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“Of course it was.”
Sienna is heading for the arts and crafts room to see what Dax is up to. At hearing her say through the open door, “Oh my God!” Laura and I hurry to see what’s up.
On the long table in front of my roommate is an array of about thirty paint bottles, seven used brushes, three aluminum pie tins covered in mixed paint, and a plank of wood with Sunflower House painted onto it, an abstract likeness worthy of both Van Gogh’s and Monet’s praise. The three of us ooh and ahh, Laura gushing, “You are truly gifted!” and staring in shock at the piece. The sunflowers are so bright and beautiful, and you can almost see the long grass floating in the sunlit breeze.
Sienna melts, “They are going to love this so much!”
Dax’s demeanor is calm and detached, accepting the compliments with grace. No smile.
I lean in to stare closer at thick brushstrokes, stunned as I whisper, “You have a talent.”
“So do you.”
Over my shoulder, I meet their eyes. “Not like yours.”
“You don’t know that. You just started. But you have a seed. Now you’ll plant it.”
“But this?” I look back to the gorgeous painting. “This is God-given.”
“Aren’t all talents?”
Uncomfortable talking about my photography held up in comparison in any way, shape, or form to this gifted artwork, I bluntly say, "I'm gonna go up to bed."
Sienna and Laura run over to get their own wood planks, with Laura choosing one painted over, instinctively knowing it's meant for us if we want it. "This one already has pink all over it. I've got a head start!"
Sienna's blank one is held up for us. "I'm gonna see if I have any talent!"
Dax says, "I can show you some techniques."
She spazzes out, “Would you?!”
I leave the three of them to their painting, feeling a slight tug to join them, but no. I need some time with my camera. I’m going to delete photos I took that day that didn’t make the cut, removing all of the ones that give me zero feeling, keeping only what makes me smile.
But right after I turn on the bedroom light, I hear something hit our window. Pausing by the door I stare, and hear another ‘ping’ follow. Sounded small, like a pebble? Immediately after, a third hit propels the memory forward from within the recesses of my mind — If I threw a pebble at your window, everything changes.
Was that what he said? Rushing to the window, I throw it open and stick my head out to see Ben standing in the tall grass behind Sunflower House, dozens of its namesake surrounding him. His cowboy is hat tilted up, green eyes glittering in moonlight, jeans and denim shirt tight enough to make any woman steal a second glance. And a third.
In wonder I call down, “Hi!”
Holding his finger to his lips, he throws a whisper loud enough to reach only me, “I need to see you.” He brings up his right hand and waves once, calling me down. “Come on.”
Running quickly into the bathroom, I rinse espresso clean with mouthwash, fix my damp hair, throw on a robe, and race out of the Rose room, downstairs, quietly as possible.
They’re still painting, not aware I’m sneaking through the main room, out the front door and around the side of the house without the jacuzzi. Grabbing a sunflower on a whim, I yank it from its roots and rush around back to answer Ben’s beckoning call.
TWENTY-THREE
Willow
Iturn the corner and see Ben holding a sunflower, too, roots spindly and exposed, stalk long, petals bright yellow, just like mine. He starts walking to meet me, asking, “You picked that for me?”
“Yes.”
Suddenly I’m in his arms, both of us holding our fragile flowers slightly away from our bodies for a kiss I will remember for my whole life. The urgency of it. His tongue seeks mine and I go weak, whispering his name against his lips when we come up for air, then kissing some more. Finally Ben lifts me up and carries me, my legs wrapped around his hips, cowboy boots smashing the tall grass toward an old shed in the back of the retreat house. With his flower hand, he opens the door and careens us inside, shutting it, kissing me harder and pressing me against the wall. He’s so warm, body so strong. Ben breaks free to ask, voice deeper, “What is this you’re wearing?”
"A robe and a bikini."
"You were in the hot tub?"
