FORGIVENESS EARNED

Tom was just a little boy when he lost both his parents, but he was adopted by the Franklins, and they took good care of him. Even though he never got the same clothes, books or play time the other kids had but he was not totally unhappy. He used his time to study and read many books, just to teach himself more about the world outside the dark castle. If he was not forced to work the stables, he would sit in his small room with the dim light and a torch to read but Aunt Hilda usually came to scold him. You are going to need glasses one of these days Tom! Please come to the sunroom and read there, it has big windows and more direct light. But Tom refused because Ray would always taunt him or throw accusations around about him and he is sick of it. He will take some of his spending money to buy a better torch or some kind of lamp when they go to town again. It was only a few days away and he had a few dollars saved, he can also get a warm jersey or maybe that tweed jacket he likes so much. He knows Aunt Hilda will have a fit if he buys clothing, but he wants that jacket, and it will help with the cold weather in the morning. He refuses to wear any hand me downs from Ray and would rather buy it himself. Uncle Gray will give them their spending monies tomorrow after they have done their work, and he can then see how much he has for the lamp or torch and the jacket. He hopes that he will be able to afford both, and still have some pennies left for the school project. He never asks for extra money or for extra books he provides for himself. Tom did ask Uncle Gray if he could stay in the room above the stables, but his uncle refused saying he is family and needs to stay in the castle, but his room is one of the coldest and smallest. He feels like a house worker and not a part of the family, they treat him the same although he sometimes feels like a drowned cat. One day he will leave here, get on a ship and sail far away, get a decent job and fend for himself. No more Ray or Amelia to treat him like garbage, or something the cat dragged in. Why did the accident happen and killed both his parents? He still can't understand what really happened, but he will find out and if there is foul play the person or people involved will have to answer him. Faintly he heard the dinner bell and stood up to wash his hands, draw a comb through his black wavy hair. He got down before anybody else and waited in the hall, he knew his uncle did not like anybody to sit at the table before him or aunty. While he was waiting the door to the study opened and his uncle came out, with a warm greeting on his lips. Tom greeted him back and saw his aunty coming down the stairs, she looked a bit pale and unsteady on her feet. When she reached them, he took her small hand in his and asked softly, are you ok aunty or do you feel unwell? She smiled and said oh no dear I have a headache but already took something for it, in a few minutes it will pass, but thank you for asking. His uncle looked at them and said, "My dear you know Tom cares a lot about us and he will be curious. She nodded and smiled even though it was faint, yes, I know he is. The door to the dining hall opened and at the table is Ray and Amelia seated before their parents. Uncle Gray cleared his throat and looked at both with a cold stare. They stood up but offered no excuse and looked at him as if he was to blame for his uncle's stare. But he just ignored them both, pulled his aunt's chair out and saw that she was comfortably seated. He then went to sit down opposite Ray and Amelia, they both looked at him with hatred in their eyes, but he didn't care. He is used to it, and it doesn't bother him anymore, they are menaces and he is above that. The cook came in and served the soup, they ate in silence and then they served the lamb with vegetables and some rice. He tried to eat it all, but they kept on staring at him, and he started to feel uncomfortable in their presence. He finished as much of his food as possible and then asked to be excused, having an answer ready if his uncle asked why. His uncle just nodded his head and kept on eating, so Tom excused himself again and stood up, kissed his aunt's cheek, and walked out the door. He heard his uncle's voice before he reached the stairs, you two must stop this nonsense! He is your cousin, and he deserves to be treated better! You think because you are our children you can get away with your bad manners and your silly attitudes! But if this won't stop, I will be forced to let Tom stay in the cottage and give him his own butler and maid. Something I know you desperately want Ray, even you Amelia but you both keep on treating him like he is a villain and not family! I'm tired of the both of you and your pettiness. This must stop immediately or there will be consequences do I make myself clear enough for both of you? Tom could hear the venom in his voice, and he wished he could see their faces right now, because he knows they both want that cottage. And suddenly he wished that it could happen there is ample space for his books and his clothing, he would not worry about a butler or a cook or even a housekeeper, but it would be something he wants. He took the stairs two at a time and closed his door softly after him, went to lie on his bed, closed his eyes and started praying not that he believes in prayer but just in case. Later the room got very dark and although he was not asleep, he still lay down with his clothes on and stared out the small window, seeing a few stars. He wondered why they were treating him like that ever since his uncle brought him home that fateful day. He was barely three years old and so very scared, because he didn't understand what had happened, and wanted his mom's arms around him. But his uncle and aunt explained to him what happened and that they are his parents now. It was a very traumatic experience for him, and he remembered he cried most of the time, but he never felt safe around those two. Yes, his uncle and aunt did give him a bit more attention when he was still small and cried a lot about losing his parents but that does not give them reason to hate him! The next morning, he wakes very early still in his clothes and decides to go shower quickly and go to the stables, he wants to see that new stallion his uncle bought, and he needs to clean out the stables before Ray came for his riding. He does not want to see that arrogant bastard so early; he is fed up with his attitude and his sneers. When he got to the stables it was just getting light and he worked quickly to clean everything, then he gave all the horses their feed and when he got to the stallion's cubicle, he saw that there was something wrong with the stallion, he opened the gate and went in kneeled beside the stallion and started talking softly to the beautiful horse. He took the bit out the horse's mouth and saw there were some sores in it. He shouted at the stable hand to go get his uncle immediately and to ask his uncle to call the vet. While he was waiting, he kept on talking softly and stroking the stallion to keep it calm. Ray came in there and started shouting, "what the devil have you done to my stallion? Tom looked at his nephew with coldness in his eyes, this stallion's mouth is full of sores because of the bit you left in! Ray shouted you lying, you did this! Tom just stroked the beautiful horse and said nothing because he was afraid that he would get up knock his nephew out just to get him quiet. His uncle and the vet arrived together, and his uncle asked the stable hand who left the bit in the stallion's mouth, the poor man was so scared he didn't want to answer, but Tom assured him that he will be safe to answer, so he told them that he saw Ray put the bit in the stallion's mouth last night before he went for dinner. His uncle got so upset with Ray that he slapped him and told him that this stallion was not his and that the stallion was a birthday present for Tom! He asked Ray who gave him permission to do something like that, but Ray just stared at the floor without saying anything.