Page 48 of Resilience on Canvas

For the next few seconds, she stroked his back and pet his hair. Henry could feel how much she had been missing him. Gosh, this was probably the nicest hug he’d ever received from her.

“Hi,” he finally said, breathing in her floral scent. It had sometimes made his nose wrinkle in the past, but right now, he found himself realizing how much he’d missed it.

While they were still embracing, his father came to the entryway. He stayed in the threshold, smiling a crooked smile, one that had a bunch of warmth to it. Thank God.

“Hi, son,” he said. “Glad to see you made it so fast.”

“Hi, Pop,” Henry said, pulling back from his mom’s embrace, which took a bit of effort since she was clinging to him like she never wanted to let go. “Yeah, it, uhm, it wasn’t too bad of a trip. I kind of liked seeing the country a little, you know?”

“Wait ’til you see the ocean,” he said. “Now there’s a sight.”

Henry smiled. Wow, that would be something to see, wouldn’t it?

Henry’s father took Joe’s hand and shook it, followed by Robert’s. His father seemed to be behaving friendly enough. Hopefully he wasn’t blaming Robert for Henry being the way he was. Or for their relationship. Henry was the one who had started everything, really, thanks to his long-held crush.

When they finished their greetings, Henry’s folks welcomed everyone inside.

Robert went to see his family right away, but Henry headed back to get some of their bags from the truck first. Joe followed to help, and then the two of them took two of Joe and Rose’s bags in as well.

Robert stayed busy listening to the children tell him what the ocean was like and how much they were enjoying San Francisco.

Over the next couple of hours, everyone spent time together in one of the large rooms on the second floor (or was it the first floor?

Henry still wasn’t really too sure what you were meant to consider them when the main entrance was floating up on the second level like that).

Rose and Joe told the story of how they’d met, and Rose talked about New York a little.

Clara and Rose started bonding over their shared hatred of constantly mending clothing for their loved ones, which Henry found pretty funny since Rose was making it sound like Joe tore through pants as often as a little kid.

Joe was happy to play Tiddlywinks on the floor with May and the twins.

All things considered, it was a nice time, like everyone was a big, happy family.

Henry could still feel a bit of tension between his father and Robert, however.

He could tell by their tight smiles, their curt nods, and the fact that they seemed to be intentionally staying away from each other, typically keeping to opposite ends of the room.

At six o’clock, it was time for supper, and the moment Henry and Robert stepped into the kitchen and saw the spread—baked chicken, a whole big pan of roasted vegetables, and some buttered noodles—Henry had to fight back a wince.

Without even seeing Robert’s face, he knew how Robert must have felt seeing such a lavish show of money.

Or what was lavish compared to the meals that the Davis family had been eating before leaving Guymon, which had mostly been bean or rabbit stew, sometimes with a simple salad or a helping of pickled fruit on the side.

Even back in Oklahoma, every meal Robert had eaten with the Sherwoods had likely been a reminder of their struggles, but now...

Henry’s muscles tensed. Now, Robert was already feeling like he owed the Sherwoods so much. To be presented with a spread that looked fit for a holiday feast...

Lord Almighty, what a slap in the face this was.

Henry’s father clapped his hands together. “Alright, everyone ready to eat?”

Everyone sat. Henry made sure to take a seat next to Robert, whose shoulders were unmistakably tense.

Henry could practically feel the unease radiating from him, his red-hot fury erupting off of him like sun rays, though probably Henry was the only one who could see it.

Robert was being perfectly pleasant otherwise, thanking Henry’s parents for the meal and keeping a smile on his face while Henry’s mother began serving everyone some chicken.

But Henry knew better. He couldn’t miss the way Robert’s smile never reached his eyes or the way he was rubbing his palms on his thighs over and over to expel some of that energy that was burning beneath his skin.

Gosh, Henry wished he could make it better, either by helping Robert cool his temper or letting him release some of that fury rather than keeping it in.

After everyone had their plates of food, the next little while of supper was nothing but pleasant. Robert continued to bounce his leg, so Henry knew that Robert still was feeling some kind of terrible, but not too terrible to eat it seemed, which was a small miracle.

Halfway through the meal, Henry’s father cleared his throat. He set his fork onto his porcelain plate with a clatter and then wiped his mouth with his napkin. Henry tensed.

“Alright, now that we’ve had some food, I wanted to broach a topic I’ve been waitin’ to talk to y’all about, which is that from what I’ve seen in the city, I can’t imagine it’ll be easier to find work here than it was for folks back in Guymon.

Even though there are more businesses here, there are a heck of a lot more people fighting over each other for the work.

It’ll take time for you two to find somethin’ that would pay enough to survive out here.

Rentin’ costs a pretty penny. It’s likely that rentin’ a home even half the size of ours would cost you over twenty a month. ”

Robert shifted in his seat. “Be that as it may, Henry and me will both be workin’. I’m sure we can manage that rent with two incomes.”

