23 and Her

Elizabeth was nursing Katie when Moses came in. He was clearly agitated. Elizabeth looked alarmed at her mate.

"What is wrong, Moses?"

"Oh, I was looking through some stuff. And I found my old grandpappy's journal," he said, sitting beside her. He opened it up, showing her the old cursive text. "See, grandpappy Isaac talks about his grandpappy and his great-grandpappy, all the way to this old fellow, Samson. And old Samson was a ****."

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her daughter softly sucking at her full breasts.

"Well, that probably wasn't a surprise though," Elizabeth offered.

"No, it wasn't. But the journal mentions the man he had to serve under. Alexander Castle."

"M-m-moses," Elizabeth said weakly, shielding her child. Moses looked at her, eyes softening.

"I ain't gonna hurt you, Miss Castle. Or little Katie. I love you both too damn much. But think of it this way. Your ancestors kept mine in chains, kept mine bound. Then we get freed, and we start to climb out of the pit they put us in ... and the minute one of us gets uppity, what happens? In rides Richard Castle to put us back in our place."

"Moses ... you know I believe what happened to you was unjust ... but surely that was a coincidence."

"Miss Castle, do you really believe in coincidences? I don't. The best you can do is make it up to me."