Where Dreams Begin

by Phoebe Conn

  When she could again draw a deep breath, she rose up slightly and was astonished to find her whole kitchen wasn’t in complete disarray, but except for a pair of tangled lovers, nothing was out of place. The width of Luke’s smile convinced her he was feeling no pain, and she leaned over to whisper in his ear.

  “Will you still have time to sort National Geographics?” she asked.

  The provocative question was so surprising, he laughed until tears rolled down his cheeks, and in an instant, Catherine fell in love. She enjoyed prompting his laughter almost as much as sating his passion. He didn’t laugh nearly enough, and she vowed to remedy that sad situation as often as humanly possible.

  Eventually they were able to pull their clothes back into place and feed the cat. They climbed the stairs and found her bed far more comfortable than the kitchen counter, but as Catherine fell asleep in Luke’s arms, his unrestrained laughter still echoed in her heart.

  Luke was away from Lost Angel for much of Thursday and again missed seeing Catherine, but he was there bright and early Friday morning ready to help her and Dave judge the mural contest. Too curious to remain in the office, Pamela walked over to the hall with him.

  “What is it you’re looking for in the winner?” she asked.

  “Damned if I know, but I imagine we’ll recognize it when we see it,” Luke answered. He had the sinking suspicion he and Catherine would never agree on the winner, but because they still hadn’t chosen a site, he refused to be overly concerned.

  Dave had on a colorful Aerosmith T-shirt that day, and he’d already pinned up most of the drawings on the long bulletin board reserved for flyers. “I’m particularly fond of Tina’s trash cans and cat,” he remarked. “Let me know when you find one to your liking.”

  Luke spotted Catherine talking with Nick, but he cautiously remained beside Dave while Pam began perusing the drawings. “I hadn’t thought we’d get so many entries.”

  “Neither did I,” Dave responded, “but interest just sort of mushroomed during the week. Looks to me like we have enough ideas here for a dozen murals. Have you made up your mind about Toby’s place yet?”

  “No, but I’m praying something more suitable will occur to me in the next few minutes.” He jumped when Catherine brushed against his side.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” she apologized. “What do you say to having the kids sit down while we study the entries? If we start at opposite ends, and Dave begins in the middle, we won’t constantly be in each other’s way.”

  “Good plan,” Luke said, and he strode off toward the kitchen end of the bulletin board to wait while Dave pinned up the last few drawings. “Do you want to help judge, Pam?”

  The secretary backed away. “No, thanks, now that I’ve seen everything, I don’t believe I could choose. I better just get back to the office. Good luck, kids.”

  Dave turned to Catherine and dropped his voice. “I don’t think Luke is much interested in this, so it’ll be up to us to pick the winner. I sure hope we agree.”

  Catherine noticed Rafael standing with Tina, and he still had a long roll of paper in his hand. “Do you want to put your entry up on the board?” she called to him.

  “No, I don’t want to spoil it for everyone else. I’ll wait until you’ve seen the others,” he replied.

  Catherine didn’t care for his confident smirk but nodded and walked down to the far end of the bulletin board where she stole a quick glance at Luke. He was looking her way with an equally appreciative expression, and certain the whole room must know they were lovers, she hurriedly focused her attention on the artwork.

  Because she’d observed the drawings as they had progressed during the week, there were no real surprises. Several of the kids had complained they just couldn’t get what was in their imagination down on paper, but she’d encouraged them to keep trying. Now, looking at their completed drawings, she was delighted that even the most frustrated of the teenagers had wanted to display their work.

  She was also impressed by the incredible variety to the angels posted along the wall. Some possessed a whimsical charm, while others, like Tina Stassy’s, were drawn in a darker, more impressionist style. “I’d like to choose them all,” she whispered as her path crossed Dave’s.

  “We could make a collage,” Dave replied.

  Catherine rather liked that idea, but she stood for a long moment in front of Tina’s design. The drawing itself wasn’t as polished as some, but the idea of a homeless angel and cat scrounging through trash was infinitely appealing.

