Chapter Text
Bright oranges, pinks and yellows painted the evening sky as the sun completed its daily routine of slipping beneath the horizon ever so elegantly. The country side was as peaceful as can be, folks settling in for the evening after a long day at work to be with their loved ones. The chirping of birds faded and was replaced with the steady, careful noises of insects coming out for their nightly runs. All was serene.
That was until a loud clanking of a metal fork against a porcelain plate disrupted the peace.
A young man sitting across from his mother at their wooden dinner table lowered his gaze to the meal on his plate, feeling her hard stare on him. Dolly Nolan stared at her son with a serious gaze, her entire expression contorted in confusion and utter disbelief. The tension in the air was suffocating; neither of them saying anything for what could have very well been an eternity.
“... North? You want to go North?”
The mother finally spoke up, putting the palms of her gentle hands flat against the wooden surface of the table, leaning forward in the slightest to try and look at her son’s face. He kept his face down, nervously moving a vegetable around his dinner plate and not replying. Dolly pursed her lips before sighing and shaking her head, dirty blonde curls bouncing with the movement.
“Ellis, honey... Why would you want to go up North- what’s wrong with here? What’s wrong with home?”
Ellis shifted his gaze up from his plate to meet a matching set of blue eyes, tonguing the inside of his cheek in momentary fit of nervousness. He knew it was bad idea to tell his mother about his desire to go North. He had confided in his best friends days before and they all told him that telling his mama was what he had to do. So he was doing just that and turns out his friends weren’t all that great at advice giving.
“Nothin’s wrong with home, Ma, honest. ‘s just I got to thinkin’- ‘bout New York a lot lately. I mean s’all in the papers and I hear people talkin’ ‘bout it all day at work. Hell, it’s even Keith got worked up ‘bout it. So I got lookin’ into it and the more I learned the more I wanted to just up and see-“
“You shouldn’t listen to what Keith’s got to say ‘bout New York, El, boy’s got a screw loose.” Dolly cut him off curtly, arms folded across her chest. Ellis mustered up a smile for his mother and a small chuckle.
“Yeah, I know Ma, but that’s not why I wanna go! I mean, sure, Keith did push me a bit to look into it some more n’ stuff, but this is all my decision. Honest, Ma.” Ellis’ gaze was pleading, trying to work that puppy dog face that he knew his mother had a hard time saying no to.
Dolly shook her head, bringing her hands up to rub her temples with her finger tips, the action slightly skewing the handkerchief she used to keep her hair swept back. She huffed as she stood up, picking up her plate and walking a few paces away from the dining table into the kitchen to set her plate down on the nearest counter. Ellis looked at his mother’s back for a moment before Dolly turned around, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms as she looked at her son seriously.
“... Aw, c’mon ma, no need to be sore with me.” Ellis started as he stood up, Dolly not batting a lash.
“I know it’s sudden n’ all, but this is what I really wanna do- what I’ve been wantin’ to do! There’s so much possibility in the North, Ma, what with all them companies. I bet’chuu that they need a good mechanic often to fix all that machinery they got- not to mention all them cars up North.” The youth explained, walking until he was in front of his mother. Ellis paused for a moment, his mother’s gaze unchanged. He averted his eyes down before continuing.
“I just really wanna be part of all’a that, Ma...”
Dolly closed her brilliant blue eyes and let out a sigh, bringing one hand up to her forehead. She slowly shook her head, a crease of worry between her brows. She didn’t say anything for a brief moment before sighing again, louder and almost irritated in nature.
“Yer so much like yer father an’ you don’t even know it.” She stated with a bit of a grimace, shaking her head slowly as she massaged her forehead with careful fingertips. Ellis stayed quiet then, chewing nervously on his lower lip as he watched for some kind of sign, an answer even.
After a few beats of silence, Dolly lowered her hand and opened her eyes, turning her gaze to her son. The corners of her mouth twitched in the slightest before a small smile graced her lips, the tension on her face still evident despite the forced smile.
“... I get it, El, I get it. The glitz and glamour goin’ on up North can only be ignored for so long-“
“Ma, that’s not why-“
“But,” Dolly stressed, cutting her son off as he had did her. “I understand that’chuu got yer reasons. And I’ll respect that, honey. Yer an ambitious boy, just like your Pa was.” A sad smile came across her lips briefly before she brought her hands up Ellis’ face, holding his head in her palms as she made him look at her, two matching pairs of blue eyes meeting.
