Page 54 of Resilience on Canvas

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Henry

Days later, Robert and Henry put the children to bed and then joined Joe in the main room to play some chess.

Robert hadn’t had much practice, so him and Henry teamed up, like they had over the last few nights.

On previous ones, either Rose or Clara had teamed up with Joe, too, in order to make it “fair,” though Joe would have been fine on his own.

But tonight, the two women were seeing a play together in a local theater, courtesy of Joe and Rose’s marathon money, and so, it was only the three men playing while Henry’s parents read in their bedroom.

Sitting with Robert and Joe on the floor while they played chess, Henry was trying to hold on to what felt like his last thread of optimism, though the rope was on the verge of snapping.

Hope had cratered beneath him and Robert’s feet, and even though Henry had somehow managed to leap out of the way, the news that their future would be harder to realize than either of them had ever considered had swallowed Robert whole.

At first, Henry had remained steadfast in his positivity, Robert’s heartbreak helping him find some kind of courage within himself, one strong enough to keep him from falling right along with Robert.

But, oh, it was becoming harder to be the sole person who still believed in their future together.

And Robert needed Henry to believe. So, Henry continued to clutch tight to that thread of hope, praying to a God he could barely still believe in that it wouldn’t break.

What a tenuous thing hope was proving to be.

Henry looked up to see Joe finally moving one of the pawns on the board. Before Henry had the chance to offer Robert some help, Robert moved his rook, which Joe then captured. Robert heaved a sigh.

“Robert, uhm, we’re supposed to be playin’ together, remember?” Henry said.

Robert threw up his hands. “Well, I thought that was a fine move, Hen! Christ, I’m still learnin’!”

“Yeah, I know yer still learnin’, which is why I wanted to help?”

Scowling, Robert turned back to the board, not bothering to say nothing to Henry in response. Robert was tired of being helped, that was for sure. Even though he needed it. Gosh, they were only a handful of moves into playing, and Robert was already on his way to losing.

After a half hour or so of Robert playing like Henry’s opinion either wasn’t worth considering or like he was making a specific move to outright spite him, the front door opened.

Henry let out a sigh of relief, releasing some of the tension that had built up in his muscles.

Lord, was he happy that the women were finally home.

Hopefully Rose and Clara would want to tell everyone how the play was, which would be a nice change from watching Robert cuss every time Joe captured one more of his chess pieces.

“I have fantastic news!” Rose exclaimed as she strode over to where the men were sitting. Clara followed, beaming in her own shy way. “Truly, truly fantastic! ”

Joe hopped to his feet, and Rose immediately pulled him in for a kiss.

When Joe very clearly tried to break the kiss, Rose tugged him right back in, kissing him even more forcefully, happy excitement radiating off of her like sunshine.

Her happiness was bright enough that Henry couldn’t keep himself from smiling, even if he wasn’t even sure what the news was yet.

Finally, she let Joe break their kiss.

Clasping her hands together, she said, “I’m returning to the stage!”

Joe’s eyes flew wide. “What?! Really?!”

“Yup. Before the show, I noticed that they were looking for more people to join their theater company. Apparently, they had a few folks leave. Later, I found out it was because they weren’t paying so much, but it’s way better than eighty cents, I can tell you that!

” Henry winced from the slight sting of Rose’s words, though he knew she wasn’t trying to be hurtful.

Rose paused, hopping a few times and letting out a small shriek.

Seeing her so excited eased the sting a bit.

“Clara and I stuck around when the play was finished, and I asked if they’d ever want someone like me.

I mean, I’ve been in a few plays, but mostly, I’m a singer, so I wasn’t sure if they’d really ever want me to join them.

But they said they’d love for me to audition! ”

Joe bent to kiss her cheek. “That’s spectacular, Rosie!”

“I know I’ll make them love me. I just know it!”

Henry’s smile broadened. “When’s yer audition?”

“Next week.”

“How much would they be payin’ you?”

“Fourteen bucks a week. Well, whenever I’m in a show. So, it’s not consistent money, exactly, but it’s something. I mean, they have a few shows every year and they’ll pay me for the rehearsal time and the weeks when the shows are running. It’s not perfect , but— ”

“It is perfect, Rosie,” Joe said. “Especially because it’ll make you happy.”

