Kindred (5 page)

“Please. Please,” she uttered softly. “This is heavy. I may drop it.”

“Kinny, let me.” Lelaheo reached for the case in her hands.

“I said, not now.” He released her arm at her wounded tone. Kindred heaved the case into the back of the rig. Climbing up, she took a seat up front and sat completely motionless.

Chapter Five

So after a week of performing variolation and caring for the sick with side effects, Dr. Twain, Kindred and Lelaheo left the town square. They rode in silence. Rozina and Joshua welcomed all on a bright, warm Sunday morning with a Southern style breakfast. She improvised with the use of northern ingredients, but it still was delicious. The aroma of fried cod, diced potatoes and onions, and grits smothered in butter greeted the trio when they entered the hall. A tray of towering johnny cakes, threatening to topple over, graced the center of the kitchen table. Honey and more butter accompanied it.

Coffee and milk flowed. They assembled around the long kitchen table so Rozina would not have to ferry dishes between this cooking room and the dining room.

“’Zina, we did not go abroad. We only went to the square. We came home most nights.” Douglas stuffed potatoes into his mouth. “Why the lavish spread?”

Rozina approached from the hearth, a container of hot, steaming coffee in hand.

“Cuz uh miss’d yall. Joshua had him head in dem ’counts. Too busy fuh me.” She nudged him affectionately. “But uh lub him anyway.” She bent and kissed his temple. Joshua smiled through a mouthful of grits. She raised the pot and waved it. “Mo’?”

“Oh, ’Zina, make us pop!” pleaded a mocking Lelaheo, massaging his slightly distended middle. “Please?”

“I remember a time when you worried about that,” said Kindred, delicately removing a fish bone from between her lips. “You know, the popping part.” She shot him a penetrating look along with her sarcasm.

“Kindred, I have said I was going to tell you.” He threw down his fork. Lelaheo was angry now and wanted an end to her withering asides. His black eyes impaled her as he took her arm.

“Let us not discuss this now!” Kindred replied in a prickly manner. She shook off his hand, jumped up and started to clear dishes.

“What is this all about?” Dr. Twain asked, blinking in bafflement.

“Yo’ gues’ iz gud as min’,” Rozina quipped.

“Lelaheo, what is wrong?” Joshua asked between bites of food. Kindred leaned in to pick up his dishes. He swatted at her. “Go away, Kinny. I have not finished.”

Kindred evaded his soup bowl of a hand and collected other dishes, haphazardly stacking them, the clatter drowning out speech and imperiling the cream ware.

Lelaheo sat back in his seat, rebuffed. How could she act this way! Didn’t she comprehend that the separation would hurt him too? Heat poured from the top of his head.

“No!” he protested. “We will discuss it now!”

Kindred pitched a spoon into an empty bowl. “I surmise now is as good a time as any. Granny, leave this mess. I will clear and clean after I speak with him. It should not take long.” She glared at Lelaheo. “It will be a brief exchange.”

“You mad cuz Lelaheo gwine away?” Rozina questioned, gathering scraps from the plates for her compost heap.

“You knew too?” Kindred’s mouth gradually transmuted from an O of surprise into a thin, angry line. “And you, Joshua, did you know?”

Joshua nervously mumbled around the grits he’d just shoveled into his mouth. “I was aware that he had applied abroad.” A loud belch escaped him. “As far as being accepted? No.”

“Did everyone know but me?”

“Excuse me.” Lelaheo tapped on a cup with his spoon. “But the ‘he’ you are referring to is right here.” He stood up. “Kindred, stop being a tyrant! In the study now. I will explain all.”

Putting down the her spire of dishes, she pushed past him, cursing in Oneida.

“I heard that!” Lelaheo wiped his mouth, tossed his napkin on the table and followed swiftly behind her. They rushed down the corridor toward the study in silence. No sooner had he closed the door did Kindred turn on him. He braced himself.

“When did you intend to tell me that you got accepted to medical school?” She stood, hands on hips, occasionally pointing at him accusingly. “Abroad no less. And especially since we drilled together to get your Latin and German perfect for the

examinations. I am a part of this as much as you.”

He winced at her words. “Kindred, I am so sorry ....”

“Yes. Both literally and figuratively. And when, do tell, are you departing? By any chance are your trunks packed already?” She let out a humorless chuckle and began to pace the room.