  “What do you think?” she asked Luke as he stepped around her.

  “I think we might choose several of the designs and have a set of greeting cards made. The volunteers would all buy them, and it might be a good publicity tool.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea,” Catherine exclaimed. “It’ll be so much easier to select several winners rather than one.”

  “Are you finished yet?” Rafael called to them. “I don’t want an unfair advantage, but if you’ve seen all the other drawings, then you ought to take a look at mine.”

  “Come on down,” Luke instructed with a wave. “We’re dying to see your work.”

  When Rafael chose the center of the board, Catherine had to step back out of his way. She couldn’t help but fear he might have drawn a tasteless orgy rather than an angelic scene, but when he unrolled his artwork, she was absolutely stunned.

  His angels were drawn in exquisite detail, and not only did he possess an impressive knowledge of anatomy, he’d also dressed his heavenly creatures in pastel robes whose hems were ruffled by a graceful breeze. Alone, in pairs, and groups of threes, the angels were climbing up the front of a Victorian house easily recognizable as Toby McClure’s. Not merely a hazy background, the historic structure was rendered with a draftsman’s skill.

  That would have been enough to win the contest right there, but Rafael had also given each angel the beautifully expressive face of one of his friends.

  The drawing brought tears to Catherine’s eyes, but Dave had an entirely different reaction. “I think we ought to get Toby over here right now,” he stressed to Luke.

  The teenagers had responded with hushed amazement, but Luke just shrugged. “Go on and call Toby. I’d value his opinion, but I don’t for a minute believe this is your work, Rafael.”

  Dumbfounded, Catherine shook her head in disbelief. On more than one occasion, Luke had shocked her by going off on an absurd tangent, but this was simply too much. “Then whose work is it?” she asked.

  “I have no idea,” Luke replied, “but did you see Rafael draw even a corner of this?”

  “No, I haven’t seen him all week,” Catherine admitted, “but that doesn’t mean the drawing isn’t his.”

  “I don’t believe it,” Rafael swore. “You didn’t accuse anyone else of stealing someone else’s work, but you don’t believe I’m capable of turning out anything good?”

  Catherine was as disgusted as Rafael. “Look at the angels’ faces,” she implored. Stepping close, she recognized Violet’s shyly averted gaze in an angel scaling the porch roof. “This was obviously drawn by someone who knew the kids who come here. Why do you doubt it was Rafael?”

  “It might just be a hunch, but I do,” Luke stated calmly. “Here’s Toby, he’s a professional artist. Let’s see what he has to say.”

  Catherine turned toward the door, but in jeans and a black long-sleeved turtleneck jersey, none of the flamboyant artist’s tattoos was visible. He had pulled his long curls back into a ponytail and looked quite respectable. Then he winked at her, and she knew, regardless of his more conservative attire, he was the same sly flirt she’d met.

  Toby scanned the long bulletin board, then paused to study Rafael’s drawing and let out a long, low whistle. “Who did this?” he asked.

  “I did,” Rafael almost shouted. “I’m Rafael Reynoso.”

  Toby glanced over his shoulder. “Toby McClure. Where have you studied?”

 
Rafael appeared flustered by the question. “Nowhere. I just like to draw.”

  Toby caught Luke’s eye. “Dave said you needed an artist’s opinion, but any man off the street would recognize this much talent. If you want a scholarship to Art Center, kid, we could probably get you one by this afternoon. Do you have a portfolio?”

  “What’s that?” Rafael asked.

  “Some nice samples of your work,” Toby explained.

  Rafael fell back on attitude. “Hell, I don’t have anything saved. I just draw on scraps and throw them away.”

  Toby winced, then looked back at the magnificent drawing. “My house is the perfect background, and I’d like to see you get started on the mural just as soon as you can. When you’re through here this morning, Rafael, come on over to my place, and I’ll help you get some sketches together for a portfolio.”

