Ruth still thought about the day she was sold to the Hampton Plantation. She figured she was about six or seven when the overseer burst through the door and grabbed her. She did not know why, but assumed it had something to do with her mother, as Master Jones was yelling at her about helping another hand go missing.

The only thing Ruth could think of at the time was what her mother did really wrong that the Master needed to punish her. Normally she only saw the Master on but a few occasions, and the overseer did everything else. He continued screaming about the escaped hand, blaming her mother for helping him get away.

Ruth remembered crying so hard when she saw her mother’s clothes ripped off and whipped for what she did. When Master Jones said she did not deserve a family, Ruth looked at him confused to what that meant. She knew her father died early on of the flu, but her mother was the center of her world. When the overseer dragged her away she remembered not knowing why and crying for her mother to help as she was still being whipped.

Ruth still could tear up on command as she thought of being in the auction house as a child waiting to be sold. How people would walk in and tell her to stop crying. Feeling the hand of the auctioneer slap her a few times, telling her to quiet down. She remembered not knowing what the house was for a long time and just thought she was being punished too like her mother.

When she saw Miss Mary Butler come in with her father asking who he should buy, Ruth knew that she was never going to see her mother again. The tears flowed quickly as she tried in vain to call out to her mother, hoping she could come and get her.

Miss Mary looked to be about the same age as her but her long blonde hair is what Ruth remembered first. It was long and straight and looked like gold that the sun was shining on. She was so pretty, Ruth wondered if she was a doll brought to life or an angel coming to save her in one of her most darkest of times. Mary pulled on her father’s coat and just pointed at her, saying that she needed a home and someone to love her.

Ruth did not know what to feel for a few weeks as Mary showed her the new home she was going to live in. Mary insisted that she live in the house and stay with Miss Sally who was the cook, and another house slave. The room next to the kitchen was so small that she wondered how a bed could even fit in there. And Miss Sally seemed a tyrant about keeping everything in order and clean at all times.

Even though Sally was not her mother, she was the closest thing she was going to get. Mary adored her and Ruth wondered why the owner’s child would treat a slave they owned like a parental figure who actually had power over the young child.

Ruth did understand though overtime, as Sally’s kind words and hugs of affection were always there even on day’s she cried and missed her mother. Sally was always quick to point out how people should show kindness through words and actions to everyone, even those who have nothing. Ruth remembered taking this to heart, and was amazed at how Mary did the same.

The fear of living in a new and intimidating home with strangers scared her. She thought about her mother constantly and cried at random times wondering if she was ever going to see her again. With all her depressed feelings, she remembered how Mary treated her, how she would hold and comfort her, and try to cheer her up the best way she could.

She also thought about how Mary would come downstairs to the kitchen at night to bring her upstairs to sleep in her bedroom so she would not have to be alone. On a few occasions, Mary would sing hymns to her, trying to help her sleep. Always with so much patience and love, Mary never faltered in promising to keep her close and safe.

Ruth always remembered Mary living up to her promise. As they grew older, Ruth would never leave Mary’s side. Ruth remembered early on how she would help her mother in the fields, but once she was with Mary, she never went back to picking cotton in the fields again. Mary would often comment about how she was forbidden by the overseer about going into the fields on the account of her telling the hands that they needed to take the day off.

Mary was always one for getting her way with her father. Master Butler bent like a weed in the winds when it came to giving into his daughter’s demands. Anything her heart desired would be handed to her as Mary was the only daughter with one younger brother.

Ruth often wondered how a plantation owner’s daughter could be so spoiled with love and gifts and still not let it corrupt her. Ruth smiled as she thought about how Mary would give her gifts and treat her as a true friend and not a person who owned her. Ruth was even so brash as to ask Mary to buy her mother from her old owner. When Mary came back saying that her father offered to buy her mother, Ruth knew her generosity was true. Her old owner backed out of the sale, but Ruth still trusted that Mary would always have her best interest at heart.

Ruth also knew she was extremely sheltered and yet did know why Mary would treat her like she was a friend or sister. When Mary taught her to read and write, she knew that Mary was different from any other white person she ever met. Every night she would study with her, and every night Mary would make a promise to her that she would be by her side. Ruth thought about her promise and knew Mary would never break it.

Seeing things through a child’s eyes has a distorted sense of time and understanding. Ruth thought about why things happened, and what she could have done differently. The reflection of her childhood years were both kind and horrible in the same swipe of the brush. Mary was the most kind and generous soul she knew of, and everyone from the hands in the field to her father knew about her generosity. It was often joked about that Mary would never be allowed to run any plantation for her kindness would be the ruin of the family.