“I go down river in three days. Yes, they are packed. It is a long journey, Kindred. It will take weeks to get to Europe.”

“Three days! You leave in three days?”

Lelaheo began ticking off his list on his fingers. “I have to abide an ocean voyage and familiarize myself with Köln. I must spend time with Herr Doktor ben Lazer and adjust to life in a strange place. And before all that, I must navigate getting out of these woods. Kindred, stop pacing!” He caught her by the apron. She yanked away.

Exasperated, Lelaheo threw up his hands. “Why can you not be happy for me?”

Kindred sought refuge on the mahogany settle in front of the now dead fireplace as she interrogated him.

“Your people in Kanowalohale. Do they know?”

“Yes. They arrive tomorrow. As many of my family as possible will come. Some will take me down river to Albany.”

She shifted in the seat, wagging her head. “Lelaheo, Lelaheo.”

“I thought they should come for a short stay and then I would leave for Europe.”

A shame-faced grin flashed, brilliant against his cinnamon skin as he folded his arms across his chest.

“Oh. The kill-two-birds-with-one-stone theory?” Kindred tried to remain composed, but the more he revealed, the more infuriated she became. But Lord, his smile was ingratiating, she thought. “Seems to me, if I had not stumbled upon this, I would have found out while standing at the water’s edge as you climbed into a canoe.”

Lelaheo hurried over to rest at her feet.

“Why is this upsetting you so?” His eyebrows pulled downward in a frown. “I will get to see all those things we have only read about. It is different there. I shall just be another student. For once, I shall be accepted on my merit.”

“You are so naïve.” She reached a hand down to smooth his silky hair, then snatched it back quickly. “You will be traveling to the continent which is the architect of so much misery here. You will not be viewed any differently there than you are here.

Their station in life dictates they be more discreet in their bias. I do not want to see you hurt. Do not confuse curiosity with caring.”

“How can you say that? It is a world of scholars and learned men.”

“And of possible pain. Living here at Twainhaven has been both a joy and a curse. Has Father equipped us with what we need to face life outside the hall?”

“Kindred, you, me and Joshua, can overcome anything. We have. We do everyday. Because of Douglas. So please. Find joy in the fact I will be doing what I love. Exploring. Experiencing new things. Besides, you knew I’d be going away.”

“But not abroad! Do you not understand?” She balled her hand into a fist and pummeled her thigh. “You’ll be an ocean away. If you’d stayed here at least you could visit us. But now being so far away …. ” She drifted off refusing to look at him.

Lelaheo scooted closer and captured both of her hands.

“Do not. Please do not.” She strained to pull away, but he gripped her hands firmly.

“Why not, Kinny?” He watched her turn a deaf ear to his plea. “Ever since we were children I have admired your honesty, your courage. Do not disappoint me now. Why are you so bothered? Why this display?” He shifted to his knees and seized both of her hands in one of his. With his free hand, he grasped her chin and gently pivoted her face to meet his. Her eyes were downcast. “Kinny, talk to me.”

She slowly raised her eyes to his face. That face. With its high cheekbones, strong nose, beautiful, almost feminine mouth, and those inquisitorial, obsidian eyes which were

at this moment waiting for an answer. With a taut jerk of her head, she disengaged from his grasp. She raised her chin and stared at him coolly. “Lelaheo, you should know
why
. I never fancied you the type who would need their pride stroked. You should know.”

“
What
should I know, Kinny?” He reached up with his free hand, untied her head wrap and tossed it aside. Her two heavy braids tumbled to just below her shoulders. With a tapered index finger, he traced the curve of her cheekbone and applied light pressure as

the same tip traveled lower to outline her mouth. He leaned in, his lips grazing her ear and he let out a long breath. “That
you
love me? Or more importantly, that
I
?” He felt her tremble at his words. He heard her breath catch and a little gasp escape. Pulling back, a dropped-jaw visage greeted him. “Well?”

Kindred wretched her hands from his possession and hurled her arms around his neck.

“Yes, I love you. Lelaheo.
Kunoluhkwa
.”

He stood up, hauling her from the settle roughly. He snaked one arm around her waist, while the other supported her back, bringing her snugly against his hard body. Looking down, he beheld her glowing features and sighed.

