Read Online By the Creek by Geoff Laughton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Geoff Laughton
Ads: Link
families had to double up in some homes, but we made it through,” Benjamin said with obvious relief.
David sat back down on the log, and Benjamin sat next to him. David turned to face his friend and Benjamin did the same, but neither of them seemed to have much to say. Their easy conversations from the previous summer seemed to have dried up. Instead, David’s gaze met Benjamin’s. He knew he should turn away, but he couldn’t, not when Benjamin’s huge blue eyes gazed back at him. For a few seconds, David saw a longing in Benjamin’s eyes that mirrored the one he’d kept deep in his heart all winter. David knew he must be mistaken. It wasn’t possible for Benjamin to feel the same way about him—was it?
“Do you ever have…,” Benjamin began, but then he stopped, looking away and down at the ground.
“What?” David whispered, his heart suddenly racing. “You can tell me anything.”
“Not this,” Benjamin said, shaking his head. “I can’t tell anyone about this.” Benjamin turned back to him, and David definitely saw his own turmoil, longing, and doubt reflected in Benjamin’s eyes.
“There isn’t anything so bad you can’t tell me,” David said without breaking eye contact. David saw some of the doubt in Benjamin’s expression shift and he sat up a little straighter.
“Are you sure?” Benjamin whispered. “I… this is something the community would never understand, and I don’t know how to talk to anyone about it. You’re the only person I know who isn’t…,” Benjamin sputtered, and David’s heart rate continued to ramp up along with his hope. If Benjamin told him what he was hoping he’d tell him, David knew he’d have someone to tell his own secret to. David could feel the words on the tip of his tongue. But Benjamin had to only say them first, so he could be sure he wouldn’t lose his friend forever. “I have these feelings that I—”
“Benjamin,” a young, wavery voice called, and David groaned softly. They’d been so close. David wanted to scream, but he schooled his expression. “Benjamin, where are you?” the voice called again, with a touch of fear.
“I’m on the other side of the creek, Jeremiah,” Benjamin called, turning in the direction of the voice. “There’s a log just up from the swimming hole that you can use to cross.” Benjamin turned back to him, and David knew the moment had passed. “It’s my little brother,” Benjamin explained, and a minute later a younger version of Benjamin, down to the same pants, shirt, and hat, walked into the clearing. He stopped and his mouth hung open when he saw David.
“Papa’s going to be mad,” he said in a singsongy way as he stood right next to Benjamin.
“Papa knows where I am,” Benjamin countered. “Come over here and say hello to David properly. He’s the man who helped save Papa this winter. David, this is Jeremiah.” Benjamin’s brother looked at David like he was from outer space.
“He won’t eat me, will he?” Jeremiah said in a loud stage whisper, and David smiled.
“Of course not,” Benjamin scolded. “What did you want?”
“Papa sent me to get you,” Jeremiah said, and Benjamin stood up.
“Go on back and tell him I’m on my way.” Jeremiah looked at David again and then hurried away at a run. “Don’t fall in the creek!” Benjamin called after his brother. “I’d better go,” Benjamin said reluctantly before following after his brother.
“I’ll see you soon,” David called, and Benjamin turned and waved before he disappeared around the bend in the path.
David sighed once he was alone, his heart slowing to normal as he thought about what he’d seen in Benjamin’s eyes and expression. He pondered it for a while and realized he was probably being ridiculous. Yes, Benjamin had something he’d been reluctant to talk about, but that didn’t mean it was what David hoped it was. Shaking his head at himself for jumping to conclusions, David stood up and headed
David sat back down on the log, and Benjamin sat next to him. David turned to face his friend and Benjamin did the same, but neither of them seemed to have much to say. Their easy conversations from the previous summer seemed to have dried up. Instead, David’s gaze met Benjamin’s. He knew he should turn away, but he couldn’t, not when Benjamin’s huge blue eyes gazed back at him. For a few seconds, David saw a longing in Benjamin’s eyes that mirrored the one he’d kept deep in his heart all winter. David knew he must be mistaken. It wasn’t possible for Benjamin to feel the same way about him—was it?
“Do you ever have…,” Benjamin began, but then he stopped, looking away and down at the ground.
“What?” David whispered, his heart suddenly racing. “You can tell me anything.”
“Not this,” Benjamin said, shaking his head. “I can’t tell anyone about this.” Benjamin turned back to him, and David definitely saw his own turmoil, longing, and doubt reflected in Benjamin’s eyes.
“There isn’t anything so bad you can’t tell me,” David said without breaking eye contact. David saw some of the doubt in Benjamin’s expression shift and he sat up a little straighter.
“Are you sure?” Benjamin whispered. “I… this is something the community would never understand, and I don’t know how to talk to anyone about it. You’re the only person I know who isn’t…,” Benjamin sputtered, and David’s heart rate continued to ramp up along with his hope. If Benjamin told him what he was hoping he’d tell him, David knew he’d have someone to tell his own secret to. David could feel the words on the tip of his tongue. But Benjamin had to only say them first, so he could be sure he wouldn’t lose his friend forever. “I have these feelings that I—”
“Benjamin,” a young, wavery voice called, and David groaned softly. They’d been so close. David wanted to scream, but he schooled his expression. “Benjamin, where are you?” the voice called again, with a touch of fear.
“I’m on the other side of the creek, Jeremiah,” Benjamin called, turning in the direction of the voice. “There’s a log just up from the swimming hole that you can use to cross.” Benjamin turned back to him, and David knew the moment had passed. “It’s my little brother,” Benjamin explained, and a minute later a younger version of Benjamin, down to the same pants, shirt, and hat, walked into the clearing. He stopped and his mouth hung open when he saw David.
“Papa’s going to be mad,” he said in a singsongy way as he stood right next to Benjamin.
“Papa knows where I am,” Benjamin countered. “Come over here and say hello to David properly. He’s the man who helped save Papa this winter. David, this is Jeremiah.” Benjamin’s brother looked at David like he was from outer space.
“He won’t eat me, will he?” Jeremiah said in a loud stage whisper, and David smiled.
“Of course not,” Benjamin scolded. “What did you want?”
“Papa sent me to get you,” Jeremiah said, and Benjamin stood up.
“Go on back and tell him I’m on my way.” Jeremiah looked at David again and then hurried away at a run. “Don’t fall in the creek!” Benjamin called after his brother. “I’d better go,” Benjamin said reluctantly before following after his brother.
“I’ll see you soon,” David called, and Benjamin turned and waved before he disappeared around the bend in the path.
David sighed once he was alone, his heart slowing to normal as he thought about what he’d seen in Benjamin’s eyes and expression. He pondered it for a while and realized he was probably being ridiculous. Yes, Benjamin had something he’d been reluctant to talk about, but that didn’t mean it was what David hoped it was. Shaking his head at himself for jumping to conclusions, David stood up and headed
Similar Books
