Mary went in the house and started to feed Unex, and when she saw the black frown on July’s face she put on one that was blacker. As soon as she laid Unex down on the bed July reached out a hand and took her by the arm. His eyes cut deep into her face, and his voice rumbled out, “Whe you been?”
“I been to Grab-All.”
“How-come you gone off an’ ain’ told me whe you was gwine?”
“But I fetched you a nice can o salmon. You ought to be glad stead o cross as two sticks.” July grabbed the salmon off the table and threw it on the floor so hard the can bent in.
“You better behave yousef, July.” She tried to sound brave but her heart knocked clean up in her windpipe, for July’s eyes were sparkling.
“I don’ like you to take de baby out in de night air. Don’ do dat not no more. It’s you business to stay home. A married ’oman ain’ to trapes de Big Road. It don’ look nice. An’ don’ be spendin’ my good money for no salmon, neither. I can’ stand de smell of em, much less de taste.”
“I didn’ spend you good money. June bought de salmon an’ gi em to me.”
“You went wid June? Well, you stay home lessen I take you to Grab-All.”
There was no use to fuss with him, so she stirred around and cooked him a nice hot ash-cake and some bacon.
“Whe’d you git dem beads round you neck?”
“June gi em to me.”
“June? When did you and June git so thick?”
“We ain’ thick.”
“Well, take em off.”
She hesitated, he had no right to order her around like a dog. Then the necklace seemed suddenly hateful. She unhooked it and started to throw it into the fire but July stopped her. “Go put em in de trunk and keep em in de trunk lessen I tell you to take em out. Is you hear me?”
If July would only have sat still long enough for her to talk to him, she could have made up with him, but as soon as he ate, he got his hat and left the house. Later on, when he came in and went to bed, she tried to talk but he pretended he was asleep.
Sunday morning he seemed more like himself, and then she tried to tell him she was still young, and liked to go somewhere now and then, to meeting or to a birthnight supper, or to Grab-All, just for a little pleasure. He ought to be glad for her to go. As soon as she began to talk, he shut up as tight as a clam, and in a little while he got his hat and left.
When night fell Doll came by on her way to meeting and Mary wrapped the baby up and went with her. She was not spying on July, for he had disappeared down the street going toward Cinder’s house while she went in the other direction. No harm was in that. But when he came in late that night, with his eyes all hot and bloodshot, he ground his teeth together and asked, “Didn’ I told you to stay home tonight?”
She made herself stand up straight and look him in the eyes.
“Looka here, July. No man livin can’ boss me around dis way an’ work me to death.” She spoke out boldly and tried to jerk herself loose from his grasp.
“Yuh duh back-jaw me?” He pressed her. “Tell me dat?” His head was bent so close his eyes were near to her face.
“Sho, I’ll back-jaw you much as I please. Who is you to be so big-doins anyhow?”
The words were hardly off her lips when he gave her face a slap that laid her flat on the floor. She jumped up like a cat and hit him back, but she might as well have used her fist on iron. July’s sinews were too tough to feel her blow.
She reached up and tried to scratch his face, but he held her up off the floor with one hand and with the other he laid licks on her that knocked the breath out of her and blistered her skin. She didn’t know a man’s hand could fall so heavy. Lord, those were awful licks. She saw stars, and she couldn’t suck in enough breath to yell for help. She had to think fast, for, vexed as July was, he might kill her. Her body was stunned, but her wits were strangely sharpened. She lay flat on the floor without moving, and when she saw him looking down to see if she really was hurt very much, she began to cry. Not a loud grown-woman’s crying, but a poor little pitiful whining like a young baby too sick to live much longer.
“Git up off dat floor, May-e,” July shouted, and she pretended to do her best, then fell back down like something hamstrung, crying weakly all the time.
“What de matter ail you?” he stormed.
“My back’s broke,” she whispered, “broke in two—you done killed me, July.”
He jerked her up roughly and tried to make her stand on her feet, but her bones melted and fear shook her like a palsy.
“Stand up! May-e!” He tried to compel her, but she fell up against him, and with her arms around his neck, she sobbed against his breast. She could feel the blood beating in his heart and his breath was heaving hard, but his big arms went softly around her and he picked her up and carried her to the shed room and laid her on the bed. She
