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“That’s because we are sitting around. Let’s go for a walk. That will warm us up,” Jeff suggested.
“I wanted to do that when I came out here this morning but did not know where the path would lead me and was unsure about wildlife,” Suzie said. “Is it safe?”
“Of course it is,” Jeff said. He told her he would bring in the coffee cups and leave a note and they could get going. When he returned, Helen was with him. “Found Mom inside and she was just getting ready for her morning walk so she is going to join us.”
Helen smiled at Suzie and they set out. It was a smooth boardwalk trail, through the pine and willow forest. The sun was just starting to peak through the trees and everything sparkled with dew. Suzie loved being out in the morning and the fresh air invigorated her. Jeff had been right, she was warm now. During their walk, Helen and Jeff chatted with Suzie about Jared, the forest and other topics. They completed a circular path and returned to the yard, just behind Helen’s studio.
“You should come to the studio today,” Helen said to Jeff. He looked at her with his eyes narrow and dark and then mumbled something about being busy, said his goodbyes and left. “And you are still coming to paint with me again right?” Helen looked at Suzie.
“Around four right?” Suzie asked.
“Yes dear. I do so like to have someone to paint with. I apologize for turning in early last night. Having my whole family together is an exhausting blessing.”
They walked back to the house in silence. Once inside, the kitchen was bustling with activity as Jared was flipping pancakes while his niece and nephew shouted all the shapes he should make. Johnny and Jeff were arguing over their favorite band’s new album. All in all, it was chaos. After breakfast the chaos spilled outside where the sound was dulled by the trees. Suzie sat on a bench swing and watched Jared and his brothers chase the little ones around.
Eventually, Jared walked over and sat down next to her.
“You’ve been pretty quiet this morning,” he said.
“It has been a lovely morning,” Suzie replied and smiled, patting his knee with her hand. “This place is magical.”
Jared’s eyes lit up and he kissed her quickly on the lips. “Yes, that’s why I wanted to bring you here and show you this.”
“Thank you,” Suzie said, looking into his kind eyes. “This is really special.”
“No, I am going to take you somewhere really special tonight. After supper, it is just me and you. I want to show you something.”
“Sounds like a nice way to spend our last night. We have to go home tomorrow already.”
Hugging her tight, he asked if she minded if he spent some time with his dad for a couple of hours before supper. Suzie told him it was perfect because she was going to be painting with his mom. Happily, he put his arm around her and leaned her head on his chest. They sat and rocked, looking out at the rest of the family. After a while, Jeff walked up and sat on the adjacent swing. He and Jared talked and caught up with the animosity of the previous night. In general, Jeff seemed less agitated and Candy had yet to make an appearance, though Suzie was not sure if the two things were related.
After lunch, Jared and his dad headed out for a walk. Suzie found herself glued to the bench swing as the rocking motion felt relaxing. Sometime later, she realized she had fallen asleep and felt drowsy and unsure of time or place. Warmed by the sun, she stretched and sat up. The sun was getting lower in the sky and Suzie figured it was at least four, or around four as Helen had put it. Heading to the kitchen for a drink, Suzie confirmed it was past four and noted the whole cabin was silent. The older two brothers had just headed out and the rest of them must be hiding somewhere. Thirst quenched, Suzie slipped out the door and followed the stone path to the studio.
The door to the studio was wide open and Suzie could hear music coming from within. It seemed a little too hard rock for Helen but this family seemed full of surprises. Stepping through the door, Suzie smelled the wet paint and looked toward a large canvas. It was unlike any of the others she had seen Helen paint. It was bright, yet dark, emotional and simple. It was one hand covering another, but it went deeper, with the color adding texture and layer. Suzie was entranced by it and was only half done. Behind her a door opened and a shadow moved behind her. Suzie turned smiling. Her mouth dropped into an oh of surprise as Jeff, covered in paint, walked up behind her.
“You’re not Helen,” Suzie said slowly, looking from Jeff to the painting and back.
“Not even close,” Jeff said, picking up his palette and brush and adding to the painting. “She has not been out here yet today.”
“You painted this?” Suzie asked, in awe.
“I am painting it, yeah.” Jeff looked at her puzzled. “Can you not tell anyone you saw me out here though? No one but Mom knows I paint. It is not something I like to share.”
Suzie was surprised by the question as Jeff had not seemed like the type to care what others thought. Nor did he seem like the expressive artist type, come to think of it. “Sorry, yeah. I can go. I was just here to meet Helen,” Suzie said, backing towards the door.
“No, Mom told me you’d be here. I meant to leave earlier, just got carried away.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Suzie said, gasping again at the beauty and raw emotion of the painting.
Jeff laughed and stared at her. “Well come on then, the other easel is still set up; you are here to paint aren’t you?”
Suzie nodded and stepped in front of the easel she was using the previous day. She could feel Jeff standing close by though she could not see him. His painting was less powerful close up and provided a barrier and something to look at other than Jeff’s piercing eyes. Painting silently side by side, Suzie was nowhere near as relaxed as she had been the previous day. Wiggling with pent up energy and feeling a strange new vibe from Jeff, Suzie was uncomfortable. It was an arousing discomfort that made her squirm and reminded her vaguely of her dream the first night she stayed here. Biting her lip and forcing herself to look at her painting, she argued with herself about what she was feeling.
Finally, too riled up to sit still, Suzie crossed the room for a drink of water. Now, standing behind Jeff she did not feel quite so out of breath. She watched him paint and was fascinated by how graceful his thick fibrous arms were as he danced the brush strokes on the canvas. He turned and caught her watching him. She froze as he stared into her eyes, turning the light tickle inside her into a wave of urgent desire. Jeff stretched, still looking at her and stepped back to put down his brush, then he walked over to her. Suzie forced herself to stare at the painting, shocked and unsure at what was going on inside her.
“Hey, am I talking to myself here?” Jeff repeated his question and found Suzie completely unresponsive, focused simply on one goal. Jeff grabbed Suzie’s arm. “Are you okay?”
A shock of electricity surged through both of them as Suzie was able to murmur, “Yes.”
