Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered

229/260“Tea Cake, ’tain’t no use in you bein’ jealous uh me. In de firstplace Ah couldn’t love nobody but yuh. And in de second place, Ah jus’uh ole woman dat nobody don’t want but you.”“Naw, you ain’t neither. You only sound ole when you tell folkswhen you wuz born, but wid de eye you’se young enough tuh suit mostany man. Dat ain’t no lie. Ah knows plenty mo’ men would take yuhand work hard fuh de privilege. Ah done heard ’em talk.”“Maybe so, Tea Cake, Ah ain’t never tried tuh find out. Ah jus’know dat God snatched me out de fire through you. And Ah loves yuhand feel glad.”“Thank yuh, ma’am, but don’t say you’se ole. You’se uh lil girl babyall de time. God made it so you spent yo’ ole age first wid somebodyelse, and saved up yo’ young girl days to spend wid me.”“Ah feel dat uh way too, Tea Cake, and Ah thank yuh fuh sayin’ it.”“ ’Tain’t no trouble tuh say whut’s already so. You’se uh pretty womanoutside uh bein’ nice.”“Aw, Tea Cake.”“Yeah you is too. Everytime Ah see uh patch uh roses uh somethin’over sportin’ they selves makin’ out they pretty, Ah tell ’em ‘Ah wantyuh tuh see mah Janie sometime.’ You must let de flowers see yuhsometimes, heah, Janie?”“You keep dat up, Tea Cake, Ah’ll b’lieve yuh after while,” Janiesaid archly and fixed him back in bed. It was then she felt the pistolunder the pillow. It gave her a quick ugly throb, but she didn’t ask himabout it since he didn’t say. Never had Tea Cake slept with a pistol underhis head before. “Neb’ mind ’bout all dat cleanin’ round de front