Theo let out a long sigh. “Thank heavens.”
“I can tell you’re relieved too. It won’t take me long to learn, though, cuz I’m excellent at following directions and I like to do a great job, so it shouldn’t be too hard. Although, sometimes I do get distracted. Or bored.” He grinned at Theo. “But I won’t give up, you’ll see.”
“I’m sure I will. I have a feeling we’re going to get along even better than I’d hoped. But now that we don’t have to bother with your belongings, we can get you fed—which is much more fun anyway.”
“You’re right, it is. If we go to a diner, I can afford a cheese sandwich or ham roll. I don’t have enough to buy you one of your own, but if you don’t mind, we can share.”
Theo covered his mouth for a moment, then reached down to squeeze Francesco’s knee before gripping the steering wheel again. The touch had been exciting, even though it had happened so fast. He thought his dick might have even perked up a bit.
“It’s okay if you want to put your hand back on my leg. I don’t mind.” He was being awfully forward, but he couldn’t help it.
“Francesco…” Theo wrinkled his brow as though he were thinking very deep thoughts.
Maybe he doesn’t want to touch me that way.
Theo patted his leg, then glanced his way to give him a smile before returning his gaze to the road. “I need to make sure that when you let me touch you, that it’s because it makes you happy, fills you with desire—not because you’re grateful.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not grateful at all!” Francesco frowned to himself. Something hadn’t come out right. “Wait. That’s not what I meant. What I wanted to say is that it fills me with a whole bunch of desire. I swear. I’ve been pretending ever since I met you that we could be together the way I’ve hoped I could once I finally became a gentleman.” He shrugged. “And had money and other things that made someone think I was worth it.”
Theo let out a small growl. “Stop that. One of the first things I want you to learn is that it upsets me when you say uncomplimentary things about yourself. I don’t want to hear anything from your mouth that suggests you’re bad, or unworthy or anything along those lines. Am I clear?”
“Yes, sir. Very clear.”
Theo snorted. “That works too.”
“Huh?” Francesco assumed there would be many times while he was learning to be a gentleman when he wouldn’t understand what Theo was talking about.
“Let’s just say that there’s much to discuss between us. Everything is new for you and I, but that’s exciting, isn’t it?”
Francesco bounced on the leather seat. He wanted to bounce so hard that he might fly out of the open window. “So exciting. Are you glad? Does it make you happy that I’m staying with you? Because it makes me happier than I can ever remember being, ever and ever.”
“Francesco?”
“Yeah?”
“Remember when we talked about waiting to give people a chance to answer when you ask a question?”
Drat. “I do remember. I’m sorry. But you’re not mad at me, are you? Like you said you wouldn’t be, even if I futz up?”
Theo chuckled. “No. I’m not mad. You’re too endearing for me to be angry with.”
Francesco decided that the first thing he would do was learn bigger words. He’d used the dictionary at the library lots, and knew how to do it and everything. But he figured that ‘endearing’ was almost the same as ‘dear’, which was what his nana had called him when she was still alive.
“Now, back to getting you fed—”
“You’re going to eat with me too, though, right?”
Theo placed his palm on Francesco’s knee, but this time it stayed. He forgot all about bouncing and hearing Theo’s response and stared at his hand instead. It was so warm and gentle and it made his dick plump right up. If one small touch could make him so crazy, he was sure he’d explode if Theo did anything else.
“When I’m speaking to you, the best way for us to have a good conversation is if you wait until I’m all finished before you say what you want to say.”
Francesco tore his gaze from Theo’s beautiful hand. “I interrupted, didn’t I?” He made sure he stopped right there and didn’t blather.
“You did. But that’s okay, just another thing to work on.”
“To please you?”
“Yes, love, to please me.”
Francesco’s jaw dropped. He said love. Love! Francesco knew better than to believe that it meant that Theo actually loved him, that it was another way of saying ‘dear’, but it still meant things were getting better between them all the time. It meant that Theo might want to get friendly with him after all.
