|
|
Finishing
Touches |
| The
Story |
| Reviews |
| About
the Author |
| Order
Info |
| Get
It Signed!
|
| Contact
|
| Appearances/Signings
|
Finishing Touches
LK Hunsaker
From Chapter One
| Jenna took a deep breath, allowing crisp fall air to invade her body. Feeling the nip of winter's touch creeping further through her open window, she pulled the plush blanket higher around her baby's shoulders. She loved the precious time spent rocking her child to sleep as he snuggled into her breast. At these moments, she felt the most connected to her only love. She also missed him most vividly.
Lightly running her fingertips over Aaron's tiny head, Jenna studied the perfect little features, so like his father's. Daniel had never tried to conceal the pride he had felt whenever someone mentioned how much his son resembled him. He had considered the child his greatest work of art, and his most important. Jenna's husband had been many things, but humble had never been one of them. She couldn't help grinning, recalling his admission of knowing he was a very good-looking guy. And he really was, or had been. Even after he had gotten sick and had lost too much weight, his features had still been perfect and his eyes absolutely beautiful. She snuggled her baby closer and returned her gaze to beyond the window. The view from their loft was breathtaking at this time of the year, with hundreds of maple trees along the banks of the Illinois River boasting their shades of red and yellow and green and brown. The Spirit of Peoria, a new reproduction of the beloved old riverboats, often sailed by with passengers walking the decks or standing at the rails. Six years earlier, Jenna and Daniel had watched the Julia Belle Swain together whenever they caught it floating along the river. Once, covered only with a sheet pulled from their bed, they had stood before the large window and talked of taking the short cruise on the old paddle-wheel. Some day. “Some day” had never come. Neither had so many other days they had planned. Their time together had centered around his painting, but then, he had told her to expect that. She hadn’t argued when he had refused to go out because he was working, or when she had to go to bed alone. She had been warned and had willingly accepted his terms. The naivete of youth, Jenna mused sullenly. Now, there was no later for them. The Julia Belle and Daniel were both gone. His baby stirred in her arms and Jenna coerced herself to rise slowly, moving across the loft to settle Aaron in his crib. Convinced he was still slumbering, she wandered into the kitchen to pour a cup of mint tea; a habit she had developed while carrying her first child. Daniel's mother had suggested it might help settle her stomach and it seemed to work. Even well after the morning sickness was gone, Jenna had continued the routine and joked with her husband that maybe he should try it as well, to calm his nerves. He didn't like mint tea. He didn't like boats either, except at a distance. Alan had once pointed out that Daniel's work was the only interest they shared. Her best friend hadn't been amused when she remarked that her advanced pregnancy proved him wrong. Not sure what to do with herself while Aaron slept, Jenna returned to the beautifully carved oak rocking chair, a gift from her mother-in-law. Joan had been nearly as excited as her son after hearing that he and Jenna were expecting their first child and had wasted no time making sure they had everything they needed for the baby. Jenna hadn't heard from Joan recently. She considered trying to call, but knew she would have to talk to two or three other people just to get through to Daniel's mother and then most likely have to leave a message. She wasn't up to that today. A fleeting thought of calling her own mother surfaced, then dissipated. She would just try again to invite Jenna to some social gathering. And Jenna’s sister-in-law would insist on coming over and staying the day, with the kids. She wasn't up to that, either. Alan. He would be at work, but she could talk to Cheryl for a few minutes until her kids interrupted and ask her to say hello to him. Jenna didn't want to talk to him now, anyway. She only needed to feel the connection – to know he was there. She dialed his number without stopping to think about it. She knew it better than her own. His voice startled her. He shouldn't be home now. After another prompt, she gathered herself enough to answer, grimacing at the shakiness of her voice. "Jenna, what's wrong? Are you okay?" She hesitated again. No, she wasn't, but she wouldn't tell him that. "Yeah, I'm fine." "You don't sound fine." Trying to maintain composure, she fumbled for something to say to him now that he was on the phone. "I…I'm just surprised you answered. I figured you'd be at work." "We just finished a big job. I gave everyone the day off." "Oh? How'd it go?" "Another Nicklaus job." Jenna half-grinned at the term. Nicklaus had been one of her friend's first clients, never satisfied and constantly insisting on changes. When she had still been meeting Alan on Sundays for dessert and coffee, Jenna would hear about all of the complaints and revisions of the week and make jokes to put him in a better mood. It had always worked. "Jenna?" Alan’s voice called her back. "Sorry, I thought maybe you'd heard enough complaining recently and I should just stay quiet." "Do you want me to come over?" Yes, she very much wanted him to come over. "Oh, no, I'm fine. I was just checking in to see how you guys are doing. Is Justin over the flu?" "Jenna, that was two weeks ago." She paused, holding her breath a moment and wishing she hadn't called. "I'm coming over." "No. Alan, it's your day off. You should spend it with your family." "My family is fine; you're not. I'll be right there." He