Page:Jay Little - Maybe—Tomorrow.pdf/157

 "Now I'm taking up your time in here when you wanted to finish the yard. I'd better go so you can."

"You will not … I've done all I'm going to … you don't have to go, Joy. Oh, listen to that violin!" He paused, listening. "That's my favorite part. It breathes loveliness, doesn't it?"

"Yes … it does."

Both relaxed and closed their eyes.

Dreaming, he relived that evening with Blake. He remembered every moment; every word that had passed between them … He saw the thick trees through which moon-rays tried to penetrate; and he remembered the distant croaking of the frogs. Dark grey moss seemed to hang over his eyes. It became the chest of Blake, his head rested on it. The world had been forgotten and he had even forgotten his own name. The special name was Blake. Blake with the bronze gold-like flesh. Blake, with two strong arms that had drawn him close … close to two opened lips. If he was only there again; could return where the slant rays touched with gold; the sitting figure topped with glistening blackness, then, perhaps he would discover in the moonlight the secret recognition of all his longings.

He looked at Joy. At the bare shoulders Blake's hands must have touched. Surely they had been around them. Wasn't that some of the bronze from Blake's arms shining over the pale pink flesh? Surely those lips he now was gazing at had tasted the sweetness of Blake's, and drops of his own readiness still lingered upon them.

She looked at him and her eyes were kind, like Blake's. Blake's that were so dark and understanding. Yes, Blake was there in her eyes, on her shoulders. He was there within her.

"You're sweet," she whispered and it sounded like another voice.

She moved closer to him, so close that he inhaled the fragrance of her hair. He drew her to him, touching the shoulders with his fingers, rubbing Blake's golden bronze into his own open palm. He kissed her lips, drinking deep of the sweet honey. They moved, and made a bell like sound; lingered breathlessly on the name, Gay. The hair fell back and showed little shell-like ears … The lips spoke.

"Oh, Gay; I've wanted you to do that for so long."

Her arms went around his neck. She had him again, this time she would not let him go. They were grown now and she had him. Small 147