The Firefly

13° pt.2

-Stop here.- I said at one point when we were in front of a small expanse of green grass.

He handed me the bag slowly as if he was afraid to bump into me.

Once the blanket was spread out we sat down on it, I pulled the sandwiches out of the bag and handed one to Jake.

-How is it?- I asked him, watching him chew.

-Eatable.- He exclaimed and I grimaced, I was beginning to think it was his way of complimenting someone.

Looking around I couldn't help but think back to the day before, I shook my head in frustration.

I kept telling myself that I should forget, but how could I?

Sooner or later I would have to talk to Matthew about it and tell him I knew, I would have to face it and I was sure I wouldn't be able to resist it for much longer.

Walking along the path of coloured pebbles, a woman and her daughter passed by us and the little girl laid her green eyes on Jake.

-Mom why is that man wearing sunglasses if the sun isn't shining?-

She asked innocently, the mother seemed to notice her daughter's overly high tone of voice and I saw her blanch when she noticed how Jake had frozen in place.

-They're not sunglasses, Queenie.- She explained softly, giving me an apologetic look and taking her daughter by the hand.

-They are special glasses for people who cannot see.- She then said in a low voice, turning and changing direction.

I watched them for a while as they walked away, hoping that Jake had not heard anything, but it was obvious that he had not.

He seemed to have gone paler than he already was.

He clutched the handkerchief in his hands squeezing his lips until they turned purple and almost made the large scar disappear.

-You...never do that.- He murmured and in a firm voice let go of the handkerchief.

-Don't ever call me like that, it just makes me remember even more what I can't do.-

He said taking off his glasses and resting them on his side slowly so as not to ruin them.

-I won't... I won't.- I said taking them carefully and placing them inside their case which I then slipped into the bag.

He quickly turned his face away so as not to be seen.

-Now I remember why I hadn't been out for a long time.- He said, staying where he was.

Maybe I should have thought about the innocence of children before taking Jake to that park.

-If you want we can go back to the mansion.- I said softly.

I felt really guilty, after all it was my idea to take him there the first time.

I never imagined that he would express the desire to go back there.

He shook his head, turning towards me and opening his thin, snowy eyes.

-No, we are here now. There is no point in leaving at this point.- He smiled slightly and then reached into his bag.

-Shall we start?- He asked, trying to change the subject by showing me the purple book.

If it caused him pain to talk about his problems, I shouldn't have insisted.

I nodded, approaching him. -All right.- I said brushing the cover of the book.