Ruth watched Mary grow into something that could only be described as a perfection in all forms. She had looks only a famous painter could paint and a body only an Italian sculptor could recreate. Her voice was like an angel talking and her kindness could be compared to a saint. But it was her kindness to her that made Ruth love her beyond all measure. She felt deep down that Mary loved her and wanted to protect her from all harm.

Although Mary knew her looks were desirable, she still made an effort to dress up and tell Ruth she was pretty too. Ruth was not as petite as Mary, but her chest was larger and her backside more defined. With her high cheekbones, Ruth’s smile was something that Mary called divine and powerful.

Mary was never short on the amount of suitors chasing for her affection either. Ruth always smiled as they stayed up late in the night to discuss the possible men that might win her hand. She remembered the mountain of letters she read to Mary and the late night talks about all of the handsome men who wrote them.

Ruth settled on having a brief time with Henry who tended the stables. Henry was nice and sweet, but his time at the planation was limited as he soon became the Master’s full time driver. Ruth only saw him a few times a month at best with his new duties of traveling all over. She figured it was for the best as Mary would soon be married, and she would be going with her to live with the new couple.

Mary did settle on a man to marry her, and William Turnbull was the pick of the litter as she put it. He was an engineer who came from a wealthy family in Virginia. He was twenty-three and five years older than Mary. He worked for a construction company and was already a world traveller.

William was still quite handsome, as he looked slender but not lanky. His was well read, but not someone who spent all their time reading books. From reading his letters, Ruth knew he was quite romantic, but was still shy in person. Mary said he was cute when he got tongue tied around her, and how he could blow over with a gust of wind when he was in the presence of her.

Mary ate up his words as Ruth read them to her every night. Ruth even asked the question about why she chose him, and Mary’s answer still stuck with her. It even made Ruth even question why she asked the question. Mary’s only answer was that he was kind and gentle. That he would be a man that would not question her own generosity and was it was just like her in ways. Mary even joked later on after their marriage that William needed her, and was lost without her.

Mary spoke in length how they would travel around the country and Europe with him. William’s family had a lot of money and a large plantation in Virginia. He did not live there though as his job took him from place to place, never staying longer than six to seven months in one location.

The excitement of moving around and not being held to a single house made Mary want William even more. Ruth felt that no matter what was going to happen, as long she was with Mary, everything would be fine. She thought about what home really was to her and knew that where you slept was just scenery. It was the people you lived with that made a home.

The wedding was supposed to be a lavish ordeal with all of society attending. Mary then confessed that she did not want such a wedding and thought it should be a more private affair with only family involved. Ruth thought about talking her out of it, but when Mary told her what was happening after the wedding it all became clear.

Ruth always knew she was owned by Mary’s father, but only saw him on a few occasions once she and Mary were teenagers. His appointment in the government took him away from the plantation throughout most of the year. Mary’s younger brother was a terror and was not capable of running the plantation. She often wondered if Sally had lived longer how Mary’s brother might have been a different person.

The only choice was for Mary’s father was to make William the manager of the planation. Mary was so enthralled about traveling that this plan would have kept her at home where she did not want to be. Ruth recalled how Mary sped up the wedding plans and made sure her things were packed so after the wedding she would be off with William on a new construction site. Mary was also keen on making sure Ruth was coming along as she now would be owned by William after the wedding.

As Ruth expected, Mary insisted that Ruth be given to her officially; her father transferred ownership over to William as he was the husband. The wedding was quick and Ruth loved how Mary was so happy with her new life. Although they were living in a small house on the river overlooking a bridge William was building, it was a life only a couple in love could enjoy.

William was always kind and caring as his good nature reflected even when Mary was not around. Ruth took notice of how he treated others when nobody was looking and could tell that William was a perfect match for Mary. The new life on the road with the newlyweds was Ruth’s most favorite memory. She observed how wonderful life could be as her day was spent enjoying Mary’s company more than caring for her.

Ruth tried hard to remember how Mary was and how her soul was so pure it was not meant for this world and the people she touched were graced by her. When she died in childbirth the heartache for Ruth almost brought her to question why a God could do such a thing.

William took the loss hard and retreated into a bottle to drown his sorrow away which was just as sad. Ruth did her best with holding the house together, but she was without Mary for the first time since she was a child. Her protection and love was something she missed every single day.

Ruth bore the new tasks of keeping the house in order while keeping William with a job. She took over as his personal assistant, housekeeper, and nurse when he was hungover. She learned the construction business as she stepped in for William at times. Even when William was sober, his mind was scattered as his focus was more on where to find his next drink. Ruth spent countless nights reading over books and learning the construction trade the best she could.