Chapter Five
Theo observed as Francesco gobbled down his hamburger while occasionally licking his fingers clean and stuffing in a French-fried potato to break things up. Theo had already warned him to slow down so he wouldn’t get sick, and he’d do it for one bite, then start shoving his food in so fast, Theo also worried that he might choke. Other than his comments to take his time eating out of concern for Francesco’s wellbeing, he hadn’t admonished him about anything else. Instead, he ate his own burger in silence so that Francesco could enjoy what was probably the biggest meal he’d had in ages. They could worry about manners later.
Francesco suddenly stopped chewing and set down the last bite of his sandwich. Half of Theo’s burger remained uneaten, but he hadn’t been all that hungry anyway. The only reason he’d ordered something was so that Francesco wouldn’t feel self-conscious. He’d been so touched when Francesco had offered to buy a sandwich with his last ten cents then share it between them, that he’d almost been brought to tears. He hadn’t been plagued with so many emotions in ages.
But I do believe it’s about time.
Something about the young man had sparked him to life and he didn’t intend to waste it. He had also been greatly relieved to discover that Francesco was an adult. But even though he wanted to be closer to him than merely as a friend, he needed to temper his urges to allow Francesco time to adjust to his new situation. He no longer doubted Francesco’s genuine interest in him, but there was a lot to consider before they moved forward.
Not the least of which is my desires that go beyond romance.
Francesco hadn’t moved since finishing his meal. He rested his hands on either side of his plate with his eyes glazed over.
“Francesco? Is everything all right?”
“I feel kinda funny. I ain’t had that much food in a long time.” He gripped the edge of the table as he glanced up at Theo with a wrinkled brow. “I think you were right about not eating so fast.”
“Do you think you might vomit?” Theo needed to get him to the men’s room if that were the case. The diner they were in would unlikely appreciate the reappearance of Francesco’s lunch.
“No. I hate doing that.” Beads of sweat had blossomed on Francesco’s upper lip and at his hairline. “And anyway, I won’t waste such a good meal. But I might need to lie down for a spell.”
“Let’s get you out of here then. I can pick up a Bromo-seltzer for you at the drugstore around the corner, then you can rest in the car for the ride home. I’m not very far from here.”
Francesco looked quite unhappy and Theo was sorry he hadn’t been more vehement about making him slow down. He wouldn’t get very far with Francesco’s training if he coddled him too much. Theo mentally chastised himself. Slow, remember? Some guidance would be fine until a more formal arrangement was discussed, and anyway, Francesco had expressed the desire to learn to be a gentleman, so they could at least start with that.
“Here, love.” Theo picked up the small, red-checkered cotton napkin that still lay folded next to Francesco’s plate then offered it him. “There’s a bit of sauce around your mouth.”
“Oh, sorry. I forgot.” He accepted the cloth then delicately dabbed at his lips, which didn’t do much to remove the burger remnants still clinging to his skin.
Theo arc
hed his eyebrows at the display, but held in a smile so as not to embarrass him. “Where did you learn to wipe your mouth like that?”
Francesco gave him a shaky smile. “I saw it in a motion picture once. The heroine was with a gentleman at a fancy restaurant and they both did that.”
“Ah, makes sense. That was very well done, but when eating sandwiches, it’s easier to clean up after eating by wiping all ‘round your lips.”
“Because hamburgers are messy?”
“They certainly are.” Theo retrieved his own napkin from his lap then demonstrated what he meant.
“Oh no, I forgot about putting it on my legs too. They also did that in the film. I’ll remember next time, I swear.” He crossed his heart. “I was just so excited about the hamburger. I’ve been wanting one real bad for a long time. Did I say thank you? I can’t remember.”
Theo cleared the throat, more emotion clogging it at Francesco’s words. “Yes, you did. And I’m sure you were very excited and that’s quite all right. Also, you don’t need to cross your heart every time you promise me something. You already agreed to tell me the truth, so I’ll believe what you say without you making an ‘x’.”
