House of Rougeaux(11)

Though the prosperity did not touch the lives of the people directly, it did mean that this New Year’s Day none of them left in a wagon bound for the auction house. Instead a wagon arrived that night bringing two men and a young woman. Adunbi greeted the newcomers and brought them to sit at their cooking fire. The newcomers had a bucket of yams from the Great House cellar, as rations would not be distributed for another two or three days. While the yams roasted, many of the people came to speak to the two men and the girl. Where did they come from? What news, if any, might be known, from other places?

The young woman was called Olivie, and she was eighteen or nineteen years of age. She was a beautiful girl, one could see that even in the dark of the night, though in her large eyes one also saw terror. She relaxed some as the people came by and she saw they meant her no harm. But the fear lay very deeply in her, like the bed of a river beneath the water. Abeje sat beside her, gently took her hand, placed her other hand on top of Olivie’s delicate fingers, and silently began a healing. One spirit, the ancient Baobab tree, came forward for Olivie. Abeje was amazed. Baobab was a great matriarch, the Mother of many mothers. She could envelop all of this girl’s life, all of her spirit. The presence of the tree spirit flowed through Abeje’s hand into the girl’s. Olivie leaned against her then, and soon fell asleep.

Olivie was sent up with Karine to work at laundering in the Great House. She slept in a hut with several other women and children, and Abeje and Adunbi invited her to share their cooking fire. She came from another estate across the Island, and before that lived on yet another, which was the place she last saw her mother.

She had a shy but lovely smile, fine limbs and graceful movements. As the weeks and months went by, Abeje noticed a change come over her brother. He gazed at Olivie when she was not looking, and when she caught him looking they both laughed. His voice rose and fell playfully when they spoke, and he asked her questions with tenderness. He sang when going off to his work.

When, after a long day, his heart leapt at the sight of her, Abeje felt this new joy as well. Now and then Abeje held Olivie’s hand at the fire, so that Mother Baobab would come to visit her.

One day Adunbi said to Abeje in confidence, “Sister, I want now to take a wife.”

“A wife!” she cried, “Who, Adu?”

He smiled and said, “Olivie.”

“Olivie?” whispered Abeje, pretending great shock. He laughed a big laugh then, because of course she knew, and because he was brimming with new love.

Abeje was very proud of her brother and knew he would make a fine husband, even if all this was a fragile business, since when it came to buying and selling people, Monsieur did not concern himself with questions of marriage. The thing that made Abeje more uneasy was that she felt Olivie’s spirit to be light, like a butterfly, even with Mother Baobab, so strong and rooted, as her protector. It helped to see Olivie smile so when she saw Adunbi, and Abeje looked forward to when Adunbi would ask her to be his bride.

Abeje had a length of white cloth from Floria. She and the carpenter had three children now, and Abeje had assisted them all through illnesses. She gave this cloth to Olivie so she could make a dress. Olivie put her arms about Abeje and whispered, “Thank you, Beje.” And Abeje said she must now call her Sister. Olivie was very happy. She loved Adunbi very much.

Two Sundays hence all the people rose at first light and gathered together around a large cooking fire. First the women began singing, “Guillaume Adunbi, Guillaume Adunbi!”

“Come forward now!” the men sang in answer.

“Guillaume Adunbi, Guillaume Adunbi!”

“Come forward now!”

Adunbi stepped forward, into the center of the circle before the fire.

“Olivie, Olivie!” sang the women.

“Come forward now!” answered the men.

Olivie went forward, in her pure white dress, and stood beside Adunbi. The new sun shone on her lovely face.

Abeje wound a strip of cloth around their joined hands. She kissed them both and stepped away. One by one all the people placed their hands on the cloth. And in this way Adunbi and Olivie were married.



* * *



For some time, the hut Abeje and Adunbi shared had been theirs alone. Now Olivie slept with them and kept what belongings she had there. Each night Abeje stayed by the cooking fire after her brother and his wife said good night, so that they might lie down before her and have some time to themselves. The first several months were very happy. Adunbi went singing each day to his work and returned singing. When it was known that Olivie was with child, their happiness increased. She grew round and even more beautiful. Adunbi devised ever more ways to find food and goods to support his wife and soon-to-be-born, and Abeje sat with her while they ate, inviting Mother Baobab to come and nourish mother and child. When Olivie’s time grew near Abeje sang much with the spirits, calling for her protection.

The Moon came and went through her phases. One night she rose full on the horizon and Olivie began her labors. Adunbi and Abeje assisted her, and Berthe and Floria came also. The child was born at dawn. A daughter! She announced herself with a lusty cry. Adunbi and Olivie named her Ayo, Iya’s word for Joy. Abeje laid Ayo on her mother’s breast, and soon both mother and child fell asleep.

Later that night Olivie began to bleed. While Mother Baobab held Olivie in her strong branches, Abeje brought roots, leaves and flowers, and songs of every kind, but still the blood flowed. Adunbi became frantic, he held his new daughter and paced in and out of the hut as she cried. Abeje felt that butterfly spirit grow lighter.