Read Online Saviours of Oestend Oestend 2 by Marie Sexton - Free Book Online Page B

boots, and he pulled out a bottle of whisky. He put it gently in Simon’s hands. It was as if the boy had read Simon’s mind.
He sat back down where he’d been, and Simon took a swig from the bottle. Then another. “So?” Frances said cautiously. “ Never since you were nineteen?”
Simon wanted to smile at that. But he also wanted to cry. “Not ‘never.’ I’ve failed. More times than I want to say. But not for quite a few years. And not since I found the BarChi.”
“It’s no coincidence you’re out here on the back end of nowhere with no women in sight, is it?”
“It sure ain’t.”
Simon took another drink. He knew Frances was trying to figure out how to put his thoughts into words. He could tell by the way Frances sat, next to him on the bunk as always, but turned towards him, one leg tucked underneath himself.
“It was my fault when Miron died,” Frances said at last. His tone was matter-of-fact. He never balked at the dark stain on his past. He faced it head-on, every time it arose. “I don’t know where I’d be in this world right now if weren’t for you. You saved my life.”
The words sounded dramatic, but Simon knew Frances meant them. They’d had this talk before, and Simon knew not to argue. But then Frances surprised him by veering into a new conversation.
“Simon, I think you know how I feel about you. I know it probably makes you uncomfortable, but I don’t want to lie.” His voice shook as he said the words, but his eyes remained steady on Simon’s. “I know you don’t feel the same way about me, and you probably never will, and that’s all right. I don’t expect that to change. I guess I just want you to know that I think the good you’ve done far outweighs the bad.”
Frances’ smile was shy. He hesitated a heartbeat, then leaned closer. Simon held very still, a bit afraid of where things were going, but unwilling to do anything that might make Frances regret what he’d just said. Frances touched the side of Simon’s head, gently pushing his hair back out of the way, then Frances leaned closer still, and Simon felt the boy’s lips against his ear. “I love you,” he whispered. And then Frances kissed him there, just in front of his ear. “I’m awfully glad you came to the back end of nowhere.”
The confession caused a small lump to form in Simon’s throat. It wasn’t because Frances was admitting his feelings so much as because the boy was exposing his soul, exactly as Simon had just done. Simon had given Frances his deepest, darkest secret, and Frances was responding in kind. He was letting Simon know that they had equal stakes in their friendship.
Frances sat back slowly. Simon saw the way his hands shook. He saw the fear in Frances’ eyes. This secret was the greatest gift Frances had to give, and he was afraid it would be rejected, or worse, that it would cost him their friendship.
“Thanks, kid,” Simon said. Frances was right. Simon wasn’t in love with him and he knew he never would be, but he cared for him more than Frances probably knew. He appreciated having somebody he could trust with his secrets as well as his life.
He looked down at the bottle of whisky in his hand. It was tempting to drink it all and spend the day being numb, but he knew from experience it wouldn’t help. He’d end up lost in the past, thinking of all the things he should have done differently.
“Come on,” Frances said suddenly as he stood up. “Let’s get out of here.”
“And go where?”
“Swimming.”
“Are you nuts? There’s still chores to do, and—”
“Fuck ‘em.”
It was so unlike him, it made Simon laugh out loud. “Are you serious?”
“We’re always the responsible ones. We deserve a day off. Nobody will even know.” Frances smiled at him, his blue eyes bright with a challenge. “I bet I can skip a rock twice as far as you.”
Simon laughed. “Not a chance, kid.”
“Only one way to find out.”
Simon weighed his options. Frances was right.