“I bet gentlemen don’t do that, do they?”
Theo shook his head. “No, they don’t.”
“Okay, I’ll remember. But can we get the bromo stuff now? My stomach still hurts.”
“Yes, good idea.” Theo removed his billfold from his jacket then dropped a dollar on the table. “Let’s go.”
He scooted his wooden chair back then rose. Francesco got to his feet more gingerly and Theo made sure to slow his stride so that Francesco didn’t jostle his belly too much while trying to keep up with him.
After Theo had purchased the Bromo-seltzer, a paper cup and a bottle of plain water, he dropped the powdered contents of the medicine into the cup, then added the clear liquid.
“Here you go. Now, sip it slowly, not all at once.” Theo gently took Francesco’s chin and lifted it to catch his gaze. “Will you listen to me this time?”
Francesco’s expression radiated distress. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean not to listen, I’ll do better.”
“No need to apologize. Everything’s fine. I think you’ve figured out by yourself why it wasn’t a good idea to eat so fast.”
“You’re right, I really have.”
Theo let go and gave him a wink before angling on the seat to start up the Buick’s engine so they could drive away. “This should only take about ten minutes. I’m right up here in the Los Feliz hills, by the park.”
“The great big one? Griffith Park?”
“Yes, that’s the one. Have you been?”
Francesco didn’t respond, so he stole a glance at him and noted that he had his head lowered.
“I take it that you’re embarrassed by what you’ve done in that park?” He wasn’t going to pretend. It wasn’t the right way to begin a relationship of open communication.
“I am. I didn’t know what else to do, I swear I didn’t. Mama’s fella kicked me out when I was sixteen without even one dime. Not even a penny. He wouldn’t let me take a thing with me, and it was cold out, and, and…” A strangled sob burst out of him. “My first night in an alley a fella offered me fifty cents to…well, you know. And I did. I did it again a few more times the next day, and I had enough for a coat at the secondhand store, a cap and something to eat. Every once in a while, I’d have enough to stay at a flophouse, but eventually, I was so dirty and ragged, no one would give me a proper job…”
Francesco grabbed his sleeve. “I tried. I swear.” He almost crossed his heart again, but didn’t complete the motion. “But they all yelled at me, called me names. So, I figured that’s what I was. I was all those bad things, and I guess, well, I stopped trying. But then I met you and you weren’t mean to me and you said I wasn’t those things and I thought, maybe. Maybe I could try again to be a respectable person.”
Even as Theo’s heart ached for the poor boy who had been thrown out in the cold with nothing but what he had on his back, he also became filled with rage at the evil scoundrel who had done such a horrible thing to someone so sweet and caring.
“Where was your mother during all of this?” She didn’t seem too wonderful either.
“On the hooch. She was on the hooch for years. I ain’t sure she even noticed I’d gone and who knows what he told her. But he said he’d beat me within an inch of my life if I ever tried to come back. After Papa left, she smacked us around a lot, said awful things too. But he was a devil.” Francesco sighed. “Everyone says awful things all the time.” He grunted. “I hate it. People ain’t got to be so mean.”
“You’re right, they don’t. And I promise I’ll never be mean to you.”
“I know you won’t. I can tell.”
Theo tried to calm the anger surging through his veins so that he wouldn’t sound as if he were upset at Francesco. “I remember you telling me that you have a brother who wouldn’t let you live with him. Is he your only sibling?”
“The only full one. That snake brought three boys of his own with him and then he got my mama with child and I guess I was eating too much food or something. I was in the way.”
Something about Francesco’s story confused him. He didn’t think he was lying or hiding anything, but he seemed to let his emotions carry him away to the point where the words burst forth like a dam breaking. He imagined it made it easy to accidentally leave important parts out.
“Were you being schooled, or working at the time?”
“Oh, I quit school when I was twelve so I could help out by getting a job. I gave all that money to him because he said I need to contribute. You know, like when you contribute at mass? Only it was more for food and other stuff.”
