Tulsa, Oklahoma 1805
I sighed happily. The warm sun shone through the windows of the school house, illuminating the pages of my school book. I paid strict attention to our school teacher and the lesson she was teaching us for the day but I still couldn't help but to glance at the boy sitting next to me. I'm getting ahead of myself, my name is Damien Maslin. I'm seventeen years old and I attend school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's not the most exciting place in the world to grow up but it has been my home for as long as I can remember. Its repulsive stagnancy may be the reason most folks would rather move away from Tulsa instead of coming in but it held a certain charm for me.
I couldn't imagine why but no matter how many times I looked at the seat next to me, I always felt a new jolt of felicity. My new best friend, Jack Twist, sat next to me day in and day out. He was very sweet, amiable, and an all around wonderful person. He and I talked often under the shade of the beautiful oak tree on the school house's main yard during the interval of time when the younger students came for their daily lessons. When the bell rang for dismissal, Jack found me under our same oak tree, scribbling away on my sketch pad.
"What are you drawing Damien?" He asked me.
I put down my utensil and lifted my pad to show him the landscape of the school house, complete with our special tree. "Just some landscapes for the time being. I anticipate a future in drawing people but I haven't gotten there yet."
Jack giggled. "Somebody has been reading ahead in English lessons." He stopped giggling and patted my shoulder. "You'll get there Damien, you're an amazing artist."
I smiled warmly. "Thank you very much Jack."
"Damien." A booming male voice called from down the road.
"It's my father." I said to Jack. "I'll see you tomorrow Jack."
"Goodbye Damien." He called, resting against the tree in the spot I had just vacated. I climbed into Father's wagon and waved goodbye to Jack. I sunk down into the wagon and pulled my knees up to my chest as a makeshift easel for my sketch pad.
"Who was that lad you were talking with Damien?" Father asked me, pushing the horses to hasten.
"Jack Twist Sir. He recently arrived in Tulsa and he attends school with me."
"I've heard some things about that boy. A lot of the folks around here are uneasy by his presence."
"What do you mean Sir?" I asked.
"They say that boy is not…normal."
"Who's to say what is normal and what is abnormal Father? The people have nothing to fear about Jack. He's…" Damien chose his words carefully.
"He's what Damien? Out with it boy."
"He's…a good friend." The conversation was ceased as the wagon creaked and cluttered all the way home. I wiped my boots on the porch and walked inside. I hung my hat on the rack by the door and set my satchel on the floor. "I'm home Mother."
"Oh I'm so glad to hear that my sweet Damien. Come in and greet our company." Mother called from the sitting room.
"Company?" It was that moment that I heard the voices accompanying Mother's. I would recognize that detestable voice anywhere; it was that awful Mrs. Barkley. I could practically hear her sipping at her tea cup from two rooms away. I sauntered into the sitting room and found Mrs. Barkley and her daughter Rosaline.
"Damien, my darling, come here and kiss your mother." She beckoned me over, offering me her left cheek. I took her by the hand, kissed her cheek and sat down next to her. "Did you enjoy your lessons today my son?"
"Yes Mother." I said. "Good day to you ladies." I replied to our guests.
"So this is your handsome Damien you go on and on about." Mrs. Barkley cooed.
"This is my son Damien Michael Maslin, our first born." Mother was currently with child as well and she and Father were ecstatic.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Damien." Mrs. Barkley greeted. "And this is my lovely, talented daughter Rosaline. Say hello daughter."
"Hello." She said. Something about her seemed as if she was surrounded by an aura of snobbery. I was immediately put-off by her but I was still polite in my greeting.
"It's a pleasure to meet such…lovely ladies as yourself."
"I'm sure." Rosaline said.
