The Human Stain

I wake up the next morning to a warm feeling of contentment and an empty bed. I sit bolt upright and look around the room. The only sign that Frank was ever here is the covers pushed back on the opposite side of the bed, and a cold spot where he should’ve been. I immediately start to worry that I had done something wrong. Was it because I did not want to have sex? Did I say something to offend him? Did I take it too far asking about his tattoos?

Suddenly the bathroom door opens and Frank walks out, dripping wet, I guess I didn‘t hear the water running. He must sense my distress and immediately hugs me comforting me through my small panic attack. I take a few shuddering breaths and smile lightly at him finally calmed down. He holds me for a few more minutes but finally lets go so I can get dressed.

We get dressed on opposite sides of the room due to the fact that I’m still rather embarrassed by this whole affair. I pull of my night dress and hear a small gasp from behind me. I turn around, luckily I still have my undergarments on, and I look down in shame. He saw the scars.
“I-I am sorry.” I mumble out as Frank approaches me.

“Do not be sorry.” He says firmly, “Oh Gee. I wish I had known. I wish I could have stopped this.” He cups my cheek and kisses me lightly on the lips.

He turns me around and I stand stock still while he inspects my back. I feel his fingers lightly trace over one of the larger scars. I shiver as he places light kisses along all of the scars. I do not deserve Frank, not at all. He treats me as if I am a precious china doll that is to be taken care of with the utmost care. He makes me feel as if I am precious and am something other than a piece of property.

I hear him mumble words into my skin as he moves along each of the mountainous scars. My skin tingles as his lips buzz and flit across my skin. Eventually though he stops.

“I am taking you out today if that is alright?” He asks giving me the chance to reject his offer.

I smile brightly at him, “That is fine with me, may I ask where we are going?”

“It is a surprise!” Frank says excitedly and I laugh at him a little.

“Any suggestion on what to wear?” I ask, “You can choose if you want.” Frank smiles even bigger at that.

He digs around in my closet for a while, and despite myself I can not help but admire the view. Eventually Frank pulls a long purple dress with a jacket out of the closet. Along the jacket and top skirt there are black lace accents in various patterns, and the underskirt is a dark grey with even dark grey accents on it with the edges being purple. I take it from him and quickly put it on, although Frank does have to help me with the buttons on the back though, and just before he buttons up the last one he kisses the tip on one of my scars one last time.

Frank escorts me out of the room and down to breakfast where we inform Mikey of our plan to go out into town today. He approves although he does have us eat breakfast first before we head outside to Frank’s carriage where his driver is waiting. He nods at the driver and whispers something I can not discern before helping me up into the cab and then climbing in himself.

Frank takes the spot next to me and holds my hand as we start of down the road. We sit in a slightly awkward silence for a bit, but eventually I break it and begin to ask Frank questions about his life. We continue to get to know each other better over the ride, and I learn such facts like the fact that he loves reading, lives by himself plus a few servants like Mikey, and for the past few years he has been gone touring the Continent. I learn more and more about him and Frank learns more and more about myself, but eventually we stop.

Frank climbs out first and then proceeds to help me down. I let out a gasp of surprise as I look around. A circus! A wide smile makes it’s way across my face as Frank shows the man in the ticket booth our tickets and then leads me to our seats. I wait a little bit impatiently for the show to begin, seeing as I have never been to a circus before I am reasonably excited. I tell Frank this and he smiles and begins to tell me about various circus acts he saw when touring the Continent.

The tent darkens as the entrance is closed and a man announces loudly from the middle, “Ladies and Gentleman! Today you will witness great wonders beyond imagination, marvels beyond comprehension, and dangers that will make your very being amazed. Welcome to the Toro and Bryar Circus!”

Suddenly from seemingly out of nowhere great amounts of people pour into the circle where the ringmaster was once standing. Girls and boys of varying ages and race dance around and perform flips, somersaults, and other various acrobatics. Clowns walk around the edges falling down and being extremely silly as is usual of a clown. A few men are breathing fire or stuffing swords down their throats and beautiful women ride by on horses while men lead tigers on chains along behind. There are women with beards and men who are completely covered in tattoos. It is all so beautiful and amazing.

Finally the music dies down and everyone but the acrobats leave the circle. The acrobats do their routine which includes various tumbling on mats and dancing on a high wire. Next are the clowns who do varying slapstick comedy and even getting members of the audience in on it! After the clowns some men come out and do knife throwing, sword swallowing, and fire breathing/dancing. The animal tamers are next and I see many different animals like elephants, horses, tigers, lions, doves, and even a bear.

Soon though the show is over and by the time Frank and I get outside it is already dark. We wander around the circus visiting the various “freak show” exhibits. Just before we leave though Frank and I ride the Ferris wheel they have set up and eat fairy floss; kissing at the top our mouths tasting like the sweet ambrosia of the gods.

We are both laughing by the time we leave and do not want to go home yet. I convince Frank to take us to the nearest park for a bit. I take Frank to the best clearing area in the park and lay down on the grass dragging him with me. I giggle as he falls unceremoniously on his butt and he glares at me a little. I stare up at the stars and sigh happily entwining my fingers with Frank’s.

“You know,” Frank begins, “London is not exactly the best place to see stars.”

I roll to face him, “Really?”

“Yes.” He replies, “It is because of all the smoke and smog from the factories it makes them shine less bright. When I was on the continent you could go out into the countryside and all you could see would be stars for miles and miles. It was like a dream. ”

“I wish I could see that.” I say dreamily imagining the stars littering the sky a broken diamond necklace.

“I’ll have to take you some day.” Frank says looking at me.

We do not say anything for a while but eventually we get up and go back to the carriage, deciding that Mikey would not be all that happy if we stayed out any later. We laugh and share what our favorite parts of the circus were on the way home, and we just can not seem to stop touching each other. We constantly have some part of our body against the other. I laugh at something particularly funny Frank says and he kisses the laughter out of my mouth.

Once again too soon we arrive back at Mikey’s house and we stumble up the stairs drunk on each other. Frank scoops me up like I am a newly wed bride and carries me inside and to my room and lays me down on the bed. He tumbles in next to me and we fall asleep kissing each other, not even bothering to undress.

Notes

Sorry for not updating yesterday I was out for most of the day and when I got home I was too tired to type up a chapter. I hope this makes up for it. It's the longest chapter I've written so far.
Song of the Chapter: Remember To Feel Real by Armor For Sleep