April 1937
Months, to be exact 5 months; every weekend for 5 months Lem had come to visit Jack. And most of the time was filled with Lem just sitting in a chair silently. Jack asked for forgiveness....or at least he had for the first 4 weekends, and slowly the apologies dwindled.
"Morning." Lem opened the hospital door.
"I hate this."
"Lying in bed all day?"
"Yes."
"Well that's not true, I take you out on walks in the wheelchair."
Jack blew out a breath. He'd learned over these months that Lem's anger was a never ending blizzard. It was icy and cold. It's a type of coldness that seeped into your bones. It froze his face, and made laughter feel like wind. And when Jack got frustrated at the anger he called Lem 'The Ice King' but only in his head. Then guilt would sink in, because Lem was angry over three sentences.
"You know what I mean." Jack smiled
"Actually, I don't." Lem's face didn't move a muscle,
Jack inwardly cringed.
"I'm sorry."
Lem understood what Jack was apologizing for. He was apologizing for what he'd done months ago, But Lem was still angry. The anger had evolved from being about a letter, to the simple fact that once Lem accepted the apology Jack would go back to being the same. He wouldn't change, because Jack has never needed to change.
Lem pulled out a chair, and started cutting up an apple. He left the slices on a napkin. He felt Jack watch the entire process. He felt those piercings eyes catch the movements he made. He stared as Lem put the knife away. He stared as he pulled out his textbooks from his bag, he stared as Lem studied.
"Are you going to keep watching me, or are you going to study?"
"I'd rather watch you."
"You're going to fail your first year."
"Fine...I'll study." Jack continued to watch Lem.
"What is it now?" Lem sighed as he looked up from his books.
"Can you get my textbooks from the bag on the floor."
Lem silently placed the books on the makeshift desk over Jack's bed.
"Thank you."
Lem didn't bother replying and went back to studying.
YOU ARE READING
A well kept secret
Historical FictionLem did not expect to meet the love of his life in high school. Nor did he expect to give absolutely everything to that man. But in a time where love between two men is sin, and with the entire world watching them how could they ever have their happ...
