Clarence nodded. “Sure.”
I examined the gash and decided how best to go about sewing it up.
Oscar stood watching, Irene holding his arm and squeezing his hand as she looked on with a face full of worry. T’was too much and making me more nervous than I needed to be.
“Why don’t the two of you play another concert for Clarence and me while I tend to him? T’will take your mind off things and give Clarence a distraction.”
I’d told them not to mind if Clarence passed out. I didn’t think he’d lost too much blood but he’d lost some, and now with the pain and the stress of it, he might just black out—but maybe not.
It took about twenty minutes to get that wound sewed up closed. I wanted to do it quick because I knew t’would hurt, but I also wanted to take my time and do it right.
In the end, he didn’t black out and he didn’t make much noise, just watched Oscar and Irene at the piano and lost himself in the music, hissing a few times when the needle caught on his skin. It had been a good idea to have Irene play.
When I was done, I wrapped his leg carefully in the surgical dressings and fastened some clean cloths o’er top.
When I’d finished, washed my hands and Clarence was resting comfortably, the relief of all that stress made me giddy, and I walked right up to Oscar where he was finishing a song and took him in my arms, holding him close and letting his warmth melt me. Irene got up from the bench and went to see to her husband.
“Jimmy, I knew there was something special about Irene and Clarence. I could tell.”
I nuzzled into Oscar’s neck, enjoying his comforting and familiar scent after what had been a harrowing afternoon.
“Seems an awful strange coincidence that we ended up bein’ neighbors. I can’t fathom it.”
Oscar shrugged. “Maybe it’s God saying he gave us kind neighbors who will know who we are to each other, even though we have to keep it a secret from everyone else.” He took my face between his hands. “I reckon God forgives all those things you done when you were lost from his flock, and this is his way of showing it.”
I blinked in surprise, trying to shake my head, but Oscar held me firm.
“But—but—it ain’t that simple…” I protested.
“Ain’t it? You’ve shown kindness and care to me, you brought me here and you convinced me to make a go of my uncle’s land, and all while Clarence and Irene were here, just waiting for us. Seems pretty simple to me.”
I tightened my arms around my precious boy and buried my face in his shoulder, hoping he was right, that God had forgiven me and had given us his blessing.
Chapter Fourteen
Friendship
Before we left, I built up the fire in the bedroom, and Oscar and I moved Clarence in there. I told Irene to keep Clarence’s wound clean and dry and to apply fresh bandages every day. If we were lucky, it wouldn’t become infected and would heal o’er the course of a few weeks. But she had to keep him from moving about too much, which seemed like it might be a challenge.
Oscar and I went o’er every day. We brought Poke, put him out in the paddock with the others and did the chores that needed doing in the barn and the house. I chopped wood and looked after the animals, and Oscar helped Irene with the washing and the cleaning, so she’d have more time to look after Clarence. We’d bring our washing o’er, too, and Oscar and Irene would do everything together and hang it up to dry in front of the fire, where Clarence spent his days on the settee, so he could see something other than the bedroom walls.
The wound did get better, and it didn’t become infected. Irene had enough bear meat to make steaks and stews and all kinds of delicious meals. Oscar and I slept at our small kitchen-house but spent most of our time at their place. Now that they knew about us and we knew about them, we were comfortable in their presence and could be our true selves, only feeling obliged to conceal the strange games we got up to in private. They didn’t need to know aboutthat,and they might not understand. I decided t’was good to havesomesecrets.
Oscar and Irene became even closer friends, whispering and plotting together and making fun of me and Clarence. T’was nice to see Oscar bond with someone like Irene, who shared his optimism and his ability to find amusement in just about anything.
Clarence and I, though not as free with our affection, developed a bond, too. Seemed like stitching up someone’s leg right next to their important parts brought two people together, especially when they shared a secret not to be divulged to anyone.
“You really kept it hidden your whole life?” I asked him one day, when Oscar and Irene were changing the bed sheets in the other room.
Clarence grunted. “Sure. I didn’t want nothing to do with womanhood, and I ain’t thought of myself that way since I was a child. My folks didn’t care one whit. When we moved to a new town, they called me Clarence like I asked them to, and said ‘he’, and folks have accepted me ever since. Although, if it ever got out that my privates don’t match, t’would be awkward.” Clarence sighed. “Strange how people can be, ain’t it, Jimmy?”
“’Tis. I don’t understand it, and that’s a fact. Seems like people should be allowed to be who they truly are and dress the way they like, even if ’tis just for fun but especially if ’tis because that’s how they see themselves.” I chuckled, remembering. “That girl we know at the cathouse in Telegraph Creek—Caliope—why, she dressed Oscar up in stockings and a basque and made him all pretty for me one time.”
Clarence raised his brows. “My goodness.” He glanced toward the bedroom and lowered his voice. “I bet he looked mighty fine. I can almost picture it.”
I felt heat light my cheeks, remembering how I’d responded. “Yeah, well, he did look fine…and tempting. I—” I cleared my throat, going even redder. “I took him to bed right then and there, and I reckon we both had fun.”
A gleam shone in Clarence’s eyes. “I reckon you did.”
