Page 57 of Repentance and Absolution
“That’s only fair, I suppose.”
I pumped a bit of water at the sink and cleaned myself, then took a cloth o’er to Oscar and tended him with such tender care that he shook his head at me.
“I ain’t no china doll, y’know.”
“I know. But I like to be careful, just the same.”
“Uh, you just fucked me so hard I thought I was comin’ apart.”
I grinned. “Well, sometimes I like to cherish you and other times I like to wreck you. You seem to enjoy both so…”
He sat up and took my face in his hands. “I do, Jimmy. I surely do. You treat me so good. This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had. I know I don’t have much to compare it to, but t’was a magical day.”
“Yes, t’was. We make magic together.”
He smiled. “Sometimes I think we could power a whole town with the force of our connection.”
I laughed. “Maybe so. ’Tis potent enough.”
Oscar noticed the open box with the pocketwatch in it. He curled himself o’er so he could reach for it with this right hand. He scooped the gold trinket from its silk pillow and rolled himself back.
“This is so pretty, Jimmy. I love it,” he said, playing the chain through his fingers and touching the gold case. He turned it o’er and ran the tips of his fingers along the engraving of his name.
“Oscar Theodore Yates.” He grinned. “That’s me.”
“That’s you.”
He frowned. “Shame you couldn’t put some kind of romantic declaration on it.”
I smiled. “And what kind of romantic declaration would you have wanted?”
We both knew t’was impossible, but t’was fun to speculate.
“Hmm.” He gazed at the roof, thinking. Then he brought his coy gaze to mine. “One spank was never enough?”
I threw back my head and chortled. When I’d gotten a hold of myself, I looked at him.
“Now that might raise some eyebrows, and ’tis true enough—but not really an appropriate sentiment for the back of a pocketwatch.”
“Well, if I can’t have that, I’d just as soon only have my name.” He gazed on the etched gold with a fondness that clearly came from somewhere deep inside him. “Truly, Jimmy, this is so special. I’ll treasure it always.”
“I’m glad. You deserve all the gold and trinkets in the world, Oscar. I’m glad I could give you at least one.”
Chapter Thirteen
An Unexpected Encounter
A week passed before we decided to ride out to Clarence and Irene’s again. The weather had turned on Boxing Day, with frigid winds from the north and more snow, so we’d stayed home and wiled away the hours making love and going o’er Oscar’s letters. T’was not a bad way to spend a week, but we missed our new friends.
Oscar’s reading and writing was coming along fine, and I was proud of him. Now and then he cursed whoever was behind such a complicated system, but mostly he bent his head to it without complaint. I’d started giving him some figures to do as well, which he seemed more inclined to than the language. He was good at counting and figuring in his head, and he simply needed the skills to put it on paper. But he was getting there.
I was mighty proud of myself, too, for my patience. I’d never figured myself for a teacher. But to do something for Oscar, to ensure he could make his way in society even if I wasn’t around to help him? Well, that was an honest and worthwhile use of my time. I reckon my mama would have been proud of me, even if she might not have understood the love between Oscar and me. I don’t suppose she would have begrudged me having it. She’d have been more appalled by the fact I’d spent so much time with ruffians and murderers, a fact that I was growing more and more ashamed of. Now that I’d seen my share of goodness in the world, I don’t know what had possessed me to find my way with the likes of them. Immaturity and ignorance, I supposed—two of the most dangerous things a man had to deal with. At the time, it hadn’t seemed like a choice I was making but rather a circumstance that had been thrust upon me in the name of survival. I was wondering more and more if that were true or simply a justification I’d used to ease my conscience. T’was true that I’d not had many opportunities to prove myself to anyone but those low-life’s, but perhaps I should have searched some out instead of going along with them and believing their lies and subterfuges.
All of that was done and buried. I shook myself off from my reverie and picked up my hat.
“You wanna ride out to the Trelawneys’ place?” I asked.
Oscar’s head shot up and he threw down his pencil.
