Paint Me Curious Bronze [Curious] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Silke Ming

  “Your timing couldn’t have been better,” he said.

  “How did your shopping go?”

  “I did find something, but it will take a while before I get it,” he said as he realized he still had the documents in his hand.

  “I saw Rachel. She would be happy to do another sitting for you.”

  “Wonderful. It is a little difficult to get a good model these days.”

  “Did you have lunch?” she asked.

  “No I didn’t. There wasn’t enough time. How about you?”

  “I forgot you never eat lunch, but if you are hungry, I’ll make something quickly for you,” she said. “After you left this morning, a man in a pickup truck showed up. He said you usually buy produce from him, so I bought six cooked lobsters and a large bag of shrimp.”

  “Lobster sounds good. With lots of garlic butter?” he asked.

  “Yes. Did you place the ad?”

  “It should be in the newspaper in a couple of days! I’ll be in the studio. Call me when you’re ready.”

  Once inside the studio, Seamus lifted the still-life painting from the door, walked over to the window, and pushed the secret button in the corner. He entered the room and hid the papers for the new car. He looked around and then quickly closed the door and put the painting back in its place. His mind was now on his work, and he picked up a new canvas, which he placed on the easel. Then remembering he was still dressed from his trip into Whitney, he quickly changed his clothing and put his long, white apron on over his boxer shorts. He stared at the empty canvas, and then he started to paint like a man obsessed. Things were taking shape on the canvas. It was the portrait of a woman. He studied the paints on his palette and concentrated on the bronze color.

  “That’s it,” he said softly.

  He heard Summer’s voice calling him down to lunch. He did not respond but continued to paint. She called a second time. He responded but continued to work with fervour until she knocked on the door.

  “Yes?” he asked, opening the door and blocking her way.

  “I have been calling you for the past five minutes. Your lunch is ready,” she said, feeling somewhat frustrated with him.

  “I’ll be down right away,” he said, putting down his palette and brushes.

  “Smells delicious and looks delicious,” he said, staring at the lobster plate she had prepared. “Aren’t you going to join me?”

  “I’ve already had lunch,” she replied, hoping he would open up about his trip into the city.

  “Know what I think?”

  “What do you think, Seamus?”

  “I think we should go to Hawaii and we should spend a month there. We can rent a car and travel around the big island, sit on the beach and watch the sun set, eat lots of pineapple, and enjoy some of the good Hawaiian cuisine. Have you ever been to Hawaii?”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Then let’s do it. After the Miami show is over, you and I will fly to Hawaii, lie on the beach, and fuck each other until sun rises.”

  “I would prefer to make love.”

  “Whatever you want, I will give it to you,” he replied.

  “Sounds exciting. I can’t wait,” she said, running her hands through his unruly red hair.

  “Thanks for lunch. I’ve got to carry on painting so that we can go to Hawaii.”

  He got up, kissed her, and climbed the stairs. He entered the studio and gazed at the painting he had started. He picked up two more empty canvases and placed them side by side and continued to paint. He splashed a little yellow on one canvas and blue on another. Then he examined them. The yellow he didn’t like, so he changed it to red. A face appeared on the blue canvas and yet another on the red. It was four o’clock in the afternoon and the sun was still high in the sky. Summer picked up a book, but she couldn’t concentrate, so she decided to go down to the water’s edge.

  “I’m going down to the beach,” she called out to him.

  He didn’t hear her. She picked up a straw hat, closed the door behind her, and left. The tide had gone out and she watched the shore birds stepping gingerly, heads down looking for some tasty treats. She took off her shoes and walked until she came to a tree. She laid down, put her hat over her face, and instantly fell asleep. She awoke to the sound of the swishing of water. The waves were lashing against the shore and the sun had almost sunk beyond the horizon.

  She jumped up and looked around her. Her shoes were gone. The tide had taken them out. She should’ve been back at the house a long time ago. Seamus must be worried about her. It was not easy walking back barefooted through the path, because broken seashells, roots, and bits of glass littered the narrow walkway. She finally reached the house and found it in darkness. Seamus had not left his studio and had no idea that she was still out of the house.

  “Seamus?”

  “Hi, Summer. Is dinner ready?”

  “Damn him,” she muttered. “I could’ve gone out with the tide and he wouldn’t have known.”

  “What are you still doing up there?” she asked.

  “Come up and see,” he called back.

  She opened the door to the studio and came face-to-face with three identical paintings. One was bronze, one blue, and the other red.

  “Now, they are not finished, but you can still tell me what you think.”

  “They are beautiful,” she said, moving closer to inspect them. “They are like Andy Warhol paintings of me.”

  “That’s what I was hoping you would say. Abstract, but they are all of you. I’m so happy that you like the trio. Curious bronze, curious red, and curious blue. “Will you keep them, or will you sell them at the next show?”

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  “I think you should put them in your next show. They are really stunning.”

  “Don’t forget they are not finished. Another two or three days and they should be done. By the way, Rachel called while you were out, and I made an appointment with her for next week.”