“
Kunoluhkwa
, Kinny. I have loved you since you stood up for me in the Reverend Harkness’ school room that day. I have loved you since you helped heal my wounds from that beating we endured. I have loved you all these years. You know me better than I know myself. So, good Lord, how will I ever live these next months without

seeing your face everyday?”

His mouth came down and, gently, but insistently, covered hers. Warm and persuasive, his lips smothered any protest Kindred may have even thought about voicing. His kiss was an opiate, drugging her. As his assault on her mouth intensified, she opened

her eyes a little and suspired against his. Feeling her relax, he opened his eyes and slowly darted his tongue in and out of the breached recesses of her mouth. Lelaheo let slip, lower, the arm he used to support her back. He ran his palm over her curvy bottom,

pressing her closer, keeping her body tight against his. As the kiss deepened, they both groaned and rubbed against each other. Lelaheo felt himself harden.

All of a sudden the doorknob rattled. The two jumped apart, breathless and moist lipped. Kindred reclaimed her place in the chair. Flushed, she patted her face, retrieved her head wrap from the floor and fanned with it. Lelaheo stood anchored to the spot, breathing deeply.

“Kinny, no! Come back!” he whispered, extending a hand. “They will go away. We’ve a ‘discussion’ to finish.” He unleashed that impish grin, that grin that almost always got him his way.

“No!” she whispered back, re-tying her head wrap. “Behave. And open that door.”

“Alarmingly quiet in there!” Dr. Twain remarked from the other side of the door. “Kinny? Lelaheo? Have you two killed each other?”

“No, Father. Coming!” Kindred called out, hopping from the chair.

As she passed Lelaheo, he grabbed her and kissed her deeply again.

“Stop!” she managed. Chuckling softly, she disengaged from him, adjusted her clothing and opened the door. Lelaheo ceded and limped to the settle.

Douglas looked around. “No broken furniture. Good. No broken anything. Good.” Douglas chuckled. “Any other breaches occur which are not visible to the eye?” Kindred cleared her throat and intensely inspected a button on her frock.

“No, Douglas.” Lelaheo’s dejected voice floated over from the corner. “Possibly, if you had appeared,” he pulled out a timepiece from his vest, “thirty minutes later something would have been breached by then.”

“Lelaheo, really!” Kindred chided.

“Come now, ’Zina has dessert waiting for us,” Douglas reported. Kindred scooted out the door.

“Lelaheo?” Douglas called. The youth extricated himself from the furniture and made for the door.

“There, There, boy. Slow and determined wins this type of race. But also, sincerity.” Douglass patted him on the back.

An astonished Lelaheo faced him. “W-W-hat?”

“Do not act shocked. We all are aware that you and Kindred are in love with each other. But I am the only one who knows that I just interrupted a tryst. Correct?” Douglas stroked his chin. “Lelaheo, do not wreak havoc with her emotions.”

“I love, Kinny. I’d never hurt her.”

“Then remember. Perseverance. No guile. Now, let us do Rozina’s dessert justice. See it as consolation for, for a … failed sprint.”

Chapter Six

Lelaheo helped Kindred clear away and clean the dinner dishes. Every scrap that was not marked for Rozina’s compost heap, was saved. Some foodstuffs which had to come up river were very scarce, very expensive and very cherished. Even though Twainhaven was separate and self-sufficient, for the time being, Dr. Twain knew that

could change. As the war had raged, any army, Britain’s or America’s, could have ridden through and confiscated the hall in the name of their absent leader.

“Oh, excuse me!“ Lelaheo voiced, after deliberately jostling Kindred, almost toppling the stack of dishes in her hands. “Watch yourself,” he teased. To steady her, he caught her by the waist and held on just a beat more than necessary.

“You do try me,” she whispered. An amused air danced across his face as she shooed him away.

“Good night all.” Kindred called over her shoulder. Kitchen duties done, Kindred aided Rozina up the balustraded staircase to the second floor.

“Good night.” A trio of voices returned. Lelaheo broke from the group and came to stand at the foot of the stairs. He watched until they disappeared, then retired to the study for some port with Douglas and Joshua.

Once in Rozina’s bedroom, Kindred helped her grandmother get ready for bed.

“T’engky, chil’, uh iz so stiff; gwine break.”

“Oh, Gramma, no! You are as young as ever.”