  “Wait a minute,” Luke cautioned. “The drawing’s good, I’ll grant you that, but you haven’t proved who did it. I’d like to see you draw something right here, Rafael.”

  Tina Stassy had worked her way to the front of the crowd. She had a firm hold on Charlie so he wouldn’t bolt if he became frightened. “Go on, Rafael, I’ve seen you draw. Show Luke how it’s done.”

  After returning with Toby, Dave had hung back out of way, but now he began to laugh and was his usual helpful self. “We still have plenty of paper and pencils.”

  Rafael’s chin was tucked close to his chest as he addressed Luke. “What is it you want me to draw?”

  “Why not a sketch of Mrs. Brooks?” Luke suggested. “She’d make an interesting subject.”

  Catherine didn’t dare look at Luke when she was so angry with him, but she was too eager to help Rafael to refuse his surprising request. She swept her hair around her ear and moved toward the closest chair. “Will this be all right?” she asked.

  “Wherever,” Rafael grumbled. He took the paper and pencils Dave offered and sat opposite her. When the kids began to press close, he waved them off. “Give me some room or I’ll suffocate.”

  Once his request was honored, Rafael stared at Catherine a long moment and then gestured for her to tip her head slightly. “Yeah, that’s it.”

  Catherine held still, but she was acutely aware of the kids’ comments all around her. Some really did admire Rafael’s artistic ability, while others complained their drawings were just as good as his. Adding to her discomfort, she could feel Luke watching her, but fortunately, Rafael worked quickly, made a show of signing his drawing and then rose to hand it to Luke.

  It was a simple pencil sketch with a minimum of shading, but Rafael had captured not only the sweetness of Catherine’s features, but also the subtle force of her personality. Luke compared it briefly to the climbing angels and then gave a reluctant shrug.

  “I’ll accept this as proof the drawing is yours, but I need to confer with the other judges before we announce a winner. Mrs. Brooks, Dave, let’s talk outside.”

  Eager to speak with Luke where the kids couldn’t overhear, Catherine followed him into the courtyard. After he’d questioned whether Rafael had actually produced the best drawing, she wondered if he might not continue to be perverse and select another entry as the winner. She glanced toward Dave, counting on him to be an ally, but he was waiting for Luke to speak rather than looking her way. She widened her stance and hoped she wouldn’t have to talk until sundown to hand Rafael the honor he’d earned.

  “There was a vague reference to a prize,” she reminded Luke. “The winner ought to receive something more than recognition.”

  Luke rolled up the drawing of Catherine and held it in a loose grasp. “As I recall, Rafael made it sound as though he wouldn’t pick up a pencil if there weren’t a cash prize. I didn’t want the kids working for the money rather than for the challenge of the mural itself.”

  “While that might have been a worthy goal, the drawing is a masterpiece, and Rafael deserves a prize,” Catherine insisted.

  “Do you suppose Toby actually believes Rafael might receive a scholarship to Art Center? Wouldn’t that be enough of a prize?” Luke replied.

  “No,” Catherine was quick to argue. “The prize has to come from you.”

  “Children, please, let’s play nice,” Dave cautioned. “First we ought to choose the winner, then we can hand him, or her, the prize.”

  “I’m voting for Rafael,” Catherine announced quickly. “What about you, Dave?”

  Dave hunched his shoulders and looked down at his scuffed boots. “I’m mighty partial to Tina’s work, or the idea of it at least, but I can see Rafael’s is far more polished. The angels are almost floating up the front of the house, and it’s an image that would play well on TV. That’s what we need, isn’t it, Luke, a mural that will draw people into Lost Angel rather than send them scurrying away?”

  Luke nodded. “We’ll go back in and tell everyone we came to a unanimous decision. I’ll award Rafael a hundred dollar cash prize. Then I’ll explain I’ll have some blank greeting cards made to use as many of the other entries as we can. Will that make you happy, Mrs. Brooks?”

  The question caught Catherine off guard, but she had an immediate comeback. “I didn’t know that pleasing me was one of your priorities here, Dr. Starns.”