“Didn’t you hear me? I can’t see even one of you findin’ work right now.

Everyone everywhere is strugglin’, including here in California.

I’m lucky to have found somethin’ myself.

” He took a pause and blew out a long breath.

“And, these children, they like it here. Not only in the city, but they like the house. We’d like to buy some more permanent furniture for their rooms—not the children’s beds left here by this house’s previous owners—so that everyone can settle in before school starts. ”

Robert reeled back. “Settle in? No one’s settlin’ in here. I’ll be findin’ us our own place. ”

“With what money? Lillian and I spent the extra you provided to us when we purchased the train tickets. We spent that and then some .”

Henry gritted his teeth. What a bastard his father was being right now. Arrogant and ruthless. Henry wanted so badly to tell him that Robert was the most tenacious person Henry had ever met. Of course Robert would find work. Because that was who Robert was.

But even now, Henry couldn’t muster the courage to talk back to his old man.

While Henry was still trying to overcome his lifelong cowardice, Robert snatched the napkin from his own lap and flung it on the table. He moved to stand, but then Henry’s father pushed himself to stand instead, making Robert pause.

“Lillian, take the children to the other room, will you?” he said.

Henry’s heart thudded wildly as his mother ushered the children from the room, not without protest from Thomas who cried that he was still hungry.

Rose and Joe exchanged what were very uncomfortable looks before they excused themselves, too, saying that they’d help with the children.

Joe snatched Thomas’s plate from the table and took it with him to the living room, throwing etiquette out the window, which was a very Joe-like thing indeed.

Once everyone except for Henry, Robert, Clara, and Henry’s father had left the room, Henry’s father sighed and said, “Look, I know that you two are... friends.” He scrunched up his nose for a moment before he seemed to catch himself and softened his expression.

“And, like I said, I can’t... support it, exactly, but we care for your siblings, Robert.

Lillian and I want to see that they’re safe and fed and happy.

We want to make sure they have opportunities for success.

Whatever is happenin’ right now with regards to nobody findin’ work, it won’t last forever, and these children, they need the right environment to succeed in life.

I can’t even tell you how happy we are that y’all wanted to leave Guymon.

Because Lillian and I have realized how much we’d have missed this family of yours.

And so, we’d like it if you and your siblings stayed here.

We’d require you and Henry to have separate rooms once Joe and Rose leave, of course, but—”

“No,” Robert said, smacking the table, causing the silverware to clatter and Henry to startle. “Henry and me won’t be stayin’ in separate rooms. We won’t be stayin’ here period. Not permanently. Not a Goddamn chance. And me and Henry ain’t friends . We’re more than friends. Much more.”

Henry’s chest swelled with love and pride.

He stared at Robert in awe, taking notice of the way Robert’s nostrils were flared and his cheeks were flushed, and, Lord , what a wonderful man he was.

Robert took Henry’s hand, and, in the boldest move Henry’d ever seen, he brought it to his mouth and kissed one of Henry’s knuckles.

Henry nearly fainted on the spot. Holy heck, Robert was something else. Truly the perfect man for him.

“And I’ll be the one providin’ my siblings with opportunities . I left Guymon because I wanted more for my family than our Goddamn failure of a farm.”

“Which you were hours away from losin’ when we left.”

“I know that. And you know that it wasn’t my fault.”

“Robert—”

“Tomorrow, Henry and me will find ourselves some work. And not only will we repay every cent you spent or might soon spend on my siblings, but we’ll find a home for us too.

One where Henry and me won’t be expected to sleep in separate rooms. I’m thankful for the help that you and yer wife have provided so far.

Really, I am. But I take care of my family my own self.

And Henry and me, we want to make a life together.

Our own life. I swear to you, I’ll work hard to pay you back for everything.

But I will not sit here and be told that I can’t take care of my own family.

And I won’t sit here and pretend that me and Henry are only friends , neither. ”

Henry’s father sucked in a long inhale through his nose, the veins in his neck bulging. When he exhaled, he closed his eyes, and Henry braced himself for something horrible. Robert rubbed the back of Henry’s hand with his thumb, reassuring Henry of his protective presence.

“Fine,” Henry’s father spat. “But I think you’ll change your tune when you realize that the choice you have will likely be livin’ with us or standin’ in a bread line.”

“We’ll see,” Robert said. “Are we finished with this conversation, then?”

Henry’s father pursed his lips and nodded.

“In that case, it sounds to me like we can carry on with supper.” Robert turned to Clara. “Do you want to fetch the others, or should I?”

“Uhm...” She shook her head, her eyes wide and wild and lost. Henry couldn’t help but feel sorry that she had witnessed that catastrophe of a conversation. “I-I will.”

Robert nodded once and then turned his face back toward Henry’s father with the most insincere smile Henry had ever seen. He picked up his fork and stabbed a piece of chicken, making like he was content to continue on with the meal as though nothing had happened.

Except he was still holding Henry’s hand.