Yellow Crocus Quotes
"Once she opened the door, her life would forever be divided into before and after."
"I love you," she quietly whispered into her son’s tiny ear, and pressed her lips against his bald head one last time.
"Dear God, it me, Mattie. I know it mornin’ and I mostly only talk to you at night, but today I need extra help."
"You got yourself a fine place to sleep, baby girl, not that you gonna be usin’ it anytime soon."
"It serves no one. As soon as my grandson is born, she can start with him."
"I got the good stuff too. You used to love it right here."
"It ain’t my place to keep track of that little girl and tell you. And she ain’t yours no more neither."
"I ain’t gonna hurt you, little miss," reassuring herself and God, not the oblivious child.
"Your mama’s gone away and your daddy’s gone to stay. Didn’t leave nobody but the baby."
"Go to sleepy, little baby. You and me and the devil makes three. Don’t need no other lovin’ baby."
"That girl is learning that she cannot always have things her way. There is no need to give in to her now."
"Dehydration has set in. She must take in liquids or she will not survive this fever. It is the only treatment."
"This is extremely serious. You must do whatever you can to hydrate this child or she will die."
"I cannot see what good you are possibly doing. Either the fever will break or it will not."
"It is in God’s hands. You must pray for your daughter."
"I do not believe this is wise. She will not become used to the new arrangement if we bring Mattie every time she fusses."
"This was not her fertile time, and if it were, she would have taken precautions."
"Someday I gonna get free. You gotta know that about me if’n we gonna be together."
"Mama loves you. Mama always gonna love you. You carry me in your heart for always."
"God loves ever’body so God forgives ever’body so ever’body gonna get to heaven."
"I got no choice. Your father decide such things. I ain’t gonna make you no promise I don’ get to keep."
"You are a sweet one, Elizabeth. It is very kind that you care about Mattie."
"I am not concerned with my daughter becoming accustomed."
"We all gonna eat some black-eyed peas to celebrate."
"Forget about Ohio. You in Virginia right now, with me, all alone, in this here bed. What you gonna do about that?"
"Never touch a White girl! Never! Do you hear me? You gonna get yourself killed!"
"You are disturbing my reading. You know you are supposed to let me study."
"I do not wish to," Lisbeth stated. "You know this is my preferred place to learn. What are you doing?"
"Father does not approve when you interfere with the niggers," she replied.
"Well, I do not care about him either. I simply want to study in peace. Now go elsewhere."
"I am sorry, Samuel. I will tell Mattie what Jack said. It will be all right."
"It will be all right," she insisted, trying to convince herself as much as Samuel.
"My son, Samuel, is to be sold, ma’am. Please," Mattie begged, "please see to it he gets sold to where his daddy live—over at Berkeley. They need some men there. Please, ma’am."
"I get to see my son every day, twice a day or more, out that window. It ain’t much, but it been enough. Ain’t nothing you can say that is gonna make this better for me, Lisbeth. Don’ even try."
"Please, Lord, please watch over my son tonight and all the nights to come. Take care o’ him for me. Make ’em treat him right; keep him warm and fed. Don’ let no harm come to him. Please, Lord, keep him safe."
"It is all right, Mattie. I will not leave you. You still have me."
"I am sorry, Mattie. But he is not going far. You will get to see him once a week, just like you do now."
"I trust you, Lisbeth. You gonna take good care of Jordan," Mattie said.
"Ain’t nothin’ ever perfect, and it hard to believe one dance can change your life."
"I ain’t got no salt and I ain’t got no sugar. How I gonna give my daughter what I don’ got?"
"Cook will give me sugar and salt if I tell her I have the runs. I shall bring some of each to you."
"Yes, hon. I just fine. Whatever Jordan had ain’t got to me."
"Mother says I am not to laugh out loud with young men."
"Someone to hold you and love you, someone to share your dreams with, someone kind and thoughtful. A good man’s a treasure."
"Dear God, please watch over us tonight. Keep us safe and guide us to freedom."
"I do not care if you have scarlet fever, you will be in attendance at White Pines this evening."
"Romance will not ensure your happiness as easily as the finer things in life."
"You are not a character in a romantic novel."
"I desired to be in love with the man I would marry."
"I have read nearly all his work. Hamlet is my favorite."
"I always have. That does not mean I am flirting with him."
"I see no need to leave the shores of this country."
"This home and this family would soon be hers."
"I have done it; I found a way to salvage my life."
"I cannot possibly choose a husband based on the literature he cares for; nor can you reject a husband for how he treats the hands."
"I had no memory of her mother being pregnant, and had never heard that her parents had lost so many children."
"I think a cook would be wise. At least to start with. Perhaps she can teach me how to prepare meals."
"I shall not be long, so you need not unhitch Shadow from the buggy."
"I have come to speak with you and you alone. This is not easy for me."
"It is over," Lisbeth agreed, intentionally keeping her voice calm.
"Slavery will be a part of you wherever you go. It is as much a part of you as your hair color or your blood."
"I did not cancel the wedding because Edward hurt me. I ended my engagement because of the girl he hurt."
"I chose Matthew. I choose Matthew. I am not going to change my mind."
"I understand the choice I am making, Mother. Good-bye."
"Thank you, Matthew," Lisbeth said, filled with tenderness. "I will go get my things for tonight."
"You have to drink this to make you strong. You need to be strong to get this baby out."
"It is the sign that spring is surely here. Next year I wish to have crocus blooming in our yard."