“I see.” Theo worked to keep his tone even. He’d wondered why a youth of sixteen in a family struggling to survive hadn’t sought work. “And that job wasn’t available for you to go to anymore when you were tossed out?”
“That’s right.”
Theo waited for him to continue, but he didn’t, so he stole another glance his way. Francesco’s brow was furrowed as if he were in deep thought.
“Is it that you didn’t like that job?”
“Huh? Oh! No, I liked it well enough, but they took it away from me. That was the first time someone called me a deevee ain’t and I had to explain to mama’s fella why I didn’t have the dollar I had earned that week to give to him. He started throwing things and pitching a fit and saying he knew it all along and he didn’t need no moochers living off his wages and such. I never understood why deevee aint’s ain’t allowed to fold up and tie up newspapers.” Francesco patted his stomach. “Hey, this stuff really works. I’m a little sleepy, though, but you sure are smart. Thanks for getting it for me.”
Now it all makes more sense. “You’re welcome. And we’ll make sure to get you into bed the moment we get home.”
“Bed? Gee, I hadn’t thought of that. A real bed. I’ll pay you back, I swear.”
Theo patted Francesco’s knee. Not letting it linger there was becoming more and more difficult. “I know you will. You’re a very good boy.”
When Francesco didn’t make any comment, Theo checked to see how he’d reacted to the praise. Theo broke into a smile at the sight of Francesco’s own big grin.
I’ll make sure he’s happy every day from now on. And someday, maybe he’ll also be mine.
* * * *
Francesco rubbed an eye with one knuckle, startled at first when he couldn’t figure out where he was. Oh yeah. He’d been smiling so hard all day his face muscles hurt. He stretched like a cat, rolling around on the soft sheets that were so different from anything he’d experienced before. All the ones he’d ever slept on had been scratchy or rough like a thin canvas and sort of gray. Theo’s sheets in his guest room were like velvet and had a powdery soap smell. It wasn’t Ivory, but it was just as good. They didn’t have any holes or stains either and the mattress wasn’t lumpy with b
roken springs sticking through the top.
Francesco wondered where Theo was and if he wanted him to get to work right away. It wouldn’t bother him if he did. He’d had the best sleep ever, his stomach didn’t hurt anymore and for once, he’d had plenty to eat. Theo’s house had a second floor, which was very fancy, and he didn’t think it was so late that Theo had gone to sleep yet. He decided to explore.
The moment he left the room he noted that the lights were on downstairs, so Theo had to be there. He stepped onto the long and narrow squishy rug that ran along the hallway of the second floor. It was as colorful and ritzy as all the other carpets, furniture and objects in Theo’s home. He promised himself that he’d try real hard not to break, spill or knock over anything. He’d take very good care of Theo’s belongings.
Francesco peered over the railing that edged the walkway by the stairs to try and spot where Theo was in the house. All he could see was straight down to the middle of the bottom floor where they’d entered when Theo had brought him home. The doorways to the other rooms were all on the outside of the square, but he hadn’t been in any of those yet. As soon as they’d arrived, Francesco had been so tired he’d thought he might keel over. He’d barely had the chance to be excited about Theo’s magnificent home, because Theo had put an arm around him and helped him up to the guest room. He hadn’t even had a bath.
Maybe I can take one now.
He still had his grubby clothes on and he didn’t want to smell bad. But he had taken off the shoes and he hoped Theo wouldn’t mind if he didn’t wear them inside. He’d ended up with a decent-sized blister after his running escapade earlier.
Filled with renewed vigor, Francesco trotted down the stairs to search for Theo. It was such a big house for one man, so Francesco wondered who else might live there. Theo hadn’t mentioned anyone, but it seemed like a lot of space for only one person. He stopped short. I guess I count now too. He grinned to himself. Francesco ran the rest of the way, except that he jumped from the second to last step then landed with a thump on the bottom.
Finding Sanctuary Page 7