But she knew their names. She knew, and covered her ears with her fists to keep from hearingthem come from his mouth.
Janey heated some milk and poured it in a bowl next to a plate of cornbread. After some coaxing,Baby Suggs came to the table and sat down. She crumbled the bread into the hot milk anddiscovered she was hungrier than she had ever been in her life and that was saying something.
"They going to miss this?""No," said Janey. "Eat all you want; it's ours.""Anybody else live here?""Just me. Mr. Woodruff, he does the outside chores. He comes by two, three days a week.""Just you two?""Yes, ma'am. I do the cooking and washing.""Maybe your people know of somebody looking for help.""I be sure to ask, but I know they take women at the slaughterhouse.""Doing what?""I don't know.""Something men don't want to do, I reckon.""My cousin say you get all the meat you want, plus twenty-five cents the hour. She make summer sausage."Baby Suggs lifted her hand to the top of her head. Money? Money? They would pay her moneyevery single day? Money?
"Where is this here slaughterhouse?" she asked.
Before Janey could answer, the Bodwins came in to the kitchen with a grinning Mr. Garner behind.Undeniably brother and sister, both dressed in gray with faces too young for their snow-white hair."Did you give her anything to eat, Janey?" asked the brother.