Ruth walked in as William slept on the couch in the living room. “Mista William, you need to wake up. The foreman is here to see you.”

She knew he got drunk from last night and passed out on the couch. Ruth normally knew to leave him be and just clean up from any damage he caused by spilled drinks or broken glasses.

William moved on the couch so he was now looking up at her. “What time is it?”

“Time for you to wake up and work Mista William,” Ruth replied as she pulled the bottle of whiskey from his clutches.

William moaned and tried to grab the bottle, but Ruth already moved away from him. Once he realized that he had to get up, he shifted his body so his legs were now on the floor. “What time is it?”

“Time for you to be at work,” Ruth answered as she moved his boots closer to him so he could leave faster.

“I hope they got the timber in or he is waking me up for nothing,” William growled as he began to compose himself and put his boots on so he could leave the confines of his small house.

“Best be back before you go drinking tonight. I got supper planned for you and Mista Johns, so don’t be late,” Ruth howled as William was already stumbling out the door ready to scream at his foreman.

Ruth knew William was a shell of a man since Mary passed away, and she found herself at times crying about her loss too. She kept her tears private, but William made his pain obvious with his descent into the realm of whiskey.

The job of building a bridge for the railroad had taken longer than expected with delays and mistakes in construction. William failed to oversee the construction with his drinking that there was now a cost overrun on the bridge. Ruth did her best to rein him in, but he always found his way to the local saloon in town.

William once again came back drunk and managed to wash himself up just as Mr. Jones was walking up to the house. Ruth was quick to usher William into the bedroom so she could cancel on Mr. Jones so she could save William’s reputation, if it wasn’t already too far gone.

“So sorry, Mista Jones, but Mr. Turnbull is not able to make his dinner meeting tonight. He would be most gracious to host you tomorrow evening or...”

Mr. Jones cut Ruth off as he took off his hat quickly and motioned for her to stop talking. “You can stop trying to cover up for him. I know he is drunk in there. Just tell him that I will see him tomorrow morning. Good evening to you.”

Ruth walked back inside to see William on the floor right near the entrance to his bedroom. A large amount of vomit was covering the floor in front of the doorway as William was still bent over as if more was to be expelled.

“Mista William, are you alright!” Ruth shouted as she rushed over to see the extent of William’s inebriation.

William turned over so he was now sitting on the floor right in his own mess. “So sorry Ruth. I just had a little too much tonight. Please don’t hate me ... I ... I ... don’t have mannny people...”

Ruth knelt in front of William to help him keep his head up as he looked like he was struggling. “Just hush yourself. I need to clean you up and put you to bed. I also need to clean up this up ... Good lord that whiskey will be the death of you.”

William nodded off, but managed to whisper out, “I am hoping so.”

Ruth could see the pain in his face. “Don’t be speaking like that. I am going to get you into bed and you’re going to sleep this off. Be right as rain tomorrow.”

Ruth could see that William was covered in his own sickness and that she was going to have to help in changing him and putting him to bed. She already put his clothes out every day and wondered quickly if it was going to rain tomorrow so she could do the wash as his sickness was overpowering her sense of smell.

She lifted him up just as William opened his eyes to look at her. Ruth was now holding him close, trying to lift him to his feet. Ruth could feel William doing his part the best he could. With a quick scan of her eyes, she saw that going to William’s room would be walking through a puddle of his sickness, which now looked like a hazard of waste. She knew that tonight she would have to change her dress from wading through it.

She took a deep breath and began to almost drag William to his bed. She just knew that the bottom of her dress was covered in his vile sickness too. With all of her strength, she managed to get him right near his bed. It was then William opened his eyes and mouth. The sound was awful just as what came out onto her dress. It just seem to pour down her dress and all over her as she held William right before putting him to bed.

“Mista William ... oh good lords,” she said as the smell hit her nostrils.

William said nothing and Ruth let go of her grip, letting him drop onto the bed. She stepped back to see that she was covered in his gross vomit and it was still dripping down the front of her dress. She looked back and saw William passed out on the bed.

Not wanting any more time with his sickness on her, she quickly pulled down her dress and removed all of her clothes until the warm light was upon her skin. Ruth once again quickly looked over as her back was to William, making sure he was still passed out.

Ruth knew that his clothes were soaked too and that they needed to be washed quickly with hers. Since he was already asleep she knew she was going to be the one to strip him naked. It was something she had not done in its entirety, as she normally only stripped him down to his under clothes.

