Victoria Greene

Reunited

He came on Christmas eve of 1934 at nine in the morning after twelve hours of labor. My baby boy weighed five pounds. His skin was white and his hair and eyes dark like his father's. The doctor had given me a strange look but didn't ask any questions regarding my son's paternity. Joseph Francis Greene. It sounded like the name of a president or a famous author. He was only a few hours old and I loved him more than the world itself.

"He's beautiful, I'm proud of you". My mother said kissing my forehead.

"Thank you". I said looking at my sleeping son. I heard my father sigh in the background.

"Could you please give us a minute alone". He said and my mom nodded kissing Joseph's forehead before leaving.

"He looks like his father right?". He asked and I nodded.

"What's his name". He asked.

"Joseph Francis Greene". I smiled looking at my son.

"Strong name". He said.

"He's going to be a strong fella". I said kissing my baby.

"You know I'm proud of you, I'm not proud of what you have done but I'm proud of what you have become. Joseph is lucky to have you as a mother". He said and I smiled.

"Thank you, daddy". I replied.

"Can I hold him". He said and I handed my son to him as he made baby noises.

"Look at you huh, my grandson. I'm going to teach you so much". He said kissing his forehead and I smiled. I had worried that my son would not have a male and paternal figure when Charles had rejected him .but when I saw my father with him I realized I had been very wrong he had a better role model than Charles could ever be.

Christmas day 1934, Alabama.

I was released the next morning on Christmas day. My father and brother Jackson came to pick me up because my mother was busy preparing Chrismas dinner. My brother could not believe that I had a baby before him considering that he was five years older than me but he insisted that he was happy to have a nephew but I could see the disappointment in his eyes and I didn't blame him. I was a 20-year old unmarried n***o woman with a mulatto son, everyone would label me a white man's w***e and my son would grow up in a cruel world that could not accept his kind. It was one thing being n***o in the south but being mulatto was another to top it off he had been rejected by the man who helped create him. I worried for my son but I would raise him knowing that he is loved no matter what the world tells him.

When we arrived home everyone was excited and anxious to see the baby, my cousins May and June had come back home for the holiday and they were the only two who knew who Joseph's father is but they kept quiet. I had told my family that I had an affair with an older white businessman not specifying what kind of business he was in. Everyone in Alabama had heard of Al Capone if I told my father my son's father was an associate of his he would have a heart attack. Luckily Mr. Luciano was only famous in the north, although he was the head of the mob he kept a low profile and not many people knew about him, so my family had never heard of him. Dinner was served later and everyone was seated around the table and Joseph was fast asleep in his bassinet. We were all catching up on each other's lives when I knock came from the front door.

"I'll get it". Jackson said getting up and walking to the door and I got up to go check on my son. My brother opened the door and I froze when I saw who it was.

"Who the hell are you?". My brother said.

"I'm here to see my son". Mr. Luciano replied looking straight at my shocked state.