Читать книгу The Book of Harlan - Bernice L. McFadden - Страница 15

Chapter 9

As promised, Lucille did write. She and Bill Hegamin were planning to leave the bone-chilling cold of Chicago for the endless sunshine of California. There was talk of her making a record.

Can you imagine, Emma? Me on somebody’s record?

But for now it was still just talk. If it did happen, Lucille would be the first black female vocalist in history to do so.

Emma wrote back that Sam was a good and kind husband. He had built a beautiful crib for the baby. Emma said that if she gave birth to a girl, she would name it Lucille and perhaps, when the baby was old enough, they would all come out to California for a visit. In the meantime, she and Sam were making plans to start their new life somewhere north of Georgia.

* * *

One night, she announced casually over dinner that she and Sam were planning to leave Macon after the baby was born.

Louisa lowered her fork. “And go where?”

“The capital,” Emma spouted excitedly.

“Atlanta?” Tenant said, his voice bright with hope.

“DC,” Sam corrected.

“Why DC?”

“Got an uncle there, seems as good a place as any to start a new life.”

“Why can’t you start here?”

“Oh, Mama, we can’t start a new life in an old place,” Emma snorted.

“Washington, DC is an old place,” Tenant countered. “Older than Macon. DC was established in 1790, Macon in 1823—”

“Daddy, you know what we mean!”

Tenant shoveled a mound of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

Louisa folded her hands onto the edge of the table. “What are you going to do in Washington, DC?”

Emma shifted her eyes away from Louisa’s excavating gaze. “Sam’s going to find work and I’m going to give piano lessons.”

“Piano lessons? Really?”

“Yes ma’am.”