  “That’s nice. Have you any idea what time I came back to the house?” she asked.

  “No, as you can see I have been busy the whole time.”

  “I fell asleep on the beach, and when the tide came in, the waves took my shoes out with them.”

  He suddenly looked up and stared at her.

  “Are you telling me that you fell asleep on the beach?”

  “Yes, and you had no idea I was gone for such a long time.”

  “That’s dangerous,” he said. ”Promise me you won’t do anything like that again. It’s deserted around here, but who knows what strange person could’ve assaulted you while you were asleep. You must promise me you’ll only go down to the water if we’re together.”

  “I promise,” she said, breaking into a smile.

  “I’ve neglected you today,” he said, closing the blinds in the studio. “Now I’m all yours. By the way, what’s your favorite color?”

  “It all depends.”

  “On what?” he asked, leaning on the banister.

  “For clothing I like green and black, my hair I like brown, and for my mood I would say green.”

  “My, my! I must watch myself. You are the jealous type.”

  “Given reason to be, I can be jealous,” she said, disappearing down the hallway.

  “Are you feeling jealous now?” he asked, walking behind her.

  “Should I have reason to be? Is there something you want to tell me? Perhaps something that happened today?”

  “Summer, I promised you I wouldn’t see her behind your back nor in front of your face. There’s no reason for you to feel insecure. You are the only woman I want in my life. Why won’t you trust me?”

  “You know why,” she said, struggling to open a bottle of wine.

  “Trust me. You have nothing to worry about,” he said, taking the bottle and the corkscrew away from her.

  She smiled at him.

  “Not until I’m sure you weren’t with her.”

  “Summer,” h
e said, turning her around to face him, “listen to me, I did not see Lana today. I swear to you.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Spontaneity in the Seamus Balsam household had come to a screeching halt with the hiring of the new housekeeper, Mildred O’Reilly, fondly referred to as Millie. She was no-nonsense and ran a tight ship. Lunch was served punctually at one o’clock, and dinner was prepared and left on the stove only to be stuck in the oven. Her day ended at three thirty, and as the long hand of the clock reached the number six, she was out the door, showing her face again punctually at eight o’clock the following morning when her pickup truck would roar up the driveway.

  Seamus liked her but was not used to having anyone in the home, so his spur-of-the-moment activities had basically come to an end. He had to dress appropriately with the stranger in the home, and his midday trysts with Summer were a thing of the past.

  Summer liked her and was glad to have her around in spite of her no-nonsense approach. Millie taught her how to cook new dishes, and having an Irish background along with her cooking skills, the kitchen was her favorite part of the house. There was always a feast on the dinner table. Every dish from the north to the south of the green isle had adorned the table in the two and a half weeks Millie had entered the household.

  “Must we have her here all day long?” asked Seamus. “She arrives too early and is always on time. Can’t she call to say she’s got a flat tire or that she overslept?”

  Summer started to laugh.

  “You are grumpy this morning.”

  “I can’t sneak up behind you whenever I want and take you on the spur of the moment. She’s so efficient. She’s always here scrubbing or cleaning or vacuuming.”

  “Isn’t that what you hired her to do?”

  “Yes, but…”

  His phone started to ring. He listened and then he spoke.

  “I’ll be there around midday?” he said.

  Summer looked at him. She had no idea who the caller was. She didn’t ask, and neither did he offer any information. There was that trust thing which she thought she should adhere to.

  “I must make a quick trip into town, but I won’t be long.”

  He stopped for a moment then turned to her.

  “Would you give me a ride into Whitney?”

  “I wanted to go up to Port Collier,” she said. “I have ordered something and must pick it up today.”

  “If you give me a ride, then you can head back to Port Collier when you drop me off.”

  “Is there a reason why you can’t drive yourself?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do have a reason, but it is private,” he said as he was halfway up the stairs.

  “If you won’t tell me why you can’t drive yourself, why should I take you?”

  “Because you are a sweetheart, and I know you will take me.”

  “Men! Mouths always dripping with honey,” muttered Millie, on hearing the conversation.

  Summer did not answer, but picked up her hat and went outside to wait on Seamus. He ran out, opened the door of the Volkswagen, and jumped in.

  “Still angry with me?” he asked.

  “I’m not angry. You’re allowed to have your secrets, and I will have mine,” she replied, keeping her eyes glued to the road.

  “You are angry,” he said, teasing her. “When are you going to buy yourself a nice car and get rid of this old thing?”

  She was angry and wanted to stop the car and throw him out. Instead she turned to him and unleashed her anger.

  “I will not be driving this old thing back to the city to pick you up, so make arrangements to return home,” she snapped.

  “I’ll do that,” he replied.

  They drove the rest of the way in silence, and she dropped him off in front of the Greek restaurant where he’d had dinner with Lana a few weeks earlier. She drove off without casting a glance at him and headed back on the rural country road. She kept driving until she reached the mom-and-pop shop where Rachel was busy serving a customer.

