Vivienne

Denise heard Tatum and her boyfriend share a quick kiss before the platinum blonde sat down where Marion had been. “Oh, you got me a soda too.  Thanks so much Denise.”  Tatum smiled and took the unused drink, drinking from it quickly. “Harry is so wonderful.”  Tatum commented dreamily.  “You look super happy…hey, where’s your beret?”

Still in a little bit of shock and disbelief with the little encounter, Denise quietly tried to remain calm and act normal.  Paying the check and tipping the waitress extra for the two drinks, Denise finally spoke after the two left the diner. “I took the beret off and stuffed it in my bag.”  She pulled out a few extra bobby pins, “It was starting to hurt my head.”  Seeing the gleaming smile on Tatum’s face, Denise was relieved that she wouldn’t have to carry on much more of the conversation and moved the topic to Henry. “You said he was wonderful?  How?”

Tatum happily started talking about how the two had held hands and quietly kissed a few times before she started hopping up and down. “Denise…you are so lost in your own little world.”  She poked her friend's arm as they rounded the art building to the parking lot. “He gave me his letters…I have said it a few times.”

Shaken out of her thoughts of twin blue eyes, Denise laughed and jumped right along with her friend. “That is so..”  Denise used Tatum’s word, “...wonderful!  That is the promise to engage, I am so happy for you both.”

“I couldn’t believe it Denise!  He even got down on his knees, not one knee…both.”  Tatum rolled her eyes up and grinned wider, “It was so romantic.”

Although Denise was certainly happy for her friend, she couldn’t remove the burned image of loving blue eyes staring at her.  Playing along with the excitement, Denise went along and shook her head with all the repeated happiness that Tatum expressed until the two had made it to their respective vehicles. “Tatum, do you want me to take you home? I don’t mind you know, the fog is getting thicker.”

Waving one hand and kissing the Greek pendant with the other, Tatum shook her head. “I will be fine, Denise.  It's only a few miles to Walnut Hill, the mists seldom come out that way these days.”

“I just wanted to be sure.”  Denise offered politely but was truly glad Tatum hadn’t taken her up on the offer. “See you tomorrow.”  She watched quietly as Tatum got in her car and drove off.  

Denise closed her eyes and took a deep breath, thinking about the lovely blue eyes that she’d had the pleasure of seeing most of the night.  Smiling to herself, Denise got into her own car and headed towards home. “I will find you….”  Denise kept repeating as she drove past the city limits and into the increasingly thick cloud cover once more. 

Much like she’d done before, Denise used the radio as her means to drive through the thick mist towards her family farm.  Unlike the myriad of unfortunate events slowing her progress getting to school, the drive home was uneventful and she found herself passing by the rusted barbed wire fences her father had put up years before. “Barbed wire..I don’t like it much, I think I will change them.”  Denise mindlessly bopped her head and made the turn into her driveway. “Wait…do I want to be a farmer?”  She asked herself just as she hit the brake. “Lifelessness..”  Denise heard herself say without provocation as an odd shape appeared in the parting mist.  First reaching down to scratch the tingle in her palm, Denise lifted her foot off the brake and slowly pulled the car back into its space. “Great.  I forgot I tore off.”  Denise sighed and grabbed her things before locking the car door behind her.

Spotting that the lights in the house weren’t on, Denise shrugged and headed into the barn where she kept a majority of her artwork.

Relieved when she noticed that all the lights in the house were off, save for the one over the kitchen door, Denise smiled and headed into the barn where she kept a majority of her artwork. “Hopefully he won’t remember in the morning.”  She reflected a bit about her parents, “I suppose I am fortunate enough that they let me have the loft as a small studio.” Making her way up the creaky wooden stairs, Denise pulled out her evening's artwork.

“Here you go.”  Denise smiled and placed the canvas she’d worked on for the last few hours on her easel. “One side done, what should I do with the other three panels?”

“I think a set of entwined hearts would look lovely beside my eyes.”  Marion laughed from the barn door.

With a deep breath in, Denise also jumped then screamed for a split second before clamping her mouth closed with her hands.  Wide eyed and shaking, Denise shook her head and blinked a few times in disbelief. “I…How…?”  Denise turned to face Marion and her molten blue eyes. “Why?”

“How?  Simple.  I followed you in a taxi.”  Marion leaned on the door with her sweater over her shoulder. “Why? I told you I would find you.”  Marion pointed to the makeshift studio, “I love it.  Have you slept up here?”

Denise finally felt the shock wear off and nodded to her woman down below. “Dad doesn’t like it much, but mom doesn’t mind.  She…she knows I spend lots of time out here.”  Denise rolled her eyes, “I..sorry I am being rude.”  She motioned to Marion, “Come up if you would like.  I know it is rather chilly by the door.  I was just about to light the kerosene heater.”

“Since you insist.”  Marion smiled and made her way silently up the wood steps. “Two little hearts in the upper right would look great.”  Marion mentioned as she stood beside Denise.

Nervously glancing to her right, Denise took in her model and almost lost her footing.  Taking a quick step to catch herself from falling, Denise tried to cover up the incident. “I..we are supposed to use the canvas to paint…you.”

Marion walked over to a small reading chair and sat down, crossing her legs. “I can’t have you cheating on the assignment.”  She drummed her fingernails on the arms of the chair. “Nothing is stopping us from doing something of our own, while I am here.”

Denise nibbled on her bottom lip a moment, “You want me to paint you here?”  She then raised one eyebrow and smiled. “Isn’t that also cheating?”

“That depends…”  Marion’s voice gained a bit of sultriness to it. “...on who’s doing the painting.”  She winked one of her sharp blue eyes.

Blushing as read as an apple, Denise suddenly realized that Marion was suggesting something much more intimate. “I…we just…”

“Yes. We have just met, Miss Crow.”  Marion smiled. “You can’t deny the connection we’ve established ever since you ran out of the classroom.”  Leaning to the left side of the chair, Marion released the first two buttons on her blouse. “What would you like to know?”  Marion chuckled, “I am willing to bet you know me very well already.  Almost like we are one, right?”