bul?
where you goin?
bye? bul?
no. bul.
now what you go and do that for?
mama?
you think maybe when daddy comes, he could talk to the baby ghost. maybe make her behave and then people won't be scared of here no more.
why won't she ever settle?
for a baby she throws a powerful spell.
what do you pray for mama?
about what?
what things?
if it's still there, waiting, that mean nothing ever dies?
you never tell me all what happened. just that they whipped you and you run off pregnant with me.
i saw a white dress kneeling next to you when you was praying.
had a high neck. whole mess of buttons coming down the back.
a bunch at the back. on the sit down part.
i don't know what it's called.
kneeling next to you while you were praying. i mean, talking. it looked just like you.
i think it was a sign. i think maybe baby's got plans.
i don't know, but that dress holding onto you got to mean something.
she's crawling again.
daddy?
good morning, mr. d.
yes sir.
you knew my father?
we have a ghost here, you know.
no sir, not evil. but not sad either.
lonely.
it's my sister. she was just a baby when she died in this house.
mama doesn't like talk about sweet home. says it was never sweet and it sure wasn't home.
then why don't you ever tell me about it?
where's he going to sleep? baby sugg's room got no sheets or nothing.
maybe you should stay with mama, mr. garner. then you two can talk about sweet home all night long.
i can't no more! i can't no more!
i can't live here! i don't know where to go or what to do but i can't live here. nobody speaks to us. nobody comes by. nobody even knows i'm alive.
it's not! it's not the house! it's us! it's you!
what is it? what's wrong?
you think baby ghost's really gone?
i miss her.
i do. baby suggs told me baby ghost would never hurt me. she was my sister. when i was little, after the boys left, i used to think that she and me both were waiting for daddy to come. and once he did, she wouldn't be mad no more.
wish he'd shut-up. he's ruined everything.
you mean, go out where they'll be other people?
maybe.
on what mama? countin' on what?
look. what is that?
i'll take her up. she can sleep in baby suggs room - that all right mama?
no. she's cold.
she's not sick!
beloved? beloved i'm here. what is it?
would you like to sit up?
can i get you anything? are you hungry?
then you fold it over like this see. this here used to be where my brothers and me slept. i was always at the top.
i ain't so smart.
well, i used to go to lady jones. she'd teach us with songs how to spell and count.
no i. i had to stop going.
well. they're names were howard and.
and. and bulgar. at night, we used to. crawl into bed together. i'd lay down on bul's lap and howard would tell us die- witch stories. he said they would protect us. and if i learned them, they would protect me if ever they were gone.
i didn't see no such thing.
have you seen her? i can't find her.
beloved.
i never saw you with no earrings.
ma'am don't talk about sweet home.
tomorrow.
it hurts.
did she?
she don't remember nothing.
she has us now!
come to my room. i can watch out for you up there.
where'd you learn to dance?
why you call yourself beloved?
what's it like where you were before?
were you cold?
how did you get here?
all this time you were on the bridge?
why'd you come here?
ma'am's? sethe's?
you my sister, ain't you? you really are.
you won't leave us, will you?
i knew it. i knew. first time i saw you and you said your name. and when you touched me - real gentle. and familiar. like i'd felt that touch before.
don't tell mama. you musn't tell her who you really are. i don't know what she'd do! please, you hear?
but. but i'm on your side. i want to protect you.
no. beloved please! don't go! i didn't do nothing! we were dancing! don't go!.
she'd be mad if he leaves.
oooo. didn't that hurt you?
oh stop. it's just a tooth. probably wisdom. does it hurt?
then why don't you cry?
if it hurts, why don't you cry?
there for skating on the ice. we have another pair and half of another, i think.
you sure mama?
come on, ma'am. try!
ooh, yeah. don't know if it's the floor or the skating.
that was fun.
should i wake her?
she likes to see you off in the morning.
won't you be late for work?
and she is mine.
i swallowed her blood right along with my mother's milk. she played with me and always came to be with me whenever i needed her. me and her waited for our daddy. i love her. i do. she never hurt me. i love my mother but i know she killed one of her own, and tender as she is with me, i'm scared of her because of it. all the time, i'm afraid the thing that happened that made it all right to kill her own, could happen again. whatever it is, it comes from outside this house, outside the yard. so i never leave this house and i watch over the yard so it can't happen again .  i have to keep it away from my sister. i'll protect beloved'cause she's mine.
watch out for her; she can give you
the whitefolk?
you shouldn't be in here?
you best leave that quilt alone. that was grandma's quilt.
morning, ma'am.
no, ma'am.
i'll finish those. why don't you sit down?
ma'am.
mama!
but mama.
there was a boy there. said mama was a jailbird. said he could prove it.
but you said. you said out there, there ain't no. what was that word?. no. de- fense. no de-fense.
then what do i do?
mama?
mama let me help you.
i want to work, miss lady.
no. i mean work work.
i can't do anything but i would learn it for you if you have a little extra.
food. my mama, she doesn't feel well. i couldn't stay away from her too long, cause of her condition but i could do chores in the mornings.
no. no that won't do.
thank you.
mama. mama she's asleep. why don't you eat something.
but you'll hurt your eyes doin it there. come sit at the table.
please mama, eat something.
may i come in?
i want to see mr. and mrs. bodwin.
oh.
i'm looking for work. i was thinking they might know of some.
yes ma'am.
yes ma'am.
yes ma'am.
i miss her.
ya think?
fine. but what would i do at night?
in case of what?
they good whitefolks?
mama?. mama i'm going out.  mama, i got a job. working over at the bodwins at night. mr. bodwin coming over now to pick me up on his way back from town. i'll be staying there nights and coming back here for the daytime. we'll have some money, mama. mama?
i'm going help you, mama. don't you give up yet.
mama?
mama. nooooooo!
good morning, paul d.
don't pay to complain.
no. got me an afternoon job at the shirt factory. figure between that and my night work at the bodwins i might be able to put something away for me and mama.
more than all right. miss bodwin, she teach me stuff. book stuff. she says i might go to oberlin. she's experimenting on me.
no. not a bit all right. hasn't gotten out of bed since that day.
i don't know. i think i've lost my mother, paul d.
yes?
haven't seen her since that day. ella thinks she might be waiting in the woods for another chance but. i don't think so. mama thinks she's gone for good. says she can feel it.
at times. at other times i think she was. more. but who would know that better than you. i mean, you sure 'nough you her.
i don't. i have my own.
yes sir
thank you.
and paul d. you don't have to stay 'way, but be careful how you talk to my mama, hear?