Page 233 of The Sun Sister

Just as she thought she might be trampled where she sat, she heard a deep male voice from above her.

‘Can you walk?’ She looked up to see a white man towering over her.

‘My ankle...’

‘Take my hand.’

Cecily did so, and the man pulled her to standing. Then, with his arm supporting her, he began to guide her through the crowd.

‘My driver...he’s waiting for me on Lenox, over there at the end of the street,’ she managed to gasp as her senses returned to her.

‘Then let’s get you out of here fast; it looks like things are about to get even uglier.’

All around them, violent skirmishes were breaking out as the protestors rallied and began to fight back.

As they neared the intersection of West 138thand Lenox, Cecily spotted the Chrysler and pointed to it. ‘There’s Archer!’ she yelled above the melee. The man swept her into his arms and ran with her to the car, wrenching open the rear door as they reached it.

‘Thank the Lord you’re safe, Miss Cecily!’ shouted Archer, starting the engine. ‘Let’s get outta here!’

‘You take care, ma’am,’ the man said as he lowered Cecily into the seat. As he was about to shut the door, Cecily stopped him, seeing two policemen with nightsticks heading towards the car.

‘Archer, wait! Get innow!’ she screamed to the man, mustering her remaining strength as she reached out to grasp his arm and pull him inside, just as the policemen charged forward to grab him. ‘Go, Archer! Go, go, go!’

Archer gunned the engine and the car sped off.

As the Chrysler pulled away from the nightmare scene they had left behind, the three occupants breathed a collective sigh of relief.

‘I can’t thank you enough for your help...’ Cecily ventured.

‘It’s nothing. I should thank you for yours just then.’ The man was leaning back in the seat, his eyes half closed.

‘Can we take you somewhere? Where do you live?’ she asked.

‘Just drop me at the nearest subway stop.’

‘We’re just coming up to 110thStreet station,’ Archer interjected.

‘That will suit me fine,’ the man said.

Archer pulled the car over.

‘Can I at least take your name?’ Cecily said.

The man hesitated for a moment, then reached into his pocket and handed her a card, before getting out of the car and slamming the door behind him.

Cecily woke up two days later, her ankle still throbbing with pain, despite the ice packs she had placed on it during the night. On their return from the protest, dirtied and hobbling, Cecily had sworn Archer to absolute secrecy. He had hesitantly promised not to speak of the event to her parents.

‘If I’m not oversteppin’ my place, Miss Cecily, it might not be a good idea to get involved with those kinda things again,’ he’d said as they’d sat outside the house whilst Cecily composed herself, genuine concern in his eyes.

‘Thank you, Archer, but I’m old enough to know what I’m doing,’ she’d replied curtly. ‘And someone has to stand up to inequality, don’t they?’

‘So long as you keep safe, Miss Cecily. But that ain’t your battle to fight. You’re a lady.’

Dorothea had been dismayed at the state she was in, and Cecily had quickly fabricated an elaborate lie about tripping on a subway grate, before gingerly taking the stairs up to the attic floor to find Stella with Lankenua. Stella had run into her arms and Cecily had gripped her tightly.

‘Why are you so dirty, Kuyia? Where have you been?’

‘That’s not important, honey,’ Cecily had said, smiling down at Stella. ‘I’m simply happy to see you.’