Ruth moved William’s legs on the bed and then proceeded to once again check to see that he was passed out sleeping. With the knowledge that William was not waking up, she stripped completely naked and then went fetch a pail of water to clean up.

Within a few minutes Ruth had water and a washcloth to clean both her and William up. William had managed to get sick all down her chest to her stomach. It did not take long but the water was already filled with his vile matter. A quick water change and she was once again in the room ready to clean up William.

Ruth had been use to stripping William down after his nights of drinking for a year now, and this was nothing new. The only difference was she was naked and she would have to get William the same way. She did not think any sexual thoughts and when his pants came off, she could see his manhood for the first time.

William was young and strong as was his naked form. His limp penis lay to the side as his chest heaved up and down with his breathing. Ruth could see why Mary was so enthralled with William as he clearly spent time working on his family’s plantation. His muscles also included the size of his sex as Ruth thought it was quite large, but also knew she had little experience in that department.

The mess on the floor needed to be cleaned up as well and she did not want to waste time. She figured that the floor could be done last and William was right there. With another washcloth, she began to clean William from his drunken sickness. It was quick as most of it was on her. A few rinses of the washcloth and William was now clean.

Ruth looked down to see that his male member was fully erect. The shock that her cleaning him would cause excitement almost startled her. He was still asleep but Ruth knew he might wake up from the fact his sex organ was at full attention. The size of him fully erect made Ruth wonder how hard and erect a man could get. She only got a glimpse a few times when she was with Henry.

When Ruth turned to see William, she could see his eyes looking right at her breasts. “You’re up? You shouldn’t be looking at me. You need to sleep.”

Ruth then turned to see William’s hand gripping his erection. The thought of doing something inappropriate grew to the point she knew leaving the room was the best thing. Just as she got up she saw William’s hand furiously stroking his member like he was beating himself up.

“Mista William, you must stop that!”

“OHHH God yesss!” William cried out as his manhood shot out a white stream of his orgasm all over his clean chest.

Before Ruth could scold him anymore his eyes were closed and his hand fell away from his erection. The thought of William pleasuring himself to the sight of her naked body made her feel violated. He was not married but he was her owner and he was masturbating in front of her, thinking of impure sexual thoughts while looking at her naked form.

With all that has happened to him, she knew that he was not with another woman, and Mary even admitted to her that he was a virgin when they married. Ruth was not a stranger to the needs of men and heard stories about how the hands would take their wives every night. What bothered Ruth was she felt guilty about leaving him to sleep while his male stuff was all over his once clean chest.

Ruth decided to go back to her room and change before cleaning William up once more. She put on a simple night gown and refreshed the water in the bucket. With a new washcloth, she entered William’s room once more to see him soundly sleeping.

She knelt down and started with his chest. Rinsing his male essence with the wet cloth, Ruth made sure he was once again clean. Although it was not the first time washing another person, she never once washed another man before. Ruth knew that William’s now soft manhood needed to be clean too.

With another rinse of the wash cloth, Ruth took to cleaning William’s limp sexual organ. She had never once touched another man before and was amazed at how it felt. It was soft and pliable in her hand all while looking so harmless. His sack did not need cleaning but she decided to make the most of it and clean them too. She was not excited by cleaning him and saw it as taking care of him.

William’s erection returned with a vengeance as Ruth thought she was about done with cleaning him. She felt it just grow in her hand and was astonished at how it felt. It was both hard and soft in her fingers and without warning more of his male fluid began to pump out from the mushroom shaped tip. Ruth quickly put the washcloth over the head of his erection and quickly looked up to see if he awoke from it.

With a sigh of relief, Ruth saw that he did not wake from ejaculating and quickly finished cleaning him, worried that he might get erect again. He was clean as she wanted him to be and could see that his manhood once again hung limp and helpless.

The next day Ruth woke up early to start cleaning. She was not expecting to wash clothes, but after last night she knew it needed to be done. The floors also needed to be cleaned again, and the tasks of helping her owner still loomed.

“We need to talk,” William said as he was fully dressed and sober.

Ruth turned around in the kitchen to see William standing in the doorway looking at her. She gave a confused but worried look wondering if he remembered last night. “Sure. But I need you to sit and eat. I also be needing to tell you about missing meetings.”

William sat down and Ruth put a plate of hot food in front of him. She sat across from him with a notepad ready to take down what needed to be done for the day. He slid the plate to the side and folded his hands in front of him. “I want to say I am sorry for yesterday. I had too much to drink and I am sorry for that. I never intended to get sick on you.”

