Keeping the Tarnished Read Online Free PDF Page B

washing off him. Completely covered in lathery suds, the boy washed his hair, yet again. He then heard his stomach growl, reminding him there was supper downstairs.
    He hadn’t necessarily been plucked from poverty; rather, he coincidentally fell into the lap of a family that was about as goodhearted as they come. In his mind, at this point, he knew his future was uncertain. However, he also knew he was rinsing off in a hot shower, he had a meal waiting for him downstairs, and he had a bed to sleep in for the night. That was more than he could have expected his first night after making his escape.
    Stepping out of the shower onto the plush, white rug, Johnny grabbed the towel Graye had given him off the granite counter. His head remained tilted toward the ceiling until the towel was securely snug around his waist. Of all the things on this earth that horrified him, none scared him as much as the sight of a naked adult man. His own body was no exception. He had not looked at himself in the mirror unclothed intentionally in over three years.
    Moving toward the toilet, free of his reflection, he removed the towel and dried off. The towel had a refreshing scent to it, and reminded Johnny of the honeysuckle when it bloomed near the pond by his father’s house.
    Graye had also given him a brand new toothbrush. He found it fascinating that the family had a reserve of toothbrushes, deodorant, and other personal items in the towel closet of the upstairs hallway.
    Johnny’s toothbrush at his father’s house was the same one he had gotten from a class trip to the dentist office when he was in elementary school. Johnny took pride in his smile. His personal hygiene was one of the few factors he had moderate control over. He would often scrub his clothing for hours in his father’s old bath water. More than once at his father’s house he had brushed his teeth with hand soap, as the household was frequently out of toothpaste and other toiletries. He wanted to brush his teeth now. He knew he would be eating soon, but he didn’t care, he wanted to brush his teeth with a brand new brush.
    The boy opened the new package of underwear. His underwear had holes, as they were several years old. His mother bought his underwear long before she left. Now he had new pairs, and he would be wearing the fresh, clean clothes Jared had given him. The socks felt so good on his tired feet, and Jared’s clothes were so comfortable and fit him just right.
    He looked at his pile of dirty clothes by the door and almost felt ashamed to have to wear such things in front of such nice people. He then reminded himself that it was out of his control. His entire existence was out of his control, and feeling ashamed and humiliated would solve nothing. He collected his brand new toothbrush, the opened underwear package, and the pile of dirty clothes, and opened the bathroom door. The boy nervously made his way down the hall and down the stairs. Graye placed a large pitcher of tea on the table just as Johnny entered the kitchen. Everything smelled delicious.
    Jared and Graye were placing items on the gorgeous oak wood table and carrying on casual conversation. They had to add the leaf to the table to ensure they had enough room to sit all five people comfortably. There was a large serving platter with the biggest pile of fried chicken Johnny had ever seen; a big, square, wooden dish full of fresh green salad; and another bowl full of rolls.
    “You about ready to throw down, man?” Jared asked as he pulled out his chair from under the table.
    “Throw down?” Johnny asked Jared curiously as he stood near the table with his pile of filthy clothes.
    “You’ll have to forgive my son. He frequently butchers the English language,” Graye said, smiling at Johnny. He could feel water running from his wet hair down the back of his neck. “Let me take these clothes and throw them in the wash with the others.” Graye grabbed the clothes from Johnny and turned to walk to