"So, instead of spending all night talking, why don't we gather around the dining table and we'll have Drisella bring out some dinner." Father suggested. He signaled for me to escort Rosaline, three feet across the floor, into the dining room. But he was my father, and I had no choice in the matter. I offered Rosaline my hand and she seemed content enough to comply. She took my hand and lifted her skirt as she rose from the couch. I took her over to a seat at the table and pulled out the chair for her to sit. My father nodded his head in approval and seated my mother on the right side of the table. Drisella, the handmaid, brought out tray after tray of food and placed it before us on the table.
"Thank you Drisella." I thanked her.
"You thank the help?" Rosaline asked in disbelief, taking a sip of her water.
I cleared my throat. "Well, she works very hard and…I thought she deserved to be thanked." I simply said.
"Pay no attention to Damien. We taught him to be polite." Mother said.
"Apparently we taught him too well." Father joked. I bit my tongue and repressed my anger and embarrassment while I ate my food. Drisella smiled at me from across the table; at least someone appreciated me. "So, Mrs. Barkley, won't you share with us a little more about yourself?"
She swallowed the gigantic bite she shoved into her mouth, which didn't seem very "lady-like" or "classy" if you asked me, before she answered. "My husband recently passed on. My daughter and I are all alone in our estate and left only with the money my dear late husband left behind."
I tried so desperately to ignore this conversation. "That sounds very unfortunate." Father said.
"So, I thought it best to marry my daughter off and allow her to live her own life." I began choking on my food when I heard "marry" come out of that wretched woman's mouth.
"Damien sweetheart, are you alright?" Mother asked.
"Chew your food next time Damien." Father scolded, stuffing more potatoes into his mouth.
"Excuse me but um…" I said after I managed to catch my breath and stop coughing. "What did you say?" I asked.
"I said I am hoping to marry off my daughter." Mrs. Barkley looked at me with the utmost displeasure.
"Father? What is going on?"
"Well my boy, you're betrothed."
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"Damien, we shall discuss this at a later venue. For right now, we have two lovely dinner guests and this conversation is not appropriate dining table banter." Father continued to chat to Mrs. Barkley for the remainder of the meal; mostly about her vast fortune she pertained and the end of Mr. Barkley. Rosaline delicately picked at her food as if she was barely interested in anything.
I could not believe this was happening. No one had dared to ask if I wanted to be engaged to a woman like her. What could possibly motivate my father to wed me without even telling me about it? I felt so sick in the stomach that I excused myself from the dinner table. Mother asked me to return shortly to bid our guests farewell. I stormed out of the house and walked down the walkway. I had no intention of going anywhere; all I knew was that I wanted to be somewhere alone and draw in peace.
I found my way back to the school house. Mrs. Snow never locked the school house so it was no surprise the door willingly opened to me. I lit one of the lanterns and pulled my sketch pad out from my satchel. I slammed it down on my desk and drew with ferocity. A hand stopped my tedious pace, startling me half to death. But when I gazed into the eyes of the one standing next to me, I recognized Jack Twist. "Jack?" I asked. "What are you doing here?"
He sat down next to me in his usual seat. "I could ask you the same thing Damien. Something's wrong isn't it?"
I fixed my gaze on my paper once more and scribbled a few more lines on the horse I was drawing. "That means something is wrong." Jack confirmed. "I can always tell when something is wrong with you so you might as well just tell me." He reasoned. I sighed heavily and spilled my heart.
"My father."
"What about him?"
I looked Jack in the eyes once more. "He's forcing me to get married to this wretched woman's daughter and I just…I can't believe he had the audacity to just…arrange it without my knowledge."
"He told you tonight didn't he? That's why he was eager to pick you up today." Jack concluded.
"Yes. In front of my supposed "bride-to-be." How could he do that to me?" I asked in disbelief. "I mean, what kind of person arranges his only son to be married to girl he doesn't even know at seventeen? I've got my whole life ahead of me and yet I'm being forced to settle down. What is he thinking? How could he just…"
"Damien, Damien!" Jack said, trying so hard to break through my tangent. "You're ruining your drawing." I looked down and saw that I had drawn strange scribbles all over what was supposed to be the horse's muzzle, making him look fuzzier than I intended. I tried to fix it but the point was moot; I had destroyed my art in my fit of anger, I should've been ashamed of myself. "Damien, you should say no if you want to."