“Yer old enough to know what’chuu want, El, and if New York is yer dream... Then I’ll respect it. I’m not sayin’ that I support’chuu runnin’ off to that huge city... But I will respect that yer a grown boy now and that’chuu y’know what’chuu want. I really don’t want ya to go up to New York but if that’s truly what you want El...” Dolly reasoned, a smile spreading across her son’s face as he nodded. She rolled her eyes and matched the smile, pecking a kiss on his forehead and letting him go to push him back to face the table.
“Now, do me a favour and finish yer damn dinner, yeah?” The mother mused, turning back to the counter so she could put her plate in the sink with the rest of the dinner dishes. Ellis shot his mother a grin, walking back over to the table to sit down and finish eating.
Just as he sat, the front door just behind him was shoved open, heavy footsteps making more than enough noise to disturb the peace echoing all through the house. Ellis looked over his shoulder mid-bite, a familiar face greeting him with a grin.
“Hoo-whee, just in time fer dinner too! Thank God, I thought I was gonna be there all night.” Keith mused as he strolled in, Dolly looking over her shoulder to offer a kind smile to other man.
“Evenin’, Keith. There’s warm rolls in the oven and everythin’ else is on the table.”
“Thank ya, Mrs. Nolan, yer an angel.” Keith said wistfully, going over to plant a kiss on her cheek in greeting before going right ahead and fixing himself a plate. Ellis’ grin didn’t falter, snatching the warm roll from Keith’s plate when the man set it on the table. Keith went to reach for it, only to have Ellis practically stuff it in his mouth and grin at his friend in reponse. With a ridiculous pout, Keith got another roll before settling down at the table and wasting no time stuffing his face.
“Did El tell’ya ‘bout his plans already?” Keith asked with his mouth partially full. Dolly poured him a drink, going over and setting it on the table in front of the man, giving a tight lipped smile.
“He sure did, not long before you showed up. Don’t tell me that yer wantin’ to go on up to New York too?” She insinuated, crossing her arms and narrowing her pretty blue eyes skeptically. Keith held up a hand in defense as he chewed before responding.
“Nah, it’s not mah place. I’m just helpin’ the sucker prepare and all that shi- stuff.” Keith corrected himself with a firm nod, getting a punch in the shoulder from Ellis. Dolly smiled and shook her head, going and pouring herself a drink before taking her place at the table with her two favourite boys.
Keith had been grand to them since Ellis’ father passed in the Great War back in 1913. Ellis had been only 13 at the time; Keith being almost seven years older than him was already a working man. He took it upon himself to care for the Nolan’s after Dolly’s husband had passed, helping them so much so that Dolly didn’t even know how to begin to repay him. He was a ray of sunshine in a dark time and he certainly helped Ellis to become the bright, exuberant boy he was now- as well as aiding Dolly through such a difficult time.
Dolly was entirely caught up in her thoughts, Ellis and Keith’s vivid discussion becoming comforting white noise as per usual. Her reminiscing did little to take her mind off of the issue at hand. Ellis didn’t give her a solid enough reason for departing and she wasn’t sure she could handle having her baby boy living that far away from her. So many things could go wrong...
“What are you doin’ for funds?” Dolly blurted out suddenly, interrupting Keith- who just shut his mouth and turned back to his food to let Ellis deal with his mother. Ellis looked at her, blinking for a moment before smiling.
“I’ve been savin’ up for a long time now. Saved up a whole $12.” Ellis said proudly, seeing his mother’s worry dissipate into surprise. He figured she didn’t think he’d been planning on this for a long while, but he had been. Oh, boy had he been.
“It’s enough to get me started. Jim- y’know Jersey Jim from the down the street?- yeah, he was tellin’ me ‘bout how he knows a few things ‘bout New York and wouldn’t mind comin’ up with me and showin’ me the ropes before lettin’ me free. At least until I get a job.” Ellis explained, trying to ease his mother’s worry in vain.
“Yeah, like today he was tellin’ me he knows some folks up in New York that I can stay with- real nice people too! ‘Parently they would know how to get me a job workin’ with machinery and stuff. Jersey Jim knows everythin’ ‘bout New York. I reckon I’d be just fine with him helpin’ me out for a week or so.” The youth finished, seeing a bit of the tension leave Dolly’s body language as she sat up and finished off her drink.
“We’ll see.” She stressed before standing up, heading over to the kitchen sink to wash the temporarily abandoned dinner dishes.
“Ho- wait Mrs. Nolan, I’ll take care of them dishes.” Keith said quickly, raising his hand as if the action would get her attention. Dolly looked over at him, raising her eyebrows before smiling, hands on her hips.
“Well aren’t ‘chuu a dear... Alright, Keith, thank ya. I’m gonna head up to bed then, boys, you hold down the fort from here.” The mother said as she untied her apron from around her waist and hung it up, smoothing over the front of her light blue dress. She kissed Ellis’ cheek in good night before heading upstairs silently.
