“Tell em de crop’ll be ruint widout em!”
“We sho’ do need em!”
Casting a side-glance toward Joy, alone at one side, saying nothing, yet keeping track of every glance that passed between the others, Zeda stood a little straighter, and cleared her throat that her words might be plain.
“One more t’ing; I ain’ told nobody before. Not yet. But Sherry is married to a gal yonder up-North. She might not be willin’ to come to Blue Brook.”
Joy’s body stiffened, her eyes widened, her arms fell to her sides, but the others laughed and joked over the news until their voices ran into an excited chorus.
“Write Sherry to bring dat gal on home!”
“Lawd, dat news sho’ do surprise me!”
“T’ink o’ Sherry takin’ a wife in dat strange country!”
“Lawd, dat boy done fast work! Jedus!”
“Who’s gwine help Sherry pizen de cotton if he do come?” Zeda was in earnest.