Rose’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

While Rose chattered on about the kinds of productions this particular theater company had, Henry’s smile slowly fell.

Even without looking over at Robert, Henry could feel both the man’s humiliation and his pain.

He could imagine Robert saying something like “Goddamn son-of-a-bitch city! How come either of us can’t find no work yet?

” And Henry wouldn’t have known what to say in return.

Robert wanted so badly to take care of everyone.

But life kept kicking him in the teeth. And now that Henry was with him, life seemed to be kicking Henry’s teeth in, too.

First, Henry had lost that contest back in Alva.

Now, neither of them had managed to find steady, well-paying work.

The endless struggle was such a terrible thing, and Henry wasn’t sure how much longer they could go on like this.

At least they were struggling together, though. Henry would have rather been beaten by life so many times that he’d have to consume his meals through a straw than not be with Robert. Being Henry Davis was better than being Henry Sherwood, no matter what horrible luck he might have to endure.

While Henry was pretending to listen to Rose, Clara settled beside him and placed a hand on his back. When he turned to face her, she tilted her head, her eyebrows pinching as though she wanted to check if he was okay.

Henry managed a small smile and shrugged.

When Rose managed to rein in her excitement, she and Joe sat back on the floor, and then the men finished their chess match while Rose and Clara looked on.

All the while, Robert kept on choosing his moves poorly, only he stopped cussing when Joe countered them.

Henry’s heart hurt, each moment of silence from Robert like a knife to his chest. It turned out there was something worse than Robert outwardly complaining that he was losing while trying his best to fight for his little chess pieces.

Quiet resignation. Seeing Robert’s fire snuffed out might have been the most horrible thing Henry had ever witnessed.

Later that night, once the men were finished playing, everyone left to ready themselves for bed, but as Henry started up the stairs to the bedrooms, Clara caught him by the wrist and silently motioned for him to follow her back to the main room. She pulled him in for a hug.

“How are you holdin’ up?” she whispered into his ear.

“Fine. Mostly. But Robert . . . he’s . . .”

She hugged him tighter. “I know.”

With a sigh, Henry pulled back and said, “It’s so hard to see him like this. Sometimes, he still has a little of that fire in him, and it’s comforting, in a way, because it means that he still wants to fight for what we want, but then, other times, Clara, he seems—”

“—broken.”

Henry nodded. “Gosh, you should have seen him when we were bein’ paid that first day.

Eighty cents. I still can’t believe that’s what we make out there.

Robert was beside himself. Neither of us has brought it up with each other since.

I know he’s still upset. But it’s not the kind of upset I’ve even seen from him before.

It’s softer, but... more terrifyin’.”

“I wish I knew what to say.”

“Ain’t nothin’ to say, maybe. But I’m sorry we’re stuck livin’ here with my parents for now.”

Clara began fiddling with her hair, twirling one of her locks. “Oh, I like it here.” She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. Gosh, Henry, I feel horrible for sayin’ that.”

“Are you, uhm, tryin’ to tell me that you want to stay?”

“I couldn’t hurt Robert like that. ”

“I know, but it sounds like you’d prefer it? If it wouldn’t hurt yer brother, I mean?”

“He’d feel so betrayed.” Clara met Henry’s eyes for a moment but then looked down at her feet.

“I talked with yer parents. They love havin’ us here.

Especially the kids. And they seem to love havin’ me here, too, I think.

It’s real nice to have their help. Splittin’ the housework and childcare and such, it means I can focus on myself sometimes. Goodness, that sounds selfish.”

“No,” Henry said sincerely. “Not even a little. Clara, you’ve been stretchin’ yerself thin for so long. You and Robert both have. You deserve to focus on yerself a little.”

Clara smiled wistfully. “In the mornings, yer mom has been watchin’ the kids while I explore the city for a while.

I even went to the beach once. Sat right by the water and watched the waves.

It was wonderful.” After a pause, her small smile vanished.

“But it would crush Robert if we stayed here. He wants to make his own way.”