Keith was leaning over the table as she ascended the stairs, holding up a hand in front Ellis’ face to keep him from speaking. They listened to the soft sounds of Dolly padding towards her room before the near-silent sound of her bedroom door clicking shut resounded. The second it did, a huge grin spread across Keith’s face.
“We’re in the clear.” Keith whispered to Ellis, who was grinning just as brightly as his friend was. The two scarfed down the remainder of their dinner before Keith took over dish washing duty, Ellis sitting on the counter next to him, reading over a New York newspaper that Keith had managed to get a hold of for him.
“... Aww man, this place is gonna be so great.” Ellis declared with a massive grin, reading the articles to the best of his ability. He could read better than most people he knew and he was so damn grateful to his mama for teaching him or else he wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy the incredible text of the newspaper.
“I heard Jersey Jim say that them white folks up North are dancin’ and stuff to that black music- whatever it’s called. Can you believe that? I know I can’t- those stuffy Northerners- but I bet’chuu’ll find out for us all, huh El?” Keith commented mostly to himself, drying dishes and putting them away after he finished washing them. Ellis hadn’t heard any of this, admiring the pictures that littered the paper, the big words, and the ambition that literally radiated off of the pages. He needed to go there.
Ellis was so wrapped up in his reading that he wasn’t hearing a damn thing Keith was saying. His attention was brutally ripped away from the precious paper when Keith snatched it away from him, the older man holding it away from his younger companion when he reached out for it in protest.
“Hey- calm down with the readin’ there. You comin’ into work tomorrow or are ya gonna be packin’ all day?” He asked, folding up the paper neatly as he could- which wasn’t all too neat.
“ ‘s not like I’m leavin’ right away, Keith. I’ll probably head out in maybe... three days or somethin’. Depends on what Jim says. I’ll come into work tomorrow, yeah. We’ll see about them later days, though- and what’cuu mean spend all day packin’? What do ya think I’m bringing- the whole damn house?” Ellis grinned, snagging the paper back to fold it properly.
“Wouldn’t put it passed you, El. I bet I’ll wake up with mah ass stuffed in a suitcase on a train to Brooklyn.” Keith teased as he crossed the house, proceeding to shut the windows and lock the doors. Ellis hopped down from counter, newspaper tucked under his arm before he headed for the stairs, shaking his head at Keith’s comment.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see ya in the mornin’, Keith. Wake me up for work.”
Keith gave him a thumbs up over his shoulder just as Ellis ascended the stairs, careful not to make too much noise. He knew his mom was asleep by now, considering there was no light shining through the cracks of her door, but damn was she a light sleeper. So he snuck by her room as quiet as can be, nudging open his bedroom door and slipping inside, closing the door silently behind him.
Ellis leaned against the door, his room illuminated by the moonlight so he could maneuver around just fine. He went over to his bedside table and yanked open the drawer, putting the newspaper in his hands with the rest. The drawer was starting to get cluttered from the copious amount of Northern newspapers in there. It was his pride and joy- a special stash with papers ranging from Detroit, Chicago, New York, and Boston. He nudged it closed with his foot, ruffling up his curly hair as he walked over to the nearby wardrobe.
The youth’s mind was abuzz with nothing but New York as he changed into his nightly attire, unable to keep a grin off of his face. His mama didn’t like the idea but she was letting him decide for himself- which he was grateful for. Dolly had a history of being real strict with her boy with these kinds of things so he was incredibly lucky she was handing over the reins for once.
He really couldn’t blame her disapproval of his leaving, considering he was all the family she had left in Savannah. Her parents lived up in Kentucky and the rest of her family was all the way in Great Plains. She’d still have Keith and his mama to keep her company, but he knew it wasn’t the same as having her baby boy with her constantly. He felt a little guilty about that but he was doing this for the both of them. The money he’d get out of working up North would sure come in handy for his mama.
Putting the guilt aside and dressing, Ellis shuffled over to his bed and lifted the covers, settling himself in his bed. He doubted he’d get much sleep right now, what with his mind going a mile a minute. He began making himself a mental “to-do list” for the morning to keep himself occupied.
First things first, he had to go to work- of course. But right after work he would head on over to Jim’s place and discuss the journey with him and whatnot- maybe buy his train ticket. Ellis had money tucked away for his train ticket- not part of his $12 spending pool. After that, come home and tell his mama everything and, God willing, get her warmed up to the idea.
A smile spread across his lips as Ellis closed his eyes, picturing himself in the big city living like all those hot shots he’d been seeing in the papers for weeks. He prayed that within the week he would be setting foot in New York City, ready to make a new life for himself in these exciting times.