Back on the street again, is like I step into a new world. People seem to notice me. Maybe is the clothes or maybe is because I start to feel like not so much a stranger. After that, everything get busy, busy, busy. We go in and out of all the shops. Pick up many supplies so by the time we get back to the house, me arms loaded down with packages and me head is spinning. No time to rest though. Mistress Josephine put me to work straight away and before I know it, the rest of the day, it go by very quickly. At the end of her inspection, she tell Winnie to make sure she feed me up good.

‘Oh, and another thing,’ she say. ‘Try to do something about that hair,’ before she pick up her skirt them, bounce out the room.

Right then and there Winnie pick up her scissors. Start to chop. Pretty soon all them raggedy bits falling to the floor. Then she take a comb, drag it through me hair. Add some coconut oil to plaster it down. When I look in the mirror is like me looking at a person I not seen before. Remind me bout when I saw James come down the front steps of the Great House. I know was James, but him look so different. Not just the beautiful jacket, ruffled shirt and pants him had on, the boots, the stockings, but that him held him head up. Held it high, like him already turn into a gentleman. I could see him crossed over a line and never looking back.

Winnie notice me sitting there all quiet like. Must be get a sense of where me mind is wondering.

‘What’s the matter, little Will? You think bout James?’

‘What you mean? How you know bout James?’

‘Everybody know bout James. Is a big thing when a slave get him free paper. Him pass this way you know. Massa Cargill ask Mistress Josephine to buy new clothes, new shoes. Teach him manners. Make him presentable. Get him ready for the trip to the Mother Country.’

Was like a dream when James got sent away. Now to know him was standing in this kitchen too, it cause me to catch my breath.

‘You must miss him? Miss him plenty bad?’

‘Only when me think bout him.’

‘And you think bout him all the time?’

I nod, try to stop the tear them.

‘Me understand,’ Winnie say. ‘Is the same with Melon and me. Mistress Josephine mother, she buy us at the slave yard, when we was just young pickney. Sold Melon to old Massa William to work on the plantation. Keep me in town to help look after Mistress Josephine. What a lot of weeping. Took a long time, but me learn to not think bout how much me missing her.’

‘Why she choose you?’