"What?"
"You should follow your heart. If your heart says that you don't want to marry for riches, then you should speak up."
"How do you know my father is marrying me off for wealth?"
Jack smiled at me. "Damien, you can't be so naive. The Barkley's are the richest family in Tulsa. Surely your father had some incredible assets to arrange such a marriage."
"How is it that you were able to see that and I couldn't?" I asked. Jack placed his hand on my mine, forcing me to look at him.
"Perhaps it is because I'm a lot farther from the situation. I hear that you can gain a whole new perspective from further away." I smiled at Jack's pitiful attempt to cheer me up. I looked at the school house's clock and bid Jack farewell. When he asked for a reason, I gave him Mother's orders to be home to escort Rosaline to her carriage; just like the proper gentleman my parents wanted me to be. That night, I pondered over what Jack said to me at the school house. In my heart, I knew that I did not feel anything for Rosaline nor would I. But, my heart was also telling me that I didn't want to disappoint my mother or father. In the end, I ultimately decided to court Rosaline for the time being.
I treated her to a stroll through the park. She wore her Sunday best, as did I, and she opened her umbrella to shield her delicate hair and skin from the sun's penetrating rays. I offered her my arm to grab a hold and we were off. The stroll turned into the quietest and most awful stroll I had ever taken. Rosaline didn't breathe a word; she only fanned herself in complete irritation. "So, Rosaline," I tried to engage her in friendly small talk. "Are you enjoying Tulsa?"
"It's far too dry." She complained.
My smile didn't falter, though my patience was. "You really should visit in the fall. We have a lot more rain and the leaves are just breathtaking."
"You don't have to pretend you know." She said.
"Pretend?" I asked, playing coy. Did she really see through my resolve?
"I am not any more pleased that we are engaged than you seem to be."
"And why is that my lady?" I hated the taste of those words on the way out.
"Needless to say, you are not the choice I would make for my husband any more than I would be your choice for your wife."
"May I inquire as to why that is?" I asked her.
She sighed, impatient. "My heart belongs to another but my father did not approve so naturally my mother decided to wed me to someone of equal stature. Even so, I do not approve of my mother's choice. It has nothing to do with you personally Damien; you seem to be a perfect gentleman. But as I said, my heart belongs to another."
For the first time since I begun courting Rosaline, I smiled. "Why don't you refuse your mother?"
"For the same reason you won't refuse your mother and father I suppose." She sighed again, continuously fanning herself. Surely the weather wasn't that hot or humid. A bright figure moved toward us in that moment and I had to shield my eyes from the sun to determine who it was.
"Jack?" I asked astonished.
"Good day Damien." Jack greeted me.
"Rosaline, this is my good friend Jack Twist. We attend school together."
"A pleasure." Rosaline said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well my lady." Jack said. "Damien, you must see the pond. There are many ducks around and they are even coming close to you." He held up a loaf of bread. "I found this is in the dumpster behind the baker's shop; perhaps the ducks will like it."
"Rosaline, would you like to walk by the pond with us?" I asked her.
"Fine, I have nothing better to do." Rosaline sat by herself on a bench, still fanning herself, while Jack and I tossed bread pieces to the ducks. I giggled hysterically when Jack nearly fell into the pond; the shock on his face was too hilarious for words. Jack and I frolicked together by the pond, giggling and chasing the ducks into the water. Rosaline paid us no mind and I was grateful for the alone time with Jack. In my heart, I knew that I would be disappointing my parents if they found out I was ignoring my bride to frolic with my best friend. But, something in the moment, I didn't know what, but something about it felt so right. If I was being honest with my heart, I would say that I was falling for Jack Twist.