Page 72 of Freedom's Kiss
Radiance, like the sunrise on a cloudless sky, beamed from Temperance’s visage. “It’s me.”
“But we thought…I mean, we all saw you go under at the river.”
Her sister nodded. “The river dragged us downstream for some ways before we were able to grab ahold of a low-lying branch and pull ourselves to the bank. We tried to follow the river back upstream to you and Father and Isaac, but we never made it that far. A group of Yuchi found us, and we’ve been with them ever since.”
Winnie looked over her sister’s shoulder as if William would materialize like a vapor from her past as Temperance had done, her heart constricting, guarding itself if her brother-in-law yet remained to the dead. “William?”
“He’s translating for Mico-Noha.”
That tight ball in her chest fully unraveled. She nodded to the boy with his head close to Otter’s, receiving further instruction. “And the boy?”
“Our youngest. The other is with his father.”
Winnie shook her head. “I still can’t believe it.” Her smile spread. “Wait until Father and Isaac see you.”
Temperance blinked back emotion. “They’re alive?”
Winnie rubbed soothing circles into her sister’s back. “They’re alive.”
Her face rose to the sky, and she smiled despite the single tear that escaped the corner of her eye. When she lowered her head to look back at Winnie, sheer joy beamed off her. “I never dared hoped. After the last war, so many from our village were killed. Even the man who’d become sort of a new master to us was slain. But William had learned the language and risen in confidence with Mico-Noha that he was invaluable as a translator, and we were released as slaves and called brother and sister to the clan.” Her body trembled. “I didn’t know what had become of you or Isaac or Father. If you’d made it to Negro Fort only to be rounded up and returned to Master Rowlings. Or if you, like us, had stumbled upon a group of natives, if they were working for the army or would shelter you. Then the war… I feared even if y’all had managed to escape capture and being returned, that there was little chance Father and Isaac had survived the bloody war.”
Winnie hugged her tight again, sifting through her mind as to Asa and Isaac’s location. They’d not been granted access to the treaty talks and had taken themselves to the outskirts for safety. Still close by in case conflict arose but far enough not to draw unwanted attention to the color of their skin by anyone wishing to cash in on bounties.
Curling her tongue to the top of her mouth, she let out a distinct whistle. Otter jumped up and ran to her. She laid a hand on his shoulder and studied him. He was swift on his feet and on his way to becoming a man. While she liked to have him within sight, the time had come to let her boy test the span of his wings.
“Do you know where to find yourpawaand grandfather?”
He glanced at Temperance before nodding.
“Good. Run quick and tell them to come.”
His shoulders squared before he darted away, bounding over exposed roots and dashing around palmetto fronds.
Voices rose from the meetinghouse, muffled but loud and angry, drawing the attention of both women.
“What does William say about the goin’s-on in there?”
“They’re beginning to compromise. The men from the government have suggested a delegation of chiefs to go beforehand and inspect the land they’re offering and see if it’s acceptable or not. To talk with the Creeks and see how happy they are on the land.”
“My husband says that no records are bein’ taken of things said and offered. To him it seems as if the men from the government aren’t speakin’ with honest sincerity.” A humorless grin twisted Winnie’s lips. “He likened them to copperhead snakes.”
“A fitting description.”
Winnie kept her eyes toward the direction Otter had run off to, waiting for three forms to emerge. She didn’t know what Otter would have told him, but Asa’d know only something of utmost importance would have her call for him.
There. Movement by a far tree. She stepped forward, her skirt brushing against her ankle as she half turned to address her sister. “Stay and wait for my signal.” At Temperance’s nod, she gathered the folds of material in her hands and sprinted the distance to the trio.
The whites of Asa’s eyes were large in his dark face, scanning the area, looking for the threat of danger that had had her sending for them. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Winnie pulled to a stop as Isaac pushed Otter behind his back, gaze also picking out every detail of their surroundings. “Don’t worry. Nothin’s wrong.”
The grip of Asa’s hand on his axe didn’t loosen. Winnie reached forward and encircled her fingers around his wrist, wresting his attention away from the children playing, the women employed in daily chores, and the soldiers on watch. “There’s someone here who wants to see you.” She reached behind her with her other hand and motioned Temperance forward, keeping her gaze fastened on their father.
The moment recognition dawned, Asa’s craggy face crumbled, wrenching sobs shaking his mountainous shoulders. Isaac sucked in a breath, dropped his bow, and raced the last few feet to Temperance, twirling her around in his arms, his deep voice muffled as he spoke with his face buried in her neck. Temperance nodded, and Isaac set her down in front of their father and took a step back.
Asa’s and Temperance’s cheeks shone bright with dampness as Winnie brushed at her own tears. She felt a touch at her palm as Otter sidled up to her and slipped his hand in hers. She gave it a squeeze before returning her gaze to the unbelievable reunion.
Asa took a step forward but then fell to his knees, his hands covering his face as he cried. Temperance closed the distance as her knees also hit the ground, and she wrapped her arms around his shaking shoulders. Pulled by the connection of their hearts, Winnie knelt to the side of them, an arm around each of their backs. A second later she felt Isaac’s arms covering her own.
The circle of their family, once thought to be forever broken, had been restored.