“You sorry for only getting sick on me?” Ruth replied as she could see that his face showed remorse, but skipped over the part of masturbating in front of her.

“I am sorry for what happened after too, and I thought it best we don’t bring it up again. I know I should not be drinking as much as I do, and I will try to cut back.”

Ruth could see the guilt of what happened in his eyes and knew it would be for the best if she just accepted it and moved on. She thought about how he was in a good clean mood and she could get him to try and pull his life together.

“I hope we can cut back on the bottle. Best you think about what to do once the bridge is built.”

“I have. There is a bridge in North Carolina that I might be asked to help be a part of. I am meeting with the construction company’s man tonight,” William replied as he was picking at his food letting Ruth know subtly he had a hangover.

“You be drinking with him tonight you mean?” She commented with a disapproving stare. She knew he was going to get himself drunk again tonight.

“I got to go. I should be home late,” he said as Ruth watched him get up and walk out of the house.

Ruth felt more like a caretaker for him than a house slave in charge of just taking care of the house. She was always at Mary’s side for anything she needed, but Mary needed more of a friend than someone to take care of her. She knew her relationship with Mary was unique on many different levels and now was the same with William.

The rest of the day was spent cleaning and rearranging William’s schedule. She managed to put off all his meetings while still cleaning the mess from last night. With so much to be done, the thought about seeing William’s manhood spurt out lifted from her mind. She was so focused on her tasks, and worried about William tonight, the past night was just a memory needing to be forgotten.

When William did come home it was in the middle of the night waking Ruth up. She went to bed wondering how much he was going to drink and even had a change of clothes with a washcloth ready for him. The tavern was not that far from the house and by the sounds she heard, it was a lively place to be after-hours.

The door was wide open and William staggered in. She met him in the small living room seeing that he was quite drunk almost as much as last night. “I got the jobbb. They hired me right after this one done ... I...”

“You be drunk as a skunk. You be drinking all night and come home waking the whole town up with your hollering.” Ruth stopped him as her hands were now grabbing his arms to make sure he did not fall over.

“You going to put me back to bed?” William said with a tone of joy.

She was already pulling him to the bed as she responded to his drunk tirade. “Yes. I am going to put you to bed, and hopefully gets some sleep of my own.”

“Good. I am going to need some sleep for tomorrow.”

William was in bed as Ruth laid him down. He was able to swing his legs over before Ruth began to unbutton his shirt. He flipped his boots off and quickly between the two of them he was topless with Ruth pulling the covers over him. She knew sheets were easy to clean, but the washing of his shirts took too much of her time. She figured it was no big deal to undress him to keep her work load down.

“Ruth ... I need one more thing,” William said as his eyes looked at her right as she was about to walk away from the bed.

“Whats that?” Ruth replied as she held the covers ready to put him to bed.

“Pull down your dress,” he said while looking at her with utmost sober conviction.

Ruth quickly felt the tug of both guilt and fear. The thought of him wanting to see her naked stirred thoughts of last night and how he pleasured himself in front of her. The fear that he could want her to pleasure him again still lingered too.

Still knowing he was drunk, Ruth decided that his request was just a drunk man talking. “Best you go to bed.”

William lifted his body up, and once again demanded. “You heard me. I want you to take your dress off ... now.”

Ruth quickly answered, worried that William was demanding something from her she never had someone demand from her. “I don’t think that is appropriate. You need to get some rest for the morning. You had too much to drink.”

Ruth knew she never had the true experience of what a hand on the plantation went through as Mary sheltered her from the cruel institution. Now with William demanding to see her breasts, she knew life was going to be forever changed as she was under his control.

“Please, Mista William. I don’t think we should be ... please, you know it’s not right and all,” Ruth answered as her face gave a grave look of fear.

“You heard me. I want to see you. Pull down your dress,” he said again with just as much conviction as the last time he said it.

“You is drunk is all. I just leave you till the morning ... please, just let me go let you sleep,” she said feeling her voice crack with the anticipation of something horrible was about to happen.

“I want to see you before I go to sleep. Now pull down your dress,” William once again stated as he swung his legs back to the floor.

Ruth felt her stomach twist with fear. Mary never said he was a violent man, but she knew alcohol had a way with changing men. With a quick deliberation of her options, she knew the best resolution to her problem was just to obey, figuring William may not hit or rape her if she just gave into his demand. The memory of what he did last night was her hope that the actions would stop at him just pleasuring himself.

With a pull of some drawstrings and a button being undone, Ruth pulled down the top of her dress to reveal her dark skinned breasts to him. The lamp was still on illuminating her large round breasts for him to stare upon.