didn't give her time to respond before she heard the click from his end. Oh, hell. She wasn't ready for company. She hadn't gone out in nearly a week, or showered in two days, and there were dishes in the sink and the baby's toys on his blanket on the floor. She didn't have time to shower and clean both and decided her own cleanliness would be more noticeable. So she checked on her sleeping son and jumped into the warm water. The doorbell found her almost presentable and she slipped into one of Daniel's shirts, rolling the sleeves while heading to the door. A slow, deep breath prepared her for her friend’s visit. Alan glanced at her wet locks. “Hey, Jenna. You didn’t have to shower for me.” He gave her a small kiss on the cheek in his usual casual style and waited to be asked in further. “You didn’t have to come over.” She studied her friend admiringly. All the work he did outside was so good for him. He always had a beautiful tan and his muscles were well-toned. Dan-iel had been very pale-skinned and burned easily. “It sounded like you need some company. Has your sister-in-law been over recently?” “No, her kids have been sick, too, and she didn’t want to give it to us. I guess that’s what I was thinking when I asked about Justin.” She motioned for him to step in and closed the door softly, having learned to keep everything as quiet as possible while Aaron was asleep. He even slept as lightly as his father had. Alan scanned the area as he strode easily to the small couch. Everything in the loft was small … except the space still reserved for Daniel’s easels and canvases and large paint-stained work table. Jenna only half-followed her friend, wishing she had cleaned up earlier. “Do you want a drink? I think all I have is juice right now, but I can make some iced tea.” “No, Jen, I’m fine. Come sit down.” Sitting alone with him was the last thing she wanted. She could hide her emotions well from everyone else but had never been able to keep anything from Alan. They had been friends since his family moved in across the street when Jenna was eleven, and she had spent more of her teenage years with him and his family than with her own parents. As a distraction, she went to the sink and began running water into the metal basin. Alan moved to her side and took the dishes from her hands to dry, talking easily of his kids and his job. He never brought up his wife unless Jenna asked about her. She knew they got along well. They always had. Cheryl was a wonderful person, very devoted to her family and especially to her husband. And she was a neat freak. Her house was always immaculate. How she did it with three kids, Jenna couldn’t begin to imagine. But Cheryl completely adored Alan and he never did anything to upset her. A quiet fussing from the opposite end of the room drew her out of her thoughts and she went to collect her baby, gently pulling him from the crib which had claimed part of Daniel’s studio space. Alan set to work putting the dishes away as she sat down to nurse Aaron. She knew it made her friend uncomfortable when she nursed in front of him, although she kept herself covered and Cheryl had nursed all three of their babies. But there was no such thing as privacy in the loft, unless she wanted to disappear behind the curtain that hid their bed … her bed … from the living area. And she didn’t want to sit back there right now. She often slept curled up on the couch instead of going to the bed alone. Her mother had tried to convince her to move since Jenna had no further reason to live in an art studio, but she couldn’t bring herself to sell it and couldn’t move out and leave it empty. Maybe she would get around to redecorating some day; make it presentable for company. A useless idea, Jenna laughed to herself, since she was out of the habit of entertaining and was content letting it match her memory of the first time she had stepped inside. She still thought of that moment as the rebirth into her new life – the life of her own choosing. Her parents had worked everything out for her from the beginning. Their only child would graduate with honors from the school close to where they had carefully chosen to live, then attend the University of Illinois, as they both had. After getting to know Alan and his family well, her mother had decided they would be the perfect match. Alan was two years older than Jenna, a very good student, responsible, hard working and well-mannered. His parents weren’t in the same social class as Jenna’s parents, but Alan could get there with his career plans. He would also graduate from U of I and work on building a foundation for a family the following two years that Jenna would need to finish school. Then they could marry and Jenna could start on her own career. There had only been two major problems with the plan. Alan had been intent on getting a job after earning his associates degree in horticulture from Illinois Central College, possibly continuing school after building his bank account. And Jenna had never had any interest in marrying Alan. He was her friend –- nothing more. Illinois Central. The junior college in East Peoria hadn’t entered her mind in a long while. She wondered if any of its students could possibly have memories of the school that would come even close to equaling her own. Alan had tried to talk her into going there after high school. He’d said it was the perfect place to start deciding what she wanted to do. She could take some basic classes as well as some that just sounded interesting and would eventually find something to hold her easily-distracted attention. He even took her with him during spring break of her senior year to check it out. That was where she had met Daniel. |
"So don't hold back it's not a game we're playing..."
from "Love Is Yours And Mine"
-Duncan Faure-
-9-