  “Let’s just say I try not to alienate too many of our loyal volunteers,” Luke replied in a perfect imitation of her barely civil tone.

  “Now I still expect you to head up the mural project, Mrs. Brooks. While you’re figuring out how much paint you’ll need and choosing the colors, I’m going to have our attorney friends draw up a contract for Toby. I can’t risk having him balk in the middle of the project, or God forbid, having him change Rafael’s design to advertise his own work instead of Lost Angel’s needs.”

  Catherine had to admit that was an excellent idea, and it proved just how thoroughly Luke had considered the mural project. That care to detail made her suspect that he’d deliberately meant to provoke Rafael. He certainly possessed a stunning aptitude for stirring up trouble, and it hadn’t even occurred to her until that very moment that he wasn’t merely thoughtless nor clumsy with words.

  No indeed, he expressed himself with a cautious precision. That had to mean he deliberately posed provocative questions and at the precise instant when they could do the most damage. Did he actually enjoy creating discord, simply so he could take credit for minimizing the damage? she wondered.

  It was a chilling thought and not one she would keep to herself Saturday night. Luke might believe he was a master at the barbed question, but she would give him a taste of his own medicine and laugh if he couldn’t choke it down.

  Chapter Twelve

  When Luke announced that Rafael’s design would be used for the mural and that he would indeed receive a cash prize, the young artist fought to maintain a studied indifference, but a boyish grin quickly overcame his sullen frown. Nick, Tina, Polly and most of the kids slapped him on the back and offered teasing congratulations, but there were a few who, obviously badly disappointed, hung back from the crowd.

  Catherine hated to see any of the teens feel slighted. “Does the center have access to a digital camera?” she asked. “I’d like to photograph all the entries now for the greeting cards.”

  Luke nodded, then called to Dave. “Mrs. Brooks is going to have her hands full with the mural. So I’ll need you to get the camera to record all the entries, load the photos into the Mac and oversee the artwork for the cards.”

  “Sure, I’ll get on it this afternoon.” Dave raised his voice slightly to make an announcement. “Make sure your names are on your drawings, then leave them where they are so that I can take photos. Each one has something we can use to promote Lost Angel’s cause, and I know Mrs. Brooks will expect all of you to help paint the mural.”

  “I most certainly will,” she promised.

  “Come on back to my office,” Luke murmured. “I need to give you the center credit card to pay for your supplies.”

  “I could hand in receipts a
nd be reimbursed,” Catherine replied.

  “No, let’s keep things simple for Pam and use the card.”

  “All right, then, I don’t want to create bookkeeping problems.” She followed Luke to his office, but on the way, it was all she could do not to tell him exactly what she thought of the shabby way he’d treated Rafael.

  “Were you able to pick a winner?” Pam asked as they entered the office.

  “Yes. Rafael turned in an incredible effort after you left,” Catherine responded. “You’ll have to go over and see it.”

  “I’ll make a point of it,” Pam promised before reaching to answer the telephone.

  Luke drew Catherine into his office, and the instant he shoved his door closed, he grabbed her in a boisterous hug and lifted her clear off her feet.

  “I may have insisted that you not argue with me over how I run the center, but we couldn’t have played that scene with Rafael any better had I written a script.”

  He was about to dance her around the small office, but she put her hands firmly on his chest to discourage the idea. “Wait a minute, are you admitting you intended to humiliate Rafael?”

  Shocked as much by her question as by her accusing tone, he released her and took a single backward step. “I wasn’t out to humiliate him. Like a lot of the kids here, he gives up on things too easily and then claims he didn’t care about them in the first place. I wanted to shake him up a bit to inspire him to stand up for his artwork. There was a risk he’d shrug off my challenge and walk away. But my ploy worked, and he fought to win.”

  That Luke could so easily justify his actions didn’t surprise her, but it also failed to impress her. “You played him,” she insisted, “and because I had no idea you weren’t sincere, you played me as well.”