  “Hello, Summer,” she called out upon seeing her.

  “How are you, Rachel?”

  “I saw your Andy-Warhol-type paintings,” she said. “They’re just fab.”

  “I think they are wonderful,” Summer replied. “I wasn’t sure about the colors, but now that they are finished, I just love them.”

  “May I ask you something, Summer?”

  “Of course, Rachel. What is it?”

  “Is there something going on between you and Seamus?” she asked shyly.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Because I like you,” she said. “I know that you overheard what I said to my friends that day in the pizza shop. I also know that you didn’t tell Seamus.”

  “How do you know I didn’t tell him?”

  “Because he would never have allowed me back into the house,” she said.

  “So have you given up on getting him between the sheets?”

  Rachel’s face turned red. Summer was using the same phrase she had used that day in the pizza shop.

  “Only if you are not interested in him,” she said, looking away.

  “Rachel, you are young,” Summer said. “You should find someone around your own age who would be interested in the same things you are interested in. Don’t run after men who show no interest in you. You met Seamus before I did. If he were interested in you, he would’ve made a move on you a long time ago. I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but forget about Seamus.”

  “I have always had a big crush on him,” she said, looking somewhat disappointed.

  “Rachel, don’t pin your hopes on Seamus.”

  “Thank you, Summer.”

  “Good-bye Rachel. See you sometime soon.”

  * * * *

  Seamus pulled into the driveway just as Millie was getting into her white pickup truck.

  “See you tomorrow, Millie,” he said, slowing down to speak to her.

  He drove to the other side of the house and parked the car. Millie stared at him, and then she stared at the car. She wondered why he was driving to the other side of the house, since the cars parked there were all visible from street. And where did he get the car? She considered it none of her business and continued on her way home.

  The volume of the radio was turned up quite loudly as Summer drove along the gravel road. She listened to Adele belt out her song, “Someone Like You.” She sang along happily with the artist.

  She was about to turn in 43098 Collier when she spotted a silver-grey convertible parked on the other side of the house. It looked like Lana’s car. So that’s what he has been up to! They even tried to hide the car on the other side of the house hoping I wouldn’t see it. How could he do this to me? He knew I would be returning home soon.

  “Bloody bastard,” she hissed.

  One voice told her she should keep driving, and another said go in and confront them. The final lyrics of Adele’s song rang out in her ears.

  She slowly drove up to the entrance and sat for a while before getting out. She opened the door and stepped inside the house. It was extremely quiet. She went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of red wine, which she drank in one gulp. She hesitated before climbing the stairs and then she called out.

  “Seamus!”

  There was no answer, so she turned the handle to the studio expecting to find them together.

  “Hello, Summer. You’re back,” he said. “Still angry with me?”

  “Yes, I’m back, and yes, I’m totally pissed with you,” she shouted. “Where is she?”

  “She?”

  “Yes. I know you’re hiding her somewhere. Be a man, Seamus. Let’s talk about this before I leave.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m leaving you, Seamus. You are dishonest. If she won’t come out, then I wish you both all the best. Good-bye, Seamus.”

  He jumped up and closed the door, throwing his body against it to prevent her from leaving.

  “Please mov
e out of my way,” she shouted.

  “Summer,” he said in a quivering voice, “I want to show you something. Please don’t be so angry with me. Promise me you will hear what I have to say before you go.”

  “Then out with it, Seamus, and quick. Don’t waste my time,” she screamed at him.

  He tried to guide her down the stairs by her shoulders, but she was having none of it.

  “Don’t touch me!” she said coldly. “What is it you want to show me? Not that it will change anything.”

  She followed him around the front of the house and he held up a pair of keys.

  “This is yours,” he said, showing her a brand-new convertible. “I bought it to say thank you for all the assistance you gave me during my show, and because I wanted you to know how much I love you.”

  She stared at the vehicle, totally lost for words. Finally he spoke.

  “Don’t you want to sit in it and see how it feels?”

  She opened the door on the driver’s side and sat behind the wheel. She looked around and ran the palms of her hands gently along the leather seats.

  “I thought it was…”

  “You thought it was what?”

  “Nothing,” she replied.

  “You thought it was Lana’s car?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is an Audi. Lana drives a BMW, and this is not the same color.”

  “I don’t know what to say. I thought it was her car, hidden away here on the other side of the house.”

  “When are you going to trust me, Summer? I promised you I wouldn’t have anything more to do with her.”

  “Well you have been acting strangely, and I didn’t know what to think.”

  “So are you going to stay, or will you still leave me?”

  “I’m sorry, Seamus. What can I do to make it up to you?” she asked.

  “Millie left for the day. We have the house all to ourselves, so you can make it up to me now.”

  Once inside the house, he spread-eagled her against the door, and through her green silk blouse, he sucked on her nipples, first one and then the other. She looked down at the two wet spots that formed two hills on her chest.

  “I missed this so much,” he said, lifting her blouse and taking both breasts in his hands.