Eugenia's Embrace

"What?" Dawn gasped, rising, putting her hands to her cheeks. She was seized with another bout of coughing, silencing all else in the room.

"But that's not the most horrible thing about it," Nell continued.

"What could be more horrible than murdering somebody?" Eugenia said, then flashed a look toward Dawn, seeing her shocked expression and the paleness of her face deepening. Eugenia wanted to go to her and apologize but knew that Nell would question it. She would later.

Nell continued, "It seems that Emma Brown was so angry with this white man that she actually peeled the skin off of one of his fingers with her teeth. And we don't know if she did it while he was dying, or after he was dead."

"God," Eugenia gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Horrible," Dawn said, lowering herself onto a chair. "How did Emma kill him?"

"She used a razor on him. Sliced him up pretty good, so Iris says."

Dawn looked toward Nell. She coughed in to her handkerchief, then placed it on her lap. "And may I ask what you were doing talking to Iris?" she snapped, her brows furrowing.

Nell cleared her throat nervously, looking away from Dawn. "Iris and I have become good friends. That's all," she said in a low whisper.

"I thought I told you that the colored girls are to be kept separate from you other girls," Dawn said further.

"But she's my age. I like her. And she's so sweet. And innocent. We like to talk. Just about similar things. Don't you understand?"

Dawn sighed heavily. "Yes. I guess so," she said, pausing, studying Nell in silence. Then she added, "I'm sorry, Nell. You can feel free to socialize with her if you like. Maybe I've been too strict on you girls. I should realize that there is more to your lives than just pleasing all the gentlemen callers. Please feel free to have Iris into your room for a visit. Any time. Except, of course, during the hours that men are expected."

Nell flew from the chair, her hands clasped in front of her. "Yes, Madam Dawn," she bubbled. "I'll be forever grateful. Thank you. Oh, thank you. I have been so lonesome. It'll be fun to have someone to talk to who likes the same things that I do."

"Like what?" Dawn said. "What do you talk about?"

"We talk about the stars, the moon, the flowers. We have even thought up some pretty good poetry together. Would you like to read them sometime?"

Dawn smiled warmly. "Dear me. I didn't know that one of my girls had it in her. Yes, Nell. Any time."

"Oh, thank you. Thank you," Nell said, rushing from the room.

Eugenia smiled in Dawn's direction, seeing the gentle side to her that she knew was her main asset but had so obviously not let show so much in front of the girls because of her having to keep control over them. "That was sweet of you, Dawn," she said, going to her, encircling her, hugging her.

Dawn began to hug her back, then pushed Eugenia away from her. "We must remember. My illness," she said softly. "I wouldn't want you to catch it."

Eugenia scooted away from her. "Dawn, why won't you go to a doctor? Please? I hate to see you waste away so. Please. If not for yourself, for your girls. For me."

"I just can't, Eugenia," Dawn said, going around the room, inspecting the cushions on the chairs and sofas, fluffing them with a pat of the hand. "Today we will serve French champagne to the gentlemen callers," she said, changing the subject. "That will make them aware of how special they are treated at Madam Eugenia's parlor."

Hearing it put that way made goose bumps travel along Eugenia's arms. She laughed nervously, realizing this would be her first day to be the madam, knowing that Dawn had most obviously dropped the "Madam" before her own name, having had handed over the title entirely to Eugenia. Eugenia had to wonder if Dawn knew her health was fast slipping away. Surely not, or she would agree to see a doctor. No one could accept death that willingly.

"Sure is terrible about Emma Brown, isn't it?" Dawn said. "I remember her well. She was a trouble maker among Madam Valerie's colored girls. Kept them stirred up all the time. I was so glad when Madam Valerie made her leave. But she didn't move far enough away. She took up the first empty crib that she could find. And she's been doing a fine business for herself ever since. But I knew her temper would get the best of her. God. That poor gentleman caller. How horrible a death he must have had. Peeling the skin off one of his fingers with her teeth? God. How horrible."

Eugenia was fast learning the ways of all kinds of women. She knew that she could have a rocky road ahead if she didn't learn fast the art of being able to brush the fears and surprises of life's discoveries aside, knowing that there would always be another tomorrow, a fresh beginning.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

Christmas Eve. Eugenia walked to her bedroom window and stared downward onto the snow-covered street, then to the huge red bells hanging from the streetlight standards. As she watched them blow gently in the breeze, she could almost hear the soft peals from them, reminding her of the plastic bells that her Mama had hung in the doorways at Christmas time. Eugenia had always wished for a true bell. One she could listen to. Marvel at.

Tears came to her eyes, remembering all Christmas Eves past, this being her first Christmas Eve away from home. Ah, the fun they had had when she, her Mama and Papa, and Elizabeth had sat around a roaring fire in the fireplace, popping corn, shaping the corn into large, popcorn balls stuck together with corn syrup. She had always enjoyed making them but had hated eating them because of the way the corn syrup had always stuck her teeth together. But it had been a tradition of

Christmas Eve at her house to make these popcorn balls, unwrap gifts that were exchanged with one another, and sing Christmas carols while decorating a freshly cut pine tree from her mountain. But this year it would all be different for her. She felt so lonesome and needed to hear laughter from her Mama, and to smell the aroma from her Papa's pipe. And Elizabeth. She missed Elizabeth so terribly. Yes, they had been rivals for attention from Mama and Papa, but now it all seemed so frivolous, so unnecessary.

Eugenia let her eyes wander to Mount Pisgah, only half of it being visible. The rest was hidden beneath a heavy shroud of foggy mist. More snow, Eugenia thought to herself, knowing the mountain wasn't passable to anyone now. If she could have only sent word to her Mama and Papa that she was all right, she knew that would have made their Christmas much merrier. The way it stood, Eugenia knew that they had no idea what had become of her. Even probably envisioned her dead. Possibly eaten alive by a black bear.