“You gotta lot of trust in him, don’t you?” Mavis eyed her.
Riley moved away. “I guess so.”
“You known him long?” Mavis asked.
“Long enough, I guess,” Riley answered.
Sam glanced up and smiled at Riley. “Riley, bring a blanket from the wagon, will ya.”
Riley ran to the wagon. She thought about what Mavis said and realized she was right. She did trust Sam, a lot.
“How long you think we gotta wait…” Mavis asked later that same day as Riley tended Dorothy so Sam could have a break.
“A day or so more. We don’t want to head into any territory that might contaminate.”
“That’s a long time, Sam,” Mavis insisted.
“Yeah, but it’s better than exposing others, creating an epidemic. Even if it’s just measles it can spread and we gotta take care of her.”
“Is it true, you been raised by the Indians?” Mavis asked as she watched Sam sponge the young girl off.
“To some degree, yes. I was half grown when we moved to the Shawnee village,” Sam explained.
“We?”
“My sister Hattie and her husband and kids.”
“Where’s your sister now?” Mavis asked.
“With the Shawnee village. She’s happy there,” Sam explained.
“Wouldn’t she be happier with her own kind?” Mavis asked, lifting a brow and eyeing Sam.
“No, she wouldn’t. You see, she married a white man. The Indian village was the only place they could live together in peace.”
“A white man?” Mavis stood up and eyed him sharply. “Lord…she must be crazy.”
“Maybe with any other person, but not with Lee. Lee Nelson was one hellova good man.” Sam nodded with a sure smile.
“Why on earth would she tie up with a white man, though?” Mavis snarled. “Was she ugly or somethin’?”
“Naw, she wasn’t ugly. In fact, she was beautiful. A lot of men eyed her. Black and white. But she only had eyes for Lee. It was bound to happen.”
“You wouldn’t want a white woman, would you?” Mavis asked innocently.
“Probably not…I’m no fool, but, they were in love, Mavis, it just happened. Sometimes nature plays a funny trick… Besides, like you said Mavis, our kind is few and far between in some places.” Sam smiled then glanced at Riley.
“Only white trash takes up with black people,” Mavis spat. “Ain’t even right you taking up with that white boy there. Why, they could hang you, if they were of a mind.”
Sam scoffed. “That’s a boy, not a woman, Mavis.”
“Well…I guess, but it still ain’t right. He ain’t your kind.”
“He’s a kid; Riley is a good kid, Mavis. The best. I’d trust him with my life, I would,” Sam insisted.
“You’re a fool, then,” Mavis spat. “He’s just usin’ you ‘cause he’s scared to be a man…that’s all. Let the kid grow up. You gotta take what you can in life.” Mavis firmed her lips into a frown.
Sam laughed. “Ain’t no fool over there takin’ care of your kid right now. Is it? Take a good look. Look at the tears in that boy’s eyes. Riley cares, just one of those kind of people. He don’t have to do what he’s been doin’. He wants to. That’s the difference. He’s got a lot of character. You can’t ignore that, Mavis.”