Marlon James - The Book of Night Women

Make sure you don’t give the backra no reason to stay .

On the way back from the cave Lilith walking with Homer. That time in Quinn kitchen feel like a long time ago and the womens now walk wide apart. Lilith in front trying to put all the Homers together. But maybe the time too late. There was a time when Homer was somewhere between mother and sister, with the funny nasty talking that friend share with friend, like Dulcimena. But this new Homer nearly make Callisto slit her throat. This new Homer have no lightness ’bout her no more, not even when she make joke. This new Homer counting and planning all the time and talking too much in Africa tongue. This new Homer ask if Robert Quinn like dasheen and she should come in the morning and get some. Lilith want to ask if she plan on fattening him up before she kill him but hold her tongue. — Be wicked if you wish and good if you plan, but stop trying to be both, Lilith say but not to Homer. This strike her as something that Homer would say. A certain Homer anyway.

— And when you kill off the backra and burn down him estate, what next? Lilith say.

— Then we free, Homer say.

— Free? So it easy?

— We have the torch. All we need now is the spark.

— Surely.

— Nigger time now. Time to make we own life.

— And what happen after the militia come? What ’bout tomorrow? The day after that?

Homer stop. — Me done answer question, she say.

— You, who always have answer for everything? What going happen when the guns run out and the militia keep coming? What ’bout the Maroons?

Homer stop.

— We deal with that when we come to that. One thing at a time.

— Tell that to them nigger who don’t know ’bout you. You sending all of them right into Maroon and militia hand. You who know better than anybody how they stay. What ’bout that?

Homer don’t look at her.

— You really don’t know. Jesus, you don’t know.

— Lilith.

— Everybody so hot for blood nobody seeing true. You think you pickneys goin’ come back?

— Quiet you mouth!

— You don’t give damn ’bout no freedom or no black man land, you just want somebody to bleed for you pickney.

— Me say shut up! Or me’ll make you every hole spit up blood before sunrise, you hear me?

— Sick and tired of hearing you.

— Me sure is not me you talking to.

— That make two of we, ’cause me sure is not you me talking to either.

Lilith and Homer still walking, Lilith in front. Both walking through a trail right in the middle of the cane piece.

— You think me is a idiot? Homer say.

Lilith stop and turn around. — Me think you is not you, she say.

— Me don’t know why everybody in this plan but me know why you in it and is not no freedom business. And everybody goin’ get capture or kill.

— You think this is just ’bout me? Mayhaps if you wasn’t living on top of Irishman you’d ask somebody. Why you don’t ask Iphigenia, eh? Why you don’t ask why she always cover up like the time cold? Ask her what happen when them drivers see her by the fence and say she running away. How them tie her up, mash up some burning coal and sprinkle her body with it. Gal so scarred up that the only thing she show now be her finger. Why you think she chat so nasty ’bout fucking all the time? ’Cause she know that not even blind nigger goin’ want her. You ask Callisto ’bout her one eye yet? You ask Hippolyta? She’d love to tell you. She’d love to tell a nigger anything.

— Then why she don’t—

— You say you smart, so use you head. What kind of nigger you be, eh? One man hot up you bush and you change. He did nice when he leave all the mark on you back?

— He didn’t whip me.

— Chile, if that is what you have to think to make the ruttin’ sweeter, carry on.

— This not ’bout me, Homer, no matter what you say.

— It not ’bout me either! Damn fool. You must be the only nigger who not nigger. Besides, too late now. Every estate in the east goin’ rise up. Freedom comin’ whether you ready or not.

— Freedom, or death.

— One and the same in the colonies sometimes. Anything better than this. Negro blood cryin’ out. You of all people, you supposed to hear when blood cry out.

— You know, it take me a long time to see that all you have is goddamn mouth and two Obeah trick.

— Myal.

— Me couldn’t give two shake of a rat’s arse.

— What a way you talk white these days, whiter than alabas—

— Oh, quit you mouth, Homer. ’Bout blood cry out. What you know ’bout blood? Blood don’t nothing but red. Me, me smell them. You ever kill anybody? Me smell them.

— Is you mind.

— You is a right one to talk ’bout mind. Me smell them. Whatever me did want get from the white man, me get it and more. You can’t understand that. You still want you blood. Me get my blood and see me here. Nothing different. Nothing better. Revenge don’t leave me nothing but them burning skin smell that me can’t blow out of me nose nor wash out.

— When we take over the estate, flesh goin’ cook like goose.

— You listening to me?

— When you make sense me will listen to you.

— Of course, Homer. ’Cause everybody listen to you. All of them want to get free so bad them don’t even see that you not making no sense. Not one thing ’bout this rebellion make sense—

— What don’t make sense ’bout it, you damn Judas nigger? If you love slavery so bad then stay.

— Them dead, Homer. Too late now to try be a mother.

Homer try to slap Lilith but Lilith catch her hand. They look at each other for a long time before Lilith let go.

— You think you is woman? Homer say.

— Me think me is Lilith, Lilith say.

— Make sure you know which side you on.

— Is not me, me worried ’bout.

Homer head for the great house and Lilith head for Robert Quinn.

Lilith leave Robert Quinn sleeping and go to her room. The next morning coffee wake her up. She pull on her dress and go in the kitchen to see Robert Quinn pouring himself a mug.

— Morning, luv, he say.

Lilith nod and curtsy little bit, but then feel fool for doing so as soon as she do. Quinn dress himself in a blue shirt and black breeches. Him boots sleeping on the floor with yesterday mud all over. He place a straw hat on the table. — Feeling a wee bit like a peacock, he say. Quinn sit down. Lilith go over to the counter to commence making breakfast.

— I thought we had an understanding, lovey.

— Massa?

— I thought we understood that ye should make my bed yours from now on.

— No, massa, me didn’t understand that.

— Well, I’m sure ye comprehend now.

— Yes, massa.

— Oh, do appear more pleased about it, lass, I’d think ye get no pleasure from lying with me.

— Oh no, massa. Me get plenty pleasing.

— Then condemn me to an empty bed no longer.

Lilith liking how he sounding. He sounding like verse man or singing man by what he saying and how he saying it. She ’bout to smile but a-frown.

— But you soon leave, Massa Robert.

— Aye, that’s a truth that depresses me greatly, lovey. Depresses me greatly. There was at first only one here I held any great affection fer, now there’s two. Two that I’ll leave behind. Unless. . unless. The devil I’ll be. I shall be back before breakfast, he say, kiss her on the cheek and run though the door. Lilith wait on him and tap her toes. In a blink he come back through the door, cussing in Irish. He sit down on the table, pull on him boots, flash a smile at Lilith and go through the door again.

Breakfast didn’t done cook before he come back. Robert Quinn swing open and slam the door into the wall. He stomp inside with him face redder than ever.