me too."
I frowned, "Where is your family?"
"We were all taken here to America, but they are scattered about, I don't even know where they are."
"Why didn't you get to keep your son?"
She shook her head, "They see me raising him as a threat. Something about a single black African woman raising a savage. They said he was better off with white folks."
I put my hand on her shoulder, "I'm so sorry to hear that."
"Don't be", She wiped her face with the rag she had in her pocket.
"I'll see you at dinner", I got up and left. I honestly didn't know what to say to her. I'm sorry that my family are slave owners? I'm sorry you were taken from your home? Sorry that you were robbed of your language and culture? What do I say to all of that? Then again, I've never been really good with women anyway.
Caroline and her parents came over for dinner this evening. Tonight, we had baked chicken, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Caroline kept playing footsie with me under the table, and I moved my foot. She even tried to discreetly sit her foot on my lap, and I spanked her foot under the table. She smiled naughtily, not seeming to understand my annoyed disposition. Anna came out and collected the dishes.
"Oh I see you have a new maid!" Caroline exclaimed, "When Thomas and I get married we'd have to have one, or several", She laughed, and the rest of them laughed with her.
"Yes, that is Anna", Father said, "She is new."
"Do you speak English girl?" Caroline asked. Anna nodded yes. She seemed embarrassed. Anna looked so cute in her black dress and white apron.
"Caroline you have such a brutal tongue", Her Mother chastised before laughing in a phony way.
"Yes Mother, I do have a brutal tongue", She looked at me with suggestion, and I turned away. Everyone else didn't notice what she meant. My parents and her parents kept talking about the wedding. Caroline kept saying she wanted the wedding colors to dark pink, light pink, and white. She kept bragging on the wedding dress that was already made.
"I'm going to be the prettiest bride this side of Virginia", She smiled.
"Yes you are", Her Father answered.
